As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 12 , 2018 .

 

No. 333 -146827

No. 811- 22135



 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

_____________________________

 

FORM N-1A

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT   UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

[    ]

Pre-Effective Amendment No.

[    ]

Post-Effective Amendment No. 149

[ x ]

 

and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

[    ]

Amendment No. 150

[ x ]

 

Innovator ETFs Trust

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

120 North Hale Street, Suite 200
Wheaton, Illinois 60187

 

(Address of Principal Executive Office)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (800) 621-1675

 

 

Corporation Service Company

2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400
Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19808

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

Copy to:

Morrison C. Warren, Esq.

Chapman and Cutler LLP

111 West Monroe Street

Chicago, Illinois 60603

 

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

 

 

[    ]

Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485.

 

[    ]

On (date) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485.

 

[    ]

60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485.

 

[    ]

On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a) of Rule 485.

 

[ X ]

75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

 

[    ]

On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a) of Rule 485.

 

If appropriate, check the following box :

 

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



 

 

 

 

Contents of Post-Effective Amendment No. 149

 

This Registration Statement comprises the following papers and contents:

 

The Facing Sheet

 

Part A - Prospectus for Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF – July (formerly Innovator S&P 500 Enhance and Buffer ETF – (MONTH)) (the “Fund”)

 

Part B - Statement of Additional Information for Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF – July

 

Part C - Other Information

 

Signatures

 

 

 

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

 

Subject to Completion
Dated July 12, 2018


Prospectus

 

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF July

 

(Cboe BZX—BJUL)

 

_______, 2018

 

 

 

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF — July (the “Fund” )
is a series of Innovator ETFs Trust (the “Trust” ) and is an actively managed ETF.

 


 

The Fund will invest substantially all of its assets in FLexible EXchange ® Options ( “FLEX Options” ) on the S&P 500 Price Return Index ( “S&P 500 Price Index” ). FLEX Options are customizable exchange-traded option contracts guaranteed for settlement by the Options Clearing Corporation. The Fund uses FLEX Options to employ a “defined outcome strategy.” Defined outcome strategies seek to produce pre-determined investment outcomes based upon the performance of an underlying security or index. The pre-determined outcomes sought by the Fund, which include the buffer and cap discussed below ( “Outcomes” ), are based upon the performance of the S&P 500 Price Index over the period of ______, 2018 through June 28, 2019. This period is referred to as the “Outcome Period.” The Fund will not terminate after the conclusion of the Outcome Period. After the conclusion of the Outcome Period, another will begin. There is no guarantee that the Outcomes for an Outcome Period will be realized.

 

The Fund’s strategy has been specifically designed to produce the Outcomes based upon the S&P 500 Price Index’s returns over the duration of the Outcome Period. The O utcom es may only be realized if you are holding shares on the first day of the Outcome Period ( _____ __, 2018 ) and continue to hold them on the last day of the Outcome Period ( June 28 , 2019 ) . If you purchase shares after the Outcome Period has begun or sell shares prior to the Outcome Period’s conclusion, you may experience investment returns very different from those that the Fund seeks to provide. Additionally, there is no guarantee that the Fund will successfully achieve its investment objective .

 

Fund shareholders are subject to a n upside return cap (the “Cap” ) that represents the maximum percentage return an investor can achieve from an investment in the Fund for the Outcome Period. Therefore, even though the Fund’s returns are based upon the S&P 500 Price Index, if the Fund experiences returns for the Outcome Period in excess of the Cap, you will not experience those excess gains. The Cap is set on the first day of the Outcome Period and is expected to be between __% and __% prior to taking into account any fees or expenses charged to shareholders. When the Fund’s annual Fund management fee of 0.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets is taken into account, the Cap is expected to be between __% and __%. The Cap will be further reduced by any shareholder transaction fees and any extraordinary expenses incurred by the Fund. Please note, if the Outcome Period has begun and the Fund has increased in value to a level near to the Cap, an investor purchasing at that price has little or no ability to achieve gains but remains vulnerable to downside risks . Additionally, the Cap may rise or fall from one Outcome Period to the next. There is no guarantee that the Cap will remain the same upon the conclusion of the Outcome Period.

 

The Fund only seeks to provide shareholders that hold shares for the entire Outcome Period wi th a buffer against the first 10 % of S&P 500 Price Index losses (based upon the value of the S&P 500 Price Index at the time the Fund entered into the FLEX Options on the first day of the Outcome Per iod) during the Outcome Period . You will bear all S&P 500 Price Index losses exceeding 10 % on a one-to-one basis. The buffer is provided prior to taking into account annual Fund management fees equal to 0.79% of the Fund’s daily net assets, transaction fees and any extraordinary expenses incurred by the Fund . A shareholder that purchases shares at the beginning of the Outcome Period may lose a significan t portion of their investment (90 %). Depending upon market conditions at the time of purchase, a sharehol der that purchases shares after the Outcome Period has begun may lose their entire investment. For instance, if the Outcome Period has begun and the Fund has decreased in va lue beyond the pre-determined 10 % buffer, an investor purchasing shares at that price may not benefit from the buffer. Similarly, if the Outcome Period has begun and the Fund has increased in value, an investor purchasing shares at that price may not benefit from the buffer until the Fund’s value has decreased to its value at the commencement of the Outcome Period. An investment in the Fund is only appropriate for shareholders willing to bear those losses. (continued on next page)

 

 

 

 

(continued from previous page)

 

The Fund’s website, www.innovatoretfs.com/ bjul , provides important Fund information (including Outcome Period start and end dates and the Cap and buffer), as well information relating to the potential outcomes of an investment in the Fund on a daily basis. If you are contemplating purchasing shares, please visit the website. Investors considering purchasing shares after the Outcome Period has begun or selling shares prior to the end of the Outcome Period should visit the website to fully understand potential investment outcomes.

 

As stated above and explained in greater detail within the prospectus, if the Fund has experienced certain levels of either gains or losses since the beginning of the Outcome Period, there may be little to no ability to achieve gains or benefit from the buffer for the remainder of the Outcome Period. The website contains important information that will assist you in determining whether to buy shares.

 

• Although the Fund’s shares are listed for trading on a national securities exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the shares will develop or be maintained.

 

Although the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective, there is no guarantee that it will do so. T he returns that the Fund seeks to provide do not include the costs associated with purchasing shares of the Fund and certain expenses incurred by the Fund.

 

The Fund has characteristics unlike many other traditional investment products and may not be suitable for all investors.


 

You should only consider this investment if:

You should not consider this investment if:

• you fully understand the risks inherent in an investment in the Fund;

• you desire to invest in a product with a return that depends upon the performance of the S&P 500 Price Index over a one-year period;

• you are willing to hold shares for the duration of the Outcome Period in order to achieve the outcomes that the Fund seeks to provide;

• you fully understand that investments made when the Fund is at or near to the Cap may have limited to no upside;

• you fully understand that investments made after Outcome Period has begun may not fully benefit from the buffer and you could lose your entire investment;

• you are willing to forgo any gains in excess of the Cap;

• you are not seeking an investment that provides dividends to shareholders;

• you fully understand that investments made after the Outcome Period has begun may not fully benefit from the buffer;

• you are willing to accept the risk of losing your entire investment; and

• you have visited the Fund’s website and understand the investment outcomes available to you based upon the time of your purchase.

• you do not fully understand the risks inherent in an investment in the Fund;

• you do not desire to invest in a product with a return that depends upon the performance of the S&P 500 Price Index over a one-year period;

• you are unwilling to hold shares for the duration of the Outcome Period in order to achieve the outcomes that the Fund seeks to provide;

• you do not fully understand that investments made when the Fund is at or near to the Cap may have limited to no upside;

• you do not fully understand that investments made after Outcome Period has begun may not fully benefit from the buffer and you could lose your entire investment;

• you are unwilling to forgo any gains in excess of the Cap;

• you are seeking an investment that provides dividends to shareholders;

• you do not fully understand that investments made after the Outcome Period has begun may not fully benefit from the buffer;

• you are unwilling to accept the risk of losing your entire investment; and

• you have not visited the Fund’s website and do not understand the investment outcomes available to you based upon the timing of your purchase.

 

For more information regarding whether an investmen t in the Fund is right for you,
please see “ Investor Suitability” in the prospectus.

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

   

Summary Information

1

   

Additional Information About the Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies

13

   

Fund Investments

15

   

Additional Risks of Investing in the Fund

16

   

Investor Suitability

22

   

Management of the Fund

23

   

How to Buy and Sell Shares

25

   

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

26

   

Distributor

30

   

Net Asset Value

30

   

Fund Service Providers

32

   

Financial Highlights

32

   

Premium/Discount Information

32

   

Investments by Other Investment Companies

32

 

 

 

 

 

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF July

 

 

 

Investment Objective

 

The Fund seeks to provide investors with returns that match those of the S&P 500 Price Index, up to the upside cap of __% (taking into account management fees) and __% (prior to taking into account management fees) while providing a buffer against the first 10% of S&P 500 Price Index losses, over the period from _________, 2018 to June 28, 2019.

 

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund ( Shares” ). Investors may pay brokerage commissions on their purchases and sales of Shares, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

 

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

 

Management Fees

    0.79 %

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

    0.00 %

Other Expenses (1 )

    0.00 %

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

    0.79 %

(1)

“Other Expenses” are estimates based on the expenses the Fund expects to incur for the current fiscal year.

 

Example

 

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds.

 

This example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain at current levels. This example does not include the brokerage commissions that investors may pay to buy and sell Shares.

 

 

1 Year

3 Years

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, your costs, based on these assumptions, would be:

$80

$251

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund has not yet commenced investment operations, no portfolio turnover information is available at this time.

 

1

 

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

General Strategy Description. The Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in FLexible EXchange ® Options ( “FLEX Options” ) that reference the S&P 500 Price Return Index ( “S&P 500 Price Index” ). FLEX Options are exchange-traded options contracts with uniquely customizable terms. Although guaranteed for settlement by the Options Clearing Corporation (the “OCC” ), FLEX Options are still subject to counterparty risk with the OCC and may be less liquid than more traditional exchange-traded options. Due to the unique mechanics of the Fund’s strategy, the return an investor can expect to receive from an investment in the Fund has characteristics that are distinct from many other investment vehicles. It is important that an investor understand these characteristics before making an investment in the Fund.

 

In general, an option contract is an agreement between a buyer and seller that gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy or sell a particular asset at a specified future date at an agreed upon price. The reference asset for all of the Fund’s FLEX Options is the S&P 500 Price Index, a large-cap, market-weighted, U.S. equities index that tracks the price (excluding dividends) of the 500 leading companies in leading industries.

 

In the event that the S&P 500 Price Index experiences gains over the period from ______, 2018 to June 28, 2019 (the “Outcome Period” ), the strategy seeks to provide investment returns that match the performance of the S&P 500 Price Index, up to an upside return cap that represents the maximum percentage return an investor can achieve from an investment in the Fund for the Outcome Period (the “Cap” ). The Cap is set on the first day of the Outcome Period and is expected to be between __% and __% prior to taking into account any fees or expenses charged to shareholders. When the Fund’s annual Fund management fee of 0.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets is taken into account, the Cap is expected to be between __% and __%. The Cap will be further reduced by any shareholder transaction fees and any extraordinary expenses incurred by the Fund. The date stipulated in all of the Fund’s FLEX Options is the approximate termination date of the Outcome Period, at which time the Fund will invest in a new set of FLEX Options for the next Outcome Period.

 

The Fund’s investment sub-adviser, Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC ( “Milliman” or the Sub- Adviser” ), has constructed a portfolio principally composed of seven FLEX Options on the S&P 500 Price Index that are each set to expire on the last day of the Outcome Period. The customizable nature of FLEX Options allows the Sub-Adviser to select the price at which the S&P 500 Price Index will be exercised at the expiration of each FLEX Option. This is commonly known as the “strike price.” At the commencement of the Outcome Period, the Sub-Adviser specifically selects the strike price for each FLEX Option such that when the FLEX Options are exercised on the final day of the Outcome Period, the Outcomes may be obtained, depending on the performance of the S&P 500 Price Index over the duration of the Outcome Period.

 

The Fund seeks to generate returns that match the S&P 500 Price Index, up to the Cap (discussed in detail below), while limiting downside losses. The two hypothetical graphical illustrations provided below are designed to illustrate the Outcomes based upon the hypothetical performance of the S&P 500 Price Index for a shareholder that holds Shares for the entirety of the Outcome Period. Additional hypothetical graphical representations of the Outcomes are provided in “Additional Information Regarding the Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies.” There is no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its attempt to provide the O utcomes for an Outcome Period . The returns that the Fund seeks to provide do not include the costs associated with purchasing shares of the Fund and certain expenses incurred by the Fund.

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use of FLEX Options. The Outcomes may be achieved by purchasing and selling call and put FLEX Options to create layers within the Fund’s portfolio. One layer is designed to produce returns that match those of the S&P 500 Price Index for the Outcome Period if the S&P 500 Price Index has experienced gains during that time. To achieve these returns, the Fund will purchase a call option (giving the Fund the right to receive the cash value of the S&P 500 Price Index) and a put option (giving the Fund the right to deliver the cash value of the S&P 500 Price Index), while simultaneously selling a call option (giving the Fund the obligation to deliver the cash value of the S&P 500 Price Index) and a put option (giving the Fund the obligation to receive the cash value of the S&P 500 Price Index). Each of these FLEX Options has a specifically selected strike price. The effect created by these four positions is that if the S&P 500 Price Index has increased in value over the course of the Outcome Period, when the amount of cash the Fund receives and delivers pursuant to the terms of its positions is netted out, the Fund seeks to provide a gain that matches the gain experienced by the S&P 500 Price Index. This gain is subject to the Cap, a maximum investment return level , which is discussed below.

 

3

 

 

A separate layer is designed to produce the Fund’s objective to provide returns that are buffered by up to 10% if the S&P 500 Price Index experiences a loss during the course of the Outcome Period. There is no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its attempt to provide buffered returns. The buffer that the Fund seeks to provide is only operative against the first 10% of S&P 500 Price Index losses for the Outcome Period. After the S&P 500 Price Index has decreased in value by more than 10%, the Fund will experience all subsequent losses on a one-to-one basis. In seeking to achieve the buffer, the Fund sells both a call option and a put option. Both of these FLEX Options have a specifically selected strike price. The effect created by these two positions is that if the S&P 500 Price Index has decreased in value over the course of the Outcome Period, when the amount of cash the Fund receives and delivers pursuant to the terms of its positions is netted out, the Fund seeks to be returned the amount of its principal investment (if the S&P 500 Price Return Index decreased in value by 10% or less) or experience a loss that is 10% less than the loss experienced by the S&P 500 Price Index (if the S&P 500 Price Return Index decreased in value by more than 10%).

 

Each of the FLEX Options purchased and sold throughout the Outcome Period will have the same terms ( i . e . , strike price and expiration) as the corresponding FLEX Options purchased and sold on the first day of the Outcome Period. A detailed explanation regarding the terms of the FLEX Options and the mechanics of the Fund’s strategy can be found in “Additional Information Regarding the Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies.”

 

The Outcome Period. The Outcomes sought by the Fund are based upon the value of the underlying FLEX Options at the time they may be exercised at the conclusion of the Outcome Period. During the Outcome Period, the value of the FLEX Options, and Fund’s net asset value ( “NAV” ), may be significantly different than their value at the commencement and/or conclusion of the Outcome Period. An investor that purchases Shares after the Outcome Period has commenced or sells Shares prior to the conclusion of the Outcome Period may expe rience O utcomes very different from those sought by the Fund for the Outcome Period. To achieve the O utcomes sought by the Fund for the Outcome Period, an investor must be holding Shares on the day that the Fund enters into the FLEX Options and on the day those FLEX Options expire . During the Outcome Period, both the Cap and buffer are fixed numbers that are calculated based upon the Fund’s NAV (which is in turn based upon the S&P 500 Price Index). As the Outcome Period transpires and the Fund’s NAV changes, an investor purchasing Shares will likely have a different return potential than the investor who purchased Shares at the beginning of the Outcome Period. This is because while the Cap and buffer for the Outcome Period remain constant, an investor purchasing Shares during the Outcome Period likely purchased Shares at a price that is different from the Fund’s NAV at the commencement of the Outcome Period.

 

The value of the underlying FLEX Options on any given day will be reflected in the Fund’s NAV. However, due to the way that options contracts are valued, during the Outcome Period the value of the underlying FLEX Options, and thus the Fund’s NAV, will not correlate one-to-one with the returns being experienced by the S&P 500 Price Index (for example, if the S&P 500 Price Index has decreased in value by 20% the Fund’s NAV will not necessarily have decreased by 10%). The value of the FLEX Options depends on the amount of time remaining prior to their expiration. Accordingly, the non-correlation between the Fund’s NAV and the S&P 500 Price Index may be more pronounced earlier in the Outcome Period.

 

4

 

 

Cap on Potential Upside Returns. Unlike other investment products, the potential returns an investor can receive from an investment in the Fund are subject to an upside return cap. This means that if the Fund experiences gains for the Outcome Period beyond the Cap, a shareholder will not experience those excess gains. Therefore, regardless of the performance of the S&P 500 Price Index, the Cap is the maximum return an investor can achieve from an investment in the Fund for the Outcome Period . The Cap is set on the first day of the Outcome Period and is expected to be between __% and __% prior to taking into account any fees or expenses charged to shareholders. When the Fund’s annual Fund management fee of 0.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets is taken into account, the Cap is expected to be between __% and __%. The Cap will be further reduced by any shareholder transaction fees and any extraordinary expenses incurred by the Fund. The definitive Cap will be set forth on the Fund’s website at www.innovatoretfs.com/ bjul .

 

The Cap will change from year-to-year based upon prevailing market conditions at the beginning of the Outcome Period. The Cap, and the Fund’s position relative to it, should be considered before investing in the Fund. If an investor is conside ring purchasing Shares during the Outcome Period, and the Fund has already increased in value to a level near to the Cap, an investor purchasing Shares at that price has limited to no gains available for the remainder of the Outcome Period but remains vulnerable to significant downside risks.

 

The Cap level is a result of the design of the Fund’s principal investment strategy. In order to provide the buffer, the Fund purchases a series of put and call FLEX Options. As the purchaser of these FLEX Options, the Fund is obligated to pay a premium to the seller of those FLEX Options. However, the strategy is designed so that any premiums that the Fund is obligated to pay are offset by premiums it receives in connection with the selling of FLEX Options. On the first day of the Outcome Period when the Fund enters into its other FLEX Options positions, the portfolio managers will calculate the amount of premiums that the Fund will owe and will then go into the market and sell a FLEX Option with terms that entitle the Fund to receive a premium in an amount equal to the amount that the Fund would otherwise owe. The Cap is the strike price of that sold FLEX Option. The strike price is determined based upon prevailing market conditions at the time the Fund enters into the FLEX Options, most notably current interest rate levels, S&P 500 Price Index volatility and dividend yield, and the relationship of put and calls on the underlying FLEX Options.

 

Buffer . The buffer that the Fund seeks to provide is only operative against the first 10% of S&P 500 Price Index losses for the Outcome Period. There is no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its attempt to provide buffered returns. After the S&P 500 Price Index has decreased in value by more than 10%, the Fund will experience all subsequent losses on a one-to-one basis. The buffer is provided prior to taking into account annual Fund management fees equal to 0.79% of the Fund’s daily net assets, transaction fees and any extraordinary expenses incurred by the Fund. If an investor is conside ring purchasing Shares during the Outcome Period, and the Fund has already de creased in value by an amount equal to or greater than 10 %, an investor purchasing Shares at that price will have increased gains available prior to reaching the Cap but may not benefit from the buffer that the Fund seeks to offer for the remainder of the Outcome Period . Conversely, i f an investor is conside ring purchasing Shares during the Outcome Period, and the Fund has already increased in value , then a shareholder may experience losses prior to gaining the protection offered by the buffer. An investor purchasing Shares at the beginning of the Outcome Period could lose a significant portion of their investment (up to 90%), while an investor purchasing Shares after the Outcome Period has begun could lose their entire investment. An investment in the Fund is only appropriate for shareholders willing to bear those losses.

 

5

 

 

Fund Rebalance. The Fund is a continuous investment vehicle. It does not terminate and distribute its assets at the conclusion of each Outcome Period. On the termination date of an Outcome Period, the Sub-Adviser will invest in a new set of FLEX Options and another Outcome Period will commence.

 

The Fund’s website, www.innovatoretfs.com/ bjul , provides information relating to the Outcomes, including the Fund’s position relative to the Cap and buffer, of an investment in the Fund on a daily basis.

 

The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act” ).

 

Principal Risks

 

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. 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 governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objectives will be achieved.

 

Active Markets Risk. Although the Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will develop or be maintained. Shares trade on the Exchange at market prices that may be below, at or above the Fund’s NAV. Securities, including the Shares, are subject to market fluctuations and liquidity constraints that may be caused by such factors as economic, political, or regulatory developments, changes in interest rates, and/or perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.

 

Authorized Participation Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that may act as authorized participants on an agency basis ( i.e. , on behalf of other market participants). To the extent that authorized participants exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem “Creation Units” (as defined in “Purchase and Sale of Shares,”) Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

Buffered Loss Risk. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its strategy to buffer against S&P 500 Price Index losses if the S&P 500 Price Index decreases over the Outcome Period by 10% or less. The Fund’s strategy seeks to deliver returns that match the S&P 500 Price Index (up to the Cap), while limiting downside losses, if Shares are bought on the day on which the Fund enters into the FLEX Options and held until those FLEX Options expire the following year. In the event an investor purchases Shares after the date on which the FLEX Options were entered into or sells Shares prior to the expiration of the FLEX Options, the buffer that the Fund seeks to provide may not be available.

 

Cap Change Risk. A new Cap is established at the beginning of each Outcome Period and is dependent on prevailing market conditions. As such, the Cap may rise or fall from one Outcome Period to the next and is unlikely to remain the same for consecutive Outcome Periods.

 

6

 

 

Capped Upside Return Risk. The Fund’s strategy seeks to provide returns that are subject to the Cap. In the event that the S&P 500 Price Index has gains in excess of the Cap for the Outcome Period, the Fund will not participate in those gains beyond the Cap. The Fund’s strategy seeks to deliver returns that match those of the S&P 500 Price Index if Shares are bought on the day on which the Fund enters into the FLEX Options and held until those FLEX Options expire the following year. In the event an investor purchases Shares after the date on which the FLEX Options were entered into and the Fund has risen in value to a level near to the Cap, there may be little or no ability for that investor to experience an investment gain on their Shares.

 

Cash Transactions Risk. The Fund intends to effectuate creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. As a result, an investment in the Fund may be less tax-efficient than an investment in an exchange-traded fund ( “ETF” ) that effects its creations and redemption for in-kind securities. Because the Fund will effect redemptions for cash, it may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. A sale of Shares may result in capital gains or losses and may also result in higher brokerage costs. Consequently, an investment in the Fund may be less tax-efficient than investments in other ETFs. Moreover, cash transactions may have to be carried out over several days if the securities market is relatively illiquid and may involve considerable brokerage fees and taxes. These brokerage fees and taxes, which will be higher than if the Fund sold and redeemed its shares principally in-kind, will be passed on to purchasers and redeemers of Shares in the form of creation and redemption transaction fees. In addition, these factors may result in wider spreads between the bid and the offered prices of Shares than for other ETFs.

 

Correlation Risk. The FLEX Options held by the Fund will be exercisable at the strike price only on their expiration date. Prior to the expiration date, the value of the FLEX Options will be determined based upon market quotations or using other recognized pricing methods. The value of the FLEX Options prior to the expiration date may vary because of related factors other than the value of the S&P 500 Price Index. Factors that may influence the value of the FLEX Options include interest rate changes and implied volatility levels of the S&P 500 Price Index, among others.

 

C ounterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is the risk an issuer, guarantor or counterparty of a security in the Fund is unable or unwilling to meet its obligation on the security. The OCC acts as guarantor and central counterparty with respect to the FLEX Options. As a result, the ability of the Fund to meet its objective depends on the OCC being able to meet its obligations. In the unlikely event that the OCC becomes insolvent or is otherwise unable to meet its settlement obligations, the Fund could suffer significant losses.

 

Cyber S ecurity Risk. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the investment industry has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third-party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third-party service providers.

 

7

 

 

FLEX Options Risk. The Fund will utilize FLEX Options issued and guaranteed for settlement by the OCC. The Fund bears the risk that the OCC will be unable or unwilling to perform its obligations under the FLEX Options contracts. In the unlikely event that the OCC becomes insolvent or is otherwise unable to meet its settlement obligations, the Fund could suffer significant losses. Additionally, FLEX Options may be less liquid than certain other securities such as standardized options. In less liquid market for the FLEX Options, the Fund may have difficulty closing out certain FLEX Options positions at desired times and prices. The values of FLEX Options do not increase or decrease at the same rate as the reference asset and may vary due to factors other than the price of reference asset.

 

Fluctuation of Net Asset Value Risk. The Fund’s Shares trade on the Exchange at their market price rather than their NAV. The market price may be at, above or below the Fund’s NAV. Differences in market price and NAV 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 holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. These differences can be especially pronounced during times of market volatility or stress. During these periods, the demand for Shares may decrease considerably and cause the market price of Shares to deviate significantly from the Fund’s NAV.

 

Investment Objective Risk. Certain circumstances under which the Fund might not achieve its objective include, but are not limited, to (i) if the Fund disposes of FLEX Options, (ii) if the Fund is unable to maintain the proportional relationship based on the number of FLEX Options in the Fund’s portfolio, (iii) significant accrual of Fund expenses in connection with effecting the Fund’s principal investment strategy or (iv) adverse tax law changes affecting the treatment of FLEX Options.

 

Limitations of Intraday Indicative Value Risk. The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund’s published basket of portfolio securities every 15 seconds (the ‘‘intraday indicative value’’ or ‘‘IIV’’ ). The IIV should not be viewed as a ‘‘real-time’’ update of the NAV per Share because (i) the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed once a day, generally at the end of the business day, (ii) the calculation of NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV, (iii) unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses, and (iv) the IIV is based on the published basket of portfolio securities and not on the Fund’s actual holdings. The IIV calculations are based on local market prices and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market’s close, which could affect premiums and discounts between the IIV and the market price of the Shares. The Fund, Adviser, Sub-Adviser, and their affiliates, are not involved in, or responsible for, any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the Fund’s IIV, and the Fund, Adviser, Sub-Adviser, and their affiliates, do not make any warranty as to the accuracy of these calculations.

 

Liquidity Risk. In the event that trading in the underlying FLEX Options is limited or absent, the value of the Fund’s FLEX Options may decrease. There is no guarantee that a liquid secondary trading market will exist for the FLEX Options. The trading in FLEX Options may be less deep and liquid than the market for certain other securities. FLEX Options may be less liquid than certain non-customized options. In a less liquid market for the FLEX Options, terminating the FLEX Options may require the payment of a premium or acceptance of a discounted price and may take longer to complete. In a less liquid market for the FLEX Options, the liquidation of a large number of options may more significantly impact the price. A less liquid trading market may adversely impact the value of the FLEX Options and the value of your investment.

 

8

 

 

Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed portfolio. The Sub-Adviser will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that the Fund will meet its investment objective.

 

Market Maker Risk. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of Shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s NAV and the price at which the Shares are trading on the Exchange, which could result in a decrease in value of the Shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Shares trading at a discount to NAV and also in greater than normal intra-day bid-ask spreads for Shares.

 

Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. Assets may decline in value due to factors affecting financial markets generally or particular asset classes or industries represented in the markets. The value of a FLEX Options or other asset may also decline due to general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or due to factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates will not have the same impact on all types of securities.

 

Non - Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund is only limited as to the percentage of its assets which may be invested in the securities of any one issuer by the diversification requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code” ). The Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or regulatory occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers, experience increased volatility and be highly invested in certain issuers.

 

Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error in the calculation of the Cap, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and its investment adviser and Sub-adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address these risks.

 

9

 

 

Options Risk. The value of the underlying FLEX Options will be affected by, among others, changes in the value of the S&P 500 Price Index, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual and implied volatility, as well as in dividend yields, of the S&P 500 Price Index and the remaining time to until the FLEX Options expire. The value of the FLEX Options does not increase or decrease at the same rate as the level of the S&P 500 Price Index (although they generally move in the same direction). However, as a FLEX Option approaches its expiration date, its value typically increasingly moves with the value of the S&P 500 Price Index. The Fund may experience substantial downside from specific FLEX Option positions and certain FLEX Option positions may expire worthless.

 

Outcome Period Risk. The Fund’s investment strategy is designed to deliver returns that match the S&P 500 Price Index if Shares are bought on the day on which the Fund enters into the FLEX Options and held until those FLEX Options expire the following year. In the event an investor purchases Shares after the date on which the FLEX Options were entered into or sells Shares prior to the expiration of the FLEX Options, the returns realized by the investor will not match those that the Fund seeks to achieve.

 

Tax Risk. The Fund intends to elect and to qualify each year to be treated as a regulated investment company ( “RIC” ) under Subchapter M of the Code. As a RIC, the Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its net investment income and net capital gain that it distributes to unitholders, provided that it satisfies certain requirements of the Code. If the Fund does not qualify as a RIC for any taxable year and certain relief provisions are not available, the Fund’s taxable income will be subject to tax at the Fund level and to a further tax at the shareholder level when such income is distributed.

 

Additionally, buying securities shortly before the record date for a taxable dividend or capital gain distribution is commonly known as “buying the dividend.” In the event a shareholder purchases Shares shortly before such a distribution, the entire distribution may be taxable to the shareholder even though a portion of the distribution effectively represents a return of the purchase price.

 

Trading Issues Risk. Although the Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Shares will develop or be maintained. 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. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. 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. Initially, due to the small asset size of the Fund, it may have difficulty maintaining its listings on the Exchange.

 

Upside Participation Risk. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its strategy to provide shareholders with a total return that matches the increase of the S&P 500 Price Index over the Outcome Period, up to the maximum annualized return imposed by the Cap. In the event an investor purchases Shares after the date on which the FLEX Options were entered into or does not stay invested in the Fund for the entirety of the Outcome Period, the returns realized by the investor may not match those that the Fund seeks to achieve.

 

10

 

 

Valuation Risk. During periods of reduced market liquidity or in the absence of readily available market quotations for the holdings of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to value the FLEX Options becomes more difficult and the judgment of the Fund’s investment adviser (employing the fair value procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Trust may play a greater role in the valuation of the Fund’s holdings due to reduced availability of reliable objective pricing data. Consequently, while such determinations may be made in good faith, it may nevertheless be more difficult for the Fund to accurately assign a daily value.

 

The Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Performance

 

As of the date of this prospectus, the Fund has not commenced operations and therefore does not have a performance history. Once available, the Fund’s performance information will be accessible on the Fund’s website at www.innovatoretfs.com and will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund.

 

Management

 

Investment Adviser

 

Innovator Capital Management, LLC ( “Innovator” or the “Adviser” )

 

Investment Sub- Adviser

 

Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC ( Milliman or the Sub- Adviser” )

 

Portfolio Managers

 

The following persons serve as portfolio managers of the Fund.

 

 

Robert T. Cummings, Principal and Director of Global Trading at Milliman

 

 

Daniel S. Hare, Senior Trader and Risk Manager at Milliman

 

 

Hayley M. Peppers, Associate in ETF Portfolio Management at Milliman

 

Each of the portfolio managers is primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund and has served in such capacity since the Fund’s inception in 2018.

 

Purchase and Sale of Shares

 

The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only with authorized participants ( “APs” ) that have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor and only in Creation Units (large blocks of 25,000 Shares) or multiples thereof ( “Creation Unit Aggregations” ), in exchange for cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, the Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

 

Individual Shares may be purchased and sold only on a national securities exchange through brokers. Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and because the Shares will trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at prices greater than NAV (at a premium), at NAV, or less than NAV (at a discount).

 

11

 

 

Tax Information

 

The Fund’s distributions will generally be taxable as ordinary income, returns of capital or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

 

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

 

If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), Innovator and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, the Fund’s distributor, 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 the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

12

 

 

Additional Information About the Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies

 

The Fund’s principal investment strategy seeks to produce the Outcomes based upon the performance of the S&P 500 Price Index. By layering both purchased and written call and put FLEX Options, the Fund seeks to deliver investment returns that match those of the S&P 500 Price Index for the Outcome Period if S&P 500 Price Index experiences gains, and buffered losses for the Outcome Period if the S&P 500 Price Index experiences losses. All investment gains are subject to the Cap. Both the Cap and the buffer are provided prior to taking into account annual Fund management fees equal to 0.79% of the Fund’s daily net assets, transaction fees and any extraordinary expenses incurred by the Fund. Such expenses will reduce the Cap. There is no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its attempt to provide buffered returns.

 

In general, an option contract is an agreement between a buyer and seller that gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy or sell a particular asset at a specified future date at an agreed upon price (commonly known as the “strike price”). FLEX Options are exchange-traded options contracts with uniquely customizable terms. Each FLEX Option that the Fund enters into references the S&P 500 Price Index and expires on the last day of the Outcome Period. The FLEX Options, however, have varying strike prices. The layering of these FLEX Options with varying strike prices provides the mechanism for producing the Fund’s desired outcome. The Fund has three main layers of FLEX Options as set forth below.

 

Layer

Label

Position

Index

Strike

Expiration

1

 

(a)

Purchased call option

S&P 500
Price Index

 

Less than 100%

12 months

(b)

Sold put option

Less than 100%

(c)

Purchased put option

Greater than 100%

(d)

Sold call option

Greater than 100%

2

(e)

Sold put option

Less than 100%

 

(f)

Purchased put option

100%

3

(g)

Sold call option

Determined at beginning of Outcome Period

 

 

Layer 1

Upside S&P 500 Price Index Participation

The first layer involves buying and selling calls and puts (a), (b), (c), and (d), at pre-determined strikes to provide the desired S&P 500 Price Index participation.

Layer 2

Downside Buffer

The second layer involves buying and selling puts (e) and (f). Together they produce the downside buffer. 

Layer 3

Upside Cap

The final layer involves selling a call (g), which creates the upside cap. The strike price at which (g) is sold is determined so that the combined net options purchase price is approximately equal to the Fund’s net asset value, as illustrated in the figure below.

 

13

 

 

 

 

The combination of FLEX Options (a)+(b)+(c)+(d) provide upside participation that matches that of the S&P 500 Price Index. At the expiration date, these FLEX Options realize a value equal to that of the S&P 500 Price Index.

 

 

Taken together, positions (e) and (f) produce the 10% “buffer,” where position (f) is the top end of the buffer and position (e) is the bottom end. The payoff at expiration will compensate for losses experienced by the S&P 500 Price Index (if any), in an amount not to exceed 10%.

 

 

The strike level of the FLEX Option in position (g) produces the Cap and is chosen so that the combined net FLEX Options purchase price in (a) through (g) is approximately equal to the Fund’s NAV.

 

 

The combination of positions (a) through (g) creates a maximum growth opportunity equal to the return experienced by the S&P 500 Price Index at expiration, not to exceed the Cap, while providing a 10% buffer from losses.

 

As described on the cover of this prospectus, in “Principal Investment Strategies” and in “Principal Risks,” there are risks associated with an investment in the Fund and there is no guarantee the Fund achieve the Outcomes it seeks to provide. The Fund’s unique characteristics ( ie. the imperative of holding Shares for the entire Outcome Period, the Cap and buffer) distinguish it from other investment products and may make it an unsuitable some investors. To help decide whether an investment in the Fund is appropriate based upon individual circumstances, please see the section of this prospectus entitled “Investor Suitability.”

 

The Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board” ) without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders. Additionally, the Fund may liquidate and terminate at any time without shareholder approval.

 

14

 

 

Fund Investments

 

Principal Investments

 

FLEX Options

 

FLEX Options are customized option contracts that trade on an exchange but provide investors with the ability to customize key contract terms like strike price, style and expiration date while achieving price discovery in competitive, transparent auctions markets and avoiding the counterparty exposure of over-the-counter options positions. Like traditional exchange-traded options, FLEX Options are guaranteed for settlement by the OCC, a market clearinghouse that guarantees performance by counterparties to certain derivatives contracts.

 

The FLEX Options in which the Fund will invest are all European style options (options that are exercisable only on the expiration date). The FLEX Options are listed on the Chicago Board Options Exchange.

 

The Fund will purchase and sell call and put FLEX Options. In general, put options give the holder ( i.e., the buyer) the right to sell an asset (or deliver the cash value of the index, in case of an index put option) and the seller ( i.e., the writer) of the put has the obligation to buy the asset (or receive cash value of the index, in case of an index put option) at a certain defined price. Call options give the holder ( i.e., the buyer) the right to buy an asset (or receive cash value of the index, in case of an index call option) and the seller ( i.e., the writer) the obligation to sell the asset (or deliver cash value of the index, in case of an index call option) at a certain defined price.

 

Non-Principal Investments

 

Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments

 

The Fund may invest in securities with maturities of less than one year or cash equivalents, or it may hold cash. The percentage of the Fund invested in such holdings varies and depends on several factors, including market conditions.

 

Traditional Options Contracts

 

Options contracts on an index give one party the right to receive or deliver cash value of the particular index, and another party the obligation to receive or deliver the cash value of that index. Option contracts on an individual security such as an ETF give one party the right to buy or sell the particular security, and another party the obligation to sell or buy that same security. Many options are exchange-traded and are available to investors with set or defined contract terms.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

 

A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s SAI, which is available at www.innovatoretfs.com.

 

15

 

 

Additional Risks of Investing in the Fund

 

Risk is inherent in all investing. Investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may lose all or part of your investment. There can be no assurance that the Fund will meet its stated objective. Before you invest, you should consider the following supplemental disclosure pertaining to the Principal Risks set forth above as well as additional Non-Principal Risks set forth below in this prospectus.

 

Principal Risks

 

Active Markets Risk. Although the Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will develop or be maintained. Shares trade on the Exchange at market prices that may be below, at or above the Fund’s NAV. Securities, including the Shares, are subject to market fluctuations and liquidity constraints that may be caused by such factors as economic, political, or regulatory developments, changes in interest rates, and/or perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.

 

Authorized Participation Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that may act as authorized participants on an agency basis ( i.e. , on behalf of other market participants). To the extent that authorized participants exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

Buffered Loss Risk. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its strategy to buffer against S&P 500 Price Index losses if the S&P 500 Price Index decreases over the Outcome Period by 10% or less. The Fund’s strategy seeks to deliver returns that match the S&P 500 Price Index (up to the Cap), while limiting downside losses, if Shares are bought on the day on which the Fund enters into the FLEX Options and held until those FLEX Options expire the following year. In the event an investor purchases Shares after the date on which the FLEX Options were entered into or sells Shares prior to the expiration of the FLEX Options, the buffer that the Fund seeks to provide may not be available.

 

Cap Change Risk. A new Cap is established at the beginning of each Outcome Period and is dependent on prevailing market conditions. As such, the Cap may rise or fall from one Outcome Period to the next and is unlikely to remain the same for consecutive Outcome Periods.

 

Capped Upside Return Risk. The Fund’s strategy seeks to provide returns that are subject to the Cap. In the event that the S&P 500 Price Index has gains in excess of the Cap for the Outcome Period, the Fund will not participate in those gains beyond the Cap. The Fund’s strategy seeks to deliver returns that match those of the S&P 500 Price Index if Shares are bought on the day on which the Fund enters into the FLEX Options and held until those FLEX Options expire the following year. In the event an investor purchases Shares after the date on which the FLEX Options were entered into and the Fund has risen in value to a level near to the Cap, there may be little or no ability for that investor to experience an investment gain on their Shares.

 

16

 

 

Cash Transactions Risk. The Fund intends to effectuate creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. As a result, an investment in the Fund may be less tax-efficient than an investment in an ETF that effects its creations and redemption for in-kind securities. Because the Fund will effect redemptions for cash, it may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. A sale of Shares may result in capital gains or losses and may also result in higher brokerage costs. Consequently, an investment in the Fund may be less tax-efficient than investments in other ETFs. Moreover, cash transactions may have to be carried out over several days if the securities market is relatively illiquid and may involve considerable brokerage fees and taxes. These brokerage fees and taxes, which will be higher than if the Fund sold and redeemed its shares principally in-kind, will be passed on to purchasers and redeemers of Shares in the form of creation and redemption transaction fees. In addition, these factors may result in wider spreads between the bid and the offered prices of Shares than for other ETFs.

 

Correlation Risk. The FLEX Options held by the Fund will be exercisable at the strike price only on their expiration date. Prior to the expiration date, the value of the FLEX Options will be determined based upon market quotations or using other recognized pricing methods. The value of the FLEX Options prior to the expiration date may vary because of related factors other than the value of the S&P 500 Price Index. Factors that may influence the value of the FLEX Options include interest rate changes and implied volatility levels of the S&P 500 Price Index, among others.

 

Counterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is the risk an issuer, guarantor or counterparty of a security in the Fund is unable or unwilling to meet its obligation on the security. The OCC acts as guarantor and central counterparty with respect to the FLEX Options. As a result, the ability of the Fund to meet its objective depends on the OCC being able to meet its obligations. In the unlikely event that the OCC becomes insolvent or is otherwise unable to meet its settlement obligations, the Fund could suffer significant losses.

 

Cyber Security Risk. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the investment industry has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third-party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third-party service providers.

 

FLEX Options Risk. The Fund will utilize FLEX Options issued and guaranteed for settlement by the OCC. The Fund bears the risk that the OCC will be unable or unwilling to perform its obligations under the FLEX Options contracts. In the unlikely event that the OCC becomes insolvent or is otherwise unable to meet its settlement obligations, the Fund could suffer significant losses. Additionally, FLEX Options may be less liquid than certain other securities such as standardized options. In less liquid market for the FLEX Options, the Fund may have difficulty closing out certain FLEX Options positions at desired times and prices. The values of FLEX Options do not increase or decrease at the same rate as the reference asset and may vary due to factors other than the price of reference asset.

 

17

 

 

Fluctuation of Net Asset Value Risk. The Fund’s Shares trade on the Exchange at their market price rather than their NAV. The market price may be at, above or below the Fund’s NAV. Differences in market price and NAV 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 holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. These differences can be especially pronounced during times of market volatility or stress. During these periods, the demand for Shares may decrease considerably and cause the market price of Shares to deviate significantly from NAV.

 

Investment Objective Risk. Certain circumstances under which the Fund might not achieve its objective include, but are not limited, to (i) if the Fund disposes of FLEX Options, (ii) if the Fund is unable to maintain the proportional relationship based on the number of FLEX Options in the Fund’s portfolio, (iii) significant accrual of Fund expenses in connection with effecting the Fund’s principal investment strategy or (iv) adverse tax law changes affecting the treatment of FLEX Options.

 

Limitations of Intraday Indicative Value Risk. The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund’s published basket of portfolio securities every 15 seconds (the ‘‘intraday indicative value’’ or ‘‘IIV’’ ). The IIV should not be viewed as a ‘‘real-time’’ update of the NAV per Share because (i) the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed once a day, generally at the end of the business day, (ii) the calculation of NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV, (iii) unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses, and (iv) the IIV is based on the published basket of portfolio securities and not on the Fund’s actual holdings. The IIV calculations are based on local market prices and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market’s close, which could affect premiums and discounts between the IIV and the market price of the Shares. The Fund, Adviser, Sub-Adviser, and their affiliates, are not involved in, or responsible for, any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the Fund’s IIV, and the Fund, Adviser, Sub-Adviser, and their affiliates, do not make any warranty as to the accuracy of these calculations.

 

Liquidity Risk. In the event that trading in the underlying FLEX Options is limited or absent, the value of the Fund’s FLEX Options may decrease. There is no guarantee that a liquid secondary trading market will exist for the FLEX Options. The trading in FLEX Options may be less deep and liquid than the market for certain other securities. FLEX Options may be less liquid than certain non-customized options. In a less liquid market for the FLEX Options, terminating the FLEX Options may require the payment of a premium or acceptance of a discounted price and may take longer to complete. In a less liquid market for the FLEX Options, the liquidation of a large number of options may more significantly impact the price. A less liquid trading market may adversely impact the value of the FLEX Options and the value of your investment.

 

Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed portfolio. The Sub-Adviser will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that the Fund will meet its investment objective.

 

18

 

 

Market Maker Risk. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of Shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s NAV and the price at which the Shares are trading on the Exchange, which could result in a decrease in value of the Shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Shares trading at a discount to NAV and also in greater than normal intra-day bid-ask spreads for Shares.

 

Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. Assets may decline in value due to factors affecting financial markets generally or particular asset classes or industries represented in the markets. The value of a FLEX Options or other asset may also decline due to general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or due to factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates will not have the same impact on all types of securities.

 

Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund is only limited as to the percentage of its assets which may be invested in the securities of any one issuer by the diversification requirements imposed by the Code. The Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or regulatory occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers, experience increased volatility and be highly invested in certain issuers.

 

Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error in the calculation of the Cap, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and its investment adviser and Sub-adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address these risks.

 

Options Risk. The value of the underlying FLEX Options will be affected by, among others, changes in the value of the S&P 500 Price Index, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual and implied volatility, as well as in dividend yields, of the S&P 500 Price Index and the remaining time to until the FLEX Options expire. The value of the FLEX Options does not increase or decrease at the same rate as the level of the S&P 500 Price Index (although they generally move in the same direction). However, as a FLEX Option approaches its expiration date, its value typically increasingly moves with the value of the S&P 500 Price Index. The Fund may experience substantial downside from specific FLEX Option positions and certain FLEX Option positions may expire worthless.

 

Outcome Period Risk. The Fund’s investment strategy is designed to deliver returns that match the S&P 500 Price Index if Shares are bought on the day on which the Fund enters into the FLEX Options and held until those FLEX Options expire the following year. In the event an investor purchases Shares after the date on which the FLEX Options were entered into or sells Shares prior to the expiration of the FLEX Options, the returns realized by the investor will not match those that the Fund seeks to achieve.

 

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Tax Risk . The Fund intends to elect and to qualify each year to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. As a RIC, the Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its net investment income and net capital gain that it distributes to shareholders, provided that it satisfies certain requirements of the Code, including a requirement that the “issuers” of the Fund’s assets be sufficiently diversified. There is no published IRS guidance or case law on how to determine the “issuer” of certain derivatives that the Fund will enter into. Therefore, there is a risk that the Fund will not meet the Code’s diversification requirements and will not qualify, or will be disqualified, as a RIC. The Fund intends to treat FLEX Options referencing an index as “issued” by the issuer of the securities underlying the index. This, in turn, would allow the Fund to count the FLEX Options as automatically diversified investments under the Code’s diversification requirements. This position is consistent with informal guidance from the IRS but has not be confirmed by published guidance or case law. If the FLEX Options are not treated as issued by the issuer of the securities underlying the index for diversification test purposes, there is a risk that the Fund could lose its RIC status.

 

The Fund’s investments in offsetting positions with respect to the S&P 500 Price Index may affect the character of gains or losses realized by the Fund under the Code’s “straddle” rules and may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by the Fund. Such short-term capital gain is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to U.S. shareholders in a non-liquidating distribution. As a result, if the Fund makes a non-liquidating distribution of its short-term capital gain, the amount which must be distributed to U.S. shareholders as ordinary income may be increased substantially as compared to a Fund that did not engage in such transactions. Accordingly, Shareholders could have a lower after-tax return from investing in the Fund than investing directly in the S&P 500 Price Index.

 

If the Fund did not qualify as a RIC for any taxable year and certain relief provisions were not available, the Fund’s taxable income would be subject to tax at the Fund level and to a further tax at the shareholder level when such income is distributed. In such event, in order to re-qualify for taxation as a RIC, the Fund might be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make certain distributions. This would cause investors to incur higher tax liabilities than they otherwise would have incurred and would have a negative impact on Fund returns. In such event, the Fund may reorganize, close or materially change its investment objective and strategies.

 

The FLEX Options included in the Fund’s portfolio are exchange-traded options. Under Section 1256 of the Code, certain types of exchange-traded options are treated as if they were sold ( i.e. , “marked to market”) at the end of each year. Gain or loss is recognized on this deemed sale. Such treatment could cause the Fund to recognize taxable income without receiving cash. In order to maintain its RIC qualification, the Fund must distribute at least 90% of its income annually. If the FLEX Options are subject to Section 1256 of the Code, and the Fund is unable to distribute marked-to-market gains to its shareholders, the Fund may lose its RIC qualification and be taxed as a regular corporation.

 

Trading Issues Risk. Although the Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Shares will develop or be maintained. 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. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. 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. Initially, due to the small asset size of the Fund, it may have difficulty maintaining its listings on the Exchange.

 

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Upside Participation Risk. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its strategy to provide shareholders with a total return that matches the increase of the S&P 500 Price Index over the Outcome Period, up to the maximum annualized return imposed by the Cap. In the event an investor purchases Shares after the date on which the FLEX Options were entered into or does not stay invested in the Fund for the entirety of the Outcome Period, the returns realized by the investor may not match those that the Fund seeks to achieve.

 

Valuation Risk. During periods of reduced market liquidity or in the absence of readily available market quotations for the holdings of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to value the FLEX Options becomes more difficult and the judgment of the Fund’s investment adviser (employing the fair value procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Trust may play a greater role in the valuation of the Fund’s holdings due to reduced availability of reliable objective pricing data. Consequently, while such determinations may be made in good faith, it may nevertheless be more difficult for the Fund to accurately assign a daily value.

 

Non-Principal Risks

 

Inflation Risk. Inflation may reduce the intrinsic value of increases in the value of the Fund. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the value of the Fund’s assets can decline as can the value of the Fund’s distributions.

 

Legislation and Litigation Risk. Legislation or litigation that affects the value of securities held by the Fund may reduce the value of the Fund. From time to time, various legislative initiatives are proposed that may have a negative impact on certain securities in which the Fund invests. In addition, litigation regarding any of the securities owned by the Fund may negatively impact the value of the Shares. Such legislation or litigation may cause the Fund to lose value or may result in higher portfolio turnover if the Adviser determines to sell such a holding.

 

Security Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause a security held by the Fund to be more volatile than the market generally. The value of an individual security or particular type of security may be more volatile than the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of the market as a whole.

 

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Investor Suitability

 

An investment in Shares may be suitable for you if:

 

 

You fully understand the risks inherent in an investment in the Fund, including the risk of loss of up to 90% of your initial investment if you invest on the first day of the Outcome Period and up to 100% of your initial investment if you invest after the Outcome Period has commenced.

 

 

You are willing to be exposed to the downside performance of the S&P 500 Price Index beyond the 10% buffer at a rate of 1% for each 1% that the level of the S&P 500 Price Index.

 

 

You are willing to forgo any dividends paid on the equity securities included in the S&P 500 Price Index.

 

 

You are willing to hold Shares for the duration of the Outcome Period or understand the risks of purchasing or selling Shares during the Outcome Period.

 

 

You believe that the level of the S&P 500 Price Index will increase over the term of the Outcome Period and you are willing to give up any appreciation of the S&P 500 Price Index in excess of the Cap.

 

 

You understand and accept that your potential return is limited by the Cap.

 

 

You can tolerate fluctuations in the value of the Shares prior to the end of the Outcome Period that may be similar to or exceed the downside fluctuations in the level of the S&P 500 Price Index.

 

 

You do not seek current income from your investment.

 

 

You understand and accept the risks associated with the S&P 500 Price Index.

 

 

You are willing to assume counterparty risk with the OCC.

 

An investment in Shares may not be suitable for you if:

 

 

You do not fully understand the risks inherent in an investment in Shares, including the risk of loss of up to 90% of your initial investment if you invest on the first day of the Outcome Period and up to 100% of your initial investment if you invest after the Outcome Period has commenced.

 

 

You seek an investment designed to provide a full return of principal at maturity.

 

 

You cannot tolerate exposure to the downside performance of the S&P 500 Price Index beyond the 10% buffer at a rate of 1% for each 1% that the level of the S&P 500 Price Index.

 

 

You prefer to receive the dividends paid on the equity securities included in the S&P 500 Price Index.

 

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You are unable or unwilling to hold the Shares for the duration of the Outcome Period or do not understand the risks of purchasing or selling Shares during the Outcome Period.

 

 

You seek an investment that participates in the full appreciation of the S&P 500 Price Index or that has unlimited return potential, or you are unwilling to invest in Shares based on the Cap specified on the cover page hereof.

 

 

You cannot tolerate fluctuations in the value of the Shares prior to the end of the Outcome Period that may be similar to or exceed the downside fluctuations in the level of the S&P 500 Price Index.

 

 

You seek current income from your investment.

 

 

You do not understand or accept the risks associated with the S&P 500 Price Index.

 

 

You are unwilling to assume counterparty risk with the OCC.

 

Management of the Fund

 

The Fund is a series of Innovator ETFs Trust, an investment company registered under the 1940 Act. The Fund is treated as a separate fund with its own investment objectives and policies. The Trust is organized as a Delaware statutory trust. The Board is responsible for the overall management and direction of the Trust. The Board elects the Trust’s officers and approves all significant agreements, including those with the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, custodian and fund administrative and accounting agent.

 

Investment Adviser

 

Innovator Capital Management, LLC, 120 North Hale Street, Suite 200, Wheaton, Illinois 60187, serves as the Fund’s investment adviser. As of July 1, 2018, Innovator served as the investment adviser to four registered investment companies, with assets under management of $720 million. In its capacity as Adviser to the Fund, Innovator has overall responsibility for selecting and monitoring the Fund’s investments and managing the Fund’s business affairs.

 

Investment Sub-Adviser

 

Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC, 71 South Wacker Drive, 31st Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60606, serves as the Fund’s investment sub-adviser. As of December 31, 2017, Milliman had assets under management of greater than $150 billion. Milliman has responsibility for managing the Fund’s investment program in pursuit of its investment objective.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

Robert T. Cummings, Daniel S. Hare and Hayley M. Peppers serve as the Fund’s portfolio managers.

 

 

Robert T. Cummings, Principal and Director of Global Trading at Milliman. Mr. Cummings has served in this role since 2007. Mr. Cummings has more than 13 years of experience as a trader with a primary focus on options. Prior to joining Milliman, he was involved in various proprietary trading strategies and was a portfolio manager of associated derivatives funds. These strategies included volatility arbitrage, global macro, and high-frequency trading. Entities at which Mr. Cummings has previously worked include Citadel Investment Group, TradeNet (as a primary market maker on the Chicago Board Options Exchange), KCM Group and Spyglass Capital Management.

 

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Daniel S. Hare, Senior Trader & Risk Manager at Milliman. Mr. Hare has served in this role since 2016. From 2011 – 2016 he served as a Trader & Risk Manager at Milliman. Mr. Hare has more than 25 years of experience in capital markets. Prior to joining Milliman, he was employed by ABN Amro Bank, Societe Generale, Bear Stearns and Dean Witter. He has significant experience in foreign exchange options trading and has also worked as a market maker and portfolio manager.

 

 

Hayley S. Peppers, Associate in ETF Portfolio Management at Milliman . Ms. Peppers has served in this role since 2017. From 2015 – 2017 she served as a Quantitative Analyst at Milliman. Ms. Peppers has experience in trading and portfolio management duties for ETFs that hold a variety of securities, such as equities (domestic and international), treasuries, futures and options. She has designed and maintained trading models in order to monitor index changes, rebalance portfolios and track benchmark indices. She maintains relationships with various parties in order to effectively manage the funds, including custodian banks, trading desks, index providers, Authorized Participants, and market makers.

 

For additional information concerning Innovator and Milliman, including a description of the services provided to the Fund, please see the Fund’s statement of additional information. Additional information regarding the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers’ ownership of Shares may also be found in the statement of additional information.

 

Management Fee

 

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between Innovator and the Trust (the “Investment Management Agreement” ), the Fund has agreed to pay an annual unitary management fee to Innovator in an amount equal to 0.79% of its average daily net assets. This unitary management fee is designed to pay the Fund’s expenses and to compensate Innovator for the services it provides to the Fund.

 

Out of this unitary management fee, Innovator pays substantially all expenses of the Fund, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other service and license fees. However, the Adviser is not responsible for distribution and service fees payable pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 plan, if any, brokerage commissions and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio transactions, taxes, interest, and extraordinary expenses. The Adviser’s management fee is designed to pay the Fund’s expenses and to compensate the Adviser for providing services to the Fund.

 

Pursuant to an investment sub-advisory agreement between Innovator, Milliman and the Trust (the “Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement” ), Milliman receives an annual fee based on the average daily net assets of the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for paying the entire amount of the Sub-Adviser’s fee for the Fund. The Fund does not directly pay the Sub-Adviser.

 

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A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Investment Management Agreement and Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement on behalf of the Fund will be available in the Fund’s Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2018.

 

Manager of Managers Structure . The Fund and the Adviser have received an exemptive order from the SEC to operate under a manager of managers structure that permits the Adviser, with the approval of the Board, to appoint and replace sub-advisers, enter into sub-advisory agreements, and materially amend and terminate sub-advisory agreements on behalf of the Fund without shareholder approval ( “Manager of Managers Structure” ). Under the Manager of Managers Structure, the Adviser has ultimate responsibility, subject to oversight by the Board, for overseeing the Fund’s sub-advisers and recommending to the Board their hiring, termination, or replacement. The SEC order does not apply to any sub-adviser that is affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

 

The Manager of Managers Structure enables the Fund to operate with greater efficiency and without incurring the expense and delays associated with obtaining shareholder approvals for matters relating to Sub-Adviser or Sub-Advisory Agreement. The Manager of Managers Structure does not permit an increase in the advisory fees payable by the Fund without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be notified of any changes made to the Sub-Adviser or Sub-Advisory Agreement within 90 days of the change.

 

 

How to Buy and Sell Shares

 

The Fund will issue or redeems its Shares at NAV per Share only in Creation Units. Most investors will buy and sell Shares in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares will be listed for trading on the secondary market on the Exchange. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded shares. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per Share. There is no minimum investment. 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 price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. Because Shares trade at market price rather than NAV, an investor may pay more than NAV when purchasing Shares and receive less than NAV when selling Shares.

 

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 Creation Units or Creation Unit Aggregations, and in accordance with the procedures described in the SAI.

 

Book Entry

 

Shares are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company ( “DTC” ) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding Shares and is recognized as the owner of all Shares for all purposes.

 

Investors owning Shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all Shares. Participants in DTC include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of Shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have Shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of Shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of Shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other stocks that you hold in book entry or “street name” form.

 

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Share Trading Prices

 

The trading prices of Shares on the Exchange may differ from the Fund’s daily NAV. Market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors may affect the trading prices of Shares.

 

The approximate value of Shares, an amount representing on a per Share basis the sum of the current market price of the securities held by the Fund, will be disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading day through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association. This approximate value should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV per Share of the Fund because the approximate value may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed once a day, generally at the end of the business day. The Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the approximate value and the Fund does not make any warranty as to its accuracy.

 

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares

 

Shares may be purchased and redeemed directly from the Fund only in Creation Units by APs that have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor. The vast majority of trading in Shares occurs on the secondary market and does not involve the Fund directly. Cash trades on the secondary market are unlikely to cause many of the harmful effects of frequent purchases and/or redemptions of Shares. Cash purchases and/or redemptions of Creation Units, however, can result in disruption of portfolio management, dilution to the Fund and increased transaction costs, which could negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objectives, and may lead to the realization of capital gains. These consequences may increase as the frequency of cash purchases and redemptions of Creation Units by APs increases. However, direct trading by APs is critical to ensuring that Shares trade at or close to NAV.

 

To minimize these potential consequences of frequent purchases and redemptions of Shares, the Fund imposes transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs the Fund incurs in effecting trades. In addition, the Fund reserves the right to not accept orders from APs that Innovator has determined may be disruptive to the management of the Fund or otherwise are not in the best interests of the Fund. For these reasons, the Board has not adopted policies and procedures with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Shares.

 

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

 

Ordinarily, dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid at least annually by the Fund. The Fund distributes its net realized capital gains, if any, to shareholders annually.

 

Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Shares makes such option available.

 

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Taxes

 

The Fund intends to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under the federal tax laws. If the Fund qualifies as a regulated investment company and distributes its income as required by the tax law, the Fund generally will not pay federal income taxes.

 

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

 

Unless your investment in Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-deferred retirement account, such as an IRA plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when:

 

 

Your Fund makes distributions,

 

 

You sell your Shares listed on the Exchange, and

 

 

You purchase or redeem Creation Units.

 

To maintain its status as a RIC, the Fund must meet certain income, diversification and distributions tests. For purposes of the diversification test, the identification of the issuer (or, in some cases, issuers) of a particular Fund investment can depend on the terms and conditions of that investment. In particular, there is no published IRS guidance or case law on how to determine the “issuer” of certain derivatives that the Fund will enter into. Therefore, there is a risk that the Fund will not meet the Code’s diversification requirements and will not qualify, or will be disqualified, as a RIC. The Fund intends to treat FLEX Options referencing an index as “issued” by the securities underlying the index. This, in turn, would allow the Fund to count the FLEX Options as automatically diversified investments under the Code’s diversification requirements. This position is consistent with informal guidance from the IRS but has not be confirmed by published guidance or case law. If the FLEX Options are not treated as issued by the issuer of the securities underlying the index for diversification test purposes, there is a risk that the Fund could lose its RIC status.

 

Taxes on Distributions

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable. After the end of each year, you will receive a tax statement that separates the distributions of the Fund into two categories, ordinary income distributions and capital gains dividends. Ordinary income distributions are generally taxed at your ordinary tax rate; however, as further discussed below, certain ordinary income distributions received from the Fund may be taxed at the capital gains tax rates. Generally, you will treat all capital gain dividends as long-term capital gains regardless of how long you have owned your Shares. To determine your actual tax liability for your capital gains dividends, you must calculate your total net capital gain or loss for the tax year after considering all of your other taxable transactions, as described below. In addition, the Fund may make distributions that represent a return of capital for tax purposes and thus will generally not be taxable to you; however, such distributions may reduce your tax basis, which could result in you having to pay higher taxes in the future when Shares are sold, even if you sell the Shares at a loss from your original investment. The tax status of your distributions from the Fund is not affected by whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Shares or receive them in cash. The income from the Fund that you must take into account for federal income tax purposes is not reduced by amounts used to pay a deferred sales fee, if any. The tax laws may require you to treat distributions made to you in January as if you had received them on December 31 of the previous year.

 

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Income from the Fund may also be subject to a 3.8% “Medicare tax.” This tax generally applies to your net investment income if your adjusted gross income exceeds certain threshold amounts, which are $250,000 in the case of married couples filing joint returns and $200,000 in the case of single individuals.

 

A corporation that owns Shares generally will not be entitled to the dividends received deduction with respect to many dividends received from the Fund because the dividends received deduction is generally not available for distributions from regulated investment companies.

 

If you are an individual, the maximum marginal stated federal tax rate for net capital gain is generally 20% for taxpayers in the highest tax bracket. Some capital gains dividends may be taxed at a higher maximum stated tax rate. Capital gains may also be subject to the Medicare tax described above.

 

Net capital gain equals net long-term capital gain minus net short-term capital loss for the taxable year. Capital gain or loss is long-term if the holding period for the asset is more than one year and is short-term if the holding period for the asset is one year or less. You must exclude the date you purchase your Shares to determine your holding period. However, if you receive a capital gain dividend from the Fund and sell your Shares at a loss after holding it for six months or less, the loss will be recharacterized as long-term capital loss to the extent of the capital gain dividend received. The tax rates for capital gains realized from assets held for one year or less are generally the same as for ordinary income. The Code treats certain capital gains as ordinary income in special situations.

 

Ordinary income dividends received by an individual shareholder from a regulated investment company such as the Fund are generally taxed at the same rates that apply to net capital gain (as discussed above), provided certain holding period requirements are satisfied and provided the dividends are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Fund itself. The Fund will provide notice to its shareholders of the amount of any distribution which may be taken into account as a dividend which is eligible for the capital gains tax rates.

 

Taxes on Exchange Listed Shares

 

If you sell or redeem your Shares, you will generally recognize a taxable gain or loss. To determine the amount of this gain or loss, you must subtract your tax basis in your Shares from the amount you receive in the transaction. Your tax basis in your Shares is generally equal to the cost of your Shares, generally including sales charges. In some cases, however, you may have to adjust your tax basis after you purchase your Shares.

 

Taxes and Purchases and Redemptions of Creation Units

 

If you exchange securities for Creation Units you will generally recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and your aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the cash component paid. If you exchange Creation Units for securities, you will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between your basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities received and any cash redemption amount. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units or Creation Units for securities cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.

 

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Under current federal tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon redemption of Creation Units generally is treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the Shares 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 discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You also may be subject to state and local tax on Fund distributions and sales of Shares.

 

Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Shares under all applicable tax laws. See “Taxes” in the statement of additional information for more information.

 

Treatment of the Options  

 

The Fund’s investments in offsetting positions with respect to the S&P 500 Price Index may be “straddles” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The straddle rules may affect the character of gains (or losses) realized by the Fund, and losses realized by the Fund on positions that are part of a straddle may be deferred under the straddle rules, rather than being taken into account in calculating taxable income for the taxable year in which the losses are realized. In addition, certain carrying charges (including interest expense) associated with positions in a straddle may be required to be capitalized rather than deducted currently. Certain elections that the Fund may make with respect to its straddle positions may also affect the amount, character and timing of the recognition of gains or losses from the affected positions.

 

The tax consequences of straddle transactions to the Fund are not entirely clear in all situations under currently available authority. The straddle rules may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by a Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to U.S. shareholders in a non-liquidating distribution. Because application of the straddle rules may affect the character of gains or losses, defer losses and/or accelerate the recognition of gains or losses from the affected straddle positions, if the Fund makes a non-liquidating distribution of its short-term capital gain, the amount which must be distributed to U.S. shareholders as ordinary income may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to a Fund that did not engage in such transactions.

 

The FLEX Options included in the Fund’s portfolio are exchange-traded options. Under Section 1256 of the Code, certain types of exchange-traded options are treated as if they were sold ( i.e. , “marked to market”) at the end of each year. Gain or loss is recognized on this deemed sale. Such treatment could cause the Fund to have taxable income without receiving cash. In order to maintain its RIC qualification, the Fund must distribute at least 90% of its income annually. If the Options are subject to Section 1256 of the Code and the Fund is unable to distribute marked-to-market gains to its shareholders, the Fund may lose its RIC qualification and be taxed as a regular corporation. On the other hand, positions that are subject to the Section 1256 mark-to-market rules statutorily produce gain or loss that is 60% long-term capital gain and 40% short-term capital gain. In addition, offsetting positions that are both subject to Section 1256 are not subject to the straddle rules discussed above. Thus, positions subject to Section 1256 may force the Fund to make increased distributions, but also increase the amount of long-term capital gain recognized as compared to positions subject to the straddle rules.

 

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Treatment of Fund Expenses

 

Expenses incurred and deducted by the Fund will generally not be treated as income taxable to you. In some cases, however, you may be required to treat your portion of these Fund expenses as income. You may not be able to take a deduction for some or all of these expenses, even if the cash you receive is reduced by such expenses.

 

Backup Withholding  

 

The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax ( “backup withholding” ) from dividends and capital gains distributions paid to shareholders. Federal tax will be withheld if (1) the shareholder fails to furnish the Fund with the shareholder’s correct taxpayer identification number or social security number, (2) the IRS notifies the shareholder or the Fund that the shareholder has failed to report properly certain interest and dividend income to the IRS and to respond to notices to that effect, or (3) when required to do so, the shareholder fails to certify to the Fund that he or she is not subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be credited against the Shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.

 

Non-U.S. Investors

 

If you are a non-U.S. investor ( i.e. , an investor other than a U.S. citizen or resident or a U.S. corporation, partnership, estate or trust), subject to applicable tax treaties, distributions from the Fund will generally be characterized as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes (other than capital gain dividends and short-term capital gains dividends) and will be subject to U.S. income taxes, including withholding taxes. Except as described below, distributions received by a non-U.S. investor from the Fund as capital gain dividends and short-term capital gains dividends may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes.

 

A separate U.S. withholding tax may apply in the case of distributions to, or dispositions after December 31, 2018 by, (i) certain non-U.S. financial institutions that have not agreed to collect and disclose certain account holder information and are not resident in a jurisdiction that has entered into such an agreement with the U.S. Treasury and (ii) certain other non-U.S. entities that do not provide certain certifications and information about the entity’s U.S. owners.

 

Distributor

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor ”) serves as the distributor of Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in Shares.

 

Net Asset Value

 

The Fund’s NAV is determined as of the close of trading (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business. NAV is calculated for the Fund by taking the market price of the Fund’s total assets, including interest or dividends accrued but not yet collected, less all liabilities, and dividing such amount by the total number of Shares outstanding. The result, rounded to the nearest cent, is the NAV per Share. All valuations are subject to review by the Board or its delegate.

 

30

 

 

The Fund’s investments are valued daily in accordance with valuation procedures adopted by the Board, and in accordance with provisions of the 1940 Act. Although it has no current intention of investing in such securities, certain securities in which the Fund may invest are not listed on any securities exchange or board of trade. Such securities are typically bought and sold by institutional investors in individually negotiated private transactions that function in many respects like an over the counter secondary market, although typically no formal market makers exist. Certain securities, particularly debt securities, have few or no trades, or trade infrequently, and information regarding a specific security may not be widely available or may be incomplete. Accordingly, determinations of the fair value of debt securities may be based on infrequent and dated information. Because there is less reliable, objective data available, elements of judgment may play a greater role in valuation of debt securities than for other types of securities. Typically, debt securities are valued using information provided by a third-party pricing service. The third-party pricing service primarily uses broker quotes to value the securities.

 

The Fund’s investments will be valued daily at market value or, in the absence of market value with respect to any investment, at fair value in accordance with valuation procedures adopted by the Board and in accordance with the 1940 Act. Market value prices represent last sale or official closing prices from a national or foreign exchange ( i.e., a regulated market) and are primarily obtained from third-party pricing services.

 

Although it has no current intention of investing in such securities, certain securities in which the Fund may invest may not be able to be priced by pre-established pricing methods. Such securities may be valued by the Board or its delegate (U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC) at fair value. The use of fair value pricing by the Fund is governed by valuation procedures adopted by the Board and in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act. These securities generally include, but are not limited to, certain restricted securities (securities which may not be publicly sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act” )) for which a pricing service is unable to provide a market price; securities whose trading has been formally suspended; a security whose market price is not available from a pre-established pricing source; a security with respect to which an event has occurred that is likely to materially affect the value of the security after the market has closed but before the calculation of the Fund’s NAV or make it difficult or impossible to obtain a reliable market quotation; and a security whose price, as provided by the pricing service, does not reflect the security’s “fair value.” As a general principle, the current “fair value” of a security would appear to be the amount which the owner might reasonably expect to receive for the security upon its current sale. The use of fair value prices by the Fund generally results in the prices used by the Fund that may differ from current market quotations or official closing prices on the applicable exchange. A variety of factors may be considered in determining the fair value of such securities. Valuing the Fund’s securities using fair value pricing will result in using prices for those securities that may differ from current market valuations.

 

Even when market quotations are available for portfolio securities, they may be stale or unreliable because the security is not traded frequently, trading on the security ceased before the close of the trading market or issuer-specific events occurred after the security ceased trading or because of the passage of time between the close of the market on which the security trades and the close of the Exchange and when the Fund calculates its NAV. Events that may cause the last market quotation to be unreliable include a merger or insolvency, events which affect a geographical area or an industry segment, such as political events or natural disasters, or market events, such as a significant movement in the U.S. market. Where market quotations are not readily available, including where Innovator determines that the closing price of the security is unreliable, Innovator will value the security at fair value in good faith using procedures approved by the Board. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that a fair value determination for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security.

 

31

 

 

Fund Service Providers

 

US Bancorp Fund Services LLC is the administrator and transfer agent for the Trust. U.S. Bank, N.A. serves as the custodian for the Trust.

 

Chapman and Cutler LLP, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.

 

Cohen & Company, Ltd., 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, OH 44115, serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and is responsible for auditing the annual financial statements of the Fund.

 

Financial Highlights

 

The Fund is new and has no performance history as of the date of this prospectus. Financial information therefore is not available.

 

Premium/Discount Information

 

The market prices of the Shares generally will fluctuate in accordance with changes in NAV, as well as the relative supply of and demand for Shares on the Exchange. Innovator cannot predict whether the Shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. The approximate value of the Shares, which is an amount representing on a per Share basis the sum of the current market price of the securities held by the Fund, will be disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading day through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association. This approximate value should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV per Share of the Fund because the approximate value may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed once a day, generally at the end of the business day. The Fund is not involved with, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the approximate value, and the Fund does not make any warranty as to its accuracy.

 

Information regarding how often the Shares traded on the Exchange at a price above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) the NAV of the Fund during the past four calendar quarters, when available, will be found at www.innovatoretfs.com.

 

Investments by Other Investment Companies

 

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including Shares. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Trust, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Trust on behalf of the Fund prior to exceeding the limits imposed by Section 12(d)(1).

 

32

 

 

 

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF – July

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more detailed information on the Fund, several additional sources of information are available to you. The Statement of Additional Information, incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, contains detailed information on the Fund’s policies and operation. Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the Fund’s annual reports, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly impacted the Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. The Fund’s most recent Statement of Additional Information, annual or semi-annual reports and certain other information are available free of charge by calling the Fund at (800) 208-5212, on the Fund’s website at www.innovatoretfs.com or through your financial advisor. Shareholders may call the toll-free number above with any inquiries.

 

You may obtain this and other information regarding the Fund, including the Statement of Additional Information and Codes of Ethics adopted by the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, Distributor and the Trust, directly from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC” ). Information on the SEC’s website is free of charge. Visit the SEC’s on-line EDGAR database at http://www.sec.gov or in person at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., or call the SEC at (202) 551-8090 for information on the Public Reference Room. You may also request information regarding the Fund by sending a request (along with a duplication fee) to the SEC’s Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 or by sending an electronic request to publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

 

 

 

Innovator Capital Management, LLC
120 North Hale Street, Suite 200
Wheaton, Illinois  60187
(800) 208-5212
www.innovatoretfs.com

SEC File #: 333‑146827
811-22135

 

 

 

Preliminary Statement of Additional Information

Dated July 12, 2018

                                                                                                                        Subject to Completion

 

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

 

INNOVATOR ETFs TRUST

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF – July

 

Ticker symbol: B JUL

 

Statement of Additional Information
July __ , 2018

 

120 North Hale Street
Suite 200
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
www.innovatoretfs.com

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) describes shares of the Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF – July (the “Fund”) which is a series of Innovator ETFs Trust (the “Trust”). The Fund’s investment adviser is Innovator Capital Management, LLC (the “Adviser”) and investment sub-adviser is Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC (“Milliman” or the “Sub-Adviser”). The Fund’s distributor is Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”).

 

This SAI supplements the information contained in the Fund’s Prospectus, dated July __, 2018, as they may be amended from time to time. This SAI should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus. This SAI is not itself a prospectus but is, in its entirety, incorporated by reference into the Prospectus. A copy of the Fund’s most recent annual report, semi-annual report or the Prospectus for the Fund may be obtained, without charge, by writing the Adviser at the address listed above or by calling (800) 208-5212.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 

Page

General Information

2

Trading and Brokerage

23

Exchange Listing and Trading

3

Capital Structure

24

Investment Restrictions and Policies

4

Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations

26

Investment Strategies and Risks

7

Determining Offering Price and Net Asset Value

31

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings Information

10

Distributions and Taxes

32

Management of the Trust

11

Performance Information

38

Investment Adviser and Other Service Providers

18

Proxy Voting Guidelines

A-1

Portfolio Manager s

22

   

 

 

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

The Trust is a Delaware statutory trust organized on October 17, 2007. On August 11, 2017, the Trust changed its name from Academy Funds Trust to Innovator ETFs Trust. The Trust is an open-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Trust currently offers shares of separate series, representing separate portfolios of investments. This SAI relates solely to the Fund, which is non-diversified.

 

The Fund offers, issues and redeems shares (“Shares”) at net asset value (“NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each a “Creation Unit” or a “Creation Unit Aggregation”). The Fund currently intends to issue and redeem Creation Units in exchange for cash. Shares of the Fund are listed and trade on Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange” or “Cboe BZX”) (formerly known as BATS Exchange, Inc.), a national securities exchange. Shares of the Fund are traded in the secondary market and elsewhere at market prices that may be at, above or below the Fund’s NAV. Shares are redeemable only in Creation Units by Authorized Participants (as defined in the Portfolio Holdings Information section of this SAI), and, generally, in exchange for a cash amount. Creation Units typically are a specified number of shares, generally 25,000 or multiples thereof. In the event of the liquidation of the Fund, the Trust may lower the number of Shares in a Creation Unit.

 

The Trust reserves the right to permit or require that creations and redemptions of Shares are effected fully or partially in-kind and reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a portfolio of securities representing securities included in the Fund’s portfolio (“Deposit Securities”) in lieu of cash. Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities, subject to various conditions, including a requirement that the Authorized Participant maintain with the Trust a cash deposit marked to the market value of the omitted Deposit Securities. The Trust may use such cash deposit at any time to purchase Deposit Securities. See the Creation and Redemption of Creation Units section of this SAI. Transaction fees and other costs associated with creations or redemptions that include cash may be higher than the transaction fees and other costs associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. In all cases, conditions with respect to creations and redemptions of shares and fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of SEC rules and regulations applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities.

 

The Fund is a separate mutual fund, and each Share represents an equal proportionate interest in the Fund. All consideration received by the Trust for Shares and all assets of the Fund belong solely to the Fund and would be subject to liabilities related thereto. The Trust pays its (i) operating expenses, including fees of its service providers, expenses of preparing prospectuses for existing shareholders, proxy solicitation materials and reports to shareholders, costs of custodial services charges, taxes and organization expenses and (ii) other expenses, including audit and legal expenses. Expenses attributable to a specific series of the Trust shall be payable solely out of the assets of that series. Expenses not attributable to a specific series are allocated across all of the series on the basis of relative net assets.

 

-2-

 

 

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 

There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of Shares of the Fund will continue to be met. The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the Shares of the Fund from listing if (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial holders of the Shares for 30 or more consecutive trading days, (ii) the “approximate value” of the Fund, as described in “Net Asset Value” of the Prospectus, is no longer calculated or available, or (iii) any other event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the Shares of the Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.

 

As in the case of other stocks traded on the Exchange, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels. Negotiated commission rates only apply to investors who will buy and sell Shares of the Fund in secondary market transactions through brokers on the Exchange and does not apply to investors such as market makers, large investors and institutions who wish to deal in Creation Units directly with the Fund.

 

The Trust reserves the right to adjust the price levels of the Shares in the future to help maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.

 

Continuous Offering

 

The method by which Creation Units are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner that could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the 1933 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 such Shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the 1933 Act must take into account all of the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.

 

-3-

 

 

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, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the 1933 Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares of the Fund are reminded that, pursuant to Rule 153 under the 1933 Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the 1933 Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange generally is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is available only with respect to transactions on an exchange.

 

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS AND POLICIES

 

Investment Objective

 

There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its objective. The Fund’s investment objective and policies, and its associated risks, are discussed below and in the Fund’s Prospectus, which should be read carefully before an investment is made. All investment objectives and investment policies not specifically designated as fundamental may be changed without shareholder approval. Additional information about the Fund and its policies is provided below.

 

Fundamental Investment Restrictions

 

The investment restrictions set forth below have been adopted by the Trust as fundamental policies that cannot be changed without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. All other investment policies or practices of the Fund are considered by the Trust to be non-fundamental and, accordingly, may be changed without shareholder approval. For purposes of the 1940 Act, a “majority of the outstanding voting securities” means the lesser of the vote of: (i) 67% or more of the shares of the Fund present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the shares of the Fund.

 

The Fund shall not:

 

(1)

Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the SEC.

 

(2)

Act as an underwriter, except to the extent the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter when disposing of securities it owns or when selling its own shares.

 

(3)

Make loans if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other persons, including other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder which may be adopted, granted or issued by the SEC.

 

-4-

 

 

(4)

Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments and provided that this restriction does not prevent the Fund from (i) purchasing or selling securities or instruments secured by real estate or interests therein, securities or instruments representing interests in real estate or securities or instruments of issuers that invest, deal or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate or interests therein and (ii) making, purchasing or selling real estate mortgage loans.

 

(5)

Purchase or sell commodities except to the extent permitted by applicable law.

 

(6)

Issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the SEC.

 

(7)

Invest 25% or more of the Fund’s net assets in securities of issuers in any one industry or group of industries (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or securities of other investment companies). To the extent the Fund invests in the securities of other investment companies, it will consider the concentrations of those underlying investment companies in determining compliance with its own concentration restrictions.

 

Notations Regarding the Fund’s Fundamental Investment Restrictions

 

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the 1940 Act permits the Fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the Fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the Fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. (The Fund’s total assets include the amounts being borrowed.) To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires the Fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. 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. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Certain trading practices and investments may be considered to be borrowings or involve leverage and thus are subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. In accordance with SEC staff guidance and interpretations, when the Fund engages in such transactions, the Fund instead of maintaining asset coverage of at least 300%, may segregate or earmark liquid assets, or enter into an offsetting position, in an amount at least equal to the Fund’s exposure, on a mark-to-market basis, to the transaction (as calculated pursuant to requirements of the SEC). The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to permit the Fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing or to involve leverage to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and to permit the Fund to segregate or earmark liquid assets or enter into offsetting positions in accordance with the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

 

-5-

 

 

Non - Fundamental Investment Restrictions

 

In addition to the fundamental policies and investment restrictions described above, and the various general investment policies described in the Prospectus, the Fund will be subject to the following investment restrictions, which are considered non-fundamental and may be changed by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) without shareholder approval.

 

 

(1)

The Fund may not invest more than 15% of its net assets in securities that it cannot sell or dispose of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value at which the Fund has valued the investment.

 

 

(2)

The Fund is permitted to invest in other investment companies, including open-end, closed-end or unregistered investment companies, either within the percentage limits set forth in the 1940 Act, any rule or order thereunder, or SEC staff interpretation thereof, or without regard to percentage limits in connection with a merger, reorganization, consolidation or other similar transaction.

 

*     *     *

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all limitations under the Fund's fundamental or non-fundamental investment restrictions apply only at the time that a transaction is undertaken. Any change in the percentage of the Fund's assets invested in certain securities or other instruments resulting from market fluctuations or other changes in the Fund’s total assets will not require the Fund to dispose of an investment until the Adviser/Sub-Adviser determines that it is practicable to sell or close out the investment without undue market or tax consequences.

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Fund may have a portfolio turnover rate in excess of 100%. Portfolio trading will be undertaken principally to accomplish the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund is free to dispose of portfolio securities at any time, subject to complying with the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”) and the 1940 Act, when changes in circumstances or conditions make such a move desirable in light of the Fund’s investment objective. Therefore, the Fund will not attempt to achieve or be limited to a predetermined rate of portfolio turnover.

 

The portfolio turnover rate tells you the amount of trading activity in the Fund’s portfolio. A turnover rate of 100% would occur, for example, if all of the Fund’s investments held at the beginning of a year were replaced by the end of the year, or if a single investment was frequently traded. The turnover rate also may be affected by cash requirements from purchases and redemptions of Shares. A high rate of portfolio turnover in any year may increase brokerage commissions paid and could generate taxes for shareholders on realized investment gains.

 

-6-

 

 

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

 

The following information relates to and supplements the description of the Fund’s investment strategies and risks that are contained in the Prospectus and includes descriptions of permitted investments and investment practices as well as associated risk factors.

 

Borrowing and Leverage . The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. If the Fund borrows money, it must pay interest and other fees, which will reduce the Fund’s returns if such costs exceed the returns on the portfolio securities purchased or retained with such borrowings. Any such borrowings are intended to be temporary. However, under certain market conditions, including periods of low demand or decreased liquidity, such borrowings might be outstanding for longer periods of time. As prescribed by the 1940 Act, the Fund will be required to maintain specified asset coverage of at least 300% with respect to any bank borrowing immediately following such borrowing. In the event that such asset coverage shall at any time fall below 300%, the Fund shall, within three days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays), reduce the amount of its borrowings to an extent that the asset coverage of such borrowings shall be at least 300%. The Fund may be required to dispose of assets on unfavorable terms if market fluctuations or other factors reduce the Fund’s asset coverage to less than the prescribed amount.

 

Cyber S ecurity Risk . As the use of technology has become more prevalent, the Fund may be more susceptible to operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A cyber security incident may refer to either intentional or unintentional events that allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund or a service provider to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. A cyber security incident could, among other things, result in the loss or theft of customer data or funds, customers or employees being unable to access electronic systems (“denial of services”), loss or theft of proprietary information or corporate data, physical damage to a computer or network system, or remediation costs associated with system repairs. Any of these results could have a substantial impact on the Fund. For example, if a cyber security incident results in a denial of service, Fund shareholders could lose access to their electronic accounts for an unknown period of time, and employees could be unable to access electronic systems to perform critical duties for the Fund, such as trading, NAV calculation, shareholder accounting or fulfillment of Share purchases and redemptions. Cyber security incidents could cause the Fund, Adviser, Sub-Adviser or Distributor to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures, or financial loss of a significant magnitude. They may also cause the Fund to violate applicable privacy and other laws. The Fund’s service providers have established risk management systems that seek to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, and business continuity plans in the event there is a cybersecurity breach. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially since the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests or the Fund’s third-party service providers (including the Fund’s transfer agent and custodian).

 

-7-

 

 

FLEX Options ( principal investment) . FLEX Options are customized option contracts available through national securities exchanges that are guaranteed for settlement by the Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”). FLEX Options are listed on a U.S. national securities exchange. FLEX Options provide investors with the ability to customize assets and indices referenced by the options, exercise prices, exercise styles (i.e., American-style, exercisable any time prior to the expiration date, or European-style, exercisable only on the option expiration date) and expiration dates, while achieving price discovery in competitive, transparent auctions markets and avoiding the counterparty exposure of over-the-counter options positions. Each option contract entitles the holder thereof to purchase (for the call options) or sell (for the put options) shares of the reference asset at the strike price.

 

The OCC guarantees performance by each of the counterparties to the FLEX Options, becoming the “buyer for every seller and the seller for every buyer”, with the goal of protecting clearing members and options traders from counterparty risk.

 

Options on Indices . The FLEX Options in which the Fund invests will be options on an index, the S&P 500 Price Return Index (the “S&P 500 Price Index”). An index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the securities included in the index. Options on indices give the holder the right to receive an amount of cash upon exercise of the option. Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the index upon which the option is based being greater than (in the case of a call) or less than (in the case of put) the exercise price of the option.

 

Each of the options exchanges has established limitations governing the maximum number of call or put options on the same index that may be bought or written by a single investor, whether acting alone or in concert with others (regardless of whether such options are written on the same or different exchanges or are held or written on one or more accounts or through one or more brokers). Under these limitations, option positions of all investment companies advised by Innovator are combined for purposes of these limits. Pursuant to these limitations, an exchange may order the liquidation of positions and may impose other sanctions or restrictions. These positions limits may restrict the number of listed options that the Fund may buy or sell.

 

Puts and calls on indices are similar to puts and calls on securities or futures contracts except that all settlements are in cash and gain or loss depends on changes in the index in question rather than on price movements in individual securities or futures contracts. When the Fund writes a call on the S&P 500 Price Index, it receives a premium and agrees that, prior to the expiration date, the purchaser of the call, upon exercise of the call, will receive from the Fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the S&P 500 Price Index upon which the call is based is greater than the exercise price of the call. The amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the call times a specified multiple (“multiplier”), which determines the total value for each point of such difference. When the Fund buys a call on the S&P 500 Price Index, it pays a premium and has the same rights to such call as are indicated above. When the Fund buys a put on the S&P 500 Price Index, it pays a premium and has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the seller of the put, upon the Fund’s exercise of the put, to deliver to the Fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the S&P 500 Price Index upon which the put is based is less than the exercise price of the put, which amount of cash is determined by the multiplier, as described above for calls. When the Fund writes a put on an S&P 500 Price Index, it receives a premium and the purchaser of the put has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the Fund to deliver to it an amount of cash equal to the difference between the closing level of the S&P 500 Price Index and the exercise price times the multiplier if the closing level is less than the exercise price.

 

-8-

 

 

The value of an option, in general, will reflect, among other things, the current market value of the underlying investment, in the case of the Fund the S&P 500 Price Return Index, the time remaining until expiration (end of the Outcome Period), the relationship of the exercise price to the market price of the underlying investment and general market conditions. Options that expire unexercised have no value.

 

Risks of Options on Indices . If the Fund has purchased an index option and exercises it before the closing index value for that day is available, it runs the risk that the level of the index may subsequently change. If such a change causes the exercised option to fall out of the money, the Fund will be required to pay the difference between the closing index value and the exercise price of the option (times the applicable multiplier) to the assigned writer.

 

Asset Coverage on Options Positions . The Fund will comply with guidelines established by the SEC with respect to coverage of options by investment companies, and if the guidelines so require, will set aside or earmark appropriate liquid assets in the amount prescribed. Such assets cannot be sold while the option is outstanding, unless they are replaced with other suitable assets. As a result, there is a possibility that the reservation of a large percentage of the Fund’s assets could impede portfolio management or the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.

 

Short-Term Instruments and Temporary Investments (non-principal investment) . The Fund may invest in short-term instruments, including money market instruments, on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. Money market instruments are generally short-term investments that may include, but are not limited to: (i) shares of money market funds; (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises); (iii) negotiable certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, fixed-time deposits and other obligations of U.S. and non-U.S. banks (including non-U.S. branches) and similar institutions; (iv) commercial paper rated, at the date of purchase, “Prime-1” by Moody’s ® Investors Service, Inc., “F-1” by Fitch Ratings, Inc., or “A-1” by Standard & Poor’s ® Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global, Inc., or if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser; (v) non-convertible corporate debt securities (e.g., bonds and debentures) with remaining maturities at the date of purchase of not more than 397 days and that satisfy the rating requirements set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; (vi) repurchase agreements; and (vii) short-term U.S. dollar denominated obligations of non-U.S. banks (including U.S. branches) that, in the opinion of the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser, are of comparable quality to obligations of U.S. banks that may be purchased by the Fund. Any of these instruments may be purchased on a current or forward-settled basis. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers’ acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.

 

-9-

 

 

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

 

The Board has approved portfolio holdings disclosure policies that govern the timing and circumstances of disclosure to shareholders and third parties of information regarding the portfolio investments held by the Fund. These policies and procedures, as described below, are designed to ensure that disclosure of portfolio holdings is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, and address conflicts of interest between the interests of Fund shareholders and those of the Fund’s Adviser, Sub-Adviser, Distributor, or any affiliated person of the Fund, Adviser, Sub-Adviser or Distributor.

 

The Fund is permitted to disclose portfolio holdings to selected third parties in advance of release to all shareholders and the general public, only when the Fund (or the Trust on behalf of the Fund): (1) has a legitimate business purpose for doing so; (2) the recipient is subject to a duty of confidentiality pursuant to a signed non-disclosure agreement; (3) the release of such information would not otherwise violate the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws. Such disclosures may be made without a duty of confidentiality agreement, if the information is released to the public at or before the time the information is released to the third party.

 

Each Business Day, Fund portfolio holdings information will be provided to the Distributor for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee-based subscription services, including Authorized Participants, and to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. This information typically reflects the Fund’s anticipated holdings on the following Business Day. Daily access to information concerning the Fund’s portfolio holdings also is permitted (i) to certain personnel of those service providers that are involved in portfolio management and providing administrative, operational, risk management, or other support to portfolio management, including affiliated broker-dealers and/or Authorized Participants and (ii) to other personnel of the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, Administrator and fund accountant, who deal directly with, or assist in, functions related to investment management, administration, custody and fund accounting, as may be necessary to conduct business in the ordinary course in a manner consistent with agreements with the Fund and/or the terms of the Fund’s current registration statement.

 

From time to time, information concerning Fund portfolio holdings, other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, may also be provided to other entities that provide additional services to the Fund, including, among others, rating or ranking organizations, in the ordinary course of business, no earlier than one Business Day following the date of the information. Portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process may be provided to other entities that provide additional services to the Fund in the ordinary course of business after it has been disseminated to the NSCC.

 

-10-

 

 

The Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer may also grant exceptions to permit additional disclosure of Fund portfolio holdings information at differing times and with different lag times (the period from the date of the information to the date the information is made available), if any, in instances where the Fund has legitimate business purposes for doing so, it is in the best interests of shareholders, and the recipients are subject to a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on the nonpublic information and are required to execute an agreement to that effect. The Board will be informed of any such disclosures at its next regularly scheduled meeting or as soon as is reasonably practicable thereafter. In no event shall the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, or any other party receive any direct or indirect compensation in connection with the disclosure of information about Fund portfolio holdings.

 

The Board exercises continuing oversight of the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings by overseeing the implementation and enforcement of portfolio holdings disclosure policies and procedures and considering reports and recommendations by the Chief Compliance Officer concerning any material compliance matters that may arise in connection with any portfolio holdings governing policies. The Board and the Fund reserve the right to amend the policies and procedures at any time and from time to time without prior notice in their sole discretion. For purposes of the policies and procedures, the term “portfolio holdings” means the equity and debt securities ( e.g. , stocks and bonds) held by the Fund and does not mean the cash investments, derivatives, and other investment positions (collectively, other investment positions) held by the Fund, which are not disclosed.

 

The Fund will disclose its complete portfolio holdings schedule in public filings with the SEC within 70 days of the end of the second and fourth fiscal quarters and within 60 days of the end of the first and third fiscal quarters and will provide such information to shareholders as required by federal securities laws and regulations thereunder. The Fund may, however, voluntarily disclose all or part of its portfolio holdings other than in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, in advance of required filings with the SEC, provided that such information is made generally available to all shareholders and other interested parties in a manner that is consistent with the above policy for disclosure of portfolio holdings information. Such information may be made available through a publicly available website or other means that make the information available to all likely interested parties contemporaneously.

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

 

Trustees and Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Trust are managed under the direction of its Board. The Trust’s Trustees and principal officers are noted in the tables below along with their ages and their business experience for the past five years. The Trustees serve for indefinite terms until their resignation, death or removal. The Fund’s officers are elected annually by the Board and serve at the Board’s pleasure.

 

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Name, Address and Year

of Birth

Position(s) Held

with the Trust

Length of

Time

Served

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by

Trustee or

Officer

Other Directorships Held

by Trustee or Officer in the

Past Five Years

Independent Trustees

Mark Berg

120 N. Hale Street, Suite 200, Wheaton, IL 60187

 

Year of Birth: 1971

Trustee

Since 2017

President and Founding Principal, Timothy Financial Counsel Inc. (2001-present)

7

None

Joe Stowell

120 N. Hale Street, Suite 200, Wheaton, IL 60187

 

Year of Birth: 1968

Trustee

Since 2017

Chief Operating Officer, Woodman Valley Chapel (2015-present); Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, English Language Institute/China (2007-2015)

7

Board of Advisors, Westmont College

Brian J. Wildman

120 N. Hale Street, Suite 200, Wheaton, IL 60187

 

Year of Birth: 1963

Trustee

Since 2017

Executive Vice President, Consumer Banking (2016-present), Chief Risk Officer (2013-2016), Head of Wealth Management (2003-2013),

Head of Commercial Services (2010-2013), MB Financial Bank

7

MB Financial Bank (2003 – present); Missionary Furlough Homes, Inc. (2008 – present)

Interested Trustee 1 and Officers

H. Bruce Bond

120 N. Hale Street, Suite 200, Wheaton, IL 60187

 

Year of Birth: 1963

Interested Trustee, President and Principal Executive Officer

Since May 2017

Chief Executive Officer of Innovator Capital Management, LLC (May 2017 to present); formerly Chairman (2010-2013) and President and CEO (2006-2010), Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC; formerly Co-Founder, President and CEO, PowerShares Capital Management (2002 to 2006); formerly Chairman; PowerShares Fund Board (2002 to 2013)

7

None

John W. Southard, Jr.

120 N. Hale Street, Suite 200, Wheaton, IL 60187

 

Year of Birth: 1969

Vice President, Treasurer and Principal Financial Accounting Officer

Since 2017

Chief Investment Officer, Innovator Capital Management, LLC (2017 to present); Director and Co-Founder, T2 Capital Management, LLC (2010 to present)

N/A

N/A

James Nash (2)
c/o Innovator ETFs Trust II

10 High Street, Suite 302

Boston, MA 02110


Year of Birth: 1981

Chief Compliance Officer

Since December 2017 

Vice President of Technology and Operations Management, Innovator Capital Management, LLC (2017 to present); Director of Business Operations, Elkhorn Capital Group (2013 to 2017)

N/A

N/A

1

H. Bruce Bond is deemed to be an interested person of the Trust (as defined in the 1940 Act) because of his affiliation with the Adviser.

2

Mr. Nash is an employee of Foreside Fund Officer Services, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Fund’s principal underwriter.

 

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Board Leadership

 

The Board has overall responsibility for the oversight and management of the Fund. The Chairman of the Board is an Independent Trustee; that is, the Chairman is not an “interested person” (as defined by the 1940 Act) of the Trust or the Adviser. The Board has two standing committees (as described further below): an Audit Committee and a Nominating Committee. The Chairman of each Board committee is an Independent Trustee.

 

In order to streamline communication between the Adviser and the Independent Trustees and create certain efficiencies, the Board has a Lead Independent Trustee who is responsible for: (i) coordinating activities of the Independent Trustees; (ii) working with the Adviser, Fund counsel and the independent legal counsel to the Independent Trustees to determine the agenda for Board meetings; (iii) serving as the principal contact for and facilitating communication between the Independent Trustees and the Fund’s service providers, particularly the Adviser; and (iv) any other duties that the Independent Trustees may delegate to the Lead Independent Trustee. The Lead Independent Trustee is selected by the Independent Trustees and serves until his or her successor is selected. Mr. Berg serves as the Lead Independent Trustee.

 

The Chairman of the Board presides at all meetings of the Board, and acts as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Trustees. The Chair of each Board committee performs a similar role with respect to the committee. The Chairman of the Board or the Chair of a Board committee may also perform such other functions as may be delegated by the Board or the committee from time to time. The Independent Trustees meet regularly outside the presence of Trust management, in executive session or with other service providers to the Fund. The Board has regular meetings throughout the year, and may hold special meetings if required before its next regular meeting. Each committee meets regularly to conduct the oversight functions delegated to that committee by the Board and reports its findings to the Board. The Board and each standing committee conduct annual assessments of their oversight function and structure. The Board has determined that the Board’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to exercise independent judgment over management and to allocate areas of responsibility among committees and the full Board to enhance effective oversight. Mr. Stowell serves as the Chairman of the Nominating Committee and Mr. Wildman serves as the Chairman of the Audit Committee.

 

-13-

 

 

Risk Oversight

 

Among the Board’s general oversight and management functions is to oversee the risks of the Fund. The Fund is subject to various risks, including investment, compliance, operational and valuation risks, among others. The Board addresses its risk oversight function through different Board and committee activities. For instance, the Board has delegated the day-to-day risk management and oversight function to the Adviser, or in certain cases (subject to the Adviser’s supervision) and depending on the nature of the risks to other service providers. The Board, or a committee, reviews and evaluates reports from the Adviser or service providers regarding the risks faced by the Fund and regarding the service providers’ oversight and management of those risks. In addition to the delegation of the day-to-day risk management and oversight function, the committees of the Board allow the Trustees to quickly and efficiently consider risk matters and facilitate the oversight by the Trustees of Fund activities and the risks related to those activities.

 

The Board has also appointed a Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) who oversees the implementation and evaluation of the Fund’s compliance program. James Nash of Foreside Fund Officer Services, LLC (“Foreside Officer Services”) serves as CCO of the Trust. In a joint effort between the Trust and Foreside Officer Services to ensure the Trust complies with Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act, Foreside Officer Services has agreed to render services to the Trust by entering into a Chief Compliance Officer Services Agreement (the “CCO Services Agreement”) with the Trust. Pursuant to the CCO Services Agreement, Foreside Officer Services designates, subject to the Trust’s approval, one of its own employees to serve as CCO of the Trust within the meaning of Rule 38a-1. Mr. Nash currently serves in such capacity under the terms of the CCO Services Agreement.

 

Trustees Qualifications.

 

The Nominating Committee selects and nominates persons for election or appointment by the Board as Independent Trustees. The Board has adopted the Nominating Committee Charter and Procedures, which provides the Nominating Committee with general criteria to guide the Committee’s choice of candidates to nominate to serve on the Board; however, there are no specific qualifications or requirements to serve on the Board. The Board believes that, collectively, the Trustees have balanced and diverse experience, skills, attributes and qualifications, that allow the Board to operate effectively in governing the Trust and protecting the interests of shareholders. Among the attributes common to all Trustees are their ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them; to interact effectively with the Trust’s investment manager, sub-advisers, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors; and to exercise business judgment in the performance of their duties as Trustees. Each Trustee’s ability to perform his duties effectively is evidenced by his educational background or professional training; business, consulting or public service positions; experience from service as a Board member of the Trust, other investment funds, public companies or non-profit entities or other organizations; and ongoing commitment and participation in Board and committee meetings throughout the years.

 

-14-

 

 

While there are no specific required qualifications for Board membership, the Board believes the specific background of each Trustee is appropriate to his or her serving on the Board. The foregoing discussion and the Trustees and officers chart above are included in this Statement of Additional Information pursuant to requirements of the U.S. SEC, do not constitute holding out the Board or any Trustee as having special expertise or experience and shall not be deemed to impose any greater responsibility or liability on any Trustee by reason thereof.

 

H. Bruce Bond . Mr. Bond is the Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser, responsible for the firm’s strategic vision. Mr. Bond began his career in 1986 at Griffin, Kubik, Stephens and Thompson, a small boutique firm specializing in municipal bonds. In 1994 he continued his career at First Trust Portfolios as Vice President responsible for wholesale distribution of financial products across the Midwest and Florida. In 1998 Mr. Bond joined Nuveen Investments as a Managing Director to lead an effort in its Structured Products Group to develop, market and distribute closed-end funds, unit investment trusts and exchange-traded fund products. Mr. Bond became the head of marketing for all Nuveen products before leaving to start PowerShares in early 2003. As Founder and Chief Executive Officer of PowerShares, Mr. Bond pioneered many firsts in the ETF industry. In 2006, PowerShares was acquired by Invesco, a global asset manager. Mr. Bond remained the President and Chief Executive Officer of PowerShares and Chairman of the Board of the PowerShares Funds until September of 2011. During his time at PowerShares, Mr. Bond helped develop, list and distribute over 130 fund products on various exchanges located in the United States and throughout Europe, with assets under management in excess of $80 billion.

 

Mark Berg . As President and Founding Principal of Timothy Financial Counsel Inc., Mr. Berg’s primary role is the leadership and management of Timothy Financial Counsel Inc. He is the primary advisor for select clients, but also oversees the financial planning process for all Timothy Financial clients. Mr. Berg has served in the fee-only financial planning industry since 1995. He holds a BA in Economics from Wheaton College and is a Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner. He is also a NAPFA Registered Financial Advisor where he has served as the Regional President and Chair, as well as on the National Board of Directors. He speaks regularly at conferences on financial planning and practice management. He has been interviewed and/or quoted by a variety of publications, such as Dow Jones Newswire, The Wall Street Journal, Reader's Digest, and Kiplinger's and has been interviewed on NBC television.

 

-15-

 

 

Joe Stowell . Mr. Stowell is currently the COO of Woodmen Valley Chapel in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He oversees the financial, human resources and congregational management of this multi-campus organization. Prior to joining Woodman in September of 2015, Mr. Stowell served for eight years as the Executive Vice President/COO of the English Language Institute/China (ELIC), a global educational non-profit focused primarily in Asia and the Middle East. Before his work in the non-profit business management sector, Joe traded futures, options and swaps for over a decade, focusing on currencies and bonds both in the US and abroad for McNamara Trading and Chicago Research & Trade. He was on trading floors and desks in Chicago, New York and Tokyo.

 

Brian J. Wildman . Mr. Wildman is Executive Vice President, Consumer Banking of MB Financial Bank (Bank), a position he has held since March 2016. Mr. Wildman is also a director of the Bank. From April 2013 to March 2016, Mr. Wildman was responsible for Risk Management and was the Chief Risk Officer. Prior to April 2013, Mr. Wildman was responsible for the Bank's Wealth Management and Commercial Services groups. Prior to joining the Bank in 2003, he was First Vice President of Bank One and served in various management positions with its predecessor organization, American National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago, since 1988. Mr. Wildman is a member of the Board of Trustees of Missionary Furlough Homes, Inc. Additionally, Mr. Wildman serves as the “audit committee financial expert” for the Board.

 

Share Ownership

 

The following table provides the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the Board members on December 31, 2017.

 

Trustee

Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity

Securities
of the Fund

Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity

Securities in all Funds Overseen

Within Fund Complex

H. Bruce Bond

None

None

Mark Berg

None

None

Joe Stowell

None

None

Brian J. Wildman

None

None

 

Trustee Compensation

 

Each Independent Trustee is paid a fixed annual retainer of $10,000 per year. The fixed annual retainer is allocated pro rata among each Fund in the Innovator Fund Complex. Trustees are also reimbursed by the investment companies in the Innovator Fund Complex for travel and out of pocket expenses incurred in connection with all meetings.

 

The following table sets forth the estimated compensation (including reimbursement for travel and out-of-pocket expenses) to be paid by the Fund and by the Innovator Fund Complex to the Trustees for their services to the Fund for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2018. Only the Trustees of the Trust who are not “interested persons” of the Trust or the Adviser, as defined by the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”), receive compensation from the Fund. The Trust has no retirement or pension plans. The Trust has no employees. Its officers are compensated by Innovator Capital Management, LLC.

 

-16-

 

 

Trustee


Estimated Compensation
from the Fund

Compensation from the
Innovator Fund Complex

H. Bruce Bond

None

None

Mark Berg

$2,000

$10,000

Joe Stowell

$2,000

$10,000

Brian J. Wildman

$2,000

$10,000

 

Board Committees

 

The Board has the following committees:

 

Audit Committee: This committee monitors accounting and financial reporting policies and practice, and internal controls for the Trust. It also oversees the quality and objectivity of the Trust’s financial statements and the independent audit thereof, and acts as a liaison between the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm and the full Board. The Trust’s Audit Committee consists of the Independent Trustees.

 

Nominating Committee: This committee recommends Board members, fills vacancies and considers the qualifications of Board members. The committee will consider shareholder recommendations for nomination to the Board only in the event that there is a vacancy on the Board. Shareholders who wish to submit recommendations for nominations to the Board to fill a vacancy must submit their recommendations in writing to the Nominating Committee, c/o Innovator ETFs Trust, 120 North Hale Street, Suite 200, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. Shareholders should include appropriate information on the background and qualifications of any person recommended ( e.g. , a resume), as well as the candidate’s contact information and a written consent from the candidate to serve if nominated and elected. Shareholder recommendations for nominations to the Board will be accepted on an ongoing basis and such recommendations will be kept on file for consideration when there is a vacancy on the Board. The committee consists of the Independent Trustees.

 

Codes of Ethics

 

The Trust, Adviser, Sub-Adviser and the Distributor have adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. The codes of ethics permit personnel subject to the codes of ethics to invest in securities, subject to certain limitations, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. The codes of ethics are on public file with, and are available from, the SEC.

 

Proxy Voting Policies

 

The Trust has adopted a proxy voting policy that seeks to ensure that proxies for securities held by the Fund are voted consistently with the best interests of the Fund.

 

-17-

 

 

The Board has delegated to the Adviser the proxy voting responsibilities for the Fund and has directed Innovator to vote proxies consistent with the Fund’s best interests. In order to facilitate the proxy voting process, Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. (“Broadridge”) has been retained to provide access to a selection of third-party providers that are available to provide proxy vote ecommendations and research. Votes are cast through the Broadridge ProxyEdge ® platform (“ProxyEdge”). With the assistance of Broadridge, Egan-Jones Proxy Services (“Egan-Jones”) has been selected to provide vote recommendations based on its own internal guidelines. The services provided to Innovator through Egan Jones include access to Egan-Jones’ research analysis and their voting recommendations. Services provided to Innovator through ProxyEdge include receipt of proxy ballots, vote execution based upon the recommendations of Egan-Jones, access to the voting recommendations of Egan-Jones, as well as reporting, auditing, working with custodian banks, and consulting assistance for the handling of proxy voting responsibilities. ProxyEdge also maintains proxy voting records and provides Innovator with reports that reflect the proxy voting activities of client portfolios.

 

The fundamental guideline followed by the Adviser in voting proxies is to make every effort to confirm that the manner in which shares are voted is in the best interest of clients and the value of the investment. Absent special circumstances of the types described below, it is the policy of Adviser to exercise its proxy voting discretion in accordance with the Egan-Jones Proxy Voting Principles and Guidelines set forth in Exhibit A.

 

Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available upon request and without charge on the Fund’s website at https://www.innovatoretfs.com, by calling (800) 208-5212 or by accessing the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov.

 

INVESTMENT ADVISER AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

Investment Adviser

 

Innovator Capital Management, LLC, located at 120 North Hale Street, Suite 200, Wheaton, Illinois, 60187, furnishes investment management services to the Fund, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board. Substantially all of the interests of the Adviser are owned by Messrs. H. Bruce Bond, John Wilder Southard, Jr. and Jeffrey Brown. The Adviser is controlled by a Board of Managers which currently consists of Mr. Bond, Mr. Southard and Mr. Brown. Mr. Bond controls the Board of Managers by virtue of his majority ownership of the Adviser. Mr. Southard owns in excess of twenty-five percent of the Adviser and Mr. Brown owns a minority interest in the Adviser. The Adviser compensates all officers (including the chief compliance officer) and employees of the Adviser who are affiliated with both the Adviser and the Trust. The Adviser is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Pursuant to an investment management agreement between the Adviser and the Trust (the “Investment Management Agreement”), the Adviser will oversee the investment of the Fund’s assets by the Sub-Adviser and will be responsible for paying all expenses of the Fund, excluding the fee payments under the Investment Management Agreement, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio transactions, distribution and service fees payable pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 plan, if any, and extraordinary expenses. The Fund has agreed to pay the Adviser an annual management fee equal to 0.79% of its average daily net assets.

 

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Sub - Adviser

 

The Fund and the Adviser have retained Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC, 71 South Wacker Drive, 31st Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60606, to serve as the Fund’s investment sub-adviser pursuant to an investment sub-advisory agreement (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”). Milliman was established in 1998, and also advises other investment companies, insurance companies, financial institutions, other pooled investment vehicles in addition to the Fund. As of December 31, 2017, the Sub-Adviser had approximately $153 billion in advised or sub-advised assets under management. The Sub-Adviser is a wholly owned subsidiary of Milliman, Inc.

 

Pursuant to an investment sub-advisory agreement between the Adviser, Sub-Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund (the “Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement”), the Sub-Adviser will manage the investment of the Fund’s assets. Pursuant to the Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Sub-Adviser receives an annual fee that is equal to 0.12% of the Fund’s daily net asset. The Adviser is responsible for paying the entire amount of the Sub-Adviser’s fee for the Fund. The Fund does not directly pay the Sub-Adviser.

 

The Adviser and the Trust have received an exemptive order from the SEC on which exempts the Adviser and the Trust from certain of the shareholder approval requirements of Section 15(a) of the 1940 Act and allowed the Board, subject to certain conditions, to appoint a new, unaffiliated sub-advisor and approve a new investment sub-advisory agreement on behalf of the Trust without shareholder approval.

 

Distributor

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC, located at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101, serves as the principal underwriter of the Shares under a Distribution Agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”). The Distributor has entered into an agreement with the Trust pursuant to which it distributes Shares (the “Distribution Agreement”). The Distributor continually distributes Shares on a best effort basis. The Distributor has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of Shares. The Distribution Agreement is renewable annually. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Fund through the Distributor only in Creation Units, as described in the Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI. Shares amounting to less than a Creation Unit are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). The Distributor, its affiliates and officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund. The Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, or any stock exchange.

 

The Distribution Agreement for the Fund provides that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on at least 60 days’ prior written notice to the other party (i) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund. The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its “assignment,” as that term is defined in the 1940 Act.

 

-19-

 

 

Distribution Plan . The Fund has adopted a distribution plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Distribution Plan”). Under the Distribution Plan, the Distributor, or designated service providers, may receive up to 0.25% of the Fund’s assets attributable to Shares as compensation for distribution services. Distribution services may include, but are not limited to: (i) services in connection with distribution assistance or (ii) payments to financial institutions and other financial intermediaries, such as broker-dealers, mutual fund “supermarkets” and the Distributor’s affiliates and subsidiaries, as compensation for services or reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance.

 

No distribution fees are currently charged to the Fund; there are no plans to impose distribution fees, and no distribution fees will be charged for at least a year from the date of this SAI. However, in the event that distribution fees are charged in the future, because the Fund will pay these fees out of assets on an ongoing basis, over time distribution fees may cost you more than other types of sales charges and will increase the cost of your investment in the Fund.

 

Fund Administrator

 

General Information . The Administrator and Fund Accountant for the Fund is U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the “Administrator”), which has its principal office at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 and is primarily in the business of providing administrative, fund accounting and stock transfer services to retail and institutional mutual funds. The Administrator performs these services pursuant to two separate agreements, a Fund Administration Servicing Agreement and a Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement.

 

Administration Agreement . Pursuant to the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement (“Administration Agreement”) with the Fund, the Administrator provides all administrative services necessary for the Fund, other than those provided by the Adviser, subject to the supervision of the Fund’s Board. Employees of the Administrator generally will not be officers of the Fund for which they provide services.

 

The Administration Agreement is terminable by the Board or the Administrator on ninety (90) days’ written notice and may be assigned provided the non-assigning party provides prior written consent. The Administration Agreement shall remain in effect for three years from the date of its initial approval, unless amended, and its renewal is subject to approval of the Board for periods thereafter. The Administration Agreement provides that in the absence of the Administrator’s refusal or willful failure to comply with the Agreement or bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Administrator, the Administrator shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder.

 

-20-

 

 

Under the Administration Agreement, the Administrator provides all administrative services, including, without limitation: (i) providing services of persons competent to perform such administrative and clerical functions as are necessary to provide effective administration of the Fund; (ii) overseeing the performance of administrative and professional services to the Fund by others, including the Fund’s Custodian; (iii) preparing, but not paying for, the periodic updating of the Fund’s Registration Statement, Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information in conjunction with Fund counsel, including the printing of such documents for the purpose of filings with the SEC and state securities administrators, preparing the Fund’s tax returns, and preparing reports to the Fund’s shareholders and the SEC; (iv) calculation of yield and total return for the Fund; (v) monitoring and evaluating daily income and expense accruals, and sales and redemptions of Shares of the Fund; (vi) preparing in conjunction with Fund counsel, but not paying for, all filings under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of such states or countries as are designated by the Distributor, which may be required to register or qualify, or continue the registration or qualification, of the Fund and/or its Shares under such laws; (vii) preparing notices and agendas for meetings of the Fund’s Board and minutes of such meetings in all matters required by the 1940 Act to be acted upon by the Board; and (viii) monitoring periodic compliance with respect to all requirements and restrictions of the 1940 Act, the Internal Revenue Code and the Prospectus.

 

For the administrative services rendered to the Fund by the Administrator, the Fund pays the Administrator an asset-based fee plus certain out-of-pocket expenses.

 

Accounting Agreement . The Fund Accountant, pursuant to the Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement (“Accounting Agreement”), provides the Fund with all accounting services, including, without limitation: (i) daily computation of NAV; (ii) maintenance of security ledgers and books and records as required by the 1940 Act; (iii) production of the Fund’s listing of portfolio securities and general ledger reports; (iv) reconciliation of accounting records; and (v) maintaining certain books and records described in Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act, and reconciling account information and balances among the Fund’s Custodian and Adviser.

 

For the fund accounting services rendered to the Fund by the Fund Accountant, the Fund pays the Fund Accountant an asset-based fee plus certain out-of-pocket expenses, including pricing expenses.

 

Custodian, Transfer Agent and Dividend Agent

 

U.S. Bank, N.A., Custody Operations, 1555 N. River Center Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, WI 53212, serves as custodian for the Fund’s cash and securities. Pursuant to a Custodian Servicing Agreement with the Fund, it is responsible for maintaining the books and records of the Fund’s portfolio securities and cash. The Custodian receives a minimum annual fee of $4,000 or 0.0040% of the average daily market value of the Fund, whichever is greater. The Custodian is also entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses and portfolio transaction fees. The Custodian does not assist in, and is not responsible for, investment decisions involving assets of the Fund. U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, the Fund’s Administrator, also acts as the Fund’s transfer and dividend agent. U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC has its principal office at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.

 

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Legal Counsel

 

Chapman and Cutler LLP, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, IL 60603 serves as the Trust’s legal counsel.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

Cohen & Company, Ltd., located at 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, OH 44115, has been selected as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust. As such, they are responsible for auditing the Trust’s annual financial statements.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

 

Other Accounts Managed

 

The following chart lists certain information about types of other accounts for which the portfolio managers are primarily responsible as of July 1, 2018. None of the accounts managed by the portfolio managers pay an advisory fee that is based upon the performance of the account.

 

 

Registered Investment

Companies

# of Accounts ($ Assets)

Other Pooled

Investment Vehicles

# of Accounts ($ Assets)

Other Accounts

# of Accounts ($ Assets)

Robert T. Cummings

0 ($0)

0 ($0)

0 ($0)

Daniel S. Hare

0 ($0)

0 ($0)

0 ($0)

Hayley M. Peppers

0 ($0)

0 ($0)

0 ($0)

 

 

Description of Potential Material Conflicts of Interest

 

The portfolio managers have day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to other investments accounts and, accordingly, may be presented with potential or actual conflicts of interest.

 

The management of other accounts may result in the portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of the Fund and/or other accounts. In approving the Investment Management Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Board was satisfied that the portfolio manager would be able to devote sufficient attention to the management of the Fund and that the Adviser and Sub-Adviser seek to manage such competing interests for the time and attention of the portfolio managers.

 

-22-

 

 

With respect to securities transactions for the Fund, the Sub-Adviser determines which broker to use to execute each transaction, consistent with its duty to seek best execution of the transaction. For buy or sell transactions considered simultaneously for the Fund and other accounts, orders are placed at the same time. The Sub-Adviser uses its best efforts to ensure that no client is treated unfairly in relation to any other client over time in the allocation of securities or the order of the execution of transactions. The Sub-Adviser generally allocates trades on the basis of assets under management so that the securities positions represent equal exposure as a percentage of total assets of each client. The Fund and client accounts are not generally invested in thinly traded or illiquid securities; therefore, conflicts in fulfilling investment opportunities are to some extent minimized. If an aggregated trade order is not substantially filled, it will generally be allocated pro rata.

 

Other than the general potential conflicts noted above, the portfolio managers are not subject to any other specific potential conflicts of interest.

 

Compensation

 

The portfolio managers are paid competitive salaries by Milliman. In addition, they may receive bonuses based on qualitative considerations, such as an individual’s contribution to the organization, and performance reviews in relation to job responsibilities.

 

Investments in the Fund

 

As of July 20, 2018, none of the portfolio managers beneficially owned any Shares.

 

TRADING AND BROKERAGE

 

The Adviser is responsible for the management of the Fund and has delegated trade execution responsibilities to the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser is responsible for selecting brokers and dealers to effect purchases or sales of securities for the accounts of the Fund. In selecting such brokers, the Sub-Adviser seeks best execution of orders at the most favorable price in light of the overall quality of brokerage and research services provided, as described in this and the following paragraph. In selecting brokers to effect portfolio transactions, the determination of what is expected to result in best execution at the most favorable price involves a number of largely judgmental considerations. Among these considerations is the Sub-Adviser’s evaluation of a broker’s efficiency in executing and clearing transactions; block trading capability (including a broker’s willingness to position securities); familiarity with the security; and financial strength and stability. The most favorable price to the Fund means the best net price without regard to the mix between purchase or sale price and commission, if any.

 

-23-

 

 

The Sub-Adviser may also take into consideration the research, analytical, statistical and other information and services provided by the broker (such as general economic reports and information, reports or analyses of particular companies or industry groups and technical information) and the availability of the brokerage firm’s analysts for consultation in allocating the Fund’s brokerage. While the Sub-Adviser believes these services have substantial value, they are considered supplemental to the Sub-Adviser’s own efforts in the performance of its duties under the Sub-Advisory Agreement and, to the extent these services are used, it will be on a limited basis. As permitted by the Sub-Advisory Agreement and in accordance with Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act, the Sub-Adviser may pay brokers higher brokerage commissions than might be available from other brokers if the Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that such amount paid is reasonable in relation to the value of the overall quality of the brokerage, research and other services provided viewed in terms of either the particular transactions or the Sub-Adviser’s overall responsibilities with respect to the accounts over which it exercises investment discretion. Other clients of the Sub-Adviser may therefore benefit from the availability of these services to the Sub-Adviser, and the Fund may benefit from services available to the Sub-Adviser as a result of similar transactions for the Sub-Adviser’s other clients. The Sub-Adviser does not make any attempt to allocate the specific costs to each account. The Sub-Adviser does receive analyst reports that do come as a benefit of ongoing maintenance of various brokerage relationships. These reports are received in connection with the Sub-Adviser’s soft dollar program.

 

CAPITAL STRUCTURE

 

The Trust currently has authorized and allocated to the Fund an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest with no par value. The Trustees of the Trust may, at any time and from time to time, by resolution, authorize the establishment and division of additional shares of the Trust into an unlimited number of series and the division of any series (including the Fund) into two or more classes. When issued in accordance with the Trust’s registration statement, governing instruments and applicable law (all as may be amended from time to time), all of the Trust’s shares are fully paid and non-assessable. Shares do not have preemptive rights.

 

All Shares of the Fund represent an undivided proportionate interest in the assets of the Fund. Shareholders of the Trust are entitled to one vote for each full share and to a proportionate fractional vote for each fractional Share standing in the shareholder’s name on the books of the Trust. However, matters affecting only one particular fund or class can be voted on only by shareholders in such fund or class. The shares of the Trust are not entitled to cumulative voting, meaning that holders of more than 50% of the Trust’s shares may elect the entire Board. All shareholders are entitled to receive dividend and/or capital gains when and as declared by the Trustees from time to time and as discussed in the Prospectus.

 

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

 

DTC Acts as Securities Depository for Fund 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 the NYSE, NYSE MKT and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. 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”).

 

-24-

 

 

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. No Beneficial Owner shall have the right to receive a certificate representing such 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 Fund 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, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.

 

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

 

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CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNIT AGGREGATIONS

 

General

 

The Fund issues Shares only in Creation Unit Aggregations on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at its NAV next determined after receipt, on any Business Day (as defined below), of an order in proper form. A “Business Day” is any day on which the NYSE is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the NYSE observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

The Fund currently intends to effect creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements, as described further below.

 

Creation

 

Delivery of Cash. Creation Units are sold at their net asset value plus a transaction fee, as described below (“Cash Purchase Amount”). Pursuant to the Trust’s exemptive order granting it exemptions from certain provisions of the 1940 Act, purchases of Creation Unit Aggregations may be made in whole or in part on a cash basis, rather than in-kind, if, on a given Business Day, the Fund announces before the open of trading that all purchases on that day will be made entirely in cash.

 

The Custodian, through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”), makes available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business of the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the Cash Purchase Amount. Such information is applicable in order to effect creations of Creation Unit Aggregations of the Fund until the next Business Day.

 

Procedures for Creation of Creation Unit s . To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor to create a Creation Unit of the Fund, an entity must be (i) a “Participating Party,” i.e. , a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”); or (ii) a DTC Participant (see “Book Entry Only System”), and, in each case, must have executed an agreement with the Fund, the Distributor and the Administrator with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Units (“Participant Agreement”) (discussed below). A Participating Party and DTC Participant are collectively referred to as an “Authorized Participant.” Investors should contact the Distributor for the names of Authorized Participants that have signed a Participant Agreement with the Fund. All Shares of the Fund, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.

 

-26-

 

 

All orders to create Creation Units must be placed for one or more Creation Unit size aggregations of at least 25,000 Shares. All orders to create Creation Units, whether through the Clearing Process (through a Participating Party) or outside the Clearing Process (through a DTC Participant), must be received by the Distributor no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time (“Closing Time”), in each case on the date such order is placed in order for the creation of Creation Units to be effected based on the NAV of Shares of the Fund as next determined on such date after receipt of the order in proper form. The date on which an order to create Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units as discussed below) is placed is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.” 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, as described below (see “Placement of Creation Orders Using Clearing Process” and “Placement of Creation Orders Outside Clearing Process”). Severe economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an Authorized Participant.

 

Orders to create Creation Units of the Fund shall be placed with an Authorized Participant, as applicable, in the form required by such Authorized Participant. In addition, the Authorized Participant may request the investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order, i.e. , to provide for payments of cash, when required. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and, therefore, orders to create Creation Units of the Fund have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. At any given time there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement. Those placing orders for Creation Units through the Clearing Process should afford sufficient time to permit proper submission of the order to the Distributor prior to the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date.

 

Orders for creation that are effected outside the Clearing Process are likely to require transmittal by the DTC Participant earlier on the Transmittal Date than orders effected using the Clearing Process. Those persons placing orders outside the Clearing Process should ascertain the deadlines applicable to DTC and the Federal Reserve Bank wire system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depository institution effecting such transfer of Cash Purchase Amount or Deposit Securities and Cash Component.

 

Placement of Creation Orders Using the Clearing Process . Creation orders made through the Clearing Process must be delivered through a Participating Party that has executed a Participant Agreement. The Participant Agreement authorizes the Distributor to transmit through the Fund’s transfer agent to NSCC, on behalf of the Participating Party, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the Participating Party’s creation order. Pursuant to such trade instructions to NSCC, the Participating Party agrees to deliver the Cash Purchase Amount to the Fund, 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 Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. The delivery of Creation Unit Aggregations so created will occur no later than the second Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor (“T+2”).

 

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Placement of Creation Orders Outside the Clearing Process . Creation orders made outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement with the Fund, the Distributor and the Administrator. A DTC Participant who wishes to place an order creating Creation Units to be effected outside the Clearing Process need not be a Participating Party, but such orders 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 cash directly through DTC. The cash equal to the Cash Purchase Amount must be transferred directly to the Administrator through the Federal Reserve wire system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Administrator no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the next Business Day immediately following such 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 not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date; and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. If the Administrator does not receive the Cash Purchase Amount by 2:00 p.m. on the next Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date, such order will be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such cancelled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund. The delivery of Creation Unit Aggregations so created will occur no later than T+2.

 

Acceptance of Orders for Creation Units . The Fund reserves the absolute right to reject a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor in respect of the Fund if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the Fund; (c) the acceptance of the Cash Purchase Amount would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (d) the acceptance of the Cash Purchase Amount would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (e) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Fund or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Fund or the rights of beneficial owners; or (f) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Fund, the Distributor and the Adviser make it for all practical purposes impossible to process creation orders. 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 Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC or any other participant in the creation process, and similar extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of the creator of a Creation Unit of its rejection of the order of such person. The Fund, the Administrator and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of the Cash Purchase Amount nor shall either of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

 

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Creation Transaction Fee . To compensate the Fund for transfer and other transaction costs involved in creation transactions through the Clearing Process, investors will be required to pay a minimum creation transaction fee, assessed per transaction, of $250 plus 0.05% of the value of the creation. The Fund, subject to approval by the Board, may adjust the fee from time to time based upon actual experience. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary in addition to an Authorized Participant to effect a creation of a Creation Unit may be charged a fee for such services.

 

Redemption

 

Redemption of Shares in Creation Unit Aggregation s. Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Unit Aggregations at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Fund through the Custodian and only on a Business Day. The Fund will not redeem Shares in amounts less than Creation Unit Aggregations. Beneficial Owners must accumulate enough Shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit Aggregation in order to have such Shares redeemed by the Fund. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit Aggregation. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Fund Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit Aggregation.

 

The Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time) on each Business Day, the amount of cash that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as described below) on that day. The redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit Aggregation generally consist of cash in an amount equal to the NAV of Fund Shares next determined after a redemption request is received (minus any redemption transaction fees imposed, as specified above) (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less a redemption transaction fee as noted below (see “Redemption Transaction Fee” below).

 

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 of a Fund or determination of a Fund’s NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as is permitted by the SEC.

 

Placement of Redemption Orders Using Clearing Process . Orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations must be delivered through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. Investors other than Authorized Participants are responsible for making arrangements for an order to redeem to be made through an Authorized Participant. An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations is deemed received by the Fund on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by the Custodian not later than the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date; and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed.

 

An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations using the Clearing Process made in proper form but received by the Fund after the Closing Time, will be deemed received on the next Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date and will be effected at the NAV next determined on such next Business Day. The requisite Cash Redemption Amount be transferred by T+2.

 

-29-

 

 

Placement of Redemption Orders Outside the Clearing Process . Orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed the Participant Agreement. A DTC Participant who wishes to place an order for redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations to be effected outside the Clearing Process does not need to be a Participating Party, but such orders must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations will instead be effected through transfer of Fund Shares directly through DTC. An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Fund on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Transfer Agent not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date; (ii) such order is accompanied or followed by the Cash Redemption Amount specified in such order, which delivery must be made through DTC, to the Custodian no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time; and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. After the Fund has deemed an order for redemption outside the Clearing Process received, it will send an acceptance of the redemption order to the Authorized Participant within 15 minutes of the receipt of the submission received in good form. A redemption order is deemed to be irrevocable upon the delivery of the confirmation of acceptance. The Transfer Agent will then initiate procedures to transfer the Redemption Cash Component to the Authorized Participant on behalf of the redeeming Beneficial Owner by T+2.

 

In the event that the number of Shares is insufficient on the contractual settlement date, the Fund may deliver the Cash Redemption Amount notwithstanding such deficiency in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Shares as soon as possible. This undertaking shall be secured by such the Authorized Participant’s delivery on the contractual settlement date and subsequent maintenance of collateral consisting of cash having a value at least equal to 105% of the value of the missing Shares. The Authorized Participant’s agreement permits the Fund, acting in good faith, to purchase the missing Shares at any time and the Authorized Participant will be subject to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Fund of purchasing such shares and the value of the collateral, which may be sold by the Fund at such time, and in such manner, as the Fund may determine in its sole discretion.

 

Redemption Transaction Fee . To compensate the Fund for transfer and other transaction costs involved in redemption transactions through the Clearing Process, investors will be required to pay a minimum redemption transaction fee, assessed per transaction, of $250 plus 0.05% of the value of the redemption. The Fund, subject to approval by the Board, may adjust the fee from time to time based upon actual experience. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary in addition to an Authorized Participant to effect a creation of a Creation Unit may be charged a fee for such services.

 

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Regular Holidays . The Fund generally intends to effect deliveries of Creation Units and Portfolio Securities on a basis of “T” plus two Business Days (a Business Day is any day the NYSE is open). The Fund may effect deliveries of Creation Units and Portfolio Securities on a basis other than T+2 in order to accommodate local holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates or under certain other circumstances. The ability of the Fund to effect in-kind creations and redemptions within two Business Days of receipt of an order in good form is subject, among other things, to the condition that, within the time period from the date of the order to the date of delivery of the securities, there are no days that are holidays in the applicable foreign market. For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable foreign market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a foreign market due to emergencies also may prevent the Fund from delivering securities within the normal settlement period.

 

The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with foreign market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days for the Fund in certain circumstances. Although certain holidays may occur on different dates in subsequent years, the number of days required to deliver redemption proceeds in any given year is not expected to exceed 14 days. The proclamation of new holidays, the treatment by market participants of certain days as “informal holidays” ( e.g. , days on which no or limited securities transactions occur, as a result of substantially shortened trading hours), the elimination of existing holidays or changes in local securities delivery practices could affect the information set forth herein at some time in the future.

 

On days when the Exchange or the bond market closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations to be placed earlier in the day. For example, on days when the generally accepted close of the bond market occurs earlier than normal (such as the day before a holiday) orders requesting substitution of a “cash-in-lieu” amount must be received by the Distributor no later than 11:00 a.m., Eastern time.

 

DETERMINING OFFERING PRICE AND NET ASSET VALUE

 

The NAV of the Fund’s Shares is calculated each day the national securities exchanges are open for trading as of the close of regular trading on the, generally 4:00 p.m. E.S.T. (the “NAV Calculation Time”). NAV per Share is calculated by dividing the Fund’s net assets by the number of Shares outstanding.

 

In calculating its NAV, the Fund generally values its assets on the basis of market quotations, last sale prices, or estimates of value furnished by a pricing service or brokers who make markets in such instruments.

 

Fair value pricing is used by the Fund when reliable market valuations are not readily available or are not deemed to reflect current market values. Securities that may be valued using “fair value” pricing may include, but are not limited to, securities for which there are no current market quotations or whose issuer is in default or bankruptcy, securities subject to corporate actions (such as mergers or reorganizations), securities subject to non-U.S. investment limits or currency controls, and securities affected by “significant events.” An example of a significant event is an event occurring after the close of the market in which a security trades but before the Fund’s next NAV Calculation Time that may materially affect the value of the Fund’s investment (e.g., government action, natural disaster, or significant market fluctuation). When fair-value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by the Fund to calculate its NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities.

 

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DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

 

This section summarizes some of the main U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning Shares of the Fund. This section is current as of the date of the SAI. Tax laws and interpretations change frequently, and these summaries do not describe all of the tax consequences to all taxpayers. For example, these summaries generally do not describe your situation if you are a corporation, a non-U.S. person, a broker-dealer, or other investor with special circumstances. In addition, this section does not describe your state, local or foreign tax consequences.

 

This federal income tax summary is based in part on the advice of counsel to the Fund. The Internal Revenue Service could disagree with any conclusions set forth in this section. In addition, our counsel was not asked to review, and has not reached a conclusion with respect to the federal income tax treatment of the assets to be deposited in the Fund. This may not be sufficient for prospective investors to use for the purpose of avoiding penalties under federal tax law.

 

As with any investment, prospective investors should seek advice based on their individual circumstances from their own tax advisor.

 

The Fund intends to qualify annually and to elect to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally accorded to regulated investment companies, the Fund must, among other things, (a) derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, or net income derived from interests in certain publicly traded partnerships; (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund’s assets is represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, the securities of other regulated investment companies and other securities, with such other securities of any one issuer generally limited for the purposes of this calculation to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, or two or more issuers which the Fund controls which are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more of certain publicly traded partnerships; and (c) distribute at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes, among other items, dividends, interest and net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses) and at least 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income each taxable year. There are certain exceptions for failure to qualify if the failure is for reasonable cause or is de minimis, and certain corrective action is taken and certain tax payments are made by the Fund.

 

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As a regulated investment company, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, that it distributes to shareholders. The Fund intends to distribute to its shareholders, at least annually, substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain. If the Fund retains any net capital gain or investment company taxable income, it will generally be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. In addition, amounts not distributed on a timely basis in accordance with a calendar year distribution requirement are subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax unless, generally, the Fund distributes during each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gains or losses) for the calendar year, (2) at least 98.2% of its capital gains in excess of its capital losses (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the one-year period ending October 31 of the calendar year, and (3) any ordinary income and capital gains for previous years that were not distributed during those years. In order to prevent application of the excise tax, the Fund intends to make its distributions in accordance with the calendar year distribution requirement. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the current calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November or December with a record date in such a month and paid by the Fund during January of the following calendar year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received.

 

Subject to certain reasonable cause and de minimis exceptions, if the Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company or fails to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement in any taxable year, the Fund would be taxed as an ordinary corporation on its taxable income (even if such income were distributed to its shareholders) and all distributions out of earnings and profits would be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income.

 

Distributions

 

Dividends paid out of the Fund’s investment company taxable income are generally taxable to a shareholder as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Shares. However, certain ordinary income distributions received from the Fund may be taxed at capital gains tax rates. In particular, ordinary income dividends received by an individual shareholder from a regulated investment company such as the Fund are generally taxed at the same rates that apply to net capital gain, provided that certain holding period requirements are satisfied and provided the dividends are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Fund itself. Dividends received by the Fund from foreign corporations are qualifying dividends eligible for this lower tax rate only in certain circumstances. The Fund will provide notice to its Shareholders of the amount of any distributions that may be taken into account as a dividend which is eligible for the capital gains tax rates. The Fund cannot make any guarantees as to the amount of any distribution which will be regarded as a qualifying dividend.

 

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Income from the Fund may also be subject to a 3.8% “Medicare tax.” This tax generally applies to net investment income if the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income exceeds certain threshold amounts, which are $250,000 in the case of married couples filing joint returns and $200,000 in the case of single individuals.

 

A corporation that owns Shares generally will not be entitled to the dividends received deduction with respect to many dividends received from the Fund because the dividends received deduction is generally not available for distributions from regulated investment companies. However, certain ordinary income dividends on Shares that are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Fund from certain domestic corporations may be reported by the Fund as being eligible for the dividends received deduction.

 

Distributions of net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, properly reported as capital gain dividends are taxable to a shareholder as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long the shareholder has held Fund Shares. Shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional Shares, rather than cash, generally will have a tax basis in each such Share equal to the value of a Share of the Fund on the reinvestment date. A distribution of an amount in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated by a shareholder as a return of capital which is applied against and reduces the shareholder’s basis in his or her Shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the shareholder’s basis in his or her Shares, the excess will be treated by the shareholder as gain from a sale or exchange of the Shares.

 

Shareholders will be notified annually as to the U.S. federal income tax status of distributions, and shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional Shares will receive a report as to the value of those Shares.

 

Sale or Exchange of Fund Shares

 

Upon the sale or other disposition of Shares of the Fund, which a shareholder holds as a capital asset, such a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss which will be long-term or short-term, depending upon the shareholder’s holding period for the Shares. Generally, a shareholder’s gain or loss will be a long-term gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year.

 

Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent that Shares disposed of are replaced (including through reinvestment of dividends) within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after disposition of Shares or to the extent that the shareholder, during such period, acquires or enters into an option or contract to acquire, substantially identical stock or securities. In such a case, the basis of the Shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of Fund Shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of long-term capital gain received by the shareholder with respect to such Shares.

 

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Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units

 

If a shareholder exchanges securities for Creation Units the shareholder will generally recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the shareholder’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the Cash Component paid. If a shareholder exchanges Creation Units for securities, then the shareholder will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the shareholder’s basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities received and the Cash Redemption Amount. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units or Creation Units for securities cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.

 

Nature of Fund’s Investments

 

Certain of the Fund’s investment practices are subject to special and complex federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (i) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, (ii) convert lower taxed long-term capital gain into higher taxed short-term capital gain or ordinary income, (iii) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited), (iv) cause the Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur and (vi) adversely alter the characterization of certain complex financial transactions.

 

Futures Contracts and Options

 

The Fund’s transactions in futures contracts and options will be subject to special provisions of the Code that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the Fund ( i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital, or short-term or long-term), may accelerate recognition of income to the Fund and may defer Fund losses. These rules could, therefore, affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also (a) will require the Fund to mark-to-market certain types of the positions in its portfolio ( i.e., treat them as if they were closed out), and (b) may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement for qualifying to be taxed as a regulated investment company and the distribution requirements for avoiding excise taxes.

 

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Investments in Certain Foreign Corporations

 

If the Fund holds an equity interest in any “passive foreign investment companies” ( “PFICs” ), which are generally certain foreign corporations that receive at least 75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties or capital gains) or that hold at least 50% of their assets in investments producing such passive income, the Fund could be subject to U.S. federal income tax and additional interest charges on gains and certain distributions with respect to those equity interests, even if all the income or gain is timely distributed to its shareholders. The Fund will not be able to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for such taxes. The Fund may be able to make an election that could ameliorate these adverse tax consequences. In this case, the Fund would recognize as ordinary income any increase in the value of such PFIC shares, and as ordinary loss any decrease in such value to the extent it did not exceed prior increases included in income. Under this election, the Fund might be required to recognize in a year income in excess of its distributions from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock during that year, and such income would nevertheless be subject to the distribution requirement and would be taken into account for purposes of the 4% excise tax (described above). Dividends paid by PFICs are not treated as qualified dividend income.

 

Backup Withholding

 

The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax from all taxable distributions and sale proceeds payable to shareholders who fail to provide the Fund with their correct taxpayer identification number or fail to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that they are subject to backup withholding. Corporate shareholders and certain other shareholders specified in the Code generally are exempt from such backup withholding. This withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.

 

Non-U.S. Shareholders

 

U.S. taxation of a shareholder who, as to the United States, is a nonresident alien individual, a foreign trust or estate, a foreign corporation or foreign partnership ( “non-U.S. shareholder” ) depends on whether the income of the Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the shareholder.

 

In addition to the rules described in this section concerning the potential imposition of withholding on distributions to non-U.S. persons, distributions to non-U.S. persons that are “financial institutions” may be subject to a withholding tax of 30% unless an agreement is in place between the financial institution and the U.S. Treasury to collect and disclose information about accounts, equity investments, or debt interests in the financial institution held by one or more U.S. persons or the institution is resident in a jurisdiction that has entered into such an agreement with the U.S. Treasury. For these purposes, a “financial institution” means any entity that (i) accepts deposits in the ordinary course of a banking or similar business, (ii) holds financial assets for the account of others as a substantial portion of its business, or (iii) is engaged (or holds itself out as being engaged) primarily in the business of investing, reinvesting or trading in securities, partnership interests, commodities or any interest (including a futures contract or option) in such securities, partnership interests or commodities. Dispositions of Shares by such persons may be subject to such withholding after December 31, 2018.

 

Distributions to non-financial non-U.S. entities (other than publicly traded foreign entities, entities owned by residents of U.S. possessions, foreign governments, international organizations, or foreign central banks) will also be subject to a withholding tax of 30% if the entity does not certify that the entity does not have any substantial U.S. owners or provide the name, address and TIN of each substantial U.S. owner.   Dispositions of Shares by such persons may be subject to such withholding after December 31, 2018.

 

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Income Not Effectively Connected. If the income from the Fund is not “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder, distributions of investment company taxable income will generally be subject to a U.S. tax of 30% (or lower treaty rate), which tax is generally withheld from such distributions.

 

Distributions of capital gain dividends and any amounts retained by the Fund which are properly reported by the Fund as undistributed capital gains will not be subject to U.S. tax at the rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate) unless the non-U.S. shareholder is a nonresident alien individual and is physically present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year and meets certain other requirements. However, this 30% tax on capital gains of nonresident alien individuals who are physically present in the United States for more than the 182 day period only applies in exceptional cases because any individual present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year is generally treated as a resident for U.S. income tax purposes; in that case, he or she would be subject to U.S. income tax on his or her worldwide income at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens, rather than the 30% U.S. tax. In the case of a non-U.S. shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, the Fund may be required to withhold U.S. income tax from distributions of net capital gain unless the non-U.S. shareholder certifies his or her non-U.S. status under penalties of perjury or otherwise establishes an exemption. If a non-U.S. shareholder is a nonresident alien individual, any gain such shareholder realizes upon the sale or exchange of such shareholder’s Shares of the Fund in the United States will ordinarily be exempt from U.S. tax unless the gain is U.S. source income and such shareholder is physically present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year and meets certain other requirements.

 

Distributions from the Fund that are properly reported by the Fund as an interest-related dividend attributable to certain interest income received by the Fund or as a short-term capital gain dividend attributable to certain net short-term capital gain income received by the Fund may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes when received by certain non-U.S. investors, provided that the Fund makes certain elections and certain other conditions are met.

 

In addition, capital gain distributions attributable to gains from U.S. real property interests (including certain U.S. real property holding corporations) will generally be subject to United States withholding tax and will give rise to an obligation on the part of the foreign shareholder to file a United States tax return.

 

Income Effectively Connected. If the income from the Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder, then distributions of investment company taxable income and capital gain dividends, any amounts retained by the Fund which are properly reported by the Fund as undistributed capital gains and any gains realized upon the sale or exchange of Shares of the Fund will be subject to U.S. income tax at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens, residents and domestic corporations. Non-U.S. corporate shareholders may also be subject to the branch profits tax imposed by the Code. The tax consequences to a non-U.S. shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may differ from those described herein. Non-U.S. shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.

 

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Capital Loss Carry-forward

 

Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010 (the “RIC Modernization Act”), net capital losses incurred in taxable years after December 22, 2010, may be carried forward indefinitely, and their character is retained as short-term and/or long-term losses. Previously, net capital losses were carried forward for up to eight years and treated as short-term losses. As a transition rule, the RIC Modernization Act requires that post-enactment net capital losses be used before pre-enactment net capital losses. To the extent that these loss carry-forwards are used to offset future capital gains, it is probable that the capital gains so offset will not be distributed to Fund shareholders. The Fund is subject to certain limitations, under U.S. tax rules, on the use of capital loss carry-forwards and net unrealized built-in losses. These limitations apply when there has been a 50% change in ownership.

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

For investors that hold their Fund Shares in a taxable account, a high portfolio turnover rate may result in higher taxes. This is because a fund with a high turnover rate is likely to accelerate the recognition of capital gains and more of such gains are likely to be taxable as short-term rather than long-term capital gains in contrast to a comparable fund with a low turnover rate. Any such higher taxes would reduce the Fund’s after-tax performance. For non-U.S. investors, any such acceleration of the recognition of capital gains that results in more short-term and less long-term capital gains being recognized by the Fund may cause such investors to be subject to increased U.S. withholding taxes.

 

Other Taxation

 

Fund shareholders may be subject to state, local and foreign taxes on their Fund distributions. Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.

 

This discussion of Distributions and Taxes is not intended or written to be used as tax advice and does not purport to deal with all federal tax consequences applicable to all categories of investors, some of which may be subject to special rules . You should consult your own tax adviser regarding your particular circumstances before making an investment in the Fund.

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

 

To obtain the Fund’s most current performance information, please call (800) 208-5212 or visit the Fund’s website at www.innovatoretfs.com.

 

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From time to time, the Fund’s performance information, such as yield or total return, may be quoted in advertisements or in communications to present or prospective shareholders. Performance quotations represent the Fund’s past performance and should not be considered as representative of future results. The Fund will calculate its performance in accordance with the requirements of the rules and regulations under the 1940 Act, as they may be revised from time to time.                                                                                                                                               

 

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EXHIBIT A

 

Egan-Jones Proxy Services
Standard Proxy Voting
Principles and Guidelines

 

Egan-Jones Proxy Voting Principles

 

Introduction

 

Our Proxy Voting Principles serve as the background for our Proxy Voting Guidelines, which, in turn, act as general guidelines for the specific recommendations that we make with respect to proxy voting. It is important to recognize that such principles are not intended to dictate but guide. Certain of the principles may be inappropriate for a given company, or in a given situation. Additionally, the principles are evolving and should be viewed in that light. Our principles are and will be influenced by current and forthcoming legislation, rules and regulations, and stock exchange rules. Examples include:

 

the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and implementing rules promulgated by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission

 

revised corporate governance listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange and resulting SEC rules

 

corporate governance reforms and subsequent proposed rule filings made with the SEC by The NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. and resulting SEC rules

 

In general:

 

Directors should be accountable to shareholders, and management should be accountable to directors.

 

Information on the Company supplied to shareholders should be transparent.

 

Shareholders should be treated fairly and equitably according to the principle of one share, one vote.

 

Principles

 

A.

Director independence

 

It is our view that:

 

 

A two-thirds majority of the board should be comprised of independent directors.

 

 

Independent directors should meet alone at regularly scheduled meetings, no less frequently than semi-annually, without the Chief Executive Officer or other non-independent directors present.

 

 

When the Chairman of the Board also serves as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, the board should designate one independent director to act as a leader to coordinate the activities of the other independent directors.

 

 

Committees of the board dealing with the following responsibilities should consist only of independent directors: audit, compensation, nomination of directors, corporate governance, and compliance.

 

 

No director should serve as a consultant or service provider to the Company.

 

 

Director compensation should be a combination of cash and stock in the Company, with stock constituting a significant component.

 

In our opinion, an independent director, by definition, has no material relationship with the Company other than his or her directorship. This avoids the potential for conflict of interest. Specifically such director:

 

 

should not have been employed by the Company or an affiliate within the previous five years.

 

A-1

 

 

 

should not be the founder of the Company.

 

 

should not be a director of the Company serving in an ex officio capacity.

 

 

should not be a member of the Company’s Board of Directors for 10 years or more, however, a director who is a diverse nominee may be exempted from this rule on the case-by-case basis.

 

 

should have no services contract regarding such matters as aircraft rental contract, real property lease or similar contract with the Company or affiliate, or with a member of the Company’s senior management or provide legal or consulting services to the Company within the previous three years.

 

 

should not be employed by a public company at which an executive officer of the Company serves as a director, and thereby be part of an interlocking relationship.

 

 

should not be a member of the immediate family (spouse, parents, children, siblings, mothers and fathers-in-law, sons and daughters-in-law, brothers and sisters-in-law, and anyone other than domestic employees who share such person’s home) of any person described above.

 

 

a director who receives, or whose immediate family member receives, more than $120,000 per year in direct compensation (base salary plus cash bonus) from the Company, other than director and committee fees and pension or other forms of deferred compensation for prior service (provided such compensation is not contingent in any way on continued service), is not independent until three years after he or she ceases to receive more than $120,000 per year in such compensation.

 

 

a director who is an executive officer or an employee, or whose immediate family member is an executive officer, of another company (other than a utility) or non-profit organization that makes payments to, or receives payments from, the Company for property or services in an amount which, in any single fiscal year, exceeds the greater of $1 million, or 2% of the recipient company’s consolidated gross revenues, is not “independent” until three years after falling below such threshold. However, the existence of a credit agreement between a bank and the Company shall not affect the independence of a director who is an executive of that bank within the previous three years.

 

B.

Board operating procedures

 

 

The board should adopt a written statement of its governance principles, and regularly re-evaluate them.

 

 

Independent directors should establish performance criteria and compensation incentives for the Chief Executive Officer, and regularly review his or her performance against such criteria. Such criteria should align the interests of the CEO with those of shareholders, and evaluate the CEO against peer groups.

 

 

The independent directors should be provided access to professional advisers of their own choice, independent of management.

 

 

The board should have a CEO succession plan, and receive periodic reports from management on the development of other members of senior management.

 

 

Directors should have access to senior management through a designated liaison person.

 

 

The board should periodically review its own size, and determine the appropriate size.

 

C.

Requirements for individual directors

 

We recommend that:

 

 

The board should provide guidelines for directors serving on several Boards addressing competing commitments.

 

A-2

 

 

 

The board should establish performance criteria for itself and for individual directors regarding director attendance, preparedness, and participation at meetings of the board and of committees of the board, and directors should perform satisfactorily in accordance with such criteria in order to be re-nominated.

 

D.

Shareholder rights

 

 

A simple majority of shareholders should be able to amend the Company’s bylaws, call special meetings, or act by written consent.

 

 

“Greenmail” should be prohibited.

 

 

Shareholder approval should be required to enact or amend a “poison pill” (i.e., “shareholder rights”) plan

 

 

Directors should be elected annually.

 

 

The board should ordinarily implement a shareholder proposal that is approved by a majority of proxy votes.

 

 

Shareholders should have effective access to the director nomination process.

 

Egan-Jones Proxy Voting Guidelines

 

Consistent with the above-listed principles, the proxy voting guidelines outlined below are written to guide the specific recommendations that we make to our clients. Ordinarily, we do not recommend that clients ABSTAIN on votes; rather, we recommend that they vote FOR or AGAINST proposals (or, in the case of election of directors, that they vote FOR ALL nominees, AGAINST the nominees, or that they WITHHOLD votes for certain nominees). In the latter instance, the recommendation on our report takes the form ALL, EXCEPT FOR and lists the nominees from whom votes should be withheld.

 

Whether or not the guideline below indicates “case-by-case basis,” every case is examined to ensure that the recommendation is appropriate.

 

Board Of Directors

 

Election of Directors in Uncontested Elections

 

Case-by-case basis, examining composition of board and key board committees, attendance history, corporate governance provisions and takeover activity, long-term company financial performance relative to a market index, directors’ investment in the Company, etc.

 

WITHHOLD votes from nominees who:

 

 

are affiliated outside directors and sit on the Audit, Compensation, or Nominating committees.

 

 

are inside directors and sit on the Audit, Compensation, or Nominating committees.

 

 

are inside directors and the Company does not have Audit, Compensation, or Nominating committees.

 

 

attend less than 75 percent of the board and committee meetings. Participation by phone is acceptable.

 

 

ignore a shareholder proposal that is approved by a majority of the shares outstanding.

 

 

ignore a shareholder proposal that is approved by a majority of the votes cast for two consecutive years.

 

 

fail to act on takeover offers where the majority of the shareholders have tendered their shares.

 

 

implement or renew a “dead-hand” or modified “dead-hand” poison pill.

 

 

sit on more than five other public boards.

 

 

serve as both Chairmen of the Board and CEOs and the Company receives a poor Board Score.

 

A-3

 

 

 

serve as CEOs and hold more than one outside public directorship.

 

 

serve as Chairmen of the Board and hold more than one outside public directorship.

 

 

sit on the existing board, which has failed to respond adequately to a say-on-pay vote in which the majority of votes cast voted AGAINST.

 

 

sit on the existing board, which has implemented a less frequent say-on-pay vote than the frequency option which received a majority of votes cast in the previous frequency vote.

 

Underperforming Board Policy

 

WITHHOLD votes from Compensation Committee members in cases when the Company obtains a questionable score on the Egan-Jones compensation rating model.

 

WITHHOLD votes from Compensation Committee members in cases when the Company’s Compensation Plans (Cash Bonus Plan or Stock Option Plan) receive an “AGAINST” recommendation from Egan-Jones.

 

Board Accountability

 

Case-by-case basis for the following:

 

 

Evidence or belief of failure of the board to properly account and prepare for risk (i.e. carbon or cyber issues)

 

 

A low board score, coupled with poor performance

 

 

Legal or ethical problems in the Company or its management

 

In cases in which the Company has engaged in the practice commonly referred to as “options backdating,” Egan-Jones may recommend that votes be withheld from nominees serving on the Company’s compensation committee, the Company’s entire board of directors, and/or its chief executive officer. Such recommendations will be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration such matters as intent of the individuals involved, scope and timing of the practice, significance of financial restatement required, and corrective action taken.

 

Furthermore, we may recommend withholding votes from either members of the Company’s compensation committee, its entire board of directors and/or its chief executive officer where the Company has engaged in what we judge to be other unsatisfactory compensation practices. Considerations may include such factors as “pay-for-failure” executive severance provisions, change-in-control payments which are either excessive or which are not tied to loss of job or significant reduction in duties, excessive executive perquisites, unjustified changes in the performance standards applied to performance-based compensation, and executive compensation out of proportion to performance of the Company.

 

FOR responsible shareholder proposals calling for the Company to name as directors only those who receive a majority of shareholder votes.

 

Separating Chairman and CEO

 

FOR shareholder proposals requiring that positions of Chairman and CEO be held separately.

 

Independent Directors

 

FOR shareholder proposals asking that a two-thirds majority of directors be independent.

 

FOR shareholder proposals asking that the board’s Audit, Compensation, and/or Nominating committees be composed exclusively of independent directors.

 

FOR shareholder proposals that the Chairman OR lead director be independent when the Company obtains a questionable score on the Egan-Jones director independence rating. AGAINST in all other cases.

 

Stock Ownership Requirements

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals requiring directors to own a minimum amount of company stock in order to qualify as a director or to remain on the board.

 

A-4

 

 

Term Limits

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to limit tenure of outside directors.

 

Age Limits

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to impose a mandatory retirement age for outside directors.

 

Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability

 

Case-by-case basis on management proposals regarding director and officer indemnification and liability, using Delaware law as the standard.

 

AGAINST management proposals to eliminate entirely directors and officers liability for monetary damages for violating the duty of care.

 

AGAINST management indemnification proposals that would expand coverage beyond legal expenses to acts, such as negligence, that are more serious violations of fiduciary obligation than mere carelessness.

 

FOR only those management proposals providing such expanded coverage in cases when a director’s or officer’s legal defense was unsuccessful if (1) the director was found to have acted in good faith and in a manner that he or she reasonably believed was in the best interests of the company, and (2) only if the director’s legal expenses would be covered.

 

Charitable Contributions

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals regarding disclosure of charitable contributions.

 

Political Contributions

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals regarding disclosure of political contributions.

 

FOR management proposals regarding approval of political contributions.

 

Lobbying Expenditures

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals for disclosure of lobbying expenditures.

 

Proxy Contests and Other Contested Elections

 

Election of Directors in Contested Elections

 

Case-by-case basis for voting for directors in contested elections, considering long-term financial performance of the target company relative to its industry, management’s track record, background to the proxy contest, qualifications of director nominees on both slates, evaluation of what each side is offering shareholders as well as likelihood that proposed objectives and goals will be met, and stock ownership positions.

 

FOR plurality voting standard in contested elections.

 

Reimbursement of Proxy Solicitation Expenses

 

Case-by-case basis for shareholder proposals for reimbursement of proxy solicitation expenses. FOR reimbursing proxy solicitation expenses where EGAN-JONES recommends in favor of the dissidents.

 

Auditors

 

Ratifying Auditors

 

FOR management proposals to ratify appointment of independent auditor unless:

 

 

Auditor obtains a questionable score on the Egan-Jones Auditor Rating Model which takes into account a number of factors including but not limited to:

 

 

Auditor rotation every seven years

 

 

Non-audit fees exceeding 50% of total fees

 

 

Significant and material disciplinary actions taken against the Company’s Auditor

 

A-5

 

 

 

Auditor has a financial interest in or association with the Company, and is therefore not independent; or there is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion which is neither accurate nor indicative of the Company’s financial position.

 

Proxy Contest Defenses

 

Classified Board vs. Annual Election

 

AGAINST management proposals to classify the board.

 

FOR shareholder proposals to repeal (“de-stagger”) classified boards and to elect all directors annually.

 

Removal of Directors

 

AGAINST management proposals that provide that directors may be removed only for cause.

 

FOR shareholder proposals to restore shareholder ability to remove directors with or without cause.

 

CASE-BY-CASE basis for shareholder proposal to remove a director, usually AGAINST unless there are compelling reasons to remove a director or a director does not fulfill Egan-Jones criteria examining independence, meetings attendance, other board memberships, then in such cases FOR.

 

AGAINST management proposals that provide that only continuing directors may elect replacements to fill board vacancies.

 

FOR shareholder proposals that permit shareholders to elect directors to fill board vacancies.

 

Cumulative Voting

 

FOR management proposals to eliminate cumulative voting.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to provide for cumulative voting.

 

Calling Special Meetings

 

AGAINST management proposals to restrict or prohibit shareholder ability to call special meetings.

 

FOR shareholder proposals to allow a shareholder holding a 25% or greater interest to call a special shareholder meeting.

 

Acting by Written Consent

 

Case by case for management proposals to restrict or prohibit shareholder ability to take action by written consent.

 

FOR shareholder proposals to allow or make easier shareholder action by written consent.

 

Altering Size of the Board

 

FOR management proposals to fix the size of the board.

 

AGAINST management proposals that give management the ability to alter size of the board without shareholder approval.

 

Tender Offer Defenses

 

“Poison Pills”

 

FOR shareholder proposals that ask the Company to submit its “poison pill” for shareholder ratification.

 

Case-by-case basis for shareholder proposals to redeem a company’s existing “poison pill.”

 

Case-by-case basis for management proposals to ratify a “poison pill.”

 

Fair Price Provisions

 

Case-by-case basis for adopting fair price provisions, considering vote required to approve the proposed acquisition, vote required to repeal the fair price provision, and mechanism for determining the fair price.

 

AGAINST fair price provisions with shareholder vote requirements greater than a majority of disinterested shares.

 

A-6

 

 

“Greenmail”

 

FOR proposals to adopt anti-”greenmail” charter or bylaw amendments or otherwise restrict the company’s ability to make “greenmail” payments.

 

Case-by-case basis for anti-”greenmail” proposals which are bundled with other charter or bylaw amendments.

 

“Pale Greenmail”

 

Case-by-case basis for restructuring plans that involve the payment of pale greenmail.

 

Unequal Voting Rights

 

AGAINST dual-class exchange offers and dual-class recapitalizations.

 

Supermajority Requirement to Amend Charter or Bylaws

 

AGAINST management proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote to approve charter and bylaw amendments.

 

FOR shareholder proposals to lower supermajority shareholder vote requirements for charter and bylaw amendments.

 

Supermajority Requirement to Approve Mergers

 

AGAINST management proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote to approve mergers and other significant business combinations.

 

FOR shareholder proposals to lower supermajority shareholder vote requirements for mergers and other significant business combinations.

 

Placement of Equity with “White Squire”

 

FOR shareholder proposals to require approval of “blank check preferred stock” issues for other than general corporate purposes.

 

Other Governance Proposals

 

Confidential Voting

 

FOR shareholder proposals that request that the company adopt confidential voting, use independent tabulators, and use independent inspectors of election as long as the proposals include clauses for proxy contests as follows: In the case of a contested election, management should be permitted to request that the dissident group honor its confidential voting policy. If the dissidents agree, the policy remains in place. If the dissidents do not agree, the confidential voting policy is waived.

 

FOR management proposals to adopt confidential voting.

 

Equal Access

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals that would allow significant company shareholders equal access to management’s proxy material in order to evaluate and propose voting recommendations on proxy proposals and director nominees, and in order to nominate their own candidates to the board.

 

Proxy Access

 

FOR binding shareholder proxy access proposals considering the following criteria:

 

 

0.5% ownership threshold

 

Number of board members that may be elected - cap of 1/3 of board or minimum 2 nominees, if the board size is being lowered the calculation is based upon the original board size, if it is being increased the calculation would be based upon the original board size, with each new slot added to the total, so two plus six if six new board positions are being created

 

A-7

 

 

 

We prefer no limit or caps on the number of shareowners in the nominations group

 

Loaned securities will count towards total

 

We prefer that all participants affirm that they intend to be “long term shareholders” of the company with at least 6 month ownership duration requirement

 

Proposals with no re-nominations restrictions are preferred

 

Bundled Proposals

 

Case-by-case basis for bundled or “conditioned” proxy proposals. Where items are conditioned upon each other, examine benefits and costs. AGAINST in instances when the joint effect of the conditioned items is not in shareholders’ best interests. FOR if the combined effect is positive.

 

Shareholder Advisory Committees

 

Case-by-case basis for shareholder proposals establishing a shareholder advisory committee.

 

Capital Structure

 

Common Stock Authorization

 

AGAINST management proposals increasing the number of authorized shares of the class of stock that has superior voting rights in companies that have dual-class capitalization structures.

 

AGAINST management proposals to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock, or equivalents, that exceeds the maximum amount indicated by Egan-Jones model without any specified legitimate purpose.

 

FOR management proposals to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock, or equivalents, that does not exceed the maximum amount indicated by Egan-Jones model or are targeted for a specified legitimate purpose.

 

Case-by-case basis on other such management proposals considering the specified purposes of the proposed increase, any explanation of risks to shareholders of failing to approve the request, potential dilution, and recent track record for using authorized shares, in which case judgment is applied to weigh such factors. Factors which are normally weighed in making such judgments include prior performance of the issuer, changes within the industry, relative performance within the industry, client preferences and overall good corporate governance. In general, we view the authorization of additional common shares to be ordinary and necessary and in the best long-term interests of the issuer and its shareholders.

 

Stock Distributions: Splits and Dividends

 

FOR management proposals to increase common share authorization for a stock split, provided that the increase in authorized shares would not result in an excessive number of shares available for issuance, considering the industry and company’s returns to shareholders.

 

Reverse Stock Splits

 

FOR management proposals to implement a reverse stock split when the number of shares will be proportionately reduced to avoid delisting.

 

Case-by-case basis on management proposals to implement a reverse stock split that do not proportionately reduce the number of shares authorized for issuance.

 

Preferred Stock

 

AGAINST management proposals authorizing creation of new classes of “blank check preferred stock” (i.e., classes with unspecified voting, conversion, dividend distribution, and other rights).

 

FOR management proposals to authorize preferred stock in cases where the Company specifies the voting, dividend, conversion, and other rights of such stock and the terms are reasonable.

 

Case-by-case basis on management proposals to increase the number of “blank check preferred shares” after analyzing the number of preferred shares available for issuance considering the industry and Company’s returns to shareholders.

 

A-8

 

 

“Blank Check Preferred Stock”

 

FOR shareholder proposals to have placements of “blank check preferred stock” submitted for shareholder approval, except when those shares are issued for the purpose of raising capital or making acquisitions in the normal course.

 

FOR management proposals to create “blank check preferred stock” in cases when the Company specifically states that the stock will not be used as a takeover defense.

 

Adjustments to Par Value of Common Stock

 

FOR management proposals to reduce the par value of common stock.

 

Preemptive Rights

 

Case-by-case basis on shareholder proposals that seek preemptive rights, considering size of the company and shareholder characteristics.

 

Debt Restructurings

 

Case-by-case basis on management proposals to increase number of common and/or preferred shares and to issue shares as part of a debt restructuring plan, considering dilution, any resulting change in control.

 

FOR management proposals that facilitate debt restructurings except where signs of self- dealing exist.

 

Share Repurchase Programs

 

FOR management proposals to institute open-market share repurchase plans in which all shareholders may participate on equal terms.

 

Tracking Stock

 

Case-by-case basis for management proposals for creation of tracking stock, considering the strategic value of the transaction vs. adverse governance changes, excessive increases in authorized stock, inequitable distribution method, diminution of voting rights, adverse conversion features, negative impact on stock option plans, and other alternatives, such as spin-offs.

 

Stock buybacks

 

Case-by-case on management proposals requesting stock buybacks. AGAINST in cases when the Company receives a poor Board or Compensation score. FOR otherwise.

 

Compensation of Officers and Directors

 

Compensation of Officers and Directors

 

FOR compensation plans that result in an amount of dilution (or the equivalent value in cash) that is less than the total amount suggested by Egan-Jones compensation rating model’s maximum dilution function as determined by the Company’s compensation rating.

 

AGAINST compensation plans that result in an excess amount of dilution (or the equivalent value in cash) that is more than the total amount suggested by Egan-Jones compensation rating model’s maximum dilution function as determined by the Company’s compensation rating.

 

AGAINST compensation plans involving “pay for failure,” such as excessively long contracts, guaranteed compensation, excessive severance packages, or other problematic practice not accounted for in the Egan-Jones compensation rating.

 

Case-by-case (but generally FOR) plans that are completely “decoupled” from the CEOs compensation and thus have no impact on the CEO’s current or future total compensation.

 

Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation (“Say-on-Pay”)

 

Case-by-case basis on advisory votes on executive compensation (“Say-on-Pay”), based on the score obtained by the Company in Egan-Jones Compensation Rating. AGAINST a non-binding compensation advisory vote when the Company obtains a questionable score on the Egan-Jones Compensation Rating model, FOR otherwise.

 

A-9

 

 

Relative Compensation is based upon a number of quantitative and qualitative metrics which produce a final score that is both forward looking and based upon the prior performance metrics of the company’s wealth creation and market capitalization as compared to the CEO’s total compensation package. Higher wealth creation, market capitalization and lower CEO compensation all contribute to a higher score in this rating. Additional qualitative measures such as 162m compliance, executive pension plan status and other relevant factors are then used to calculate the final score.

 

Advisory Votes Regarding Frequency of Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation

 

FOR management proposals that recommend that advisory votes on executive compensation take place annually.

 

AGAINST management proposals that recommend that advisory votes on executive compensation take place every two years or triennially.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals regarding advisory vote on directors’ compensation.

 

Management Proposals Seeking Approval to Re-price Options

 

Case-by-case basis on management proposals seeking approval to re-price options.

 

Director Compensation

 

Case-by-case basis on stock-based plans for directors.

 

Employee Stock Purchase Plans

 

Case-by-case basis on employee stock purchase plans.

 

Amendments that Place a Maximum Limit on Annual Grants or Amend Administrative Features

 

FOR plans that amend shareholder-approved plans to include administrative features or place maximum limit on annual grants that any participant may receive to comply with the provisions of Section 162(m) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA).

 

Amendments to Added Performance-Based Goals

 

FOR amendments to add performance goals to existing compensation plans to comply with the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA.

 

Amendments to Increase Shares and Retain Tax Deductions under OBRA

 

Case-by-case basis on amendments to existing plans to increase shares reserved and to qualify the plan for favorable tax treatment under the provisions of Section 162(m).

 

Approval of Cash or Cash & Stock Bonus Plans

 

Case-by-case basis on cash or cash & stock bonus plans to exempt compensation from taxes under the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA.

 

Limits on Director and Officer Compensation

 

FOR shareholder proposals requiring additional disclosure of officer and director compensation.

 

Case-by-case basis for all other shareholder proposals seeking limits on officer and director compensation.

 

“Golden Parachutes” and “Tin Parachutes”

 

FOR shareholder proposals to have “golden and tin parachutes” submitted for shareholder ratification.

 

Case-by-case basis on proposals to ratify or cancel “golden or tin parachutes.”

 

Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)

 

FOR proposals that request shareholder approval in order to implement an ESOP or to increase authorized number of shares for existing ESOPs, except in cases when the number of shares allocated to the ESOP is “excessive” (i.e., greater than five percent of outstanding shares).

 

A-10

 

 

401(k) Employee Benefit Plans

 

FOR proposals to implement a 401(k) savings plan for employees.

 

State of Incorporation

 

State Takeover Statutes

 

Case-by-case basis on proposals to opt in or out of state takeover statutes (including control share acquisition statutes, control share cash-out statutes, freeze-out provisions, fair price provisions, stakeholder laws, poison pill endorsements, severance pay and labor contract provisions, anti-“greenmail” provisions, and disgorgement provisions).

 

Reincorporation Proposals

 

Case-by-case basis on proposals to change the Company’s state of incorporation.

 

Business Combinations and Corporate Restructurings

 

Mergers and Acquisitions

 

Case-by-case basis on mergers and acquisitions, considering projected financial and operating benefits, offer price, prospects of the combined companies, negotiation process, and changes in corporate governance.

 

Corporate Restructuring

 

Case-by-case basis on corporate restructurings, including minority squeeze-outs, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs, liquidations, and asset sales.

 

Spin-offs

 

Case-by-case basis on spin-offs, considering tax and regulatory advantages, planned use of proceeds, market focus, and managerial incentives.

 

Asset Sales

 

Case-by-case basis on asset sales, considering impact on the balance sheet and working capital, and value received.

 

Liquidations

 

Case-by-case basis on liquidations considering management’s efforts to pursue alternatives, appraisal value, and compensation for executives managing the liquidation.

 

Appraisal Rights

 

FOR providing shareholders with appraisal rights.

 

Mutual Fund Proxies

 

Election of Directors

 

Case-by-case basis for election of directors, considering board structure, director independence, director qualifications, compensation of directors within the fund and the family of funds, and attendance at board and committee meetings.

 

WITHHOLD votes for directors who:

 

 

are interested directors and sit on key board committees (Audit or Nominating committees)

 

 

are interested directors and the company does not have one or more of the following committees: Audit or Nominating.

 

 

attend less than 75 percent of the board and committee meetings. Participation by phone is acceptable.

 

 

ignore a shareholder proposal that is approved by a majority of shares outstanding.

 

A-11

 

 

 

ignore a shareholder proposal that is approved by a majority of the votes cast for two consecutive years

 

 

serve as Chairman but are not independent (e.g. serve as an officer of the fund’s advisor)

 

Converting Closed-end Fund to Open-end Fund

 

Case-by-case basis for conversion of closed-end fund to open-end fund, considering past performance as a closed-end fund, market in which the fund invests, measures taken by the board to address the market discount, and past shareholder activism, board activity, and votes on related proposals.

 

Proxy Contests

 

Case-by-case basis on proxy contests, considering past performance, market in which fund invests, and measures taken by the board to address issues raised, past shareholder activism, board activity, and votes on related proposals.

 

Investment Advisory Agreements

 

Case-by-case basis on investment advisory agreements, considering proposed and current fee schedules, fund category and investment objective, performance benchmarks, share price performance relative to that of peers; and magnitude of any fee increase.

 

New Classes or Series of Shares

 

FOR creating new classes or series of shares.

 

Preferred Stock Authorization

 

Case-by-case basis for authorization for or increase in preferred shares, considering financing purpose and potential dilution for common shares.

 

1940 Act Policies

 

Case-by-case basis for 1940 Act policies, considering potential competitiveness, regulatory developments, current and potential returns, and current and potential risk.

 

Changing a Fundamental Restriction to a Non-fundamental Restriction

 

Case-by-case basis on changing fundamental restriction to non-fundamental restriction, considering fund’s target investments, reasons for change, and projected impact on portfolio.

 

Changing Fundamental Investment Objective to Non-fundamental

 

AGAINST proposals to change the fund’s fundamental investment objective to non- fundamental.

 

Name Rule Proposals

 

Case-by-case basis for name rule proposals, considering the following factors: political/economic changes in target market; bundling with quorum requirements or with changes in asset allocation, and consolidation in the fund’s target market.

 

Disposition of Assets, Termination, Liquidation

 

Case-by-case basis for disposition of assets, termination or liquidation, considering strategies employed, company’s past performance, and terms of liquidation.

 

Charter Modification

 

Case-by-case basis for changes to the charter, considering degree of change, efficiencies that could result, state of incorporation, and regulatory standards and implications.

 

Change of Domicile

 

Case-by-case basis for changes in state of domicile, considering state regulations of each state, required fundamental policies of each state; and the increased flexibility available.

 

A-12

 

 

Change in Sub-classification

 

Case-by-case basis for change in sub-classification, considering potential competitiveness, current and potential returns, risk of concentration, and industry consolidation in the target industry.

 

Authorizing Board to Hire and Terminate Sub-advisors without Shareholder Approval

 

AGAINST authorizing the board to hire and terminate sub-advisors without shareholder approval.

 

Distribution Agreements

 

Case-by-case basis for approving distribution agreements, considering fees charged to comparably sized funds with similar objectives, proposed distributor’s reputation and past performance, and competitiveness of fund in industry.

 

Master-Feeder Structure

 

FOR establishment of a master-feeder structure.

 

Changes to Charter

 

Case-by-case basis for changes to the charter, considering degree of change implied by the proposal, resulting efficiencies, state of incorporation, and regulatory standards and implications.

 

Mergers

 

Case-by-case basis for proposed merger, considering resulting fee structure, performance of each fund, and continuity of management.

 

Advisory Vote on Merger Related Compensation

 

AGAINST “golden parachutes” which are abusive,

 

 

such as those that exceed 3x of the cash severance or

 

if the cash severance multiple is greater than 2.99x or

 

contain tax gross-ups or

 

provide for accelerated vesting of equity awards, (however, pro-rata vesting of awards based on past service is acceptable) or

 

are triggered prior to completion of the transaction or

 

if the payouts are not contingent on the executive’s termination.

 

Miscellaneous Shareholder Proposals

 

Independent Directors

 

FOR shareholder proposals asking that a three-quarters majority of directors be independent.

 

FOR shareholder proposals asking that board’s Audit, Compensation, and/or Nominating committees be composed exclusively of independent directors.

 

FOR shareholder proposals that the Chairman OR lead director be independent when the company obtains a questionable score on the Egan-Jones director independence rating. AGAINST in all other cases.

 

Establish Director Ownership Requirement

 

AGAINST proposals establishing a director ownership requirement.

 

Reimbursement of Shareholder for Expenses Incurred

 

CASE-BY-CASE for proposals for reimbursing proxy solicitation expenses in contested meetings.

 

FOR proposals for reimbursing proxy solicitation expenses in contested meetings in cases where EGAN-JONES recommends in favor of the dissidents.

 

A-13

 

 

Terminate the Investment Advisor

 

CASE-BY-CASE basis for proposals for terminating the investment advisor, considering fund’s performance and history of shareholder relations.

 

Tax Payments on Restricted Awards

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to adopt a policy that the Company will pay the personal taxes owed on restricted stock awards on behalf of named executive officers.

 

Recovery of Unearned Management Bonuses

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to adopt an executive compensation recoupment policy.

 

Clawback Provision Amendment

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals that request the board of directors amend the Company’s clawback policy for executive compensation.

 

Quantifiable Performance Metrics

 

CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals that request the board adopt the policy regarding quantifiable performance metrics. FOR this proposal in cases when Egan-Jones compensation rating model results in an ‘Against’ recommendation on ‘Say-on-Pay’ proposal. AGAINST this proposal in cases of when Egan-Jones compensation rating model results in a ‘For’ recommendation on ‘Say-on-Pay’ proposal.

 

Vote Tabulation

 

FOR shareholder proposals that request all matters presented to shareholders, other than the election of directors, shall be decided by a simple majority of the shares voted ‘For’ and ‘Against’ an item and abstentions from the vote count be excluded.

 

Maryland’s Unsolicited Takeover Act

 

FOR shareholder proposals requesting that the Board opt out of MUTA, which allows the board of directors to make changes by board resolution only, without shareholder approval, to a company’s capital structure and charter/bylaws. These include, but are not limited to:

› the ability to re-classify a board;

› the exclusive right to set the number of directors;

› limiting shareholders’ ability to call special meetings to a threshold of at least a majority of shares.

 

Accelerated Vesting

 

FOR shareholder proposals to implement double triggered with pro-rata vesting of awards.

 

Dividends

 

CASE-BY-CASE basis for shareholder proposals to increase dividends, but generally AGAINST in the absence of a compelling reason for.

 

Shareholder Proposals on Social Issues

 

Energy and Environment

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals that request companies to follow the CERES Principles.

 

Generally AGAINST proposals requesting reports that seek additional information, unless it appears that the Company has not adequately addressed shareholders’ relevant environmental concerns but FOR shareholder proposals requesting additional disclosure regarding hydraulic fracturing.

 

AGAINST proposals that request that the Board prepare, at reasonable expense and omitting proprietary information, a sustainability report.

 

A-14

 

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals that requests that company develop and implement a comprehensive sustainable palm oil sourcing policy.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals promoting recycling.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals requesting a report on recyclable packaging.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals requesting that a company voluntarily label genetically engineered (GE) ingredients in its products.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals that requests the Company prepare a report, at reasonable expense and omitting proprietary information, assessing actual and potential material financial risks or operational impacts on the Company related to these genetically modified organisms (GMO issues).

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to eliminate GE ingredients from the company’s products, or proposals asking for reports outlining the steps necessary to eliminate GE ingredients from the company’s products.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals requesting that a company adopt GHG emissions reductions goals and issue a report by at reasonable cost and omitting proprietary information, on its plans to achieve these goals.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to encourage energy conservation and the development of alternate renewable and clean energy resources and to reduce or eliminate toxic wastes and greenhouse gas emissions.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals on proper disposal of pharmaceuticals.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals requesting a report on electronic waste.

 

CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals requesting a report on renewable energy adoption. FOR in cases when the Company receives a poor Board score, AGAINST otherwise.

 

CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals requesting a report on distributed - scale clean electricity. FOR in cases when the Company receives a poor Board score, AGAINST otherwise.

 

FOR shareholder proposals requesting a report on climate change and business model.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals requesting a report on nanomaterials.

 

FOR shareholder proposals requesting a report on antibiotics in livestock.

 

Northern Ireland

 

AGAINST proposals related to the MacBride Principles.

 

AGAINST proposals requesting reports that seek additional information about progress being made toward eliminating employment discrimination, unless it appears Company has not adequately addressed shareholder relevant concerns.

 

Military Business

 

AGAINST proposals on defense issues.

 

AGAINST proposals requesting reports that seek additional information on military related operations, unless the Company has been unresponsive to shareholder relevant requests.

 

Maquiladora Standards and International Operations Policies

 

AGAINST on proposals relating to the Maquiladora Standards and international operating policies.

 

AGAINST proposals requesting reports on international operating policy issues, unless it appears the Company has not adequately addressed shareholder relevant concerns.

 

World Debt Crisis

 

AGAINST proposals dealing with Third World debt.

 

AGAINST proposals requesting reports on Third World debt issues, unless it appears the Company has not adequately addressed shareholder relevant concerns.

 

A-15

 

 

Equal Employment Opportunity and Discrimination

 

AGAINST on proposals regarding equal employment opportunities and discrimination.

 

AGAINST proposals requesting reports that seek additional information about affirmative action efforts, unless it appears the Company has been unresponsive to shareholder relevant requests.

 

Holy Land Principles

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to approve the implementation of the Holy Land Principles.

 

Animal Rights

 

AGAINST proposals that deal with animal rights.

 

Product Integrity and Marketing

 

AGAINST proposals on ceasing production of socially questionable products.

 

AGAINST proposals requesting reports that seek additional information regarding product integrity and marketing issues, unless it appears the Company has been unresponsive to shareholder relevant requests.

 

Human Resources Issues

 

AGAINST proposals regarding human resources issues.

 

AGAINST proposals requesting reports that seek additional information regarding human resources issues, unless it appears the Company has been unresponsive to shareholder relevant requests.

 

A-16

 

 

Innovator ETFs Trust

Part C – Other Information

 

Item 28.

Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.

Description

 

 

(a)

(1) Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Registrant, dated October 17, 2007 (1)

 

 

 

(2) Certificate of Trust of Registrant, as filed with the State of Delaware on October 17, 2007 (1)

 

 

 

(3) Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Trust of Registrant, as filed with the State Delaware on August 11, 2017 (4)

 

 

(b)

By-Laws of the Registrant (1)

 

 

(c)

Not Applicable

 

 

(d)

(1) Investment Management Agreement by and between the Registrant, on behalf of the Fund, and Innovator Capital Management, LLC (5)

 

 

 

(2) Revised Schedule A to the Investment Management Agreement by and between the Registrant, on behalf of the Fund, and Innovator Capital Management, LLC (6)

 

 

 

(3) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and between the Registrant, Innovator Capital Management, LLC and Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC (6)

 

 

(e)

(1) Form of Distribution Agreement by and between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC (4)

 

 

 

(2) Revised Exhibit A to the Distribution Agreement by and between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC (6)

 

 

(f)

Not Applicable

 

 

(g)

(1) Custody Agreement by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association (2)

 

 

 

(2) Revised Exhibit B to the Custody Agreement by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association (6)

 

 

(h)

(1) Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, dated January 19, 2012 (2)

 

-2-

 

 

(2) Revised Exhibit A to the Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (6)

 

(3) Fund Administration Servicing Agreement by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, dated January 19, 2012 (2)

 

(4) Revised Exhibit A to the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (6)

 

(5) Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, dated January 19, 2012 (2)

 

(6) Revised Exhibit A to the Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (6)

 

(7) Form of Authorized Participant Agreement (4)

 

 

(i)

Opinion and consent of Chapman and Cutler LLP (6)

 

 

(j)

Not Applicable

 

 

(k)

Not Applicable

 

 

(l)

Not Applicable

 

 

(m)

Not Applicable

 

 

(n)

Not Applicable

 

 

(o)

Not Applicable

 

 

(p)

(1) Joint Code of Ethics of the Registrant and Innovator Capital Management, LLC (4)

 

(2) Code of Ethics of Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC (6)

 

(3) Code of Ethics of Foreside Fund Services, LLC (4)

 

 

(q)

Power of Attorneys (3)

__________________

 

(1)

Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-146827) filed on October 19, 2007.

 

(2)

Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-146827) filed on March 30, 2015.

 

-3-

 

 

(3)

Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-146827) filed on September 8, 2017.

 

(4)

Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-146827) filed on November 7, 2017.

 

(5)

Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-146827) filed on December 13, 2017.

 

(6)

Filed herewith.

 

Item 29.

Persons Controlled By or Under Common Control with Registrant

 

Not Applicable

 

Item 30.

Indemnification

 

Under the terms of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act ( “DSTA” ) and the Registrant's Agreement and Declaration of Trust ( “Declaration of Trust” ), no officer or trustee of the Registrant shall have any liability to the Registrant, its shareholders, or any other party for damages, except to the extent such limitation of liability is precluded by Delaware law, the Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws of the Registrant.

 

Subject to the standards and restrictions set forth in the Declaration of Trust, DSTA, Section 3817, permits a statutory trust to indemnify and hold harmless any trustee, beneficial owner or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever. DSTA, Section 3803 protects trustees, officers, managers and other employees, when acting in such capacity, from liability to any person other than the Registrant or beneficial owner for any act, omission or obligation of the Registrant or any trustee thereof, except as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust.

 

Item 31.

Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser

 

Certain information pertaining to the business and other connections of Innovator Capital Management, LLC, the investment adviser to the Fund, is hereby incorporated by reference from the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information contained herein. The information required by this Item with respect to any director, officer or partner of Innovator Capital Management, LLC is incorporated by reference to the Form ADV filed by Innovator Capital Management, LLC with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (File No. 801-110111).

 

Certain information pertaining to the business and other connections of Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC, the investment sub-adviser to the Fund, is hereby incorporated by reference from the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information contained herein. The information required by this Item with respect to any director, officer or partner of Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC is incorporated by reference to the Form ADV filed by Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (File No. 801-73056).

 

-4-

 

 

Item 32.

Principal Underwriter

 

(a)     Foreside Fund Services, LLC also acts as the distributor for the Registrant and the following investment companies: ABS Long/Short Strategies Fund; Absolute Shares Trust; AdvisorShares Trust; AmericaFirst Quantitative Funds; American Beacon Funds; American Beacon Select Funds; Ark ETF Trust; Avenue Mutual Funds Trust; BP Capital TwinLine Energy Fund, Series of Professionally Managed Portfolios; BP Capital TwinLine MLP Fund, Series of Professionally Managed Portfolios; Braddock Multi-Strategy Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust; Bridgeway Funds, Inc.; Brinker Capital Destinations Trust; Center Coast MLP & Infrastructure Fund; Center Coast MLP Focus Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust; Context Capital Funds; CornerCap Group of Funds; Davis Fundamental ETF Trust; Direxion Shares ETF Trust; Eaton Vance NextShares Trust; Eaton Vance NextShares Trust II; EIP Investment Trust; Evanston Alternative Opportunities Fund; Elkhorn ETF Trust; Exchange Listed Funds Trust (f/k/a Exchange Traded Concepts Trust II); FEG Absolute Access Fund I LLC; Fiera Capital Series Trust; FlexShares Trust; Forefront Income Trust; Forum Funds; Forum Funds II; FQF Trust; Friess Small Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series; GraniteShares ETF Trust; Guinness Atkinson Funds; Horizon Spin-off and Corporate Restructuring Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust (f/k/a Liberty Street Horizon Fund); Horizons ETF Trust; Horizons ETF Trust I (f/k/a Recon Capital Series Trust); Infinity Core Alternative Fund; Ironwood Institutional Multi-Strategy Fund LLC; Ironwood Multi-Strategy Fund LLC; John Hancock Exchange-Traded Fund Trust; Manor Investment Funds; Miller/Howard Funds Trust; Miller/Howard High Income Equity Fund; ; Moerus Worldwide Value Fund, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV; OSI ETF Trust; Palmer Square Opportunistic Income Fund; Partners Group Private Income Opportunities, LLC; PENN Capital Funds Trust; Performance Trust Mutual Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers; Pine Grove Alternative Institutional Fund; Plan Investment Fund, Inc.; PMC Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers; Quaker Investment Trust; Ramius Archview Credit and Distressed Fund; Renaissance Capital Greenwich Funds; RMB Investors Trust (f/k/a Burnham Investors Trust); Robinson Opportunistic Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust; Robinson Tax Advantaged Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust; Salient MF Trust; SharesPost 100 Fund; Sound Shore Fund, Inc.; Steben Alternative Investment Funds; Steben Select Multi-Strategy Fund; Strategy Shares; The 504 Fund (f/k/a The Pennant 504 Fund); The Community Development Fund; The Relative Value Fund; Third Avenue Trust; Third Avenue Variable Series Trust; TIFF Investment Program; Turner Funds; U.S. Global Investors Funds; VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II; VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II; VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II; VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II; VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II; VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II; VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II; VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II; VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II; VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II; VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II; VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II; Wakefield Managed Futures Strategy Fund, a Series of Wakefield Alternative Series Trust; West Loop Realty Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust (f/k/a Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund); Wintergreen Fund, Inc. and WisdomTree Trust.

 

-5-

 

 

(b)     To the best of Registrant’s knowledge, the directors and executive officers of Foreside Fund Services, LLC, are as follows:

 

Name*

Position with Underwriter

Positions with Fund ***

Richard J. Berthy

President, Treasurer and Manager

None

Mark A. Fairbanks

Vice President

None

Jennifer K. DiValerio**

Vice President

None

Nanette K. Chern

Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer

None

Jennifer E. Hoopes

Secretary

None

 

________________________

*

Except as otherwise noted, the principal business address for each of the above directors and executive officers is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101.

**

The principal business address for Ms. DiValerio is 899 Cassatt Road, 400 Berwyn Park, Suite 110, Berwyn, PA 19312.

***     None of the directors or executive officers of Foreside Fund Services, LLC are employed by the Fund.

 

(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 15 U.S.C. 80a-3-(a) and rules under that section, are maintained by U.S. Bank Fund Services, LLC and U.S. Bank, N.A., with the exception of those maintained by the Registrant's investment adviser, Innovator Capital Management, LLC, 120 North Hale Street, Suite 200, Wheaton, Illinois 60187.

 

U.S. Bank Fund Services, LLC and U.S. Bank, N.A. provide general administrative, accounting, portfolio valuation, and custodian services, respectively, to the Registrant, including the coordination and monitoring of any third-party service providers and maintain all such records relating to these services.

 

Item 34.

Management Services

 

Not Applicable

 

Item 35.

Undertakings

 

Not Applicable

 

-6-

 

 

Signatures

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Wheaton, and State of Illinois, on July 12, 2018.

 

 

Innovator ETFs Trust

 

 

 

By:

/s/ H. Bruce Bond

 

 

 

H. Bruce Bond

President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated:

 

Signature

Title

Date

/s/ H. Bruce Bond

Chief Executive Officer,

President and Trustee

July 12, 2018

H. Bruce Bond

   
     

/s/ John Southard

Vice President, Treasurer and

Principal Financial

Accounting Officer

July 12, 2018

John Southard

   
     

Mark Berg*

             )

Trustee)

             )

 
 

 

By:

/ s / H. Bruce Bond

Joe Stowell*

             )

Trustee)

 

H. Bruce Bond
Attorney-In-Fact
 

             )

 

July 12, 2018
     

Brian J. Wildman*

             )

Trustee)

 
 

             )

 

 

 

*

An original power of attorney authorizing H. Bruce Bond and John Southard to execute this Registration Statement, and amendments thereto, for each of the trustees of the Registrant on whose behalf this Registration Statement is filed, were previously executed, filed as an exhibit and are incorporated by reference herein.

 

-7-

 

 

Index to Exhibits

 

(d)(2)

Revised Schedule A to the Investment Management Agreement by and between the Registrant, on behalf of the Fund, and Innovator Capital Management, LLC

 

(d)(3)

Sub-Advisory Agreement by and between the Registrant, Innovator Capital Management, LLC and Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC

 

(e)(2)

Revised Exhibit A to the Distribution Agreement by and between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC

 

(g)(2)

Revised Exhibit B to the Custody Agreement by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association

 

(h)(2)

Revised Exhibit A to the Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC

 

(h)(4)

Revised Exhibit A to the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC

 

(h)(6)

Revised Exhibit A to the Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement by and between the Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC

 

(i)

Opinion and consent of Chapman and Cutler LLP

 

(p)(2)

Code of Ethics of Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC

 

-8-

Exhibit (d)(2)

 

Schedule A

 

(As of July 12, 2018)

 

Funds

 

 

Series

 

Annual Rate
of Average
Daily Net
Assets

 

Initial

Board

Approval

Date

 

 

 

Shareholder
Approval Date

 

Initial

Effective

Date

 

 

 

Termination

Date

                     

Innovator IBD ® ETF Leaders ETF

 

0.60%

 

8/31/2017

 

12/12/2017

 

12/13/2017

 

12/13/2019

                     

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF – July

 

0.79%

 

8/31/2017

 

7/12/2018

 

__/___/2018

 

__/___/2020

                     

Innovator S&P 500 Power Buffer ETF – July

 

0.79%

 

8/31/2017

 

7/12/2018

 

__/___/2018

 

__/___/2020

                     

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra Buffer ETF – July

 

0.79%

 

8/31/2017

 

7/12/2018

 

__/___/2018

 

__/___/2020

                     

Innovator IBD ® Breakout Stocks ETF

 

0.80%

 

6/20/2018

 

__/___/2018

 

__/___/2018

 

__/___/2020

 

 

Exhibit (d)(3)

 

SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

 

THIS AGREEMENT, dated and effective as of the __ day of ________, 2018, is made and entered into by and among Innovator Capital Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Investment Adviser”), Innovator ETFs Trust (formerly, Academy Funds Trust) (the “Trust”), and Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sub-Adviser”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H

 

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

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Adviser and the Sub-Adviser are registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”), and are engaged in the business of providing investment advisory and related services to certain investment companies and other clients; and

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Adviser is the investment adviser to the Trust pursuant to an investment advisory agreement with the Trust (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”); and

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Adviser and the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) desire to retain the Sub-Adviser to render investment advisory services to the investment portfolios of the Trust listed on Schedule A, as amended from time to time (each, a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”), in a manner and on the terms hereinafter set forth.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual undertakings set forth in this Agreement, the parties covenant and agree as follows:

 

1.      Appointment . The Investment Adviser and the Trust hereby appoint the Sub-Adviser to provide certain sub-advisory services to the Funds subject to the supervision of the Investment Adviser and the Board, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. The Sub-Adviser will be an independent contractor and will have no authority to act for or represent the Trust or the Investment Adviser in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Trust or the Investment Adviser except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or another writing by the Trust, the Investment Adviser and the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services herein set forth for the compensation herein provided.

 

2.      Structure . This Agreement contemplates future execution by the Trust, Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser of one more statements of work relating to the Funds (each such statement of work, an “SOW” and collectively, the “SOWs”). Each SOW shall be effective when executed by an authorized representative of each of the Trust, the Investment Adviser and the Sub-Adviser. The terms of this Agreement shall be deemed to be incorporated into each SOW and the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement shall govern Sub-Adviser’s provision of Services under a SOW, except for provisions in this Agreement that are specifically excluded or modified in such SOW, which shall include a reference to the applicable section in this Agreement being excluded or modified; provided, however, that such exclusion or modification shall only be applicable to such SOW.

 

 

 

 

3.      Services . As a sub-adviser to the Funds, the Sub-Adviser will furnish an investment program and manage the investment and reinvestment of that portion of the assets of each Fund allocated to the Sub-Adviser by the Investment Adviser (the “Sub-Advised Assets”) and determine the composition of such assets, subject always to the supervision of the Investment Adviser and the Board. As part of, or associated with, the services provided hereunder the Sub-Adviser will:

 

a.     Take whatever steps necessary to implement the investment program of the Funds with respect to the Sub-Advised Assets by the purchase and sale of securities and other investments on behalf of the Funds. The Sub-Adviser will provide, at its own expense, all necessary investment and management facilities and investment personnel, including salaries, expenses and fees of any personnel required for it to faithfully perform its duties under this Agreement, and all administrative facilities, including bookkeeping, clerical personnel and equipment, necessary for the efficient conduct of its duties under this Agreement. The Investment Adviser will provide the Sub-Adviser with reasonable advance notice of any change in a Fund’s investment objectives, policies and restrictions as stated in each Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (together, the “Registration Statement”). Provided the Sub-Adviser has received prompt notice of the effectiveness of such changes from the Trust or the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Adviser shall manage the Sub-Advised Assets consistent with such changes. The Sub-Adviser will maintain and adhere to an investment policy reviewed and approved by the Investment Adviser and provide Investment Adviser with notice of of any material changes to its its ability to implement such investment policy.

 

b.     Comply with the provisions of the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, as amended from time to time, all relevant disclosures in each Fund’s Registration Statement (including, without limitation, each Fund’s stated objectives, policies, strategies, risks, restrictions, results, fees, trading policies and costs, potential conflicts, valuation and description of management), as may be amended from time to time, and any other written policies and restrictions as are communicated to it by the Investment Adviser. The Sub-Adviser shall be responsible for reviewing each Fund’s Registration Statement to confirm that there is no material misstatement or omission in the disclosures therein relating to the Sub-Adviser or to the services provided by Sub-Adviser to the Funds from time to time; the Investment Adviser shall be responsible for ensuring that the Sub-Adviser is provided with a copy of each Registration Statement and any other relevant materials with reasonable advance notice prior to filing.

 

c.     Comply with, the provisions of (i) the 1940 Act, (ii) the Advisers Act, (iii) the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), (iv) the Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”) and (v) all other applicable state and federal securities and other laws.

 

d.     Monitor the performance of the Sub-Advised Assets on a continuous basis and conduct a continuous program of investment, evaluation and, if appropriate, sale and reinvestment of the Sub-Advised Assets.

 

e.     Prepare and maintain such books and records with respect to the Sub-Advised Assets and securities transactions with respect to such assets as required by the Trust’s compliance policies and procedures and by applicable laws, including but not limited to the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act and the CEA.

 

- 2 -

 

 

f.     Furnish the Investment Adviser, the Trust’s chief compliance officer and the Board such periodic reports, special reports and certifications as the Investment Adviser and the Sub-Adviser may mutually agree. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, these reports will include information sufficient for the Investment Adviser to perform periodic tests of the Funds’ compliance with applicable laws and regulations, applicable accounting regulations and standards, and Sub-Chapter M and, to the extent applicable, Section 817 of the Code. The Sub-Adviser will provide the Investment Adviser and the Board with financial and profitability information, as well as fee schedules for other registered investment company clients and other information reasonably required to assist the Board in reviewing the terms of Sub-Adviser’s contract in accordance with applicable laws and regulations then in effect. The parties agree that the information described in this subsection will be prepared solely for the use and benefit of the Investment Adviser and the Board in accordance with statutory and regulatory requirements. Sub-Adviser recognizes that materials it delivers to the Investment Adviser and the Board may be public records subject to disclosure to third parties, however, Sub-Adviser does not intend to benefit and assumes no duty or liability to any third parties who receive Sub-Adviser’s work and may include disclaimer language on its work product so stating. To the extent that Sub-Adviser’s work is not subject to public disclosure, Investment Adviser agrees that it shall not disclose Sub-Adviser’s work product to third parties without Sub-Adviser’s prior written consent; provided, however, that the Investment Adviser, the Board, and the Fund may distribute Sub-Adviser’s work to (i) professional service providers who are subject to a duty of confidentiality and who agree to not use Sub-Adviser’s work product for any purpose other than to provide services to the Investment Adviser, the Board, or the Fund, or (ii) any applicable regulatory or governmental agency, as required.

 

g.     Report regularly to the Investment Adviser and the Board as reasonably agreed between the Investment Adviser and the Sub-Adviser and make appropriate persons available for the purpose of reviewing with representatives of the Investment Adviser and the Board on a regular basis, at reasonable times agreed to by the Investment Adviser and the Sub-Adviser, the management of the Funds, including, without limitation, review of the general investment strategies of the Funds, the performance of the Funds and the performance and investments of the Sub-Advised Assets.

 

h.     Provide periodic performance analysis and market commentary with respect to the Sub-Advised Assets, if requested, to the Investment Adviser and the Board.

 

i.     Provide pricing information to the Trust and the Investment Adviser with respect to the Sub-Advised Assets to assist the Trust in making determinations of the fair value of the Sub-Advised Assets when market quotations are not readily available for the purpose of calculating a Fund’s net asset value in accordance with the procedures and methods established for the Funds, if such information is reasonably available to the Sub-Adviser. If the Sub-Adviser believes a valuation provided by a pricing service for an investment it has purchased for a Fund is materially inaccurate or is not indicative of the value of the investment, the Sub-Adviser will promptly notify the Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser acknowledges that the Trust’s Board, with the assistance of the Investment Adviser (and not Sub-Adviser) is responsible for pricing the Funds’ investments and the Funds’ daily net asset value.

 

- 3 -

 

 

j.     Maintain a Code of Ethics which shall comply in all material respects with Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. The Sub-Adviser, on its own behalf, and with respect to its Access Persons (as defined in Rule 17j-1), agrees to observe and comply with Rule 17j-1 and its Code of Ethics, as the same may be amended from time to time. On at least an annual basis, the Sub-Adviser will comply with the reporting requirements of Rule 17j-1, which include (i) certifying to the Investment Adviser and the Trust that the Sub-Adviser and its Access Persons have complied with the Sub-Adviser’s Code of Ethics with respect to the Sub-Advised Assets and (ii) identifying any violations of such Code of Ethics which have occurred with respect to the Sub-Advised Assets.

 

k.     Maintain, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of written policies and procedures, as required by Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act, which are reasonably designed to prevent violations of the Advisers Act by the Sub-Adviser, its employees, officers and agents.

 

l.     Assist the Investment Adviser in selecting futures commission merchants (“FCMs”) and brokers or dealers (“Brokers”) and opening accounts with such FCMs and Brokers on behalf of the Funds, and be responsible for placing orders for the investment and reinvestment of the Sub-Advised Assets through such FCMs and Brokers selected and approved by the Investment Adviser, and assist in the negotiation of commissions on such orders (collectively, “brokerage transactions”), if applicable. The Sub-Adviser is authorized to select the brokers or dealers that will execute the purchases and sales of portfolio investments for the Funds, and is directed to use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain best execution, which includes most favorable net results and execution of a Fund’s orders, taking into account all appropriate factors, including price, dealer spread or commission, size and difficulty of the transaction and research or other services provided. Subject to approval by the Board of Trustees and compliance with the policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees for the Funds and to the extent permitted by and in conformance with applicable law (including Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act), the Sub-Adviser may select brokers or dealers affiliated with the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser will seek to place brokerage transactions for the Funds in accordance with the Funds’ policies and practices. The Investment Adviser understands that, in directing the use of a particular FCM or Broker for all or a portion of the trades executed in the Funds’ account, with respect to the percentage of trades effected by such direction:

 

 

the Sub-Adviser will not have authority to negotiate commissions among various FCMs or Brokers on a trade-by-trade basis;

 

 

the Sub-Adviser will not have authority to obtain volume discounts from FCMs or Brokers on behalf of the Funds, and

 

 

the Sub-Adviser’s obligation to seek best execution will be limited to the terms of the trades it enters into with the designated FCM or Broker.

 

In addition, a disparity in commission charges may exist between the commissions charged to the Funds for such trades and those charged to Sub-Adviser’s other clients.

 

- 4 -

 

 

If the Sub-Adviser becomes aware, from a reasonably credible source, of a potential problem with a Broker or FCM, its related parties or their associated controls (such as financial or liquidity problems or failure to appropriately segregate client assets) that, if true, could adversely affect any Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall promptly, and in any case within twenty-four (24) hours, notify the Investment Adviser of the nature of such potential problem. All securities and other property purchased or sold for the Funds shall remain in the direct or indirect custody of the Trust’s custodian.

 

m.     On occasions when the Sub-Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security or other investment to be in the best interest of a Fund as well as other clients of the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulations may, but shall be under no obligation to, aggregate the securities or other investments to be purchased or sold to attempt to obtain a more favorable price or lower brokerage commissions and efficient execution. In such event, allocation of the securities or other investments so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Sub-Adviser in the manner the Sub-Adviser considers to be the most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and its other clients. The Sub-Adviser shall maintain policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to fairly allocate and sequence trades among the Funds and its other clients and will provide the Investment Adviser with a copy of such policies and procedures and any material amendments thereto. The Sub-Adviser will not arrange purchases or sales of securities between a Fund and other accounts advised by the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates unless (a) such purchases or sales are in accordance with applicable law (including Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act) and the Fund’s policies and procedures, (b) the Sub-Adviser determines the purchase or sale is in the best interests of the Fund, and (c) the Board of Trustees has approved these types of transactions.

 

n.     On each business day provide to the Funds’ custodian, accounting agent and Investment Adviser information relating to all transactions concerning each Fund’s Sub-Advised Assets and any such additional information with respect to such assets that is reasonably requested by the Investment Adviser.

 

o.     Cooperate with and provide reasonable assistance to the Board, the Investment Adviser, the Funds’ custodian and foreign sub-custodians, the Funds’ transfer agent, accounting agent, pricing agent independent auditors, collateral managers, FCMs and all other agents and representatives of the Trust or the Investment Adviser, and provide such information with respect to the Funds as any of them may reasonably request from time to time in the performance of their obligations to the Funds and the Investment Adviser, provide prompt responses to reasonable requests made by such persons and establish appropriate interfaces with each so as to promote the efficient exchange of information.

 

p.     Not consult with any third party, including any other sub-adviser to a Fund or any other sub-adviser to any other portfolio of the Trust or to any other investment company or investment company series for which the Investment Adviser serves as its investment adviser, regarding transactions for any Fund in securities and other assets, unless necessary to effect such transactions.

 

q.     Maintain insurance coverages as may be required by applicable law or as agreed upon by the Sub-Adviser and the Investment Adviser in light of the Sub-Adviser’s obligations under this Agreement.

 

- 5 -

 

 

r.     Be responsible for the maintenance and repair of any tool provided by the Sub-Adviser to the Investment Adviser to transmit portfolio level information to the Sub-Adviser for use with the services provided under this Agreement.

 

s.     Not take into account the investment of any other clients of the Sub-Adviser in the Funds when establishing pricing of services provided to such client.

 

Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, Investment Adviser shall be responsible for: (i) directing the manner in which proxies solicited by issuers of securities held in each Fund shall be voted and (ii) for making elections relative to any mergers, acquisitions, tender offers, bankruptcy proceedings and other types of events pertaining to Fund assets. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, Sub-Adviser shall not be responsible for: (i) directing the manner in which proxies solicited by issuers of securities held in each Fund shall be voted; or (ii) making elections relative to any mergers, acquisitions, tender offers, bankruptcy proceedings or other type events pertaining to Fund assets. If Sub-Adviser agrees to perform any of the services described in the preceding sentence, Investment Adviser shall instruct Fund custodians to forward to Sub-Adviser copies of all proxies and shareholder communications relating to Fund assets in a Fund.

 

4.      Compensation . The Investment Adviser will pay the Sub-Adviser a sub-advisory fee with respect to the Funds on or before the tenth day of each month at the annual rate specified in Schedule B to this Agreement, as compensation for services rendered by the Sub-Adviser during the preceding month. Such fees shall be accrued daily and the daily rate shall be computed based on the actual number of days per year. For purposes hereof, the net assets of the Funds shall be determined in the manner set forth in the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and Registration Statement on file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-1A. The Investment Adviser shall be solely responsible for paying any sub-advisory fees due and owing the Sub-Adviser and neither the Trust nor any Fund shall incur any liability for any such sub-advisory fees.

 

5.      Expenses . During the term of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser will pay all expenses incurred by it in connection with its activities under this Agreement, including, but not limited to (a) expenses of all necessary investment and management facilities and investment personnel, including salaries, expenses and fees of any personnel required for it to faithfully perform its duties under this Agreement, and (b) expenses of administrative facilities, including bookkeeping, clerical personnel and equipment necessary for the efficient conduct of the Sub-Adviser’s duties under this Agreement. The Sub-Adviser shall not be responsible for the Trust’s or the Funds’ expenses, including, but not limited to, the cost of securities, commodities and other investments purchased for a Fund and any losses incurred therewith, brokerage commissions and other transaction charges incurred in connection with such investments, and expenses of custody of such investments. Except as set forth in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, nor the Trust shall be responsible for any other party’s expenses.

 

6.      Arrangements . The Sub-Adviser may from time to time employ or associate with itself any person it believes to be particularly fitted to assist it in providing the services to be performed by the Sub-Adviser hereunder, provided that no such person shall perform any services with respect to the Funds which would constitute an assignment of this Agreement or require a written advisory agreement pursuant to the 1940 Act. Any compensation payable to such persons shall be the sole responsibility of the Sub-Adviser, and neither the Trust, the Funds nor the Investment Adviser shall have any obligations with respect thereto. Sub-Adviser shall notify the Investment Adviser and the Trust prior to engaging any third party to perform any portion of the services of the Sub-Adviser under this Agreement; provided, subject to Section 12 of this Agreement that Sub-Adviser may provide certain trading services hereunder through any wholly-owned subsidiary of Milliman, Inc. (including but not limited to Milliman Pty Ltd. and Milliman Financial Strategies Ltd.) with prior notification to the Investment Adviser and/or the Trust; provided further that Sub-Adviser shall remain fully responsible for all services provided for the Sub-Adviser under this Agreement by any such third party or subsidiary.

 

- 6 -

 

 

7.      Services to Others . The services of the Sub-Adviser to the Funds and the Trust are not to be deemed to be exclusive, and the Sub-Adviser shall be free to render investment advisory or other services to others (including other investment companies) and to engage in other activities.

 

8.      Information Concerning the Sub-Adviser . The Sub-Adviser will inform the Investment Adviser promptly of (a) any material changes in portfolio managers responsible for the assets managed by the Sub-Adviser on behalf of the Funds, (b) the departure from the Sub-Adviser’s employ of any of the persons identified as “Key Personnel” or the incapacity of any such person to perform their work functions at a reasonable level for a period in excess of thirty (30) days (any such departure or incapacity, a “Key Personnel Departure”), (c) any proposed changes in the ownership or management of the Sub-Adviser, (d) any proposed material changes in the ownership of the Sub-Adviser’s direct or indirect parent companies, (e) any proposed changes in the control of the Sub-Adviser, (f) the Sub-Adviser’s failure to maintain its registration as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act, (g) any material compliance matters (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act) with respect to the Sub-Adviser and any material changes to the Sub-Adviser’s policies and procedures related to its activities pursuant to this Agreement, including compliance and investment policies and procedures, (h) service upon the Sub-Adviser, or other receipt, of notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before any court, governmental entity, public board, or body involving the affairs of the Trust, the Funds, the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser, (i) the initiation of any litigation, or threatened litigation, that could materially impair Sub-Adviser’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or have a material impact on the reputation or operations of the Sub-Adviser, (j) the initiation of any investigation, examination or request of the Sub-Adviser by regulators of competent jurisdiction or (k) any other actions or circumstances that could materially impair the Sub-Adviser’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or prevent the lawful offer or sale of shares of any of the Funds. The Sub-Adviser shall further notify the Investment Adviser promptly upon detection of any material error in connection with its management of the Sub-Advised Assets, including but not limited to any trade errors. In the event of a material error, the Sub-Adviser shall also provide a memorandum to the Investment Adviser that sufficiently describes any such error and the action to be taken to prevent future occurrences of such error or, alternatively, a statement that the Sub-Adviser has reviewed the relevant controls, and has determined those controls are reasonably designed to prevent additional errors in the future (and, to the extent relevant, that such controls are reasonably designed to prevent violations of the federal securities laws), and as such no further action is required. Further, the Sub-Adviser shall provide access to the Investment Adviser and the Trust, or their agents, to all documents and information related to any error, its analysis and correction, and the correction of all errors impacting the applicable Fund must be corrected to the satisfaction of the Investment Adviser and the Trust.

 

9.      Regulation . The Sub-Adviser shall submit to all regulatory and administrative bodies having jurisdiction over the services provided pursuant to this Agreement any information, reports, or other material which any such body by reason of this Agreement may request or require pursuant to applicable laws and regulations.

 

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10.      Records . The records relating to the services provided by the Sub-Adviser under this Agreement shall be the property of the Trust and shall be under its control; however, the Trust shall furnish to the Sub-Adviser such records and permit the Sub-Adviser to retain such records (either in original or in duplicate form) as the Sub-Adviser shall reasonably require in order to carry out its duties. In the event of the termination of this Agreement, any such records in the possession or control of the Sub-Adviser shall promptly be returned to the Trust by the Sub-Adviser, free from any claim or retention of rights therein. The Investment Adviser will endeavor to give the Sub-Adviser adequate notice of a need to obtain any such records; however, in the event of a ‘surprise’ regulatory examination of the Trust or the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Adviser will make all requested records available at the Investment Adviser’s place of business within two (2) days of such request.

 

11.      Confidential Information . Each party agrees on its behalf and on behalf of its affiliates that it shall exercise the same care that it uses to protect its own confidential and proprietary information, but no less than reasonable care, to protect the confidentiality of each other party’s confidential and proprietary information. Each party further agrees that it will restrict access to each other party’s confidential and proprietary information to those employees, board members and other service providers or agents of such party who will use the information for purposes of providing the services contemplated in this Agreement. Each party (the “disclosing party”) will disclose such information of any other party to any other person (the “receiving party”) only if the other party has authorized such disclosure or such disclosure is expressly required or requested by applicable federal or state regulatory authorities or other provisions of law. The foregoing shall not prevent a disclosing party from disclosing information to a receiving party that (a) has previously become or is generally known, unless it has become generally known through a breach of this Agreement or (to the knowledge of the disclosing party) a similar confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement; (b) was already rightfully known to the receiving party prior to being disclosed by or obtained from the disclosing party as evidenced by written records kept in the ordinary course of business of or by proof of actual use by the receiving party; (c) has been or is hereafter rightfully received by the receiving party from a third person without restriction or disclosure and without breach of a duty of confidentiality to the other party; or (d) has been independently developed by the receiving party without access to confidential or proprietary information of the other party. It will be presumed that any confidential and proprietary information in a receiving party’s possession is not within exceptions (b), (c) or (d) above, and the burden will be upon the receiving party to prove otherwise by records and documentation. Sub-Adviser agrees that (i) any third party or subsidiary that provides services pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement shall be subject to these confidentiality provisions and be provided with only the confidential and proprietary information necessary for it to perform such services and (ii) Sub-Adviser will remain responsible for the breach of this provision by such third party or subsidiary.

 

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12.      Liability and Indemnity .

 

a.      The Sub-Adviser . Except as may otherwise be provided by the 1940 Act or any other federal securities law, the Sub-Adviser shall not be liable for any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation (including legal and other expenses) incurred or suffered by the Investment Adviser or the Trust as a result of any error of judgment or mistake of law by the Sub-Adviser with respect to a Fund, except that nothing in this Agreement shall operate or purport to operate in any way to exculpate, waive or limit the liability of the Sub-Adviser for, and the Sub-Adviser shall indemnify and hold harmless the Trust, the Investment Adviser, all affiliated persons thereof and all controlling persons thereof (as described in Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933) (collectively, the “Investment Adviser Indemnitees”) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation (including reasonable legal and other expenses) to which any of the Investment Adviser Indemnitees may become subject under the Securities Act of 1933, the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the CEA or under any other statute, at common law or otherwise arising out of or based on (a) any willful misconduct, bad faith, reckless disregard or gross negligence of the Sub-Adviser in the performance of any of its duties or obligations under this Agreement or (b) any untrue statement of a material fact contained in a Fund’s Registration Statement, proxy materials, reports, advertisements, sales literature, or other materials pertaining to a Fund, or the omission to state therein a material fact known to the Sub-Adviser which was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished in writing to the Investment Adviser or the Trust by a Sub-Adviser Indemnitee (as defined below) for use therein. Federal and state securities laws impose liabilities under certain circumstances on persons who act in good faith, and nothing in this Agreement shall in any way constitute a waiver or limitation of any rights that any party may have under any such laws.

 

If indemnification is sought pursuant to this Section 12a, then the Investment Adviser Indemnitees shall promptly notify the Sub-Adviser of the assertion of any claim or the commencement of any action or proceeding in respect thereof and will keep the Sub-Adviser advised with respect to all developments concerning such claim, action or proceeding; however, the failure so to notify the Sub-Adviser shall not relieve the Sub-Adviser from any liability that it may otherwise have to the Investment Adviser Indemnitees provided such failure does not affect in a material adverse manner the position of the Sub-Adviser or the Investment Adviser Indemnitees with respect to such claim. The Investment Adviser Indemnitees shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the Sub-Adviser may be required to indemnify it except with the Sub-Adviser’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. Upon request and at the Sub-Adviser’s expense, the Sub-Adviser shall provide reasonable assistance to the Investment Adviser Indemnitees so that the Investment Adviser Indemnitees can defend against such claim, action or proceeding.

 

b.      The Investment Adviser and Trust . Except as may otherwise be provided by the 1940 Act or any other federal securities law, the Investment Adviser and the Trust shall not be liable for any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation (including legal and other expenses) incurred or suffered by the Sub-Adviser as a result of any error of judgment or mistake of law by the Investment Adviser with respect to a Fund, except that nothing in this Agreement shall operate or purport to operate in any way to exculpate, waive or limit the liability of the Investment Adviser for, and the Investment Adviser shall indemnify and hold harmless the Sub-Adviser, all affiliated persons thereof and all controlling persons thereof (as described in Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933) (collectively, the “Sub-Adviser Indemnitees”) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation (including reasonable legal and other expenses) to which any of the Sub-Adviser Indemnitees may become subject under the Securities Act of 1933, the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the CEA or under any other statute, at common law or otherwise arising out of or based on (a) any willful misconduct, bad faith, reckless disregard or gross negligence of the Investment Adviser in the performance of any of its duties or obligations under this Agreement or (b) any untrue statement of a material fact contained in a Fund’s Registration Statement, proxy materials, reports, advertisements, sales literature, or other materials pertaining to a Fund, or the omission to state therein a material fact known to the Investment Adviser which was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished in writing to the Investment Adviser or the Trust by a Sub-Adviser Indemnitee for use therein. Federal and state securities laws impose liabilities under certain circumstances on persons who act in good faith, and nothing in this Agreement shall in any way constitute a waiver or limitation of any rights that any party may have under any such laws.

 

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If indemnification is sought pursuant to this Section 12b, then the Sub-Adviser Indemnitees shall promptly notify the Investment Adviser of the assertion of any claim or the commencement of any action or proceeding in respect thereof and will keep the Investment Adviser advised with respect to all developments concerning such claim, action or proceeding; however, the failure so to notify the Investment Adviser shall not relieve the Investment Adviser from any liability that it may otherwise have to the Sub-Adviser Indemnitees provided such failure does not affect in a material adverse manner the position of the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser Indemnitees with respect to such claim. Following such notification, the Investment Adviser may elect in writing to assume the defense of such action or proceeding, provided that the Investment Adviser shall not be entitled to assume the defense if a conflict exists, including that the indemnification claim is outside the scope of this indemnification provision. Upon such election, it shall not be liable for any legal costs incurred by the Sub-Adviser Indemnitees (other than reasonable costs of investigation previously incurred) in connection therewith, unless (i) the Investment Adviser has failed to provide counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Sub-Adviser Indemnitees in a timely manner or (ii) counsel provided by the Investment Adviser reasonably determines that its representation of the Sub-Adviser Indemnitees would present it with a conflict of interest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser Indemnitees shall be entitled to employ separate counsel at their own expense and, in such even, the Sub-Adviser Indemnitees may participate in such defense as it deems necessary. The Investment Adviser shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the Sub-Adviser may be required to admit fault or wrongdoing except with the Sub-Adviser’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, condition or delayed. Upon request and at the Sub-Adviser’s expense, the Sub-Adviser shall provide reasonable assistance to the Investment Adviser so that the Investment Adviser can defend against such claim, action or proceeding. If the Investment Adviser does not elect to assume the defense of such action or proceeding, (i) the Sub-Adviser Indemnitees shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the Investment Adviser may be required to indemnify it except with the Investment Adviser’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed and (ii) upon request and at the Investment Adviser’s expense, the Investment Adviser shall provide reasonable assistance to the Sub-Adviser Indemnitees so that the Sub-Adviser Indemnitees can defend against such claim, action or proceeding.

 

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13.      Term and Termination . Unless sooner terminated in accordance with this Section 13, this Agreement shall become effective on the same date as the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and the Investment Adviser becomes effective with respect to the applicable Fund (it being understood that the Investment Adviser shall notify the Sub-Adviser on the date of effectiveness of the Investment Advisory Agreement as soon as reasonably practical after effectiveness) provided that it has been approved in the manner required by the 1940 Act, and shall remain in full force until the two year anniversary of the date of its effectiveness unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided. It may thereafter be renewed from year to year with respect to any Fund by mutual consent, provided that such renewal shall be specifically approved at least annually by the Board, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund. In either event, any such renewal must be approved by vote of a majority of those Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each approval requirement set forth in this Section 13 shall be subject to any applicable rule, regulation, or exemptive order, no-action assurance or other relief.

 

This Agreement may be terminated at any time with respect to any Fund, without payment of any penalty:

 

a.     by the Investment Adviser, the Board or vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund, on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Sub-Adviser;

 

b.     by the Sub-Adviser on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Investment Adviser and the Trust;

 

c.     by any party hereto upon written notice to each of the other parties of a breach of any provision of this Agreement by any other party if the breach is not cured within thirty (30) days of notice of the breach;

 

d.     immediately by Investment Adviser or the Trust upon any Key Personnel Departure; and

 

e.     immediately upon the termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement.

 

This Agreement shall not be assignable by any party hereto. In the event of its assignment, this Agreement shall automatically terminate forthwith.

 

The parties hereto agree to cooperate and give reasonable assistance to one another in effecting an orderly transition of the services contemplated in this Agreement upon any termination of this Agreement.

 

14.      Use of Names . The Trust and the Investment Adviser acknowledge that the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates own all right, title and interest in and to the name, trademark and service marks “Milliman” and own (or will own prior to use) all other tradenames, trademarks and service marks that may be used by the Sub-Adviser in performing its obligations under this Agreement (collectively the “Milliman Licensed Marks”). The Sub-Adviser hereby grants to the Investment Adviser and the Trust and their affiliates a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use the Milliman Licensed Marks in connection with the business operations of the Trust and their performance of services contemplated under this Agreement, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. In addition, the Investment Adviser and the Trust may refer in advertising and promotional materials to the identity of the Sub-Adviser and the services provided by the Sub-Adviser to the Investment Adviser and the Funds, which references shall not differ in substance from those included in any Fund’s Registration Statement and this Agreement, with the prior permission of Sub-Adviser, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Investment Adviser shall submit to the Sub-Adviser for its review and approval all such public informational materials relating to the Funds that refer to any registered mark or logo or other proprietary designation of the Sub-Adviser. Approval shall not be unreasonably withheld by the Investment Adviser and notice of approval or disapproval will be provided promptly by the Sub-Adviser and in any event within ten (10) business days of receipt of such material by the Sub-Adviser; if the Sub-Adviser has not objected to such use within such period, it will be deemed to have approved such use. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Trust and the Investment Adviser shall cease to use such registered marks, logos or other proprietary designations of the Sub-Adviser and the license contained herein shall terminate.

 

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The Trust and the Sub-Adviser acknowledge that the Investment Adviser or its affiliates own all right, title and interest in and to the name, trademark and service marks and own (or will own prior to use) all other tradenames, trademarks and service marks that may be used by the Investment Adviser in performing its obligations under this Agreement (collectively the “Investment Adviser Licensed Marks”). The Investment Adviser hereby grants to the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use the Investment Adviser Licensed Marks in connection with Sub-Adviser’s performance of the services contemplated under this Agreement, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. The Sub-Adviser shall submit to the Investment Adviser for its review all such public informational materials relating to the Funds, the Investment Adviser or the services provided by the Sub-Adviser under this Agreement or that refer to any registered mark or logo or other proprietary designation of the Investment Adviser or the Trust. Approval shall not be unreasonably withheld by the Investment Adviser and notice of approval or disapproval will be provided promptly and in any event within ten (10) business days of receipt of such material by the Investment Adviser; if the Investment Adviser has not objected to such use within such period, it will be deemed to have approved such use. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser shall cease to use such registered marks, logos or other proprietary designations of the Investment Adviser and the Trust and the license contained herein shall terminate.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the approval of a party shall not be required for the use of its name by any other party which (a) merely refers in accurate or factual terms to the name of such party in connection with its role with respect to the Trust or the Fund, or (b) is required by any regulatory, governmental or judicial authority.

 

15.      Representations and Warranties . Each party represents and warrants to the others that: (a) it is duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the state of its organization and has full power, authority, and legal right to execute, deliver, and perform its duties and comply with its obligations under this Agreement; and (b) there are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any court, administrative panel or other governmental authority pending, or to its knowledge threatened, against it which could reasonably be expected to materially impair its ability to carry out the terms of this Agreement. Each of the Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser represents and warrants to the other parties that: (c) it is duly registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will remain duly registered as an investment adviser under all applicable federal and state securities laws; (d) it shall perform its obligations hereunder in accordance with the 1940 Act and all other applicable laws; (e) it is not disqualified pursuant to Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act to be an investment adviser to investment companies registered under the 1940 Act; and (f) the Form ADV provided by such party to the others is a true and complete copy of the form, including that part or parts of the Form ADV filed with the SEC, that part or parts maintained in the records of such party, and/or that part or parts provided or offered to clients, in each case as required under the Advisers Act and rules thereunder, and the information contained therein is accurate and complete in all material respects and does not omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Sub-Adviser further represents and warrants that it is duly registered as a commodity trading adviser under the CEA, will remain duly registered as a commodity trading adviser under all applicable federal and state securities laws, and will perform its obligations in accordance with the CEA and rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

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16.      Arbitration . . In the event of any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the parties agree that the dispute will be resolved by final and binding arbitration under the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitration shall take place before a panel of three arbitrators in New York, New York and shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of New York. Within 30 days after the commencement of the arbitration, each party shall designate in writing a single independent arbitrator. The two arbitrators designated by the parties shall then select a third arbitrator. Each arbitrator shall have a background in either investment advisory services, actuarial science or law. The arbitrators shall have the authority to permit limited discovery, including depositions, prior to the arbitration hearing, and such discovery shall be conducted consistent with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The arbitrators may, in their discretion, award the cost of the arbitration, including reasonable attorney fees, to the prevailing party. Any award made may be confirmed in any court having jurisdiction. Any arbitration shall be confidential, and except as required by law, neither party may disclose the content or results of any arbitration hereunder without the prior written consent of the other party, except that disclosure is permitted to a party’s auditors, legal advisors and financial advisors.

 

The parties acknowledge that:

 

 

Arbitration is final and binding

 

 

They are waiving their right to seek remedies in court, including the right to a jury trial

 

 

Pre-arbitration discovery is more limited than and different from court proceedings

 

 

The arbitration award is not required to include factual findings or legal reasoning, and a party’s right to appeal or seek modifications of the award are strictly limited.

 

The parties acknowledge and agree that this Section 16 is applicable to disputes or claims brought by the parties to this Agreement and shall not be applicable to (i) shareholder litigation brought either directly or indirectly by shareholders of a Fund and (ii) claims that may not be subject to arbitration pursuant to federal, state or other laws, regulations or rules promulgated thereunder.

 

17.      Miscellaneous .

 

a.      Amendments . This Agreement may be amended by mutual consent of the parties, provided that the terms of any material amendment with respect to any Fund shall be approved by (a) the Board or a vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund as required by the 1940 Act (subject to any applicable rule, regulation, or exemptive order, no-action assurance or other relief), and (b) the vote of a majority of those Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of any party to this Agreement at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, if such approval is required by applicable laws.

 

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b.      Entire Agreement . This Agreement, together with all exhibits, schedules and attachments, and SOWs contain the entire understanding and agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

c.       Headings . The headings in this Agreement are inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute part thereof.

 

d.      Notices . Any notice required or permitted to be sent under this Agreement shall be given to the following persons at the following addresses and email addresses, or such other persons, addresses or email addresses as the party receiving such notices or communications may subsequently direct in writing:

 

If to the Investment Adviser or the Trust:

 

 

Innovator Capital Management LLC

120 N. Hale Street

Wheaton, IL 60167

Attention: H. Bruce Bond

Email: bbond@innovatorfunds.com

cc: Morrison Warren

  Chapman and Cutler LLP

  (email: warren@chapman.com)

 

If to the Sub-Adviser:

 

Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC

71 S. Wacker Drive, 31 st Floor

Chicago, IL 60606

Attention: Adam Schenck, Managing Director

Email: adam.schenck@milliman.com

cc: Cassandra Becker, Practice Counsel (email: cassandra.becker@milliman.com)

 

e.      Severability . Should any provision of this Agreement be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule, or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby.

 

f.      Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York (without regard to principles of conflicts of laws) and any of the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act. In the case of any conflict, the 1940 Act shall control.

 

g.      Waiver . Any failure or delay by any party to enforce at any time any of the provisions of this Agreement or to exercise any right or option which is herein provided, or to require at any time the performance of any of the provisions hereof, shall in no way be construed to be a waiver of such provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any right or remedy under this Agreement shall be deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent right or remedy under this Agreement.

 

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h.      Assignment . No party may assign, transfer, or delegate any of its rights or obligations relating to this Agreement (including, without limitation, interests or claims relating to this Agreement) without the prior written consent of the other parties.

 

i.      Interpretation . Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this Agreement having a counterpart or otherwise derived from a term or provision of the 1940 Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the 1940 Act and to interpretations thereof, if any, by the United States courts or by rules, regulations or orders of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission under the 1940 Act. Specifically, the terms “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested persons,” “assignment” and “affiliated persons,” as used herein shall have their respective meanings as set forth in the 1940 Act. In addition, where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is altered by a rule, regulation, or exemptive order, no-action assurance or other relief, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation, or exemptive order, no-action assurance or other relief.

 

j.      Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed by the parties in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

k.      Survival of Terms . Sections 3f, 3o, 3q, 6, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, and 16 shall survive the termination or other expiration of this Agreement; provided, however, that all of the provisions of this Agreement shall survive the termination or other expiration of this Agreement with respect to any obligation accruing or arising before such termination or other expiration.

 

l.      Limitation of Shareholder, Trustee and Officer Liability . The parties acknowledge and agree that the Trustees and Officers of the Trust and the shareholders of any Fund shall not be liable for any obligations of the Trust or of any Fund under this Agreement, and each party agrees that, in asserting any rights or claims under this Agreement with respect to a Fund, it shall look only to the assets and property of such Fund to which such party’s rights or claims relate in settlement of such rights or claims, and not to the assets and property of any other Fund, the Trustees or Officers of the Trust or the shareholders of the Funds.

 

 

 

 

 

(Signature page follows)

 

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be executed in duplicate original by their duly authorized officers.

 

 

 

INNOVATOR CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC

 

 

By:                                                                           

Name:

 

Title:

 

INNOVATOR ETFS TRUST

on behalf of the Funds listed

on Schedule A

 

 

By:                                                                           

Name:

Title:

 

 

MILLIMAN FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT LLC

 

 

By:                                                                           

Name:

Title:

 

 

 

 

Schedule A

 

List of Funds

 

 

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF – July

 

Innovator S&P 500 Power Buffer ETF – July

 

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra Buffer ETF – July

 

 

 

 

Schedule B

 

Fee Schedule

 

 

 

 

Exhibit (e)(2)

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Funds:

 

Innovator IBD 50 ® ETF

Innovator IBD ® ETF Leaders ETF

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF – July

Innovator S&P 500 Power Buffer ETF – July

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra Buffer ETF – July

Innovator Loup Frontier Tech ETF

Exhibit (g)(2)

 

Exhibit B to the Custody Agreement

 

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C applies

Innovator IBD® 50 ETF (formerly, Innovator IBD® 50 Fund)

Innovator IBD® ETF Leaders ETF

Innovator Loup Frontier Tech ETF

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-1 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Enhance and Buffer ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra ETF

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-2 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-3 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Power Buffer ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Power Buffer ETF

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-4 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra Buffer ETF

 

Exhibit (h)(2)

 

Exhibit A to the Fund Accounting Agreement

 

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C applies

Innovator IBD® 50 ETF (formerly, Innovator IBD® 50 Fund)

Innovator IBD® ETF Leaders ETF

Innovator Loup Frontier Tech ETF

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C- 1 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Enhance and Buffer ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra ETF

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-2 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-3 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Power Buffer ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Power Buffer ETF

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-4 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra Buffer ETF

 

Exhibit (h)(4)

 

Exhibit A to the Fund A dministration Servicing Agreement

 

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C applies

Innovator IBD® 50 ETF (formerly, Innovator IBD® 50 Fund)

Innovator IBD® ETF Leaders ETF

Innovator Loup Frontier Tech ETF

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-1 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Enhance and Buffer ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra ETF

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-2 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-3 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Power Buffer ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Power Buffer ETF

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-4 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra Buffer ETF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit (h)(6)

 

Exhibit A to the Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement – Innovator ETFs Trust

 

 

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C applies

Innovator IBD® 50 ETF (formerly, Innovator IBD® 50 Fund)

Innovator IBD® ETF Leaders ETF

Innovator Loup Frontier Tech ETF

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-1 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Enhance and Buffer ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra ETF

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-2 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Buffer

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-3 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Power Buffer ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Power Buffer ETF

 

Series where Fee Schedule Exhibit C-4 applies

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra ETF (Series)

Innovator S&P 500 Ultra Buffer ETF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit (i)

 

 

[On Chapman and Cutler LLP letterhead]

 

July 12, 2018

 

Innovator ETFs Trust

120 North Hale Street, Suite 200

Wheaton, Illinois 60187

 

Re: Innovator ETFs Trust

     

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to the Innovator ETFs Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust” ), with respect to the filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 (the “Amendment” ) to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Trust filed the Amendment on or about July 12, 2018 in order to register shares (the “Shares” ) of beneficial interest of the Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF – July (the “Fund” ). The Amendment seeks to register an unlimited number of Shares.

 

We have examined the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration of Trust” ); its By-Laws (“By-laws”); resolutions of the Trust’s Board of Trustees adopted on August 31, 2017; and such other legal and factual matters as we have considered necessary.

 

This opinion is based exclusively on the Delaware Statutory Trust Act and the federal securities laws of the United States of America governing the issuance of shares of the Fund and does not extend to the securities or “blue sky” laws of the State of Delaware or other States or to other Federal securities or other laws.

 

We have assumed the following for purposes of this opinion:

 

 

1.

The Fund’s Shares will be issued in accordance with the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and By-laws and resolutions of the Trust’s Board of Trustees relating to the creation, authorization and issuance of Shares.

 

 

2.

The Fund’s Shares will be issued against consideration therefor as described in the Trust’s prospectus relating thereto.

 

 

 

July 12, 2018

Page 2

 

This opinion relates solely to the registration of Shares of the Fund and not to the registration of any other series or classes of the Trust that have previously been registered.

 

Based upon the foregoing, it is our opinion that, upon the effectiveness of the Amendment, the Shares of beneficial interest of the Fund, when issued upon the terms and for the consideration described in the Amendment, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149.

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

Chapman and Cutler LLP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit (p)(2)

 

Effective August 1, 2017

 

 

MILLIMAN FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT LLC

CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

I.

Standard of Business Conduct

 

Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC (the “ Firm ”) recognizes its fiduciary duty to its investment advisory clients and has adopted this Code of Ethics (the “ Code ”) in order to outline certain prohibited conduct by investment advisory employees of the Firm, including under the federal laws, rules and regulations that govern the United States securities industry as cited herein. The Code contains provisions that are reasonably necessary to prevent such employees from engaging in prohibited conduct.

 

In addition to these specific prohibitions and reporting requirements, it is expected that each Firm employee will abide by Milliman, Inc.’s governing principles as outlined herein and in the Milliman Consultants Handbook.

 

 

a)

Be honest in both your business and personal life.

 

 

b)

Perform only those assignments for which you are, or can become, qualified.

 

 

c)

Provide independent advice and avoid conflicts of interest.

 

 

d)

Make every reasonable attempt to provide correct, complete and useful information, and to communicate it so that it can be understood and used appropriately.

 

 

e)

Make every reasonable attempt to be familiar with and follow any law, administrative ruling, or continuing education requirement applicable to your assignment as well as the standards of practice, the guidelines and rules of your professional organization, such as the American Academy of Actuaries.

 

 

f)

Keep confidential anything so required by your client relationship, subject to any overriding requirements of the law.

 

 

g)

Strive to be cost effective in serving your client.

 

 

h)

Document all assignments in a manner that would allow another professional to follow your work.

 

 

i)

Conduct your business and personal affairs so that neither the Firm nor any individual in the Firm unknowingly assumes an unusual risk.

 

 

j)

Act to uphold the Firm's reputation and strive for good relationships with other professionals.

 

 

k)

Serve the financial interest of clients. All recommendations to clients and decisions on behalf of clients shall be solely in the interest of the client.

 

 

l)

Make every effort to understand and comply with applicable federal securities laws.

 

 

m)

Make every reasonable attempt to be familiar with and follow the standards of practice, guidelines and rules of professional organizations which may apply to your professional activities, such as the Investment Management Consultants Association and the CFA Institute.

 

1

 
Effective August 1, 2017

 

 

 

 

II.

Definitions

 

Access Person : a Supervised Person who has access to nonpublic information regarding clients’ purchase or sale of securities, is involved in making securities recommendations to clients, or who has access to such recommendations that are nonpublic. Any Firm employee with approved professional standing or signature authority for the firm will be assumed to be an access person unless exempted by the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

Supervised Person : any employee of the Firm.

 

Covered Security : a security as defined in section 2(a)(36) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, except that it does not include direct obligations of the Government of the United States, bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements; and/or shares issued by open-end Funds.

 

Firm-Advised Funds : shares of an open-end Fund that is advised by the Firm, either as the primary adviser or as a sub-adviser.

 

Fund : an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

Initial Public Offering (“ IPO ”): an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, the issuer of which, immediately before the registration, was not subject to the reporting requirements of sections 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

Limited Offering : an offering that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to section 4(2) or section 4(6) or pursuant to rule 504, rule 505, or rule 506 under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

 

III.

Adoption and Approval

 

This Code is effective as of February 1, 2005, as most recently revised/effective January 1, 2016.

 

The Code is approved by the Chief Compliance Officer and adopted by the Investment Committee of the Firm. Any revisions to this Code will be approved by the Chief Compliance Officer and adopted by the Investment Committee of the Firm. Upon revision, a copy will be sent to all Supervised Persons.

 

 

IV.

Administration of the Code

 

The Firm will use reasonable diligence to prevent violations of this Code.

 

Reporting : No less frequently than annually, the Firm will provide a report to all Fund clients. Such report shall include a description of any issues that arise under this Code; including any material violations and sanctions imposed. Additionally, the report will include a certification that the Firm has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from violating the Code.

 

Training : the Firm will provide this Code to all new Firm employees upon hire and will promptly provide any revisions of this Code to all employees. The Firm will provide additional training to employees as it deems necessary. Any questions relating to the Code should be directed to the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

2

 
Effective August 1, 2017

 

 

Annual Certification : No less frequently than annually, each Supervised Person will certify in writing or electronically that they have received, read and understand the Code.

 

It is the Firm’s expectation that personal trading will be kept to a minimum during work hours.

 

 

V.

Unlawful Actions

 

It shall be prohibited for any employee of the Firm to:

 

 

Employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud any client.

 

 

Make any untrue statement of material fact to a client or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made to a client, in light of the circumstances under which they are made not misleading.

 

 

Engage in any act, practice or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit on a client.

 

 

Engage in any manipulative practice with respect to a client.

 

Insider Trading : All officers, directors, and employees of the Firm are prohibited from trading either personally or on behalf of others, on material non-public information or communicating material non-public information to others in violation of Milliman’s Policy on Insider Trading located in the Milliman Consultants Handbook and/or Section 204A of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Any questions regarding the Policy on Insider Trading should be directed to the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

 

VI.

Reporting by Access Persons

 

 

a.

Notification of Reporting Requirement : The Firm will identify and maintain a list of all employees who are or become Access Persons. The Firm will notify all Access Persons of their obligations under this Code.

 

 

b.

Application : These reporting requirements apply to all Access Persons and cover any account or holding over which the Access Person has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership.

 

 

c.

Initial Holdings Report : No later than 10 days after the person becomes an Access Person each Access Person shall submit a report containing the following information which shall be current within 45 days:

 

 

i.

The date of the report.

 

ii.

The title, cusip or ticker symbol, number of shares and principal amount of each Covered Security or any of the securities listed in Exhibit A or Firm-Advised Fund.

 

iii.

The name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person maintained an account in which any securities were held for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person as of the date the person become an Access Person.

 

3

 
Effective August 1, 2017

 

 

d.

Quarterly Transactions Report : With respect to any transaction during the quarter in a Covered Security or any of the securities listed in Exhibit A or Firm-Advised Fund in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership the Access Person shall provide the following information no later than 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter:

 

 

i.

The date of the report.

 

ii.

The date of the transaction, the title, cusip or ticker symbol, the interest rate and maturity (if applicable), the number of shares and the principal amount of each Covered Security or any of the securities listed in Exhibit A or Firm-Advised Fund involved.

 

iii.

The nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase or sale)

 

iv.

The price of the Covered Security or any of the securities listed in Exhibit A or Firm-Advised Fund at which the transaction was effected.

 

v.

The name of the broker, dealer or bank through whom the transaction was effected.

 

 

e.

Annual Holdings Report : Annually, each Access Person will provide a report with the following information which shall be current within 45 days:

 

 

i.

The date of the report.

 

ii.

The title, number of shares, cusip or ticker symbol, and principal amount of each Covered Security or any of the securities listed in Exhibit A or Firm-Advised Fund.

 

iii.

The name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person maintained an account in which any securities were held for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person as of the date the person become an Access Person.

 

 

f.

Reporting Exceptions : From time to time, the Chief Compliance Officer may make exceptions to these reporting requirements as allowable.

 

 

VII.

Review of Required Reporting

 

The Chief Compliance Officer or his/her delegate will review all provided reports and take any action deemed necessary in a timely manner.

 

An Access Person has 180 days after hire to divest themselves of any economic interest in any company which is related to a limitation on investing. The Chief Compliance Officer may provide written approval from divestiture plans which exceed 180 days.

 

The Chief Executive Officer or his/her delegate shall review any report of the Chief Compliance Officer and take any action necessary.

 

 

VIII.

Limitations on Investing

 

 

a.

Investments in Initial Public Offerings : Employees of the Firm may not directly or indirectly obtain beneficial ownership in an IPO without prior approval of the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

 

b.

Investments in Limited Offerings : Employees of the Firm may not directly or indirectly obtain beneficial ownership in a Limited Offering without prior approval of the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

4

 
Effective August 1, 2017

 

 

 

c.

Investments listed on Exhibit A : Individual members of the groups listed in Exhibit B (which may be amended from time to time) may not purchase or sell any security listed in Exhibit A (which may be amended from time to time) without prior approval of the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her delegate:

 

i.

The Chief Compliance Officer or his/her delegate may determine that, due to imminent client activity, the purchase or sale may not be executed at the requested time.

 

ii.

Exceptions to obtaining prior approval may be granted on a case-by-case basis. The Chief Compliance Officer or his/her delegate will review written requests for exceptions and grant approval based on his/her judgement and discretion.

 

 

d.

An Access Person is prohibited from investments in companies in the insurance industry or a Health Maintenance Organization. A company is considered to be part of the insurance or health care industry if its revenue exceeds 20% in one of those industries. This prohibition shall not apply if the Access Person’s spouse is employed by such company and the investment is made through an employer-sponsored investment program.

 

 

e.

An Access Person is prohibited from investments in shares of Covered Securities of clients of the Access Person’s practice group.

 

 

IX.

Violations of the Limitations of Investing

 

Upon discovery of an investment in any Covered Security or any of the securities that are listed in Exhibit A that is subject to a limitation on investing, the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her delegate will perform or cause to be performed an investigation. Any such investment may be deemed a material or immaterial violation of this Code.

 

Action may be taken at the conclusion of the investigation based on the determinations made. Such action may include censure, fines, prohibitions from trading, and/or reporting to the Board of Directors. Based on extreme situations, action may include termination of employment.

 

 

X.

Reporting of Violations

 

Access and Supervised Persons are required to report any violations of this Code promptly to the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

 

XI.

Record Keeping

 

The Firm will maintain the following records at its principal place of business:

 

 

a.

A copy of the Code that is currently in effect for the Firm and all revisions to the Code made within the last five (5) years.

 

b.

A record of any violations of the Code and any action taken as a result of the violations will be maintained for five (5) years following the end of the fiscal year in which the violation occurred.

 

c.

A copy of all holdings and transactions reports will be maintained for five (5) years following the end of the fiscal year in which the report was created.

 

d.

A list of all Access Persons of the Firm within the last five (5) years.

 

e.

Exhibit A.

 

f.

Exhibit B.

 

5

 
Effective August 1, 2017

 

 

 

g.

A list of all approvals to purchase an IPO or a Limited Offering. Such list will be maintained for five (5) years following the end of the fiscal year in which approval was granted.

 

h.

A list of all approvals to purchase securities listed in Exhibit A by individual members of the groups listed in Exhibit B. Such list will be maintained for five (5) years following the end of the fiscal year in which approval was granted.

 

 

6

 

Exhibit A

 

(as of July 1, 2017):

 

The constituent securities of the following indices:

 

Index Name
S&P 500
S&P 400
S&P 600
S&P EPAC Ex-Korea LargeMidCap
S&P Emerging Plus LargeMidCap

 

The following funds:

 

Fund Name

Fund Manager

First Trust ISE Chindia Index Fund

First Trust

FlexShares iBoxx 3-Year Target Duration TIPS Index Fund

FlexShares

FlexShares Mstar Gbl Upstrm Nat Res ETF

FlexShares

Guggenheim Timber Index ETF

Guggenheim

iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF

iShares

iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF

iShares

iShares Barclays 1-3 Year Treasury Bond Fund

iShares

iShares Barclays 3-7 Year Treasury Bond Fund

iShares

iShares Barclays 7-10 Year Treasury Bond Fund

iShares

iShares Core Midcap 400 ETF

iShares

iShares Core MSCI EAFE

iShares

iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets

iShares

iShares Core MSCI Total Intl Stk

iShares

iShares Core S&P 500

iShares

iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF

iShares

iShares Core S&P Total US Stock Mkt

iShares

iShares Core US Aggregate Bond

iShares

iShares Floating Rate Bond

iShares

iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond Fund

iShares

iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond Fund

iShares

iShares MSCI Brazil

iShares

iShares Russell 2000

iShares

iShares Russell Midcap Growth Index Fund

iShares

iShares S&P 500 Growth Index Fund

iShares

iShares S&P 500 Index Fund

iShares

iShares S&P 500 Value Index Fund

iShares

 

7

 

 

 

iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Index Fund

iShares

iShares S&P U.S. Preferred Stock Index Fund

iShares

iShares Short Treasury Bond ETF

iShares

iShares TIPS Bond

iShares

PIMCO 1-5 Year US TIPS Index ETF

PIMCO

PowerShares Senior Loan Portfolio

PowerShares

PowerShares QQQ

PowerShares

Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF™

Schwab

Schwab International Equity ETF™

Schwab

Schwab US Aggregate Bond ETF™

Schwab

Schwab US Broad Market ETF™

Schwab

Schwab US Large-Cap ETF™

Schwab

Schwab US Mid-Cap ETF™

Schwab

Schwab US Small-Cap ETF™

Schwab

SPDR Barclays Capital Short Term Corporate Bond Fund

SPDR

SPDR DB International Government Inflation-Protected Bond ETF

SPDR

SPDR Dow Jones International Real Estate ETF

SPDR

SPDR Dow Jones REIT ETF

SPDR

SPDR S&P China ETF

SPDR

SPDR S&P Global Natural Resources ETF

SPDR

SPDR® Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF

SPDR

SPDR® S&P 500 ETF

SPDR

SPDR Gold Shares

SPDR

Vanguard Energy ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Extended Market ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard FTSE All World ex-US Index Fund

Vanguard

Vanguard FTSE All World ex-US Small-Cap ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Large-Cap ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Materials ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Mega Cap ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard REIT ETF

Vanguard

 

8

 

 

 

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Small-Cap ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Total International Bond ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Total International Stock ETF

Vanguard

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

Vanguard

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree

WisdomTree Emrg Mkts Debt

WisdomTree

WisdomTree Indian Earnings

WisdomTree

 

 

9

 

 

 

Exhibit B

 

(as of July 1, 2017): Portfolio

 

Management Group

 

Capital Markets Group

 

Trading Technology

 

10