AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2016.

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. __   ¨

  Post-Effective Amendment No. 6   x

      and/or
  REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940   x

  Amendment No. 7   x

 

(Check appropriate box or boxes)

 

 

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

1345 Avenue of the Americas

2nd Floor

New York, NY 10105

(Address of Principal Executive Office)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code 646-380-2499

 

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

 

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

 

x immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485
¨ on [          ] pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485
¨ 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a) of Rule 485
¨ on [          ] pursuant to paragraph (a) of Rule 485
¨ 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485
¨ on [          ] pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485

 

If appropriate, check the following box:

 

¨ This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

 

 

 

[GRAPHIC MISSING]

TrimTabs Asset Management

Prospectus

September 20, 2016

TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF (TTAC)

This Prospectus provides important information about the TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF (“Fund”), a series of TrimTabs ETF Trust (“Trust”), that you should know before investing in the 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 the Fund (“Shares”) are or will be listed and traded on Bats Exchange, Inc. (“Bats” or “Exchange”). Shares are not individually redeemable. The Trust is a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”).


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  

No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this Prospectus and the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information dated September 20, 2016 (“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.


 
 

FUND SUMMARY

TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to generate long-term returns in excess of the total return of the Russell 3000® Index (the “Index”), with less volatility than the 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:     0.59 %  
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees: (1)     0.00 %  
Other Expenses: (2)     0.00 %  
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses: (2)     0.59 %  

(1) Pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”), the Fund may bear a Rule 12b-1 fee not to exceed 0.25% per year of the Fund’s average daily net assets. However, no such fee is currently paid by the Fund or will be paid by the Fund in its first year of operation, 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:
$62   $194

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.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that seeks to achieve its investment objective by primarily investing in the broad U.S. equity market, as represented by the Index. The Fund seeks to achieve this goal by investing in stocks with liquidity and fundamental characteristics that are historically associated with superior long-term performance. Based on extensive historical research, TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (the “Adviser”) designed the following quantitative stock selection rules to make allocation decisions and to protect against dramatic over- or under-weighting of individual securities in the Fund’s portfolio.

Decile Rankings of Russell 3000® Index Stocks.   The Adviser ranks stocks in the Index by decile ( i.e. , top 10%, top 20%, top 30%, etc.) based on the following criteria:

(i) the decrease in their outstanding shares (“float shrink”) over approximately the past 126 trading days;
(ii) the increase in free cash flow (the money available to the company that is not used to pay for its daily operations) over approximately the past 126 trading days; and

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(iii) the decrease in leverage over approximately the past 126 trading days. Leverage is measured as the ratio of total liabilities to total assets. The Adviser uses the relative decrease in leverage rather than amount of leverage itself as a criterion because the degree of leverage varies across industries.

The Russell 3000® Index measures the performance of the 3,000 largest publicly traded U.S. companies, based on market capitalization. The Index measures the performance of approximately 98% of the total market capitalization of the publicly traded U.S. equity market.

The top decile of stocks ranked represent the companies in the Index with (1) the largest reduction in shares outstanding, (2) the strongest growth in free cash flow, and (3) the largest decrease in leverage, respectively.

Stock Selection Algorithm.   The Adviser uses an algorithm to combine the three rankings into a single ranking for each stock ranked (“combined ranking”). The algorithm places a higher weight on the float shrink ranking, followed by the free cash flow ranking, followed by the leverage ranking. Under normal circumstances the Fund invests in 80 to 120 stocks from the top decile of stocks with the highest combined ranking, although the Adviser retains discretion to adjust allocations.

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.

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk.   The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”). To the extent that those APs exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a discount to NAV.

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 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.

Management Risk.   The Fund is actively managed using proprietary investment strategies and processes. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. This could result in the Fund underperforming comparable investment vehicles.

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.

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. The market price of Shares may also fluctuate in accordance with changes in the liquidity, or the perceived liquidity, of the Fund’s holdings, and a decrease, or a perceived decrease, in such liquidity may lead to increased divergence between the Shares’ market price and NAV.

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.

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Sector Risk.   To the extent that the Fund’s investments are focused on a particular industry or group of industries or sector, the Fund is subject to loss due to adverse occurrences that may affect that industry or group of industries or sector. Focusing on a particular industry or group of industries could increase the Fund’s volatility over the short term.

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.

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.trimtabsfunds.com .

Investment Adviser

TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser of the Fund.

Portfolio Manager

Theodore M. Theodore, CFA will be the Fund’s portfolio manager when the Fund commences operation. Mr. Theodore is also the Vice Chairman 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 25,000 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.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND

Additional Information About The Fund’s Investment Strategies and Risks

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

The Fund is an actively managed ETF and, thus, does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified passive index of securities. Instead, it uses an active investment strategy in seeking to meet its investment objective. Accordingly, the Adviser, subject to the oversight of the Board, has discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund’s portfolio actively in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and investment policies.

Investment Philosophy

The following convictions constitute the guiding philosophy of the long-term value investment strategy pursued by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund:

Top insiders at a company know more about the company’s fundamentals than the general public. These insiders can influence the price of the company’s shares by timing equity issuance and stock buybacks, which shrink a company’s float, to their advantage. In addition, supply and demand dictate that stocks should perform best when their float is shrinking: all else being equal, if the same amount of money is chasing a smaller number of shares, then the share price increases. For these reasons, shares of companies that shrink the float consistently should outperform the broader market.
Float shrink is most meaningful when it is driven by strong free cash flow growth. Thus, the Fund seeks to invest in companies that are shrinking their float because their free cash flow is growing.
Companies that use debt to repurchase shares do not perform as well as companies that finance their share repurchases internally. Thus, the Adviser favors companies that are able to shrink their float without increasing their leverage.

Investment Process

The Adviser’s investment process is quantitative. Based on extensive historical research, the Adviser designed the following stock selection rules:

Rebalancing, Weighting, Liquidity, and Trading Considerations

Liquidity Screening

Before trading, the Fund will estimate the liquidity impact of its suggested trades. Specifically, the Fund will avoid stocks whose average trading volume over the past 30 days would be too low to accommodate the Fund’s trades. As a result, the Fund will not invest in stocks that meet its investment criteria in terms of float shrink, free cash flow growth and leverage if their trading volume is too low.

Weighting and Sector Allocation

Although the Fund initially invests equally in the stocks that meet its investment criteria, the Fund is not market capitalization weighted. As a result, the Fund over weights small-cap stocks and mid-cap stocks relative to traditional, market cap weighted indices.

The relative weights of the sectors in the Fund may vary significantly from those of traditional, market cap weighted indices, because stocks with favorable liquidity characteristics may be concentrated in certain sectors. The Fund will not correct these sector effects because the Adviser’s research shows that they are a source of long-term outperformance.

Rebalancing and Trading Considerations

The Fund’s stock selection algorithm is run on a daily basis. Subject to the Adviser’s discretion, the Fund sells stocks that no longer meet the investment criteria, and the Fund adds stocks that meet the investment criteria. The Adviser may exercise its discretion not to sell or add stocks, including when the costs associated with entering into transactions may outweigh the benefits of revising the Fund’s portfolio. Trading costs should not be a significant drag on the Fund’s performance as the Fund’s portfolio is expected to be completely turned over approximately once per year.

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Since the data underlying the stock-selection process is disclosed in issuers’ 10Q and 10K filings with the SEC, the Fund trades more actively after companies report their quarterly earnings and balance sheet data.

Temporary Defensive Positions.   To respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its total assets, without limitation, in high-quality short-term debt securities and money market instruments either directly or through ETFs. The Fund may be invested in this manner for extended periods, depending on the Adviser’s assessment of market conditions. Debt securities and money market instruments include shares of other mutual funds, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, U.S. government securities, repurchase agreements, and bonds that are rated BBB or higher. While the Fund is in a defensive position, the opportunity to achieve its investment objective will be limited. Furthermore, to the extent that the Fund invests in money market funds, the Fund would bear its pro rata portion of each such money market fund’s advisory fees and operational expenses.

Additional Information About the Fund’s Risks

The risks are described in alphabetical order and not in the order of importance or potential exposure.

Principal Risks

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk.   The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”). Only APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. To the extent that those APs exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other AP is able to step forward to create and redeem in either of those cases, Shares may trade like closed-end fund shares at a discount to NAV and possibly face delisting from the Exchange.

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.

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.

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.

Management Risk.   The Fund is actively managed and uses proprietary investment strategies and processes. There can be no guarantee that these strategies and processes will produce the intended results and no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective or outperform other investment strategies over the short- or long-term market cycles. This could result in the Fund’s underperformance compared to other funds with similar investment objectives.

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

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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.

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. The market price of Shares may also fluctuate in accordance with changes in the liquidity, or the perceived liquidity, of the Fund’s holdings, and a decrease, or a perceived decrease, in such liquidity may lead to increased divergence between the Shares’ market price and NAV. Such divergence is more likely under stressed market conditions.

REITs Risk.   In addition to the risks associated with the real estate industry, REITs are subject to additional risks, including those related to adverse governmental actions and the potential failure to qualify for tax-free pass through of income and exemption from registration as an investment company. REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills and may invest in relatively few properties, a small geographic area or a small number of property types. The value of a REIT or similar REIT-like entity can depend on the structure of and cash flow generated by the REIT. As a result, investments in REITs may be volatile. Because REITs are pooled investment vehicles that have fees and expenses of their own, the Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of those fees and expenses, which may decrease Fund returns.

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.

Sector Risk.   To the extent that the Fund’s investments focus on a particular industry or group of industries or sector, the Fund is subject to loss due to adverse occurrences that may affect that industry or group of industries or sector. Market conditions, interest rates, and economic, regulatory, or financial developments could significantly affect a single industry or a group of related industries, and the securities of companies in that industry or group of industries could react similarly to these or other developments. Focusing on a particular industry or group of industries could increase the Fund’s volatility over the short term. While the Fund’s sector and industry exposure is expected to vary, from time to time the Fund may invest a significant percentage of its assets in issuers in a single industry (or the same group of industries) or sector of the economy.

Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk.   Investing in the securities of small and medium capitalization companies involves greater risks and the possibility of greater price volatility than customarily is associated with investing in larger, more established companies. Such companies often have narrower markets for their goods and/or services and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies, and often have limited product lines, services, markets, financial resources or are dependent on a small management group. In addition, because such securities are not well-known to the investing public, do not have significant institutional ownership and are followed by relatively few security analysts, there will normally be less publicly available information concerning

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these securities compared to what is available for the securities of larger companies. As a result, the performance of small and medium capitalization companies may be more volatile and they may face greater risk of business failure, which could increase the volatility of the Fund’s portfolio.

RELATED HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE OF THE ADVISER

The performance information shown below represents a composite (the “Composite”) of the prior performance of all discretionary accounts with substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies as the Fund for which the Adviser served as investment adviser (“Composite Accounts”). You should not consider this past performance data to be an indication of the future performance of the Fund. For the periods shown, the Composite was comprised of a fund registered under the 1940 Act, a private account, or both. Therefore, the Composite was not at all times of the period presented subject to the investment limitations, diversification and other requirements imposed by the 1940 Act and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which, if applicable, may have adversely affected the performance results presented. The Adviser maintains all performance records for the Composite. As of July 31, 2016, the Composite consisted of one Composite Account, with total assets under management of $553,103.81.

The Composite's performance, which has been provided by the Adviser, is provided to illustrate the past performance of the Composite Accounts as measured against a broad-based market index, and does not represent the historical performance of the Fund, nor should it be considered a substitute for the Fund's performance. The performance of the Composite is not indicative of the Fund’s future performance. Results may differ as between the Composite and the Fund because of, among other factors, differences in management fees.

The Composite's net of fee performance reflects returns net of all fees actually charged to the Composite Accounts, including management fees and custodial fees. To the extent that operating expenses incurred by the Composite Accounts were lower than the operating expenses of the Fund, such expenses had less adverse effect on the performance of the Composite than they would have had on the performance of the Fund.

The performance of the Composite was measured in accordance with the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS®). This performance calculation method differs from the SEC performance standards applicable to registered investment companies, such as the Fund. Investors should be aware that the use of a methodology different from that used to calculate the performance of the Fund could result in differing performance data.

Schedule of Comparative Performance (as of December 31, 2015)

       
  Year-To-Date (2)   1-Year   Three-Year   Since Inception (October 4, 2011)
Composite Account (NAV) (1)     6.84 %       -1.90 %       17.09 %       18.59 %  
Russell 3000 Index     7.74 %       0.48 %       14.75 %       17.53 %  

(1) Performance reported as average annual total returns.
(2) Performance as of July 31, 2016.

FUND MANAGEMENT

TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC acts as the Fund’s investment adviser. The Adviser is located at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, 2 nd Floor, New York, NY 10105. 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 managed approximately $13.5 million as of July 31, 2016. Since 2015, the Glick family has held a controlling interest in the Adviser through ownership of one or more entities holding a majority of the membership units in the Adviser.

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The Adviser is responsible for overseeing the management and business affairs of the Fund, and has discretion to purchase and sell securities in accordance with the Fund’s objectives, policies, and restrictions. The Adviser continuously reviews, supervises, and administers the Fund’s investment programs. The Adviser has entered into an investment advisory agreement (“Management Agreement”) with respect to the Fund. Pursuant to that Management Agreement, the 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 below:

 
Fund   Advisory Fee
TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF     0.59 %  

The Adviser bears all of its own costs associated with providing these advisory services and all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee payment under the Management Agreement, payments under the Fund’s Rule 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 the Fund will be available in the Fund’s first report to shareholders.

The Management Agreement for the Fund provides that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty by the Board of Trustees or 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

Theodore M. Theodore, CFA , Portfolio Manager and Vice Chairman is the portfolio manager responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

Mr. Theodore joined the Adviser as Portfolio Manager and Vice Chairman of the Adviser in 2015. Prior to joining the Adviser in 2015, Mr. Theodore was an Independent Trustee of the Trust. In addition, Mr. Theodore was Senior Managing Director of Quantitative Analysis Services from 2014 to 2015, Managing Partner at Horizons Advisory from 2012 to 2014, and Chief Investment Officer at Avatar Associates from 1989 to 2012. Mr. Theodore holds a B.A. and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan. He is a CFA charterholder.

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

OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, serves as the administrator and transfer agent to the Fund.

U.S. Bank, N.A., 1555 N. River Center Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the custodian to the Fund.

Quasar Distributors, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, serves as the Fund’s distributor.

BBD, LLP, 1835 Market Street, 26 th Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, serves as the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm to the Fund.

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

BUYING AND SELLING FUND SHARES

Shares will be issued or redeemed by the Fund at NAV per Share only in Creation Units of 25,000 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 Fund. APs may acquire Shares directly from the Fund, and APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per Share only in large blocks, or “Creation Units.” Purchases and redemptions directly with the Fund must follow the Fund’s procedures, which are described in the SAI.

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

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 the Fund and no minimum number of Shares you must buy.

Shares of the Fund will be listed on the Exchange under the following symbol:

 
Fund   Trading Symbol
TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF     TTAC  

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 Fund 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 Fund.

Share Trading Prices.   The trading prices of the 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 the Fund’s portfolio every fifteen seconds. This approximate value should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV of the 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 Fund is 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.

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 Fund 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

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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 1940 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 Fund’s shareholders. The Board noted that the Fund’s Shares can only be purchased and redeemed directly from the Fund in Creation Units by APs and that the vast majority of trading in the Fund’s Shares occurs on the secondary market. Because the secondary market trades do not directly involve the Fund, it is unlikely those trades would cause the harmful effects of market timing, including dilution, disruption of portfolio management, increases in the Fund’s trading costs and the realization of capital gains.

With regard to the purchase or redemption of Creation Units directly with the 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 the Fund and increased transaction costs, which could negatively impact the 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 the Fund’s Shares trade at or close to NAV. The Fund may also employ fair valuation pricing, which may minimize potential dilution from market timing. In addition, the Fund imposes transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Fund Shares to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the 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 Fund’s Shares.

DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN

The Fund has adopted a distribution and service plan (“Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the 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, the 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 1940 Act.

No distribution or service fees are currently paid by the 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 the 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.

The 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.

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Because securities listed on foreign exchanges may trade on weekends or other days when the 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 the 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. Securities listed on a securities exchange, market or automated quotation system for which quotations are readily available (except for securities traded on NASDAQ), including securities traded over the counter, are valued at the last quoted sale price on the primary exchange or market (foreign or domestic) on which they are traded on valuation date (or at approximately 4:00 p.m. ET if a security’s primary exchange is normally open at that time), or, if there is no such reported sale on the valuation date, at the most recent quoted bid price. For securities traded on NASDAQ, the NASDAQ Official Closing Price will be used. If such prices are not available, the security will be valued as set forth in the Trust’s “Use of Independent Brokers to Value Securities Procedures” and “Fair Value Procedures”, as applicable. Investments in non-exchange traded investment companies are valued at their NAVs. Foreign currency exchange rates are generally determined as of 4:00 p.m., New York time. Both market quotations and indicative bids are obtained from outside pricing services approved and monitored pursuant to a policy approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees.

If a market quotation is not readily available or is deemed not to reflect market value, the 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, the 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 the Fund is open.

Fair valuation may have the effect of reducing stale pricing arbitrage opportunities presented by the pricing of Fund Shares. However, when the 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 the Fund’s performance. 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 Fund at www.trimtabsfunds.com . Among other things, this website includes this Prospectus and the SAI, and will include the Fund’s holdings, the Fund’s 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 the 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.trimtabsfunds.com . A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is also available in the Fund’s SAI.

INVESTMENTS BY OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES

The Trust and the Fund 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 1940 Act.

For purposes of the 1940 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 the 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.

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DIVIDENDS, OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

Fund Distributions

The 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. The Fund typically earns dividends from stocks in which it invests. These amounts, net of expenses, are passed along to Fund shareholders as “income dividends.” The 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

The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to an investment in Shares of the Fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this Prospectus and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. In addition, this summary assumes that a Shareholder holds Shares as capital assets within the meaning of the Code and does not hold Shares in connection with a trade or business. This summary does not address all potential U.S. federal income tax considerations possibly applicable to an investment in Shares of the Fund to Shareholders holding Shares through a partnership (or other pass-through entity) or to Shareholders subject to special tax rules. Prospective shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the specific federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences of investing in Shares based on their particular circumstances.

Fund distributions to you and sale of your Shares in the 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.

Taxes on Distributions

Distributions by the Fund generally are taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions of the 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 the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Shares.

Distributions of the 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 the Fund’s Shares and regardless of whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Shares. Distributions in excess of the 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 Fund that qualify as “qualified dividend income” are taxable to you at the long-term capital gain rate. In order for a distribution by the 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 the 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.

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Corporate shareholders are generally eligible for the 70% dividends-received deduction with respect to the 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.

A distribution will reduce the 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 the 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.

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 Fund’s SAI.

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HOUSEHOLDING POLICY

It is the policy of the Fund 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 Quasar Distributors, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201 or calling us at: 800-617-0004.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Trust enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, which may include, among others, the Fund’s investment adviser, custodian, and transfer agent, who provide services to the Fund. Shareholders are not parties to any such contractual arrangements and are not intended beneficiaries of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any shareholder any right to enforce them against the service providers or to seek any remedy under them against the service providers, either directly or on behalf of the Trust.

This Prospectus provides information concerning the Fund that you should consider in determining whether to purchase Fund shares. Neither this Prospectus nor the SAI is intended, or should be read, to be or give rise to an agreement or contract between the Trust or the Fund and any investor, or to give rise to any rights in any shareholder or other person other than any rights under federal or state law that may not be waived.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Financial highlights are not included because the Fund has not yet commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus.

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

Annual/Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders

Additional information about the Fund 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 the Fund’s performance during the preceding fiscal year.

Statement of Additional Information

An SAI dated September 20, 2016, which contains more details about the Fund, 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 Fund, please contact us as follows:

Call: 800-617-0004
Write: TrimTabs ETF Trust
c/o Quasar Distributors, LLC
615 East Michigan Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53201
Visit: www.trimtabsfunds.com

Information Provided by the Securities and Exchange Commission

Information about the Fund, 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.


 
 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 
 
TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF (TTAC)

1345 Avenue of the Americas, 2 nd Floor, New York, NY 10105
PHONE: 800-617-0004
 
September 20, 2016

Shares of the Fund will be listed and traded on the Bats Exchange, Inc. (“Bats” or “Exchange”).

This SAI describes the TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF (“Fund”), a series of the TrimTabs ETF Trust (“Trust”). The Trust is an open-end registered management investment company under the Investment Company Act.

TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (“Adviser”), serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. Quasar Distributors, LLC serves as the distributor for the Fund (“Distributor”).

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

This SAI, dated September 20, 2016, is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s Prospectus, dated September 20, 2016, 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 and the Fund’s shareholder reports may be obtained without charge by writing to the Distributor, calling 800-617-0004 or visiting www.trimtabsfunds.com .


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
GLOSSARY     3  
TRUST AND FUND OVERVIEW     4  
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING     4  
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS     5  
INTRADAY INDICATIVE VALUE     5  
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS     5  
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS     6  
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER     22  
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND     22  
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES     27  
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES     27  
PORTFOLIO MANAGER     28  
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE     29  
THE DISTRIBUTOR     30  
ACCOUNTING AND LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS     32  
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING SHARES     32  
TRANSACTIONS IN CREATION UNITS     33  
Purchasing Creation Units     34  
Transaction Fees     38  
Redeeming Creation Units     38  
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE     41  
TAXATION     41  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS     44  
Appendix A     A-1  
Appendix B     B-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.

Adviser ” 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 Fund’s 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 25,000 Shares that the Fund issues and redeems on a continuous basis at NAV. Shares will not be issued or redeemed except in Creation Units.

Distributor ” means Quasar Distributors, LLC.

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

DTC ” means the Depository Trust Company.

Exchange ” means Bats Exchange, Inc.

FINRA ” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Fund ” means the series of the TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF.

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

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

IIV ” means an approximate per Share value of the 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 the Fund.

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

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

IRS ” means the Internal Revenue Service.

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NAV ” means the net asset value of the Fund’s Shares.

NSCC ” means the National Securities Clearing Corporation.

NYSE ” means the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

Prospectus ” means the Fund’s Prospectus, dated September 20, 2016, as amended and supplemented from time to time.

SAI ” means this Statement of Additional Information, dated September 20, 2016, as amended and supplemented from time to time.

SEC ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Shares ” means the shares of the 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 the Fund, see “Transaction Fees” in this SAI.

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

TRUST AND FUND OVERVIEW

The Trust is a Delaware statutory trust formed on April 2, 2014 and an open-end registered management investment company comprised of three series, one of which is discussed in this SAI. The Fund is a diversified, actively-managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”). The offering of the Shares is registered under the 1933 Act.

The 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 the 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, the Fund issues and redeems Shares on a continuous basis at NAV, only in Creation Units of 25,000 Shares. In the event of the liquidation of the Fund, the Trust may lower the number of Shares in a Creation Unit.

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 the 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 the 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 the Fund will continue to be met. The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the Shares of the Fund from listing if: (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of the Shares of the Fund for 30 or more consecutive trading days, 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 the Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.

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

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The Board has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about the Fund’s portfolio securities. Under the policy, portfolio holdings of the Fund, 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.trimtabsfunds.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.

INTRADAY INDICATIVE VALUE

The IIV is an approximate per Share value of the 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 the Fund’s Fund Deposit. The IIV does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities held by the Fund at a particular point in time. The IIV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV of the 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 Fund is 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 the Fund only by a vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities, except as noted below:

1. The Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund may not engage in the business of underwriting securities except to the extent that the Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund 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. This limitation does not apply to investments in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or shares of investment companies.

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8. The Fund may not, with respect to 75% of the value of its total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities (“U.S. Government and Agency Securities”), or securities issued by other investment companies) if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of that issuer or (ii) the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the Investment Company Act permits the 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 the 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 the Fund’s total assets (including amounts borrowed), minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings.

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 the Fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of Fund assets. The Investment Company Act prohibits the Fund from issuing any class of senior securities or selling any senior securities of which it is the issuer, except that the 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 real estate set forth in (4) above, the Fund may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, invest in securities or other instruments directly or indirectly secured by real estate and invest in securities or other instruments issued by issuers that invest in real estate.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to investing in commodities set forth in (5) above, this policy shall not prevent the Fund 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 Fund 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 the 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.

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 the Fund’s investments will not constitute a violation of such limitation. Thus, the 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 the 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

Reference is made to the Prospectus for a discussion of the primary investment objectives and policies of each of the Fund. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus.

The investment restrictions of the Fund specifically identified as fundamental policies may not be changed without the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act. The investment objectives and all other investment policies of the Fund (including the benchmarks of the Fund) may be changed by the Trustees without the approval of shareholders.

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The investment techniques and strategies discussed below may be used by the Fund if, in the opinion of the Adviser, the techniques or strategies may be advantageous to the Fund. The Fund is free to reduce or eliminate its use of any of these techniques or strategies without changing the Fund’s fundamental policies. There is no assurance that any of the techniques or strategies listed below, or any of the other methods of investment available to the Fund, will result in the achievement of the Fund’s objectives. Also, there can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to, or maintain, an economically viable size, in which case management may determine to liquidate the Fund at a time that may not be opportune for shareholders.

For purposes of this SAI, the word “invest” refers to the Fund’s directly investing and indirectly investing in securities or other instruments. Similarly, when used in this SAI, the word “investment” refers to the Fund’s direct investments and indirect investments in securities and other instruments.

Additional information concerning the Fund, its investments policies and techniques, and the securities and financial instruments in which it may invest is set forth below.

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.

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.

The Fund may also invest in collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”), which include collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade

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fixed-income securities. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances.

Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, and aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class.

The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities; however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed-income securities discussed elsewhere in the SAI and the Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but are not limited to: (1) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (2) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (3) the Fund may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (4) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

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

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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.

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).

Financial Institution Obligations.

The Fund may invest in financial institution obligations. Obligations of financial institutions include certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits and other short-term debt obligations. Certificates of deposit represent an institution’s obligation to repay funds deposited with it that earn a specified interest rate over a given period. Bankers’ acceptances are negotiable obligations of a bank to pay a draft which has been drawn by a customer and are usually backed by goods in international trade. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits with a banking institution that earn a specified interest rate over a given period. Certificates of deposit and fixed time deposits, which are payable at the stated maturity date and bear a fixed rate of interest, generally may be withdrawn on demand by the Fund but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which could reduce the Fund’s performance. Although fixed time deposits do not in all cases have a secondary market, there are no contractual restrictions on a Portfolio’s right to transfer a beneficial interest in the deposits to third parties.

The Fund may invest in Eurodollar certificates of deposit, which are issued by offices of foreign and domestic banks located outside the U.S.; Yankee certificates of deposit, which are issued by a U.S. branch of a foreign bank and held in the U.S.; Eurodollar time deposits, which are deposits in a foreign branch of a U.S. bank or a foreign bank; and Canadian time deposits, which are issued by Canadian offices of major Canadian banks. Each of these instruments is U.S. dollar denominated.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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Investments in Other Investment Companies or Other Pooled Investments

The Fund may invest in the securities of other registered investment companies to the extent permitted by law and consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives. Subject to applicable regulatory requirements, the Fund may invest in shares of both open- and closed-end registered 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.

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 Investment Company Act.

Warrants and Rights

The Fund may invest in warrants and rights. 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. A stock right is an option given to a shareholder to buy additional shares at a predetermined price during a specified time.

Investments in warrants and rights involve certain risks, including the possible lack of a liquid market for the resale of the warrants and rights, 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.

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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.

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

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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.

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.

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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.

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 it obtains 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.

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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.

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 the commitment to purchase or sell. 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 commitment to purchase or sell. 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.

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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.

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 Fund. The Adviser 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.

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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.

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.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may use reverse repurchase agreements as part of its investment strategy. Reverse repurchase agreements involve sales by the Fund of portfolio assets concurrently with an agreement by the Fund to repurchase the same assets at a later date at a fixed price. Generally, the effect of such a transaction is that the Fund can recover all or most of the cash invested in the portfolio securities involved during the term of the reverse repurchase agreement, while the Fund will be able to keep the interest income associated with those portfolio securities. Such transactions are advantageous only if the interest cost to the Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the cost of obtaining the cash otherwise. Opportunities to achieve this advantage may not always be available, and the Fund intends to use the reverse repurchase technique only when the Adviser believes it will be to the Fund’s advantage to do so. The Fund will earmark or segregate cash or liquid instruments equal in value to the Fund’s obligations in respect of reverse repurchase agreements.

Securities Lending

The Fund may make secured loans of its 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.

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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.

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.

Swap Agreements

The Fund may enter into swap agreements. The Fund may enter into equity or equity index swap agreements for purposes of attempting to gain exposure to an index or group of securities without actually purchasing those securities. Although some swap agreements may be exchange-traded, others are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a day to more than one year. Most, if not all, swap agreements entered into by the Fund will be two-party contracts. In connection with the Fund’s positions in a swaps contract, the Fund will segregate liquid assets or will otherwise cover its position in accordance with applicable SEC requirements.

In such a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index or group of securities. The use of swaps is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions.

Most swap agreements entered into by the Fund calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a “net basis.” Consequently, the Fund’s current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the “net amount”).

The Fund’s current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund) and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be covered by segregating or earmarking cash of other assets determined to be liquid. Obligations under swap agreements so covered will not be construed to be “senior securities” for purposes of the Fund’s investment restriction concerning senior securities. Because they are two-party contracts and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid for purposes of the Fund’s illiquid investment limitations. However, the Fund has adopted procedures pursuant to which the Adviser may determine swaps to be liquid under certain circumstances. To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time

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or price, which could lead to significant losses. The Fund will not enter into any swap agreement unless the Adviser believes that the other party to the transaction is creditworthy. The Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. If such a default occurs, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the swap agreements, but such remedies may be subject to bankruptcy and insolvency laws which could affect the Fund’s right as a creditor.

The Fund may enter into swap agreements to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of securities in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. The counterparty to any swap agreement will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker/dealer. On a long swap, the counterparty will generally agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap agreement would have increased in value had it been invested in the particular stocks, plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks.

The Fund will agree to pay to the counterparty a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the swap agreement plus the amount, if any, by which the notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to the Fund on any swap agreement will generally be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount. As a trading technique, the Adviser may substitute physical securities with a swap agreement having risk characteristics substantially similar to the underlying securities.

Swap agreements typically are settled on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Payments may be made at the conclusion of a swap agreement or periodically during its term. Swap agreements do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to swap agreements is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to a swap agreement defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that such Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each equity swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or liquid assets, having an aggregate value at least equal to such accrued excess will be earmarked or segregated by the Fund’s custodian. Inasmuch as these transactions are offset by earmarked or segregated cash or liquid assets, as permitted by applicable law, these transactions will not be construed to constitute senior securities within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and will not be subject to the Fund’s borrowing restrictions.

The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments which are traded in the OTC market. The Adviser, under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, is responsible for determining and monitoring the liquidity of the Fund’s transactions in swap agreements.

Cyber-Security Risk

The Fund, and its service providers, may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber-attacks affecting the Fund or the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential business information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. While the Fund’s service providers have established business continuity plans, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by its service providers or any other third parties whose operations may affect the Fund or its shareholders. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers or securities in which the Fund may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such companies to lose value.

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PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

The Fund’s portfolio turnover may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. The Fund’s portfolio turns over for a variety of reasons. A high portfolio turnover rate (for example, over 100%) may result in transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions and other transaction costs. The performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by the increased costs.

“Portfolio Turnover Rate” is defined under the rules of the SEC as the lesser of the value of the securities purchased or securities sold, excluding all securities whose maturities at time of acquisition were one year or less, divided by the average monthly value of such securities owned during the year. Based on this definition, instruments with remaining maturities of less than one year are excluded from the calculation of Portfolio Turnover Rate. Instruments excluded from the calculation of portfolio turnover generally would include futures contracts and option contracts in which the Fund may invest because such contracts generally have a remaining maturity of less than one year.

The Fund has not yet commenced operations, therefore it does not have a portfolio turnover rate to report.

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

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 year 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 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 1345 Avenue of the Americas, 2 nd Floor, New York, NY 10105.

         
Name, Year of Birth   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).
  3   Director,
TrimTabs
Investment
Research
(2016 – present)**
David A. Kelly
YOB: 1938
  Trustee   Since 2015   Founder and President,
Three Lakes Advisors, Inc.
(1996 – present).
  3   Member, Audit Committee, Greenwich Historical Society (2011 – 2013).

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Name, Year of Birth   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
Interested Trustee*
                        
Charles Biderman
YOB: 1946
  Trustee and
President of
the Trust
  Trustee and
President
since 2014
  Chairman and Portfolio
Manager, TrimTabs Asset
Management, LLC
(1990 – present);
Founder and Chief Executive
Officer, TrimTabs Investment
Research (1990 – present);
President, TrimTabs Index
Services, LLC (2014 – present).
  3   None

* Mr. Biderman is an “interested person,” as defined by the Investment Company Act, because of his employment with and ownership interest in the Adviser.
** TrimTabs Investment Research does not control, and is not controlled by or under common control with, the Adviser.

Officers

     
Name, Year of Birth   Position(s)
Held with Trust
  Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
  Principal Occupation
During Past 5 Years
Theodore M. Theodore
YOB: 1940
  Vice President   Since 2015   Vice Chairman and Chief Investment Officer,
TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (2015 – present);
Senior Managing Director, Quantitative Analysis Services (2014 – present);
Managing Partner, Horizons Advisory
(2012 – 2014);
Co-Chief Investment Officer, Avatar Associates (1989 – 2012).
Jeffrey Lazar
YOB: 1959
  Chief Compliance
Officer,
Anti-Money
Laundering
Officer, and
Principal Financial
Officer
  Since 2016   Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance
Officer, TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC
(2016 – present);
Chief Operating Officer, Dasoma Capital Management LLC (2014 – 2016);
Chief Financial Officer, Everkey
Global Partners (2008 – 2014).

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.

David A. Kelly:   Mr. Kelly has extensive experience in the investment management industry, including as founder and president of an investment adviser.

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.

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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 the Adviser 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 of the Trust met five times during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2016.

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 the Adviser and other service providers with respect to the oversight of the day-to-day operations of the Trust and the Fund.

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. 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.

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Committees

The Board currently has three standing committees: an Audit Committee, a Nominating Committee and a Qualified Legal Compliance Committee. Each Independent Trustee serves on each of these committees.

The purposes of the Audit Committee are to: (1) oversee generally the 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 the 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 the 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. During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2016, the Audit Committee met two times.

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. During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2016, the Nominating Committee met one time.

The purpose of the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee is to evaluate and recommend resolutions to reports from attorneys servicing the Trust regarding evidence of material violations of applicable federal and state law or the breach of fiduciary duties under applicable federal and state law by the Trust or an employee or agent of the Trust. The Qualified Legal Compliance Committee did not meet during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2016.

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 Fund’s expenses, and Trustees are not entitled to benefits upon retirement from the Board.

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The table shows the total compensation paid to the Trustees for the Fund Complex for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2016:

     
  Compensation   Compensation Deferred   Total
Compensation
For the
Fund Complex
Paid to Trustees***
Independent Trustees
                          
Stephen J. Posner   $ 16,000     $ 0     $ 16,000  
David A. Kelly*   $ 13,315     $ 0     $ 13,315  
Interested Trustee
                          
Charles Biderman**   $ 0     $ 0     $ 0  

* Mr. Kelly was appointed to serve as an Independent Trustee on August 11, 2015.
** Mr. Biderman is an “interested person,” as defined by the Investment Company Act, because of his employment with and ownership interest in the Adviser.
*** Pursuant to the terms of its investment advisory agreement with respect to the Fund, the Adviser bears all of its own costs associated with providing advisory services and all the expenses of the Fund (excluding certain items, as provided in the investment advisory agreement), including Trustee compensation.

Fund Shares Owned by Trustees

The table below shows the dollar range of equity securities in the Fund beneficially owned by each Trustee as of December 31, 2015:

     
Trustee Name   Fund Name   Dollar Range of
Equity Securities
in the Fund
  Aggregate Dollar
Range of Equity
Securities in the
Fund Complex
Overseen By Trustee
Independent Trustees
                          
Stephen J. Posner     TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF       N/Aˆ     $ 0  
David A. Kelly     TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF       N/Aˆ     $ 0  
Interested Trustee
                          
Charles Biderman     TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF       N/Aˆ       $1 – 10,000  

ˆ As of December 31, 2015, the Trustees did not own any of the outstanding Shares of the Fund because the Fund was not operational as of that date.

As of December 31, 2015, 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 the Distributor have 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.

26


 
 

Proxy Voting

The Board has delegated to the Adviser the responsibility to vote proxies related to the securities held in the Fund’s portfolios. Under this authority, the Adviser is required by the Board to vote proxies related to portfolio securities in the best interests of the 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 the Fund’s proxy voting record.

The Trust annually discloses its complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX. The Trust’s most recent Form N-PX is available without charge, upon request, by calling 800-617-0004. The Trust’s Form N-PX is 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 Fund, the Adviser owned all of the initial Shares issued by the Fund. No other person owns of record or is known by the Fund to own beneficially 5% or more of the Fund’s outstanding equity securities.

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

Investment Advisory Agreement

TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC is the investment adviser to the Fund. Under an investment advisory agreement between the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund (“Management Agreement”), the 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 Float Shrink ETF (TTAC)     0.59 %  

As of the date of this SAI, the Fund has not commenced operations and no advisory fees have been paid.

The Adviser manages the investment and the reinvestment of the assets of the Fund in accordance with the investment objectives, policies, and limitations of the Fund, 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 1345 Avenue of the Americas, 2 nd Floor, New York, NY 10105. The Adviser was founded in 2005 and provides investment advisory services to registered investment companies and separately managed accounts. As of July 31, 2016, the Adviser managed approximately $13.5 million. Since 2015, the Glick family has held a controlling interest in the Adviser through ownership of one or more entities holding a majority of the membership units in the Adviser.

The Adviser bears all of its own costs associated with providing these advisory services and all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee payment under the Management Agreement, payments under the Fund’s Rule 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 the Fund will remain in effect for two (2) years from its effective date and thereafter continues 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 the 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 the 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 the

27


 
 

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.

Transfer Agent and Fund Accounting Agent

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“USBFS”), located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as transfer agent for the Fund pursuant to a transfer agent servicing agreement (the “Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement”) and as Fund Accounting agent pursuant to a fund accounting servicing agreement (the “Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement”). As compensation for these services, USBFS 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.

Administrator

USBFS, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, also serves as the administrator for the Fund pursuant to a fund administration servicing agreement (the “Fund Administration Servicing Agreement”). Under the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement, USBFS is obligated, on a continuous basis, to provide such administrative services as the Board reasonably deems necessary for the proper administration of the Trust. USBFS generally will assist in many aspects of the Trust’s and the 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.

Custodian

U.S. Bank, N.A. (“Custodian”), located at 1555 N. River Center Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the Custodian for the Fund pursuant to a custody agreement (the “Custody Agreement”). The Custodian holds the Fund’s assets, among other duties. Under the Custody Agreement, the Custodian is also authorized to appoint certain foreign custodians for Fund investments outside of the United States.

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

The following table provides information about other accounts managed by the portfolio manager who has day-to-day responsibility for management of the Fund. The reporting information is provided as of July 31, 2016:

               
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)
Theodore M. Theodore     1     $ 12.9                   1     $ 0.6              

  

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 Fund’s 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 Fund. 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 Fund.

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’s compensation is comprised of a base salary and a bonus, which is based on the profitability of the Adviser. Thus, portfolio manager compensation is aligned with the interests of the Adviser’s clients, including the Fund and its investors.

Portfolio Manager Ownership in the Fund

As of the date of this SAI, the Fund has not commenced operations. Accordingly, no Portfolio Manager ownership is provided.

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 the Fund and the Fund may incur brokerage commissions, particularly during the early stages of the Fund’s development or in the case of transactions involving realized losses. Also, the 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 the 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 Fund 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 the 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 Fund, 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 the 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 the 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 the Fund to participate in higher volume transactions will generally be beneficial to the Fund.

The Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this SAI. Accordingly, no brokerage commission information is provided.

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 the 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

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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.

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.

Brokerage with Fund Affiliates

Although not expected, the Fund may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Fund, 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 the 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 the 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 Fund, has adopted procedures for evaluating the reasonableness of commissions paid to affiliates and reviews these procedures periodically.

Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealers”

The Fund is required to identify any securities of their “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act) that the Fund 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.

THE DISTRIBUTOR

Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), a registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, 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 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202. 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 Investment Company Act, which regulates circumstances under which an investment company may directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of its shares. There is no current intention to charge such fees pursuant to the Plan. 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 Fund and its 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.

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 Fund. To the extent that the 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.

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The Adviser or another affiliate of the Fund, 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 Fund 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 Fund, 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 Fund or its affiliates, and the prospect of receiving such compensation, may provide the financial intermediary with an incentive to recommend the shares of the Fund over other potential investments. Similarly, the compensation may cause financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Fund within its organization by, for example, placing it on a list of preferred funds.

ACCOUNTING AND LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

BBD, LLP, 1835 Market Street, 26 th Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, serves as the independent auditor to the Fund.

Legal Counsel

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

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 one series that is actively managed, the Fund, and 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 the 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 the 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.

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 the 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 the Fund itself would not be able to meet the Trust’s obligations and this risk should be considered remote.

If the 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.

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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 Fund 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 the 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 the Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of Shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.

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

The 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

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Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. No Fund will issue fractional Creation Units. Shares of the Fund will only be issued against full payment, as further described in the Prospectus and this SAI.

A Creation Unit is an aggregation of 25,000 Shares. The Board may declare a split or a consolidation in the number of Shares outstanding of the 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 the 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 the 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.

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 the Fund. By contrast, if the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the market value of the securities in the In-Kind Creation Basket, the 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 the 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 Fund 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 the 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 the Fund, and the Fund’s determination shall be final and binding. The Fund reserves the right to accept a nonconforming ( i.e ., custom) Fund Deposit.

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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.   The 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. The 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

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;
(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 Fund’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.

The 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 the 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 Fund 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

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Redemption Basket and additional cash is included in the 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 the Fund’s NAV on that Business Day.

In all cases, cash and securities should be transferred to the 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 Fund 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).

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 the 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 the Fund for any losses resulting therefrom.

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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 the Fund to maintain an account into which an Authorized Participant may deliver the Fund Deposit (or cash in lieu), with adjustments determined by the 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 the 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.

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 the 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 the 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 the 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, the Fund or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Trust, the 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. The 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 the Fund has accepted a creation order, upon next determination of the Fund’s NAV, the 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 the 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 the 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 the 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

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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 the 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.

Cash Purchase Method.   When cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for the 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.

Transaction Fees

To compensate the Trust for costs incurred in connection with creation and redemption transactions, Authorized Participants will be required to pay to the Trust a Standard Transaction Fee of $500. 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 Variable Transaction Fee of up to 2.00% of the total value of the Creation Unit may apply for, among other things: (i) creation and redemption transactions that occur outside the Clearing Process, and (ii) transactions effectuated wholly or partly in cash.

The Adviser, subject to the approval of the Board, may adjust the Transaction Fee from time to time. The Standard Transaction Fee is based, in part, on the number of holdings in the 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.

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 the 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 the 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, the 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 the Fund.

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. The 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

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redemptions for the Fund 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 the 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 the 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 the 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.   The 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. The 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

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
(ii) in the case of the Fund’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
(e) 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 the Fund’s foreign holdings would be subject to unfavorable income tax treatment if the holder receives redemption proceeds in kind.

The 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.”

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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 the 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. The 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 the 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 the 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 the 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.

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 the 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

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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 the 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 the 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.

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. The 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, the 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 the Fund of liability for federal income taxes to the extent its earnings are distributed in accordance with applicable requirements. If, for any reason, the 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 the 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. The 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 Fund 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 the 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 the 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 the Fund and investments in passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”) are complex and, in some cases, uncertain. Such transactions and investments may cause the 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 the 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 the 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 the 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 the 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 the Fund on Section 1256 contracts generally are considered 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gains or losses. The 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 the 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 the Fund’s gains and losses with respect to straddle positions by requiring, among other things, that: (1) any loss realized on disposition of one position of a straddle 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

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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 be deferred. Various elections are available to the Fund, which may mitigate the effects of the straddle rules, particularly with respect to mixed straddles. In general, the straddle rules described above do not apply to any straddles held by the Fund if all of the offsetting positions consist of Section 1256 contracts.

Distributions from the 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 the 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 the Fund itself. For this purpose, “qualified dividend income” means dividends received by the 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 Fund 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 the 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 the 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). The 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 the 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 the Fund as an investment through such plans.

Investment income received by the Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund’s assets to be invested within various countries cannot be determined. If more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the

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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 the 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 Fund 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 Fund 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 the 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 the 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 the 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.

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, 2018, 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 the Fund’s common shares.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The Fund is newly organized and therefore has not yet had any operations as of the date of this SAI and does not have financial statements to report.

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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 Broadridge 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 Broadridge (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 Broadridge to generally adhere to the following procedures (subject to limited exception):
(a) A written record of each proxy received by Firm or recorded by Broadridge (on behalf of its advisory clients) will be kept in Firm’s files;
(b) Broadridge and the Chief Compliance Officer will determine which of Firm’s advisory clients hold the security to which the proxy relates;
(c) Firm and Broadridge (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.
(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).

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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 Broadridge 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:
(iv) make it more difficult to replace members of the issuer’s board of directors or board of managers; and
(v) 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.
(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 Broadridge 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 Broadridge 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 Broadridge 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.
G. Testing and Reporting

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

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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.

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.

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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, subject to the lowest level of 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 judged to be 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 be speculative 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 speculative 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.

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.

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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).

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.

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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 default 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  — 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.

B-4


 
 

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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) (i) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC. (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement filed on December 16, 2014)
     
  (ii) Schedule A to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC. (Filed herewith)
     
(e) (i) Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC.  (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement filed on December 16, 2014)
     
  (ii) Form of Foreside Authorized Participant Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement filed on December 16, 2014)
     
  (iii) Form of Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC. (Filed herewith)
     
  (iv) Form of Quasar Authorized Participant Agreement. (Filed herewith)
     
(f)   Bonus, profit sharing or pension plans.  (Not applicable)
     
(g) (i) Custody Agreement between Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon.  (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement filed on December 16, 2014)
     
  (ii) Form of Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank, N.A. (Filed herewith).
     
(h) (i) Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon.  (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement filed on December 16, 2014)
     
  (ii) Form of Transfer Agency Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC. (Filed herewith).
     
  (iii) Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement between Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon. (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement filed on December 16, 2014)
     
  (iv) Form of Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC. (Filed herewith).
     
  (v) Form of Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC. (Filed herewith).
     
(i)   Opinion and Consent of Counsel.  (Filed herewith)
     
(j)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.  (None)
     
(k)   Financial Statements Omitted from Prospectus.  (None)
     
(l)   Letter of Investment Intent. (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement filed on December 16, 2014)
     
(m) (i) Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 with respect to shares of the Registrant. (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement filed on December 16, 2014)

 

 

 

 

  (ii) Schedule A to the 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. (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement filed on December 16, 2014)
     
  (ii) Code of Ethics of TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC.  (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement filed on December 16, 2014)
     
  (iii) Code of Ethics of Foreside Financial Group, LLC, on behalf of Foreside Fund Services, LLC. (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement filed on December 16, 2014)   
     
  (iv) Code of Ethics of Quasar Distributors, LLC. (Filed herewith)

 

Other Exhibits  
   
  (i) Power of Attorney for Mr. Posner (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement filed on December 16, 2014)
     
     
  (ii) Power of Attorney for David Kelly (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the registration statement filed on January 27, 2016)

 

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.

  

The Form of Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC provides:

 

Article 7: Indemnification of Distributor . The Trust agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Distributor and each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act 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 and disbursements incurred in connection therewith), (i) arising by reason of any person acquiring any Shares or Creation Units, based upon the ground that the registration statement, prospectus, shareholder reports 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 or necessary in order to make the statements made not misleading or (ii) any breach of any representation, warranty or covenant made by the Trust in this Agreement. However, the Trust does not agree to indemnify the Distributor or hold it harmless to the extent that the statements or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the Distributor.

 

In no case (i) is the indemnity of the Trust to be deemed to protect the Distributor against any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which the Distributor or such person otherwise would be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (ii) is the Trust to be liable to the Distributor under the indemnity agreement contained in this Article 7 with respect to any claim made against the Distributor or any person indemnified unless the Distributor or other person shall have notified the Trust in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the Distributor or such other person (or after the Distributor or the person shall have received notice of service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify the Trust of any claim shall not relieve the Trust from any liability which it may have to the Distributor or any person against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph.

 

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 subject to this indemnity provision. If the Trust elects to assume the defense of any such claim, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Trust and satisfactory to the indemnified defendants in the suit whose approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event that the Trust elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain legal counsel, the indemnified defendants shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional legal counsel retained by them. If the Trust does not elect to assume the defense of a suit, it will reimburse the indemnified defendants for the reasonable fees and expenses of any legal counsel retained by the indemnified defendants.

 

The Trust agrees to notify the Distributor promptly of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers or Trustees in connection with the issuance or sale of any of its Shares or Creation Units.

 

Article 8: Indemnification of Trust . The Distributor covenants and agrees that it will indemnify and hold harmless the Trust and each of its Trustees, officers, employees and each person, if any, who controls the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, against any loss, liability, damages, claim or expense (including the reasonable cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, damages, claim or expense and reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) based upon the 1933 Act or any other statute or common law and arising by reason of any person acquiring any Shares or Creation Units, and alleging a wrongful act of the Distributor or any of its employees or alleging that the registration statement, prospectus, shareholder reports 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 or necessary in order to make the statements not misleading, insofar as 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.

 

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Distributor shall indemnify and hold the Trust harmless from and against any and all actual losses, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that the Trust may sustain or incur arising out of any breach of this Agreement.

 

In no case (i) is the indemnity of the Distributor in favor of the Trust or any other person indemnified to be deemed to protect the Trust or any other person against any liability to which the Trust or such other person 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, or (ii) is the Distributor to be liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph with respect to any claim made against the Trust or any person indemnified unless the Trust or person, as the case may be,

 

 

 

 

shall have notified the Distributor in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the Trust or upon any person (or after the Trust or such person shall have received notice of service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify the Distributor of any claim shall not relieve the Distributor from any liability which it may have to the Trust or any person against whom the action is brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph.

 

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 legal counsel chosen by the Distributor and satisfactory to the indemnified defendants whose approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event that the Distributor elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel, the defendants in the suit shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional legal counsel retained by them. If the Distributor does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse the indemnified defendants in the suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them.

 

The Distributor agrees to notify the Trust promptly of the commencement of any litigation, regulatory action (including an investigation) or proceedings against it or any of its officers in connection with the issue and sale of any of the Trust’s’ Shares or Creation Units.

 

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 principal underwriter for certain Funds is Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside”), which acts as distributor for the Registrant and the following other funds:

 

1. Absolute Shares Trust
2. AdvisorShares Trust
3. ALTMFX Trust
4. American Beacon Funds
5. American Beacon Select Funds
6. Ark ETF Trust
7. Avenue Mutual Funds Trust
8. BP Capital TwinLine Energy Fund, Series of Professionally Managed Portfolios
9. BP Capital TwinLine MLP Fund, Series of Professionally Managed Portfolios
10. Bridgeway Funds, Inc.
11. Calamos ETF Trust
12. Cane Alternative Strategies Fund, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust III
13. Capital Innovations Global Agri, Timber, Infrastructure Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust
14. Carlyle Select Trust
15. Center Coast MLP Focus Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust
16. Context Capital Funds
17. Corsair Opportunity Fund
18. Direxion Shares ETF Trust
19. Evanston Alternative Opportunities Fund
20. Exchange Traded Concepts Trust II
21. FlexShares Trust
22. Forum Funds
23. Forum Funds II
24. FQF Trust
25. FSI Low Beta Absolute Return Fund
26. Gottex Trust
27. Henderson Global Funds
28. Horizon Spin-off and Corporate Restructuring Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust (f/k/a Liberty Street Horizon Fund)
29. Horizons ETF Trust
30. Infinity Core Alternative Fund
31. Ironwood Institutional Multi-Strategy Fund LLC
32. Ironwood Multi-Strategy Fund LLC

 

 

 

 

33. Little Harbor Multistrategy Composite Fund
34. Manor Investment Funds
35. Outlook Funds Trust
36. Palmer Square Opportunistic Income Fund
37. Performance Trust Mutual Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
38. Pine Grove Alternative Fund
39. Pine Grove Alternative Institutional Fund
40. Plan Investment Fund, Inc.
41. PMC Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
42. Precidian ETFs Trust
43. Quaker Investment Trust
44. Recon Capital DAX Germany ETF, Series of ETF Series Trust
45. Recon Capital FTSE 100 ETF (UK), Series of ETF Series Trust
46. Recon Capital NASDAQ 100 Covered Call ETF, Series of ETF Series Trust
47. Renaissance Capital Greenwich Funds
48. RevenueShares ETF Trust
49. Robinson Tax Advantaged Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust
50. Salient MF Trust
51. SharesPost 100 Fund
52. Sound Shore Fund, Inc.
53. Steben Alternative Investment Funds
54. Steben Select Multi-Strategy Fund
55. The 504 Fund
56. The Roxbury Funds
57. TIFF Investment Program
58. Toroso Newfound Tactical Allocation Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust
59. TrimTabs ETF Trust
60. Turner Funds
61. V2 Hedged Equity Fund, Series of Trust for Advised Portfolios
62. West Loop Realty Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust (f/k/a Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund)
63. Wintergreen Fund, Inc.
64. WisdomTree Trust

 

The principal underwriter for certain Funds is Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), which acts as distributor for the Registrant and the following other funds:

 

1. Academy Funds Trust
2. Advisors Series Trust
3. Aegis Funds
4. Allied Asset Advisors Funds
5. Alpha Architect ETF Trust
6. Alpine Equity Trust
7. Alpine Income Trust
8. Alpine Series Trust
9. Angel Oak Funds Trust
10. Appleton Funds
11. Barrett Opportunity Fund, Inc.
12. Bridge Builder Trust
13. Bridges Investment Fund, Inc.
14. Brookfield Investment Funds
15. Brown Advisory Funds
16. Buffalo Funds
17. CG Funds Trust
18. Compass EMP Funds Trust
19. DoubleLine Funds Trust
20. ETF Series Solutions
21. Evermore Funds Trust
22. FactorShares Trust
23. First American Funds, Inc.
24. FundX Investment Trust
25. Glenmede Fund, Inc.
26. Glenmede Portfolios

 

 

 

 

27. Greenspring Fund, Inc.
28. Guinness Atkinson Funds
29. Harding Loevner Funds, Inc.
30. Hennessy Funds Trust
31. Hotchkis & Wiley Funds
32. Intrepid Capital Management Funds Trust
33. IronBridge Funds, Inc.
34. Jacob Funds, Inc.
35. Jensen Portfolio, Inc.
36. Kirr Marbach Partners Funds, Inc.
37. LKCM Funds
38. LoCorr Investment Trust
39. Lord Asset Management Trust
40. MainGate Trust
41. Managed Portfolio Series
42. Matrix Advisors Value Fund, Inc.
43. Merger Fund
44. Monetta Trust
45. Nicholas Family of Funds, Inc.
46. Oaktree Funds
47. Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds, Inc.
48. Perritt Funds, Inc.
49. PRIMECAP Odyssey Funds
50. Professionally Managed Portfolios
51. Prospector Funds, Inc.
52. Provident Mutual Funds, Inc.
53. Purisima Funds
54. Rainier Investment Management Mutual Funds
55. RBC Funds Trust
56. Series Portfolio Trust
57. Stone Ridge Trust
58. Stone Ridge Trust II
59. Stone Ridge Trust III
60. Thompson IM Funds, Inc.
61. Trust for Professional Managers
62. Trust for Advised Portfolios
63. USA Mutuals
64. Wall Street EWM Funds Trust
65. Westchester Capital Funds
66. Wisconsin Capital Funds, Inc.
67. YCG Funds

 

Item 32(b) The following are the Officers and Manager of Foreside, one of the Registrant’s underwriters. Foreside’s main business address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101.

 

Name   Address   Position with Underwriter   Position with Registrant
             
Richard J. Berthy   Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME  04101   President, Treasurer and Manager   None

Mark A. Fairbanks 

  Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME  04101   Vice President   None

Jennifer K. DiValerio 

  899 Cassatt Road, 400 Berwyn Park, Suite 110, Berwyn, PA 19312   Vice President   None
Nanette K. Chern   Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME  04101   Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer   None
Jennifer E. Hoopes   Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME  04101   Secretary   None

 

The following are the Officers and Manager of Quasar, one of the Registrant’s underwriters. The business address for each of the executive officers and directors of Quasar, except Mr. Kern is 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53201. The business address for Mr. Kern is US Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, 777 East Wisconsin Avenue,

 

 

 

 

Milwaukee, WI 53202.

 

Name   Position with Underwriter   Position with Registrant
         
James Robert Schoenike   President and Board Member   None
Andrew M. Strnad   Vice President and Secretary   None
Teresa Cowan   Senior Vice President and Assistant Secretary   None
Susan LaFond   Vice President and Treasurer   None
Brett Scribner   Assistant Treasurer   None
Peter Hovel   Chief Financial Officer   None
Joseph Neuberger   Board Member   None
Robert Kern   Board Member   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

1345 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, NY 10105

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

     

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC

615 East Michigan Street,
Milwaukee, WI 53201

U.S. Bank, N.A.

1555 N. River Center Drive, Suite 302,
Milwaukee, WI 53212

Quasar Distributors, LLC

615 East Michigan Street,
Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

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 certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of New York and State of New York, on the 20th day of September 2016.

 

  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   September 20, 2016
Charles Biderman        
         

/s/ Jeffrey Lazar

 

Principal Financial Officer

 

September 20, 2016

Jeffrey Lazar        
         
/s/ Stephen J. Posner*   Trustee   September 20, 2016
Stephen J. Posner        
         
/s/ David A. Kelly*   Trustee   September 20, 2016
David A. Kelly        
         
/s/ Stacy L. Fuller        

 

* Signatures affixed by Stacy L. Fuller on September 20, 2016 pursuant to a power of attorney filed December 16, 2014 with Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and filed January 27, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement.

 

 

 

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit Number Description    
   
(d)(ii) Schedule A to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC.
(e)(iii) Form of Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC.
(e)(iv) Form of Quasar Authorized Participant Agreement.
(g)(ii) Form of Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank, N.A.
(h)(ii) Form of Transfer Agency Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC.
(h)(iv) Form of Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC.
(h)(v) Form of Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC.
(i) Opinion and Consent of Counsel.
(m)(ii) Schedule A to the Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 with respect to shares of the Registrant.
(p)(iv) Code of Ethics of Quasar Distributors, LLC.

 

 

 

Exhibit (d)(ii)

 

APPENDIX A

 

Fund Fee Rate Effective Date
TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF 0.69%  
TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF 0.69% June 2, 2015
TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF 0.59% September 27, 2016

 

 

 

 

Exhibit (e)(iii)

 

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

 

THIS DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT (the “Agreement’) is made as of this ____ day of September, 2016 between TrimTabs ETF Trust (the “ Trust ”), a Delaware statutory trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “ Distributor ”), a Delaware limited liability company . TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC, the investment advisor to the Trust (the “ Adviser ”), is a party hereto with respect to Articles 5 and 6 only.

 

******

 

WHEREAS, the Trust is registered as an open-end investment management company organized as a statutory trust and comprised of a number of series of securities, each series representing a portfolio of securities (each a “ Fund ” and collectively the “ Funds ”), having filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) 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 (the “ Shares ”) of each Fund on a continuous basis only in aggregations of 50,000 Shares constituting a Creation Unit as such term is defined in each applicable 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 applicable registration statement, 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 covenants hereinafter contained, intending to be legally bound, the Trust and Distributor hereby agree as follows:

 

article 1.   Sale of Creation Units; Services . The Trust grants to the Distributor the right to sell Creation Units of each Fund listed in Schedule A hereto as the same may be amended from time to time upon mutual agreement of the parties, on the terms and during the term of this Agreement and subject to the registration requirements of the 1933 Act and the rules and

 

  1  

 

 

regulations of the SEC, and the Distributor hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to act in such capacity hereunder.

 

article 2.   Solicitation of Sales . In consideration of these rights granted to the Distributor, the Distributor agrees to use all reasonable efforts in connection with the distribution of Creation Units of the Trust; provided , however , that the Distributor shall not be prevented from entering into like arrangements with other issuers.

 

article 3.   Authorized Representations . The Distributor is not authorized by the Trust to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in the current registration statements, prospectuses and statements of additional information of the Trust filed with the SEC 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 may prepare and distribute sales literature and other material as it may deem appropriate, provided that such literature and materials have been prepared in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.

 

article 4.   Registration of Shares . The Trust agrees that it will take all action necessary to register an unlimited number of Shares on Form N-1A. The Trust shall make available to the Distributor such number of copies of its currently effective prospectus and statement of additional information as the Distributor may reasonably request. The Trust shall furnish to the Distributor copies of all information, financial statements and other papers which the Distributor may reasonably request for use in connection with the distribution of Creation Units of the Trust. The Trust represents and warrants that it has or will have made as of the date on which Distributor begins distributing Creation Units, all applicable filings to exempt the Creation Units from registration under applicable rules and regulations.

 

article 5.   Communications with the Public . The Distributor shall cooperate with the Trust or its agent in the development of all proposed advertisements and sales literature (“Communications with the Public”) relating to the Fund. The Trust and the Adviser represent that they will not use or authorize the use of any Communications with the Public unless and until such materials have been approved and authorized for use by the Distributor. The Distributor shall review all proposed Communications with the Public for compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and shall file with appropriate regulators those Communications with the Public it believes are in compliance with such laws and regulations. The Distributor shall furnish to the Trust any comments provided by regulators with respect to such materials and to use its best efforts to obtain the approval of the regulators to such materials.

 

article 6.   Compensation . As compensation for providing the services under this Agreement:

 

  (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.  However, the Trust may, with respect to any Fund, pay to the Distributor compensation pursuant to the terms of any Distribution and Service Plan in effect at the time in respect to that Fund. The Distributor may receive compensation from TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (“Adviser”) related to its services hereunder or for additional services as may be agreed to between the Adviser and Distributor in writing.  The Distributor shall be compensated for

 

  2  

 

 

    providing the services set forth in this Agreement in accordance with the fee schedule set forth on Schedule B hereto (as amended from time to time).  

 

  (b) The Adviser shall bear the cost and expenses of: (i) the registration of the Creation Units for sale under the 1933 Act.

 

  (c) The Distributor shall pay (i) all expenses relating to Distributor’s broker-dealer qualification and registration under the 1934 Act; (ii) the expenses incurred by the Distributor in connection with routine FINRA filing fees (other than those filing fees for which the Adviser reimburses the Distributor); and (iii) all other expenses incurred in connection with the distribution services provided under this Agreement that are not reimbursed by the Adviser, including office space, equipment, and personnel as may be necessary or convenient to provide the services.

 

  (d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Distributor and its affiliates may receive compensation or reimbursement from the Adviser with respect to any services not included under this Agreement, as may be agreed upon by the parties from time to time.

 

article 7.   Indemnification of Distributor . The Trust agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Distributor and each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act 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 and disbursements incurred in connection therewith), (i) arising by reason of any person acquiring any Shares or Creation Units, based upon the ground that the registration statement, prospectus, shareholder reports 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 or necessary in order to make the statements made not misleading or (ii) any breach of any representation, warranty or covenant made by the Trust in this Agreement. However, the Trust does not agree to indemnify the Distributor or hold it harmless to the extent that the statements or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the Distributor.

 

In no case (i) is the indemnity of the Trust to be deemed to protect the Distributor against any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which the Distributor or such person otherwise would be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (ii) is the Trust to be liable to the Distributor under the indemnity agreement contained in this Article 7 with respect to any claim made against the Distributor or any person indemnified unless the Distributor or other person shall have notified the Trust in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the Distributor or such other person (or after the Distributor or the person shall have received notice of service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify the Trust of any claim shall not relieve the Trust from any liability

 

  3  

 

 

which it may have to the Distributor or any person against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph.

 

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 subject to this indemnity provision. If the Trust elects to assume the defense of any such claim, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Trust and satisfactory to the indemnified defendants in the suit whose approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event that the Trust elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain legal counsel, the indemnified defendants shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional legal counsel retained by them. If the Trust does not elect to assume the defense of a suit, it will reimburse the indemnified defendants for the reasonable fees and expenses of any legal counsel retained by the indemnified defendants.

 

The Trust agrees to notify the Distributor promptly of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers or Trustees in connection with the issuance or sale of any of its Shares or Creation Units.

 

article 8.   Indemnification of Trust . The Distributor covenants and agrees that it will indemnify and hold harmless the Trust and each of its Trustees, officers, employees and each person, if any, who controls the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, against any loss, liability, damages, claim or expense (including the reasonable cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, damages, claim or expense and reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) based upon the 1933 Act or any other statute or common law and arising by reason of any person acquiring any Shares or Creation Units, and alleging a wrongful act of the Distributor or any of its employees or alleging that the registration statement, prospectus, shareholder reports 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 or necessary in order to make the statements not misleading, insofar as 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.

 

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Distributor shall indemnify and hold the Trust harmless from and against any and all actual losses, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that the Trust may sustain or incur arising out of any breach of this Agreement.

 

In no case (i) is the indemnity of the Distributor in favor of the Trust or any other person indemnified to be deemed to protect the Trust or any other person against any liability to which the Trust or such other person 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, or (ii) is the Distributor to be liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph with respect to any claim made against the Trust or any person indemnified unless the Trust or person, as the case may be, shall have notified the Distributor in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the Trust or upon any person (or after the Trust or such person shall have received

 

  4  

 

 

notice of service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify the Distributor of any claim shall not relieve the Distributor from any liability which it may have to the Trust or any person against whom the action is brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph.

 

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 legal counsel chosen by the Distributor and satisfactory to the indemnified defendants whose approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event that the Distributor elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel, the defendants in the suit shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional legal counsel retained by them. If the Distributor does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse the indemnified defendants in the suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them.

 

The Distributor agrees to notify the Trust promptly of the commencement of any litigation, regulatory action (including an investigation) or proceedings against it or any of its officers in connection with the issue and sale of any of the Trust’s’ Shares or Creation Units.

 

article 9.   Contribution; Consequential Damages .

 

  (a) If the indemnification provided for in Sections 7 and 8 is insufficient or unavailable to any indemnified party under such sections in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein as a result of a court of competent jurisdiction’s decision not to enforce such agreement of the parties, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party hereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by damages, liabilities or expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Trust on the one hand and the Distributor on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation based upon relative benefit to each party provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Trust on the one hand and the Distributor on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Further, if the indemnified party failed to give the indemnifying party notice of the claim and the indemnifying party was prejudiced by such failure, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Trust on the one hand and the Distributor on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Trust on the one hand and the Distributor on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the

 

  5  

 

 

    amount of gross proceeds received by the Trust from the offering of the Shares under this Agreement (expressed in dollars) bears to the net profits received by the Distributor under this Agreement. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Trust on the one hand or the Distributor on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Trust and the Distributor agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this section were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

  (b) In no event and under no circumstances shall either party to this Agreement be liable to anyone, including, without limitation, the other party, for consequential damages for any act or failure to act under any provision of this Agreement.

 

article 10.     Effective Date . This Agreement shall be effective upon the date first written above, and, unless terminated as provided, shall continue in force for two years from the date hereof, and thereafter from year to year, provided that such annual continuance is approved by (i) either the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust, or the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust, and (ii) the vote of a majority of those Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to this Agreement or the Trust’s distribution plan or interested persons of any such party (“ Qualified Trustees ”), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the approval. This Agreement may be terminated at any time without penalty by a vote of the directors; by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company; or by the Distributor upon not less than sixty days prior written notice to the other party; and shall automatically terminate upon its assignment. As used in this paragraph the terms “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “assignment” and “interested person” shall have the respective meanings specified in the 1940 Act. In addition, this Agreement may at any time be terminated without penalty by the Trust, by a vote of a majority of Qualified Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust upon not less than sixty days prior written notice to the other party.

 

article 11.   Notices . All notices provided for or permitted under this Agreement shall be deemed effective upon receipt, and shall be in writing and (a) delivered personally, (b) sent by commercial overnight courier with written verification of receipt, or (c) sent by certified or registered U.S. mail, postage prepaid and return receipt requested, to the party to be notified, at the address for such party set forth below.

 

  6  

 

 

Notices to the Distributor shall be sent to the attention of:

 

Quasar Distributors, LLC

Attn: President

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

 

Notice to the Trust shall be sent to:

 

TrimTabs ETF Trust

1345 Avenue of the Americas, 2 nd floor

New York, NY 10105

Attn: (INSERT)

 

Notices to the Adviser shall be sent to:

 

TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC

1345 Avenue of the Americas, 2 nd floor

York, NY 10105

Attn: (INSERT)

 

article 12.   Limitation of Liability . A copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust is on file with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, and notice is hereby given that this Agreement is executed on behalf of the Trustees of the Trust as Trustees and not individually and that the obligations of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers or shareholders of the Trust individually but binding only upon the assets and property of the Trust.

 

article 13.   Dispute Resolution . Whenever either party desires to institute legal proceedings against the other concerning this Agreement, it shall provide written notice to that effect to such other party. The party providing such notice shall refrain from instituting said legal proceedings for a period of thirty (30) days following the date of provision of such notice. During such period, the parties shall attempt in good faith to amicably resolve their dispute by negotiation among their executive officers.

 

article 14.   Entire Agreement; Amendments . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement, draft or proposal with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement or any part hereof may be changed or waived only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement of such change or waiver is sought.

 

article 15.   Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Wisconsin without giving effect to any conflict of laws or choice of laws rules or principles thereof. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Wisconsin, or any of the provisions of this Agreement, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1933 Act or the 1940 Act, these acts shall control.

 

article 16.   Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument. Each such counterpart shall be deemed an

 

  7  

 

 

original, and it shall not be necessary in making proof of this Agreement to produce or account for more than one such counterpart. This Agreement shall be deemed executed by both parties when any one or more counterparts hereof or thereof, individually or taken together, bears the original or facsimile signatures of each of the parties.

 

article 17.   Force Majeure . No breach of any obligation of a party to this Agreement (other than obligations to pay amounts owed) will constitute an event of default or breach to the extent it arises out of a cause, existing or future, that is beyond the control and without negligence of the party otherwise chargeable with breach or default, including without limitation: strike; lockout or other labor dispute; flood; war; riot; theft; act of terrorism, earthquake or natural disaster. Either party desiring to rely upon any of the foregoing as an excuse for default or breach will, when the cause arises, give to the other party prompt notice of the facts which constitute such cause; and, when the cause ceases to exist, give prompt notice thereof to the other party.

 

article 18.   Severability. Any provision of this Agreement that is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability in such jurisdiction, without rendering invalid or unenforceable the remaining provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction. If a court of competent jurisdiction declares any provision of this Agreement to be invalid or unenforceable, the parties agree that the court making such determination shall have the power to reduce the scope, duration, or area of the provision, to delete specific words or phrases, or to replace the provision with a provision that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to expressing the original intention of the parties, and this Agreement shall be enforceable as so modified.

 

article 19.   Confidential Information .

 

  (a) The Distributor and the Trust (in such capacity, the “ Receiving Party ”) acknowledge and agree to maintain the confidentiality of Proprietary and Confidential Information (as hereinafter defined) provided by the Distributor and the Trust (in such capacity, the “ Disclosing Party ”) in connection with this Agreement. The Receiving Party shall not disclose or disseminate the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information to any Person other than (a) those employees, agents, contractors, subcontractors and licensees of the Receiving Party, or (b) with respect to the Distributor as a Receiving Party, to those employees, agents, contractors, subcontractors and licensees of any agent or affiliate, who have a need to know it in order to assist the Receiving Party in performing its obligations, or to permit the Receiving Party to exercise its rights under this Agreement. In addition, the Receiving Party (a) shall take all reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access to the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information, and (b) shall not use the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information, or authorize other Persons to use the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information, for any purposes other than in connection with performing its obligations or exercising its rights hereunder. As used herein, “reasonable steps” means steps that a party takes to protect its own, similarly confidential or proprietary information of a similar nature, which steps shall in no event be less than a reasonable standard of care.

 

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  (b) The term “ Confidential Information ,” as used herein, shall mean all index licenses, business strategies, plans and procedures, proprietary information, methodologies, data and trade secrets, and other confidential information and materials (including, without limitation, any non-public personal information as defined in Regulation S-P) of the Disclosing Party, its affiliates, their respective clients or suppliers, or other Persons with whom they do business, that may be obtained by the Receiving Party from any source or that may be developed as a result of this Agreement.

 

  (c) The provisions of this Article 19 respecting Confidential Information shall not apply to the extent, but only to the extent, that such Confidential Information: (a) is already known to the Receiving Party free of any restriction at the time it is obtained from the Disclosing Party, (b) is subsequently learned from an independent third party free of any restriction and without breach of this Agreement; (c) is or becomes publicly available through no wrongful act of the Receiving Party or any third party; (d) is independently developed by or for the Receiving Party without reference to or use of any Confidential Information of the Disclosing Party; or (e) is required to be disclosed pursuant to an applicable law, rule, regulation, government requirement or court order, or the rules of any stock exchange (provided, however, that the Receiving Party shall advise the Disclosing Party of such required disclosure promptly upon learning thereof in order to afford the Disclosing Party a reasonable opportunity to contest, limit and/or assist the Receiving Party in crafting such disclosure).

  

  (d) The Receiving Party shall advise its employees, agents, contractors, subcontractors and licensees, and shall require its agents and affiliates to advise their employees, agents, contractors, subcontractors and licensees, of the Receiving Party’s obligations of confidentiality and non-use under this Article19 , and shall be responsible for ensuring compliance by its and its affiliates’ employees, agents, consultants, contractors, subcontractors and licensees with such obligations. In addition, the Receiving Party shall require all persons that are provided access to the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information, other than the Receiving Party’s accountants and legal counsel, to execute confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements containing provisions substantially similar to those set forth in this Article19 . The Receiving Party shall promptly notify the Disclosing Party in writing upon learning of any unauthorized disclosure or use of the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information by such persons.

 

  (e) Upon the Disclosing Party’s written request following the termination of this Agreement, the Receiving Party promptly shall return to the Disclosing Party, or destroy, all Confidential Information of the Disclosing Party provided under or in connection with this Agreement, including all copies, portions and summaries thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, (a) the Receiving Party may retain one copy of each item of the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information for purposes of identifying and establishing its rights and obligations under this

 

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    Agreement, for archival or audit purposes and/or to the extent required by applicable law, and (b) the Distributor shall have no obligation to return or destroy Confidential Information of the Trust that resides in save tapes of Distributor; provided, however, that in either case all such Confidential Information retained by the Receiving Party shall remain subject to the provisions of Article 19 for so long as it is so retained. If requested by the Disclosing Party, the Receiving Party shall certify in writing its compliance with the provisions of this paragraph.

 

article 20.   Anti-Money Laundering. The Distributor represents that it has in place anti-money laundering procedures which comply with applicable law in jurisdictions in which Shares are distributed. The Distributor agrees to notify the Trust of any suspicious activity of which it becomes aware relating to transactions involving Shares. Upon reasonable request, the Distributor agrees to provide the Trust with documentation relating to its anti-money laundering policies and procedures.

 

article 21.   Use of Name .

 

  (a) The Trust shall not use the name of the Distributor, or any of its affiliates, in any prospectus or statement of additional information, sales literature, and other material relating to the Trust in any manner without the prior written consent of the Distributor (which shall not be unreasonably withheld); provided , however , that the Distributor hereby approves all lawful uses of the names of the Distributor and its affiliates in the prospectus and statement of additional information of the Trust and in all other materials which merely refer in accurate terms to their appointment hereunder or which are required by applicable law, regulations or otherwise by the SEC, FINRA, or any state securities authority.

 

  (b) Neither the Distributor nor any of its affiliates shall use the name of the Trust in any publicly disseminated materials, including sales literature, in any manner without the prior written consent of the Trust (which shall not be unreasonably withheld); provided , however , that the Trust hereby approves all lawful uses of its name in any required regulatory filings of the Distributor which merely refer in accurate terms to the appointment of the Distributor hereunder, or which are required by applicable law, regulations or otherwise by the SEC, FINRA, or any state securities authority.

 

article 22.   Insurance .

 

  (a) The Distributor agrees to maintain liability insurance coverage which is, in scope and amount, consistent with coverage customary in the industry for distribution activities similar to the distribution activities provided to the Trust hereunder. The Distributor shall notify the Trust upon receipt of any notice of material, adverse change in the terms or provisions of its insurance coverage that may materially and adversely affect the Trust’s rights hereunder. Such notification shall include the date of change and the reason or reasons therefore. The Distributor shall notify

 

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    the Trust of any material claims against it, whether or not covered by insurance that may materially and adversely affect the Trust’s rights hereunder.

 

  (b) The Trust hereby represents that it maintains adequate insurance coverage with respect to its responsibilities pursuant to this Agreement, including commercially reasonable fidelity bond(s), errors and omissions, directors and officers, professional liability insurance. The Distributor shall be included as an additional insured on the Trust’s commercial liability policies and shall be named as a loss payee on the Trust’s fidelity bond(s). All of the foregoing policies shall be issued by insurance companies having an “A minus” rating or better by A.M. Best Company or an equivalent Standard & Poor’s rating.  The Trust shall furnish Certificates of Insurance evidencing all of the foregoing insurance coverages upon execution of this Agreement, and annually upon the written request of the Distributor. Annually upon the written request of the Distributor, the Trust shall provide insurance policy documentation evidencing the Trust’s “additional insured” status with respect to the Trust’s Commercial General Liability and “loss payee” status with respect to the Trust’s Fidelity Bond. The Trust shall promptly inform the Distributor of any material changes to its policies, endorsements or coverages.

 

article 23.   Representations, Warranties and Covenants .

 

  (a) The Trust represents, warrants and covenants that:

 

  i. it is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its formation, and has all requisite power under the laws of such state and applicable federal law to conduct its business as now being conducted and to perform its obligations as contemplated by this Agreement;

 

  ii. this Agreement has been duly authorized by the board of trustees of the Trust, including by unanimous affirmative vote of all of the independent directors of the Trust and, when executed and delivered by the Trust, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable against the Trust in accordance with its terms;

 

  iii. it shall timely perform all obligations identified in this Agreement as obligations of the Trust, including, without limitation, providing the Distributor with all marketing materials reasonably requested by the Distributor and giving all necessary consents or approvals in good faith and within a timely manner;

 

  iv. it is not a party to any, and there are no, pending or threatened legal, administrative, arbitral or other proceedings, claims, actions or governmental or regulatory investigations or inquiries (collectively, “ Actions ”) of any nature against it, its advisor or its properties or assets which could, individually or in the aggregate, have a material effect upon its business or financial condition,

 

  11  

 

 

    and there is no injunction, order, judgment, decree, or regulatory restriction imposed upon it or any of its properties or assets;

 

  v. it is an investment company that is duly registered under all applicable laws and regulations, including, without limitation the 1940 Act, and each Fund is a separate series of the Trust;

 

  vi. it is and will continue to be in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations aimed at the prevention and detection of money laundering and/or the financing of terrorism activities including Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by USA PATRIOT Act, U.S. Treasury Department, including the Office of Foreign Asset Control (“ OFAC ”), Financial Crimes and Enforcement Network (“ FinCEN ”) and the SEC;

 

  vii. it has an anti-money laundering program (“ AML Program ”), that at minimum includes, (i) an AML compliance officer designated to administer and oversee the AML Program, (ii) ongoing training for appropriate personnel, (iii) internal controls and procedures reasonably designed to prevent and detect suspicious activity monitoring and terrorist financing activities; (iv) procedures to comply with know your customer requirements and to verify the identity of all customers; and (v) appropriate record keeping procedures;

 

  viii. each Prospectus has been prepared in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations and, at the time such Prospectus was filed with the SEC and became effective, no Prospectus will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact that is required to be stated therein so as to make the statements contained in such Prospectus not misleading. As used in this Agreement, the term, “ Prospectus ” means any prospectus, registration statement, statement of additional information, proxy solicitation and tender offer materials, annual or other periodic report of the Trust or any Fund of the Trust or any advertising, marketing, shareholder communication, or promotional material generated by the Trust or an Adviser from time to time, as appropriate, including all amendments or supplements thereto and applicable law;

 

  ix. it will notify the Distributor as soon as reasonably practical in advance of any matter which could materially affect the Distributor’s performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, including any amendment to the Prospectus;

 

  x. it will provide Distributor with a copy of each Prospectus as soon as reasonably possible prior to or contemporaneously with filing the same with an applicable regulatory body;

 

  xi. it shall fully cooperate with requests from government regulators and the Distributor for information relating to customers and/or transactions involving

 

  12  

 

 

    the Creation Units, as permitted by law, in order for the Distributor to comply with its regulatory obligations; and

 

  xii. in the event it determines that it is in the interest of the Trust to suspend or terminate the sale of any Creation Units, the Trust shall promptly notify the Distributor of such fact in advance and in writing prior to the date on which the Trust desires to cease offering the Creation Units.

  

  (b) Distributor hereby represents, warrants and covenants as follows:

 

  i.

it has full power, right and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly approved by all requisite actions on its part, and no other proceedings on its part are necessary to approve this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by it; this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms; 

     
  ii. it has (a) conducted a review of its supervisory controls system and has made available to the Fund the most current report of such review and any updates thereto and (b) will make available to the Trust for inspection a report of any changes in how it conducts its business that would materially change the results of its most recent review of its supervisory controls system and any other changes to its business that would affect the business of the Trust or the Trust’s investment adviser;
     
  iii. it (a) shall maintain in effect a business interruption plan, and enter into any agreements necessary with appropriate parties making reasonable provisions for emergency use of electronic data processing equipment customary in the industry and (b) take commercially reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions in the event of equipment failures at no additional expense to the Trust;
     
  iv. it is not a party to any, and there are no, pending or threatened Actions of any nature against it or its properties or assets which could, individually or in the aggregate, have a material effect upon its business or financial condition, and there is no injunction, order, judgment, decree, or regulatory restriction imposed specifically upon it or any of its properties or assets;

 

  v. it is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC under the 1934 Act and a member of FINRA in good standing;

 

  vi. it shall not give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in the current Prospectus of the Trust filed with the SEC or

 

  13  

 

 

    contained in shareholder reports or other material that may be prepared by or on behalf of the Trust for the Distributor’s use; and

 

  vii. it may prepare and distribute sales literature and other material as it may deem appropriate, provided that such literature and materials have been prepared in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust and Distributor have each duly executed this Agreement, as of the day and year above written.

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST   QUASAR DISTRIBUTORS, LLC
     
By:     By:  
     
Name:   Name:  James R. Schoenike
Title:   Title:   President

   

TRIMTABS ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC

(with respect to Articles 5 and 6 only)

 

By:    
     
Name:    
     
Title:    

 

  14  

 

 

Schedule A

 

List of Funds

 

Name of Series  
 
TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF

 

  15  

 

Exhibit (e)(iv)

 

[FUND NAME], A SERIES OF ETF SERIES SOLUTIONS
FORM OF AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT
QUASAR DISTRIBUTORS, LLC

615 EAST MICHIGAN STREET
MILWAUKEE, WI 53202

 

This Authorized Participant Agreement (the “ Agreement ”) is entered into by and between Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “ Distributor ”) and [             ] (the “ Participant ”) and is subject to acceptance by U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC(the “ Index Receipt Agent ”) as index receipt agent for [FUND NAME] ETF Series Solutions (the “ Trust ” and, together with the Distributor, Participant, Index Receipt Agent, and Trust, the “ Parties ”).

 

The Index Receipt Agent serves as the index receipt agent for the Trust and all of its designated series as set forth in Annex I (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 class of shares issued by the Funds known as “ Fund Shares .”

 

The process by which an investor purchases and redeems Fund Shares from a Fund is described in detail in the Trust's current prospectus and statement of additional information, as each may be supplemented or amended from time to time (the “ Prospectus ”) that comprise part of the Trust’s registration statement, as amended, on Form N-1A and the Authorized Participant Procedures Handbook (the “ AP Handbook ” and, together with the Prospectus, the “ Fund Documents ”). The discussion of the purchase and redemption process in this Agreement is modified as necessary by reference to the more complete discussions in the Fund Documents. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Fund Documents.

 

Fund Shares may be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund only in aggregations of a specified number, known as a “ Creation Unit .” The number of Fund Shares presently constituting a Creation Unit of each Fund is set forth in Annex I. Creation Units of Fund Shares may be purchased only by or through an entity that has entered into an Authorized Participant 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 NSCC.

 

To purchase a Creation Unit, an authorized DTC participant or CNSS participant, whether acting for its own account or on behalf of another party (“ Participant Client ”), generally must deliver to the Fund a designated basket of equity 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 ”). The Deposit Securities and the Balancing Amount together constitute the “ Fund Deposit .” The amount of such Transaction Fee shall be determined by the Trust or investment adviser to the Trust in its sole discretion and may be changed from time to time. In lieu of Deposit Securities, a Fund may (in its sole discretion) issue Creation Units for an All-Cash Payment.

 

 

 

 

In the case of each Fund that invests in international or global equity securities, the Participant understands and agrees that the Trust has caused the “ Custodian ” (as such term is defined in the AP Handbook) to maintain an account with the applicable sub-Custodian for such Fund in the relevant foreign jurisdiction to which the Participant shall deliver (or cause to be delivered) the Deposit Securities for itself (or any Participant Client): (i) in connection with any Creation Order; (ii) with any appropriate adjustments as advised by such sub-Custodian or Fund; and (iii) in accordance with the terms and conditions applicable to such account in such jurisdiction.

 

The Parties hereto, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual agreements contained herein, agree as follows:

 

1. PURPOSE OF AGREEMENT

 

This Agreement sets forth the procedures by which the Participant may purchase and/or redeem Creation Units of Fund Shares either (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 Fund Shares (a “ Purchase Order ”) and an order to redeem Fund Shares (a “ Redemption Order ”) are described in the Fund Documents. All Purchase and Redemption Orders must be made pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Fund Documents. The Participant may not cancel a Purchase Order or a Redemption Order after it is placed.

 

2. STATUS OF PARTICIPANT

 

a. The Participant represents, covenants, and warrants that it is (and will continue to be):

 

i. a participant in DTC (“ DTC Participant ”);

 

ii. a member of NSCC and a participant in the CNSS;

 

iii. able to transact through the Federal Reserve System;

 

iv. registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ 1934 Act ”);

 

v. qualified to act as a broker or dealer in the states or other jurisdictions where it transacts business; and

 

vi. a member in good standing of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“ FINRA ”).

 

The Participant shall maintain such participations, eligibility, registrations, qualifications, and membership in good standing and in full force and effect throughout the term of this Agreement. If the Participant loses any such participation, eligibility, registration, qualification, and/or membership, the Participant shall

 

 

 

 

promptly notify the Distributor in writing of any such change. Upon such notice, the Distributor may (in its sole discretion) terminate this Agreement.

 

b. The Participant shall 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. The Participant shall not offer nor sell Fund Shares of any Fund in any state or jurisdiction where such shares may not lawfully be offered and/or sold.

 

c. If the Participant is offering and selling Fund 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 FINRA, as set forth above, the Participant nevertheless shall observe the applicable laws 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 (the “ 1933 Act ”), and the regulations promulgated thereunder, and to conduct its business in accordance with the spirit of FINRA Conduct Rules.

 

d. The Participant understands and acknowledges that the proposed method by which Creation Units will be created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. For example, because new Creation Units may be issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, a “ distribution ” (as such term is used in the 1933 Act) may occur at any point. The Participant understands and acknowledges that some activities on its part, depending on the circumstances, may result in its being deemed a participant in the distribution in a manner that could render it a statutory underwriter and subject it to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the 1933 Act. (A fuller discussion of these risks appears in the Prospectuses.) Neither the Distributor nor the Index Receipt Agent will indemnify the Participant for any legal violations committed by the Participant.

 

3. PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION ORDERS

 

All Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders shall be made in accordance with the terms of the Fund Documents and the procedures set out in the AP Handbook. Each Party shall comply with the provisions of such documents to the extent applicable to it.

 

a. It is contemplated that the communications 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 each Party hereby consents to the recording of all calls in connection with the purchase and redemption of Creation Units.

 

b. The Participant agrees to the terms and conditions as required by the Distributor, the Index Receipt Agent and/or the Funds’ transfer agent in connection with all Purchase and Redemption Orders through an electronic order entry system, known as the Direct Access to a Secure Hub or DASH made available to the Participant (the “ DASH Order System ”) in connection with the purchase and redemption of Creation Units.

 

 

 

 

c. The Funds reserve the right to issue additional or other procedures relating to the manner of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units, and the Participant shall comply with such procedures as may be issued from time to time (including, but not limited to, the Fund Shares cash collateral settlement procedures that are referenced in the AP Handbook).

 

d. The Participant agrees (on behalf of itself and any Participant Client) that a Purchase Order or Redemption Order shall be irrevocable and that the Funds (or the Distributor on behalf of the Funds) reserve the right to reject any Purchase Order or Redemption Order in accordance with the terms of the Fund Documents. The Distributor and the Trust have and reserve the right (in their sole discretion and without notice) to reject a Purchase Order or Redemption Order or suspend sales of Fund Shares (in either case, in accordance with the terms of the Fund Documents).

 

4. EXECUTION OF PURCHASE ORDERS

 

a. To effect the purchase of a Creation Unit of a Fund, the Participant shall (on behalf of itself and any Participant Client) deliver a Fund Deposit plus a purchase transaction fee (as described in the Fund Documents) to the relevant Fund. The amount of such purchase transaction fee shall be determined by (and in the sole discretion of) the Trust or the investment advisor to the Trust (the “ Advisor ”) and may be changed from time to time.

 

i. The Fund Deposit shall consist of the requisite Deposit Securities plus or minus a Balancing Amount. The Balancing Amount shall be payable to the Fund depending on the net asset value of Fund Shares determined after the Purchase Order has been placed.

 

ii. A Fund may permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash to be added to the Balancing Amount to replace any Deposit Securities ( i.e. cash in lieu ”).

 

iii. A Fund may (in its sole discretion) accept collateral up to 105% of the value of the Deposit Securities in anticipation of delivery of all or a portion of the requisite Deposit Securities (as disclosed in the Prospectus from time to time) and may use such cash or collateral to purchase Deposit Securities. The Participant shall be required to deposit an additional amount of cash with the Fund pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain cash collateral in an amount at least equal to 105% of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Securities.

 

 

 

 

iv. The Participant shall be responsible for any and all expenses and costs incurred by the Fund in connection with Purchase Orders, including expenses arising from the use of cash in lieu or collateral..

 

b. With respect to any Purchase Order, each Fund shall return to the Participant (or any Participant Client) 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 such Participant (or any Participant Client).

 

c. The Participant shall make available or transfer funds for each purchase of Fund Shares of a Fund an amount sufficient to pay the Balancing Amount plus the purchase transaction fee and the additional variable charge for cash purchases (when, in the sole discretion of the Fund, cash purchases are available or specified (the “ Cash Amount ”). Computation of the Cash 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. Computation of the Cash Amount shall exclude any stamp duty and other similar 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 of the Fund. The Participant shall ensure that the Cash Amount is provided in accordance with the procedures set forth in AP Handbook.

 

d. If a Fund exercises its right to issue Creation Units for an All-Cash Payment, the Participant shall make available or transfer the Cash Amount plus a purchase transaction fee for each purchase of Fund Shares of a Fund in accordance with the procedures set forth in the AP Handbook.

 

e. Either the Trust or the Distributor may reject any Purchase Order that is not submitted in proper form by 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time (or 4:00 p.m. through the Order System or via the U.S. Postal Service), as applicable. In addition, the Distributor (on behalf of each Fund) may reject any Purchase Order (based on information provided by the Index Receipt Agent, the Advisor or the Trust or obtained by the Distributor, as the case may be), if:

 

i. the purchaser or purchasers, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, would own eighty percent (80%) or more of the outstanding Fund Shares of such particular Fund;

 

ii. the Fund Deposit delivered does not contain the securities that the Advisor specified, and the Advisor has not consented to acceptance of an in-kind deposit that varies from the designated portfolio;

 

iii. the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would have certain adverse tax consequences, such as causing the particular Fund to no longer meet RIC

 

 

 

 

status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”), for federal tax purposes;

  

iv. the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would (in the opinion of counsel) be unlawful, as in the case of a purchaser who was banned from trading in securities;

 

v. the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise (in the discretion of the Trust or the Advisor) have an adverse effect on the Trust, the particular Fund, or on the rights of such Fund’s shareholders, including but not limited to the “beneficial owner” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(a)(2) of the 1934 Act, “ Beneficial Owner ”) of the Fund Shares;

 

vi. the value of the Creation Units to be created for the Cash Amount (or the amount of the Balancing Amount to accompany an in-kind payment of Deposit Securities) exceeds a purchase authorization limit afforded to the Participant by the Custodian, and the Participant has not deposited an amount in excess of such purchase authorization with the Custodian prior to 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the transmittal date; or

 

vii. there exist circumstances outside the control of the Trust or the Distributor that make it impossible to process purchases of Fund Shares for all practical purposes. Examples of such circumstances include: acts of God or public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures, market conditions or activities causing trading halts, systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Advisor, any sub-Advisor(s), the Index Receipt Agent, the Custodian, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC or any other participant in the purchase process, and similar extraordinary events.

 

5. EXECUTION OF REDEMPTION ORDERS

 

a. Redemption Orders may be submitted only on days that the Trust is open for business, as required by section 22(e) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “ 1940 Act ”).

 

b. Fund Shares of any Fund may be redeemed only when one or more Creation Units are held in the account of a single Participant.

 

c. To effect the redemption of a Creation Unit of a particular Fund, the Participant shall (on behalf of itself and any Participant Client) deliver to the Index Receipt Agent the requisite number of Fund Shares comprising the number of Creation Units being redeemed as described in the Fund Documents. Proceeds of the redemption of a Creation Unit shall consist of Fund Securities plus or minus the Balancing Amount. The Balancing Amount will be payable to or receivable from the Fund depending on the net asset value of Fund Shares of the Fund next determined after the Redemption

 

 

 

 

Order has been received. Participant shall be responsible for paying any redemption transaction fee and/or additional variable charge assessed by the Fund. The amount of such redemption transaction fee and/or additional variable charge shall be determined by the Trust, or the Advisor, in its sole discretion and may be changed from time to time. The Fund may permit the Participant to redeem a Creation Unit when the Participant is unable to deliver all or part of a Creation Unit upon the delivery of collateral up to 105% of the value of the requisite Fund Shares, marked to market on a daily basis, in anticipation of delivery of all or a portion of the requisite Fund Shares, and the Fund may use such cash or collateral to purchase Fund Shares. In addition, the Participant shall be responsible for any and all expenses and costs incurred in connection with any Redemption Requests, including expenses arising out of the use of collateral.

 

d. If Fund Shares are not transferred to the Fund in accordance with the terms of the Fund Documents when making a Redemption Order, such Redemption Order may be rejected by the Fund, and the Participant will be solely responsible for all costs, losses, and fees incurred (in relation to such rejected Redemption Order) by the Fund, the Index Receipt Agent and/or the Distributor.

 

e. 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:

 

i. it first ascertains that it (or the Participant Client, as the case may be) owns outright (or has full legal authority and legal and beneficial right to tender) the requisite number of Fund Shares for redemption; and

 

ii. such Fund Shares have not been 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 Fund Shares to the Fund.

 

f. With respect to any Redemption Order:

 

i. the Participant shall (on behalf of itself and any Participant Client) return to a Fund; and

 

ii. a Fund is entitled to reduce the amount of money or other proceeds due to the Participant (or any Participant Client) by an amount equal to,

 

any dividend, distribution, or other corporate action paid to the Participant (or to any Participant Client) in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to the Participant (or any Participant Client) that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should have been paid to the Fund.

 

 

 

 

g. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or the Prospectus, residents of certain countries are entitled to receive only cash upon redemption of a Creation Unit. Accordingly, the Participant shall 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. A Fund may (in its sole discretion) satisfy a Redemption Request with an All-Cash Payment.

 

6. AUTHORIZATION OF INDEX RECEIPT AGENT

 

With respect to Purchase Orders or Redemption Orders processed through the Clearing Process, the Index Receipt Agent shall 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. The Participant shall 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.

 

7. MARKETING MATERIALS AND REPRESENTATIONS.

 

The Participant shall not make any representations concerning Fund 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 shall not furnish (or cause to be furnished) to any person (nor shall it display or publish) any information or materials relating to Fund 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 Fund shall not be advertised or marketed as an open-end investment company (i.e., as a mutual fund), and all advertising materials will prominently disclose that the Fund Shares are not individually redeemable. In addition, any advertising material that addresses redemption of Fund Shares will disclose that Fund Shares may be tendered for redemption to the issuing Fund only in Creation Units. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Participant may (in the regular course of its business and without the written approval of the Distributor) prepare and circulate research reports that include information, opinions, or recommendations relating to Fund Shares (i) for public dissemination, provided that such research reports compare the relative merits and benefits of Fund Shares with other products and are not used for purposes of marketing Fund Shares and (ii) for internal use by the Participant.

 

8. TITLE TO SECURITIES; RESTRICTED SHARES

 

The Participant represents (on behalf of itself and any Participant Client) that, upon delivery of Deposit Securities to the Custodian, 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 either (i) any

 

 

 

 

agreement or arrangement entered into by the Participant or any Participant Client 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). The Participant also represents (on behalf of itself and any Participant Client) that no such securities are “restricted securities” as such term is used in Rule 144(a)(3)(i) under the 1933 Act.

 

9. BALANCING AMOUNT

 

In connection with a Purchase Order, the Participant shall (whether for itself or any

Participant Client) make available:

 

(i) on or before the contractual settlement date (the “ Contractual Settlement Date ”);

 

(ii) by means satisfactory to the Trust; and

 

(iii) 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.

 

In the event that 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 shall (on behalf of itself or any Participant Client) pay the amount of the Balancing Amount plus interest, which shall be 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 (any such advancement made in the sole discretion of the Custodian or sub-custodian) 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.

 

10. ROLE OF PARTICIPANT

 

a. For all purposes of this Agreement, the Participant (i) is deemed to be an independent contractor and (ii) has no authority to act as agent for the Funds or the Distributor in any matter or in any respect. The Participant shall make itself and its employees available upon request during normal business hours to consult with the Funds or the Distributor or their designees concerning the performance of the Participant’s

 

 

 

 

responsibilities under this Agreement.

 

b. The Participant shall have the responsibilities set forth herein regardless of whether transactions conducted hereunder are for its own account or are conducted by the Participant on behalf of its clients.

 

c. The Participant represents that it may be a Beneficial Owner of Fund Shares from time to time. To the extent that it is a Beneficial Owner of Fund Shares, the Participant shall 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 the 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 Clause 10), (i) shall have 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.

 

d. The Participant represents that it has policies, procedures, and internal controls in place that are designed to comply with all applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including applicable provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act, the regulations administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, and the rules promulgated by the SEC.

 

11. 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 Funds, the Participant shall deliver to the Funds, with copies to the Index Receipt Agent, a certificate in a form approved by the 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 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 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 Funds with copy to the Index Receipt Agent, and such notice shall be effective upon receipt by the Fund.

 

b. The Distributor or Index Receipt Agent shall issue to the Participant a unique personal identification number (“ PIN Number ”) by which the Participant shall be identified and instructions issued by the Participant hereunder shall be authenticated. The PIN Number shall be kept confidential and provided to Authorized Persons only. If the

 

 

 

 

Participant’s PIN Number is changed, the new PIN Number will become effective on a date mutually agreed upon by the Participant and/or Distributor and Index Receipt Agent. If for some reason, the Participant’s PIN number is compromised, the Participant shall contact the Distributor or Index Receipt Agent immediately in order for a new one to be issued.

 

c. The Distributor or Index Receipt Agent shall assume that all instructions issued to it using the Participant’s PIN Number have been properly placed, unless the Distributor has actual knowledge to the contrary or the Participant has revoked its PIN Number. The Distributor or Index Receipt Agent shall not verify that an Order is being placed by or on behalf of the Participant. None of the Distributor, the Index Receipt Agent, and the Trust shall be liable (absent fraud or willful misconduct) for losses incurred by the Participant as a result of unauthorized use of the Participant’s PIN Number, unless the Participant previously submitted written notice to revoke its PIN Number.

 

12. COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 351 OF THE CODE

 

a. The Participant represents, covenants and warrants that 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 Fund Shares of any Fund, so as to cause a 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 Code.

 

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 Fund Shares to which this confirmation relates, it will not hold 80% or more of the outstanding Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund Shares by a Beneficial Owner.

 

13. OBLIGATIONS OF PARTICIPANT

 

a. The Participant shall maintain records of all sales of Fund Shares made by or through it and to furnish copies of such records to the Trust or the Distributor upon request.

 

 

 

 

b. The Participant shall maintain procedures 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 it is not and will not be (i) an affiliated person of a Fund, (ii) a promoter or a principal underwriter of a Fund, or (iii) 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 Fund Shares).

 

d. The Participant shall maintain the e-mail address set forth on the signature page to this Agreement and promptly notify the Distributor of any e-mail address changes.

 

14. INDEMNIFICATION

 

This Clause 14 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

a. The Participant shall indemnify and hold harmless the Distributor, the Funds, 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 “ Participant Indemnified Party ”), from and against any loss, liability, cost, or expense (including 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 such 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 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 Fund. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Participant shall not be liable to the Distributor for any damages arising out of (x) mistakes or errors in data provided by the Distributor, (y) interruptions or delays of communications with the Participant Indemnified Parties who are service providers to the Fund, or (z) any action, representation, or solicitation made by the wholesalers of the Fund.

 

b. The Distributor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Participant, 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 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 (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. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Distributor shall not be liable to the Participant for any damages arising out of (x) mistakes or errors in data provided by the Participant, (y) interruptions or delays of communications with the Distributor Indemnified Parties who are service providers to the Fund, or (z) any action, representation, or solicitation made by the wholesalers of the Fund.

 

c. The Funds, the Distributor, and the 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 the Deposit Securities in a Fund Deposit and the Fund’s benchmark index (if there is a benchmark index).

 

d. In the absence of bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part, neither the Distributor nor the Transfer Agent (whether acting directly or through agents, affiliates or attorneys) shall be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted or for any error of judgment made by any of them in the performance of their duties hereunder. Neither the Distributor nor the Transfer Agent shall be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith, unless the party exercising such judgment shall have been grossly negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts necessary to make such judgment. In no event shall the Distributor or the Transfer Agent be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, exemplary, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to loss of revenue, loss of actual or anticipated profit, loss of contracts, loss of the use of money, loss of anticipated savings, loss of business, loss of opportunity, loss of market share, loss of goodwill or loss of reputation), even if such parties have been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

 

e. In no event shall the Distributor or the Transfer Agent be liable for:

 

i. the acts or omissions of DTC, NSCC or any other securities depository or clearing corporation; or

 

 

 

 

ii. losses incurred by the Participant or Participant Client as a result of unauthorized use of any PIN.

 

f. The Distributor shall not be liable for any action or failure to take any action with respect to the voting matters set forth in Clause 10(c) ( Role of Participant ).

 

15. INFORMATION ABOUT DEPOSIT SECURITIES

 

The Advisor 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.

 

16. RECEIPT OF PROSPECTUS BY PARTICIPANT

 

The Participant acknowledges receipt of the Prospectus and represents that it has reviewed such document (including the Statement of Additional Information incorporated therein) and understands the terms thereof.

 

17. CONSENT TO ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF PROSPECTUS

 

The Distributor may electronically deliver a single prospectus, annual or semi-annual report, or other shareholder information (each, a “ Shareholder Document ”) to persons who have effectively consented to such electronic delivery. The Distributor will deliver 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.

 

The Distributor shall electronically deliver all Shareholder Documents to the Participant at the e-mail address set forth on the signature page attached to this Agreement, unless and until the Participant provides written notice to the Distributor requesting otherwise. Until such notice is provided, the Participant can only obtain access to the Shareholder Documents electronically. However, the Distributor shall provide a reasonable number of paper copies of either (i) a Fund’s statutory prospectus or (ii) a Fund’s summary prospectus in accordance with Rule 498 under the 1933 Act (or any successor rule) upon the Participant’s request. The Distributor has sole discretion of choosing whether to provide the materials in (i) or (ii) above.

 

18. 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 telegram, facsimile, electronic mail (e-mail) 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 electronic mail (e-mail), 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 electronic mail (e-mail) indicated below the signature line of such Party.

 

19. 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 (upon which the fund is listed) is open for business.

 

b. This Agreement may be terminated at any time by any Party upon sixty 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 and assigns, but the Parties agree that no Party can assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other Parties.

 

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 Clause 18 ( Notices ). 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.

 

20. TRUST AS THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY

 

The Participant understands and agrees 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.

 

21. INCORPORATION OF FUND DOCUMENTS

 

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.

 

In the event of any 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 agrees to comply with the provisions of the Fund Documents.

 

22. GOVERNING LAW

 

This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

23. ARBITRATION.

 

Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or any breach thereof, shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the then existing FINRA Code of Arbitration Procedure. Any arbitration shall be conducted in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and each arbitrator shall be from the securities industry. Judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrators may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.

 

24. 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.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the date written below.

 

DATED:       

 

QUASAR DISTRIBUTORS, LLC

 

By:    
     
Name: James Schoenike
Title: President
Address: 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Telephone: 414-905-7640
Facsimile: 414-905-7939
E-mail: dealeragreements@usbank.com

 

[Name of Participant]

 

 

 

 

By:    
Name:    
Title:    
Address:    
Telephone:    
Facsimile:    
Telex:    
E-mail:    

 

ACCEPTED BY U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC, as Index Receipt Agent

 

Name:    
Title:    
Address:    
Telephone:    
Facsimile:    
Telex:    
E-mail:    

 

 

 

 

ANNEX I – CREATION UNIT SIZE FOR FUND SHARES

 

Name of Fund   Number of shares constituting a Creation Unit
     
    50,000  Shares

 

 

 

 

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 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:

 

Name:

Title:

Signature:

E-Mail Address:

Telephone:

Facsimile:

 

The undersigned [name], [title], [company] certifies 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 Quasar Distributors, LLC and [Participant] dated [date] and that their signatures set forth above are their own true and genuine signatures.

 

By:    

 

Name:

Title: [Participant's] Secretary or Other Duly Authorized Officer

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROFILE SHEET

 

*Complete the entire form and return with agreement. Failure to do so will result in delayed set up.*

 

ORGANIZATION TYPE: Authorized Participant (AP)
       
Organization Name:     PIN* # :
      *Required - minimum of 4, maximum of 5 characters, numbers, letters or symbols.
     
DTC Participant Number:      
       
CNS Member ( check one ): ¨  Yes ¨ No Organization Phone Number :
       
Preferred Time Zone (Circle One) :   Organization Fax Number:
       
America/New York America/Chicago Email Address:
Europe/Berlin    
       
America/Denver America/Los Angeles Organization Address:
       
America/Anchorage America/Puerto Rico Fund(s) not Authorized to Trade (Please List Symbol(s) Below):
     
Pacific/Honolulu America/Adak  
       
America/Boise America/Indianapolis  
       
America/Phoenix Europe/London  

 

Officer Name:     User Name:  
         
  Title:     Title:
  Email:     Email:
  Phone:     Phone:
  Fax:     Fax:
User Role: (check one)   User Role: (check one)

 

¨ Read Only ¨ Trader ¨ Power ¨ Read Only ¨ Trader ¨ Power
Trader     Trader    

 

User Name:     User Name:  
         
  Title:     Title:
  Email:     Email:
  Phone:     Phone:
  Fax:     Fax:
User Role: (check one)   User Role: (check one)

 

¨ Read Only ¨ Trader ¨ Power ¨ Read Only ¨ Trader ¨ Power
Trader     Trader    

 

For operational questions on this form contact:

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC

Phone : 800-617-0004

Fax : 855-394-8957

Email : ETF@usbank.com

 

*** Activation information for US Bancorp Fund Services’ DASH system is emailed after setup.

 

 

 

 

For Internal Use Only          
  Received Date     Setup Date  

 

 

 

 

 

 

DASH Contact Information: Hours of Operation: 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. C.S.T.
 
US Bancorp Fund Services, LLC  
Attn: FID – ETFs 4 th Floor ETF Servicing Phone # : 800-617-0004
615 East Michigan Avenue  
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 ETF Servicing Fax # : 855-394-8957
   
  ETF Servicing Email : ETF@usbank.com
   
   
   
   

 

Daily Operation Contacts: Escalation Contacts:

 

Billy Jo Jacobson Nick Sollazo
Specialized Trader Manager
US Bancorp Fund Services, LLC US Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
Financial Intermediary Department Financial Intermediary Department
   
Aaron Wroblewski Casey Sauer
Specialized Trader Department Manager- V.P.
US Bancorp Fund Services, LLC US Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
Financial Intermediary Department Financial Intermediary Department
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

ETF Order Placement Request

*** All items must be completed before submission

 

 

     
    USBFS-DASH
To: US Bancorp Fund Services, LLC  
  Transfer Agent  
    Hours of Operation: 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. C.S.T.
   
Firm Name:  
    ETF Servicing Phone # : 800-617-0004
Firm Phone # :  
    ETF Servicing Fax # : 855-394-8957
     
Fax:   ETF Servicing Email : ETF@usbank.com
     
PIN#    

 

Order Details: AP Trader:

 

ETF Symbol: Trader Name:
   
ETF Name: Role:
   
ETF CUSIP: Call Back Phone Number:
   
Order Type (check one): Create   ¨   Redeem   ¨ Note: All faxed trades will be confirmed via phone back to the AP Trader.
   
Creation Units:  
  Restricted Securities (check one):    Yes   ¨   No   ¨
Settlement Method (check one): In-Kind  ¨   Cash ¨
  If Yes – List the Restricted Security Symbol(s) Below:
Settlement (check one): T+1   ¨   T+2   ¨   T+3   ¨  
   
Clearing Process (check one): CNS   ¨    DTC   ¨  
  Reason for restriction (check one):
80% Disclaimer ** : ¨   In Compliance Broker Related   ¨
** This order will not result in “reference organization listed above” owning 80% or more of the said ETF Symbol Market Liquidity  ¨
   

 

For Internal Use Only   Placement Date and Time  
           
  Received Date and Time      Order Confirm Number  

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.g(ii)

 

CUSTODY AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of this __ day of September, 2016, by and between TRIMTABS ETF TRUST , a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION , a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America (the “Custodian”).

 

WHEREAS, the Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company, and is authorized to issue shares of beneficial interest in separate series, with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets;

 

WHEREAS, the Custodian is a bank having the qualifications prescribed in Section 26(a)(1) of the 1940 Act; and

 

WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain the Custodian to act as custodian of the cash and securities of each series of the Trust listed on Exhibit B hereto (as amended from time to time) (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”); and

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Trust has delegated to the Custodian the responsibilities set forth in Rule 17f-5(c) under the 1940 Act and the Custodian is willing to undertake the responsibilities and serve as the foreign custody manager for the Trust.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

 

Whenever used in this Agreement, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings set forth below unless the context otherwise requires:

 

1.01        “Authorized Person” means any Officer or person who has been designated as such by written notice and named in Exhibit A and delivered to the Custodian by the Trust, or if the Trust has notified the Custodian in writing that it has an authorized investment manager or other agent, delivered to the Custodian by the Trust’s investment advisor or other agent. Such Officer or person shall continue to be an Authorized Person until such time as the Custodian receives Written Instructions from the Trust or the Trust’s investment advisor or other agent that any such person is no longer an Authorized Person.

 

1.02        “Board of Trustees” shall mean the trustees from time to time serving under the Trust’s declaration of trust, as amended from time to time.

 

1.03        “Book-Entry System” shall mean a federal book-entry system as provided in Subpart O of Treasury Circular No. 300, 31 CFR 306, in Subpart B of 31 CFR Part 350, or in such book-entry regulations of federal agencies as are substantially in the form of such Subpart O.

 

  1  

 

 

 

 

1.04        “Business Day” shall mean any day recognized as a settlement day by The New York Stock Exchange, Inc. and any other day for which the Trust computes the net asset value of Shares of the Fund.

 

1.05        “Eligible Foreign Custodian” has the meaning set forth in Rule 17f-5(a)(1), including a majority-owned or indirect subsidiary of a U.S. Bank (as defined in Rule 17f-5), a bank holding company meeting the requirements of an Eligible Foreign Custodian (as set forth in Rule 17f-5 or by other appropriate action of the SEC), or a foreign branch of a Bank (as defined in Section 2(a)(5) of the 1940 Act) meeting the requirements of a custodian under Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act; the term does not include any Eligible Securities Depository.

 

1.06        “Eligible Securities Depository” shall mean a system for the central handling of securities as that term is defined in Rule 17f-4 and 17f-7 under the 1940 Act.

 

1.07        “Foreign Securities” means any of the [Trust’s/Fund’s] investments (including foreign currencies) for which the primary market is outside the United States and such cash and cash equivalents as are reasonably necessary to effect the [Trust/Fund’s] transactions in such investments.

 

1.08        “Fund Custody Account” shall mean any of the accounts in the name of the Trust, which is provided for in Section 3.2 below.

 

1.09        “IRS” shall mean the Internal Revenue Service.

 

1.10        “FINRA” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

 

1.11        “Officer” shall mean the Chairman, President, any Vice President, any Assistant Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer, or any Assistant Treasurer of the Trust.

 

1.12        “SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

1.13        “Securities” shall include, without limitation, common and preferred stocks, bonds, call options, put options, debentures, notes, bank certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, mortgage-backed securities or other obligations, and any certificates, receipts, warrants or other instruments or documents representing rights to receive, purchase or subscribe for the same, or evidencing or representing any other rights or interests therein, or any similar property or assets that the Custodian or its agents have the facilities to clear and service.

 

1.14        “Securities Depository” shall mean The Depository Trust Company and any other clearing agency registered with the SEC under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), which acts as a system for the central handling of Securities where all Securities of any particular class or series of an issuer deposited within the system are treated as fungible and may be transferred or pledged by bookkeeping entry without physical delivery of the Securities.

 

  2  

 

 

 

 

1.15        “Shares” shall mean, with respect to a Fund, the units of beneficial interest issued by the Trust on account of the Fund.

 

1.16        “Sub-Custodian” shall mean and include (i) any branch of a “U.S. bank,” as that term is defined in Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act, and (ii) any “Eligible Foreign Custodian” having a contract with the Custodian which the Custodian has determined will provide reasonable care of assets of the Fund based on the standards specified in Section 3.3 below. Such contract shall be in writing and shall include provisions that provide: (i) for indemnification or insurance arrangements (or any combination of the foregoing) such that the Fund will be adequately protected against the risk of loss of assets held in accordance with such contract; (ii) that the Foreign Securities will not be subject to any right, charge, security interest, lien or claim of any kind in favor of the Sub-Custodian or its creditors except a claim of payment for their safe custody or administration, in the case of cash deposits, liens or rights in favor of creditors of the Sub-Custodian arising under bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws; (iii) that beneficial ownership for the Foreign Securities will be freely transferable without the payment of money or value other than for safe custody or administration; (iv) that adequate records will be maintained identifying the assets as belonging to the Fund or as being held by a third party for the benefit of the Fund; (v) that the Fund’s independent public accountants will be given access to those records or confirmation of the contents of those records; and (vi) that the Fund will receive periodic reports with respect to the safekeeping of the Fund’s assets, including, but not limited to, notification of any transfer to or from a Fund's account or a third party account containing assets held for the benefit of the Fund. Such contract may contain, in lieu of any or all of the provisions specified in (i)-(vi) above, such other provisions that the Custodian determines will provide, in their entirety, the same or a greater level of care and protection for Fund assets as the specified provisions.

 

1.17        “Written Instructions” shall mean (i) written communications actually received by the Custodian and signed by an Authorized Person, (ii) communications by facsimile or Internet electronic e-mail or any other such system from one or more persons reasonably believed by the Custodian to be an Authorized Person.

 

ARTICLE II.

 

APPOINTMENT OF CUSTODIAN

 

2.01        Appointment . The Trust hereby appoints the Custodian as custodian of all Securities and cash owned by or in the possession of the Fund at any time during the period of this Agreement, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, and the Custodian hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this Agreement. The Trust hereby delegates to the Custodian, subject to Rule 17f-5(b), the responsibilities with respect to the Fund’s Foreign Securities, and the Custodian hereby accepts such delegation as foreign custody manager with respect to the Fund. The services and duties of the Custodian shall be confined to those matters expressly set forth herein, and no implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted against the Custodian hereunder.

 

  3  

 

 

 

 

2.02        Documents to be Furnished . The following documents, including any amendments thereto, will be provided contemporaneously with the execution of the Agreement to the Custodian by the Trust:

 

(a) A copy of the Trust’s declaration of trust, certified by the Secretary;

 

(b) A copy of the Trust’s bylaws, certified by the Secretary;

 

(c) A copy of the resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Trust appointing the Custodian, certified by the Secretary;

 

(d) A copy of the current prospectuses and statements of additional information of the Trust (the “Prospectus”);

 

(e) A certification of the Chairman or the President and the Secretary of the Trust setting forth the names and signatures of the current Officers of the Trust and other Authorized Persons; and

 

(f) An executed authorization required by the Shareholder Communications Act of 1985, attached hereto as Exhibit D .

 

 

2.03        Notice of Appointment of Transfer Agent . The Trust agrees to notify the Custodian in writing of the appointment, termination or change in appointment of any transfer agent of the Fund.

 

ARTICLE III.

 

CUSTODY OF CASH AND SECURITIES

 

3.01        Segregation . All Securities and non-cash property held by the Custodian for the account of the Fund (other than Securities maintained in a Securities Depository, Eligible Securities Depository or Book-Entry System) shall be physically segregated from other Securities and non-cash property in the possession of the Custodian (including the Securities and non-cash property of the other series of the Trust, if applicable) and shall be identified as subject to this Agreement.

 

3.02        Fund Custody Accounts . As to each Fund, the Custodian shall open and maintain in its trust department a custody account in the name of the Trust coupled with the name of the Fund, subject only to draft or order of the Custodian, in which the Custodian shall enter and carry all Securities, cash and other assets of such Fund which are delivered to it.

 

3.03       Appointment of Agents.

 

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(a) In its discretion, the Custodian may appoint one or more Sub-Custodians to establish and maintain arrangements with (i) Eligible Securities Depositories or (ii) Eligible Foreign Custodians who are members of the Sub-Custodian’s network to hold Securities and cash of the Fund and to carry out such other provisions of this Agreement as it may determine; provided, however, that the appointment of any such agents and maintenance of any Securities and cash of the Fund shall be at the Custodian's expense and shall not relieve the Custodian of any of its obligations or liabilities under this Agreement. The Custodian shall be liable for the actions of any Sub-Custodians (regardless of whether assets are maintained in the custody of a Sub-Custodian, a member of its network or an Eligible Securities Depository) appointed by it as if such actions had been done by the Custodian.

 

(b) If, after the initial appointment of Sub-Custodians by the Board of Trustees in connection with this Agreement, the Custodian wishes to appoint other Sub-Custodians to hold property of the Fund, it will so notify the Trust and make the necessary determinations as to any such new Sub-Custodian's eligibility under Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act.

 

(c) In performing its delegated responsibilities as foreign custody manager to place or maintain the Fund’s assets with a Sub-Custodian, the Custodian will determine that the Fund’s assets will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the country in which the Fund’s assets will be held by that Sub-Custodian, after considering all factors relevant to safekeeping of such assets, including, without limitation the factors specified in Rule 17f-5(c)(1).

 

(d) The agreement between the Custodian and each Sub-Custodian acting hereunder shall contain the required provisions set forth in Rule 17f-5(c)(2) under the 1940 Act.

 

(e) At the end of each calendar quarter, the Custodian shall provide written reports notifying the Board of Trustees of the withdrawal or placement of the Securities and cash of the Fund with a Sub-Custodian and of any material changes in the Fund’s arrangements. Such reports shall include an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with any Eligible Securities Depositories. The Custodian shall promptly take such steps as may be required to withdraw assets of the Fund from any Sub-Custodian arrangement that has ceased to meet the requirements of Rule 17f-5 or Rule 17f-7 under the 1940 Act, as applicable.

 

(f) With respect to its responsibilities under this Section 3.3, the Custodian hereby warrants to the Trust that it agrees to exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for the safekeeping of property of the Fund. The Custodian further warrants that the Fund's assets will be subject to reasonable care if maintained with a Sub-Custodian, after considering all factors relevant to the safekeeping of such assets, including, without limitation: (i) the Sub-Custodian's practices, procedures, and internal controls for certificated securities (if applicable), its method of keeping custodial records, and its security and data protection practices; (ii) whether the Sub-Custodian has the requisite financial strength to provide reasonable care for Fund assets; (iii) the Sub-Custodian's general reputation and standing and, in the case of a Securities Depository, the Securities Depository's operating history and number of participants; and (iv) whether the Fund will have jurisdiction over and be able to enforce judgments against the Sub-Custodian, such as by virtue of the existence of any offices of the Sub-Custodian in the United States or the Sub-Custodian's consent to service of process in the United States.

 

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(g) The Custodian shall establish a system or ensure that its Sub-Custodian has established a system to monitor on a continuing basis (i) the appropriateness of maintaining the Fund’s assets with a Sub-Custodian or Eligible Foreign Custodians who are members of a Sub-Custodian’s network; (ii) the performance of the contract governing the Fund’s arrangements with such Sub-Custodian or Eligible Foreign Custodian’s members of a Sub-Custodian’s network; and (iii) the custody risks of maintaining assets with an Eligible Securities Depository. The Custodian must promptly notify the Fund or its investment adviser of any material change in these risks.

 

(h) The Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to collect all income and other payments with respect to Foreign Securities to which the Fund shall be entitled and shall credit such income, as collected, to the Trust. In the event that extraordinary measures are required to collect such income, the Trust and Custodian shall consult as to the measures and as to the compensation and expenses of the Custodian relating to such measures.

 

3.04        Delivery of Assets to Custodian . The Trust shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Custodian all of the Fund's Securities, cash and other investment assets, including (i) all payments of income, payments of principal and capital distributions received by the Fund with respect to such Securities, cash or other assets owned by the Fund at any time during the period of this Agreement, and (ii) all cash received by the Fund for the issuance of Shares. The Custodian shall not be responsible for such Securities, cash or other assets until actually received by it.

 

3.05        Securities Depositories and Book-Entry Systems . The Custodian may deposit and/or maintain Securities of the Fund in a Securities Depository or in a Book-Entry System, subject to the following provisions:

 

(a) The Custodian, on an on-going basis, shall deposit in a Securities Depository or Book-Entry System all Securities eligible for deposit therein and shall make use of such Securities Depository or Book-Entry System to the extent possible and practical in connection with its performance hereunder, including, without limitation, in connection with settlements of purchases and sales of Securities, loans of Securities, and deliveries and returns of collateral consisting of Securities.

 

(b) Securities of the Fund kept in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository shall be kept in an account (“Depository Account”) of the Custodian in such Book-Entry System or Securities Depository which includes only assets held by the Custodian as a fiduciary, custodian or otherwise for customers.

 

(c) The records of the Custodian with respect to Securities of the Fund maintained in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository shall, by book-entry, identify such Securities as belonging to the Fund.

 

(d) If Securities purchased by the Fund are to be held in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, the Custodian shall pay for such Securities upon (i) receipt of advice from the Book-Entry System or Securities Depository that such Securities have been transferred to the Depository Account, and (ii) the making of an entry on the records of the Custodian to reflect such payment and transfer for the account of the Fund. If Securities sold by the Fund are held in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, the Custodian shall transfer such Securities upon (i) receipt of advice from the Book-Entry System or Securities Depository that payment for such Securities has been transferred to the Depository Account, and (ii) the making of an entry on the records of the Custodian to reflect such transfer and payment for the account of the Fund.

 

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(e) The Custodian shall provide the Trust with copies of any report (obtained by the Custodian from a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository in which Securities of the Fund are kept) on the internal accounting controls and procedures for safeguarding Securities deposited in such Book-Entry System or Securities Depository.

 

(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Custodian shall be liable to the Trust for any loss or damage to the Fund resulting from (i) the use of a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository by reason of any negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Custodian or any Sub-Custodian, or (ii) failure of the Custodian or any Sub-Custodian to enforce effectively such rights as it may have against a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository. At its election, the Trust shall be subrogated to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claim against a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository or any other person from any loss or damage to the Fund arising from the use of such Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, if and to the extent that the Fund has not been made whole for any such loss or damage.

 

(g) With respect to its responsibilities under this Section 3.05 and pursuant to Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act, the Custodian hereby warrants to the Trust that it agrees to (i) exercise due care in accordance with reasonable commercial standards in discharging its duty as a securities intermediary to obtain and thereafter maintain such assets, (ii) provide, promptly upon request by the Trust, such reports as are available concerning the Custodian’s internal accounting controls and financial strength, and (iii) require any Sub-Custodian to exercise due care in accordance with reasonable commercial standards in discharging its duty as a securities intermediary to obtain and thereafter maintain assets corresponding to the security entitlements of its entitlement holders.

 

3.06        Disbursement of Moneys from Fund Custody Account . Upon receipt of Written Instructions, the Custodian shall disburse moneys from the Fund Custody Account but only in the following cases:

 

(a) For the purchase of Securities for the Fund but only in accordance with Section 4.01 of this Agreement and only (i) in the case of Securities (other than options on Securities, futures contracts and options on futures contracts), against the delivery to the Custodian (or any Sub-Custodian) of such Securities registered as provided in Section 3.09 below or in proper form for transfer, or if the purchase of such Securities is effected through a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, in accordance with the conditions set forth in Section 3.05 above; (ii) in the case of options on Securities, against delivery to the Custodian (or any Sub-Custodian) of such receipts as are required by the customs prevailing among dealers in such options; (iii) in the case of futures contracts and options on futures contracts, against delivery to the Custodian (or any Sub-Custodian) of evidence of title thereto in favor of the Fund or any nominee referred to in Section 3.09 below; and (iv) in the case of repurchase or reverse repurchase agreements entered into between the Trust and a bank which is a member of the Federal Reserve System or between the Trust and a primary dealer in U.S. Government securities, against delivery of the purchased Securities either in certificate form or through an entry crediting the Custodian's account at a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository with such Securities;

 

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(b) In connection with the conversion, exchange or surrender, as set forth in Section 3.07(f) below, of Securities owned by the Fund;

 

(c) For the payment of any dividends or capital gain distributions declared by the Fund;

 

(d) In payment of the redemption price of Shares as provided in Section 5.01 below;

 

(e) For the payment of any expense or liability incurred by the Fund, including, but not limited to, the following payments for the account of the Fund: interest; taxes; administration, investment advisory, accounting, auditing, transfer agent, custodian, trustee and legal fees; and other operating expenses of the Fund; in all cases, whether or not such expenses are to be in whole or in part capitalized or treated as deferred expenses;

 

(f) For transfer in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Trust, the Custodian and a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of FINRA, relating to compliance with rules of the Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange (or of any similar organization or organizations) regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund;

 

(g) For transfer in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Trust, the Custodian and a futures commission merchant registered under the Commodity Exchange Act, relating to compliance with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and/or any contract market (or any similar organization or organizations) regarding account deposits in connection with transactions by the Fund;

 

(h) For the funding of any uncertificated time deposit or other interest-bearing account with any banking institution (including the Custodian), which deposit or account has a term of one year or less; and

 

(i) For any other proper purpose, but only upon receipt of Written Instructions, specifying the amount and purpose of such payment, declaring such purpose to be a proper corporate purpose, and naming the person or persons to whom such payment is to be made.

 

3.07        Delivery of Securities from Fund Custody Account . Upon receipt of Written Instructions, the Custodian shall release and deliver, or cause the Sub-Custodian to release and deliver, Securities from the Fund Custody Account but only in the following cases:

 

(a) Upon the sale of Securities for the account of the Fund but only against receipt of payment therefor in cash, by certified or cashiers check or bank credit;

 

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(b) In the case of a sale effected through a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.05 above;

 

(c) To an offeror’s depository agent in connection with tender or other similar offers for Securities of the Fund; provided that, in any such case, the cash or other consideration is to be delivered to the Custodian;

 

(d) To the issuer thereof or its agent (i) for transfer into the name of the Fund, the Custodian or any Sub-Custodian, or any nominee or nominees of any of the foregoing, or (ii) for exchange for a different number of certificates or other evidence representing the same aggregate face amount or number of units; provided that, in any such case, the new Securities are to be delivered to the Custodian;

 

(e) To the broker selling the Securities, for examination in accordance with the “street delivery” custom;

 

(f) For exchange or conversion pursuant to any plan of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or readjustment of the issuer of such Securities, or pursuant to provisions for conversion contained in such Securities, or pursuant to any deposit agreement, including surrender or receipt of underlying Securities in connection with the issuance or cancellation of depository receipts; provided that, in any such case, the new Securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian;

 

(g) Upon receipt of payment therefor pursuant to any repurchase or reverse repurchase agreement entered into by the Fund;

 

(h) In the case of warrants, rights or similar Securities, upon the exercise thereof, provided that, in any such case, the new Securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian;

 

(i) For delivery in connection with any loans of Securities of the Fund, but only against receipt of such collateral as the Trust shall have specified to the Custodian in Written Instructions;

 

(j) For delivery as security in connection with any borrowings by the Fund requiring a pledge of assets by the Trust, but only against receipt by the Custodian of the amounts borrowed;

 

(k) Pursuant to any authorized plan of liquidation, reorganization, merger, consolidation or recapitalization of the Trust;

 

(l) For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Trust, the Custodian and a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of FINRA, relating to compliance with the rules of the Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange (or of any similar organization or organizations) regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund;

 

(m) For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Trust, the Custodian and a futures commission merchant registered under the Commodity Exchange Act, relating to compliance with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and/or any contract market (or any similar organization or organizations) regarding account deposits in connection with transactions by the Fund;

 

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(n) For any other proper corporate purpose, but only upon receipt of Written Instructions, specifying the Securities to be delivered, setting forth the purpose for which such delivery is to be made, declaring such purpose to be a proper corporate purpose, and naming the person or persons to whom delivery of such Securities shall be made; or

 

(o) To brokers, clearing banks or other clearing agents for examination or trade execution in accordance with market custom; provided that in any such case the Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any loss arising from the delivery of such securities prior to receiving payment for such securities except as may arise from the Custodian’s own negligence or willful misconduct.

 

3.08        Actions Not Requiring Written Instructions . Unless otherwise instructed by the Trust, the Custodian shall with respect to all Securities held for the Fund:

 

(a) Subject to Section 9.04 below, collect on a timely basis all income and other payments to which the Fund is entitled either by law or pursuant to custom in the securities business;

 

(b) Present for payment and, subject to Section 9.04 below, collect on a timely basis the amount payable upon all Securities which may mature or be called, redeemed, or retired, or otherwise become payable;

 

(c) Endorse for collection, in the name of the Fund, checks, drafts and other negotiable instruments;

 

(d) Surrender interim receipts or Securities in temporary form for Securities in definitive form;

 

(e) Execute, as custodian, any necessary declarations or certificates of ownership under the federal income tax laws or the laws or regulations of any other taxing authority now or hereafter in effect, and prepare and submit reports to the IRS and the Trust at such time, in such manner and containing such information as is prescribed by the IRS;

 

(f) Hold for the Fund, either directly or, with respect to Securities held therein, through a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, all rights and similar Securities issued with respect to Securities of the Fund; and

 

(g) In general, and except as otherwise directed in Written Instructions, attend to all non-discretionary details in connection with the sale, exchange, substitution, purchase, transfer and other dealings with Securities and other assets of the Fund.

 

3.09        Registration and Transfer of Securities . All Securities held for the Fund that are issued or issuable only in bearer form shall be held by the Custodian in that form, provided that any such Securities shall be held in a Book-Entry System if eligible therefor. All other Securities held for the Fund may be registered in the name of the Fund, the Custodian, a Sub-Custodian or any nominee thereof, or in the name of a Book-Entry System, Securities Depository or any nominee of either thereof. The records of the Custodian with respect to foreign securities of the Fund that are maintained with a Sub-Custodian in an account that is identified as belonging to the Custodian for the benefit of its customers shall identify those securities as belonging to the Fund. The Trust shall furnish to the Custodian appropriate instruments to enable the Custodian to hold or deliver in proper form for transfer, or to register in the name of any of the nominees referred to above or in the name of a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, any Securities registered in the name of the Fund.

 

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3.10        Records .

 

(a) The Custodian shall maintain complete and accurate records with respect to Securities, cash or other property held for the Fund, including (i) journals or other records of original entry containing an itemized daily record in detail of all receipts and deliveries of Securities and all receipts and disbursements of cash; (ii) ledgers (or other records) reflecting (A) Securities in transfer, (B) Securities in physical possession, (C) monies and Securities borrowed and monies and Securities loaned (together with a record of the collateral therefor and substitutions of such collateral), (D) dividends and interest received, and (E) dividends receivable and interest receivable; (iii) canceled checks and bank records related thereto; and (iv) all records relating to its activities and obligations under this Agreement. The Custodian shall keep such other books and records of the Fund as the Trust shall reasonably request, or as may be required by the 1940 Act, including, but not limited to, Section 31 of the 1940 Act and Rule 31a-2 promulgated thereunder.

 

(b) All such books and records maintained by the Custodian shall (i) be maintained in a form acceptable to the Trust and in compliance with the rules and regulations of the SEC, (ii) be the property of the Trust and at all times during the regular business hours of the Custodian be made available upon request for inspection by duly authorized officers, employees or agents of the Trust and employees or agents of the SEC, and (iii) if required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act, be preserved for the periods prescribed in Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 under the 1940 Act.

 

3.11        Fund Reports by Custodian . The Custodian shall furnish the Trust with a daily activity statement and a summary of all transfers to or from each Fund Custody Account on the day following such transfers. At least monthly, the Custodian shall furnish the Trust with a detailed statement of the Securities and moneys held by the Custodian and the Sub-Custodians for the Fund under this Agreement.

 

3.12        Other Reports by Custodian . As the Trust may reasonably request from time to time, the Custodian shall provide the Trust with reports on the internal accounting controls and procedures for safeguarding Securities which are employed by the Custodian or any Sub-Custodian.

 

3.13        Proxies and Other Materials . The Custodian shall cause all proxies relating to Securities which are not registered in the name of the Fund to be promptly executed by the registered holder of such Securities, without indication of the manner in which such proxies are to be voted, and shall promptly deliver to the Trust such proxies, all proxy soliciting materials and all notices relating to such Securities. With respect to the foreign Securities, the Custodian will use reasonable commercial efforts to facilitate the exercise of voting and other shareholder rights, subject to the laws, regulations and practical constraints that may exist in the country where such securities are issued. The Trust acknowledges that local conditions, including lack of regulation, onerous procedural obligations, lack of notice and other factors may have the effect of severely limiting the ability of the Trust to exercise shareholder rights.

 

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3.14        Information on Corporate Actions . The Custodian shall promptly deliver to the Trust all information received by the Custodian and pertaining to Securities being held by the Fund with respect to optional tender or exchange offers, calls for redemption or purchase, or expiration of rights. If the Trust desires to take action with respect to any tender offer, exchange offer or other similar transaction, the Trust shall notify the Custodian at least three Business Days prior to the date on which the Custodian is to take such action. The Trust will provide or cause to be provided to the Custodian all relevant information for any Security which has unique put/option provisions at least three Business Days prior to the beginning date of the tender period.

 

ARTICLE IV.

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF INVESTMENTS OF THE FUND

 

4.01        Purchase of Securities . Promptly upon each purchase of Securities for the Fund, Written Instructions shall be delivered to the Custodian, specifying (i) the name of the issuer or writer of such Securities, and the title or other description thereof, (ii) the number of shares, principal amount (and accrued interest, if any) or other units purchased, (iii) the date of purchase and settlement, (iv) the purchase price per unit, (v) the total amount payable upon such purchase, and (vi) the name of the person to whom such amount is payable. The Custodian shall upon receipt of such Securities purchased by the Fund pay out of the moneys held for the account of the Fund the total amount specified in such Written Instructions to the person named therein. The Custodian shall not be under any obligation to pay out moneys to cover the cost of a purchase of Securities for the Fund, if in the Fund Custody Account there is insufficient cash available to the Fund for which such purchase was made.

 

4.02        Liability for Payment in Advance of Receipt of Securities Purchased . In any and every case where payment for the purchase of Securities for the Fund is made by the Custodian in advance of receipt of the Securities purchased and in the absence of specified Written Instructions to so pay in advance, the Custodian shall be liable to the Fund for such payment.

 

4.03        Sale of Securities . Promptly upon each sale of Securities by the Fund, Written Instructions shall be delivered to the Custodian, specifying (i) the name of the issuer or writer of such Securities, and the title or other description thereof, (ii) the number of shares, principal amount (and accrued interest, if any), or other units sold, (iii) the date of sale and settlement, (iv) the sale price per unit, (v) the total amount payable upon such sale, and (vi) the person to whom such Securities are to be delivered. Upon receipt of the total amount payable to the Fund as specified in such Written Instructions, the Custodian shall deliver such Securities to the person specified in such Written Instructions. Subject to the foregoing, the Custodian may accept payment in such form as shall be satisfactory to it, and may deliver Securities and arrange for payment in accordance with the customs prevailing among dealers in Securities.

 

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4.04        Delivery of Securities Sold . Notwithstanding Section 4.03 above or any other provision of this Agreement, the Custodian, when instructed to deliver Securities against payment, shall be entitled, if in accordance with generally accepted market practice, to deliver such Securities prior to actual receipt of final payment therefor. In any such case, the Fund shall bear the risk that final payment for such Securities may not be made or that such Securities may be returned or otherwise held or disposed of by or through the person to whom they were delivered, and the Custodian shall have no liability for any for the foregoing.

 

4.05        Payment for Securities Sold . In its sole discretion and from time to time, the Custodian may credit the Fund Custody Account, prior to actual receipt of final payment thereof, with (i) proceeds from the sale of Securities which it has been instructed to deliver against payment, (ii) proceeds from the redemption of Securities or other assets of the Fund, and (iii) income from cash, Securities or other assets of the Fund. Any such credit shall be conditional upon actual receipt by Custodian of final payment and may be reversed if final payment is not actually received in full. The Custodian may, in its sole discretion and from time to time, permit the Fund to use funds so credited to the Fund Custody Account in anticipation of actual receipt of final payment. Any such funds shall be repayable immediately upon demand made by the Custodian at any time prior to the actual receipt of all final payments in anticipation of which funds were credited to the Fund Custody Account.

 

4.06        Advances by Custodian for Settlement . The Custodian may, in its sole discretion and from time to time, advance funds to the Trust to facilitate the settlement of a Fund's transactions in the Fund Custody Account. Any such advance shall be repayable immediately upon demand made by Custodian.

 

ARTICLE V.

 

REDEMPTION OF FUND SHARES

 

5.01        Transfer of Funds . From such funds as may be available for the purpose in the relevant Fund Custody Account, and upon receipt of Written Instructions specifying that the funds are required to redeem Shares of the Fund, the Custodian shall wire each amount specified in such Written Instructions to or through such bank or broker-dealer as the Trust may designate.

 

5.02        No Duty Regarding Paying Banks . Once the Custodian has wired amounts to a bank or broker-dealer pursuant to Section 5.01 above, the Custodian shall not be under any obligation to effect any further payment or distribution by such bank or broker-dealer.

 

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ARTICLE VI.

 

SEGREGATED ACCOUNTS

 

Upon receipt of Written Instructions, the Custodian shall establish and maintain a segregated account or accounts for and on behalf of the Fund, into which account or accounts may be transferred cash and/or Securities, including Securities maintained in a Depository Account:

 

(a) in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Trust, the Custodian and a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of FINRA (or any futures commission merchant registered under the Commodity Exchange Act), relating to compliance with the rules of the Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange (or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission or any registered contract market), or of any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund;

 

(b) for purposes of segregating cash or Securities in connection with securities options purchased or written by the Fund or in connection with financial futures contracts (or options thereon) purchased or sold by the Fund;

 

(c) which constitute collateral for loans of Securities made by the Fund;

 

(d) for purposes of compliance by the Fund with requirements under the 1940 Act for the maintenance of segregated accounts by registered investment companies in connection with reverse repurchase agreements and when-issued, delayed delivery and firm commitment transactions; and

 

(e) for other proper corporate purposes, but only upon receipt of Written Instructions, setting forth the purpose or purposes of such segregated account and declaring such purposes to be proper corporate purposes.

 

Each segregated account established under this Article VI shall be established and maintained for the Fund only. All Written Instructions relating to a segregated account shall specify the Fund.

 

ARTICLE VII.

 

COMPENSATION OF CUSTODIAN

 

7.01        Compensation . The Custodian shall be compensated for providing the services set forth in this Agreement in accordance with the fee schedule set forth on Exhibit C hereto (as amended from time to time). The Custodian shall also be reimbursed for such miscellaneous expenses (e.g., telecommunication charges, postage and delivery charges, and reproduction charges) as are reasonably incurred by the Custodian in performing its duties hereunder. The Trust shall pay all such fees and reimbursable expenses within 30 calendar days following receipt of the billing notice, except for any fee or expense subject to a good faith dispute. The Trust shall notify the Custodian in writing within 30 calendar days following receipt of each invoice if the Trust is disputing any amounts in good faith. The Trust shall pay such disputed amounts within 10 calendar days of the day on which the parties agree to the amount to be paid. With the exception of any fee or expense the Trust is disputing in good faith as set forth above, unpaid invoices shall accrue a finance charge of 1½% per month after the due date. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, amounts owed by the Trust to the Custodian shall only be paid out of the assets and property of the particular Fund involved.

 

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7.02        Overdrafts . The Trust is responsible for maintaining an appropriate level of short term cash investments to accommodate cash outflows. The Trust may obtain a formal line of credit for potential overdrafts of its custody account. In the event of an overdraft or in the event the line of credit is insufficient to cover an overdraft, the overdraft amount or the overdraft amount that exceeds the line of credit will be charged in accordance with the fee schedule set forth on Exhibit C hereto (as amended from time to time).

 

ARTICLE VIII.

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

8.01        Representations and Warranties of the Trust . The Trust hereby represents and warrants to the Custodian, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, 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 Trust in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable 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; and

 

(c) It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement.

 

8.02        Representations and Warranties of the Custodian . The Custodian hereby represents and warrants to the Trust, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, 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) It is a U.S. Bank as defined in section (a)(7) of Rule 17f-5.

 

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(c) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Custodian in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Custodian, enforceable 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; and

 

(d) It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE IX.

 

CONCERNING THE CUSTODIAN

 

9.01        Standard of Care . The Custodian shall exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. The Custodian shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with its duties under this Agreement, except a loss arising out of or relating to the Custodian’s (or a Sub-Custodian’s) refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement (or any sub-custody agreement) or from its (or a Sub-Custodian’s) bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement (or any sub-custody agreement). The Custodian shall be entitled to rely on and may act upon advice of counsel on all matters, and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to such advice. The Custodian shall promptly notify the Trust of any action taken or omitted by the Custodian pursuant to advice of counsel.

 

9.02        Actual Collection Required . The Custodian shall not be liable for, or considered to be the custodian of, any cash belonging to the Fund or any money represented by a check, draft or other instrument for the payment of money, until the Custodian or its agents actually receive such cash or collect on such instrument.

 

9.03        No Responsibility for Title, etc. So long as and to the extent that it is in the exercise of reasonable care, the Custodian shall not be responsible for the title, validity or genuineness of any property or evidence of title thereto received or delivered by it pursuant to this Agreement.

 

9.04        Limitation on Duty to Collect . Custodian shall not be required to enforce collection, by legal means or otherwise, of any money or property due and payable with respect to Securities held for the Fund if such Securities are in default or payment is not made after due demand or presentation.

 

9.05        Reliance Upon Documents and Instructions . The Custodian shall be entitled to rely upon any certificate, notice or other instrument in writing received by it and reasonably believed by it to be genuine. The Custodian shall be entitled to rely upon any Written Instructions actually received by it pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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9.06        Cooperation . The Custodian shall cooperate with and supply necessary information to the entity or entities appointed by the Trust to keep the books of account of the Fund and/or compute the value of the assets of the Fund. The Custodian shall take all such reasonable actions as the Trust may from time to time request to enable the Trust to obtain, from year to year, favorable opinions from the Trust's independent accountants with respect to the Custodian's activities hereunder in connection with (i) the preparation of the Trust's reports on Form N-1A and Form N-SAR and any other reports required by the SEC, and (ii) the fulfillment by the Trust of any other requirements of the SEC.

 

ARTICLE X.

 

INDEMNIFICATION

 

10.01        Indemnification by Trust . The Trust shall indemnify and hold harmless the Custodian, any Sub-Custodian and any nominee thereof (each, an “Indemnified Party” and collectively, the “Indemnified Parties”) from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that an Indemnified Party may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against an Indemnified Party by any person arising directly or indirectly (i) from the fact that Securities are registered in the name of any such nominee, (ii) from any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Custodian or such Sub-Custodian (a) at the request or direction of or in reliance on the advice of the Trust, or (b) upon Written Instructions, or (iii) from the performance of its obligations under this Agreement or any sub-custody agreement, provided that neither the Custodian nor any such Sub-Custodian shall be indemnified and held harmless from and against any such claim, demand, loss, expense or liability arising out of or relating to its refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement (or any sub-custody agreement), or from its bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement (or any sub-custody agreement). This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Trust, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. As used in this paragraph, the terms “Custodian” and “Sub-Custodian” shall include their respective directors, officers and employees.

 

10.02        Indemnification by Custodian . The Custodian shall indemnify and hold harmless the Trust from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that the Trust may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against the Trust by any person arising directly or indirectly out of any action taken or omitted to be taken by an Indemnified Party as a result of the Indemnified Party’s refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement (or any sub-custody agreement), or from its bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement (or any sub-custody agreement). This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Custodian, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. As used in this paragraph, the term “Trust” shall include the Trust’s trustees, officers and employees.

 

10.03        Security . If the Custodian advances cash or Securities to the Fund for any purpose, either at the Trust's request or as otherwise contemplated in this Agreement, or in the event that the Custodian or its nominee incurs, in connection with its performance under this Agreement, any claim, demand, loss, expense or liability (including reasonable attorneys' fees) (except such as may arise from its or its nominee's bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct), then, in any such event, any property at any time held for the account of the Fund shall be security therefor, and should the Fund fail promptly to repay or indemnify the Custodian, the Custodian shall be entitled to utilize available cash of such Fund and to dispose of other assets of such Fund to the extent necessary to obtain reimbursement or indemnification.

 

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10.04       Miscellaneous.

 

(a) Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party for consequential, special or punitive damages under any provision of this Agreement.

 

(b) The indemnity provisions of this Article shall indefinitely survive the termination and/or assignment of this Agreement.

 

(c) In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this Article X shall apply, it is understood that if in any case the indemnitor may be asked to indemnify or hold the indemnitee harmless, the indemnitor shall be fully and promptly advised of all pertinent facts concerning the situation in question, and it is further understood that the indemnitee will use all reasonable care to notify the indemnitor promptly concerning any situation that presents or appears likely to present the probability of a claim for indemnification. The indemnitor shall have the option to defend the indemnitee against any claim that may be the subject of this indemnification. In the event that the indemnitor so elects, it will so notify the indemnitee and thereupon the indemnitor shall take over complete defense of the claim, and the indemnitee shall in such situation initiate no further legal or other expenses for which it shall seek indemnification under this Article X. The indemnitee shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the indemnitor will be asked to indemnify the indemnitee except with the indemnitor’s prior written consent.

 

ARTICLE XI.

 

FORCE MAJEURE

 

Neither the Custodian nor the Trust shall be 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 God; earthquakes; fires; floods; wars; civil or military disturbances; acts of terrorism; sabotage; strikes; epidemics; riots; power failures; computer failure and any such circumstances beyond its reasonable control as may cause interruption, loss or malfunction of utility, transportation, computer (hardware or software) or telephone communication service; accidents; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority; governmental actions; or inability to obtain labor, material, equipment or transportation; provided, however, that in the event of a failure or delay, the Custodian (i) shall not discriminate against the Fund in favor of any other customer of the Custodian in making computer time and personnel available to input or process the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and (ii) shall use its best efforts to ameliorate the effects of any such failure or delay.

 

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ARTICLE XII.

 

PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

 

12.01       The Custodian agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, officers, and employees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Trust, all records and other information relative to the Trust and prior, present, or potential shareholders of the Trust (and clients of said shareholders), and not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, except (i) after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Trust, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where the Custodian may be exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply, (ii) when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities although the Custodian will promptly report such disclosure to the Trust if disclosure is permitted by applicable law and regulation, or (iii) when so requested by the Trust. Records and other information which have become known to the public through no wrongful act of the Custodian or any of its employees, agents or representatives, and information that was already in the possession of the Custodian prior to receipt thereof from the Trust or its agent, shall not be subject to this paragraph.

 

12.02       Further, the Custodian will adhere to the privacy policies adopted by the Trust pursuant to Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, as may be modified from time to time. In this regard, the Custodian shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of, records and information relating to the Trust and its shareholders.

  

ARTICLE XIII.

 

EFFECTIVE PERIOD; TERMINATION

 

13.01        Effective Period . This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above and will continue in effect for a period of three years.

 

13.02        Termination . This Agreement may be terminated by either party upon giving 90 days prior written notice to the other party or such shorter period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties. Subsequent to the end of the three (3) year period, this Agreement continues until one party gives 90 days prior written notice to the other party or such shorter period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties. Subsequent to the end of the three (3) year period, this Agreement continues until one party gives 90 days prior written notice to the other party or such shorter period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated by any party upon the breach of the other party of any material term of this Agreement if such breach is not cured within 15 days of notice of such breach to the breaching party. In addition, the Trust may, at any time, immediately terminate this Agreement in the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the Custodian by regulatory authorities or upon the happening of a like event at the direction of an appropriate regulatory agency or court of competent jurisdiction.

 

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13.03        Early Termination . In the absence of any material breach of this Agreement, should the Trust elect to terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the three year term, the trust agrees to pay the following fees:

 

a) All monthly fees through the life of the Agreement, including the repayment of any negotiated discounts;

b) All fees associated with converting services to a successor service provider;

c) All fees associated with any record retention and/or tax reporting obligations that may not be eliminated due to the conversion to a successor service provider;

All miscellaneous costs associated with a-c above

 

13.04        Appointment of Successor Custodian . If a successor custodian shall have been appointed by the Board of Trustees, the Custodian shall, upon receipt of a notice of acceptance by the successor custodian, on such specified date of termination (i) deliver directly to the successor custodian all Securities (other than Securities held in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository) and cash then owned by the Fund and held by the Custodian as custodian, and (ii) transfer any Securities held in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository to an account of or for the benefit of the Fund at the successor custodian, provided that the Trust shall have paid to the Custodian all fees, expenses and other amounts to the payment or reimbursement of which it shall then be entitled. In addition, the Custodian shall, at the expense of the Trust, transfer to such successor all relevant books, records, correspondence, and other data established or maintained by the Custodian under this Agreement in a form reasonably acceptable to the Trust (if such form differs from the form in which the Custodian has maintained the same, the Trust shall pay any expenses associated with transferring the data to such form), and will cooperate in the transfer of such duties and responsibilities, including provision for assistance from the Custodian’s personnel in the establishment of books, records, and other data by such successor. Upon such delivery and transfer, the Custodian shall be relieved of all obligations under this Agreement.

 

13.05        Failure to Appoint Successor Custodian . If a successor custodian is not designated by the Trust on or before the date of termination of this Agreement, then the Custodian shall have the right to deliver to a bank or trust company of its own selection, which bank or trust company (i) is a “bank” as defined in the 1940 Act, and (ii) has aggregate capital, surplus and undivided profits as shown on its most recent published report of not less than $25 million, all Securities, cash and other property held by Custodian under this Agreement and to transfer to an account of or for the Fund at such bank or trust company all Securities of the Fund held in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository. Upon such delivery and transfer, such bank or trust company shall be the successor custodian under this Agreement and the Custodian shall be relieved of all obligations under this Agreement. In addition, under these circumstances, all books, records and other data of the Trust shall be returned to the Trust.

 

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ARTICLE XIV.

 

CLASS ACTIONS

 

The Custodian shall use its best efforts to identify and file claims for the Fund(s) involving any class action litigation that impacts any security the Fund(s) may have held during the class period. The Trust agrees that the Custodian may file such claims on its behalf and understands that it may be waiving and/or releasing certain rights to make claims or otherwise pursue class action defendants who settle their claims. Further, the Trust acknowledges that there is no guarantee these claims will result in any payment or partial payment of potential class action proceeds and that the timing of such payment, if any, is uncertain.

 

However, the Trust may instruct the Custodian to distribute class action notices and other relevant documentation to the Fund(s) or its designee and, if it so elects, will relieve the Custodian from any and all liability and responsibility for filing class action claims on behalf of the Fund(s).

 

ARTICLE XV.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

15.01         Compliance with Laws . The Trust has and retains primary responsibility for all compliance matters relating to the Fund, including but not limited to compliance with the 1940 Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the policies and limitations of the Fund relating to its portfolio investments as set forth in its Prospectus and statement of additional information. The Custodian’s services hereunder shall not relieve the Trust of its responsibilities for assuring such compliance or the Board of Trustee’s oversight responsibility with respect thereto.

 

15.02        Amendment . This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except by written agreement executed by the Custodian and the Trust, and authorized or approved by the Board of Trustees.

 

15.03        Assignment . This Agreement shall extend to and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Trust without the written consent of the Custodian, or by the Custodian without the written consent of the Trust accompanied by the authorization or approval of the Board of Trustees.

 

15.04        Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota, without regard to conflicts of law principles. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Minnesota, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control, and nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act or any rule or order of the SEC thereunder.

 

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15.05        No Agency Relationship . Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize or empower either party to act as agent for the other party to this Agreement, or to conduct business in the name, or for the account, of the other party to this Agreement.

 

15.06        Services Not Exclusive . Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict the Custodian from providing services to other parties that are similar or identical to some or all of the services provided hereunder.

 

15.07        Invalidity. Any provision of this Agreement which may be determined by competent authority to be prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. In such case, the parties shall in good faith modify or substitute such provision consistent with the original intent of the parties.

 

15.08        Notices . Any notice required or permitted to be given by either party to the other shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given on the date delivered personally or by courier service, or three days after sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or on the date sent and confirmed received by facsimile transmission to the other party’s address set forth below:

 

Notice to the Custodian shall be sent to:

U.S Bank, N.A.

1555 N. Rivercenter Dr., MK-WI-S302

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Attn: Tom Fuller

Phone: 414-905-6118

Fax: 866-350-5066

 

and notice to the Trust shall be sent to:

 

TrimTabs ETF Trust

1345 Avenue of the Americas, 2 nd floor

New York, NY 10105

Attn: (INSERT)

 

15.09        Multiple Originals . This Agreement may be executed on two or more counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

15.10        No Waiver . No failure by either party hereto to exercise, and no delay by such party in exercising, any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. The exercise by either party hereto of any right hereunder shall not preclude the exercise of any other right, and the remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided at law or in equity.

 

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15.11        References to Custodian . The Trust shall not circulate any printed matter which contains any reference to Custodian without the prior written approval of Custodian, excepting printed matter contained in the Prospectus or statement of additional information for the Fund and such other printed matter as merely identifies Custodian as custodian for the Fund. The Trust shall submit printed matter requiring approval to Custodian in draft form, allowing sufficient time for review by Custodian and its counsel prior to any deadline for printing.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date first above written.

 

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST    U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
     
By:     By:  
         
Name:     Name: Michael R. McVoy
         
Title:     Title: Senior Vice President

 

EXHIBIT A

 

AUTHORIZED PERSONS

 

Set forth below are the names and specimen signatures of the persons authorized by TrimTabs ETF Trust to administer the Fund Custody Accounts.

   

Name Telephone/Fax Number Signature

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

   

 

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Exhibit B to the Custody Agreement 

 

Separate Series of TrimTabs ETF Trust

 

Name of Series  
TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF  

 

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EXHIBIT D

 

SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS ACT AUTHORIZATION

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

 

The Shareholder Communications Act of 1985 requires banks and trust companies to make an effort to permit direct communication between a company which issues securities and the shareholder who votes those securities.

 

Unless you specifically require us to NOT release your name and address to requesting companies, we are required by law to disclose your name and address.

 

Your “yes” or “no” to disclosure will apply to all securities U.S. Bank holds for you now and in the future, unless you change your mind and notify us in writing.

 

 

 

______ YES   U.S. Bank is authorized to provide the Trust’s name, address and security position to requesting companies whose stock is owned by the Trust.  
     
______ NO   U.S. Bank is NOT authorized to provide the Trust’s name, address and security position to requesting companies whose stock is owned by the Trust.  

 

 

 

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

 

By: __________________________________

 

Title: ________________________________

 

Date: ________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

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Exhibit (h)(ii)

 

TRANSFER AGENT SERVICING AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of this _____ day of September, 2016, by and between TRIMTABS ETF TRUST , a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC , a Wisconsin limited liability company (“Fund Services”).

 

WHEREAS, The Trust intends to issue in respect of its portfolios listed on Exhibit A attached hereto (each a “Fund” or an “ ETF Series”) an exchange-traded class of shares known as " ETF Shares” for each ETF Series. The ETF Shares shall be created in bundles called “Creation Units.” The Trust, on behalf of the ETF Series, shall create and redeem ETF Shares of each ETF Series only in Creation Units principally in kind for portfolio securities of the particular ETF Series (“Deposit Securities”), as more fully described in the current prospectus and statement of additional information of the Trust, included in its registration statement on Form N-1A; and as authorized under the Order of Exemption filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Only brokers or dealers that are “Authorized Participants” and that have entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor, acting on behalf of the Trust, shall be authorized to create and redeem ETF Shares in Creation Units from the Trust. The Trust wishes to engage Fund Services to perform certain services on behalf of the Trust with respect to the creation and redemption of ETF Shares, as the Trust’s agent, namely: to provide transfer agent services for ETF Shares of each ETF Series; to act as Index Receipt Agent (as such term is defined in the rules of the National Securities Clearing Corporation) with respect to the settlement of trade orders with Authorized Participants; and to provide custody services under the terms of the Custody Agreement, as supplemented hereby, for the settlement of Creation Units against Deposit Securities and/or cash that shall be delivered by Authorized Participants in exchange for ETF Shares and the redemption of ETF Shares in Creation Unit size against the delivery of Redemption Securities and/or cash of each ETF Series.

 

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

 

WHEREAS, the Trust will ordinarily issue for purchase and redeem shares of the Trust (the “Shares) only in aggregations of Shares known as Creation Units (currently 50,000 shares) principally in kind or in cash;

 

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 & Company, will be the  registered owner (the “Shareholder”) of all Shares; and

 

WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain Fund Services as its transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, and agent in connection with certain other activities to each series of the Trust

listed on Exhibit A attached hereto (as amended from time to time).

 

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NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Appointment of Fund Services as Transfer Agent

 

The Trust hereby appoints Fund Services as transfer agent of the Trust on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, and Fund Services hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this Agreement. The services and duties of Fund Services shall be confined to those matters expressly set forth herein, and no implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted against Fund Services hereunder.

 

2. Services and Duties of Fund Services

 

Fund Services shall provide the following transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent services:

 

A. Perform and facilitate the performance of purchases and redemption of Creation Units;

 

B. 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;

 

C. 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;

 

D. Record the issuance of Shares of the Trust and maintain a record of the total number of Shares of the Trust which are outstanding, and, based upon data provided to it by the Trust, the total number of authorized Shares. Fund Services shall have no obligation, when recording the issuance of Shares, to monitor the issuance of such Shares

 

E. Prepare and transmit to the Trust and the Trust’s administrator and to any applicable securities exchange (as specified to Fund Services by the Trust) information with respect to purchases and redemptions of Shares;

 

F. On days that the Trust may accept orders for purchases or redemptions, calculate and transmit to Fund Services and the Trust the number of outstanding Shares;

 

G. On days that the Trust may accept orders for purchases or redemptions (pursuant to the Participant Agreement), transmit to Fund Services, the Trust and DTC the amount of Shares purchased on such day;

 

H. Confirm to DTC the number of Shares issued to the Shareholder, as DTC may reasonably request;

 

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I. Prepare and deliver other reports, information and documents to DTC as DTC may reasonably request;

 

J. Extend the voting rights to the Shareholder for extension by DTC to DTC participants and the beneficial owners of Shares in accordance with policies and procedures of DTC for book-entry only securities;

 

K. Maintain those books and records of the Trust specified by the Trust and agreed upon by Fund Services;

 

L. 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;

 

M. 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, transmit appropriate trade instructions to the National Securities Clearance Corporation, if applicable, and pursuant to such orders issue the appropriate number of Shares of the Trust and hold such Shares in the account of the Shareholder for each of the respective Trusts;

 

N. Receive from the Authorized Participants redemption requests, deliver the appropriate documentation thereof to the Trust’s 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 National Securities Clearance Corporation, if applicable, and redeem the appropriate number of Creation Unit Aggregations of Shares held in the account of the Shareholder; and

 

O. Confirm the name, U.S taxpayer identification number and principle place of business of each Authorized Participant.

 

P. In addition to the services set forth above, Fund Services shall: perform the customary services of a transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent including, but not limited to, maintaining the account of the Shareholder; and obtaining at the request of the Trust from the Shareholder a list of DTC participants holding interests in the Global Certificate.

 

Q. Fund Services 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.

 

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3. Lost Shareholder Due Diligence Searches and Servicing

 

The Trust hereby acknowledges that Fund Services has an arrangement with an outside vendor to conduct lost shareholder searches required by Rule 17Ad-17 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Costs associated with such searches will be passed through to the Trust as miscellaneous expenses in accordance with the fee schedule set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto. If a shareholder remains lost and the shareholder’s account unresolved after completion of the mandatory Rule 17Ad-17 search, the Trust hereby authorizes vendor to enter, at its discretion, into fee sharing arrangements with the lost shareholder (or such lost shareholder’s representative or executor) to conduct a more in-depth search in order to locate the lost shareholder before the shareholder’s assets escheat to the applicable state. The Trust hereby acknowledges that Fund Services is not a party to these arrangements and does not receive any revenue sharing or other fees relating to these arrangements. Furthermore, the Trust hereby acknowledges that vendor may receive up to 35% of the lost shareholder’s assets as compensation for its efforts in locating the lost shareholder.

 

4. Anti-Money Laundering and Red Flag Identity Theft Prevention Programs

 

The Trust acknowledges that it has had an opportunity to review, consider and comment upon the written procedures provided by Fund Services describing various tools used by Fund Services which are designed to promote the detection and reporting of potential money laundering activity and identity theft by monitoring certain aspects of shareholder activity as well as written procedures for verifying a customer’s identity (collectively, the “Procedures”). Further, the Trust and Fund Services have each determined that the Procedures, as part of the Trust’s overall Anti-Money Laundering Program and Red Flag Identity Theft Prevention Program, are reasonably designed to: (i) prevent each Fund from being used for money laundering or the financing of terrorist activities; (ii) prevent identity theft; and (iii) achieve compliance with the applicable provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act, Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 and the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the implementing regulations thereunder.

 

Based on this determination, the Trust hereby instructs and directs Fund Services to implement the Procedures on the Trust’s behalf, as such may be amended or revised from time to time. It is contemplated that these Procedures will be amended from time to time by the parties as additional regulations are adopted and/or regulatory guidance is provided relating to the Trust’s anti-money laundering and identity theft responsibilities.

 

Fund Services agrees to provide to the Trust:

 

(a) Prompt written notification of any transaction or combination of transactions that Fund Services believes, based on the Procedures, evidence money laundering or identity theft activities in connection with the Trust or any Fund shareholder;

 

(b) Prompt written notification of any customer(s) that Fund Services reasonably believes, based upon the Procedures, to be engaged in money

 

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laundering or identity theft activities, provided that the Trust agrees not to communicate this information to the customer;

 

(c) Any reports received by Fund Services from any government agency or applicable industry self-regulatory organization pertaining to Fund Services’ Anti-Money Laundering Program or the Red Flag Identity Theft Prevention Program on behalf of the Trust;

 

(d) Prompt written notification of any action taken in response to anti-money laundering violations or identity theft activity as described in (a), (b) or (c) immediately above; and

 

(e) Certified annual and quarterly reports of its monitoring and customer identification activities pursuant to the Procedures on behalf of the Trust.

 

The Trust hereby directs, and Fund Services acknowledges, that Fund Services shall (i) permit federal regulators access to such information and records maintained by Funder Services and relating to Fund Services’ implementation of the Procedures, on behalf of the Trust, as they may request, and (ii) permit such federal regulators to inspect Fund Services’ implementation of the Procedures on behalf of the Trust.

 

5. Compensation

 

Fund Services shall be compensated for providing the services set forth in this Agreement in accordance with the fee schedule set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto (as amended from time to time). Fund Services shall be reimbursed for such miscellaneous expenses (e.g., telecommunication charges, postage and delivery charges, and reproduction charges) as are reasonably incurred by Fund Services in performing its duties hereunder. Fund Services shall also be compensated for any increases in costs due to the adoption of any new or amended industry, regulatory or other applicable rules. The Trust shall pay all such fees and reimbursable expenses within 30 calendar days following receipt of the monthly billing notice, except for any fee or expense subject to a good faith dispute. The Trust shall notify Fund Services in writing within 30 calendar days following receipt of each invoice if the Trust is disputing any amounts in good faith. The Trust shall pay such disputed amounts within 10 calendar days of the day on which the parties agree to the amount to be paid, if any. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, amounts owed by the Trust to Fund Services shall only be paid out of assets and property of the particular Fund involved.

 

6. Representations and Warranties

 

A. The Trust hereby represents and warrants to Fund Services, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:

 

(1) 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;

 

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(2) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trust in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable 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;

 

(3) It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement; and

 

(4) A registration statement under the 1940 Act and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, will be made effective prior to the effective date of this Agreement and will remain effective during the term of this Agreement, and appropriate state securities law filings will be made prior to the effective date of this Agreement and will continue to be made during the term of this Agreement as necessary to enable the Trust to make a continuous public offering of its shares.

 

B. Fund Services hereby represents and warrants to the Trust, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:

 

(1) 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;

 

(2) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Fund Services in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of Fund Services, enforceable 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;

 

(3) It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement; and

 

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(4) It is a registered transfer agent under the Exchange Act.

 

7. Standard of Care; Indemnification; Limitation of Liability

 

A. Fund Services shall exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. Fund Services shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with its duties under this Agreement, including losses resulting from mechanical breakdowns or the failure of communication or power supplies beyond fund Services’ control, except a loss arising out of or relating to Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement or from its bad faith, negligence, or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if Fund Services has exercised reasonable care in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, the Trust shall indemnify and hold harmless Fund Services from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that Fund Services may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against Fund Services by any person arising out of any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in performing the services hereunder (i) in accordance with the foregoing standards, or (ii) in reliance upon any written or oral instruction provided to Fund Services by any duly authorized officer of the Trust, as approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board of Trustees”), except for any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities arising out of or relating to Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement or from its bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Trust, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. As used in this paragraph, the term “Fund Services” shall include Fund Services’ directors, officers and employees.

 

Fund Services shall indemnify and hold the Trust harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that the Trust may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against the Trust by any person arising out of any action taken or omitted to be taken by Fund Services as a result of Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement, or from its bad faith, negligence, or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of Fund Services, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. As used in this paragraph, the term “Trust” shall include the Trust’s directors, trustees, officers and employees.

 

Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party for consequential, special or punitive damages under any provision of this Agreement.

 

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In the event of a mechanical breakdown or failure of communication or power supplies beyond its control, Fund Services shall take all reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions for any period that such interruption continues. Fund Services will make every reasonable effort to restore any lost or damaged data and correct any errors resulting from such a breakdown at the expense of Fund Services. Fund Services agrees that it shall, at all times, have reasonable contingency plans with appropriate parties, making reasonable provision for emergency use of electrical data processing equipment to the extent appropriate equipment is available. Representatives of the Trust shall be entitled to inspect Fund Services’ premises and operating capabilities at any time during regular business hours of Fund Services, upon reasonable notice to Fund Services. Moreover, Fund Services shall provide the Trust, at such times as the Trust may reasonably require, copies of reports rendered by independent accountants on the internal controls and procedures of Fund Services relating to the services provided by Fund Services under this Agreement.

 

Notwithstanding the above, Fund Services reserves the right to reprocess and correct administrative errors at its own expense.

 

B. In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this section shall apply, it is understood that if in any case the indemnitor may be asked to indemnify or hold the indemnitee harmless, the indemnitor shall be fully and promptly advised of all pertinent facts concerning the situation in question, and it is further understood that the indemnitee will use all reasonable care to notify the indemnitor promptly concerning any situation that presents or appears likely to present the probability of a claim for indemnification. The indemnitor shall have the option to defend the indemnitee against any claim that may be the subject of this indemnification. In the event that the indemnitor so elects, it will so notify the indemnitee and thereupon the indemnitor shall take over complete defense of the claim, and the indemnitee shall in such situation initiate no further legal or other expenses for which it shall seek indemnification under this section. The indemnitee shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the indemnitor will be asked to indemnify the indemnitee except with the indemnitor’s prior written consent.

 

C. The indemnity and defense provisions set forth in this Section 7 shall indefinitely survive the termination and/or assignment of this Agreement.

 

D. If Fund Services is acting in another capacity for the Trust pursuant to a separate agreement, nothing herein shall be deemed to relieve Fund Services of any of its obligations in such other capacity.

 

8. Data Necessary to Perform Services

 

The Trust or its agent shall furnish to Fund Services the data necessary to perform the services described herein at such times and in such form as mutually agreed upon.

 

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9. Proprietary and Confidential Information

 

Fund Services agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, officers, and employees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Trust, all records and other information relative to the Trust and prior, present, or potential shareholders of the Trust (and clients of said shareholders), and not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, except (i) after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Trust, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where Fund Services may be exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply, (ii) when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities, or (iii) when so requested by the Trust. Records and other information which have become known to the public through no wrongful act of Fund Services or any of its employees, agents or representatives, and information that was already in the possession of Fund Services prior to receipt thereof from the Trust or its agent, shall not be subject to this paragraph.

 

Further, Fund Services will adhere to the privacy policies adopted by the Trust pursuant to Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, as may be modified from time to time. In this regard, Fund Services shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of, records and information relating to the Trust and its shareholders.

 

10. Records

 

Fund Services shall keep records relating to the services to be performed hereunder in the form and manner, and for such period, as it may deem advisable and is agreeable to the Trust, but not inconsistent with the rules and regulations of appropriate government authorities, in particular, Section 31 of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. Fund Services agrees that all such records prepared or maintained by Fund Services relating to the services to be performed by Fund Services hereunder are the property of the Trust and will be preserved, maintained, and made available in accordance with such applicable sections and rules of the 1940 Act and will be promptly surrendered to the Trust or its designee on and in accordance with its request.

 

11. Compliance with Laws

 

The Trust has and retains primary responsibility for all compliance matters relating to the Fund, including but not limited to compliance with the 1940 Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the policies and limitations of the Fund relating to its portfolio investments as set forth in its Prospectus and statement of additional information. Fund Services’ services hereunder shall not relieve the Trust of its responsibilities for assuring such compliance or the Board of Trustee’s oversight responsibility with respect thereto.

 

12. Term of Agreement; Amendment

 

This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above and will continue in effect for a period of three (3) years. This Agreement may be terminated by either party upon

 

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giving 90 days prior written notice to the other party or such shorter period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties. Subsequent to the end of the three (3) year period, this Agreement continues until one party gives 90 days prior written notice to the other party or such shorter period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated by any party upon the breach of the other party of any material term of this Agreement if such breach is not cured within 15 days of notice of such breach to the breaching party. This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except by written agreement executed by Fund Services and the Trust, and authorized or approved by the Board of Trustees.

 

13. Early Termination

 

In the absence of any material breach of this Agreement, should the Trust elect to terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the three year term, the Trust agrees to pay the following fees:

 

a. all monthly fees through the life of the Agreement, including the repayment of any negotiated discounts;
b. all fees associated with converting services to successor service provider;
c. all fees associated with any record retention and/or tax reporting obligations that may not be eliminated due to the conversion to a successor service provider;
d. all miscellaneous costs associated with a-c above

 

14. Duties in the Event of Termination

 

In the event that, in connection with the termination of this Agreement, a successor to any of Fund Services’ duties or responsibilities hereunder is designated by the Trust by written notice to Fund Services, Fund Services will promptly, upon such termination and at the expense of the Trust, transfer to such successor all relevant books, records, correspondence, and other data established or maintained by Fund Services under this Agreement in a form reasonably acceptable to the Trust (if such form differs from the form in which Fund Services has maintained the same, the Trust shall pay any expenses associated with transferring the data to such form), and will cooperate in the transfer of such duties and responsibilities, including provision for assistance from Fund Services’ personnel in the establishment of books, records, and other data by such successor. If no such successor is designated, then such books, records and other data shall be returned to the Trust.

 

15. Assignment

 

This Agreement shall extend to and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Trust without the written consent of Fund Services, or by Fund Services without the written consent of the Trust accompanied by the authorization or approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

 

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16. Governing Law

 

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Wisconsin, without regard to conflicts of law principles. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Wisconsin, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control, and nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act or any rule or order of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

 

17. No Agency Relationship

 

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize or empower either party to act as agent for the other party to this Agreement, or to conduct business in the name, or for the account, of the other party to this Agreement.

 

18. Services Not Exclusive

 

Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict Fund Services from providing services to other parties that are similar or identical to some or all of the services provided hereunder.

 

19. Invalidity

 

Any provision of this Agreement which may be determined by competent authority to be prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. In such case, the parties shall in good faith modify or substitute such provision consistent with the original intent of the parties.

 

20. Notices

 

Any notice required or permitted to be given by either party to the other shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given on the date delivered personally or by courier service, or three days after sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or on the date sent and confirmed received by facsimile transmission to the other party’s address set forth below:

 

Notice to Fund Services shall be sent to:

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Attn: President

 

and notice to the Trust shall be sent to:

 

TrimTabs ETF Trust

1345 Avenue of the Americas, 2 nd floor

New York, NY 10105

Attn: (INSERT)

 

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21. Multiple Originals

 

This Agreement may be executed on two or more counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date first above written.

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST   U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC
         
By:     By:  
         
Name:       Name: Michael R. McVoy
         
Title:       Title: Executive Vice President

 

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Exhibit A to the Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement

 

Fund Names

 

Separate Series of TrimTabs ETF Trust

 

Name of Series  
TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF  
   
   
   

 

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Exhibit (h)(iv)

 

FUND ADMINISTRATION SERVICING AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of the _____ day of September, 2016, by and between TRIMTABS ETF TRUST , a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC , a Wisconsin limited liability company (“Fund Services”).

 

WHEREAS, the Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company; and is authorized to issue shares of beneficial interest in separate series, with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets;

 

WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain Fund Services to provide fund administration services to each series of the Trust listed on Exhibit A attached hereto (as amended from time to time) (each, a “Fund” and collectively the “Funds”).

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Appointment of Fund Services as Fund Administrator

 

The Trust hereby appoints Fund Services as fund administrator for the term of this Agreement to perform the services and duties described herein. Fund Services hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this Agreement. The services and duties of Fund Services shall be confined to those matters expressly set forth herein, and no implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted against Fund Services hereunder.

 

2. Services and Duties of Fund Services

 

Fund Services shall provide the following administration services to a Fund:

 

A. General Fund Management:
(1) Act as liaison among Fund service providers, including but not exclusive to Adviser, Sub-Adviser, authorized participants, external legal counsel, accounting and audit firms and external compliance consultants.

 

(2) Supply:
a. Office facilities (which may be in a Fund Services office or in an affiliate’s office).
b. Non-investment-related statistical and research data as requested.

 

(3) Coordinate the Trust’s board of trustees’ (the “Board of Trustees” or the “Trustees”) communications, such as:
a. Prepare meeting agendas and resolutions, with the assistance of Fund counsel and Adviser in-house counsel.

 

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b. Prepare reports for the Board of Trustees based on financial and administrative data.
c. Assist with the selection of the independent auditor.
d. Secure and monitor fidelity bond and director and officer liability coverage, and make the necessary Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) filings relating thereto.
e. Prepare minutes of meetings of the Board of Trustees and Fund shareholders.
f. Recommend dividend declarations to the Board of Trustees and prepare and distribute to appropriate parties notices announcing declaration of dividends and other distributions to shareholders.
g. Attend Board of Trustees meetings and present materials for Trustees’ review at such meetings.

 

(4) Audits:
a. For the annual Fund audit, prepare appropriate schedules and materials. Provide requested information to the independent auditors, and facilitate the audit process.
b. For SEC, FINRA or other regulatory audits, provide requested information to the SEC or other regulatory agencies and facilitate the audit process.
c. For all audits, provide office facilities, as needed.

 

(5) Assist with overall operations of the Fund.
(6) Pay Fund expenses upon written authorization from the Trust.
(7) Keep the Trust’s governing documents, including its charter, bylaws and minute books, but only to the extent such documents are provided to Fund Services by the Trust or its representatives for safe keeping.

 

B. Compliance:
(1) Regulatory Compliance:
a. Monitor compliance with the 1940 Act requirements, including:
(i) Asset and diversification tests.
(ii) Total return and SEC yield calculations.
(iii) Maintenance of books and records under Rule 31a-3.
(iv) Code of ethics requirements under Rule 17j-1 for the disinterested Trustees.

 

b. Monitor Fund's compliance with the policies and investment limitations as set forth in its prospectus (the “Prospectus”) and statement of additional information (the “SAI”).

 

c. Perform its duties hereunder in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and provide any sub-certifications reasonably requested by the Trust in connection with (i) any certification required of the Trust pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “SOX

 

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Act”) or any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder, and (ii) the operation of Fund Services’ compliance program as it relates to the Trust, provided the same shall not be deemed to change Fund Services’ standard of care as set forth herein.

 

d. Monitor applicable regulatory and operational service issues, including exchange listing requirements, and update Board of Trustees periodically.

 

e. Monitor compliance with regulatory exemptive relief (as applicable) for ETFs.

 

(2) SEC Registration and Reporting:
a. Assist Fund counsel in annual update of the Registration Statement.
b. Prepare and file annual and semiannual shareholder reports, Form N-SAR, Form N-CSR, Form N-Q filings and Rule 24f-2 notices. As requested by the Trust, prepare and file Form N-PX filings.
c. Coordinate the printing, filing and mailing of Prospectuses and shareholder reports, and amendments and supplements thereto.
d. File fidelity bond under Rule 17g-1.
e. Monitor sales of Fund shares and ensure that such shares are properly registered or qualified, as applicable, with the SEC and the appropriate state authorities.
f. Assist Fund counsel in preparation of proxy statements and information statements, as requested by the Trust.
g. Assist Fund counsel with application for exemptive relief, when applicable

 

(3) IRS Compliance:
a. Monitor the Trust’s status as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), including without limitation, review of the following:
(i) Diversification requirements.
(ii) Qualifying income requirements.
(iii) Distribution requirements.

 

b. Calculate the required annual excise distribution amounts for the review and approval of Fund management and/or its independent accountant.

 

C. Financial Reporting:
(1) Provide financial data required by the Prospectus and SAI.
(2) Prepare financial reports for officers, shareholders, tax authorities, performance reporting companies, the Board of Trustees, the SEC, and the independent auditor.
(3) Supervise the Fund’s custodian and fund accountants in the maintenance of the Fund’s general ledger and in the preparation of the Fund’s financial

 

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statements, including oversight of expense accruals and payments, the determination of net asset value and the declaration and payment of dividends and other distributions to shareholders.

(4) Compute total return, expense ratio and portfolio turnover rate of the Fund.
(5) Monitor expense accruals and make adjustments as necessary; notify the Trust’s management of adjustments expected to materially affect the Fund’s expense ratio.
(6) Prepare financial statements, which include, without limitation, the following items:
a. Schedule of Investments.
b. Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
c. Statement of Operations.
d. Statement of Changes in Net Assets.
e. Statement of Cash Flows (if applicable).
f. Financial Highlights.
(7) Pursuant to Rule 31a-1(b)(9) of the 1940 Act, prepare quarterly broker security transaction summaries.

 

D. Tax Reporting:

 

(1) Prepare for the review of the independent accountants and/or Fund Management the federal and state tax returns including, without limitation, Form 1120 RIC and applicable state returns including any necessary schedules. Fund Services will prepare annual Fund federal and state income tax return filings as authorized by and based on the instructions received by Fund Management and/or its independent accountant.

 

(2) Provide the Fund’s Management and independent accountant with tax reporting information pertaining to the Fund and available to Fund Services as required in a timely manner.

 

(3) Prepare Fund financial statement tax footnote disclosures for the review and approval of Fund Management and/or its independent accountant.

 

(4) Prepare and file on behalf of Fund Management Form 1099 MISC Forms for payments to disinterested Directors and other qualifying service providers.

 

(5) Monitor wash sale losses.

 

(6) Calculate Qualified Dividend Income (“QDI”) for qualifying Fund Shareholders.

 

(7) Calculate Dividends Received Deduction (“DRD”) for qualifying corporate Fund Shareholders.

 

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3. Compensation

 

Fund Services shall be compensated for providing the services set forth in this Agreement in accordance with the fee schedule set forth on Exhibit C attached hereto (as amended from time to time). Fund Services shall also be reimbursed for such miscellaneous expenses (e.g., telecommunication charges, postage and delivery charges, and reproduction charges) as are reasonably incurred by Fund Services in performing its duties hereunder. The Trust shall pay all such fees and reimbursable expenses within 30 calendar days following receipt of the monthly billing notice, except for any fee or expense subject to a good faith dispute. The Trust shall notify Fund Services in writing within 30 calendar days following receipt of each invoice if the Trust is disputing any amounts in good faith. The Trust shall pay such disputed amounts within 10 calendar days of the day on which the parties agree to the amount to be paid. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, amounts owed by the Trust to Fund Services shall only be paid out of the assets and property of the particular Fund involved.

 

4. License of Data; Warranty; Termination of Rights

 

A. Fund Services has entered into an agreement with MSCI index data services (“MSCI”), Standard & Poor Financial Services LLC (“S&P”) and FactSet Research Systems, Inc. (“FACTSET”) and obligates Fund Services to include a list of required provisions in this Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit B . The index data services being provided to the Trust by Fund Services pursuant hereto (collectively, the “Data”) are being licensed, not sold, to the Trust. The provisions in Exhibit B shall not have any affect upon the standard of care and liability Fund Services has set forth in Section 6 of this Agreement.

 

B. The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Fund Services, its information providers, and any other third party involved in or related to the making or compiling of the Data, their affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents from and against any claims, losses, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, as incurred, arising in and any manner out of the Trust’s or any third party’s use of, or inability to use, the Data or any breach by the Trust of any provision contained in this Agreement. The immediately preceding sentence shall not have any effect upon the standard of care and liability of Fund Services as set forth in Section 6 of this Agreement.

 

5. Representations and Warranties

 

A. The Trust hereby represents and warrants to Fund Services, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:

 

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(1) 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;

 

(2) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trust in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable 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; and

 

(3) It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or

affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement.

 

B. Fund Services hereby represents and warrants to the Trust, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:

 

(1) 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;

 

(2) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Fund Services in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of Fund Services, enforceable 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; and

 

(3) It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement.

 

6. Standard of Care; Indemnification; Limitation of Liability

 

A. Fund Services shall exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. Fund Services shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with its

 

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duties under this Agreement, including losses resulting from mechanical breakdowns or the failure of communication or power supplies beyond Fund Services’ control, except a loss arising out of or relating to Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement or from its bad faith, negligence, or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if Fund Services has exercised reasonable care in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, the Trust shall indemnify and hold harmless Fund Services from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that Fund Services may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against Fund Services by any person arising out of any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in performing the services hereunder (i) in accordance with the foregoing standards, or (ii) in reliance upon any written or oral instruction provided to Fund Services by any duly authorized officer of the Trust, as approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, except for any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities arising out of or relating to Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement or from its bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Trust, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. As used in this paragraph, the term “Fund Services” shall include Fund Services’ directors, officers and employees.

 

Each Fund shall indemnify Fund Services against and save Fund Services harmless from any loss, damage or expense, including counsel fees and other costs and expenses of a defense against any claim or liability, arising from any one or more of the following:

 

Errors in records or instructions, explanations, information, specifications or documentation of any kind, as the case may be, supplied to Bank of New York Mellon by any third party described above or by or on behalf of a Fund;

 

Action or inaction taken or omitted to be taken by Fund Services pursuant to written or oral instructions of the fund or otherwise without negligence or willful misconduct.;

 

Any action taken or omitted to be taken by Fund Services in good faith in accordance with the advice or opinion of counsel for a Fund or its own counsel;

 

Any improper use by a Fund or its agents, distributor or investment advisor of any valuations or computations supplied by Fund Services pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Fund Services shall indemnify and hold the Trust harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that the Trust may sustain or incur or that

 

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may be asserted against the Trust by any person arising out of any action taken or omitted to be taken by Fund Services as a result of Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement, or from its bad faith, negligence, or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of Fund Services, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. As used in this paragraph, the term “Trust” shall include the Trust’s trustees, officers and employees.

 

Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party for consequential, special or punitive damages under any provision of this Agreement.

 

In the event of a mechanical breakdown or failure of communication or power supplies beyond its control, Fund Services shall take all reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions for any period that such interruption continues. Fund Services will make every reasonable effort to restore any lost or damaged data and correct any errors resulting from such a breakdown at the expense of Fund Services. Fund Services agrees that it shall, at all times, have reasonable contingency plans with appropriate parties, making reasonable provision for emergency use of electrical data processing equipment to the extent appropriate equipment is available. Representatives of the Trust shall be entitled to inspect Fund Services’ premises and operating capabilities at any time during regular business hours of Fund Services, upon reasonable notice to Fund Services. Moreover, Fund Services shall provide the Trust, at such times as the Trust may reasonably require, copies of reports rendered by independent accountants on the internal controls and procedures of Fund Services relating to the services provided by Fund Services under this Agreement.

 

Notwithstanding the above, Fund Services reserves the right to reprocess and correct administrative errors at its own expense.

 

B. In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this section shall apply, it is understood that if in any case the indemnitor may be asked to indemnify or hold the indemnitee harmless, the indemnitor shall be fully and promptly advised of all pertinent facts concerning the situation in question, and it is further understood that the indemnitee will use all reasonable care to notify the indemnitor promptly concerning any situation that presents or appears likely to present the probability of a claim for indemnification. The indemnitor shall have the option to defend the indemnitee against any claim that may be the subject of this indemnification. In the event that the indemnitor so elects, it will so notify the indemnitee and thereupon the indemnitor shall take over complete defense of the claim, and the indemnitee shall in such situation initiate no further legal or other expenses for which it shall seek indemnification under this section. The indemnitee shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any

 

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case in which the indemnitor will be asked to indemnify the indemnitee except with the indemnitor’s prior written consent.

 

C. The indemnity and defense provisions set forth in this Section 6 shall indefinitely survive the termination and/or assignment of this Agreement.

 

D. If Fund Services is acting in another capacity for the Trust pursuant to a separate agreement, nothing herein shall be deemed to relieve Fund Services of any of its obligations in such other capacity.

 

E. Paid Tax Preparer Disclaimer: In conjunction with the tax services provided to each Fund by Fund Services hereunder, Fund Services shall not be deemed to act as an income tax return preparer for any purpose including as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(36) of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”), or any successor thereof. Any information provided by Fund Services to a Fund for income tax reporting purposes with respect to any item of income, gain, loss, or credit will be performed solely in Fund Services’ administrative capacity. Fund Services shall not be required to determine, and shall not take any position with respect to whether, the reasonable belief standard described in Section 6694 of the IRC has been satisfied with respect to any income tax item. Each Fund, and any appointees thereof, shall have the right to inspect the transaction summaries produced and aggregated by Fund Services, and any supporting documents thereto, in connection with the tax reporting services provided to each Fund by Fund Services. Fund Services shall not be liable for the provision or omission of any tax advice with respect to any information provided by Fund Services to a Fund. The tax information provided by Fund Services shall be pertinent to the data and information made available to us, and is neither derived from nor construed as tax advice.

 

7. Data Necessary to Perform Services

 

The Trust or its agent shall furnish to Fund Services the data necessary to perform the services described herein at such times and in such form as mutually agreed upon.

 

8. Proprietary and Confidential Information

 

Fund Services agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, officers, and employees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Trust, all records and other information relative to the Trust and prior, present, or potential shareholders of the Trust (and clients of said shareholders), and not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, except (i) after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Trust, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where Fund Services may be exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply, (ii) when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities, or (iii) when so requested by the Trust. Records and other information which have become known to the public through no

 

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wrongful act of Fund Services or any of its employees, agents or representatives, and information that was already in the possession of Fund Services prior to receipt thereof from the Trust or its agent, shall not be subject to this paragraph.

 

Further, Fund Services will adhere to the privacy policies adopted by the Trust pursuant to Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, as may be modified from time to time. In this regard, Fund Services shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of, records and information relating to the Trust and its shareholders.

 

9. Records

 

Fund Services shall keep records relating to the services to be performed hereunder in the form and manner, and for such period, as it may deem advisable and is agreeable to the Trust, but not inconsistent with the rules and regulations of appropriate government authorities, in particular, Section 31 of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. Fund Services agrees that all such records prepared or maintained by Fund Services relating to the services to be performed by Fund Services hereunder are the property of the Trust and will be preserved, maintained, and made available in accordance with such applicable sections and rules of the 1940 Act and will be promptly surrendered to the Trust or its designee on and in accordance with its request.

 

10. Compliance with Laws

 

The Trust has and retains primary responsibility for all compliance matters relating to the Fund, including but not limited to compliance with the 1940 Act, the Code, the SOX Act, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the policies and limitations of the Fund relating to its portfolio investments as set forth in its Prospectus and SAI. Fund Services’ services hereunder shall not relieve the Trust of its responsibilities for assuring such compliance or the Board of Trustee’s oversight responsibility with respect thereto.

 

11. Term of Agreement; Amendment

 

This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above and will continue in effect for a period of three (3) years. This Agreement may be terminated by either party upon giving 90 days prior written notice to the other party or such shorter period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties. Subsequent to the end of the three (3) year period, this Agreement continues until one party gives 90 days prior written notice to the other party or such shorter period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated by any party upon the breach of the other party of any material term of this Agreement if such breach is not cured within 15 days of notice of such breach to the breaching party. This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except by written agreement executed by Fund Services and the Trust, and authorized or approved by the Board of Trustees.

 

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12. Early Termination

 

In the absence of any material breach of this Agreement, should the Trust elect to terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the three year term, the Trust agrees to pay the following fees:

 

a. all monthly fees through the life of the Agreement, including the repayment of any negotiated discounts;
b. all fees associated with converting services to successor service provider;
c. all fees associated with any record retention and/or tax reporting obligations that may not be eliminated due to the conversion to a successor service provider;
d. all miscellaneous costs associated with a-c above

 

13. Duties in the Event of Termination

 

In the event that, in connection with termination, a successor to any of Fund Services’ duties or responsibilities hereunder is designated by the Trust by written notice to Fund Services, Fund Services will promptly, upon such termination and at the expense of the Trust, transfer to such successor all relevant books, records, correspondence, and other data established or maintained by Fund Services under this Agreement in a form reasonably acceptable to the Trust (if such form differs from the form in which Fund Services has maintained the same, the Trust shall pay any expenses associated with transferring the data to such form), and will co-operate in the transfer of such duties and responsibilities, including provision for assistance from Fund Services’ personnel in the establishment of books, records, and other data by such successor. If no such successor is designated, then such books, records and other data shall be returned to the Trust.

 

14. Assignment

 

This Agreement shall extend to and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Trust without the written consent of Fund Services, or by Fund Services without the written consent of the Trust accompanied by the authorization or approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

 

15. Governing Law

 

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Wisconsin, without regard to conflicts of law principles. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Wisconsin, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control, and nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act or any rule or order of the SEC thereunder.

 

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16. No Agency Relationship

 

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize or empower either party to act as agent for the other party to this Agreement, or to conduct business in the name, or for the account, of the other party to this Agreement.

 

17. Services Not Exclusive

 

Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict Fund Services from providing services to other parties that are similar or identical to some or all of the services provided hereunder.

 

18. Invalidity

 

Any provision of this Agreement which may be determined by competent authority to be prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. In such case, the parties shall in good faith modify or substitute such provision consistent with the original intent of the parties.

 

19. Legal-Related Services

 

Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to appoint Fund Services and its officers, directors and employees as the Fund attorneys, form attorney-client relationships or require the provision of legal advice. The Fund acknowledges that in-house Fund Services attorneys exclusively represent Fund Services and rely on outside counsel retained by the Fund to review all services provided by in-house Fund Services attorneys and to provide independent judgment on the Fund’s behalf. Because no attorney-client relationship exists between in-house Fund Services attorneys and the Fund, any information provided to Fund Services attorneys may not be privileged and may be subject to compulsory disclosure under certain circumstances. Fund Services represents that it will maintain the confidentiality of information disclosed to its in-house attorneys on a best efforts basis.

 

Fund Services may consult with counsel to the appropriate Fund or its own counsel, at such Fund’s expense, and shall be fully protected with respect to anything done or omitted by it in good faith in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel.

 

20. Notices

 

Any notice required or permitted to be given by either party to the other shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given on the date delivered personally or by courier service, or three days after sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or on the date sent and confirmed received by facsimile transmission to the other party’s address set forth below:

 

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Notice to Fund Services shall be sent to:

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Attn: President

 

and notice to the Trust shall be sent to:

 

TrimTabs ETF Trust

1345 Avenue of the Americas, 2 nd floor

New York, NY 10105

Attn: (INSERT)

 

21. Multiple Originals

 

This Agreement may be executed on two or more counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

[SIGNATURES ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date first above written.

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST      U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC
         
By:     By:  
         
Name:     Name: Michael R. McVoy
         
Title:     Title: Executive Vice President

 

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Exhibit A to the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement

 

Fund Names

 

Separate Series of TrimTabs ETF Trust

 

Name of Series  
TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF  

 

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Exhibit B to the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement – TrimTabs ETF Trust

REQUIRED PROVISIONS OF MSCI, S&P and FACTSET

 

· The Trust shall represent that it will use the Data solely for internal purposes and will not redistribute the Data in any form or manner to any third party.

 

· The Trust shall represent that it will not use or permit anyone else to use the Data in connection with creating, managing, advising, writing, trading, marketing or promoting any securities or financial instruments or products, including, but not limited to, funds, synthetic or derivative securities (e.g., options, warrants, swaps, and futures), whether listed on an exchange or traded over the counter or on a private-placement basis or otherwise or to create any indices (custom or otherwise).

 

· The Trust shall represent that it will treat the Data as proprietary to MSCI, S&P and FACTSET. Further, the Trust shall acknowledge that MSCI, S&P and FACTSET are the sole and exclusive owners of the Data and all trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks and other intellectual property rights in or to the Data.

 

· The Trust shall represent that it will not (i) copy any component of the Data, (ii) alter, modify or adapt any component of the Data, including, but not limited to, translating, decompiling, disassembling, reverse engineering or creating derivative works, or (iii) make any component of the Data available to any other person or organization (including, without limitation, the Trust’s present and future parents, subsidiaries or affiliates) directly or indirectly, for any of the foregoing or for any other use, including, without limitation, by loan, rental, service bureau, external time sharing or similar arrangement.

 

· The Trust shall be obligated to reproduce on all permitted copies of the Data all copyright, proprietary rights and restrictive legends appearing on the Data.

 

· The Trust shall acknowledge that it assumes the entire risk of using the Data and shall agree to hold MSCI or S&P or FACTSET harmless from any claims that may arise in connection with any use of the Data by the Trust.

 

· The Trust shall acknowledge that MSCI or S&P or FACTSET may, in its sole and absolute discretion and at any time, terminate Fund Services’ right to receive and/or use the Data.

 

· The Trust shall acknowledge that MSCI, S&P and FACTSET are third party beneficiaries of the Customer Agreement between S&P, MSCI, FACTSET and Fund Services, entitled to enforce all provisions of such agreement relating to the Data.

 

THE DATA IS PROVIDED TO THE TRUST ON AN "AS IS" BASIS. FUND SERVICES, ITS INFORMATION PROVIDERS, AND ANY OTHER THIRD PARTY INVOLVED IN OR RELATED TO THE MAKING OR COMPILING OF THE DATA MAKE NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THE DATA (OR THE RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE USE THEREOF). FUND SERVICES, ITS INFORMATION PROVIDERS AND ANY OTHER THIRD PARTY INVOLVED IN OR RELATED TO THE MAKING OR COMPILING OF THE DATA EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ORIGINALITY, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

 

Exhibit B (continued) to the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement

 

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THE TRUST ASSUMES THE ENTIRE RISK OF ANY USE THE TRUST MAY MAKE OF THE DATA. IN NO EVENT SHALL FUND SERVICES, ITS INFORMATION PROVIDERS OR ANY THIRD PARTY INVOLVED IN OR RELATED TO THE MAKING OR COMPILING OF THE DATA, BE LIABLE TO THE TRUST, OR ANY OTHER THIRD PARTY, FOR ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR THE INABILITY OF THE TRUST TO USE THE DATA, REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION, EVEN IF FUND SERVICES, ANY OF ITS INFORMATION PROVIDERS, OR ANY OTHER THIRD PARTY INVOLVED IN OR RELATED TO THE MAKING OR COMPILING OF THE DATA HAS BEEN ADVISED OF OR OTHERWISE MIGHT HAVE ANTICIPATED THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

 

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Exhibit (h)(v)

 

FUND ACCOUNTING SERVICING AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made as of this ____ day of September, 2016 by and between TRIMTABS ETF TRUST , a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC , a Wisconsin limited liability company (“Fund Services”).

 

WHEREAS, the Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) as an open-end management investment company; and is authorized to issue shares of beneficial interest in separate series, with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets;

 

WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain Fund Services to provide accounting services to each series of the Trust listed on Exhibit A attached hereto (as amended from time to time) (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) the services described herein, all as more fully set forth below;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and mutual covenants herein contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Appointment of Fund Services as Fund Accountant

 

The Trust hereby appoints Fund Services as fund accountant of the Trust for the term of this Agreement to perform the services and duties described herein.  Fund Services hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this Agreement. The services and duties of Fund Services shall be confined to those matters expressly set forth herein, and no implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted against Fund Services hereunder.

 

2. Services and Duties of Fund Services

 

Fund Services shall provide the following accounting services to a Fund:

 

A. Portfolio Accounting Services:

 

(1) Maintain portfolio records on a trade date+1 basis using security trade information communicated from the Fund’s investment adviser.

 

(2) For each valuation date, obtain prices from pricing sources approved by the board of trustees of the Trust (the “Board of Trustees”) and apply those prices to the portfolio positions. For those securities where market quotations are not readily available, the Board of Trustees shall approve,

 

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in good faith, procedures for determining the fair value for such securities.

 

(3) Identify interest and dividend accrual balances as of each valuation date and calculate gross earnings on investments for each accounting period.

 

(4) Determine gain/loss on security sales and identify them as short-term or long-term; account for periodic distributions of gains or losses to shareholders and maintain undistributed gain or loss balances as of each valuation date.

 

(5) On a daily basis, reconcile cash of the Fund with the Fund’s custodian.

 

(6) Transmit a copy of the portfolio valuation to the Fund’s investment adviser daily.

 

(7) Review the impact of current day’s activity on a per share basis, and review changes in market value.

 

B. Expense Accrual and Payment Services:

 

(1) For each valuation date, calculate the expense accrual amounts as directed by the Trust as to methodology, rate or dollar amount.

 

(2) Process and record payments for Fund expenses upon receipt of written authorization from the Trust.

 

(3) Account for Fund expenditures and maintain expense accrual balances at the level of accounting detail, as agreed upon by Fund Services and the Trust.

 

(4) Provide expense accrual and payment reporting.

 

C. Fund Valuation and Financial Reporting Services:

 

(1) Account for Fund share purchases, sales, exchanges, transfers, dividend reinvestments, and other Fund share activity as reported by the Fund’s transfer agent on a timely basis.

 

(2) Determine net investment income (earnings) for the Fund as of each valuation date. Account for periodic

 

  2  

 

 

distributions of earnings to shareholders and maintain undistributed net investment income balances as of each valuation date.

 

(3) Maintain a general ledger and other accounts, books, and financial records for the Fund in the form as agreed upon between the parties.

 

(4) Determine the net asset value of the Fund according to the accounting policies and procedures set forth in the Fund's current prospectus.

 

(5) Calculate per share net asset value, per share net earnings, and other per share amounts reflective of Fund operations at such time as required by the nature and characteristics of the Fund.

 

(6) Communicate to the Trust, at an agreed upon time, the per share net asset value for each valuation date.

 

(7) Prepare monthly reports that document the adequacy of accounting detail to support month-end ledger balances.

 

(8) Prepare monthly security transactions listings.

 

D. Tax Accounting Services:

 

(1) Maintain accounting records for the investment portfolio of the Fund to support the tax reporting required for “regulated investment companies” under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

(2) Maintain tax lot detail for the Fund’s investment portfolio.

 

(3) Calculate taxable gain/loss on security sales using the tax lot relief method designated by the Trust.

 

(4) Provide the necessary financial information to calculate the taxable components of income and capital gains distributions to support tax reporting to the shareholders.

 

E. Compliance Control Services:

 

(1) Support reporting to regulatory bodies and support financial statement preparation by making the Fund's accounting records available to the Trust, the Securities and

 

  3  

 

 

Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and the independent accountants.

 

(2) Maintain accounting records according to the 1940 Act and regulations provided thereunder.

 

(3) Perform its duties hereunder in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and provide any sub-certifications reasonably requested by the Trust in connection with any certification required of the Trust pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “SOX Act”) or any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder, provided the same shall not be deemed to change Fund Services’ standard of care as set forth herein.

 

(4) Cooperate with the Trust’s independent accountants and take all reasonable action in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement to ensure that the necessary information is made available to such accountants for the expression of their opinion on the Fund’s financial statements without any qualification as to the scope of their examination.

 

3. License of Data; Warranty; Termination of Rights

 

A. The valuation information and evaluations being provided to the Trust by Fund Services pursuant hereto (collectively, the “Data”) are being licensed, not sold, to the Trust. The Trust has a limited license to use the Data only for purposes necessary to valuing the Trust’s assets and reporting to regulatory bodies (the “License”). The Trust does not have any license nor right to use the Data for purposes beyond the intentions of this Agreement including, but not limited to, resale to other users or use to create any type of historical database. The License is non-transferable and not sub-licensable. The Trust’s right to use the Data cannot be passed to or shared with any other entity.

 

The Trust acknowledges the proprietary rights that Fund Services and its suppliers have in the Data.

 

B. THE TRUST HEREBY ACCEPTS THE DATA AS IS, WHERE IS, WITH NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE OR ANY OTHER MATTER.

 

C. Fund Services may stop supplying some or all Data to the Trust if Fund Services’ suppliers terminate any agreement to provide Data

 

  4  

 

 

to Fund Services. Also, Fund Services may stop supplying some or all Data to the Trust if Fund Services reasonably believes that the Trust is using the Data in violation of the License, or breaching its duties of confidentiality provided for hereunder, or if any of Fund Services’ suppliers demand that the Data be withheld from the Trust. Fund Services will provide notice to the Trust of any termination of provision of Data as soon as reasonably possible.

 

4. Pricing of Securities

 

A. For each valuation date, Fund Services shall obtain prices from a pricing source recommended by Fund Services and approved by the Board of Trustees and apply those prices to the portfolio positions of the Fund. For those securities where market quotations are not readily available, the Board of Trustees shall approve, in good faith, procedures for determining the fair value for such securities.

 

If the Trust desires to provide a price that varies from the price provided by the pricing source, the Trust shall promptly notify and supply Fund Services with the price of any such security on each valuation date. All pricing changes made by the Trust will be in writing and must specifically identify the securities to be changed by CUSIP, name of security, new price or rate to be applied, and, if applicable, the time period for which the new price(s) is/are effective.

 

B. In the event that the Trust at any time receives Data containing evaluations, rather than market quotations, for certain securities or certain other data related to such securities, the following provisions will apply: (i) evaluated securities are typically complicated financial instruments. There are many methodologies (including computer-based analytical modeling and individual security evaluations) available to generate approximations of the market value of such securities, and there is significant professional disagreement about which method is best. No evaluation method, including those used by Fund Services and its suppliers of pricing data, may consistently generate approximations that correspond to actual “traded” prices of the securities; (ii) methodologies used to provide the pricing portion of certain Data may rely on evaluations; however, the Trust acknowledges that there may be errors or defects in the software, databases, or methodologies generating the evaluations that may cause resultant evaluations to be inappropriate for use in certain applications; and (iii) the Trust assumes all responsibility for edit checking, external verification of evaluations, and ultimately the

 

  5  

 

 

appropriateness of using Data containing evaluations, regardless of any efforts made by Fund Services and its suppliers in this respect.

 

5. Changes in Accounting Procedures

 

Any resolution passed by the Board of Trustees that affects accounting practices and procedures under this Agreement shall be effective upon written receipt of notice and acceptance by Fund Services.

 

6. Changes in Equipment, Systems, Etc.

 

Fund Services reserves the right to make changes from time to time, as it deems advisable, relating to its systems, programs, rules, operating schedules and equipment, so long as such changes do not adversely affect the services provided to the Trust under this Agreement.

 

7. Compensation

 

Fund Services shall be compensated for providing the services set forth in this Agreement in accordance with the fee schedule set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto (as amended from time to time). Fund Services shall also be reimbursed for such miscellaneous expenses (e.g., telecommunication charges, postage and delivery charges, and reproduction charges) as are reasonably incurred by Fund Services in performing its duties hereunder. The Trust shall pay all such fees and reimbursable expenses within thirty (30) calendar days following receipt of the monthly billing notice, except for any fee or expense subject to a good faith dispute. The Trust shall notify Fund Services in writing within thirty (30) calendar days following receipt of each invoice if the Trust is disputing any amounts in good faith. The Trust shall pay such disputed amounts within ten (10) calendar days of the day on which the parties agree to the amount to be paid. With the exception of any fee or expense the Trust is disputing in good faith as set forth above, unpaid invoices shall accrue a finance charge of 1½% per month after the due date. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, amounts owed by the Trust to Fund Services shall only be paid out of the assets and property of the particular Fund involved.

 

8. Representations and Warranties

 

A.          The Trust hereby represents and warrants to Fund Services, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:

 

(1)          It is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its

 

  6  

 

 

business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder;

 

(2)          This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trust in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable 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; and

 

(3)          It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement.

 

B. Fund Services hereby represents and warrants to the Trust, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:

 

(1)          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;

 

(2)          This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Fund Services in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of Fund Services, enforceable 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; and

 

(3)          It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement.

 

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9. Standard of Care; Indemnification; Limitation of Liability

 

A. Fund Services shall exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. Neither Fund Services nor its suppliers shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust or any third party in connection with its duties under this Agreement, including losses resulting from mechanical breakdowns or the failure of communication or power supplies beyond Fund Services’ control, except a loss arising out of or relating to Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement or from its bad faith, negligence, or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if Fund Services has exercised reasonable care in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, the Trust shall indemnify and hold harmless Fund Services and its suppliers from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that Fund Services or its suppliers may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against Fund Services or its suppliers by any person arising out of or related to (i) any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in performing the services hereunder (ii) in accordance with the foregoing standards, or (iii) in reliance upon any written or oral instruction provided to Fund Services by any duly authorized officer of the Trust, as approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, or (iv) the Data, or any information, service, report, analysis or publication derived therefrom, except for any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities arising out of or relating to Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement or from its bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Trust, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. As used in this paragraph, the term “Fund Services” shall include Fund Services’ directors, officers and employees.

 

The Trust acknowledges that the Data are intended for use as an aid to institutional investors, registered brokers or professionals of similar sophistication in making informed judgments concerning securities. The Trust accepts responsibility for, and acknowledges it exercises its own independent judgment in, its selection of the Data, its selection of the use or intended use of such, and any results obtained. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to be a waiver of any rights existing under applicable law for the protection of investors.

 

  8  

 

 

Fund Services shall indemnify and hold the Trust harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that the Trust may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against the Trust by any person arising out of any action taken or omitted to be taken by Fund Services as a result of Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement, or from its bad faith, negligence, or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of Fund Services, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. As used in this paragraph, the term “Trust” shall include the Trust’s trustees, officers and employees.

 

In the event of a mechanical breakdown or failure of communication or power supplies beyond its control, Fund Services shall take all reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions for any period that such interruption continues. Fund Services will make every reasonable effort to restore any lost or damaged data and correct any errors resulting from such a breakdown at the expense of Fund Services. Fund Services agrees that it shall, at all times, have reasonable business continuity and disaster recovery contingency plans with appropriate parties, making reasonable provision for emergency use of electrical data processing equipment to the extent appropriate equipment is available. Representatives of the Trust shall be entitled to inspect Fund Services’ premises and operating capabilities at any time during regular business hours of Fund Services, upon reasonable notice to Fund Services. Moreover, Fund Services shall provide the Trust, at such times as the Trust may reasonably require, copies of reports rendered by independent accountants on the internal controls and procedures of Fund Services relating to the services provided by Fund Services under this Agreement.

 

Notwithstanding the above, Fund Services reserves the right to reprocess and correct administrative errors at its own expense.

 

In no case shall either party be liable to the other for (i) any special, indirect or consequential damages, loss of profits or goodwill (even if advised of the possibility of such); (ii) any delay by reason of circumstances beyond its control, including acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, labor difficulties, fire, mechanical breakdown, flood or catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riots, or failure beyond its control of

 

  9  

 

 

transportation or power supply; or (iii) any claim that arose more than one year prior to the institution of suit therefor.

 

B. In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this section shall apply, it is understood that if in any case the indemnitor may be asked to indemnify or hold the indemnitee harmless, the indemnitor shall be fully and promptly advised of all pertinent facts concerning the situation in question, and it is further understood that the indemnitee will use all reasonable care to notify the indemnitor promptly concerning any situation that presents or appears likely to present the probability of a claim for indemnification. The indemnitor shall have the option to defend the indemnitee against any claim that may be the subject of this indemnification. In the event that the indemnitor so elects, it will so notify the indemnitee and thereupon the indemnitor shall take over complete defense of the claim, and the indemnitee shall in such situation initiate no further legal or other expenses for which it shall seek indemnification under this section. The indemnitee shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the indemnitor will be asked to indemnify the indemnitee except with the indemnitor’s prior written consent.

 

C. The indemnity and defense provisions set forth in this Section 9 shall indefinitely survive the termination and/or assignment of this Agreement.

 

D. If Fund Services is acting in another capacity for the Trust pursuant to a separate agreement, nothing herein shall be deemed to relieve Fund Services of any of its obligations in such other capacity.

 

10. Notification of Error

 

The Trust will notify Fund Services of any discrepancy between Fund Services and the Trust, including, but not limited to, failing to account for a security position in the Fund’s portfolio, upon the later to occur of: (i) three business days after receipt of any reports rendered by Fund Services to the Trust; (ii) three business days after discovery of any error or omission not covered in the balancing or control procedure; or (iii) three business days after receiving notice from any shareholder regarding any such discrepancy.

 

11. Data Necessary to Perform Services

 

The Trust or its agent shall furnish to Fund Services the data necessary to perform the services described herein at such times and in such form as mutually agreed upon.

 

  10  

 

 

12. Proprietary and Confidential Information

 

A. Fund Services agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, officers, and employees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Trust, all records and other information relative to the Trust and prior, present, or potential shareholders of the Trust (and clients of said shareholders), and not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, except (i) after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Trust, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where Fund Services may be exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply, (ii) when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities, or (iii) when so requested by the Trust. Records and other information which have become known to the public through no wrongful act of Fund Services or any of its employees, agents or representatives, and information that was already in the possession of Fund Services prior to receipt thereof from the Trust or its agent, shall not be subject to this paragraph.

 

Further, Fund Services will adhere to the privacy policies adopted by the Trust pursuant to Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, as may be modified from time to time. In this regard, Fund Services shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of, records and information relating to the Trust and its shareholders.

 

B. The Trust, on behalf of itself and its trustees, officers, and employees, will maintain the confidential and proprietary nature of the Data and agrees to protect it using the same efforts, but in no case less than reasonable efforts, that it uses to protect its own proprietary and confidential information.

 

13. Records

 

Fund Services shall keep records relating to the services to be performed hereunder in the form and manner, and for such period, as it may deem advisable and is agreeable to the Trust, but not inconsistent with the rules and regulations of appropriate government authorities, in particular, Section 31 of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. Fund Services agrees that all such records prepared or maintained by Fund Services relating to the services to be performed by Fund Services hereunder are the property of the Trust and will be preserved, maintained, and made available in accordance with such applicable sections and rules of the 1940 Act and

 

  11  

 

 

will be promptly surrendered to the Trust or its designee on and in accordance with its request.

 

14. Compliance with Laws

 

The Trust has and retains primary responsibility for all compliance matters relating to the Fund, including but not limited to compliance with the 1940 Act, the Code, the SOX Act, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the policies and limitations of the Fund relating to its portfolio investments as set forth in its current prospectus and statement of additional information. Fund Services hereunder shall not relieve the Trust of its responsibilities for assuring such compliance or the Board of Trustee’s oversight responsibility with respect thereto.

 

15. Term of Agreement; Amendment

 

This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above and will continue in effect for a period of three (3) years. This Agreement may be terminated by either party upon giving 90 days prior written notice to the other party or such shorter period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties. Subsequent to the end of the three (3) year period, this Agreement continues until one party gives 90 days prior written notice to the other party or such shorter notice period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated by any party upon the breach of the other party of any material term of this Agreement if such breach is not cured within 15 days of notice of such breach to the breaching party. This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except by written agreement executed by Fund Services and the Trust, and authorized or approved by the Board of Trustees.

 

16. Early Termination

 

In the absence of any material breach of this Agreement, should the Trust elect to terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the three (3) year term, the Trust agrees to pay the following fees:

 

a. all monthly fees through the life of the Agreement, including the repayment of any negotiated discounts;
b. all fees associated with converting services to successor service provider;
c. all fees associated with any record retention and/or tax reporting obligations that may not be eliminated due to the conversion to a successor service provider;
d. all miscellaneous costs associated with a.-c. above

 

  12  

 

 

17. Duties in the Event of Termination

 

In the event that, in connection with termination, a successor to any of Fund Services’ duties or responsibilities hereunder is designated by the Trust by written notice to Fund Services, Fund Services will promptly, upon such termination and at the expense of the Trust, transfer to such successor all relevant books, records, correspondence and other data established or maintained by Fund Services under this Agreement in a form reasonably acceptable to the Trust (if such form differs from the form in which Fund Services has maintained the same, the Trust shall pay any expenses associated with transferring the data to such form), and will cooperate in the transfer of such duties and responsibilities, including provision for assistance from Fund Services’ personnel in the establishment of books, records and other data by such successor. If no such successor is designated, then such books, records and other data shall be returned to the Trust.

 

18. Assignment

 

This Agreement shall extend to and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Trust without the written consent of Fund Services, or by Fund Services without the written consent of the Trust accompanied by the authorization or approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

 

19. Governing Law

 

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Wisconsin, without regard to conflicts of law principles. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Wisconsin, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control, and nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act or any rule or order of the SEC thereunder.

 

20. No Agency Relationship

 

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize or empower either party to act as agent for the other party to this Agreement, or to conduct business in the name, or for the account, of the other party to this Agreement.

 

21. Services Not Exclusive

 

Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict Fund Services from providing services to other parties that are similar or identical to some or all of the services provided hereunder.

 

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22. Invalidity

 

Any provision of this Agreement which may be determined by competent authority to be prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. In such case, the parties shall in good faith modify or substitute such provision consistent with the original intent of the parties.

 

23. Notices

 

Any notice required or permitted to be given by either party to the other shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given on the date delivered personally or by courier service, or three days after sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or on the date sent and confirmed received by facsimile transmission to the other party’s address set forth below:

 

Notice to Fund Services shall be sent to:

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Attn: President

 

and notice to the Trust shall be sent to:

 

TrimTabs ETF Trust

1345 Avenue of the Americas, 2 nd floor

New York, NY 10105

Attn: (INSERT)

 

24. Multiple Originals

 

This Agreement may be executed on two or more counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

[SIGNATURES ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE]

 

  14  

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date first above written.

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST   U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC
         
By:     By:  
         
Name:     Name: Michael R. McVoy
         
Title:     Title: Executive Vice President

 

  15  

 

 

Exhibit A to the Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement

 

Fund Names

 

Separate Series of TrimTabs ETF Trust

 

Name of Series  
TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF  
   
   
   

 

  16  

 

Exhibit (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

 

September 20, 2016

 

TrimTabs ETF Trust

1350 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 248

New York, NY 10019

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to TrimTabs ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “ Trust ”), in connection with Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 (the “ Post-Effective Amendment ”) to 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 September 20, 2016, registering an indefinite number of shares of beneficial interest in TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF (the “ Fund ”), 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 Post-Effective Amendment;

 

(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 Post-Effective Amendment, the establishment and designation of the Fund 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 the 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

 

September 20, 2016

 

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 Post-Effective Amendment, when issued and paid for by the purchasers upon the terms described in the Post-Effective Amendment 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 Post-Effective Amendment. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission in connection with the Post-Effective Amendment 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 (m)(ii)

 

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%
TrimTabs Float Shrink 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 (p)(iv)

 

 

Introduction

 

This General Code of Ethics & Insider Trading Policy applies to Employees, Associated Persons, and Registered Representatives (RRs) of Quasar who are not covered by their employers’ codes of ethics. This generally refers to Quasar employees and affiliated RRs, typically termed “Non-Access Persons.”

 

Access Persons will also comply with the Code of Ethics for Access Persons. “Access Person” means any director or officer of the Underwriter who in the ordinary course of his or her business makes, participates in, or obtains information regarding the purchase or sale of securities for a Fund or whose functions or duties as part of the ordinary course of his or her business relate to the making of any recommendation to a Fund regarding the purchase or sale of securities.

 

Insider Trading Introduction

 

The federal prohibition against insider trading stems from the general antifraud provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”) and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The Insider Trading and Securities Fraud Enforcement Act of 1988 amended both these acts by adding specific provisions designed to detect and deter insider trading and to impose stiff sanctions upon violators and persons who “control” violators, such as employers and supervisors.

 

The Act requires all Broker/Dealers to establish, maintain, and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent misuse of material nonpublic information by their employees or Associated Persons. The Act also imposes liability upon “controlling persons,” i.e. employers such as the bank, parent companies, and individual supervisors if the controlling person knew of, or recklessly disregarded, the fact that the “controlled person” was likely to engage in the misuse of material inside information and failed to take appropriate steps to prevent it.

 

The purpose of this policy statement is to establish (1) guidelines for Quasar RRs and Associated Persons to prevent insider trading, (2) procedures to detect insider trading, and (3) a basis for disciplining RRs and Associated Persons who violate this policy statement.

 

Definition of Inside Information

 

Federal and state securities laws make it unlawful for any person to trade or recommend trading in securities on the basis of material and nonpublic, or “inside,” information.

 

Whether the information is nonpublic rarely presents a difficult question. The information is public if it has been disseminated generally to the marketplace through publication, such as a press release regarding merger negotiations or a reference in a financial publications, or is available to the marketplace generally through other sources.

 

Whether information is material is a more difficult question. Generally speaking, information is material if it is information that a reasonable investor would likely consider important in making a decision to buy, sell, or hold securities. For example, information is likely to be material if it relates to significant changes affecting such matters as dividends, earnings estimates, write-downs of assets or additions to reserves for bad debts or contingent liabilities, the expansion or curtailment of operations, proposals or agreements involving a merger, acquisition, divestiture or leveraged buyout, new products or discoveries, major litigation, liquidity problems, extraordinary management developments, public offerings, changes of debt ratings, issuer tender offers, or recapitalization.

 

For purposes of compliance with this policy statement, any nonpublic information should be presumed to be material unless the Associated Person or RR has been advised otherwise by the Compliance Department. In cases of doubt as to whether nonpublic information is material, contact the Compliance Department.

 

  1

 

 

Misuse of Inside Information

 

The misuse of inside information constitutes fraud. Misuse includes the purchase or sale of a security based upon such inside information for any account over which an Associated Person or RR has control, the account of a client, or the account of any other person supplied inside information by the Associated Person or RR.

 

Persons guilty of misusing inside information are subject to civil and criminal penalties (including imprisonment), SEC administrative actions, and discipline by the various securities industry self-regulatory organizations. RRs and other Associated Persons who misuse inside information are also subject to immediate sanction by Quasar including termination of employment and registration.

 

Given the potentially severe consequences of a wrong decision, any person who is uncertain as to whether any information he or she possesses is inside information should contact the Compliance Department for advice rather than relying on his or her own judgment or interpretation.

 

Prohibiting Misuse of Inside Information

 

Those in possession of inside information must preserve the confidentiality of such information and abstain from trading until the inside information is disclosed and made public. It is the policy of Quasar that:

 

· No RR or Associated Person, while in possession of inside information relevant to a security, shall purchase or sell, or recommend or direct the purchase or sale of, such security for the account of his or her employer, a client, or anyone else.

 

· No RR or Associated Person shall use inside information to purchase or sell securities for his or her own account, any account in which he or she has a direct or indirect beneficial interest (including accounts for family members), or any other account over which he or she has trading authority, discretion, or power of attorney.

 

· No RR or Associated Person shall disclose inside information to any outside person without the authorization of the Compliance Department.

 

· Any RR or Associated Person who obtains inside information which is later disclosed to the general public must allow sufficient time to elapse for the investing public to assimilate and evaluate the information before taking any action on the basis of the disclosed facts. If there are any questions about what constitutes sufficient time under the particular circumstances, contact the Compliance Department.

 

These prohibitions apply not only to the securities of issuers to which the inside information is directly related but also to any other securities (for example, securities of companies in the same industry) that may reasonably be expected to be affected by a public disclosure of the inside information.

 

Prevention of Insider Trading

 

To prevent insider trading, the Registration Department will:

 

· Conduct an annual education program, in most cases concurrent with the annual compliance meeting, to familiarize Associated Persons and RRs with the policies and procedures prohibiting insider trading

 

· Present new RRs and Associated Persons these policies and procedures

 

· Answer questions regarding the policies and procedures prohibiting insider trading

 

· Receive a written certification from all RRs and Associated Persons stating that they have received and reviewed the polices and procedures, understand them, and agree to abide by them

 

  2

 

 

· Review on a regular basis and update as necessary the polices and procedures regarding insider trading

 

· Resolve, with the assistance of the Law Department if necessary, whether information received by an RR or Associated Person is material and nonpublic

 

· When it is determined that an RR or Associated Person has material, nonpublic information, implement measures to prevent dissemination of such information and, if necessary, restrict such persons from trading the securities of the issuer to which the information relates

 

Detection of Insider Trading

 

All Associated Persons and RRs are required to notify the Registration Department of all “personal and related brokerage accounts” held at a Broker-Dealer, a financial advisor, or trust company. In addition, all RRs must notify Quasar prior to opening or placing an initial order in a personal or related brokerage account with another Broker-Dealer and notify the executing Broker-Dealer of their association with Quasar. RRs are prohibited from engaging in private securities transactions without providing prior written notification to Quasar Registration .

 

Quasar RR Employees, Associated Persons and Affiliates will adhere to Quasar’s Quarterly Disclosure Requirements with regard to personal securities transactions. All RRs and Associated Persons of Quasar are required to complete, sign, and return the Personal Securities Transactions form each quarter within 20 days following quarter end. This form is located at the end of this section. This is required even if there are no reportable transactions.

 

Excluded from this requirement are transactions in Mutual Funds and U.S. Government or federal agency obligations. Transactions in mutual funds and election percent changes in 401(k) plans will be exempt as well as automated payroll deductions/contributions to an employee's 401(k) or other automated contributions to a mutual fund after-tax savings plan (AIP, or Automatic Investment Plan).

 

The reporting requirements apply to (1) the Associated Person's or RR's own accounts, (2) accounts of the Associated Person's or RR's spouse, children, or other relative who receives financial support from the employee, and (3) any accounts over which the Associated Person, RR, or his or her spouse exercises control or investment influence.

 

The Registration Coordinators are responsible for emailing and tracking the Personal Securities Transaction forms for Quasar RR employees, Associated Persons, and affiliates at the beginning of each new quarter. If there were transactions, the recipient is required to list the acquisitions and dispositions for the previous quarter and certify that they are listing all transactions executed for the stated quarter for the accounts in which they have a beneficial interest. Once received, the Registration Coordinator will verify the forms were completed correctly and signed prior to submitting them to Quasar’s CCO for review. Quasar’s CCO will report any unusually large or questionable transactions to Quasar’s President and, if required, U.S. Bancorp Fund Service’s CCO. All Quasar RRs are non-access persons, which greatly limits the potential for insider trading.

 

Registered Personnel who are employees of Investment Advisors/Fund Companies are required to be covered by their employers’ respective codes of ethics and must sign a certification substantiating that fact. The Investment Advisor/Fund Company is also required to sign a certification form.

 

Personal and related brokerage accounts apply to (1) the Associated Person's or RR's own accounts, (2) accounts of the Associated Person's or RR's spouse, children, or other relative who receives financial support from the employee, and (3) any accounts over which the Associated Person, RR, or his or her spouse exercises control or investment influence.

 

  3

 

 

Employees, Associated Persons, and RRs must bring overall ethical and professional behavior to the job. All employees are responsible for monitoring and enforcing our Code of Ethics. The discovery of any questionable, fraudulent or illegal activities, offers, or transactions in violation of Quasar’s guidelines should be reported to either the Compliance Principal or the President. Any violation of any part of Quasar’s Code of Ethics may result in corrective action up to and including termination.

 

Quasar’s Code of Ethics is intended to ensure a climate conducive to openness and integrity. It serves to prevent breaches of ethical actions and to provide a framework for fairness. It is formed from the following beliefs:

 

Honesty and Candor in All Activities

Quasar’s business is based on mutual trust and absolute honesty in all affairs, both internal and external. This philosophy must be respected at all times and throughout both personal and corporate behavior.

 

Quasar’s business demands personal candor and openness by all. Complete candor with our legal counsel, auditors, compliance staff, and comptroller is essential. We expect of everyone the frankness and objectivity that lead to the earliest identification of real or potential, small or large problems. Any concealment of information for whatever reason is a violation of this Code and may result in corrective action up to and including termination. The honesty of all employees, Associated Persons, and RRs in all matters must be constantly encouraged and reinforced.

 

Gifts and Non-Cash Compensation

Directors, officers, employees, Associated Persons, RRs, and members of their families shall not solicit nor allow themselves to be solicited or accept gifts, entertainment, or other gratuities intended to or appearing to influence decisions or favors toward Quasar’s business. Gifts with a value not exceeding the aggregate of $100 per calendar year, reasonable entertainment, and other accommodations may be accepted if offered and accepted in goodwill only and not as a return for special treatment by Quasar.

 

Quasar RRs may not give or receive any gift, gratuity, or anything of value that exceeds the aggregate of $100 per year to any firm or person if such gift is in relation to the business of the recipient’s employer. RRs are required to report all non-promotional gifts received or given to Quasar Registration for inclusion on Quasar’s gift log. RRs should send an email to quasarrr@usbank.com and clearly identify if a gift was given or received, to or from whom, the gift’s value, and any other relevant information.

 

Non-Cash Compensation is defined by FINRA as any form of compensation received in connection with the sale and distribution of investment company securities that is not cash compensation, including but not limited to merchandise, gifts and prizes, travel expenses, meals, and lodging.

 

FINRA prohibits a member firm or Associated Person from directly or indirectly accepting or making payments of any non-cash compensation, subject to specified exceptions.

 

The exceptions permit:

 

· Gifts that do not exceed an annual amount per person fixed by the FINRA Board of Governors (currently $100) and are not preconditioned on achievement of a sales target
· An occasional meal, a ticket to a sporting event or the theater, or comparable entertainment which is neither so frequent nor so extensive as to raise any question of propriety and is not preconditioned on achievement of a sales target
· Payment or reimbursement by “offerors” (product issuers, advisers, underwriters and their affiliates) in connection with training or education meetings, subject to certain conditions, including meeting location restrictions and not preconditioning attendance on achievement of a sales target

 

Other Payments and Uses of Vendor Resources

Payments that include fees and commissions are an integral part of business activity. We regularly engage the service of vendors, as well as lawyers, consultants, and other professionals. While selection for performance of a specific service may involve a degree of subjectivity, the choice should always be predicated on quality, competence, competitive price and service, customer relationship, and evidence of the same standards of integrity demanded by this Code.

 

  4

 

 

In all cases Quasar shall compete for business only on the basis of the quality and price of our services and to meet our customers' needs today and over time. At no time shall any employee enter into any payment or other arrangement that violates this statement, lowers our ethical standards, or could conceivably bring disrepute to Quasar. Gifts, monetary payments, loans, lavish entertainment, or other values or favors made to or received from vendors or other outside parties in exchange for business or influence of any kind are strictly prohibited.

 

Commitments

Employees, Associated Persons, and RRs shall not make actual or apparent commitments, formally or informally, or on behalf of Quasar without appropriate authorization in accordance with approved procedures. Approved commitments within the scope of one's authority should be properly documented and retained.

 

Compliance

All are expected to comply with all state and federal laws and regulations that apply to Quasar’s business. When laws or regulations seem unclear or ambiguous, individuals should consult Quasar’s CCO or President for further clarification. In addition, all must never violate or fail to comply with Quasar’s established policies or procedures. Records should be kept accurate.

 

Form U-4 Updates/Amendments

Quasar RRs shall notify Quasar Registration, in writing or via email, of any changes or amendments to the information listed on Form U-4. This information includes but is not limited to:

 

· Name
· Home Address
· Activities away from the firm (outside business)
· Incidents involving the need to be fingerprinted such as misdemeanor or felony charges
· Disciplinary actions by securities regulators or other parties
· Customer complaints
· Investigations or actions by securities regulators or other parties
· Insurance, attorney, accountant, or federal contractor license suspension or revocation

 

Upon receipt, the Compliance Principal or Administrator will electronically amend Form U-4 to reflect the updated information. A copy of Form U-4 will be emailed to the RR or Rep Contact.

 

Integrity in Decision-Making and Use of Resources

The nature of Quasar’s business provides opportunities that can be developed through integrity in personal and professional business practices. Quasar is accountable to a number of constituencies – its clients, employees, Associated Persons, RRs, government agencies, the communities it serves, and the general public.

 

All must treat our resources, including Quasar’s name, with the respect befitting a valuable asset. All should never use them in ways that could be interpreted as imprudent, improper, or for personal gain.

 

Political Contributions

Individuals are encouraged to participate in political activities of their choosing, individually and on their own time. This participation is completely voluntary, however, and no individual political effort shall be reimbursed or compensated by Quasar.

 

Financial Responsibility

Quasar’s employees', Associated Persons’, and RRs’ personal financial matters should be handled with prudence at all times. RRs are prohibited from borrowing from customers (other than financial institutions) and suppliers.

 

Transactions by Employee/Other Insiders in the Securities of US Bancorp ( Quasar’s parent company)

US Bancorp recognizes the special interest that employees and other insiders may have in owning its securities. US Bancorp is aware of the unique responsibilities arising from the employment relationship relative to such transactions. US Bancorp’s policy requires that all purchases of US Bancorp securities generally be made for long-term investment purposes and that no employee may trade in any US Bancorp securities while in possession of material nonpublic information about US Bancorp. Employees and other insiders should contact the Legal Department regarding any questions.

 

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Maintaining Confidentiality

It is essential that all employees maintain a professional standard of conduct that assures confidentiality of privileged information and relationships between Quasar and its customers. Confidential information regarding customers and/or employee-related information should not be discussed except in the normal transaction of business.

 

The use of any information stemming from your employment shall be restricted to that which is absolutely necessary for legitimate and proper business purposes of Quasar. Externally, all should protect the privacy of our customer. A random remark with family, friends, or acquaintances can form the basis for misinterpretation or otherwise violate the integrity of our customer relationships. Also, information about how Quasar runs its business (such as strategic plans, our people, and our products) or other nonpublic information about our company or its customers must be treated with utmost discretion.

 

Individuals shall not hold discussions or enter into arrangements with competitors regarding competitive policies or other nonpublic information about Quasar. Individuals with doubts about the propriety of any such discussion should consult a member of management.

 

Proprietary Information

While at Quasar, employees, Associated Persons, and RRs may produce, develop, and/or have access to information, ideas, inventions, techniques, processes, computer software, "know-how," materials, programs, reports, studies, records, data, customer lists, customer information, trade secrets, and other information not generally available to the public regarding Quasar and all related entities, their customers, prospective customers, and other third parties (collectively "Proprietary Information"). The Proprietary Information may be original, duplicated, computerized, memorized, handwritten, or in another form. This information (whether developed or produced by an employee, Associated Person, or RR, or provided to said persons by Quasar or a customer or other third party) is entrusted to said persons as representatives of Quasar. Employees, Associated Persons, and RRs may not use, duplicate or remove any Proprietary Information except for the sole purpose of conducting business on behalf of Quasar. All records, files, documents and other Proprietary Information employees prepare, use, or come into contact with shall remain Quasar's property. Because it is unique and cannot be lawfully duplicated or easily acquired, this information is Quasar's property with trade secret status and protection. Employees, Associated Persons, and RRs cannot use, divulge, or disclose Proprietary Information to any third party. Under no circumstances should an employee, Associated Person, or RR reveal or permit this information to become known by any competitor of Quasar, either during or after employment. Employees, Associated Persons, and RRs are expected to use reasonable care to prevent the disclosure or destruction of Proprietary Information which they possess or use. If employment with Quasar is terminated, individuals must return all Proprietary Information.

 

Employees are paid to work for Quasar and may be using Quasar’s facilities and equipment to develop Proprietary Information. As a condition of employment, all employees acknowledge and agree that Proprietary Information is Quasar’s sole property, disclaim any rights and interests in any Proprietary Information, and assign these rights to Quasar. Additionally, all employees agree to immediately disclose all Proprietary Information to Quasar.

 

Quasar customer lists and other customer and/or employee information are to be treated as highly confidential in all cases. This information may not be disclosed to any third party or used for any purpose other than performance of job duties for Quasar either during or after employment. Unauthorized use or duplication of customer lists and other information (including copies in electronic form) is expressly forbidden. Employees may not solicit customers for any other person or entity either during or after employment with Quasar without the express written consent of Quasar’s President.

 

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Conflict of Interest/ Outside Employment Activities

Quasar’s employees, Associated Persons, and RRs may not engage in any employment or activity which is in direct competition with Quasar. RRs must also notify Quasar Registration to update their Forms U-4 prior to participating in any outside business.

 

Quasar encourages participation in civic affairs including service with constructive and legitimate for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. There are cases, however, in which organizations have business relationships with Quasar or in which the handling of confidential information might result in a conflict of interest. As a result, to avoid potential conflicts of interest, no officer or employee may serve as an official, director, or trustee of any for-profit or not-for-profit enterprise without obtaining approval from the Compliance Officer or President.

 

Fairness in Quasar’s Dealings with All

No employee, Associated Person, or RR shall discriminate against fellow employees or customers on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by law.

 

Internally, this means maintaining high standards in our employment practices. Quasar is proud of its standards in such areas as affirmative action, work environment, fair salary administration, benefits, and training opportunities. Quasar’s goal is to treat fellow employees with respect, consideration, and understanding. Quasar’s intention is to foster a climate conducive to a high level of performance through full communication at all levels. We encourage the open discussion of job-related problems and prompt resolution of those problems.

 

Externally, all must treat customers, potential customers, vendors, and the communities Quasar serves with equal respect. This demands fair and courteous service as well as ethical business conduct and compliance with all laws and regulations. As employees of a customer-driven institution, all have the responsibility to always act in ways that reflect favorably on Quasar. Quasar is legally precluded from doing anything that might be construed as an unauthorized practice of law. Employees, Associated Persons, and RRs should refrain from offering any advice for which they lack professional qualifications.

 

Fairness and openness in Quasar’s dealings demand the development, encouragement, and maintenance of a positive attitude toward ethical behavior, one important dimension of which is an open appreciation of diversity. It is absolutely essential for all to value and respect differences among the people with whom they interact daily. When all are able to manage effectively their reaction to diversity, they can be more successful in identifying and meeting customer needs, developing effective work relationships, and capitalizing on teamwork, thereby increasing productivity. All must be compelled to conduct their day-to-day business with the highest standards of integrity, and all must devote their complete efforts to successfully performing their jobs to ensure the attainment of their goals and objectives. It is in this spirit that all at Quasar are expected to act.

 

Solicitation

Quasar prohibits distribution or solicitation of literature to employees in working areas as well as while employees are on work time. Non-employees are prohibited from distributing materials or soliciting employees on Quasar property at any time. Company equipment, email, voice mail, bulletin boards, and any other company property may not be used for solicitation purposes. Exceptions that may exist are United Way, the Fine Arts Fund, Political Action Committee, and any other approved corporate sponsored events.

 

Access Persons

As stated at the beginning of this section, Access Persons are expected to comply, not only with this, the Quasar General Code of Ethics, but also with the Code of Ethics for Access Persons – a copy will be provided upon request.

 

Questions or concerns regarding these issues should be directed to the Quasar Compliance.

 

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