UNITED STATES 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-CSR

 

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED 

MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

 

Investment Company Act file number 811-22894

 

INVESTMENT MANAGERS SERIES TRUST II 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

235 W. Galena Street 

Milwaukee, WI 53212 

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

Constance Dye Shannon 

UMB Fund Services, Inc. 

235 W. Galena Street 

Milwaukee, WI 53212 

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

(414) 299-2295 

Registrant's telephone number, including area code

 

Date of fiscal year end: December 31

 

Date of reporting period: December 31, 2019

 

 

Item 1. Report to Stockholders.

 

The registrant’s annual report transmitted to shareholders pursuant to Rule 30e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), is as follows:

 

  (GRAPHIC)

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund 

(Institutional Class: KESGX)

 

ANNUAL REPORT

December 31, 2019

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Fund’s shareholder reports like this one will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Fund, if you hold your shares directly with the Fund, or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank, if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. If you hold your shares directly with the Fund, you may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically by contacting the Fund at (877) 882-8825 or, if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary, contacting your financial intermediary.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you hold your shares directly with the Fund, you can inform the Funds that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports at (877) 882-8825 or, if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary, contacting your financial intermediary. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all of the Investment Managers Series Trust II’s Funds you hold directly or through your financial intermediary, as applicable. 

 

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund 

A series of Investment Managers Series Trust II

 

Table of Contents

 

Shareholder Letter 1
Fund Performance 3
Schedule of Investments 4
Statement of Assets and Liabilities 9
Statement of Operations 10
Statement of Changes in Net Assets 11
Financial Highlights 12
Notes to Financial Statements 13
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 19
Supplemental Information 20
Expense Example 23

 

This report and the financial statements contained herein are provided for the general information of the shareholders of the Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund. This report is not authorized for distribution to prospective investors in the Fund unless preceded or accompanied by an effective prospectus.

 

www.kennedycapital.com 

 

 

(LOGO)  

 

Executive Summary

 

The Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap fund launched on June 28th, 2019, and the following commentary is based upon the performance of the fund from the inception date through the end of 2019. The fund returned 8.83% (net of fees) over this period, outperforming the Russell 2500™ benchmark by 169 basis points (bps) while delivering on our stated Environmental, Social, and Governance priorities in the stock selection and portfolio construction process. The portfolio is fossil fuel free, has significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions in comparison to the benchmark, and has no exposure to the producers of tobacco, civil firearms, or controversial weapons. The portfolio has broad exposure across the growth-to-value style spectrum, with modest under- and over-weight positioning across sectors. Stock selection, particularly within the Information Technology and Health Care sectors, was the primary driver of the outperformance in the second half of 2019.

 

Strategy Overview

 

We seek to outperform the Russell 2500™ Index, while optimizing the portfolio for ESG considerations. Our approach to stock selection and portfolio construction is both inclusionary and exclusionary in nature. The inclusionary component of our process is based on identifying small and mid-cap companies that leverage an environmental advantage or offer a solution to a societal problem as part of the company’s product or service offerings. We also consider each investment candidate’s governance framework and greenhouse gas emissions as part of our analysis. The exclusionary component of our process results in a portfolio that is fossil fuel free, and has no exposure to producers of tobacco, civil firearms, or controversial weapons. The end result is a portfolio with exposure to many compelling societal and environmental trends, a significantly lower carbon footprint, and favorable governance characteristics.

 

Performance Review

 

There was unusually strong breadth of performance in the SMID cap universe during the second half of 2019, with 10 out of the 11 sectors in the Russell 2500™ achieving positive returns. The Energy sector, which represents 2.7% of the benchmark, was the only sector that declined during this time period. The ESG SMID Cap Fund returned 8.83% (net of fees) in the second half of 2019, compared to a 7.14% return for the Russell 2500™. The outperformance was primarily driven by stock selection in the Information Technology and Health Care sectors, which more than offset unfavorable performance in the Materials and Industrials sectors.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For the most recent month-end performance, please call (833) 737-7788.

 

Portfolio Characteristics and Positioning

 

As of 12/31/19 the ESG SMID Cap fund had weighted average carbon emissions (reported and estimated) of roughly 60,000 metric tons – this is a 91% reduction from the weighted average emissions of the benchmark. The portfolio had zero carbon reserves, while the benchmark had reserves that equate to over 450 million metric tons of potential future emissions. The weighted average governance score of the portfolio (based on Institutional Shareholder Services’ Quality Score metric) was 3.6 compared with 4.7 for the Russell 2500®, or 23% more attractive (lower score is better).

 

 

10829 Olive Boulevard, Suite 100, St. Louis, MO 63141 www.kennedycapital.com (314) 432 – 0400

1

 

(LOGO)  

 

Sector weightings in the portfolio are determined based on where we see the most compelling stock ideas, and are not driven by a top down forecast or macroeconomic model. As of 12/31/19, the portfolio was modestly overweight the Information Technology and Health Care sectors, and underweight Communication Services and Materials. The Information Technology weighting includes exposure across the hardware, software, and services subsectors, while our Health Care holdings cover a broad set of applications and end markets.

 

Outlook

 

There are several uncertainties in the current outlook for small and mid-cap U.S. equities in 2020. The presidential election, trade war with China, and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East all have the potential to impact both investors’ risk appetite and business fundamentals across several sectors of the economy. These and other factors are unpredictable, and we consider their influence on our companies on a case-by-case basis as part of the fundamental analysis performed on each stock we assess for inclusion in the ESG SMID Cap Fund.

 

In an unpredictable economic backdrop, we see a high degree of interest and momentum in ESG investing in general. Companies continue to pursue ways to differentiate themselves vs. competitors based on attributes that often have an ESG-related component. Improving energy efficiency, promoting diversity and inclusion, and reducing a company’s carbon footprint are just a few examples of priorities for many constituents of our investable universe. In addition, investors are increasingly seeking to align their investment portfolios with their own values. We believe the generational wealth transfer that will occur over the coming decades will only drive more interest and alignment with ESG considerations as part of the investment process. We view this long term backdrop as being attractive for our approach to ESG investing in the SMID Cap space.

 

We remain confident in our ability to construct a portfolio with attractive ESG characteristics that strives to deliver relative investment outperformance over the long term. As always, we appreciate the confidence you place in our team.

 

Sincerely, 

(SIGNATURE)  

Christian McDonald 

Portfolio Manager

 

The views in this letter were as of December 31, 2019 and may not necessarily reflect the same views on the date this letter is first published or any time thereafter. These views are intended to help shareholders in understanding the fund’s investment methodology and do not constitute investment advice.

 

Important Information: There can be no guarantee that any strategy (risk management or otherwise) will be successful All investing involves risk, including potential loss of principal. Equity securities (stocks) are generally more volatile and carry more risk than fixed income securities (bonds) and money market investments. The net asset value per share of the ESG SMID Cap fund (the Fund) will fluctuate as the value of the securities in the portfolio changes. Common stocks, and funds investing in common stocks, generally provide greater returns over long time periods than fixed income securities. The Fund is comprised primarily of equity securities and is subject to market risk. Stocks may decline due to general market and economic conditions or due to company specific circumstances. The Fund is comprised of small-mid capitalization (“SMID cap”) stocks. SMID cap stocks typically carry additional risk, since smaller companies generally have a higher risk of failure, and historically have experienced a greater degree of volatility. ESG criteria may affect the Fund’s exposure to risks associated with certain issuers, industries and sectors, which may impact the Fund’s investment performance. The Fund may forgo some market opportunities available to funds that do not use these criteria. Small-mid capitalization companies generally have a greater risk of failure, and their stocks generally have greater volatility than large companies.

 

10829 Olive Boulevard, Suite 100, St. Louis, MO 63141 www.kennedycapital.com (314) 432 – 0400

2

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund 

FUND PERFORMANCE at December 31, 2019 (Unaudited)

 

 

(GRAPHIC)  

 

This graph compares a hypothetical $50,000 investment in the Fund’s Institutional Class shares, made at its inception, with a similar investment in the Russell 2500™ Index. Results include the reinvestment of all dividends and capital gains.

 

Russell 2500™ Index measures the performance of the small to mid-cap segment of the U.S. equity universe, commonly referred to as “smid” cap. The index does not reflect expenses, fees, or sales charge, which would lower performance. The index is unmanaged and it is not available for investment.

 

Total Returns as of December 31, 2019

3 Months

(Actual)

6 Months

(Actual)

Since Inception

(Cumulative)

Inception Date
Institutional Class 10.94% 8.83% 8.83% 06/28/19
Russell 2500™ Index 8.54% 7.14% 7.14% 06/28/19

 

The performance data quoted here represents past performance and past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance information quoted. The most recent month end performance may be obtained by calling (877) 882-8825. The Fund has been in existence for less than one year; cumulative performance may not be indicative of the Fund’s long -term potential. The Fund returns will fluctuate over long and short-term period. Periods over one year are annualized.

 

Gross and net expense ratios for the Fund’s Institutional Class shares were 1.36% and 0.82%, respectively, which were the amounts stated in the current prospectus dated June 28, 2019. For the Fund’s current period ended December 31, 2019 expense ratios, please refer to the Financial Highlights section of this report. The Fund’s advisor has contractually agreed to waive fees and/or pay for operating expenses of the Fund to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed 0.82% of the average daily net assets of Institutional Class shares of the Fund. This agreement is in effect until June 30, 2020, and it may be terminated before that date only by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. In the absence of such waivers, the Fund’s returns would be lower.

 

Returns reflect the reinvestment of distributions made by the Fund, if any. The graph and the performance table above do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

3

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

As of December 31, 2019

 

 

Number 
of Shares
        Value  
        COMMON STOCKS — 98.8%        
        CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY — 11.4%        
  71     America's Car-Mart, Inc.*   $ 7,786  
  270     Aramark     11,718  
  101     Bright Horizons Family Solutions, Inc.*     15,179  
  251     Brunswick Corp.     15,055  
  807     Callaway Golf Co.     17,109  
  296     Hooker Furniture Corp.     7,604  
  447     LKQ Corp.*     15,958  
  84     Pool Corp.     17,840  
  102     PVH Corp.     10,725  
  262     Service Corp. International     12,060  
  223     ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc.*     8,621  
  41     Vail Resorts, Inc.     9,833  
  139     Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc.     8,731  
              158,219  
        CONSUMER STAPLES — 2.4%        
  580     BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.*     13,189  
  98     Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc.     8,431  
  286     U.S. Foods Holding Corp.*     11,981  
              33,601  
        ENERGY — 1.1%        
  266     DMC Global, Inc.     11,954  
  246     Oil States International, Inc.*     4,012  
              15,966  
        FINANCIALS — 15.3%        
  512     Amalgamated Bank - Class A     9,958  
  106     American Financial Group, Inc.     11,623  
  175     Axis Capital Holdings, Ltd.1      10,402  
  381     Cannae Holdings, Inc.*     14,169  
  535     ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc.     13,760  
  803     First Horizon National Corp.     13,298  
  130     Globe Life, Inc.     13,683  
  151     LPL Financial Holdings, Inc.     13,930  
  320     PacWest Bancorp     12,246  
  91     Reinsurance Group of America, Inc.     14,839  
  58     SVB Financial Group*     14,560  
  1,202     Valley National Bancorp     13,763  
  262     Voya Financial, Inc.     15,977  
  174     Walker & Dunlop, Inc.     11,254  
  259     Western Alliance Bancorp     14,763  
  197     Wintrust Financial Corp.     13,967  
              212,192  

4

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS - Continued

As of December 31, 2019

 

 

Number  
of Shares
        Value  
        COMMON STOCKS (Continued)        
        HEALTH CARE — 15.7%        
  265     AMN Healthcare Services Inc*   $ 16,512  
  117     Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co., Ltd.*,1      6,369  
  152     BioTelemetry, Inc.*     7,038  
  163     Bruker Corp.     8,308  
  90     Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.*     13,748  
  313     Cutera, Inc.*     11,208  
  112     Emergent BioSolutions, Inc.*     6,042  
  225     Encompass Health Corp.     15,586  
  266     Globus Medical, Inc., Class A*     15,662  
  309     Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc.*     5,479  
  106     Hill–Rom Holdings, Inc.     12,034  
  92     ICON PLC*,1      15,845  
  74     ICU Medical, Inc.*     13,847  
  56     Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*     5,840  
  81     LivaNova PLC*,1      6,110  
  223     Omnicell, Inc.*     18,224  
  428     Premier, Inc. - Class A*     16,213  
  35     Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. - Class A*     7,155  
  111     West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.     16,687  
              217,907  
        INDUSTRIALS — 17.1%        
  48     Acuity Brands, Inc.     6,624  
  145     Brink's Co.     13,149  
  203     Chart Industries, Inc.*     13,700  
  426     Columbus McKinnon Corp.     17,053  
  295     Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc.*     10,821  
  106     Generac Holdings, Inc.*     10,662  
  669     Harsco Corp.*     15,394  
  94     Hexcel Corp.     6,891  
  409     Hillenbrand, Inc.     13,624  
  106     IDEX Corp.     18,232  
  115     John Bean Technologies Corp.     12,956  
  73     Kadant, Inc.     7,690  
  253     Mercury Systems, Inc.*     17,485  
  72     Nordson Corp.     11,724  
  67     Teledyne Technologies, Inc.*     23,218  
  953     Titan Machinery, Inc.*     14,085  
  103     United Rentals, Inc.*     17,177  
  47     Valmont Industries, Inc.     7,040  
              237,525  
        INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY — 19.0%        
  173     Cognex Corp.     9,695  
  47     Coherent, Inc.*     7,819  

5

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS - Continued

As of December 31, 2019

 

 

Number 
of Shares
        Value  
        COMMON STOCKS (Continued)        
        INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (Continued)        
  86     Euronet Worldwide, Inc.*   $ 13,550  
  101     Everbridge, Inc.*     7,886  
  141     FARO Technologies, Inc.*     7,099  
  669     FireEye, Inc.*     11,059  
  253     FLIR Systems, Inc.     13,174  
  1,144     Infinera Corp.*     9,083  
  191     LivePerson, Inc.*     7,067  
  117     Lumentum Holdings, Inc.*     9,278  
  410     Marvell Technology Group Ltd.1      10,890  
  848     ON Semiconductor Corp.*     20,674  
  63     Paylocity Holding Corp.*     7,612  
  404     Perficient, Inc.*     18,612  
  189     PROS Holdings, Inc.*     11,325  
  236     SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc.     14,490  
  107     SYNNEX Corp.     13,782  
  380     Trimble, Inc.*     15,842  
  53     Tyler Technologies, Inc.*     15,901  
  984     Unisys Corp.*     11,670  
  140     ViaSat, Inc.*     10,247  
  268     WNS Holdings Ltd. ADR*,1      17,728  
              264,483  
        MATERIALS — 3.2%        
  101     Albemarle Corp.     7,377  
  169     Ingevity Corp.*     14,767  
  126     Minerals Technologies, Inc.     7,262  
  130     Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.     15,569  
              44,975  
        REAL ESTATE — 10.6%        
  334     American Campus Communities, Inc. - REIT     15,708  
  374     Americold Realty Trust - REIT     13,112  
  890     Brandywine Realty Trust - REIT     14,017  
  113     CyrusOne, Inc. - REIT     7,394  
  463     Duke Realty Corp., REIT     16,052  
  237     Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. - REIT     7,627  
  98     Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc.     17,061  
  101     Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc., REIT     13,318  
  160     Ryman Hospitality Properties Inc     13,866  
  420     STAG Industrial, Inc. - REIT     13,259  
  106     Sun Communities, Inc. - REIT     15,911  
              147,325  
        UTILITIES — 3.0%        
  296     Aqua America, Inc.     13,894  

6

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS - Continued

As of December 31, 2019

 

 

Number 
of Shares
        Value  
        COMMON STOCKS (Continued)        
        UTILITIES (Continued)        
  336     California Water Service Group   $ 17,324  
  128     Spire, Inc.     10,664  
              41,882  
        TOTAL COMMON STOCKS        
        (Cost $1,260,868)     1,374,075  

 

Principal
Amount
           
      SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 3.2%      
$ 44,116     UMB Money Market Fiduciary, 0.25%2      44,116  
        TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS        
        (Cost $44,116)     44,116  
                 
        TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 102.0%        
        (Cost $1,304,984)     1,418,191  
        Liabilities In Excess Of Other Assets — (2.0)%     (28,408 )
        NET ASSETS — 100.0%   $ 1,389,783  

 

PLC – Public Limited Company 

ADR – American Depository Receipt

REIT – Real Estate Investment Trusts 

 

* Non-income producing security.
1  Foreign security denominated in U.S. Dollars.
2  The rate is the annualized seven-day yield at period end.

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

7

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

SUMMARY OF INVESTMENTS

As of December 31, 2019

 

 

Security Type/Sector

Percent of Total 

Net Assets 

Common Stocks  
Information Technology 19.0%
Industrials 17.1%
Health Care 15.7%
Financials 15.3%
Consumer Discretionary 11.4%
Real Estate 10.6%
Materials 3.2%
Utilities 3.0%
Consumer Staples 2.4%
Energy 1.1%
Total Common Stocks 98.8%
Short-Term Investments 3.2%
Total Investments 102.0%
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets (2.0)%
Total Net Assets 100.0%

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

8

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

As of December 31, 2019

 

 

Assets:      
Investments, at value (cost $1,304,984)   $ 1,418,191  
Receivables:        
Investment securities sold     8,410  
Dividends and interest     1,086  
Prepaid offering costs     17,933  
Prepaid expenses     19,895  
Total Assets     1,465,515  
         
Liabilities:        
Payables:        
Investment securities purchased     19,574  
Due to Advisor     24,854  
Fund administation and accounting fees     3,979  
Custody fees     459  
Auditing fees     15,000  
Legal fees     4,913  
Trustees' deferred compensation (Note 3)     1,526  
Trustees' fees and expenses     1,353  
Chief Compliance Officer fees     1,247  
Accrued other expenses     2,827  
Total Liabilities     75,732  
         
Net Assets   $ 1,389,783  
         
Components of Net Assets:        
Paid-in capital (par value of $0.01 per share with an unlimited number of shares authorized)   $ 1,281,557  
Total distributable earnings     108,226  
Net Assets   $ 1,389,783  
         
Maximum Offering Price per Share:        
Institutional:        
Net assets applicable to shares outstanding   $ 1,389,783  
Shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding     127,959  
Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share   $ 10.86  

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

9

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS 

For the Period June 28, 2019* through December 31, 2019

 

 

Investment income:      
Dividends   $ 5,590  
Interest     64  
Total investment income     5,654  
         
Expenses:        
Advisory fees     4,600  
Fund administation and accounting fees     19,533  
Transfer agent fees and expenses     8,299  
Custody fees     5,554  
Offering costs     19,882  
Auditing fees     15,000  
Registration fees     13,690  
Legal fees     9,958  
Trustees' fees and expenses     8,020  
Chief Compliance Officer fees     5,788  
Miscellaneous     4,479  
Shareholder reporting fees     3,041  
Insurance fees     1,537  
Total expenses     119,381  
Advisory fees waived     (4,600 )
Other expenses reimbursed     (105,831 )
Fees paid indirectly (Note 3)     (3,921 )
Net expenses     5,029  
Net investment income     625  
         
Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss):        
Net realized loss on investments     (3,475 )
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments     113,207  
Net realized and unrealized gain     109,732  
         
Net Increase in Net Assets from Operations   $ 110,357  

 

* Commencement of operations.

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

10

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

 

 

   

For the Period 

June 28, 

2019*  

through 

December 31, 

2019 

 
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets from:        
Operations:        
Net investment income   $ 625  
Net realized loss on investments     (3,475 )
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments     113,207  
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations     110,357  
         
Distributions to Shareholders:        
Institutional Class     (2,809 )
Total distributions to shareholders     (2,809 )
         
Capital Transactions:        
Net proceeds from shares sold:        
Institutional Class     1,280,000  
Reinvestment of distributions:        
Institutional Class     2,235  
Net increase in net assets from capital transactions     1,282,235  
         
Total increase in net assets     1,389,783  
         
Net Assets:        
Beginning of period     -  
End of period   $ 1,389,783  
Capital Share Transactions:        
Shares sold:        
Institutional Class     127,748  
Shares reinvested:        
Institutional Class     211  
Net increase in capital share transactions     127,959  

 

*  Commencement of operations.

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

11

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

Institutional Class

 

 

Per share operating performance. 

For a capital share outstanding throughout the period.

 

   

For the Period 

June 28, 

2019* 

through 

December 31, 

2019 

 
Net asset value, beginning of period   $ 10.00  
Income from Investment Operations:        
Net investment income1      0.01  
Net realized and unrealized gain     0.87  
Total from investment operations     0.88  
         
Less Distributions:        
From net investment income     (0.02 )
Total distributions     (0.02 )
         
Redemption Fee Proceeds     -  
         
Net asset value, end of period   $ 10.86  
         
Total return2      8.83 %3 
         
Ratios and Supplemental Data:        
Net assets, end of period (in thousands)   $ 1,390  
         
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:        
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed     19.45 %4 
After fees waived and expenses absorbed     0.82 %4 
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets:        
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed     (18.53 )%4 
After fees waived and expenses absorbed     0.10 %4 
         
Portfolio turnover rate     27 %3 

  

* Commencement of operations.
1  Based on average shares outstanding for the period.
2  Total returns would have been lower had certain expenses not been waived or absorbed by the Advisor. Returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or redemption of Fund shares.
3  Not annualized.
4  Annualized.

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

12

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2019

 

 

Note 1 – Organization 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund (the ‘‘Fund”) is organized as a diversified series of Investment Managers Series Trust II, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”) which is registered as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

 

The Fund’s investment objective is capital appreciation. The Fund currently offers two classes of shares: Investor Class and Institutional Class. The Fund’s Institutional Class shares commenced operations on June 28, 2019. The Fund’s Investor Class shares are not currently available for purchase.

 

The shares of each class of each Fund represent an interest in the same portfolio of investments of each particular Fund and have equal rights as to voting, redemptions, dividends and liquidation, subject to the approval of the Trustees. Income, expenses (other than expenses attributable to a specific class) and realized and unrealized gains and losses on investments are allocated to each class of shares in proportion to their relative net assets. Shareholders of a class that bears distribution and service expenses under the terms of a distribution plan have exclusive voting rights to that distribution plan.

 

The Fund is an investment company and accordingly follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standard Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services—Investment Companies”.

 

Note 2 – Accounting Policies 

The following is a summary of the significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

 

(a) Valuation of Investments 

The Fund values equity securities at the last reported sale price on the principal exchange or in the principal over the counter (“OTC”) market in which such securities are traded, as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE on the day the securities are being valued or, if the last-quoted sales price is not readily available, the securities will be valued at the last bid or the mean between the last available bid and ask price. Securities traded on the NASDAQ are valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price (“NOCP”). Investments in open-end investment companies are valued at the daily closing net asset value of the respective investment company. Debt securities are valued by utilizing a price supplied by independent pricing service providers. The independent pricing service providers may use various valuation methodologies including matrix pricing and other analytical pricing models as well as market transactions and dealer quotations. These models generally consider such factors as yields or prices of bonds of comparable quality, type of issue, coupon, maturity, ratings and general market conditions. If a price is not readily available for a portfolio security, the security will be valued at fair value (the amount which the Fund might reasonably expect to receive for the security upon its current sale) as determined in good faith by the Fund’s advisor, subject to review and approval by the Valuation Committee, pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. The actions of the Valuation Committee are subsequently reviewed by the Board at its next regularly scheduled board meeting. The Valuation Committee meets as needed. The Valuation Committee is comprised of all the Trustees, but action may be taken by any one of the Trustees.

13

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund  

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued

December 31, 2019

 

 

(b) Investment Transactions, Investment Income and Expenses 

Investment transactions are accounted for on the trade date. Realized gains and losses on investments are determined on the identified cost basis. Dividend income is recorded net of applicable withholding taxes on the ex-dividend date and interest income is recorded on an accrual basis. Withholding taxes on foreign dividends, if applicable, are paid (a portion of which may be reclaimable) or provided for in accordance with the applicable country’s tax rules and rates and are disclosed in the Statement of Operations. Withholding tax reclaims are filed in certain countries to recover a portion of the amounts previously withheld. The Fund records a reclaim receivable based on a number of factors, including a jurisdiction’s legal obligation to pay reclaims as well as payment history and market convention. Income and expenses of the Fund are allocated on a pro rata basis to each class of shares, except for distribution and service fees which are unique to each class of shares. Expenses incurred by the Trust with respect to more than one fund are allocated in proportion to the net assets of each fund except where allocation of direct expenses to each fund or an alternative allocation method can be more appropriately made.

 

The Fund incurred offering costs of approximately $37,815, which are being amortized over a one-year period from June 28, 2019 (commencement of operations).

 

(c) Federal Income Taxes 

The Fund intends to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all of their net investment income and any net realized gains to their shareholders. Therefore, no provision is made for federal income or excise taxes. Due to the timing of dividend distributions and the differences in accounting for income and realized gains and losses for financial statement and federal income tax purposes, the fiscal year in which amounts are distributed may differ from the year in which the income and realized gains and losses are recorded by the Fund.

 

Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (the “Income Tax Statement”) requires an evaluation of tax positions taken (or expected to be taken) in the course of preparing a Fund’s tax returns to determine whether these positions meet a “more-likely-than-not” standard that, based on the technical merits, have a more than fifty percent likelihood of being sustained by a taxing authority upon examination. A tax position that meets the “more-likely-than-not” recognition threshold is measured to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the financial statements. The Fund recognize interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense in the Statement of Operations.

 

The Income Tax Statement requires management of the Fund to analyze tax positions taken in the prior three open tax years, if any, and tax positions expected to be taken in the Fund’s current tax year, as defined by the IRS statute of limitations for all major jurisdictions, including federal tax authorities and certain state tax authorities. As of and during the period June 28, 2019 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2019, the Fund did not have a liability for any unrecognized tax benefits. The Fund has no examinations in progress and is not aware of any tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will significantly change in the next twelve months.

 

(d) Distributions to Shareholders 

The Fund will make distributions of net investment income annually and capital gains, if any, at least annually, typically in December. Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. The amount and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP.

 

The character of distributions made during the year from net investment income or net realized gains may differ from the characterization for federal income tax purposes due to differences in the recognition of income, expense and gain (loss) items for financial statement and tax purposes.

14

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund  

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued

December 31, 2019

 

 

(e) Illiquid Securities 

Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act, the Fund has adopted a Liquidity Risk Management Program (“LRMP”) that requires, among other things, that the Fund limits its illiquid investments that are assets to no more than 15% of net assets. An illiquid investment is any security which may not reasonably be expected to be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. If the Advisor, at any time determines that the value of illiquid securities held by the Fund exceeds 15% of its net asset value, the Advisor will take such steps as it considers appropriate to reduce them as soon as reasonably practicable in accordance with the Fund’s written LRMP.

 

Note 3 – Investment Advisory and Other Agreements 

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Kennedy Capital Management, Inc. (the “Advisor”). Under the terms of the Agreement, the Fund pays a monthly investment advisory fee to the Advisor at the annual rate of 0.75% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The Advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of the Fund to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-1A), expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) does not exceed 0.82% of the average daily net assets of the Institutional Class shares of the Fund. This agreement is in effect until June 30, 2020, and it may be terminated before that date only by the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

 

The Advisor is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, of fees waived or payments made to the Fund for a period ending three full years after the date of the waiver or payment. This reimbursement may be requested from the Fund if the reimbursement will not cause the Fund’s annual expense ratio to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time such fees were waived or payments made, or (b) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement.

 

For the period June 28, 2019 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2019, the Advisor waived advisory fees and absorbed other expenses totaling $110,431. The Advisor may recapture all or a portion of this amount no later than December 31, 2022.

 

UMB Fund Services, Inc. (“UMBFS”) serves as the Fund’s fund accountant, transfer agent and co-administrator; and Mutual Fund Administration, LLC (“MFAC”) serves as the Fund’s other co-administrator. UMB Bank, n.a., an affiliate of UMBFS, serves as the Fund’s custodian.

 

IMST Distributors, LLC serves as the Fund’s distributor (the “Distributor”). The Distributor does not receive compensation from the Funds for its distribution services; the Advisor pays the Distributor a fee for its distribution-related services.

 

Certain trustees and officers of the Trust are employees of UMBFS or MFAC. The Fund does not compensate trustees and officers affiliated with the Funds’ co-administrators. For the period June 28, 2019 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2019, the Fund’s allocated fees incurred to Trustees who are not affiliated with the Funds’ co-administrators are reported on the Statement of Operations. A portion of the fees were paid by the Trust's Co-Administrators. Such amount is shown as a reduction of expenses, "Fees paid indirectly", on the Statement of Operations.

 

The Fund’s Board of Trustees has adopted a Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) for the Independent Trustees that enables Trustees to elect to receive payment in cash or the option to select various fund(s) in the Trust in which their deferred accounts shall be deemed to be invested. If a trustee elects to defer payment, the Plan provides for the creation of a deferred payment account. The Fund’s liability for these amounts is adjusted for market value changes in the invested fund(s) and remains a liability to the Fund until distributed in accordance with the Plan. The Trustees Deferred compensation liability under the Plan constitutes a general unsecured obligation of the Fund and will be disclosed in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Contributions made under the plan and the change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation and income will be included in the Trustees’ fees and expenses in the Statement of Operations.

15

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued

December 31, 2019

 

 

Dziura Compliance Consulting, LLC provides Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) services to the Trust. The Fund’s allocated fees incurred for CCO services for the period June 28, 2019 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2019, are reported on the Statement of Operations.

 

Note 4 – Federal Income Taxes 

At December 31, 2019, gross unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments, based on cost for federal income tax purposes were as follows:

 

Cost of investments   $ 1,306,373  
         
Gross unrealized appreciation     137,953  
Gross unrealized depreciation     (26,135 )
         
Net unrealized appreciation on investments   $ 111,818  

 

The difference between cost amounts for financial statement and federal income tax purposes are due primarily to timing differences in recognizing certain gains and losses in security transactions.

 

GAAP requires that certain components of net assets be reclassified between financial and tax reporting. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share. For the period June 28, 2019 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2019, permanent differences in book and tax accounting have been reclassified to Capital and Total Distributable Earnings as follows: 

 

Increase (Decrease)  
Capital     Total Distributable Earnings  
$ (678 )   $ 678  

 

As of December 31, 2019, the components of accumulated earnings (deficit) on a tax basis were as follows:

 

Undistributed ordinary income   $ 20  
Undistributed long-term gains     -  
Tax accumulated earnings     20  
         
Accumulated capital and other losses     (2,086 )
Unrealized appreciation on investments     111,818  
Unrealized deferred compensation     (1,526 )
Total accumulated earnings   $ 108,226  

16

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued

December 31, 2019

 

 

At December 31, 2019, the Fund had capital loss carryforwards, which reduce the Fund's taxable income arising from future net realized gains on investments, if any, to the extent permitted by the Code, and thus will reduce the amount of distributions to shareholders which would otherwise be necessary to relieve the Fund of any liability for federal tax. Pursuant to the Code, such capital loss carryforwards will expire as follows:

 

Not subject to expiration:      
Short Term   $ 2,086  
Long Term     -  
Total   $ 2,086  

 

The tax character of the distributions paid during the period June 28, 2019 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2019 were as follows: 

 

Distributions paid from:   2019  
Ordinary income   $ 2,809  
Net long-term capital gains     -  
Total distributions paid   $ 2,809  

 

Note 5 – Investment Transactions 

For the period June 28, 2019 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2019, purchases and sales of investments, excluding short-term investments, were $1,572,385 and $307,213, respectively.

 

Note 6 – Distribution Plan 

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has adopted a Rule 12b-1 plan with respect to its Investor Class shares. Under the plan, the Fund pays to the Distributor distribution fees in connection with the sale and distribution of the Fund’s Investor Class shares and/or administrative service fees in connection with the provision of ongoing services to shareholders and the maintenance of shareholder accounts.

 

For Investor Class shares, the maximum annual fee payable to the Distributor for such distribution and/or administrative services is 0.25% of the average daily net assets of such shares. Institutional Class shares are not subject to any distribution or service fees under the plan.

 

For the period June 28, 2019 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2019, there were no distribution or service fees incurred.

 

Note 7 – Indemnifications 

In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations, which provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Fund that have not yet occurred. However, the Fund expects the risk of loss to be remote.

 

Note 8 – Fair Value Measurements and Disclosure 

Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in accordance with GAAP, and expands disclosure about fair value measurements. It also provides guidance on determining when there has been a significant decrease in the volume and level of activity for an asset or a liability, when a transaction is not orderly, and how that information must be incorporated into a fair value measurement.

17

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund  

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued

December 31, 2019

 

 

Under Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments. These inputs are summarized into three broad Levels as described below:

 

Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access.

 

Level 2 – Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These inputs may include quoted prices for the identical instrument on an inactive market, prices for similar instruments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, yield curves, default rates and similar data.

 

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, to the extent relevant observable inputs are not available; representing the Fund’s own assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in valuing the asset or liability, and would be based on the best information available.

 

The availability of observable inputs can vary from security to security and is affected by a wide variety of factors, including, for example, the type of security, whether the security is new and not yet established in the marketplace, the liquidity of markets, and other characteristics particular to the security. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3.

 

The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different Levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the Level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls in its entirety, is determined based on the lowest Level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.

 

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities. The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of December 31, 2019, in valuing the Fund’s assets carried at fair value:

 

    Level 1     Level 2*     Level 3*     Total  
Assets                        
Investments                        
Common Stocks1    $ 1,374,075     $ -     $ -     $ 1,374,075  
Short-Term Investments     44,116       -       -       44,116  
Total Assets   $ 1,418,191     $ -     $ -     $ 1,418,191  

 

1  For a detailed break-out of common stocks by sector, please refer to the Schedule of Investments.

* The Fund did not hold any Level 2 or Level 3 securities at period end.

 

Note 9 – Events Subsequent to the Fiscal Period End 

The Fund has adopted financial reporting rules regarding subsequent events which require an entity to recognize in the financial statements the effects of all subsequent events that provide additional evidence about conditions that existed at the date of the balance sheet. Management has evaluated the Fund’s related events and transactions that occurred through the date of issuance of the Fund’s financial statements. There were no events or transactions that occurred during this period that materially impacted the amounts or disclosures in the Fund’s financial statements.

18

 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Shareholders of Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund and

the Board of Trustees of Investment Managers Series Trust II

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund (the “Fund”), a series of Investment Managers Series Trust II, including the schedule of investments, as of December 31, 2019, the related statement of operations, the statement of changes in net assets and the financial highlights for the period June 28, 2019 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2019, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of December 31, 2019, the results of its operations, the changes in its net assets, and the financial highlights for the period June 28, 2019 through December 31, 2019, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB. We have served as the auditor of one or more of the funds in the Trust since 2013.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Fund is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of December 31, 2019 by correspondence with the custodian and brokers. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

  TAIT, WELLER & BAKER LLP
   
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  
February 28, 2020  

19

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION (Unaudited)

 

 

Corporate Dividends Received Deduction 

For the period ended December 31, 2019, 100% of the dividends to be paid from net investment income, including short-term capital gains (if any) from the Fund, is designated as dividends received deduction available to corporate shareholders.

 

Qualified Dividend Income 

For the period ended December 31, 2019, 100% of dividends to be paid from net investment income, including short-term capital gains (if any) from the Fund, is designated as qualified dividend income.

 

Trustees and Officers Information 

Additional information about the Trustees is included in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information which is available, without charge, upon request by calling (877) 882-8825. The Trustees and officers of the Fund and their principal occupations during the past five years are as follows:

 

Name, Address,

Year of Birth

and Position(s)

held with Trust

Term of

Officec and

Length of

Time Served

Principal Occupation During the Past Five

Years and Other Affiliations

Number of

Portfolios in the

Fund Complex

Overseen by

Trusteed 

Other Directorships

Held by Trustee

During the Past

Five Years

Independent Trustees:    

Thomas Knipper, CPA a 

(born 1957) 

Trustee

Since September 2013

Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Ameritas Investment Partners, a registered investment advisor (1995 – present). 1

Investment Managers Series Trust II (includes 13 portfolios).

Kathleen K. Shkuda a 

(born 1951)

Trustee

Since September 2013

Zigzag Consulting, a financial services consulting firm (2008 – present). Director, Managed Accounts, Merrill Lynch (2007-2008).

1

Investment Managers Series Trust II (includes 13 portfolios).

Larry D. Tashjian a 

(born 1953)

Trustee and Chairman of the Board

Since September 2013

Principal, CAM Capital Advisors, a family office (2001 – present).

1

Investment Managers Series Trust II (includes 13 portfolios). General Finance Corporation.

John P. Zader a 

(born 1961)

Trustee

Since September 2013

Retired (June 2014 – present); CEO, UMB Fund Services, Inc., a mutual fund and hedge fund service provider, and the transfer agent, fund accountant, and co-administrator for the Fund (December 2006 – June 2014); President, Investment Managers Series Trust (December 2007 - June 2014).

1

Investment Managers Series Trust II (includes 13 portfolios).

Investment Managers Series Trust, a registered investment company (includes 52 portfolios) and 361 Social Infrastructure Fund, a closed-end investment company.

20

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION (Unaudited) - Continued

 

 

Name, Address,

Year of Birth

and Position(s)

held with Trust

Term of

Officec and

Length of

Time Served

Principal Occupation During the Past Five 

Years and Other Affiliations

Number of

Portfolios in the

Fund Complex

Overseen by

Trusteed 

Other Directorships

Held by Trustee

During the Past

Five Years

Interested Trustees:    

Eric M. Banhazl b† 

(born 1957)

Trustee

Since September 2013

 

Chairman (2016 – present), and President (2006 – 2015), Mutual Fund Administration, LLC, co-administrator for the Fund. Trustee and Vice President, Investment Managers Series Trust (September 2013 – January 2016). Chairman (2018 – present), Foothill Capital Management, LLC, a registered investment advisor.

1

Investment Managers Series Trust II (includes 13 portfolios). Investment Managers Series Trust, a registered investment company (includes 52 portfolios), and 361 Social Infrastructure Fund, a closed-end investment company.

Terrance P. Gallagher a* 

(born 1958)

Trustee and President

 

Since July 2019

President, Investment Managers Series Trust II (September 2013 – present); Executive Vice President, UMB Fund Services, Inc. (2007 – present). Director of Compliance, Unified Fund Services Inc. (now Huntington Fund Services), a mutual fund service provider (2004 – 2007).

1

Investment Managers Series Trust II (includes 13 portfolios). Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund, a registered investment company; GAI Corbin Multi Strategy Fund, a closed-end investment company; and GAI Agility Income Fund, a closed-end investment company.

Officer of the Trust:    

Rita Dam b 

(born 1966)

Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

Since September 2013

Co-President, Foothill Capital Management, LLC, a registered investment advisor (2018 – present); Co-Chief Executive Officer (2016 – present), and Vice President (2006 – 2015), Mutual Fund Administration, LLC. N/A N/A

21

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION (Unaudited) - Continued

 

 

Name, Address,

Year of Birth

and Position(s)

held with Trust

Term of

Officec and

Length of

Time Served

Principal Occupation During the Past Five

Years and Other Affiliations

Number of

Portfolios in the

Fund Complex

Overseen by

Trusteed 

Other Directorships

Held by Trustee

During the Past

Five Years

Officers of the Trust:    

Joy Ausili b 

(born 1966)

Vice President and Assistant Secretary

Since January 2016

Co-President, Foothill Capital Management, LLC, a registered investment advisor (2018 – present); Co-Chief Executive Officer (2016 – present), and Vice President (2006 – 2015), Mutual Fund Administration, LLC; Secretary and Assistant Treasurer, Investment Managers Series Trust (September 2013 – January 2016). N/A N/A

Diane Drake b 

(born 1967) Secretary

Since January 2016

Senior Counsel, Mutual Fund Administration, LLC (October 2015 – present); Chief Compliance Officer, Foothill Capital Management, LLC, a registered investment advisor (2018 – 2019); Managing Director and Senior Counsel, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (2010 – 2015).

N/A N/A

Martin Dziura b 

(born 1959)

Chief Compliance Officer

Since September 2013

Principal, Dziura Compliance Consulting, LLC (October 2014 - present); Managing Director, Cipperman Compliance Services (2010 – September 2014); Chief Compliance Officer, Hanlon Investment Management (2009 - 2010); and Vice President − Compliance, Morgan Stanley Investment Management (2000 − 2009). N/A N/A

 

a  Address for certain Trustees and certain officers: 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212.
b  Address for Mr. Banhazl, Ms. Ausili, Ms. Dam and Ms. Drake: 2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226, Glendora, California 91740.

Address for Mr. Dziura: 309 Woodridge Lane, Media, Pennsylvania 19063.

c Trustees and officers serve until their successors have been duly elected.
d  The Trust is comprised of numerous series managed by unaffiliated investment advisors. The term “Fund Complex” applies only to the Fund managed by the same investment advisor. The Fund does not hold itself out as related to any other series within the Trust, for purposes of investment and investor services, nor does it share the same investment advisor with any other series.
  Mr. Banhazl is an “interested person” of the Trust by virtue of his position with Mutual Fund Administration, LLC and Foothill Capital Management, LLC.
*  Mr. Gallagher is an “interested person” of the Trust by virtue of his position with UMB Fund Services, Inc.

22

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund

EXPENSE EXAMPLE

For the Six Months Ended December 31, 2019 (Unaudited)

 

  

Expense Example 

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including redemption fees; and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; distribution and other Fund expenses. The examples below are intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

These examples are based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period from July 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019.

 

Actual Expenses 

The information in the row titled “Actual Performance” of the table below provides actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in these columns, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the appropriate row for your share class, under the column titled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes 

The information in the row titled “Hypothetical (5% annual return before expenses)” of the table below provides hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratios and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare these 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

 

Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transaction costs, such as sales charges (load) or contingent deferred sales charges. Therefore, the information in the row titled “Hypothetical (5% annual return before expenses)” is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

 

Beginning

Account Value

Ending

Account Value

Expenses Paid

During Period

7/1/19 12/31/19 7/1/19 – 12/31/19
Actual Performance* $1,000.00 $1,088.30 $4.35
Hypothetical (5% annual return before expenses) 1,000.00 1,021.04 4.21

 

* Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized expense ratio of 0.82%, multiplied by the average account values over the period, multiplied by 184/365 (to reflect the six month period). The expense ratio reflects an expense waiver. Assumes all dividends and distributions were reinvested.

23

 

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Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund 

A series of Investment Managers Series Trust II

 

Investment Advisor 

Kennedy Capital Management, Inc. 

10829 Olive Boulevard, Suite 100 

St. Louis, Missouri 63141

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

Tait, Weller & Baker LLP 

Two Liberty Place 

50 South 16th Street, Suite 2900 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102

 

Custodian 

UMB Bank, n.a. 

928 Grand Boulevard, 5th Floor 

Kansas City, Missouri 64106

 

Fund Co-Administrator 

Mutual Fund Administration, LLC 

2220 East Route 66, Suite 226 

Glendora, California 91740

 

Fund Co-Administrator, Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant 

UMB Fund Services, Inc. 

235 West Galena Street 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212

 

Distributor 

IMST Distributors, LLC 

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100 

Portland, Maine 04101

www.foreside.com 

 

 

FUND INFORMATION

 

 

  TICKER CUSIP
Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund – Institutional Class KESGX 46141T 562

 

Privacy Principles of the Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund for Shareholders 

The Fund is committed to maintaining the privacy of its shareholders and to safeguarding its non-public personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information the Fund collects, how we protect that information and why, in certain cases, we may share information with select other parties.

 

Generally, the Fund does not receive any non-public personal information relating to its shareholders, although certain non-public personal information of its shareholders may become available to the Fund. The Fund does not disclose any non-public personal information about its shareholders or former shareholders to anyone, except as permitted by law or as is necessary in order to service shareholder accounts (for example, to a transfer agent or third party administrator).

 

 

 

This report is sent to shareholders of the Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund for their information. It is not a Prospectus, circular or representation intended for use in the purchase or sale of shares of the Fund or of any securities mentioned in this report.

 

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures 

A description of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures related to portfolio securities is available without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at (877) 882-8825 or on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at www.sec.gov.

 

Proxy Voting Record 

Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies for portfolio securities, if applicable, during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30, is also available, without charge and upon request by calling the Fund at (877) 882-8825 or by accessing the Fund’s Form N-PX on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

Form N-Q Disclosure 

The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. The Fund’s Form N-Q is available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov or by calling the Fund at (877) 882-8825. The Fund’s Form N-Q may also be viewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling (800) SEC-0330.

 

Householding 

The Fund will mail only one copy of shareholder documents, including prospectuses, annual and semi-annual reports and proxy statements, to shareholders with multiple accounts at the same address. This practice is commonly called “householding” and is intended to reduce expenses and eliminate duplicate mailings of shareholder documents. Mailings of your shareholder documents may be householded indefinitely unless you instruct us otherwise. If you do not want the mailing of these documents to be combined with those for other members of your household, please call the Fund at (877) 882-8825.

 

Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund 

P.O. Box 2175 

Milwaukee, WI 53201 

Toll Free: (877) 882-8825

 

 

Item 2. Code of Ethics.

 

The registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the registrant's principal executive officer and principal financial officer. The registrant has not made any amendments to its code of ethics during the period covered by this report. The registrant has not granted any waivers from any provisions of the code of ethics during the period covered by this report.

 

The registrant undertakes to provide to any person without charge, upon request, a copy of its code of ethics by mail when they call the registrant at 1-877-882-8825.

 

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.

 

The Board of Trustees of the Registrant has determined that the Registrant has the following “audit committee financial experts” as defined in Item 3(b) of Form N-CSR serving on its Audit Committee: Messrs. Thomas Knipper and John P. Zader.  The audit committee financial experts are “independent” as that term is defined in Item 3(a)(2) of Form N-CSR.

 

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

 

The registrant has engaged its principal accountant to perform audit services, audit-related services, tax services and other services during the past two fiscal years. "Audit services" refer to performing an audit of the registrant's annual financial statements or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal years. "Audit-related services" refer to the assurance and related services by the principal accountant that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit. "Tax services" refer to professional services rendered by the principal accountant for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning. There were no "other services" provided by the principal accountant. The following table details the aggregate fees billed or expected to be billed for each of the last two fiscal years for audit fees, audit-related fees, tax fees and other fees by the principal accountant.

 

  FYE 12/31/2019 FYE 12/31/2018
Audit Fees $12,500 N/A
Audit-Related Fees N/A N/A
Tax Fees $2,500 N/A
All Other Fees N/A N/A

 

The audit committee has adopted pre-approval policies and procedures that require the audit committee to pre-approve all audit and non-audit services of the registrant, including services provided to any entity affiliated with the registrant.

 

 

The percentage of fees billed by Tait Weller applicable to non-audit services pursuant to waiver of pre-approval requirement were as follows:

 

  FYE 12/31/2019 FYE 12/31/2018
Audit-Related Fees 0% 0%
Tax Fees 0% 0%
All Other Fees 0% 0%

 

All of the principal accountant's hours spent on auditing the registrant's financial statements were attributed to work performed by full-time permanent employees of the principal accountant.

 

The following table indicates the non-audit fees billed or expected to be billed by the registrant's accountant for services to the registrant and to the registrant's investment advisor (and any other controlling entity, etc.—not sub-advisor) for the last two years. The audit committee of the Board of Trustees has considered whether the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the registrant's investment advisor is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant's independence and has concluded that the provision of such non-audit services by the accountant has not compromised the accountant's independence.

 

Non-Audit Related Fees FYE 12/31/2019 FYE 12/31/2018
Registrant N/A N/A
Registrant’s Investment Advisor N/A N/A

 

Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

 

(a) Not applicable to registrants who are not listed issuers (as defined in Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934).

 

(b) Not applicable.

 

Item 6. Schedule of Investments.

 

(a) Schedule of Investments is included as part of the report to shareholders filed under Item 1 of this Form.

 

(b) Not applicable.

 

Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

The registrant has not made any material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant’s Board of Trustees.

 

 

Item 11. Controls and Procedures.

 

(a) The Registrant’s President/Chief Executive Officer and Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer have reviewed the Registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”)) as of a date within 90 days of the filing of this report, as required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the Act and Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Based on their review, such officers have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed in this report is appropriately recorded, processed, summarized and reported and made known to them by others within the Registrant and by the Registrant’s service provider.

 

(b) There were no changes in the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Act) that occurred during the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 12. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

Item 13. Exhibits.

 

(a) (1) Any code of ethics or amendment thereto, that is subject of the disclosure required by Item 2, to the extent that the registrant intends to satisfy Item 2 requirements through filing an exhibit. Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Form N-CSR filed June 8, 2018.

 

(2) Certifications pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Filed herewith.

 

(3) Any written solicitation to purchase securities under Rule 23c-1 under the Act sent or given during the period covered by the report by or on behalf of the registrant to 10 or more persons. Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

(4) Change in the registrant’s independent public accountant. There was no change in the registrant’s independent public accountant for the period covered by this report.

 

(b) Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Filed herewith.

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

(Registrant) Investment Managers Series Trust II  
     
By (Signature and Title) /s/ Terrance Gallagher  
  Terrance Gallagher, President/Chief Executive Officer  
     
Date 3/9/20  

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

By (Signature and Title) /s/ Terrance Gallagher  
  Terrance Gallagher, President/Chief Executive Officer  
     
Date 3/9/20  
     
By (Signature and Title) /s/ Rita Dam  
  Rita Dam, Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer  
     
Date 3/9/20  

EX.99.CERT

 

CERTIFICATIONS

 

I, Terrance Gallagher, certify that:

 

1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund, a series of Investment Managers Series Trust II (the “Trust”);

 

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

 

(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such evaluation; and

 

(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and

 

(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: 3/9/20   /s/ Terrance Gallagher  
     

Terrance Gallagher 

President/Chief Executive Officer 

 

 

 

CERTIFICATIONS

 

I, Rita Dam, certify that:

 

1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund, a series of Investment Managers Series Tust II (the “Trust”);

 

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

 

(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such evaluation; and

 

(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

(a) over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and

 

(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: 3/9/20   /s/ Rita Dam  
     

Rita Dam 

Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer 

 

EX.99.906CERT

 

Certification of CEO and CFO Pursuant to 

18 U.S.C. Section 1350, 

as Adopted Pursuant to 

Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

In connection with the report on Form N-CSR of Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund, a series of Investment Managers Series Trust II (the “Trust”), for the period ended December 31, 2019 (the “Report”), Terrance Gallagher, as President/Chief Executive Officer of the Trust, and Rita Dam, as Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer of the Trust, each hereby certifies, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to the best of his or her knowledge:

 

  (1) the Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13 (a) or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

 

  (2) the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

 

Date 3/9/20  

 

/s/ Terrance Gallagher  
Terrance Gallagher  
President/Chief Executive Officer  
   
/s/ Rita Dam  
Rita Dam  
Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer  

 

This statement accompanies this report on Form N-CSR pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and shall not be deemed as filed by Investment Managers Series Trust for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.