Securities Act Registration No. 333-204808
Investment Company Act Registration No. 811-23066
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 6, 2016
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 ý
¨ Pre-Effective Amendment No.
ý Post-Effective Amendment No. 21
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 ý
ý Amendment No. 24
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
17605 Wright Street, Omaha, NE 68154
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)
Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (402) 895-1600
The Corporation Trust Company
1209 Orange Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
With copy to:
JoAnn M. Strasser, Thompson Hine LLP Thompson Hine LLP 41 South High Street, Suite 1700 Columbus, Ohio 43215 614-469-3265 (phone) 614-469-3361 (fax)
|
James P. Ash, Gemini Fund Services, LLC 80 Arkay Drive, Suite 110 Hauppauge, New York 11788 (631) 470-2619 (phone) (631) 813-2884 (fax) |
Approximate date of proposed public offering: As soon as practicable after the effective date of the Registration Statement.
It is proposed that this filing will become effective:
() Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
() On (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
() 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
() On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
(X) 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
() On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.
If appropriate, check the following box:
() This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
The Registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Affinity Global Franchise ETF
[TICKER] |
Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF
[TICKER] |
PROSPECTUS
[____], 2016
Advised by:
Regents Park Funds, LLC
4695 MacArthur Court, Suite 430
Newport Beach, CA 92660
[WEBSITE] [PHONE NUMBER]
This Prospectus provides important information about the Fund that you should know before investing. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference.
These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the [EXCHANGE TBD]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FUND SUMMARY - Affinity Global Franchise ETF
Investment Objective: The Fund seeks to provide capital growth and income.
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.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year
|
|
Management Fees | 0.80% |
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses (1) | 0.74% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.54% |
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (2) | (0.24%) |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.30% |
(1) | Estimated for the current fiscal year. |
(2) | The Fund’s adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and/or absorb expenses of the Fund, until at least [____], to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or reimbursement (exclusive of any front-end or contingent deferred loads, taxes, brokerage fees and commissions, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), acquired fund fees and expenses, fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example option and swap fees and expenses), or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) will not exceed 1.30% of the Fund. This fee waivers and expense reimbursements are subject to possible recoupment from the Fund in future years (within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed), if such recoupment can be achieved within the lesser of the foregoing expense limits or those in place at the time of recapture. This agreement may be terminated only by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, on 60 days’ written notice to the Fund’s adviser. |
Example: This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem 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 the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years |
$[__] | $[__] |
Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance.
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in equity securities issued and traded in countries and in markets included in the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) World Index. The Fund will invest primarily in large capitalization (although it may invest in companies of any market capitalization), foreign (including emerging markets) and domestic companies, with domestic securities representing no more than 60% of its assets.
The Fund’s investment sub-adviser, Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC (the “Sub-Adviser”), seeks to identify and invest in global franchises that, in the Sub-Advisor’s estimation, based on the implementation of its proprietary quantitative model, have the potential to increase in market value
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over time. The Fund will generally seek to invest companies that have achieved "Franchise" status. Franchise companies are characterized by large market capitalization, higher earnings quality, and are often diversified, mature and stable businesses. The Sub-Adviser expects the Fund’s portfolio to typically be made up approximately 100 to 200 stocks that may span more than 20 countries.
The Sub-Adviser defines appealing global franchises
as those companies that possess a strong global footprint (measured by size), rank higher on measures of earnings quality, demonstrate
improving fundamentals (positive earnings revisions on earnings estimates, revenue estimates, price targets, and analyst recommendations),
show stock price momentum, and are trading at relatively attractive valuations (based on a ranking from various trading multiples,
which are, generally speaking, a ratio of the security's market price to financial or accounting metrics such as earnings, book
value, etc., as well as a dividend discount model, which attempts to determine the current or future value of a security based
in part on its dividend payments). The process begins with the Sub-Adviser scoring all the companies in the MSCI World Index on
the above criteria, and then narrowing
this universe of companies to the approximately
100 to 200 stocks that best meet the Sub-Adviser’s criteria using its proprietary ranking system. The proprietary ranking
system is known as the “Affinity Score” and is calculated by weighting the above criteria based on the Sub-Adviser’s
assessment of the correlation between the score components and subsequent long-term stock performance. The two largest components
by weight are security valuation and improving fundamentals measures. Stocks that rank in the top quartile are candidates
for purchase, those in the second quartile are eligible to be held, while stocks in the lower half of the ranking order are typically
either reduced or sold. A risk management overlay is then used to guide portfolio construction.
T
he
overlay calls for neutral industry group weights versus the index, approximately equal active weighting of each security within
an industry group (active weight is the absolute percentage deviation of a security’s weight in the portfolio from its weight
in the index), and limiting the deviation of the portfolio’s geographical distribution from the index.
Principal Investment Risks: As with all funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund. Many factors affect the Fund’s net asset value and performance.
The following describes the risks the Fund bears directly or indirectly through investments in Underlying Funds. As with any fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal.
Emerging Markets Risk: Investing in emerging markets involves not only the risks described below with respect to investing in foreign securities, but also other risks, including exposure to economic structures that are generally less diverse and mature, and to political systems that can be expected to have less stability, than those of developed countries. The typically small size of the markets of securities of issuers located in emerging markets and the possibility of a low or nonexistent volume of trading in those securities may also result in a lack of liquidity and in price volatility of those securities.
ETF Structure Risks : The Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result is subject to the special risks, including:
o Not Individually Redeemable . Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units.” You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit.
o Trading Issues . 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, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for Shares of the Fund.
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o Market Price Variance Risk . The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a “bid-ask spread” charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a discount to NAV.
Foreign Securities Risk: Since the Fund’s investments may include foreign securities, the Fund is subject to risks beyond those associated with investing in domestic securities. Foreign companies are generally not subject to the same regulatory requirements of U.S. companies thereby resulting in less publicly available information about these companies. In addition, foreign accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards generally differ from those applicable to U.S. companies.
Limited History of Operations Risk : The Fund is a new fund with a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.
Management Risk : The Adviser may be incorrect in its assessment of the intrinsic value of the securities the Fund holds which may result in a decline in the value of Fund shares and failure to achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s portfolio managers use qualitative analyses and/or models. Any imperfections or limitations in such analyses and models could affect the ability of the portfolio managers to implement strategies.
Securities Market Risk : The value of securities owned by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to factors affecting particular companies or the securities markets generally. A general downturn in the securities market may cause multiple asset classes to decline in value simultaneously.
Small and Medium Capitalization Stock Risk . The earnings and prospects of small and medium sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Small and medium sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.
Performance: Because the Fund has only recently commenced investment operations, no performance information is presented for the Fund at this time. In the future, performance information will be presented in this section of this Prospectus. Also, shareholder reports containing financial and performance information will be mailed to shareholders semi-annually. Updated performance information will be available at no cost by visiting [WEBSITE] or by calling [PHONE NUMBER].
Investment Adviser: Regents Park Funds, LLC (the “Adviser”)
Investment Sub-Adviser : Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC
Portfolio Managers: David Young, CFA, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser and Gregory R. Lai, CFA, Principal of the Sub-Adviser, have served the Fund as its portfolio managers since it commenced operations in 2016.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of [100,000] Shares (each block of Shares is called a “Creation Unit”). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through brokers. Except when aggregated in Creation
3 |
Units, the Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.
Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on [EXCHANGE TBD] (the “Exchange”) and trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than, at, or less than NAV.
Tax Information: The Fund’s distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income or long-term capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial
Intermediaries:
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund
and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create
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.
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FUND SUMMARY - Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF
Investment Objective: The Fund seeks to provide capital growth and income.
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.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year
|
|
Management Fees | 0.80% |
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses (2) | 0.50% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (1)(2) | 0.76% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 2.06% |
(1) | Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund’s financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund. |
(2) | Estimated 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 mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem 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 the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years |
$[__] | $[__] |
Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance.
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in alternative asset classes and securities that represent sectors, market segments or asset classes that do not represent the general investment universe. The fund will implement this strategy primarily thru investments in exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), closed-end funds (“CEFs”), business development companies (“BDCs”) and real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). The market segments and sectors represented in these securities will typically have a lower correlation to the general equity and fixed income markets and whose performance and volatility is affected by factors different from those that determine the general direction of the equity and fixed income markets. These alternative sectors and asset class categories are (i) companies at the forefront of major technical innovations in computing, medical sciences and nano-technology, (ii) companies in newly opened or frontier markets or involved in infrastructure development and resource exploitation, (iii) liquid forms of traditional alternatives such as private equity, private debt, and hedge funds, (iv) convertible and preferred securities, (v) long and short positions (including leveraged positions) in stocks, bonds, cash, and derivatives (futures, options, and forward contracts) on individual securities and indices,(vi) energy and commodity related securities. The equity securities in which the Fund invests will be both domestic and foreign (including emerging markets) and of any market capitalization.
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Anfield Capital Management, LLC (the “Sub-Advisor”) selects potential investments based on its ongoing analysis of available opportunities. Of primary consideration are the potential for growth and an estimation of the risks involved in achieving these goals. The Sub-Adviser analyzes the Fund's goals, portfolio composition, volatility, risk exposures and historical returns, using data from multiple sources, combined with a proprietary quantitative methodology with the goal of finding the correct balance between potential risk and return. The analysis considers multiple factors (overall economic conditions, fundamental financial criteria, valuation considerations as well as market and technical analysis). The Sub-Adviser expects that the Fund will hold 20 - 30 equally weighted positions.
Principal Investment Risks: As with all funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund. Many factors affect the Fund’s net asset value and performance.
The following describes the risks the Fund bears directly or indirectly through investments in Underlying Funds. As with any fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal.
BDC Risk : BDCs have little or no operating history and may carry risks similar to those of a private equity or venture capital fund. BDC company securities are not redeemable at the option of the shareholder and they may trade in the market at a discount to their net asset value. A significant portion of a BDC’s investments are recorded at fair value as determined by its board of directors, which may create uncertainty as to the value of the BDC’s investments. Non-traded BDCs are illiquid and it may not be possible to redeem shares or to do so without paying a substantial penalty. Publicly-traded BDCs usually trade at a discount to their net asset value because they invest in unlisted securities and have limited access to capital markets.
Commodity Risk : Investing in the commodities markets may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. Commodity prices may be influenced by unfavorable weather, animal and plant disease, geologic and environmental factors as well as changes in government regulation such as tariffs, embargoes or burdensome production rules and restrictions.
Convertible Securities Risk : Convertible securities are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both fixed income and equity securities and are subject to risks associated with both fixed income and equity securities.
Derivatives Risk : The use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. These risks include (i) the risk that the counterparty to a derivative transaction may not fulfill its contractual obligations; (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index. Derivative prices are highly volatile and may fluctuate substantially during a short period of time. Such prices are influenced by numerous factors that affect the markets, including, but not limited to: changing supply and demand relationships; government programs and policies; national and international political and economic events, changes in interest rates, inflation and deflation and changes in supply and demand relationships. Trading derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities.
Emerging Markets Risk: Investing in emerging markets involves not only the risks described below with respect to investing in foreign securities, but also other risks, including exposure to economic structures that are generally less diverse and mature, and to political systems that can be expected to have less stability, than those of developed countries. The typically small size of the markets of securities of issuers located in emerging markets and the possibility of a low or nonexistent volume of
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trading in those securities may also result in a lack of liquidity and in price volatility of those securities.
Energy Risks : The performance of the Fund may be affected by developments in the energy sector, such as the possibility that government regulation will negatively impact companies in this sector. Energy infrastructure entities are subject to the risks specific to the industry they serve including, but not limited to, the following:
· | Fluctuations in commodity prices; |
· | Reduced volumes of natural gas or other energy commodities available for transporting, processing, storing or distributing; |
· | New construction risk and acquisition risk which can limit potential growth; |
· | A sustained reduced demand for crude oil, natural gas and refined petroleum products resulting from a recession or an increase in market price or higher taxes; |
· | Depletion of the natural gas reserves or other commodities if not replaced; |
· | Changes in the regulatory environment; |
· | Extreme weather; |
· | Rising interest rates which could result in a higher cost of capital and drive investors into other investment opportunities; and |
· | Threats of attack by terrorists. |
ETF Structure Risks : The Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result is subject to the special risks, including:
o Not Individually Redeemable . Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units.” You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit.
o Trading Issues . 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, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for Shares of the Fund.
o Market Price Variance Risk . The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a “bid-ask spread” charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a discount to NAV.
Foreign Securities Risk: Since the Fund’s investments may include ETFs with foreign securities, the Fund is subject to risks beyond those associated with investing in domestic securities. Foreign companies are generally not subject to the same regulatory requirements of U.S. companies thereby resulting in less publicly available information about these companies. In addition, foreign accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards generally differ from those applicable to U.S. companies.
Futures Risk : The investments in futures through its underlying investments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. These risks include (i) leverage risk (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the futures contract may not correlate perfectly with the underlying index. Investments in futures involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in futures can have a disproportionately large impact on the Fund. This risk could cause the Fund to lose more than the principal amount invested. Futures contracts may become mispriced or improperly valued when compared to the adviser’s expectation and may not produce the desired investment results. Additionally, changes in the value of futures contracts may not track or
7 |
correlate perfectly with the underlying index because of temporary, or even long-term, supply and demand imbalances and because futures do not pay dividends unlike the stocks upon which they are based.
Leverage Risk : The use of leverage, such as borrowing money to purchase securities or the use of options, will cause the Fund to incur additional expenses and magnify the Fund's gains or losses.
Limited History of Operations Risk : The Fund is a new fund with a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.
Liquidity Risk : Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund, such as private funds, would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations.
Management Risk : The Adviser may be incorrect in its assessment of the intrinsic value of the securities the Fund holds which may result in a decline in the value of Fund shares and failure to achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s portfolio managers use qualitative analyses and/or models. Any imperfections or limitations in such analyses and models could affect the ability of the portfolio managers to implement strategies.
Newly- Formed Company Risk : Newly-formed companies may have limited product lines, distribution channels and financial and managerial resources. The risks associated with those investments are generally greater than those associated with investments in the securities of larger, more established companies. This may cause the Fund’s net asset value to be more volatile when compared to investment companies that focus only on large capitalization companies.
Options Risk : There are risks associated with the sale and purchase of call and put options through the Fund’s underlying investments. As a seller (writer) of a put option, the seller will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security falls below the strike price. As the seller (writer) of a call option, the seller will tend to lose money if the value of the reference index or security rises above the strike price. As the buyer of a put or call option, the buyer risks losing the entire premium invested in the option if the buyer does not exercise the option.
Preferred Stock Risk : The value of preferred stocks will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of preferred stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of preferred stock will fail to make its dividend payments.
REITs Risk : The value of the Fund’s investments in REITs may change in response to changes in the real estate market such as declines in the value of real estate, lack of available capital or financing opportunities, and increases in property taxes or operating costs. Shareholders of the Fund will indirectly be subject to the fees and expenses of the individual REITs in which the Fund invests.
Securities Market Risk : The value of securities owned by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to factors affecting particular companies or the securities markets generally. A general downturn in the securities market may cause multiple asset classes to decline in value simultaneously.
Small and Medium Capitalization Stock Risk . The earnings and prospects of small and medium sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than
8 |
larger companies. Small and medium sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.
Underlying Funds Risk : Other investment companies including ETFs and closed-end funds (“Underlying Funds”) in which the Fund invests are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in the Underlying Funds and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Each of the Underlying Funds is subject to its own specific risks, but the sub-adviser expects the principal investments risks of such Underlying Funds will be similar to the risks of investing in the Fund.
Performance: Because the Fund has only recently commenced investment operations, no performance information is presented for the Fund at this time. In the future, performance information will be presented in this section of this Prospectus. Also, shareholder reports containing financial and performance information will be mailed to shareholders semi-annually. Updated performance information will be available at no cost by visiting [WEBSITE] or by calling [PHONE NUMBER].
Investment Adviser: Regents Park Funds, LLC (the “Adviser”)
Investment Sub-Adviser : Anfield Capital Management, LLC
Portfolio Managers: David Young, CFA, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser and Peter Van de Zilver, CFA , Director of Portfolio Analytics & Risk Management of the Sub-Adviser, have served the Fund as its portfolio managers since it commenced operations in 2016.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of [100,000] Shares (each block of Shares is called a “Creation Unit”). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through brokers. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, the Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.
Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on [EXCHANGE TBD] (the “Exchange”) and trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than, at, or less than NAV.
Tax Information: The Fund’s distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income or long-term capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries: If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create 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.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE:
Fund | Investment Objective |
Affinity Global Franchise ETF (“Affinity ETF”) | seeks to provide capital growth and income |
Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF (“Anfield ETF”) | seeks to provide capital growth and income |
Each Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES:
Affinity ETF :
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in equity securities issued and traded in countries and in markets included in the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) World Index. The Fund will invest primarily in large capitalization (although it may invest in companies of any market capitalization), foreign (including emerging markets) and domestic companies, with domestic securities representing no more than 60% of its assets.
The Fund’s investment sub-adviser, Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC (the “Sub-Adviser”), seeks to identify and invest in global franchises that, in the Sub-Advisor’s estimation, based on the implementation of its proprietary quantitative model, have the potential to increase in market value over time. The Fund will generally seek to invest companies that have achieved "Franchise" status. Franchise companies are characterized by large market capitalization, higher earnings quality, and are often diversified, mature and stable businesses. The Sub-Adviser expects the Fund’s portfolio to typically be made up approximately 100 to 200 stocks that may span more than 20 countries.
The Sub-Adviser defines appealing global franchises
as those companies that possess a strong global footprint (measured by size), rank higher on measures of earnings quality, demonstrate
improving fundamentals (positive earnings revisions on earnings estimates, revenue estimates, price targets, and analyst recommendations),
show stock price momentum, and are trading at relatively attractive valuations (based on a ranking from various trading multiples,
which are, generally speaking, a ratio of the security's market price to financial or accounting metrics such as earnings, book
value, etc., as well as a dividend discount model, which attempts to determine the current or future value of a security based
in part on its dividend payments). The process begins with the Sub-Adviser scoring all the companies in the MSCI World Index on
the above criteria, and then narrowing
this universe of companies to the approximately
100 to 200 stocks that best meet the Sub-Adviser’s criteria using its proprietary ranking system. The proprietary ranking
system is known as the “Affinity Score” and is calculated by weighting the above criteria based on the Sub-Adviser’s
assessment of the correlation between the score components and subsequent long-term stock performance. The two largest components
by weight are security valuation and improving fundamentals measures. Stocks that rank in the top quartile are candidates
for purchase, those in the second quartile are eligible to be held, while stocks in the lower half of the ranking order are typically
either reduced or sold. A risk management overlay is then used to guide portfolio construction.
T
he
overlay calls for neutral industry group weights versus the index, approximately equal active weighting of each security within
an industry group (active weight is the absolute percentage
10 |
deviation of a security’s weight in the portfolio from its weight in the index), and limiting the deviation of the portfolio’s geographical distribution from the index.
Anfield ETF :
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in alternative asset classes and securities that represent sectors, market segments or asset classes that do not represent the general investment universe. The fund will implement this strategy primarily thru investments in ETFs, CEFs, BDCs, and REITs. The market segments and sectors represented in these securities will typically have a lower correlation to the general equity and fixed income markets and whose performance and volatility is affected by factors different from those that determine the general direction of the equity and fixed income markets. These alternative sectors and asset class categories are (i) companies at the forefront of major technical innovations in computing, medical sciences and nano-technology, (ii) companies in newly opened or frontier markets or involved in infrastructure development and resource exploitation, (iii) liquid forms of traditional alternatives such as private equity, private debt, and hedge funds, (iv) convertible and preferred securities, (v) long and short positions (including leveraged positions) in stocks, bonds, cash, and derivatives (futures, options, and forward contracts) on individual securities and indices,(vi) energy and commodity related securities. The equity securities in which the Fund invests will be both domestic and foreign (including emerging markets) and of any market capitalization.
The Sub-Advisor selects potential investments based on its ongoing analysis of available opportunities. Of primary consideration are the potential for growth and an estimation of the risks involved in achieving these goals. The Sub-Adviser analyzes the Fund's goals, portfolio composition, volatility, risk exposures and historical returns, using data from multiple sources, combined with a proprietary quantitative methodology with the goal of finding the correct balance between potential risk and return. The analysis considers multiple factors (overall economic conditions, fundamental financial criteria, valuation considerations as well as market and technical analysis). The Sub-Adviser expects that the Fund will hold 20 - 30 equally weighted positions.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS
Risk | Affinity ETF | Anfield ETF |
BDC Risk | X | |
Commodity Risk | X | |
Convertible Securities Risk | X | |
Derivatives Risk | X | |
Emerging Markets Risk | X | X |
Energy Risks | X | |
ETF Structure Risks | X | |
Foreign Securities Risk | X | X |
Futures Risk | X | |
Leverage Risk | X | |
Limited History of Operations Risk | X | X |
Liquidity Risk | X | |
Management Risk | X | X |
Newly- Formed Company Risk | X |
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Options Risk | X | |
Preferred Stock Risk | X | |
REITs Risk | X | |
Securities Market Risk | X | X |
Small and Medium Capitalization Stock Risk | X | X |
Underlying Fund Risk | X | X |
The following describes the risks the Funds bear directly or indirectly through investments in Underlying Funds.
BDC Risk : BDCs may carry risks similar to those of a private equity or venture capital fund. BDC company securities are not redeemable at the option of the shareholder and they may trade in the market at a discount to their net asset value. A BDC is a form of investment company that is required to invest at least 70% of its total assets in securities (typically debt) of private companies, thinly traded U.S. public companies, or short-term high quality debt securities. The BDCs held by the Fund may leverage their portfolios through borrowings or the issuance of preferred stock. While leverage often serves to increase the yield of a BDC, this leverage also subjects a BDC to increased risks, including the likelihood of increased volatility and the possibility that a BDC’s common share income will fall if the dividend rate of the preferred shares or the interest rate on any borrowings rises. A significant portion of a BDC’s investments are recorded at fair value as determined by its board of directors which may create uncertainty as to the value of the BDC’s investments. Non-traded BDCs are illiquid and it may not be possible to redeem shares or to do so without paying a substantial penalty. Publicly-traded BDCs usually trade at a discount to their net asset value because they invest in unlisted securities and have limited access to capital markets. BDCs are subject to high failure rates among the companies in which they invest and federal securities laws impose restraints upon the organization and operations of BDCs that can limit or negatively impact the performance of a BDC. However, the Fund does not believe it would be liable for the actions of any entity in which it invests and that only its investment is at risk. Also, BDCs may engage in certain principal and joint transactions that a mutual fund or closed-end fund may not without an exemptive order from the SEC.
Commodity Risk : The Fund’s exposure to the commodities futures markets may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The value of commodity-linked derivative instruments, commodity-based notes may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, or sectors affecting a particular industry or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs, and international economic, political and regulatory developments.
Convertible Securities Risk : Convertible securities subject the Fund to the risks associated with both fixed-income securities and equity securities. If a convertible security’s investment value is greater than its conversion value, its price likely increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise. If the conversion value exceeds the investment value, the price of the convertible security will tend to fluctuate directly with the price of the underlying equity security.
Derivatives Risk : The Fund's exposure to derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. These risks include (i) the risk that the counterparty to a derivative transaction may not fulfill its contractual obligations; (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index. Derivative prices are highly volatile and may fluctuate substantially during a short period of time. Such prices are influenced by numerous factors that affect the markets, including, but not
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limited to: changing supply and demand relationships; government programs and policies; national and international political and economic events, changes in interest rates, inflation and deflation and changes in supply and demand relationships. Trading derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities.
Emerging Markets Risk : The Fund may invest in countries with newly organized or less developed securities markets. There are typically greater risks involved in investing in emerging markets securities. Generally, economic structures in these countries are less diverse and mature than those in developed countries and their political systems tend to be less stable. Emerging market economies may be based on only a few industries, therefore security issuers, including governments, may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market countries also may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less-developed legal systems with fewer security holder rights. Investments in emerging markets countries may be affected by government policies that restrict foreign investment in certain issuers or industries. The potentially smaller size of their securities markets and lower trading volumes can make investments relatively illiquid and potentially more volatile than investments in developed countries, and such securities may be subject to abrupt and severe price declines. Due to this relative lack of liquidity, the Fund may have to accept a lower price or may not be able to sell a portfolio security at all. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund's value or prevent the Fund from being able to meet cash obligations or take advantage of other investment opportunities.
Energy Risks : Risks of energy related securities include the risks that a decrease in the production of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, coal or other energy commodities or a decrease in the volume of such commodities available for transportation, mining, processing, storage or distribution may adversely impact the financial performance of energy related securities. To maintain or grow their revenues, these companies need to maintain or expand their reserves through exploration of new sources of supply, through the development of existing sources, through acquisitions, or through long-term contracts to acquire reserves. The financial performance of energy related securities may be adversely affected if a company is unable to cost-effectively acquire additional reserves sufficient to replace the natural decline. Various governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with regulations and the permits issued under them, and violators are subject to administrative, civil and criminal penalties, including civil fines, injunctions or both. Stricter laws, regulations or enforcement policies could be enacted in the future which would likely increase compliance costs and may adversely affect the financial performance of energy related securities. Volatility of commodity prices, which may lead to a reduction in production or supply, may also negatively impact the performance of energy related securities. energy related securities are also subject to risks that are specific to the industry they serve. Energy related entities that provide crude oil, refined product, natural gas liquids and natural gas services are subject to supply and demand fluctuations in the markets they serve which will be impacted by a wide range of factors, including fluctuating commodity prices, weather, increased conservation or use of alternative fuel sources, increased governmental or environmental regulation, depletion, rising interest rates, declines in domestic or foreign production, accidents or catastrophic events, and economic conditions, among others.
ETF Structure Risk: The Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result is subject to the special risks, including:
o | Not Individually Redeemable . Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units.” You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. |
o | Trading Issues . 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, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that |
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Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for Shares of the Fund.
o | Market Price Variance Risk . Individual Shares of the Fund that are listed for trading on the Exchange can be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly and you may pay more than NAV when buying Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive less than NAV when you sell those Shares. The market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. In times of severe market disruption, the bid-ask spread often increases significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a discount to NAV and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of Shares is falling fastest, which may be the time that you most want to sell your Shares. The Fund’s investment results are measured based upon the daily NAV of the Fund over a period of time. Investors purchasing and selling Shares in the secondary market may not experience investment results consistent with those experienced by those creating and redeeming directly with the Fund. |
Foreign Securities Risk: To the extent the Fund invest in foreign securities, the Fund could be subject to greater risks because the Fund’s performance may depend on issues other than the performance of a particular company or U.S. market sector. Changes in foreign economies and political climates are more likely to affect the Fund than a mutual fund that invests exclusively in U.S. companies. The value of foreign securities is also affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. There may also be less government supervision of foreign markets, resulting in non-uniform accounting practices and less publicly available information. The values of foreign investments may be affected by changes in exchange control regulations, application of foreign tax laws (including withholding tax), changes in governmental administration or economic or monetary policy (in this country or abroad) or changed circumstances in dealings between nations. In addition, foreign brokerage commissions, custody fees and other costs of investing in foreign securities are generally higher than in the United States. Investments in foreign issues could be affected by other factors not present in the United States, including expropriation, armed conflict, confiscatory taxation, and potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations. As a result, the Fund may be exposed to greater risk and will be more dependent on the adviser's ability to assess such risk than if the Fund invested solely in more developed countries.
Futures Risk : The investments in futures through its underlying investments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. These risks include (i) leverage risk (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the futures contract may not correlate perfectly with the underlying index. Investments in futures involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in futures can have a disproportionately large impact on the Fund. This risk could cause the Fund to lose more than the principal amount invested. Futures contracts may become mispriced or improperly valued when compared to the adviser’s expectation and may not produce the desired investment results. Additionally, changes in the value of futures contracts may not track or correlate perfectly with the underlying index because of temporary, or even long-term, supply and demand imbalances and because futures do not pay dividends unlike the stocks upon which they are based.
Leverage and Volatility Risk: Derivative contracts ordinarily have leverage inherent in their terms. The low margin deposits normally required in trading derivatives, including futures contracts, permit a
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high degree of leverage. Accordingly, a relatively small price movement may result in an immediate and substantial loss to the Fund. The use of leverage may also cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy its obligations or to meet collateral segregation requirements. The use of leveraged derivatives can magnify the Fund's potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund's share price.
Limited History of Operations : The Fund is a new mutual fund with a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.
Liquidity Risk : Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund, such as private funds, would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations. It is possible that particular derivative investments might be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from executing positions at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring them to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy their obligations. Most U.S. commodity futures exchanges impose daily limits regulating the maximum amount above or below the previous day's settlement price which a futures contract price may fluctuate during a single day. During a single trading day no trades may be executed at prices beyond the daily limit. Once the price of a particular futures contract has increased or decreased to the limit point, it may be difficult, costly or impossible to liquidate a position. It is also possible that an exchange or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC"), which regulates commodity futures exchanges, may suspend trading in a particular contract, order immediate settlement of a contract or order that trading to the liquidation of open positions only.
Management Risk : The Fund’s ability to identify and invest in attractive opportunities is dependent upon the Adviser. If one or more key individuals leave, the Adviser may not be able to hire qualified replacements or may require extended time to do so. This situation could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objectives. The Fund’s portfolio managers use quantitative analyses and/or models. Any imperfections or limitations in such analyses and models could affect the ability of the portfolio managers to implement strategies. By necessity, these analyses and models make simplifying assumptions that limit their efficacy. Models that appear to explain prior market data can fail to predict future market events. Further, the data used in models may be inaccurate and/or it may not include the most recent information about a company or a security.
Newly-Formed Company Risk : Newly-formed companies may have limited product lines, distribution channels and financial and managerial resources. The risks associated with those investments are generally greater than those associated with investments in the securities of larger, more established companies. This may cause the Fund’s net asset value to be more volatile when compared to investment companies that focus only on large capitalization companies.
Generally, securities of newly-formed companies are more likely to experience sharper swings in market value, less liquid markets in which it may be more difficult for the Adviser to sell at times and at prices that the Adviser believes appropriate and generally are more volatile than those of larger companies. Compared to large companies, newly-formed companies are more likely to have (i) less information publicly available, (ii) more limited product lines or markets and less mature businesses, (iii) fewer capital resources, (iv) more limited management depth and (v) shorter operating histories. Further, the equity securities of newly-formed companies are often traded over the counter and generally experience a lower trading volume than is typical for securities that are traded on a national securities exchange. Consequently, the Fund may be required to dispose of these securities over a
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larger period of time (and potentially at less favorable prices) than would be the case for securities of larger companies, offering greater potential for gains and losses and associated tax consequences.
Options Risk : The Fund’s underlying investment may lose the entire put option premium paid if the underlying security does not decrease in value at expiration. Put options may not be an effective hedge because they may have imperfect correlation to the value of the Fund's portfolio securities. Purchased put options may decline in value due to changes in price of the underlying security, passage of time and changes in volatility. Written call and put options may limit the Fund's participation in equity market gains and may magnify the losses if the price of the written option instrument increases in value between the date when the Fund writes the option and the date on which the Fund purchases an offsetting position. The Fund will incur a loss as a result of a written options (also known as a short position) if the price of the written option instrument increases in value between the date when the Fund writes the option and the date on which the Fund purchases an offsetting position. The losses are potentially large in a written put transaction and potentially unlimited in an unhedged written call transaction.
Preferred Stock Risk : The Funds may invest in preferred stocks. The value of preferred stocks will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of preferred stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of preferred stock will fail to make its dividend payments. Preferred stock prices tend to move more slowly upwards than common stock prices.
REITs Risk : The Fund’s investments in REITs may subject the fund to the following additional risks: declines in the value of real estate, changes in interest rates, lack of available mortgage funds or other limits on obtaining capital, overbuilding, extended vacancies of properties, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws and regulations, casualty or condemnation losses and tax consequences of the failure of a REIT to comply with tax law requirements. The Fund will bear a proportionate share of the REIT’s ongoing operating fees and expenses, which may include management, operating and administrative expenses in addition to the expenses of the Fund.
Securities Market Risk : Stock market Risk is the risk that the value of securities owned by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to factors affecting particular companies or the securities markets generally. A general downturn in the securities market may cause multiple asset classes to decline in value simultaneously, although equity securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed income securities. Despite gains in some markets after steep declines during certain periods of 2008-2009, negative conditions and price declines may return unexpectedly and dramatically. In addition, the Fund could experience a loss when selling securities in order to meet unusually large or frequent redemption requests in times of overall market turmoil or declining prices for the securities sold. Stock prices change daily, sometimes rapidly, in response to company activity and general economic and market conditions. Certain stocks may decline in value even during periods when the prices of equity securities in general are rising, or may not perform as well as the market in general. Stock prices may also experience greater volatility during periods of challenging market conditions such as the one that the market recently experienced.
Small and Medium Capitalization Risk : The stocks of small and medium capitalization companies involve substantial risk. These companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, and they may be dependent on a limited management group. Stocks of these companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than those of larger, more established companies or the market averages in general.
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Underlying Fund Risk : Other investment companies including ETFs and closed-end funds (“Underlying Funds”) in which a Fund invests are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in the Underlying Funds and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Each of the Underlying Funds is subject to its own specific risks, but the sub-adviser expects the principal investments risks of such Underlying Funds will be similar to the risks of investing in the Fund. Additional risks of investing in ETFs and mutual funds are described below:
TEMPORARY INVESTMENTS: To respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, each Fund may invest 100% of its total assets, without limitation, in high-quality short-term debt securities and money market instruments. These short-term debt securities and money market instruments include: shares of money market mutual funds, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, U.S. Government securities and repurchase agreements. While each Fund is in
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a defensive position, the opportunity to achieve its investment objective will be limited. Furthermore, to the extent that a Fund invests in money market mutual funds for cash positions, there will be some duplication of expenses because the Fund pays its pro-rata portion of such money market funds’ advisory fees and operational fees. Each Fund may also invest a substantial portion of its assets in such instruments at any time to maintain liquidity or pending selection of investments in accordance with its policies.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE: A description of the Funds’ policies and procedures regarding the release of portfolio holdings information is available in the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information.
CYBERSECURITY: The computer systems, networks and devices used by the Funds and their service providers to carry out routine business operations employ a variety of protections designed to prevent damage or interruption from computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons and security breaches. Despite the various protections utilized by the Funds and their service providers, systems, networks, or devices potentially can be breached. Each Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of a cybersecurity breach.
Cybersecurity breaches can include unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices; infection from computer viruses or other malicious software code; and attacks that shut down, disable, slow, or otherwise disrupt operations, business processes, or website access or functionality. Cybersecurity breaches may cause disruptions and impact each Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses; interference with each Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading; the inability of each Fund, the adviser, and other service providers to transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs; as well as the inadvertent release of confidential information.
Similar adverse consequences could result from cybersecurity breaches affecting issuers of securities in which the Funds invest; counterparties with which the Funds engage in transactions; governmental and other regulatory authorities; exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and service providers for a Fund’s shareholders); and other parties. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred by these entities in order to prevent any cybersecurity breaches in the future.
MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser: Regents Park Funds, LLC, located at 4695 MacArthur Court, Suite 430, Newport Beach, CA 92660, serves as each Fund’s investment adviser. The Adviser is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. Currently, its only clients are the Funds.
Subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is responsible for managing the Fund’s investments, executing transactions and providing related administrative services and facilities under an Investment Advisory Agreement between each Fund and the Adviser.
The management fee set forth in the Investment Advisory Agreement is 1.60% annually, to be paid on a monthly basis. In addition to investment advisory fees, each Fund pays other expenses including costs incurred in connection with the maintenance of securities law registration, printing and mailing prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information to shareholders, certain financial accounting services, taxes or governmental fees, custodial, transfer and shareholder servicing agent costs, expenses of outside counsel and independent accountants, preparation of shareholder reports and expenses of trustee and shareholders meetings.
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The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and/or absorb expenses of each Fund, until at least [____], 2017, to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or reimbursement (exclusive of any front-end or contingent deferred loads, taxes, brokerage fees and commissions, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), acquired fund fees and expenses, fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example option and swap fees and expenses), or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) will not exceed 2.50% of each Fund’s average daily net assets; subject to possible recoupment from the Fund in future years within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed if such recoupment can be achieved within the foregoing expense limits or the expense limits in place at the time of the recoupment. Fee waiver and reimbursement arrangements can decrease the Fund’s expenses and boost its performance. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the advisory agreement will be available in the Fund’s semi-annual report to shareholders dated [_____], 2017.
Investment Sub-Advisers :
Affinity ETF
Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC, 18111 Von Karman Ave., Suite 550, Irvine, CA 92612, serves as Sub-Adviser to the Affinity ETF. The Sub-Adviser was formed in 1992 and currently manages assets for a variety of institutional clients and high net worth individuals. As of March 31, 2016, it had approximately $1.4 billion in assets under management. The Sub-Adviser is paid by the Adviser, not the Funds.
Anfield ETF
Anfield Capital Management, LLC, 4695 MacArthur Court, Suite 430, Newport Beach, CA 92660, serves as Sub-Adviser to the Anfield ETF. The Sub-Adviser was formed in 2009 and currently manages assets for private investors, financial intermediaries, and institutional clients. As of June 30, 2016, it had approximately $262.7 million in assets under management. The Sub-Adviser is paid by the Adviser, not the Funds.
Portfolio Managers
David Young - Affinity ETF & Anfield ETF
Mr. Young has been the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Anfield Capital Management, LLC since 2008, and Regents Park Funds, LLC since 2016. With 26 years of investment experience, Mr. Young has worked with many of the largest and most sophisticated institutional and private investors in investment strategy, portfolio management and asset allocation. At the end of 2008, he retired as Executive Vice President with Pacific Investment Management Company to rejoin the U.C. Irvine Merage School of Business as Adjunct Professor of Finance, and create Anfield Capital Management, LLC. From 1999 to 2006, Mr. Young was head of PIMCO’s account management group in London where he built a team of 25 investment professionals managing over 200 client accounts and approximately $50 billion in assets across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Mr. Young holds the Chartered Financial Analyst Designation, an MBA with a concentration in finance from the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine, and degrees in Economics and Political Science from the University of California, Irvine. He has taught finance and investments courses at the Paul Merage School, the Financial Times Knowledge programs (UK), and CFA exam preparation courses sponsored by the CFA society of Orange County, the USC / Los Angeles CFA Society, and U.K. CFA societies.
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Gregory R. Lai, CFA – Affinity ETF
Mr. Lai has been a Principal and Lead Portfolio Manager for Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC since 1992 and has 28 years of investment experience. He developed the firm’s quantitative stock selection, risk management, and portfolio construction models. Previous work experience includes Senior Portfolio Manager and Managing Director at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Van Kampen and Invesco, Ltd., as well as Quantitative Specialist and co-portfolio manager at Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO). Mr. Lai earned his M.B.A from the Paul Merage School at the University of California, Irvine, and a B.S. in Chemistry from UCLA. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Peter Van de Zilver, CFA – Anfield ETF
Mr. Van de Zilver has been Director of Portfolio Analytics and Risk Management at Anfield Capital Management, LLC since 2013. Mr. Van de Zilver retired in 2010 after over 20 years of investment management experience, including from a senior position in the PIMCO’s Portfolio Analytics group to work on developing quantitative trading algorithms. At PIMCO, he was responsible for the architecture, development and implementation of many of their Analytics and Risk Management systems. Mr. Van de Zilver holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and holds degrees in Physics, Mathematics and Economics from the Universities of Utrecht and Amsterdam, as well as an MA degree in Economics from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
The Statement of Additional Information provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’ compensation, other accounts managed and ownership of Fund shares.
HOW SHARES ARE PRICED
The net asset value (“NAV”) and offering price (NAV plus any applicable sales charges) of each class of shares is determined at the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open. NAV is computed by determining, on a per class basis, the aggregate market value of all assets of the applicable Fund, less its liabilities, divided by the total number of shares outstanding ((assets-liabilities)/number of shares = NAV). The NYSE is closed on weekends and New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The NAV takes into account, on a per class basis, the expenses and fees of the Fund, including management, administration, and distribution fees, which are accrued daily. The determination of NAV for the Fund for a particular day is applicable to all applications for the purchase of shares, as well as all requests for the redemption of shares, received by the Fund (or an authorized broker or agent, or its authorized designee) before the close of trading on the NYSE on that day.
Generally, each Fund’s securities are valued each day at the last quoted sales price on each security’s primary exchange. Securities traded or dealt in upon one or more securities exchanges (whether domestic or foreign) for which market quotations are readily available and not subject to restrictions against resale shall be valued at the last quoted sales price on the primary exchange or, in the absence of a sale on the primary exchange, at the mean between the current bid and ask prices on such exchange. Securities primarily traded in the National Association of Securities Dealers’ Automated Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) National Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price. If market quotations are not readily available, securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined using the “fair value” procedures approved by the Board. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may be materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. The fair value prices can differ from market prices when they become available or when a price becomes available. The Board has delegated execution of these procedures to a fair value team composed of one or more representatives from each of the
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(i) Trust, (ii) administrator, and (iii) adviser. The team may also enlist third party consultants such as an audit firm or financial officer of a security issuer on an as-needed basis to assist in determining a security-specific fair value. The Board reviews and ratifies the execution of this process and the resultant fair value prices at least quarterly to assure the process produces reliable results.
The Fund may use independent pricing services to assist in calculating the value of each Fund’s securities. In addition, market prices for foreign securities are not determined at the same time of day as the NAV for the Fund. Because the Funds may invest in underlying ETFs that hold portfolio securities primarily listed on foreign exchanges, and these exchanges may trade on weekends or other days when the underlying ETFs do not price their shares, the value of some of a Fund’s portfolio securities may change on days when you may not be able to buy or sell Fund shares. In computing the NAV, the Funds value foreign securities held by a Fund at the latest closing price on the exchange in which they are traded immediately prior to closing of the NYSE. Prices of foreign securities quoted in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at current rates. If events materially affecting the value of a security in a Fund’s portfolio, particularly foreign securities, occur after the close of trading on a foreign market but before a Fund prices its shares, the security will be valued at fair value. For example, if trading in a portfolio security is halted and does not resume before a Fund calculates its NAV, the adviser may need to price the security using the Funds’ fair value pricing guidelines. Without a fair value price, short-term traders could take advantage of the arbitrage opportunity and dilute the NAV of long-term investors. Fair valuation of a Fund’s portfolio securities can serve to reduce arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders, but there is no assurance that fair value pricing policies will prevent dilution of a Fund’s NAV by short term traders. The determination of fair value involves subjective judgments. As a result, using fair value to price a security may result in a price materially different from the prices used by other mutual funds to determine net asset value, or from the price that may be realized upon the actual sale of the security.
With respect to any portion of a Fund’s assets that are invested in one or more open-end management investment companies registered under the 1940 Act, a Fund’s net asset value is calculated based upon the net asset values of those open-end management investment companies, and the prospectuses for these companies explain the circumstances under which those companies will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.
Premium/Discount Information
Most investors will buy and sell Shares of the Funds in secondary market transactions through brokers at market prices and the Fund’s Shares will trade at market prices. The market price of Shares of the Funds may be greater than, equal to, or less than NAV. Market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors may affect the trading prices of Shares of the Funds.
Information regarding how often the Shares of the Funds traded at a price above (at a premium to) or below (at a discount to) the NAV of the Funds during the past four calendar quarters, when available, can be found at [WEBSITE].
How to Buy and Sell Shares
Shares of the Funds will be listed for trading on [EXCHANGE TBD] under the symbol [TICKER]. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per Share. Shares can be bought and sold on the secondary market throughout the trading day like other publicly traded shares, and Shares typically trade in blocks of less than a Creation Unit. There is no minimum investment required. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the secondary market when the Exchange is open for trading. The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and the following holidays, as observed: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday,
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Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
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.
Authorized participants (“APs”) may acquire Shares directly from the Funds, and APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to the Funds, at NAV per Share only in large blocks, or Creation Units, of [100,000] Shares. Purchases and redemptions directly with the Funds must follow the each Fund’s procedures, which are described in the SAI.
The Funds may liquidate and terminate at any time without shareholder approval.
Share Trading Prices
The approximate value of Shares of the Funds, an amount representing on a per share basis the sum of the current market price of the securities accepted by the Funds in exchange for Shares of the Funds and an estimated cash component 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 Funds 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 Funds are not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the approximate value of the Shares, and the Funds do not make any warranty as to the accuracy of these values.
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 of the Funds 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 securities that you hold in book entry or “street name” form.
FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES
Each Fund’s Shares can only be purchased and redeemed directly from the Fund in Creation Units by APs, and the vast majority of trading in a Fund’s Shares occurs on the secondary market. Because the secondary market trades do not directly involve the Fund, it is unlikely those trades would cause the harmful effects of market timing, including dilution, disruption of portfolio management, increases in the Fund’s trading costs and the realization of capital gains. With regard to the purchase or redemption of Creation Units directly with the Funds, to the extent effected in-kind ( i.e. , for securities), those trades do not cause the harmful effects that may result from frequent cash trades. To the extent trades are effected in whole or in part in cash, those trades could result in
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dilution to the Funds and increased transaction costs, which could negatively impact a Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. However, direct trading by APs is critical to ensuring that each Fund’s Shares trade at or close to NAV. The Funds also employ fair valuation pricing to minimize potential dilution from market timing. In addition, the Funds impose transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Fund Shares to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Funds in effecting trades. These fees increase if an investor substitutes cash in part or in whole for securities, reflecting the fact that a Fund’s trading costs increase in those circumstances. Given this structure, the Trust has determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter market timing of the Funds’ Shares.
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN
The Funds have adopted a distribution and service plan (“Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the Funds are authorized to pay distribution fees to the distributor and other firms that provide distribution and shareholder services (“Service Providers”). If a Service Provider provides these services, the Fund may pay fees at an annual rate not to exceed 0.25% of average daily net assets, pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the1940 Act.
No distribution or service fees are currently paid by the Funds, and there are no current plans to impose these fees. In the event Rule 12b-1 fees were charged, over time they would increase the cost of an investment in the Funds.
DIVIDENDS, OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Unlike interests in conventional mutual funds, which typically are bought and sold from and to the fund only at closing NAVs, each Fund’s Shares are traded throughout the day in the secondary market on a national securities exchange on an intra-day basis and are created and redeemed in-kind and/or for cash in Creation Units at each day’s next calculated NAV. In-kind arrangements are designed to protect ongoing shareholders from the adverse effects on a Fund’s portfolio that could arise from frequent cash redemption transactions. In a conventional mutual fund, redemptions can have an adverse tax impact on taxable shareholders if the mutual fund needs to sell portfolio securities to obtain cash to meet net fund redemptions. These sales may generate taxable gains for the ongoing shareholders of the mutual fund, whereas the Shares’ in-kind redemption mechanism generally will not lead to a tax event for the Funds or its ongoing shareholders.
Ordinarily, dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid annually by the Funds. The Funds distribute their 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.
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 individual retirement account, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when:
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A Fund makes distributions,
You sell your Shares listed on the Exchange, and
You purchase or redeem Creation Units.
Taxes on Distributions
As stated above, dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid monthly by the Funds. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from each Fund’s net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that each Fund’s dividends attributable to its “qualified dividend income” ( i.e ., dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which the Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are subject to federal income tax for non-corporate shareholders who satisfy those restrictions with respect to their Fund shares at the rate for net capital gain -- a maximum of 15% for taxable years beginning before 2013. A part of each Fund’s dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations -- the eligible portion may not exceed the aggregate dividends each Fund receives from domestic corporations subject to federal income tax (excluding REITs) and excludes dividends from foreign corporations -- subject to similar restrictions. However, dividends a corporate shareholder deducts pursuant to that deduction are subject indirectly to the federal alternative minimum tax.
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in the Funds (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional Shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional Shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have held the Shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the Shares and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund’s NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
By law, the Funds are required to withhold 28% of your distributions and redemption proceeds if you have not provided the Fund with a correct Social Security number or other taxpayer identification number and in certain other situations.
Taxes on Exchange-Listed Share Sales
Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of Shares may be limited.
Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units
An AP who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus any Cash Component it
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pays. An AP who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of the securities received plus any cash equal to the difference between the NAV of the Shares being redeemed and the value of the securities. The Internal Revenue Service (“Service”), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales” or for other reasons. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
Any capital gain or loss realized upon redemption of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year and as 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. See “Tax Status” in the SAI for a description of the newly effective requirement regarding basis determination methods applicable to Share redemptions and each Fund’s obligation to report basis information to the Service.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Funds. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the Shares under all applicable tax laws. See “T ax Status ” in the SAI for more information.
Fund Service Providers
Gemini Fund Services, LLC is the Funds’ administrator and fund accountant. It has its principal office at 80 Arkay Drive, Suite 110, Hauppauge, NY 11788, and is primarily in the business of providing administrative, fund accounting and transfer agent services to retail and institutional mutual funds. It is an affiliate of the Distributor.
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., 50 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02110, is the Funds’ transfer agent and custodian.
Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, NE 68130, is the distributor for the shares of the Funds. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
Thompson Hine LLP, 41 South High Street, 17th Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.
BBD, LLP, 1835 Market Street, 26th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for auditing the annual financial statements of the Funds.
Other Information
Investments by Investment Companies
The SEC has granted an exemptive order to the advisor permitting registered investment companies and unit investment trusts that enter into an agreement with the Trust (“Investing Funds”) to invest in series of the Trust beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act subject to certain
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terms and conditions. This aspect of the exemptive order is applicable to the Affinity ETF, but it is not applicable to the Anfield ETF. Accordingly, Investing Funds must adhere to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act when investing in the Anfield ETF.
Continuous Offering
The method by which Creation Units of Shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of Shares are issued and sold by the Funds on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares and sells the Shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the Shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.
Dealers effecting transactions in the Shares, whether or not participating in this distribution, are generally required to deliver a Prospectus. This is in addition to any obligation of dealers to deliver a Prospectus when acting as underwriters.
Householding: To reduce expenses, the Funds mail only one copy of the prospectus and each annual and semi-annual report to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, please call the Funds at [PHONE NUMBER] on days the Funds are open for business or contact your financial institution. The Funds will begin sending you individual copies thirty days after receiving your request.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Because the Funds have only recently commenced investment operations, no financial highlights are available for the Funds at this time. In the future, financial highlights will be presented in this section of the Prospectus.
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PRIVACY NOTICE
Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
Rev. August 2015
FACTS | WHAT DOES NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST IV DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION? |
Why? | Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some, but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do. |
What? |
The types of personal information we collect and share depends on the product or service that you have with us. This information can include: · Social Security number and wire transfer instructions · account transactions and transaction history · investment experience and purchase history When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice. |
How? | All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons Northern Lights Fund Trust IV chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing. |
Reasons we can share your personal information: | Does Northern Lights Fund Trust IV share information? | Can you limit this sharing? |
For our everyday business purposes - such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus. | YES | NO |
For our marketing purposes - to offer our products and services to you. | NO | We don’t share |
For joint marketing with other financial companies. | NO | We don’t share |
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes - information about your transactions and records. | NO | We don’t share |
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes - information about your credit worthiness. | NO | We don’t share |
For nonaffiliates to market to you | NO | We don’t share |
QUESTIONS? | Call 1-402-493-4603 |
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PRIVACY NOTICE
Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
Page 2 |
What we do : | |
How does Northern Lights Fund Trust IV protect my personal information? |
To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.
Our service providers are held accountable for adhering to strict policies and procedures to prevent any misuse of your nonpublic personal information. |
How does Northern Lights Fund Trust IV collect my personal information? |
We collect your personal information, for example, when you · open an account or deposit money · direct us to buy securities or direct us to sell your securities · seek advice about your investments We also collect your personal information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies. |
Why can’t I limit all sharing? |
Federal law gives you the right to limit only: · sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness. · affiliates from using your information to market to you. · sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you. State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing. |
Definitions | |
Affiliates |
Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies. · Northern Lights Fund Trust IV has no affiliates. |
Nonaffiliates |
Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies. · Northern Lights Fund Trust IV does not share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you. |
Joint marketing |
A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you. · Northern Lights Fund Trust IV does not jointly market . |
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Affinity Global Franchise ETF
Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF
Adviser |
Regents Park Funds, LLC 4695 MacArthur Court, Suite 430 Newport Beach, CA 92660 |
Distributor |
Northern Lights Distributors, LLC 17605 Wright Street Omaha, NE 68130 |
Custodian &Transfer Agent |
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. 50 Post Office Square Boston, MA 02110 |
Legal
Counsel |
Thompson Hine LLP 41 South High Street, Suite 1700 Columbus, OH 43215 |
Administrator |
Gemini Fund Services, LLC 17605 Wright Street, Suite 2 Omaha, NE 68130 |
Independent
Registered
|
BBD, LLP 1835 Market Street, 26th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103
|
Additional information about the Funds is included in the Funds’ SAI dated [____], 2016. The SAI is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference (i.e., legally made a part of this Prospectus). The SAI provides more details about the Funds’ policies and management. Additional information about the Funds’ investments will also be available in the Funds’ Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders. In the Funds’ Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Funds’ performance during the last fiscal year.
To obtain a free copy of the SAI and the Annual
and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders, or other information about the Funds, or to make shareholder inquiries about the Funds,
please call
[PHONE NUMBER]. The Funds do not have a website; however information relating to the Fund can be found on the website at [WEBSITE].
You may also write to:
Affinity Global Franchise ETF
Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF
c/o Gemini Fund Services, LLC
17605 Wright Street, Suite 2
Omaha, Nebraska 68130
You may review and obtain copies of the Funds’ information at the SEC Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Please call 1-202-551-8090 for information relating to the operation of the Public Reference Room. Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the Public Reference Section, Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.
Investment Company Act File # 811-23066
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The information in this Statement of Additional Information not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Statement of Additional Information is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Affinity Global Franchise ETF
[TICKER] |
Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF
[TICKER] |
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
[____], 2016
Listed and traded on:
the [EXCHANGE TBD]
This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the combined Prospectus of the Affinity Global Franchise ETF (“Affinity ETF”) and Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF (“Anfield ETF”) (each a "Fund" and, together, the “Funds”) dated [____], 2016. The Funds’ Prospectus is hereby incorporate by reference, which means it is legally part of this document. You can obtain copies of the Funds’ Prospectus, annual or semiannual reports without charge by contacting the Funds’ Distributor, Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, NE 68130-2095 or by calling [PHONE NUMBER]. You may also obtain a Prospectus by visiting the website at [WEBSITE].
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE FUNDS
The Funds are each diversified series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV, a Delaware statutory trust organized on June 2, 2015 (the "Trust"). The Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company. The Trust is governed by its Board of Trustees (the "Board" or "Trustees").
The Funds may issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest. All shares of each Fund have equal rights and privileges. Each share of each Fund is entitled to one vote on all matters as to which shares are entitled to vote. In addition, each share of each Fund is entitled to participate equally with other shares (i) in dividends and distributions declared by such Fund and (ii) on liquidation to its proportionate share of the assets remaining after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities. Shares of such Fund are fully paid, non-assessable and fully transferable when issued and have no pre-emptive, conversion or exchange rights. Fractional shares have proportionately the same rights, including voting rights, as are provided for a full share.
Each Fund’s investment objective, restrictions and policies are more fully described here and in the Prospectus. The Board may start other series and offer shares of a new fund under the Trust at any time.
The Funds will issue and redeem Shares at net asset value ("NAV") only in aggregations of 100,000 Shares (each a "Creation Unit"). The Funds will issue and redeem Creation Units principally in exchange for an in-kind deposit of a basket of designated securities (the "Deposit Securities"), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (the "Cash Component"), plus a transaction fee. The Funds are expected to be approved for listing, subject to notice of issuance, on [EXCHANGE TBD] (the "Exchange"). Shares will trade on the Exchange at market prices that may be below, at, or above NAV. In the event of the liquidation of the Funds, a share split, reverse split or the like, the Trust may revise the number of Shares in a Creation Unit.
The Funds reserve the right to offer creations and redemptions of Shares for cash. In addition, Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust cash equal to up to 115% of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities. In each instance of such cash creations or redemptions, transaction fees, may be imposed and may be higher than the transaction fees associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. See PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES below.
Exchange Listing and Trading
In order to provide additional information regarding the indicative value of Shares of the Funds, [EXCHANGE TBD] or a market data vendor will disseminate every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or other widely disseminated means an updated "intraday indicative value" ("IIV") for the Funds as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Trust is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIV and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIV.
TYPES OF INVESTMENTS
The investment objective of each Fund and the descriptions of each Fund’s principal investment strategies are set forth under "Investment Objective” and Principal Investment Strategies”
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in the Prospectus. Each Fund’s investment objective is not fundamental and may be changed without the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust.
The following pages contain more detailed information about the types of instruments in which each Fund may invest directly or indirectly as a principal or non-principal investment strategy. These instruments include other investment companies and strategies Regents Park Funds, LLC (the “Adviser”) or Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC and Anfield Capital Management, LLC (the “Sub-Advisers”) employs in pursuit of each Fund’s investment objective and a summary of related risks.
Securities of Other Investment Companies
Investments in ETFs and mutual funds involve certain additional expenses and certain tax results, which would not be present in a direct investment in such funds. Due to legal limitations, a Fund will be prevented from: 1) purchasing more than 3% of an investment company's (including ETFs) outstanding shares; 2) investing more than 5% of a Fund’s assets in any single such investment company, and 3) investing more than 10% of a Fund’s assets in investment companies overall; unless: (i) the underlying investment company and/or a Fund has received an order for exemptive relief from such limitations from the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"); and (ii) the underlying investment company and a Fund take appropriate steps to comply with any conditions in such order. In the alternative, a Fund may rely on Rule 12d1-3, which allows unaffiliated mutual funds to exceed the 5% limitation and the 10% limitation, provided the aggregate sales loads any investor pays (i.e., the combined distribution expenses of both the acquiring fund and the acquired fund) does not exceed the limits on sales loads established by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) for funds of funds. In addition to ETFs, a Fund may invest in other investment companies such as open-end mutual funds or exchange-traded funds, within the limitations described above. Each investment company is subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of a Fund. ETFs and mutual funds may employ leverage, which magnifies the changes in the underlying stock or other index upon which they are based.
Open-End Investment Companies
A Fund and any "affiliated persons," as defined by the 1940 Act, may purchase in the aggregate only up to 3% of the total outstanding securities of any underlying fund. Accordingly, when affiliated persons hold shares of any of the underlying fund, a Fund’s ability to invest fully in shares of those funds is restricted, and the Adviser must then, in some instances, select alternative investments that would not have been its first preference. The 1940 Act also provides that an underlying fund whose shares are purchased by a Fund will be obligated to redeem shares held by a Fund only in an amount up to 1% of the underlying fund’s outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days. Shares held by a Fund in excess of 1% of an underlying fund’s outstanding securities therefore, will be considered not readily marketable securities, which, together with other such securities, may not exceed 15% of a Fund’s total assets.
Under certain circumstances an underlying fund may determine to make payment of a redemption by a Fund wholly or partly by a distribution in kind of securities from its portfolio, in lieu of cash, in conformity with the rules of the SEC. In such cases, a Fund may hold securities distributed by an underlying fund until the Adviser determines that it is appropriate to dispose of such securities.
Investment decisions by the investment advisers of the underlying fund(s) are made independently of a Fund and the Adviser. Therefore, the investment adviser of one underlying fund may be purchasing shares of the same issuer whose shares are being sold by the investment adviser
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of another such fund. The result would be an indirect expense to a Fund without accomplishing any investment purpose.
Exchange Traded Funds
ETFs are generally passive funds that track their related index and have the flexibility of trading like a security. They are managed by professionals and typically provide the investor with diversification, cost and tax efficiency, liquidity, marginability, are useful for hedging, have the ability to go long and short, and some provide quarterly dividends. Additionally, some ETFs are unit investment trusts (“UITs”). Under certain circumstances, the adviser may invest in ETFs, known as "inverse funds," which are designed to produce results opposite to market trends. Inverse ETFs are funds designed to rise in price when stock prices are falling.
ETFs typically have two markets. The primary market is where institutions swap "creation units" in block-multiples of, for example, 50,000 shares for in-kind securities and cash in the form of dividends. The secondary market is where individual investors can trade as little as a single share during trading hours on the exchange. This is different from open-ended mutual funds that are traded after hours once the net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated. ETFs share many similar risks with open-end and closed-end funds.
Foreign Securities
Investing in securities of foreign companies and countries involves certain considerations and risks that are not typically associated with investing in U.S. government securities and securities of domestic companies. There may be less publicly available information about a foreign issuer than a domestic one, and foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. There may also be less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, brokers and listed companies than exists in the United States. Interest and dividends paid by foreign issuers may be subject to withholding and other foreign taxes, which may decrease the net return on such investments as compared to dividends and interest paid to a Fund by domestic companies or the U.S. government. There may be the possibility of expropriations, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, confiscatory taxation, political, economic or social instability or diplomatic developments that could affect assets of a Fund held in foreign countries. Finally, the establishment of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions could adversely affect the payment of obligations.
To the extent currency exchange transactions do not fully protect a Fund against adverse changes in currency exchange rates, decreases in the value of currencies of the foreign countries in which a Fund will invest relative to the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding decrease in the U.S. dollar value of a Fund’s assets denominated in those currencies (and possibly a corresponding increase in the amount of securities required to be liquidated to meet distribution requirements). Conversely, increases in the value of currencies of the foreign countries in which a Fund invests relative to the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding increase in the U.S. dollar value of a Fund’s assets (and possibly a corresponding decrease in the amount of securities to be liquidated).
Short Sales
A Fund may sell securities short as an outright investment strategy and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities. A short sale is a transaction in which a Fund sells a
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security it does not own or have the right to acquire (or that it owns but does not wish to deliver) in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.
When a Fund makes a short sale, the broker-dealer through which the short sale is made must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the party purchasing the security. A Fund is required to make a margin deposit in connection with such short sales; a Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and will often be obligated to pay over any dividends and accrued interest on borrowed securities.
If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time a Fund covers its short position, a Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, a Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.
To the extent a Fund sells securities short, it will provide collateral to the broker-dealer and (except in the case of short sales "against the box") will maintain additional asset coverage in the form of cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid securities with its custodian in a segregated account in an amount at least equal to the difference between the current market value of the securities sold short and any amounts required to be deposited as collateral with the selling broker. A short sale is "against the box" to the extent a Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short.
Equity Securities
Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks and securities convertible into common stocks, such as convertible bonds, warrants, rights and options. The value of equity securities varies in response to many factors, including the activities and financial condition of individual companies, the business market in which individual companies compete and general market and economic conditions. Equity securities fluctuate in value, often based on factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities, and such fluctuations can be significant.
Common Stock
Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company, and usually possesses voting rights and earns dividends. Dividends on common stock are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer. Common stock generally represents the riskiest investment in a company. In addition, common stock generally has the greatest appreciation and depreciation potential because increases and decreases in earnings are usually reflected in a company's stock price.
Preferred Stock
Preferred stock is a class of stock having a preference over common stock as to the payment of dividends and the recovery of investment should a company be liquidated, although preferred stock is usually junior to the debt securities of the issuer. Preferred stock typically does not possess voting rights and its market value may change based on changes in interest rates.
A Fundamental risk of investing in common and preferred stock is the risk that the value of the stock might decrease. Stock values fluctuate in response to the activities of an individual company or
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in response to general market and/or economic conditions. Historically, common stocks have provided greater long-term returns and have entailed greater short-term risks than preferred stocks, fixed-income securities and money market investments. The market value of all securities, including common and preferred stocks, is based upon the market's perception of value and not necessarily the book value of an issuer or other objective measures of a company's worth.
Convertible Securities
Convertible securities include fixed income securities that may be exchanged or converted into a predetermined number of shares of the issuer's underlying common stock at the option of the holder during a specified period. Convertible securities may take the form of convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds or debentures, units consisting of "usable" bonds and warrants or a combination of the features of several of these securities. Convertible securities are senior to common stocks in an issuer's capital structure, but are usually subordinated to similar non-convertible securities. While providing a fixed-income stream (generally higher in yield than the income derivable from common stock but lower than that afforded by a similar nonconvertible security), a convertible security also gives an investor the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the issuing company depending upon a market price advance in the convertible security's underlying common stock.
Real Estate Investment Trusts
A Fund may invest in securities of real estate investment trusts ("REITs"). REITs are publicly traded corporations or trusts that specialize in acquiring, holding and managing residential, commercial or industrial real estate. A REIT is not taxed at the entity level on income distributed to its shareholders or unitholders if it distributes to shareholders or unitholders at least 95% of its taxable income for each taxable year and complies with regulatory requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets and income.
REITs generally can be classified as "Equity REITs", "Mortgage REITs" and "Hybrid REITs." An Equity REIT invests the majority of its assets directly in real property and derives its income primarily from rents and from capital gains on real estate appreciation, which are realized through property sales. A Mortgage REIT invests the majority of its assets in real estate mortgage loans and services its income primarily from interest payments. A Hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of an Equity REIT and a Mortgage REIT. Although a Fund can invest in all three kinds of REITs, its emphasis is expected to be on investments in Equity REITs.
Investments in the real estate industry involve particular risks. The real estate industry has been subject to substantial fluctuations and declines on a local, regional and national basis in the past and may continue to be in the future. Real property values and income from real property continue to be in the future. Real property values and income from real property may decline due to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, regulatory limitations on rents, changes in neighborhoods and in demographics, increases in market interest rates, or other factors. Factors such as these may adversely affect companies that own and operate real estate directly, companies that lend to such companies, and companies that service the real estate industry.
Investments in REITs also involve risks. Equity REITs will be affected by changes in the values of and income from the properties they own, while Mortgage REITs may be affected by the credit quality of the mortgage loans they hold. In addition, REITs are dependent on specialized management skills and on their ability to generate cash flow for operating purposes and to make
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distributions to shareholders or unitholders REITs may have limited diversification and are subject to risks associated with obtaining financing for real property, as well as to the risk of self-liquidation. REITs also can be adversely affected by their failure to qualify for tax-free pass-through treatment of their income under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or their failure to maintain an exemption from registration under the 1940 Act. By investing in REITs indirectly through a Fund, a shareholder bears not only a proportionate share of the expenses of a Fund, but also may indirectly bear similar expenses of some of the REITs in which it invests.
Warrants
Warrants are options to purchase common stock at a specific price (usually at a premium above the market value of the optioned common stock at issuance) valid for a specific period of time. Warrants may have a life ranging from less than one year to twenty years, or they may be perpetual. However, most warrants have expiration dates after which they are worthless. In addition, a warrant is worthless if the market price of the common stock does not exceed the warrant's exercise price during the life of the warrant. Warrants have no voting rights, pay no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of the corporation issuing them. The percentage increase or decrease in the market price of the warrant may tend to be greater than the percentage increase or decrease in the market price of the optioned common stock.
Depositary Receipts
Sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), are receipts issued by an American bank or trust company evidencing ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets. Unsponsored ADRs may be created without the participation of the foreign issuer. Holders of these ADRs generally bear all the costs of the ADR facility, whereas foreign issuers typically bear certain costs in a sponsored ADR. The bank or trust company depositary of an unsponsored ADR may be under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the foreign issuer or to pass through voting rights. Many of the risks described below regarding foreign securities apply to investments in ADRs.
Emerging Markets Securities
Investing in emerging market securities imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in foreign developed countries. These risks include: smaller market capitalization of securities markets, which may suffer periods of relative illiquidity; significant price volatility; restrictions on foreign investment; possible repatriation of investment income and capital. In addition, foreign investors may be required to register the proceeds of sales; future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure, nationalization, or creation of government monopolies. The currencies of emerging market countries may experience significant declines against the U.S. dollar, and devaluation may occur subsequent to investments in these currencies by a Fund. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries.
Additional risks of emerging markets securities may include: greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability; more substantial governmental involvement in the economy; less governmental supervision and regulation; unavailability of currency hedging techniques; companies that are newly organized and small; differences in auditing and financial reporting standards, which
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may result in unavailability of material information about issuers; and less developed legal systems. In addition, emerging securities markets may have different clearance and settlement procedures, which may be unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions or otherwise make it difficult to engage in such transactions. Settlement problems may cause a Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities, hold a portion of its assets in cash pending investment, or be delayed in disposing of a portfolio security. Such a delay could result in possible liability to a purchaser of the security.
Certificates of Deposit and Bankers' Acceptances
Certificates of deposit are receipts issued by a depository institution in exchange for the deposit of funds. The issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the receipt on the date specified on the certificate. The certificate usually can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity. Bankers' acceptances typically arise from short-term credit arrangements designed to enable businesses to obtain funds to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then "accepted" by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an earning asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of discount for a specific maturity. Although maturities for acceptances can be as long as 270 days, most acceptances have maturities of six months or less.
Commercial Paper
Commercial paper consists of short-term (usually from 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their current operations. It may be secured by letters of credit, a surety bond or other forms of collateral. Commercial paper is usually repaid at maturity by the issuer from the proceeds of the issuance of new commercial paper. As a result, investment in commercial paper is subject to the risk the issuer cannot issue enough new commercial paper to satisfy its outstanding commercial paper, also known as rollover risk. Commercial paper may become illiquid or may suffer from reduced liquidity in certain circumstances. Like all fixed income securities, commercial paper prices are susceptible to fluctuations in interest rates. If interest rates rise, commercial paper prices will decline. The short-term nature of a commercial paper investment makes it less susceptible to interest rate risk than many other fixed income securities because interest rate risk typically increases as maturity lengths increase. Commercial paper tends to yield smaller returns than longer-term corporate debt because securities with shorter maturities typically have lower effective yields than those with longer maturities. As with all fixed income securities, there is a chance that the issuer will default on its commercial paper obligation.
Information on Time Deposits and Variable Rate Notes
Time deposits are issued by a depository institution in exchange for the deposit of funds. The issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the depositor on the date specified with respect to the deposit. Time deposits do not trade in the secondary market prior to maturity. However, some time deposits may be redeemable prior to maturity and may be subject to withdrawal penalties.
The commercial paper obligations are typically unsecured and may include variable rate notes. The nature and terms of a variable rate note (i.e., a "Master Note") permit a Fund to invest fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement between a Fund and the issuer.
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It permits daily changes in the amounts invested. A Fund, typically, has the right at any time to increase, up to the full amount stated in the note agreement, or to decrease the amount outstanding under the note. The issuer may prepay at any time and without penalty any part of or the full amount of the note. The note may or may not be backed by one or more bank letters of credit. Because these notes are direct investment arrangements between a Fund and the issuer, it is not generally contemplated that they will be traded; moreover, there is currently no secondary market for them. Except as specifically provided in the Prospectus, there is no limitation on the type of issuer from whom these notes may be purchased; however, in connection with such purchase and on an ongoing basis, the Adviser will consider the earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios of the issuer, and its ability to pay principal and interest on demand, including a situation in which all holders of such notes made demand simultaneously. Variable rate notes are subject to a Fund’s investment restriction on illiquid securities unless such notes can be put back to the issuer (redeemed) on demand within seven days.
Insured Bank Obligations
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") insures the deposits of federally insured banks and savings and loan associations (collectively referred to as "banks") up to $250,000. A Fund may elect to purchase bank obligations in small amounts so as to be fully insured as to principal by the FDIC. Currently, to remain fully insured as to principal, these investments must be limited to $250,000 per bank; if the principal amount and accrued interest together exceed $250,000, the excess principal and accrued interest will not be insured. Insured bank obligations may have limited marketability.
Closed-End Investment Companies
A Fund may invest its assets in "closed-end" investment companies (or "closed-end funds"), subject to the investment restrictions set forth above. Shares of closed-end funds are typically offered to the public in a one-time initial public offering by a group of underwriters who retain a spread or underwriting commission of between 4% or 6% of the initial public offering price. Such securities are then listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange, the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (commonly known as "NASDAQ") or, in some cases, may be traded in other over-the-counter markets. Because the shares of closed-end funds cannot be redeemed upon demand to the issuer like the shares of an open-end investment company (such as a Fund), investors seek to buy and sell shares of closed-end funds in the secondary market.
A Fund generally will purchase shares of closed-end funds only in the secondary market. A Fund will incur normal brokerage costs on such purchases similar to the expenses a Fund would incur for the purchase of securities of any other type of issuer in the secondary market. A Fund may, however, also purchase securities of a closed-end fund in an initial public offering when, in the opinion of the Adviser, based on a consideration of the nature of the closed-end fund’s proposed investments, the prevailing market conditions and the level of demand for such securities, they represent an attractive opportunity for growth of capital. The initial offering price typically will include a dealer spread, which may be higher than the applicable brokerage cost if a Fund purchased such securities in the secondary market.
The shares of many closed-end funds, after their initial public offering, frequently trade at a price per share, which is less than the net asset value per share, the difference representing the "market discount" of such shares. This market discount may be due in part to the investment objective of long-term appreciation, which is sought by many closed-end funds, as well as to the fact
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that the shares of closed-end funds are not redeemable by the holder upon demand to the issuer at the next determined net asset value but rather are subject to the principles of supply and demand in the secondary market. A relative lack of secondary market purchasers of closed-end fund shares also may contribute to such shares trading at a discount to their net asset value.
A Fund may invest in shares of closed-end funds that are trading at a discount to net asset value or at a premium to net asset value. There can be no assurance that the market discount on shares of any closed-end fund purchased by a Fund will ever decrease. In fact, it is possible that this market discount may increase and a Fund may suffer realized or unrealized capital losses due to further decline in the market price of the securities of such closed-end funds, thereby adversely affecting the net asset value of a Fund’s shares. Similarly, there can be no assurance that any shares of a closed-end fund purchased by a Fund at a premium will continue to trade at a premium or that the premium will not decrease subsequent to a purchase of such shares by a Fund.
Closed-end funds may issue senior securities (including preferred stock and debt obligations) for the purpose of leveraging the closed-end fund’s common shares in an attempt to enhance the current return to such closed-end fund’s common shareholders. A Fund’s investment in the common shares of closed-end funds that are financially leveraged may create an opportunity for greater total return on its investment, but at the same time may be expected to exhibit more volatility in market price and net asset value than an investment in shares of investment companies without a leveraged capital structure.
United States Government Obligations
These consist of various types of marketable securities issued by the United States Treasury, i.e., bills, notes and bonds. Such securities are direct obligations of the United States government and differ mainly in the length of their maturity. Treasury bills, the most frequently issued marketable government security, have a maturity of up to one year and are issued on a discount basis.
United States Government Agencies
These consist of debt securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the United States government, including the various types of instruments currently outstanding or which may be offered in the future. Agencies include, among others, the Federal Housing Administration, Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"), Farmer's Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Maritime Administration, and General Services Administration. Instrumentalities include, for example, each of the Federal Home Loan Banks, the National Bank for Cooperatives, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac"), the Farm Credit Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"), and the United States Postal Service. These securities are either: (i) backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government (e.g., United States Treasury Bills); (ii) guaranteed by the United States Treasury (e.g., Ginnie Mae mortgage-backed securities); (iii) supported by the issuing agency's or instrumentality's right to borrow from the United States Treasury (e.g., Fannie Mae Discount Notes); or (iv) supported only by the issuing agency's or instrumentality's own credit (e.g., Tennessee Valley Association).
Government-related guarantors (i.e. not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government) include Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie Mae is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Fannie Mae purchases conventional (i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers
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which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by Fannie Mae are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by Fannie Mae but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government.
Freddie Mac was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a government-sponsored corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks and now owned entirely by private stockholders. Freddie Mac issues PCs, which represent interests in conventional mortgages from Freddie Mac's national portfolio. Freddie Mac guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government. Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may, in addition, be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such nongovernmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit. The insurance and guarantees are issued by governmental entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers.
On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Authority (the "FHFA") announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had been placed into conservatorship, a statutory process designed to stabilize a troubled institution with the objective of returning the entity to normal business operations. The U.S. Treasury Department and the FHFA at the same time established a secured lending facility and a Secured Stock Purchase Agreement with both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to ensure that each entity had the ability to fulfill its financial obligations. The FHFA announced that it does not anticipate any disruption in pattern of payments or ongoing business operations of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
Securities Options
A Fund may purchase and write ( i.e., sell) put and call options. Such options may relate to particular securities or stock indices, and may or may not be listed on a domestic or foreign securities exchange and may or may not be issued by the Options Clearing Corporation. Options trading is a highly specialized activity that entails greater than ordinary investment risk. Options may be more volatile than the underlying instruments, and therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation than an investment in the underlying instruments themselves.
A call option for a particular security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer (seller) the obligation to sell, the underlying security at the stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration of the option, regardless of the market price of the security. The premium paid to the writer is in consideration for undertaking the obligation under the option contract. A put option for a particular security gives the purchaser the right to sell the security at the stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration date of the option, regardless of the market price of the security.
Stock index options are put options and call options on various stock indices. In most respects, they are identical to listed options on common stocks. The primary difference between
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stock options and index options occurs when index options are exercised. In the case of stock options, the underlying security, common stock, is delivered. However, upon the exercise of an index option, settlement does not occur by delivery of the securities comprising the index. The option holder who exercises the index option receives an amount of cash if the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based is greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the stock index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple. A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market value of the stocks included in the index. For example, some stock index options are based on a broad market index, such as the Standard & Poor's 500® Index or the Value Line Composite Index or a narrower market index, such as the Standard & Poor's 100®. Indices may also be based on an industry or market segment, such as the NYSE Arca Oil and Gas Index or the Computer and Business Equipment Index. Options on stock indices are currently traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ PHLX.
A Fund’s obligation to sell an instrument subject to a call option written by it, or to purchase an instrument subject to a put option written by it, may be terminated prior to the expiration date of the option by a Fund’s execution of a closing purchase transaction, which is effected by purchasing on an exchange an option of the same series ( i.e. , same underlying instrument, exercise price and expiration date) as the option previously written. A closing purchase transaction will ordinarily be effected to realize a profit on an outstanding option, to prevent an underlying instrument from being called, to permit the sale of the underlying instrument or to permit the writing of a new option containing different terms on such underlying instrument. The cost of such a liquidation purchase plus transactions costs may be greater than the premium received upon the original option, in which event a Fund will have paid a loss in the transaction. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option. An option writer unable to effect a closing purchase transaction will not be able to sell the underlying instrument or liquidate the assets held in a segregated account, as described below, until the option expires or the optioned instrument is delivered upon exercise. In such circumstances, the writer will be subject to the risk of market decline or appreciation in the instrument during such period.
If an option purchased by a Fund expires unexercised, a Fund realizes a loss equal to the premium paid. If a Fund enters into a closing sale transaction on an option purchased by it, a Fund will realize a gain if the premium received by a Fund on the closing transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, or a loss if it is less. If an option written by a Fund expires on the stipulated expiration date or if a Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will realize a gain (or loss if the cost of a closing purchase transaction exceeds the net premium received when the option is sold). If an option written by a Fund is exercised, the proceeds of the sale will be increased by the net premium originally received and a Fund will realize a gain or loss.
Certain Risks Regarding Options
There are several risks associated with transactions in options. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options, whether traded over-the-counter or on an exchange, may be absent for reasons which include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities or currencies; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; the facilities of an
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exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading value; or one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
Successful use by a Fund of options on stock indices will be subject to the ability of the Adviser to correctly predict movements in the directions of the stock market. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. In addition, a Fund’s ability to effectively hedge all or a portion of the securities in its portfolio, in anticipation of or during a market decline, through transactions in put options on stock indices, depends on the degree to which price movements in the underlying index correlate with the price movements of the securities held by a Fund. Inasmuch as a Fund’s securities will not duplicate the components of an index, the correlation will not be perfect. Consequently, a Fund bears the risk that the prices of its securities being hedged will not move in the same amount as the prices of its put options on the stock indices. It is also possible that there may be a negative correlation between the index and a Fund’s securities that would result in a loss on both such securities and the options on stock indices acquired by a Fund.
The hours of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options markets. The purchase of options is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The purchase of stock index options involves the risk that the premium and transaction costs paid by a Fund in purchasing an option will be lost as a result of unanticipated movements in prices of the securities comprising the stock index on which the option is based.
There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an options exchange will exist for any particular option, or at any particular time, and for some options no secondary market on an exchange or elsewhere may exist. If a Fund is unable to close out a call option on securities that it has written before the option is exercised, a Fund may be required to purchase the optioned securities in order to satisfy its obligation under the option to deliver such securities. If a Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options on securities that it has purchased, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit and would incur transaction costs upon the purchase and sale of the underlying securities.
Cover for Options Positions
Transactions using options (other than options that a Fund has purchased) expose a Fund to an obligation to another party. A Fund will not enter into any such transactions unless it owns either (i) an offsetting ("covered") position in securities or other options or (ii) cash or liquid securities with a value sufficient at all times to cover its potential obligations not covered as provided in (i) above. A Fund will comply with SEC guidelines regarding cover for these instruments and, if the guidelines so require, set aside cash or liquid securities in a segregated account with a Fund’ custodian in the prescribed amount. Under current SEC guidelines, a Fund will segregate assets to cover transactions in which a Fund writes or sells options.
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Assets used as cover or held in a segregated account cannot be sold while the position in the corresponding option is open, unless they are replaced with similar assets. As a result, the commitment of a large portion of a Fund’s assets to cover or segregated accounts could impede portfolio management or a Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
Options on Futures Contracts
A Fund may purchase and sell options on the same types of futures in which it may invest. Options on futures are similar to options on underlying instruments except that options on futures give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put), rather than to purchase or sell the futures contract, at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by the delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer's futures margin account which represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract, at exercise, exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures contract. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the exercise date suffer a loss of the premium paid.
Dealer Options
A Fund may engage in transactions involving dealer options as well as exchange-traded options. Certain additional risks are specific to dealer options. While a Fund might look to a clearing corporation to exercise exchange-traded options, if a Fund were to purchase a dealer option it would need to rely on the dealer from which it purchased the option to perform if the option were exercised. Failure by the dealer to do so would result in the loss of the premium paid by a Fund as well as loss of the expected benefit of the transaction.
Exchange-traded options generally have a continuous liquid market while dealer options may not. Consequently, a Fund may generally be able to realize the value of a dealer option it has purchased only by exercising or reselling the option to the dealer who issued it. Similarly, when a Fund writes a dealer option, it may generally be able to close out the option prior to its expiration only by entering into a closing purchase transaction with the dealer to whom a Fund originally wrote the option. While a Fund will seek to enter into dealer options only with dealers who will agree to and which are expected to be capable of entering into closing transactions with a Fund, there can be no assurance that a Fund will at any time be able to liquidate a dealer option at a favorable price at any time prior to expiration. Unless a Fund, as a covered dealer call option writer, is able to effect a closing purchase transaction, it will not be able to liquidate securities (or other assets) used as cover until the option expires or is exercised. In the event of insolvency of the other party, a Fund may be unable to liquidate a dealer option. With respect to options written by a Fund, the inability to enter into a closing transaction may result in material losses to a Fund. For example, because a Fund must maintain a secured position with respect to any call option on a security it writes, a Fund may not sell the assets, which it has segregated to secure the position while it is obligated under the option. This requirement may impair a Fund’s ability to sell portfolio securities at a time when such sale might be advantageous.
The Staff of the SEC has taken the position that purchased dealer options are illiquid securities. A Fund may treat the cover used for written dealer options as liquid if the dealer agrees that a Fund may repurchase the dealer option it has written for a maximum price to be calculated by a
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predetermined formula. In such cases, the dealer option would be considered illiquid only to the extent the maximum purchase price under the formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option. Accordingly, a Fund will treat dealer options as subject to a Fund’s limitation on illiquid securities. If the SEC changes its position on the liquidity of dealer options, a Fund will change its treatment of such instruments accordingly.
Spread Transactions
A Fund may purchase covered spread options from securities dealers. These covered spread options are not presently exchange-listed or exchange-traded. The purchase of a spread option gives a Fund the right to put securities that it owns at a fixed dollar spread or fixed yield spread in relationship to another security that a Fund does not own, but which is used as a benchmark. The risk to a Fund, in addition to the risks of dealer options described above, is the cost of the premium paid as well as any transaction costs. The purchase of spread options will be used to protect a Fund against adverse changes in prevailing credit quality spreads, i.e., the yield spread between high quality and lower quality securities. This protection is provided only during the life of the spread options.
Repurchase Agreements
A Fund may enter into repurchase agreements. In a repurchase agreement, an investor (such as a Fund) purchases a security (known as the "underlying security") from a securities dealer or bank. Any such dealer or bank must be deemed creditworthy by the Adviser. At that time, the bank or securities dealer agrees to repurchase the underlying security at a mutually agreed upon price on a designated future date. The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase price, the difference being income to a Fund, or the purchase and repurchase prices may be the same, with interest at an agreed upon rate due to a Fund on repurchase. In either case, the income to a Fund generally will be unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying securities. Repurchase agreements must be "fully collateralized," in that the market value of the underlying securities (including accrued interest) must at all times be equal to or greater than the repurchase price. Therefore, a repurchase agreement can be considered a loan collateralized by the underlying securities.
Repurchase agreements are generally for a short period of time, often less than a week, and will generally be used by a Fund to invest excess cash or as part of a temporary defensive strategy. Repurchase agreements that do not provide for payment within seven days will be treated as illiquid securities. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default by the seller of a repurchase agreement, a Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying security and losses. These losses could result from: (a) possible decline in the value of the underlying security while a Fund is seeking to enforce its rights under the repurchase agreement; (b) possible reduced levels of income or lack of access to income during this period; and (c) expenses of enforcing its rights.
Trading in Futures Contracts
A futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific financial instrument (e.g., units of a stock index) for a specified price, date, time and place designated at the time the contract is made. Brokerage fees are paid when a futures contract is bought or sold and margin deposits must be maintained. Entering into a contract to buy is commonly referred to as buying or purchasing a contract or holding a long position. Entering into a contract to sell is commonly referred to as selling a contract or holding a short position.
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Unlike when a Fund purchases or sells a security, no price would be paid or received by a Fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Upon entering into a futures contract, and to maintain a Fund’s open positions in futures contracts, a Fund would be required to deposit with its custodian or futures broker in a segregated account in the name of the futures broker an amount of cash, U.S. government securities, suitable money market instruments, or other liquid securities, known as "initial margin." The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded, and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margins that may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded.
If the price of an open futures contract changes (by increase in underlying instrument or index in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the futures contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin. However, if the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the futures contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, the broker will pay the excess to a Fund.
These subsequent payments, called "variation margin," to and from the futures broker, are made on a daily basis as the price of the underlying assets fluctuate making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as "marking to the market." A Fund expect to earn interest income on margin deposits.
Although certain futures contracts, by their terms, require actual future delivery of and payment for the underlying instruments, in practice most futures contracts are usually closed out before the delivery date. Closing out an open futures contract purchase or sale is effected by entering into an offsetting futures contract sale or purchase, respectively, for the same aggregate amount of the identical underlying instrument or index and the same delivery date. If the offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, a Fund realizes a gain; if it is more, a Fund realizes a loss. Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, a Fund realizes a gain; if it is less, a Fund realizes a loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. There can be no assurance, however, that a Fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular futures contract at a particular time. If a Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, a Fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin deposits on the futures contract.
For example, one contract in the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index future is a contract to buy 25 pounds sterling multiplied by the level of the UK Financial Times 100 Share Index on a given future date. Settlement of a stock index futures contract may or may not be in the underlying instrument or index. If not in the underlying instrument or index, then settlement will be made in cash, equivalent over time to the difference between the contract price and the actual price of the underlying asset at the time the stock index futures contract expires.
Regulation as a Commodity Pool Operator
The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, has filed with the National Futures Association, a notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term "commodity pool operator" under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended, and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to both Funds’ operation. Accordingly, each Fund is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator.
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When-Issued, Forward Commitments and Delayed Settlements
A Fund may purchase and sell securities on a when-issued, forward commitment or delayed settlement basis. In this event, the Custodian (as defined under the section entitled "Custodian") will segregate liquid assets equal to the amount of the commitment in a separate account. Normally, the Custodian will set aside portfolio securities to satisfy a purchase commitment. In such a case, a Fund may be required subsequently to segregate additional assets in order to assure that the value of the account remains equal to the amount of a Fund’s commitment. It may be expected that a Fund’s net assets will fluctuate to a greater degree when it sets aside portfolio securities to cover such purchase commitments than when it sets aside cash.
A Fund does not intend to engage in these transactions for speculative purposes but only in furtherance of its investment objectives. Because a Fund will segregate liquid assets to satisfy purchase commitments in the manner described, a Fund’s liquidity and the ability of the Adviser to manage them may be affected in the event a Fund’s forward commitments, commitments to purchase when-issued securities and delayed settlements ever exceeded 15% of the value of its net assets.
A Fund will purchase securities on a when-issued, forward commitment or delayed settlement basis only with the intention of completing the transaction. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, however, a Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it is entered into, and may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to a Fund on the settlement date. In these cases a Fund may realize a taxable capital gain or loss. When a Fund engages in when-issued, forward commitment and delayed settlement transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of such party to do so may result in a Fund incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price credited to be advantageous.
The market value of the securities underlying a when-issued purchase, forward commitment to purchase securities, or a delayed settlement and any subsequent fluctuations in their market value is taken into account when determining the market value of a Fund starting on the day a Fund agrees to purchase the securities. A Fund does not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until it has paid for and delivered on the settlement date.
Illiquid and Restricted Securities
A Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities include securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale (e.g., because they have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act")) and securities that are otherwise not readily marketable (e.g., because trading in the security is suspended or because market makers do not exist or will not entertain bids or offers). Securities that have not been registered under the Securities Act are referred to as private placements or restricted securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market. Foreign securities that are freely tradable in their principal markets are not considered to be illiquid.
Restricted and other illiquid securities may be subject to the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. A Fund might be unable to dispose of illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty in satisfying redemption requests from shareholders. A Fund might have to register restricted securities in order to dispose of them, resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities.
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A large institutional market exists for certain securities that are not registered under the Securities Act, including foreign securities. The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments. Rule 144A under the Securities Act allows such a broader institutional trading market for securities otherwise subject to restrictions on resale to the general public. Rule 144A establishes a "safe harbor" from the registration requirements of the Securities Act for resale of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers. Rule 144A has produced enhanced liquidity for many restricted securities, and market liquidity for such securities may continue to expand as a result of this regulation and the consequent existence of the PORTAL system, which is an automated system for the trading, clearance and settlement of unregistered securities of domestic and foreign issuers sponsored by NASDAQ.
Under guidelines adopted by the Trust's Board, a Fund’s Adviser may determine that particular Rule 144A securities, and commercial paper issued in reliance on the private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, are liquid even though they are not registered. A determination of whether such a security is liquid or not is a question of fact. In making this determination, the Adviser will consider, as it deems appropriate under the circumstances and among other factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security; (3) the number of other potential purchasers of the security; (4) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; (5) the nature of the security (e.g., debt or equity, date of maturity, terms of dividend or interest payments, and other material terms) and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers, and the mechanics of transfer); and (6) the rating of the security and the financial condition and prospects of the issuer. In the case of commercial paper, the Adviser will also determine that the paper (1) is not traded flat or in default as to principal and interest, and (2) is rated in one of the two highest rating categories by at least two National Statistical Rating Organizations ("NRSROs") or, if only one NRSRO rates the security, by that NRSRO, or, if the security is unrated, the Adviser determines that it is of equivalent quality.
Rule 144A securities and Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper that have been deemed liquid as described above will continue to be monitored by the Adviser to determine if the security is no longer liquid as the result of changed conditions. Investing in Rule 144A securities or Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper could have the effect of increasing the amount of a Fund’s assets invested in illiquid securities if institutional buyers are unwilling to purchase such securities.
Lending Portfolio Securities
For the purpose of achieving income, a Fund may lend its portfolio securities, provided (1) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities or cash or cash equivalents (cash, U.S. Government securities, negotiable certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned, (2) a Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of securities loaned, (3) a Fund will receive any interest or dividends received on the loaned securities, and (4) the aggregate value of the securities loaned will not at any time exceed one-third of the total assets of a Fund.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
Each Fund has adopted the following investment restrictions that may not be changed without approval by a "majority of the outstanding shares" of the Fund, which, as used in this SAI, means the vote of the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting, if the
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holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Each Fund may not:
1. Issue senior securities, except as otherwise permitted under the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;
2. Borrow money, except (a) from a bank, provided that immediately after such borrowing there is an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings of the Fund; or (b) from a bank or other persons for temporary purposes only, provided that such temporary borrowings are in an amount not exceeding 5% of the Fund’s total assets at the time when the borrowing is made. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from entering into reverse repurchase transactions, provided that the Fund has an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings and repurchase commitments of the Fund pursuant to reverse repurchase transactions;
3. Purchase securities on margin, participate on a joint or joint and several basis in any securities trading account, or underwrite securities. (Does not preclude the Fund from obtaining such short-term credit as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of its portfolio securities, and except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act, by virtue of disposing of portfolio securities);
4. Purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate. This limitation is not applicable to investments in marketable securities that are secured by or represent interests in real estate. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from investing in mortgage-related securities or investing in companies engaged in the real estate business or that have a significant portion of their assets in real estate (including real estate investment trusts);
5. Invest more than 25% of the market value of its assets in the securities of companies engaged in any one industry or group of industries. (Does not apply to investment in the securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.);
6. Purchase or sell commodities (unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments) or commodity futures contracts, except that the Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts and options to the full extent permitted under the 1940 Act, sell foreign currency contracts in accordance with any rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, invest in securities or other instruments backed by commodities, and invest in companies that are engaged in a commodities business or have a significant portion of their assets in commodities; or
7. Make loans to others, except that the Fund may, in accordance with its investment objective and policies, (i) lend portfolio securities, (ii) purchase and hold debt securities or other debt instruments, including but not limited to loan participations and sub-participations, assignments, and structured securities, (iii) make loans secured by mortgages on real property, (iv) enter into repurchase agreements, (v) enter into transactions where each loan is represented by a note executed by the borrower, and (vi) make time deposits with financial institutions and invest in instruments issued by financial institutions. For purposes of this limitation, the term "loans" shall not include the purchase of a portion of an issue of publicly distributed bonds, debentures or other securities.
If a restriction on the Fund’s investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of Fund assets invested in certain securities or other
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instruments of the Fund’s investment portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of the Fund’s total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction; provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.
With respect to fundamental investment limitation 2 above, if the Fund’s asset coverage falls below 300%, the Fund will reduce borrowing within 3 days in order to ensure that the Fund has 300% asset coverage.
With respect to Fundamental Investment Restriction #5, if the Fund invests in one or more investment companies that concentrates its investments in a particular industry, the Fund will examine its other investment company holdings to ensure that the Fund is not indirectly concentrating its investments in a particular industry.
Although fundamental investment restriction #7 reserves for the Fund the ability to make loans, there is no present intent to loan money or portfolio securities and additional disclosure will be provided if such a strategy is implemented in the future.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Trust has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about each Fund's portfolio holdings. The Funds and their service providers may not receive compensation or any other consideration (which includes any agreement to maintain assets in the Fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the Adviser or any affiliated person of the Adviser) in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information of the Funds. The Trust’s policy is implemented and overseen by the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund, subject to the oversight of the Board. Periodic reports regarding these procedures will be provided to the Board. The Trust, the Adviser and the Distributor will not disseminate non-public information concerning the Trust. The Board must approve all material amendments to this policy.
Each business day, the Fund’s portfolio holdings information will generally be provided for dissemination through the facilities of the National Securities Clearing Corporation ("NSCC") and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee-based subscription services, including Authorized Participants (as defined below), 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 Funds in the secondary market. This information typically reflects the Fund’s anticipated holdings as of the next Business Day.
Access to information concerning each Fund's portfolio holdings may be permitted to personnel of third party service providers, including the Funds’ custodian, transfer agent, auditors and counsel, as may be necessary to conduct business in the ordinary course in a manner consistent with such service providers' agreements with the Trust on behalf of the Funds.
The Funds disclose on the Adviser’s website at [WEBSITE] at the start of each Business Day the identities and quantities of the securities and other assets held by the Funds that will form the basis of each Fund’s calculation of its NAV on that Business Day. The portfolio holdings so disclosed will be based on information as of the close of business on the prior Business Day and/or trades that have been completed prior to the opening of business on that Business Day and that are expected to settle on that Business Day. The Funds may also concurrently disclose this portfolio holdings information directly to ratings agencies on a daily basis.
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Quarterly Portfolio Schedule . The Trust is required to disclose, after its first and third fiscal quarters, the complete schedule of each Fund's portfolio holdings with the SEC on Form N-Q. The Trust will also disclose a complete schedule of each Fund's portfolio holdings with the SEC on Form N-CSR after its second and fourth quarters.
Form N-Q and Form N-CSR for the Funds will be available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Each Fund's Form N-Q and Form N-CSR, when available, may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 202-551-8090. Each Fund's Form N-Q and Form N-CSR will be available without charge, upon request, by calling [WEBSITE] or by writing to: Regents Park Funds, c/o Gemini Fund Services, LLC, 80 Arkay Drive, Suite 110, Hauppauge, New York 11788.
The Adviser and Sub-Advisers . Personnel of the Adviser or Sub-Advisers, including personnel responsible for managing each Fund’s portfolio, may have full daily access to Fund portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for the Adviser or Sub-Advsier to provide its management, administrative, and investment services to the Funds. As required for purposes of analyzing the impact of existing and future market changes on the prices, availability, as demand and liquidity of such securities, as well as for the assistance of portfolio managers in the trading of such securities, Adviser or Sub-Adviser personnel may also release and discuss certain portfolio holdings with various broker-dealers.
Gemini Fund Services, LLC. Gemini Fund Services, LLC is the fund accountant, administrator and custody administrator for the Funds; therefore, its personnel have full daily access to each Fund’s portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for the Trust.
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. is custodian and transfer agent for the Funds; therefore, its personnel have full daily access to each Fund’s portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for the Trust.
BBD, LLP. BBD, LLP is each Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm; therefore, its personnel have access to each Fund’s portfolio holdings in connection with auditing of each Fund’s annual financial statements and providing assistance and consultation in connection with SEC filings.
Thompson Hine LLP. Thompson Hine LLP is counsel to the Funds; therefore, its personnel have access to each Fund’s portfolio holdings in connection with review of each Fund’s annual and semi-annual shareholder reports and SEC filings.
Additions to List of Approved Recipients
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer is the person responsible, and whose prior approval is required, for any disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio securities at any time or to any persons other than those described above. In such cases, the recipient must have a legitimate business need for the information and must be subject to a duty to keep the information confidential. There are no ongoing arrangements in place with respect to the disclosure of portfolio holdings. In no event shall the Funds, the Adviser, or any other party receive any direct or indirect compensation in connection with the disclosure of information about the Funds’ portfolio holdings.
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Compliance with Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Procedures
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer will report periodically to the Board with respect to compliance with the Funds’ portfolio holdings disclosure procedures, and from time to time will provide the Board any updates to the portfolio holdings disclosure policies and procedures.
There is no assurance that the Trust's policies on disclosure of portfolio holdings will protect The Funds from the potential misuse of holdings information by individuals or firms in possession of that information.
MANAGEMENT
The business of the Trust is managed under the direction of the Board in accordance with the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and the Trust's By-laws (the "Governing Documents"), which have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and are available upon request. The Board consists of four (4) individuals, each of whom are not "interested persons" (as defined under the 1940 Act) of the Trust or any investment adviser to any series of the Trust ("Independent Trustees"). Pursuant to the Governing Documents of the Trust, the Trustees shall elect officers including a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Principal Executive Officer and a Principal Accounting Officer. The Board retains the power to conduct, operate and carry on the business of the Trust and has the power to incur and pay any expenses, which, in the opinion of the Board, are necessary or incidental to carry out any of the Trust's purposes. The Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust, when acting in such capacities, shall not be subject to any personal liability except for his or her own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties.
Board Leadership Structure
The Trust is led by Joseph Breslin, who has served as the Chairman of the Board since July 2015. The Board of Trustees is comprised of four independent Trustees. Additionally, under certain 1940 Act governance guidelines that apply to the Trust, the Independent Trustees will meet in executive session, at least quarterly. Under the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, the Chairman of the Board is responsible for (a) presiding at board meetings, (b) calling special meetings on an as-needed basis, (c) execution and administration of Trust policies including (i) setting the agendas for board meetings and (ii) providing information to board members in advance of each board meeting and between board meetings. The Trust believes that its Chairman, the independent chair of the Audit Committee, and, as an entity, the full Board of Trustees, provide effective leadership that is in the best interests of the Trust, its funds and each shareholder.
Board Risk Oversight
The Board of Trustees has a standing independent Audit Committee with a separate chair, Ira Rothblut. The Board is responsible for overseeing risk management, and the full Board regularly engages in discussions of risk management and receives compliance reports that inform its oversight of risk management from its Chief Compliance Officer at quarterly meetings and on an ad hoc basis, when and if necessary. The Audit Committee considers financial and reporting risk within its area of responsibilities. Generally, the Board believes that its oversight of material risks is adequately maintained through the compliance-reporting chain where the Chief Compliance Officer is the primary recipient and communicator of such risk-related information.
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Trustee Qualifications
Generally, the Trust believes that each Trustee is competent to serve because of their individual overall merits including: (i) experience, (ii) qualifications, (iii) attributes and (iv) skills. Mr. Breslin has over 20 years of business experience in the investment management and brokerage business and possesses a strong understanding of the regulatory framework under which investment companies must operate based, in part, upon his years of service as an officer and/or Trustee to other registered investment companies. Thomas Sarkany is qualified to serve as a Trustee based on his experience in various business and consulting positions, and through his experience from service as a board member of the Trust and other investment companies. Since 2010, he has been the President of a financial services firm and from 1994 through 2010, held various roles at a publicly held company providing financial research, publications and money management services to retail and institutional investors, including Director of Marketing and Asset Management, Director of Index Licensing, and member of the Board of Directors. In addition to his service as a Trustee of the Trust, Mr. Sarkany serves as a trustee of the Northern Lights Fund Trust II and has previously served as a director of certain public companies. Charles R. Ranson has more than 20 years’ experience in strategic analysis and planning, risk assessment, and capital formation in the operation of complex organizations and entrepreneurial ventures. In addition to his service to the Trust, Mr. Ranson serves as an independent trustee to another mutual fund complex. Mr. Rothblut founded IJR Consulting Corp (IJRCC) in 2003. IJRCC provides preparation and presentation of monthly financial statements, revenue cycle redesign and management, accounting policy and procedure oversight, and supervision and training of onsite Fiscal Directors. He holds the CPA designation, and his in-depth knowledge of GAAP is a benefit to the Board. Each Trustee’s ability to perform his duties effectively also has been enhanced by his educational background and professional training. The Trust does not believe any one factor is determinative in assessing a Trustee's qualifications, but that the collective experience of each Trustee makes them each highly qualified.
The following is a list of the Trustees and executive officers of the Trust and each person’s principal occupation over the last five years. Unless otherwise noted, the address of each Trustee and Officer is 17605 Wright Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68130.
Independent Trustees
Name, Address and Year of Birth | Position/Term of Office* | Principal Occupation During the Past Five Years | Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex** Overseen by Trustee | Other Directorships held by Trustee During the Past Five Years |
Joseph Breslin Year of Birth: 1953 |
Independent Trustee and Chairman of the Board since 2015 |
President and Consultant, J.E. Breslin & Co. (management consulting firm to investment advisers), 2009 to present.
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6 | Director, Kinetics Mutual Funds, Inc. (since 2000); Trustee, Kinetics Portfolios Trust (since 2000); Trustee, Forethought Variable Insurance Trust; Trustee, BlueArc Multi-Strategy Fund (since 2014) |
Thomas Sarkany Year of Birth: 1946 |
Independent Trustee since 2015 | Founder and President, TTS Consultants, LLC (consultant to financial service enterprises, including investment advisors and mutual funds), 2010 – present; Director of | 34 |
Arrow Investments Trust (since 2014), Arrow ETF Trust (since 2014), Trustee, Northern Lights Fund Trust II (since 2011);
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Fund Marketing, Director of Asset Management and Director of Index Licensing, Value Line, 1994 – 2010. |
Director, Value Line Funds 2008- 2010); Director, Value Line, Inc.(2010-2010; Director, Aquila Distributors (since 1981)
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Ira Rothblut Year of Birth: 1969 |
Independent Trustee since 2015 | Founder and President IJR Consulting Corp.(consultant to Federally Qualified Health Centers), 2003 to present. | 6 | None. |
Charles Ranson Year of Birth: 1947 |
Independent Trustee since 2015 | Partner, Ranson & Associates, strategic analysis and planning, marketing, regulatory and government affairs, and capital formation. 2003 – present. | 6 | Advisors Preferred Trust since November 2012. |
Officers
Name, Address and Year of Birth | Position/Term of Office* | Principal Occupation During the Past Five Years | Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex** Overseen by Trustee | Other Directorships held by Trustee During the Past Five Years |
Wendy Wang
80 Arkay Drive
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President since 2015 | Senior Vice President, Director of Tax and Compliance Administration, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (since 2012), Vice President, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2004-2012). | N/A | N/A |
Sam Singh
80 Arkay Drive
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Treasurer since 2015 | Vice President, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (since 2015); Assistant Vice President, Gemini Fund Services, LLC, (2011-2014); Assistant Vice President of Fund Administration, BNY Mellon, (2007-2011). | N/A | N/A |
James P. Ash
80 Arkay Drive Hauppauge, NY 11788 Born in 1976 |
Secretary since 2015. | Senior Vice President, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (since 2012); Vice President, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2011 - 2012); Director of Legal Administration, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2009 - 2011); Assistant Vice President of Legal Administration, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2008 - 2011). | N/A | N/A |
Michael Quain Born in 1957 |
Chief Compliance Officer | Quain Compliance Consulting, LLC (since 2014); Artio Global Management, LLC (formerly Julius Baer), First Vice President & Chief Compliance Officer (2004-2013) | N/A | N/A |
* The term of office for each Trustee and officer listed above will continue indefinitely until the individual resigns or is removed.
** The term “Fund Complex” includes the Northern Lights Fund Trust (“NLFT”), Northern Lights Fund Trust II (“NLFT II”), Northern Lights Fund Trust III (“NLFT III”), Northern Lights Fund Trust IV (NLFT IV), and the Northern Lights Variable Trust (“NLVT”).
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Board Committees
Audit Committee
The Board has an Audit Committee that consists of all the Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Trust within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Audit Committee's responsibilities include: (i) recommending to the Board the selection, retention or termination of the Trust's independent auditors; (ii) reviewing with the independent auditors the scope, performance and anticipated cost of their audit; (iii) discussing with the independent auditors certain matters relating to the Trust's financial statements, including any adjustment to such financial statements recommended by such independent auditors, or any other results of any audit; (iv) reviewing on a periodic basis a formal written statement from the independent auditors with respect to their independence, discussing with the independent auditors any relationships or services disclosed in the statement that may impact the objectivity and independence of the Trust's independent auditors and recommending that the Board take appropriate action in response thereto to satisfy itself of the auditor's independence; and (v) considering the comments of the independent auditors and management's responses thereto with respect to the quality and adequacy of the Trust's accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and internal controls. The Audit Committee operates pursuant to an Audit Committee Charter. The Audit Committee is responsible for seeking and reviewing nominee candidates for consideration as Independent Trustees as is from time to time considered necessary or appropriate. The Audit Committee generally will not consider shareholder nominees. The Audit Committee is also responsible for reviewing and setting Independent Trustee compensation from time to time when considered necessary or appropriate.
Compensation
Effective July 29, 2015, each Trustee who is not affiliated with the Trust or an investment adviser to any series of the Trust will receive a quarterly fee of $5,000 for his attendance at the regularly scheduled meetings of the Board of Trustees, to be paid in advance of each calendar quarter, as well as reimbursement for any reasonable expenses incurred.
None of the executive officers receive compensation from the Trust.
The table below details the amount of compensation the Trustees are expected to receive from the Trust during the initial fiscal period ending [_____], 2017. Each Independent Trustee is expected to attend all quarterly meetings during the period. The Trust does not have a bonus, profit sharing, pension or retirement plan.
Name and Position | Estimated Aggregate Compensation From Trust | Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Funds Expenses | Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement | Estimated Total Compensation From Trust and Fund Complex* Paid to Trustees |
Joseph Breslin | $20,000 | $0 | $0 | $20,000 |
Thomas Sarkany | $20,000 | $0 | $0 | $36,500 |
Ira Rothblut | $20,000 | $0 | $0 | $20,000 |
Charles Ranson | $20,000 | $0 | $0 | $20,000 |
* The term “Fund Complex” includes the Northern Lights Fund Trust, Northern Lights Fund Trust II, Northern Lights Fund Trust III, Northern Lights Fund Trust IV, and the Northern Lights Variable Trust.
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Management and Trustee Ownership
As of the date of this SAI, the Trustees and officers, as a group, owned no shares of the Fund or any of the Fund Complex’s outstanding shares.
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS
A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of a fund. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. A control person is one who owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledged the existence of control.
As of the date of this SAI, no shareholder(s) of record owned 5% or more of the outstanding shares of each class of the Fund.
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Investment Adviser and Advisory Agreement
Regents Park Funds, LLC, 4695 MacArthur Court, Suite 430, Newport Beach, CA 92660, serves as the Fund’s investment adviser. The Adviser is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.
Subject to the authority of the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is responsible for the overall management of each Fund’s investment-related business affairs. Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (the "Advisory Agreement") with the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, the Adviser, subject to the supervision of the Board of the Trust, and in conformity with the stated policies of the Funds, manages the portfolio investment operations of the Funds. The Adviser has overall supervisory responsibilities for the general management and investment of each Fund’s securities portfolio, as detailed below, which are subject to review and approval by the Board of Trustees. In general, the Adviser's duties include setting each Fund’s overall investment strategies and asset allocation.
Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser, under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, agrees to invest the assets of each Fund in accordance with applicable law and the investment objective, policies and restrictions set forth in each Fund’s current Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, and subject to such further limitations as the Trust may from time to time impose by written notice to the Adviser. The Adviser shall act as the investment adviser to the Funds and, as such shall, (i) obtain and evaluate such information relating to the economy, industries, business, securities markets and securities as it may deem necessary or useful in discharging its responsibilities here under, (ii) formulate a continuing program for the investment of the assets of each Fund in a manner consistent with its investment objective, policies and restrictions, and (iii) determine from time to time securities to be purchased, sold, retained or lent by the Funds, and implement those decisions, including the selection of entities with or through which such purchases, sales or loans are to be effected; provided, that the Adviser or its designee, directly, will place orders pursuant to its investment determinations either directly with the issuer or with a broker or dealer, and if with a broker or dealer, (a) will attempt to obtain the best price and execution of its orders, and (b) may nevertheless in its discretion purchase and sell portfolio securities from and to brokers who provide the Adviser with research, analysis, advice and similar services and pay such brokers in return a higher commission or spread than may be charged by other brokers. The Adviser also
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provides the Funds with all necessary office facilities and personnel for servicing each Fund’s investments, compensates all officers, Trustees and employees of the Trust who are officers, directors or employees of the Adviser, and all personnel of the Fund or the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities.
In addition, the Adviser, subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, provides the management and supplemental administrative services necessary for the operation of the Funds. These services include providing assisting in the supervising of relations with custodians, transfer and pricing agents, accountants, underwriters and other persons dealing with the Funds; assisting in the preparing of all general shareholder communications and conducting shareholder relations; assisting in maintaining the Funds’ records and the registration of each Fund’s shares under federal securities laws and making necessary filings under state securities laws; assisting in developing management and shareholder services for the Funds; and furnishing reports, evaluations and analyses on a variety of subjects to the Trustees.
Each Fund pays an annual management fee (computed daily and payable monthly) of 0.80% of the Fund’s average daily net assets to the Adviser pursuant to the Advisory Agreement.
The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and/or absorb expenses of each Fund, until at least [____], 2017, to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or reimbursement (exclusive of any front-end or contingent deferred loads, taxes, brokerage fees and commissions, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), acquired fund fees and expenses, fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example option and swap fees and expenses), or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) will not exceed 1.30% of each Fund’s average daily net assets; subject to possible recoupment from the Fund in future years within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed if such recoupment can be achieved within the foregoing expense limits or the expense limits in place at the time of the recoupment.
Expenses not expressly assumed by the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement are paid by the Funds. Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, each Fund is responsible for the payment of the following expenses among others: (a) the fees payable to the Adviser, (b) the fees and expenses of Trustees who are not affiliated persons of the Adviser or Distributor (as defined under the section entitled ("The Distributor") (c) the fees and certain expenses of the Custodian and Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent, including the cost of maintaining certain required records of the Fund and of pricing the Fund’s shares, (d) the charges and expenses of legal counsel and independent accountants for the Fund, (e) brokerage commissions and any issue or transfer taxes chargeable to the Fund in connection with its securities transactions, (f) all taxes and corporate fees payable by the Fund to governmental agencies, (g) the fees of any trade association of which the Fund may be a member, (h) the cost of fidelity and liability insurance, (i) the fees and expenses involved in registering and maintaining registration of the Fund and of shares with the SEC, qualifying its shares under state securities laws, including the preparation and printing of the Fund’s registration statements and prospectuses for such purposes, (j) all expenses of shareholders and Trustees' meetings (including travel expenses of trustees and officers of the Trust who are not directors, officers or employees of the Adviser) and of preparing, printing and mailing reports, proxy statements and prospectuses to shareholders in the amount necessary for distribution to the shareholders and (k) litigation and indemnification expenses and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business.
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The Advisory Agreement will continue in effect for two (2) years initially and thereafter shall continue from year to year provided such continuance is approved at least annually by (a) a vote of the majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting specifically called for the purpose of voting on such approval and by (b) the majority vote of either all of the Trustees or the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund. The Advisory Agreement may be terminated without penalty on 60 days written notice by a vote of a majority of the Trustees or by the Adviser, or by holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding shares (with respect to the Fund). The Advisory Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
Sub-Advisers and Sub-Advisory Agreements
The Adviser has engaged Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC to serve as Sub-Adviser to the Affinity ETF and Anfield Capital Management, LLC to serve as Sub-Adviser to the Anfield ETF. Each Sub-Adviser, with respect to the portion of the respective Fund’s assets allocated to that Sub-Adviser, is responsible for selecting investments and assuring that investments are made in accordance with the Fund's investment objective, policies and restrictions.
Each Sub-Advisory Agreement shall continue in effect for two (2) years initially and then from year to year, provided it is approved at least annually by a vote of the majority of the Trustees, who are not parties to the agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting specifically called for the purpose of voting on such approval. Each Sub-Advisory Agreement may be terminated without penalty at any time by the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser on 60 days written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its "assignment" (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act).
Each Sub-Advisory Agreement provides that the Sub-Adviser will formulate and implement a continuous investment program for the Fund, in accordance with the Fund's objective, policies and limitations and any investment guidelines established by the Adviser. Each Sub-Adviser will, subject to the supervision and control of the Adviser, determine in its discretion which issuers and securities will be purchased, held, sold or exchanged by the Fund, and will place orders with and give instruction to brokers and dealers to cause the execution of such transactions. Each Sub-Adviser is required to furnish, at its own expense, all investment facilities necessary to perform its obligations under the respective Sub-Advisory Agreement. Pursuant to the relevant Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser is entitled to receive an annual sub-advisory fee on its portion of the Fund's average daily net assets. The Sub-Advisers are paid by the Adviser, not the Fund.
Codes of Ethics
The Trust, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, and the Distributor have each adopted codes of ethics (each a “Code”) under Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act that governs the personal securities transactions of their board members, officers and employees who may have access to current trading information of the Trust. Under the Codes, the Trustees are permitted to invest in securities that may also be purchased by the Funds.
In addition, the Trust has adopted a code of ethics (the “Trust Code”), which applies only to the Trust's executive officers to ensure that these officers promote professional conduct in the practice of corporate governance and management. The purpose behind these guidelines is to promote (i) honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships; (ii) full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable
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disclosure in reports and documents that the Trust files with, or submits to, the SEC and in other public communications made by the Funds; (iii) compliance with applicable governmental laws, rule and regulations; (iv) the prompt internal reporting of violations of the Trust Code to an appropriate person or persons identified in the Trust Code; and (v) accountability for adherence to the Trust Code.
Proxy Voting Policies
The Board has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures ("Policies") on behalf of the Trust, which delegate the responsibility for voting proxies to the Adviser or its designee, subject to the Board's continuing oversight. The Policies require that the Adviser or its designee vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Funds and shareholders. The Policies also require the Adviser or its designee to present to the Board, at least annually, the Adviser's Proxy Policies, or the proxy policies of the Adviser's designee, and a record of each proxy voted by the Adviser or its designee on behalf of the Funds, including a report on the resolution of all proxies identified by the Adviser as involving a conflict of interest.
Where a proxy proposal raises a material conflict between the Adviser's interests and a Fund’s interests, the Adviser will resolve the conflict by voting in accordance with the policy guidelines or at the client's directive using the recommendation of an independent third party. If the third party's recommendations are not received in a timely fashion, the Adviser will abstain from voting the securities held by that client's account. A copy of the Adviser's and proxy voting policies is attached hereto as Appendix A.
More information . Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Funds during the most recent 12-month period ending June 30 will be available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling the Funds at [PHONE NUMBER]; and (2) on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's website at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Funds’ proxy voting policies and procedures are also available by calling [PHONE NUMBER] and will be sent within three business days of receipt of a request.
THE DISTRIBUTOR
Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, located at 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 (the "Distributor") serves as the principal underwriter and national distributor for the shares of the Funds pursuant to an underwriting agreement with the Trust (the "Underwriting Agreement"). The Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and each state's securities laws and is a member of the FINRA. The offering of each Fund’s shares is continuous. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Distributor, as agent in connection with the distribution of each Fund’s shares, will use reasonable efforts to facilitate the sale of the Fund’s shares.
The Underwriting Agreement provides that, unless sooner terminated, it will continue in effect for two years initially and thereafter shall continue from year to year, subject to annual approval by (a) the Board or a vote of a majority of the outstanding shares, and (b) by a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust or of the Distributor by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.
The Underwriting Agreement may be terminated by the Funds at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the entire Board of the Trust or by vote of a majority
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of the outstanding shares of the Funds on 60 days written notice to the Distributor, or by the Distributor at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on 60 days written notice to the Funds. The Underwriting Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment.
The Distributor may enter into selling agreements with broker-dealers that solicit orders for the sale of shares of the Funds and may allow concessions to dealers that sell shares of the Funds.
Rule 12b-1 Plans
The Trust, with respect to each Fund, has adopted Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plans pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "Plan") for Shares pursuant to which the Funds are authorized to pay the Distributor, as compensation for Distributor's account maintenance services under the Plans. The Board has approved a distribution and shareholder servicing fee at the rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Such fees are to be paid by the Funds monthly, or at such other intervals as the Board shall determine. Such fees shall be based upon the Funds’ average daily net assets during the preceding month, and shall be calculated and accrued daily. The Funds may pay fees to the Distributor at a lesser rate, as agreed upon by the Board of Trustees of the Trust and the Distributor. The Plans authorize payments to the Distributor as compensation for providing account maintenance services to Fund shareholders, including arranging for certain securities dealers or brokers, administrators and others ("Recipients") to provide these services and paying compensation for these services. The Funds will bear their own costs of distribution with respect to its shares. The Plan was adopted in order to permit the implementation of the Fund’s method of distribution. No fees are currently paid by the Fund under the Plan, and there are no current plans to impose such fees. In the event such fees were to be charged, over time they would increase the cost of an investment in the Fund.
The services to be provided by Recipients may include, but are not limited to, the following: assistance in the offering and sale of Fund shares and in other aspects of the marketing of the shares to clients or prospective clients of the respective recipients; answering routine inquiries concerning the Funds; assisting in the establishment and maintenance of accounts or sub-accounts in the Funds and in processing purchase and redemption transactions; making the Funds’ investment plan and shareholder services available; and providing such other information and services to investors in shares of the Funds as the Distributor or the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, may reasonably request. The distribution services shall also include any advertising and marketing services provided by or arranged by the Distributor with respect to the Funds.
The Distributor is required to provide a written report, at least quarterly to the Board of Trustees of the Trust, specifying in reasonable detail the amounts expended pursuant to the Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. Further, the Distributor will inform the Board of any Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by the Distributor to Recipients.
The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of the Distributor's compensation to be paid by each Fund, unless such amendment is approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the affected class of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act). All material amendments must be approved by a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Trust and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plans. During the term of the Plans, the selection and nomination of non-interested Trustees of the Trust will be committed to the discretion of current non-interested Trustees. The Distributor will preserve copies of the Plans, any related agreements, and all reports, for a period of
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not less than six years from the date of such document and for at least the first two years in an easily accessible place.
Any agreement related to a Plan will be in writing and provide that: (a) it may be terminated by the Trust or the Funds at any time upon sixty days written notice, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the respective Rule 12b-1 Trustees, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust or the Funds; (b) it will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act); and (c) it will continue in effect for a period of more than one year from the date of its execution or adoption only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such agreement.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
David Young and Gregory R. Lai serve as the portfolio managers of the Affinity ETF. David Young and Peter Van de Zilver serve as the portfolio managers of the Anfield ETF. As of [_____], 2016, the portfolio managers are responsible for the portfolio management of the following types of accounts in addition to the Funds:
David Young
Total Other Accounts By Type |
Total Number of Accounts by Account Type |
Total Assets By Account Type (in millions) |
Number of Accounts by Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Total Assets By Account Type Subject to a Performance Fee (in millions) |
Registered Investment Companies | ||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | ||||
Other Accounts |
Gregory Lai
Peter Van de Zilver
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Registered Investment Companies | ||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | ||||
Other Accounts |
Conflicts of Interest
As a general matter, certain conflicts of interest may arise in connection with a portfolio manager's management of a Fund’s investments, on the one hand, and the investments of other accounts for which the portfolio manager is responsible, on the other. For example, it is possible that the various accounts managed could have different investment strategies that, at times, might conflict with one another to the possible detriment of a Fund. Alternatively, to the extent that the same investment opportunities might be desirable for more than one account, possible conflicts could arise in determining how to allocate them. Other potential conflicts might include conflicts created by specific portfolio manager compensation arrangements, and conflicts relating to selection of brokers or dealers to execute a Fund’s portfolio trades and/or specific uses of commissions from a Fund’s portfolio trades (for example, research, or "soft dollars", if any). The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures and has structured the portfolio managers' compensation in a manner reasonably designed to safeguard the Funds from being negatively affected as a result of any such potential conflicts.
Compensation
[Mr. Young is compensated through a combination of base salary, discretionary bonus and equity participation in the Adviser. Mr. Lai is compensated through his equity participation in the Sub-Adviser. Mr. Van de Zilver is compensated through a combination of base salary and discretionary bonus .]
Ownership of Securities
The following table shows the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the portfolio managers in each Fund as of the date of this SAI.
Name of Portfolio Manager |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Affinity ETF | Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Anfield ETF |
David Young | $0 | $0 |
Gregory Lai | $0 | $0 |
Peter Van de Zilver | $0 | $0 |
ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO BROKERAGE
Specific decisions to purchase or sell securities for the Fund are made by the portfolio managers who are employees of the Adviser or a Sub-Adviser. The Adviser and the Sub-Advisers are authorized by the Trustees to allocate the orders placed by them on behalf of the Fund to brokers or dealers who may, but need not, provide research or statistical material or other services to the
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Fund or the Adviser or Sub-Adviser for the Fund’s use. Such allocation is to be in such amounts and proportions as the Adviser may determine.
In selecting a broker or dealer to execute each particular transaction, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser will take the following into consideration:
Brokers or dealers executing a portfolio transaction on behalf of the Funds may receive a commission in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for executing the transaction if the Adviser or Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in relation to the value of brokerage and research services provided to the Funds. In allocating portfolio brokerage, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser may select brokers or dealers who also provide brokerage, research and other services to other accounts over which the Adviser or Sub-Adviser exercises investment discretion. Some of the services received as the result of Fund transactions may primarily benefit accounts other than the Fund, while services received as the result of portfolio transactions effected on behalf of those other accounts may primarily benefit the Funds.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
Each Fund’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the Fund during the fiscal year. The calculation excludes from both the numerator and the denominator securities with maturities at the time of acquisition of one year or less. High portfolio turnover involves correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transaction costs, which will be borne directly by the Fund. A 100% turnover rate would occur if all of a Fund’s portfolio securities were replaced once within a one-year period.
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
Fund Administration
Gemini Fund Services, LLC, (the "Administrator"), which has its principal office at 80 Arkay Drive, Suite 110, Hauppauge, NY 11788, and is primarily in the business of providing administrative, fund accounting and transfer agent services to retail and institutional mutual funds. The Administrator is an affiliate of the Distributor.
Pursuant to Fund Services Agreement with the Fund, the Administrator provides administrative services to the Fund, subject to the supervision of the Board. The Administrator may provide persons to serve as officers of the Fund. Such officers may be directors, officers or employees of the Administrator or its affiliates.
The Fund Services Agreement is dated July 27, 2016. The Agreement will remain in effect for two years from the effective date of the agreement, and will remain in effect subject to annual approval of the Board for one-year periods thereafter. The Administration Service Agreement is
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terminable by the Board or the Administrator on ninety days' written notice and may be assigned provided the non-assigning party provides prior written consent. This Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Administrator or reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, the Administrator shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder.
Under the Fund Services Agreement, the Administrator provides facilitating administrative services, including: (i) providing services of persons competent to perform such administrative and clerical functions as are necessary to provide effective administration of the Fund; (ii) facilitating 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, Prospectuses 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, and preparing reports to the Fund's shareholders and the SEC; (iv) 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; (v) preparing notices and agendas for meetings of the Board and minutes of such meetings in all matters required by the 1940 Act to be acted upon by the Board; and (vi) monitoring daily and periodic compliance with respect to all requirements and restrictions of the 1940 Act, the Internal Revenue Code and the Prospectuses.
The Administrator also provides the Fund with accounting services, including: (i) daily computation of net asset value; (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; (v) calculation of yield and total return for the Fund; (vi) 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; and (vii) monitoring and evaluating daily income and expense accruals, and sales and redemptions of shares of the Fund.
For administrative services rendered to the Funds under the Agreement, the Funds pay GFS the greater of an annual minimum fee or an asset based fee, which scales downward based upon net assets. For the fund accounting services rendered to the Funds under the Agreement, the Funds pay GFS the greater of an annual minimum fee or an asset based fee, which scales downward based upon net assets. The Funds also pay GFS for any out-of-pocket expenses.
Transfer Agent
Brown Brothers Harriman& Co. (“BBH”), located at 50 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02110, acts as transfer, dividend disbursing, and shareholder servicing agent for the Fund pursuant to written agreement with Fund (the “Transfer Agent”). Under the agreement, the Transfer Agent is responsible for administering and performing transfer agent functions, dividend distribution, shareholder administration, and maintaining necessary records in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.
Custodian
BBH, located at 50 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02110 (the "Custodian"), serves as the custodian of the Fund's assets pursuant to a Custodian and Transfer Agent Agreement by and between the Custodian and the Trust on behalf of the Fund. The Custodian's responsibilities include
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safeguarding and controlling the Fund's cash and securities, handling the receipt and delivery of securities, and collecting interest and dividends on the Fund's investments. Pursuant to the Custodian and Transfer Agent Agreement, the Custodian also maintains original entry documents and books of record and general ledgers; posts cash receipts and disbursements; and records purchases and sales based upon communications from the Adviser. The Fund may employ foreign sub-custodians that are approved by the Board to hold foreign assets.
Compliance Officer
Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (“NLCS”), 17605 Wright Street, Suite 2, Omaha, NE 68130, an affiliate of GFS and the Distributor, provides a Chief Compliance Officer to the Trust as well as related compliance services pursuant to a consulting agreement between NLCS and the Trust. NLCS’s compliance services consist primarily of reviewing and assessing the policies and procedures of the Trust and its service providers pertaining to compliance with applicable federal securities laws, including Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act. For the compliance services rendered to the Funds, the Funds pay NLCS a one-time fee plus an annual asset based fee, which scales downward based upon net assets. The Funds also pay NLCS for any out-of-pocket expenses.
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
Each share of beneficial interest of the Trust has one vote in the election of Trustees. Cumulative voting is not authorized for the Trust. This means that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voting for the election of Trustees can elect 100% of the Trustees if they choose to do so, and, in that event, the holders of the remaining shares will be unable to elect any Trustees.
Shareholders of the Trust and any other future series of the Trust will vote in the aggregate and not by series except as otherwise required by law or when the Board determines that the matter to be voted upon affects only the interest of the shareholders of a particular series or classes. Matters such as election of Trustees are not subject to separate voting requirements and may be acted upon by shareholders of the Trust voting without regard to series.
The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest. Each share has equal, per-class, dividend, distribution and liquidation rights. There are no conversion or preemptive rights applicable to any shares of the Fund. All shares issued are fully paid and non-assessable.
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM
The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the "Program") as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 ("USA PATRIOT Act"). To ensure compliance with this law, the Trust's Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program. The Trust's secretary serves as its Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer.
Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that a Fund’s Distributor and Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity and a providing a complete and thorough review of all new opening account applications. The Trust will not transact business with any person or entity whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.
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As a result of the Program, the Trust may be required to "freeze" the account of a shareholder if the shareholder appears to be involved in suspicious activity or if certain account information matches information on government lists of known terrorists or other suspicious persons, or the Trust may be required to transfer the account or proceeds of the account to a governmental agency.
PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES
Calculation of Share Price
As indicated in the Prospectus under the heading "Net Asset Value," ("NAV") of a Fund's shares is determined by dividing the total value of a Fund's portfolio investments and other assets, less any liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding of a Fund.
The Administrator calculates a Fund’s NAV at the close of regular trading (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) every day that the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open. NAV is calculated by deducting all of a Fund’s liabilities from the total value of its assets and dividing the result by the number of Shares outstanding, rounding to the nearest cent. All valuations are subject to review by the Trust’s Board or its delegate.
In determining NAV, expenses are accrued and applied daily and securities and other assets for which market quotations are readily available are valued at market value. The NAV for a Fund will be calculated and disseminated daily. The value of a Fund’s portfolio securities is based on market value when market quotations are readily available.
Exchange-traded securities, such as common and preferred stocks, ETFs, ETPs, ETNs, closed-end funds, REITs, MLPs, REOCs and similar instruments, generally are valued by using market quotations, but may be valued on the basis of prices furnished by a pricing service when the Adviser believes such prices accurately reflect the fair market value of such securities. Securities that are traded on any stock exchange or on the Exchange are generally valued by the pricing service at the last quoted sale price. Lacking a last sale price, an equity security is generally valued by the pricing service at its last bid price. When market quotations are not readily available, when the Adviser determines that the market quotation or the price provided by the pricing service does not accurately reflect the current market value, or when restricted or illiquid securities are being valued, such securities are valued as determined in good faith by the Adviser. If a security’s market price is not readily available, the security will be valued at fair value as determined by the Trust’s Fair Value Committee in accordance with the Trust’s valuation policies and procedures approved by the Board. The values of assets denominated in foreign currencies are converted into U.S. dollars based on the mean of the current bid and asked prices by major banking institutions and currency dealers.
Bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments are valued by a pricing service when the Adviser believes such prices are accurate and reflect the fair market value of such securities. If the Adviser decides that a price provided by the pricing service does not accurately reflect the fair market value of the securities, when prices are not readily available from a pricing service, or when restricted or illiquid securities are being valued, securities are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser, subject to review by the Board of Trustees. Short-term investments having a maturity of 60 days or less may be amortized to maturity, provided such valuations represent par value.
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Futures contracts listed for trading on a futures exchange or board of trade for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the last quoted sales price or, in the absence of a sale, at the mean of the last bid and ask prices.
Even when market quotations are available, they may be stale or unreliable because the validity of market quotations appears to be questionable; the number of quotations is such as to indicate that there is a thin market in the security; a significant event occurs after the close of a market but before the Fund's NAV calculation that may affect a security's value; or the Adviser is aware of any other data that calls into question the reliability of market quotations such as issuer-specific events, which may 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 the Adviser determines that the closing price of the security is unreliable, the Adviser 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.
Because foreign markets may be open on different days than the days during which a shareholder may purchase Shares, the value of a Fund’s investments may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase Shares.
Creation Units
Each Fund sells and redeems Shares in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at the NAV next determined after receipt of an order in proper form on any Business Day. 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, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
A Creation Unit is an aggregation of 100,000 Shares. The Board may declare a split or a consolidation in the number of Shares outstanding of a Fund or Trust, and make a corresponding change in the number of Shares in a Creation Unit.
Authorized Participants
To purchase or redeem any Creation Units, you must be, or transact through, an Authorized Participant. In order to be an Authorized Participant, you must be either a broker-dealer or other participant (“Participating Party”) in the Continuous Net Settlement System (“Clearing Process”) of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or a participant in DTC with access to the DTC system (“DTC Participant”), and you must execute an agreement (“Participant Agreement”) with the Distributor that governs transactions in each Fund’s Creation Units.
Investors who are not Authorized Participants but want to transact in Creation Units may contact the Distributor for the names of Authorized Participants. An Authorized Participant may require investors to enter into a separate agreement to transact through it for Creation Units and may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in a particular form. Investors transacting through a broker that is not itself an Authorized Participant and therefore must still transact through an Authorized Participant may incur additional charges. There are expected to be a limited number of Authorized Participants at any one time.
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Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor. Market disruptions and telephone or other communication failures may impede the transmission of orders.
Transaction Fees
A fixed fee payable to the Custodian is imposed on each creation and redemption transaction regardless of the number of Creation Units involved in the transaction (“Fixed Fee”). Purchases and redemptions of Creation Units for cash or involving cash-in-lieu (as defined below) are required to pay an additional variable charge to compensate the Fund and its ongoing shareholders for brokerage and market impact expenses relating to Creation Unit transactions (“Variable Charge,” and together with the Fixed Fee, the “Transaction Fees”). With the approval of the Board, the Adviser may waive or adjust the Transaction Fees, including the Fixed Fee and/or Variable Charge (shown in the table below), from time to time. In such cases, the Authorized Participant will reimburse the Fund for, among other things, any difference between the market value at which the securities and/or financial instruments were purchased by a Fund and the cash-in-lieu amount, applicable registration fees, brokerage commissions and certain taxes. In addition, purchasers of Creation Units are responsible for the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to the account of a Fund.
Investors who use the services of a broker, or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. The Transaction Fees for the Fund are listed in the table below.
Fee for In-Kind and Cash Purchases | Maximum Additional Variable Charge for Cash Purchases* |
$500 | 2.00% |
* As a percentage of the amount invested.
The Clearing Process
Transactions by an Authorized Participant that is a Participating Party using the NSCC system are referred to as transactions “through the Clearing Process.” Transactions by an Authorized Participant that is a DTC Participant using the DTC system are referred to as transactions “outside the Clearing Process.” The Clearing Process is an enhanced clearing process that is available only for certain securities and only to DTC participants that are also participants in the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC. In-kind (portions of) purchase orders not subject to the Clearing Process will go through a manual clearing process run by DTC. Portfolio Deposits that include government securities must be delivered through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system (“Federal Reserve System”). Fund Deposits that include cash may be delivered through the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System. In-kind deposits of securities for orders outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through the Federal Reserve System (for government securities) or through DTC (for corporate securities).
Foreign Securities
Because the portfolio securities of the Funds may trade on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Funds, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Funds, or to purchase or sell shares of the Funds on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of the Funds could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.
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Purchasing Creation Units
Portfolio Deposit
The consideration for a Creation Unit generally consists of the Deposit Securities and a Cash Component. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Portfolio Deposit.” The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the Deposit Securities. Thus, the Cash Component is equal to the difference between (x) the net asset value per Creation Unit of the Fund and (y) the market value of the Deposit Securities. If (x) is more than (y), the Authorized Participant will pay the Cash Component to a Fund. If (x) is less than (y), the Authorized Participant will receive the Cash Component from a Fund.
On each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the Adviser through the Custodian makes available through NSCC the name and amount of each Deposit Security in the current Portfolio Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for a Fund and the (estimated) Cash Component, effective through and including the previous Business Day, per Creation Unit. The Deposit Securities announced are applicable to purchases of Creation Units until the next announcement of Deposit Securities.
Payment of any stamp duty or the like shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing a Creation Unit. The Authorized Participant must ensure that all Deposit Securities properly denote change in beneficial ownership.
Custom Orders and Cash-in-lieu
Each Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (“cash-in-lieu”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. The Fund may permit or require cash-in-lieu when, for example, a Deposit Security may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the Clearing Process. Similarly, a Fund may permit or require cash in lieu of Deposit Securities when, for example, the Authorized Participant or its underlying investor is restricted under U.S. or local securities laws or policies from transacting in one or more Deposit Securities. The Funds will comply with the federal securities laws in accepting Deposit Securities including that the Deposit Securities are sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the Securities Act. All orders involving cash-in-lieu are considered to be “Custom Orders.”
Purchase Orders
To order a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable purchase order to the Distributor.
Timing of Submission of Purchase Orders
An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable purchase order no later than the earlier of (i) 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time or (ii) the closing time of the bond markets and/or the trading session on the Exchange, on any Business Day in order to receive that Business Day’s NAV (“Cut-off Time”). The Cut-off Time for Custom Orders is generally two hours earlier. The Business Day the order is deemed received by the Distributor is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.” An order to create Creation Units is deemed received on a Business Day if (i) such order is received by the Distributor
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by the Cut-off Time on such day and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. Persons placing or effectuating custom orders and/or orders involving cash should be mindful of time deadlines imposed by intermediaries, such as DTC and/or the Federal Reserve Bank wire system, which may impact the successful processing of such orders to ensure that cash and securities are transferred by the “Settlement Date,” which is generally the Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date (“T+1”) for cash and the third Business Day following the Transmittal Date for securities (“T+3”).
Orders Using the Clearing Process
If available, (portions of) orders may be settled through the Clearing Process. In connection with such orders, the Distributor transmits, on behalf of the Authorized Participant, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the creation order. Pursuant to such trade instructions, the Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the requisite Portfolio Deposit to a Fund, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. Cash Components will be delivered using either the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System.
Orders Outside the Clearing Process
If the Clearing Process is not available for (portions of) an order, Portfolio Deposits will be made outside the Clearing Process. Orders outside the Clearing Process must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the creation of Creation Units will be effected through DTC. The Portfolio Deposit transfer must be ordered by the DTC Participant on the Transmittal Date in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of Deposit Securities (whether standard or custom) through DTC to a Fund account by 11:00 a.m., Eastern time, on T+1. The Cash Component, along with any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee, must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve System in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on T+1. If the Custodian does not receive both the Deposit Securities and the cash by the appointed time, the order may be canceled. A canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day but must conform to that Business Day’s Portfolio Deposit. Authorized Participants that submit a canceled order will be liable to a Fund for any losses incurred by a Fund in connection therewith.
Orders involving foreign Deposit Securities are expected to be settled outside the Clearing Process. Thus, upon receipt of an irrevocable purchase order, the Distributor will notify the Adviser and the Custodian of such order. The Custodian , who will have caused the appropriate local sub-custodian(s) of a Fund to maintain an account into which an Authorized Participant may deliver Deposit Securities (or cash -in-lieu), with adjustments determined by the Fund, will then provide information of the order to such local sub-custodian(s). The ordering Authorized Participant will then deliver the Deposit Securities (and any cash-in-lieu) to a Fund’s account at the applicable local sub-custodian. The Authorized Participant must also make available on or before the contractual settlement date, by means satisfactory to the Fund, immediately available or same day funds in U.S. dollars estimated by a Fund to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component and Transaction Fee. When a relevant local market is closed due to local market holidays, the local market settlement process will not commence until the end of the local holiday period. Settlement must occur by 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the contractual settlement date.
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Acceptance of Purchase Order
All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by a Fund. A Fund’s determination shall be final and binding.
A Fund reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke acceptance of a purchase order transmitted to it by the Distributor 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 a Fund; (c) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the Deposit Securities for the applicable date; (d) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to a Fund; (e) the acceptance of the Portfolio Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (f) the acceptance of the Portfolio Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust, Fund or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Trust, Fund or the rights of beneficial owners; or (g) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Distributor and the Adviser make it for all practical purposes impossible to process purchase orders. Examples of such circumstances include acts of God; public service or utility problems resulting in telephone, telecopy or computer failures; fires, floods or extreme weather conditions; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other informational systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC, the Adviser, the Funds’ Custodian, a sub-custodian or any other participant in the creation process; and similar extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify an Authorized Participant of its rejection of the order. The Funds, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Portfolio Deposits, and they shall not incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.
Issuance of a Creation Unit
Once a Fund has accepted an order, upon next determination of the Fund’s NAV, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such NAV. The Distributor will transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.
Except as provided below, a Creation Unit will not be issued until a Fund obtains good title to the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component, along with any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee. Except as provided in Appendix C, the delivery of Creation Units will generally occur no later than T+3.
In certain cases, Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.
With respect to orders involving foreign Deposit Securities, when the applicable local sub-custodian(s) have confirmed to the Custodian that the Deposit Securities (or cash -in-lieu) have been delivered to a Fund’s account at the applicable local sub-custodian(s), the Distributor and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery, and the Fund will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit. While, as stated above, Creation Units are generally delivered on T+3, the Fund may settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+3 in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances.
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A Fund may issue a Creation Unit prior to receiving good title to the Deposit Securities, under the following circumstances. Pursuant to the applicable Participant Agreement, the Fund may issue a Creation Unit notwithstanding that (certain) Deposit Securities have not been delivered, in reliance on an undertaking by the relevant Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking is secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery to and maintenance with the Custodian of collateral having a value equal to at least 115% of the value of the missing Deposit Securities (“Collateral”), as adjusted by time to time by the Adviser. Such Collateral will have a value greater than the NAV of the Creation Unit on the date the order is placed. Such collateral must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on T+1. The only Collateral that is acceptable to the Fund is cash in U.S. Dollars.
While (certain) Deposit Securities remain undelivered, the Collateral shall at all times have a value equal to at least 115% (as adjusted by the Adviser) of the daily marked-to-market value of the missing Deposit Securities. At any time, the Fund may use the Collateral to purchase the missing securities, and the Authorized Participant will be liable to the Fund for any costs incurred thereby or losses resulting therefrom, whether or not they exceed the amount of the Collateral, including any Transaction Fee, any amount by which the purchase price of the missing Deposit Securities exceeds the market value of such securities on the Transmittal Date, brokerage and other transaction costs. The Trust will return any unused Collateral once all of the missing securities have been received by the Fund. More information regarding the Fund’s current procedures for collateralization is available from the Distributor.
Cash Purchase Method
When cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases In the case of a cash purchase, the investor must pay the cash equivalent of the Portfolio Deposit. In addition, cash purchases will be subject to Transaction Fees, as described above.
Redeeming a Creation Unit
Redemption Basket
The consideration received in connection with the redemption of a Creation Unit generally consists of an in-kind basket of designated securities (“Redemption Securities”) and a Cash Component. Together, the Redemption Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Redemption Basket.”
There can be no assurance that there will be sufficient liquidity in Shares in the secondary market to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. In addition, investors may incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a Creation Unit.
The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the Redemption Securities. Thus, the Cash Component is equal to the difference between (x) the net asset value per Creation Unit of the Fund and (y) the market value of the Redemption Securities. If (x) is more than (y), the Authorized Participant will receive the Cash Component from a Fund. If (x) is less than (y), the Authorized Participant will pay the Cash Component to a Fund.
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If the Redemption Securities on a Business Day are different from the Deposit Securities, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the Adviser through the Custodian makes available through NSCC the name and amount of each Redemption Security in the current Redemption Basket (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for a Fund and the (estimated) Cash Component, effective through and including the previous Business Day, per Creation Unit. If the Redemption Securities on a Business Day are different from the Deposit Securities, all redemption requests that day will be processed outside the Clearing Process.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed: (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the NYSE is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares or determination of the ETF’s NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as permitted by the SEC, including as described below.
Custom Redemptions and Cash-in-lieu
A Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit or require the substitution of cash-in-lieu to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Redemption Security. A Fund may permit or require cash-in-lieu when, for example, a Redemption Security may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the Clearing Process. Similarly, a Fund may permit or require cash-in-lieu of Redemption Securities when, for example, the Authorized Participant or its underlying investor is restricted under U.S. or local securities law or policies from transacting in one or more Redemption Securities. A Fund will comply with the federal securities laws in satisfying redemptions with Redemption Securities, including that the Redemption Securities are sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the Securities Act. All redemption requests involving cash-in-lieu are considered to be “Custom Redemptions.”
Redemption Requests
To redeem a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable redemption request to the Distributor.
An Authorized Participant submitting a redemption request is deemed to represent to a Fund that it or, if applicable, the investor on whose behalf it is acting, (i) owns outright or has full legal authority and legal beneficial right to tender for redemption the Creation Unit to be redeemed and can receive the entire proceeds of the redemption, and (ii) all of the Shares that are in the Creation Unit to be redeemed have not been borrowed, loaned or pledged to another party nor are they the subject of a repurchase agreement, securities lending agreement or such other arrangement that would preclude the delivery of such Shares to the Fund. The Fund reserves the absolute right, in its sole discretion, to verify these representations, but will typically require verification in connection with higher levels of redemption activity and/or short interest in a Fund. If the Authorized Participant, upon receipt of a verification request, does not provide sufficient verification of the requested representations, the redemption request will not be considered to be in proper form and may be rejected by a Fund.
Timing of Submission of Redemption Requests
An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable redemption order no later than the Cut-off Time. The Cut-off Time for Custom Orders is generally two hours earlier. The Business Day the
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order is deemed received by the Distributor is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.” A redemption request is deemed received if (i) such order is received by the Distributor by the Cut-off Time on such day and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. Persons placing or effectuating Custom Redemptions and/or orders involving cash should be mindful of time deadlines imposed by intermediaries, such as DTC and/or the Federal Reserve System, which may impact the successful processing of such orders to ensure that cash and securities are transferred by the Settlement Date, as defined above.
Requests Using the Clearing Process
If available, (portions of) redemption requests may be settled through the Clearing Process. In connection with such orders, the Distributor transmits on behalf of the Authorized Participant, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the redemption. Pursuant to such trade instructions, the Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the requisite Creation Unit(s) to a Fund, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. Cash Components will be delivered using either the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System, as described above.
Requests Outside the Clearing Process
If the Clearing Process is not available for (portions of) an order, Redemption Baskets will be delivered outside the Clearing Process. Orders outside the Clearing Process must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the redemption will be effected through DTC. The Authorized Participant must transfer or cause to be transferred the Creation Unit(s) of shares being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be delivered through DTC to the Custodian by 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on received T+1. In addition, the Cash Component must be received by the Custodian by 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on T+1. If the Custodian does not receive the Creation Unit(s) and Cash Component by the appointed times on T+1, the redemption will be rejected, except in the circumstances described below. A rejected redemption request may be resubmitted the following Business Day.
Orders involving foreign Redemption Securities are expected to be settled outside the Clearing Process. Thus, upon receipt of an irrevocable redemption request, the Distributor will notify the Adviser and the Custodian. The Custodian will then provide information of the redemption to the Fund’s local sub-custodian(s). The redeeming Authorized Participant, or the investor on whose behalf is acting, will have established appropriate arrangements with a broker-dealer, bank or other custody provider in each jurisdiction in which the Redemption Securities are customarily traded and to which such Redemption Securities (and any cash-in-lieu) can be delivered from the Fund’s accounts at the applicable local sub-custodian(s).
Acceptance of Redemption Requests
All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust. The Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
Delivery of Redemption Basket
Once a Fund has accepted a redemption request, upon next determination of the Fund’s NAV, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Redemption Basket, against receipt of the Creation Unit(s) at such NAV, any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee. A Creation Unit tendered for redemption and the
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payment of the Cash Component, any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee will be effected through DTC. The Authorized Participant, or the investor on whose behalf it is acting, will be recorded on the book-entry system of DTC.
The Redemption Basket will generally be delivered to the redeeming Authorized Participant within T+3. Except under the circumstances described below, however, a Redemption Basket generally will not be issued until the Creation Unit(s) are delivered to the Fund, along with the Cash Component, any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee.
In certain cases, Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.
With respect to orders involving foreign Redemption Securities, the Fund may settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+3 in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances. When a relevant local market is closed due to local market holidays, the local market settlement process will not commence until the end of the local holiday period. Listed below are the dates in calendar year 2017 in which the regular holidays in non-U.S. markets may impact Fund settlement. This list is based on information available to the Funds. The list may not be accurate or complete and is subject to change: [TO BE UPDATED BY AMENDMENT]
Argentina | Australia | Austria | Bahrain | Bangladesh | Belgium | Bermuda |
January 01 February 16, 17 March 23, 24 April 02, 03 May 01, 25 July 09 August 17 October 12 November 06, 27 December 07, 08, 25 |
January 01, 26 March 09 April 03, 06 June 08 August 03 October 05 November 03 December 24, 25, 28, 31 |
January 01, 06 April 03, 06 May 01, 14, 25 June 04 October 26 December 24, 25, 31 |
January 01, 25 May 03 July 19 September 24, 27, 28 October 14, 15, 22, 25, 26 December 16, 17, 23 |
January 04 March 17, 26 April 14, 28 May 03 June 03 July 01, 15, 19 September 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, October 22 November 04 December 16, 24, 31 |
January 01 April 03, 06 May 01 December 25,31 |
January 01 April 03 May 25 June 15 July 30, 31, September 07 November 11 December 25, 28 |
Bosnia-Herzegovina | Botswana | Brazil | Bulgaria | Canada | Chile | China |
January 01, 02, 06, 07, 09 March 02 April 06, 10, 13 May 01 July 17 September 24, 25 November 25 December |
January 01, 02 April 03, 06 May 01, 14 July 01, 20, 21 September 30 October 01 December 25 |
January 01 February 16, 17, 18 April 03, 21, May 01 June 04 July 09 September 07 October 12, November 02, 20 December |
January 01, 02, 24 March 02, 03 April 10, 13 May 01, 06, September 21, 22 December 24, 25, 31 |
January 01 February 16 April 03 May 18 July 01 August 03, September 07 October 12 November 11 December 25, 28 |
January 01 April 03 May 01, 21, June 29 July 16 September 18 October 12 December 08, 25, 31 |
January 01, 02, 19 February 16, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 28 April 03, 06, May 01, 25, June 22 July 01 September 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 28
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December 24, 25, 31 |
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December 24, 25 |
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Ireland | Israel | Italy | Ivory Coast | Japan | Jordan | Kazakhstan |
January 01 March 17 April 03, 06, May 01, 04, 25 June 01 August 03 October 26 December 25, 28 |
March 05, 17 April 03, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 22, 23 May 24 July 26 September 13, 14, 15, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, October 01, 04, 05 |
January 01, 06 April 03, 06 May 01 December 08, 24, 25, 31 |
January 01, February 09 April 03, 06, May 01, 14, 25 July 14 August 07 September 24 December 25 |
January 01, 02, 12 February 11 April 29 May 04, 05, 06 July 20 September 21, 22, 23, October 12 November 03, 23 December 23, 31 |
October 15 |
January 01, 02, 07 March 09, 23, 24, 25 May 01, 07, 11 July 06 September 24 December 01, 16, 17 |
Kenya | Kuwait | Latvia | Lebanon | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Malaysia |
January 01 April 03, 06, May 01 June 01 October 20 December 25 |
January 01, 25 February 25, 26 May 17 July 17, 19, 20 September 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 October 14, 15 December 24 |
January 01, 02 April 03, 06, May 01, 04, 14 June 22, 23, 24 November 18 December 25, 31 |
January 01, 06 February 09 March 25 April 03, 10, 13 May 01, 25, July 17 September 24, 25 October 14, 23 November 23 December 25 |
January 01 February 16 March 11 April 06 May 01, 14, June 24 July 06 December 24, 25, 31 |
January 01 April 03, 06, May 01, 14, 25 June 23 December 24, 25, 31 |
January 01 February 02, 03, 18, 19, 20, May 01, 04 July 16, 17 August 31 September 16, 24 October 14 November 10 December 24, 25 |
Mauritius | Mexico | Morocco | Namibia | Netherlands | New Zealand | Nigeria |
January 01, 02 February 03, 17, 19 March 12 May 01 September 18 November 02, 11 December 25 |
January 01 February 02 March 16 April 02, 03, May 01 September 16 November 02, 16 December 25 |
January 01 May 01 July 17, 30 August 14, 20, 21 September 24, 25 October 15 November 06, 18 |
January 01 March 21 April 03, 06, May 01, 04, 14, 25 August 26 December 10, 25 |
January 01 April 03, 06, May 01 December 25, 31 |
January 01, 02 February 06 April 03, 06, 27 June 01 October 26 December 25, 28 |
January 01, 05 April 03, 06 May 01, 29 July 17, 20 September 24, 25 October 01 December 25 |
Norway | Oman | Pakistan | Palestine Autonomous Area | Peru | Philippines | Poland |
January 01 April 01, 02, 03, 06 May 01,14, 25 December 24, 25, 31 |
January 01, 04, 14, 25 May 16, 17 July 16, 19, 20, 23 September 23, 24 October 14, 15
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January 01, 03 February 05 March 23 May 01 June 22 July 01, 17, 18, 20, 21 August 14
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January 01, 07 March 08 July 16, 19 September 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 October 14,
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January 01, 02 April 02, 03 May 01 June 29 July 28, 29, October 08, 09
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January 01, 02, 15, 16, 19 February 19 April 02, 03, 09 May 01 June 12 August 21,
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January 01, 06 April 03, 06, May 01 June 04 November 11 December 24, 25, 31 |
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November 18, 19 December 24 |
September 24, 25, 26, 27 October 22, 23 November 09 December 25 |
15 November 15 |
December 08, 25 |
31 September 25 November 18, 19, 30 December 24, 25, 30, 31 |
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Portugal | Qatar | Romania | Russia | Rwanda | Saudi Arabia | Serbia |
January 01 April 03, 06, May 01 December 25, 31 |
January 01 February 10 March 01 July 19, 20, 21 September 23, 24, 27, 28 |
January 01, 02 April 13 May 01 June 01 November 30 December 01, 25 |
January 01, 02, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, February 23 March 09 May 01, 04, 11 June 12 November 04 December 31 |
January 01 April 03, 07 May 01 July 01 September 24 December 25 |
January 25 July 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 September 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 |
January 01, 02, 07 February 16, 17 April 10, 13 May 01 November 11 |
Singapore | Slovakia | Slovenia | South Africa | South Korea | Spain | Sri Lanka |
January 01 February 18, 19, 20 April 03 May 01 June 01 July 17 August 07, 10 September 11, 24 November 10 December 25 |
January 01, 06 April 03, 06, May 01, 08 September 01, 15 November 17 December 24, 25 |
January 01 April 03, 06, 27 May 01 June 25 December 25 |
January 01 April 03, 06, 27 May 01 June 16 August 10 September 24 December 16, 24, 25 |
January 01 February 18, 19, 20 May 01, 05, 25 August 14 September 28, 29 October 09 December 25, 31 |
January 01 April 03, 06, May 01 December 24, 25, 31 |
January 01, 05, 08, 14, 15 February 03, 04, 17 March 05 April 03, 13, 14, May 01, 04 June 02 July 01, 31 September 24 October 27 November 10, 25 December 24, 25 |
Swaziland | Sweden | Switzerland | Taiwan | Tanzania, United Republic Of | Thailand | Trinidad & Tobago |
January 01, 08 April 03, 06, 20 May 01, 14, July 22 December 25 |
January 01, 05, 06 April 02, 03, 06, 30 May 01, 13, 14 June 19 October 30, December 24, 25, 31 |
January 01, 02 April 03, 06, May 01, 14, 25 December 24, 25, 31 |
January 01, 02 February 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 27, April 03, 06 May 01 June 19 September 28, 29 October 09 |
January 01, 12 April 03, 06, 07 May 01 July 01, 07, 17 September 24 October 14 November 05
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January 01, 02 March 04 April 06, 13, 14, 15 May 01, 04, 05 June 01 July 01, 30 August 12 October 23 December |
January 01 March 30 April 03, 06 June 04, 19 August 31 September 24 December 25 |
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December 09, 25 |
07, 10 |
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Tunisia | Turkey | Uganda | Ukraine | United Arab Emirates | United Kingdom | United States |
January 01, 14 March 20 April 09 May 01 July 17 August 13 September 24, 25 October 14, 15 |
January 01 April 23, May 01, 19, July 16, 17, September 23, 24, 25, October 28, 29 |
January 01, 26 April 03, 06, May 01 June 03, 09, September 24 October 09 December 25 |
January 01, 02, 05, 07 March 09 April 13 May 01, 04, 11 June 01, 29 August 24 |
January 01 February 16 May 17 July 19, 20 September 23, 24 October 14, 15 December 02, 03 |
January 01, 19 February 16 April 03, 06 May 01, 04, 25 August 31 December 25, 28 |
January 01, 19 February 16 April 03 May 25 July 03 September 07 October 12 November 11, 26 December 25 |
Uruguay | Venezuela | Vietnam | Zambia | Zimbabwe | ||
January 01, 06 February 16, 17 April 02, 03, May 01, 18 June 19 August 25 October 12 November 02 December 25 |
January 01, 05 February 16, 17 March 19 April 02, 03, May 01, 18 June 08, 24, 29 July 24 October 12 December 07, 24, 25, 31 |
January 01 February 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, April 28, 29, 30 May 01 September 02 |
January 01, 02, 20 March 09, 12 April 03, 06, May 01, 25 July 06, 07, August 03 December 25 |
January 01 April 03, 06 May 01, 25 August 10, 11 December 22, 25 |
Cash Redemption Method
When cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions. In the case of a cash redemption, the investor will receive the cash equivalent of the Redemption Basket minus any Transaction Fees, as described above.
TAX STATUS
The following discussion is general in nature and should not be regarded as an exhaustive presentation of all possible tax ramifications. All shareholders should consult a qualified tax advisor regarding their investment in a Fund.
Each Fund has qualified and intends to continue to qualify and has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and intends to continue to so qualify, which requires compliance with certain requirements concerning the sources of its income, diversification of its assets, and the amount and timing of its distributions to shareholders. Such qualification does not involve supervision of management or investment practices or policies by any government agency or bureau. By so qualifying, a Fund should not be subject to federal income or excise tax on its net investment income or net capital gain, which are distributed to shareholders in accordance with the applicable timing
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requirements. Net investment income and net capital gain of a Fund will be computed in accordance with Section 852 of the Code.
Net investment income is made up of dividends and interest less expenses. Net capital gain for a fiscal year is computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of a Fund. Capital losses incurred after January 31, 2011 may now be carried forward indefinitely and retain the character of the original loss. Under pre-enacted laws, capital losses could be carried forward to offset any capital gains for eight years, and carried forward as short-term capital, irrespective of the character of the original loss. Capital loss carry forwards are available to offset future realized capital gains. To the extent that these carry forwards are used to offset future capital gains it is probable that the amount offset will not be distributed to shareholders.
Each Fund intends to distribute all of its net investment income, any excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses, and any excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses in accordance with the timing requirements imposed by the Code and therefore should not be required to pay any federal income or excise taxes. Distributions of net investment income and net capital gain, if any, will be made annually no later than December 31 of each year. Both types of distributions will be in shares of a Fund unless a shareholder elects to receive cash.
To be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, a Fund must also (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, net income from certain publicly traded partnerships and gains from the sale or other disposition of securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to the business of investing in such securities or currencies, and (b) diversify its holding so that, at the end of each fiscal quarter, (i) at least 50% of the market value of a Fund's assets is represented by cash, U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities (for purposes of this calculation, generally limited in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the market value of a Fund's assets and 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer) and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities of (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) any one issuer, two or more issuers that a Fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or the securities of certain publicly traded partnerships.
If a Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M in any fiscal year, it will be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. As such the Fund would be required to pay income taxes on its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, at the rates generally applicable to corporations. Shareholders of the Fund generally would not be liable for income tax on the Fund's net investment income or net realized capital gains in their individual capacities. Distributions to shareholders, whether from a Fund's net investment income or net realized capital gains, would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of current or accumulated earnings and profits of a Fund.
Each Fund is subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on certain undistributed amounts of ordinary income and capital gain under a prescribed formula contained in Section 4982 of the Code. The formula requires payment to shareholders during a calendar year of distributions representing at least 98% of a Fund's ordinary income for the calendar year and at least 98.2% of its capital gain net income (i.e., the excess of its capital gains over capital losses) realized during the one-year period ending October 31 during such year plus 100% of any income that was neither distributed nor taxed
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to a Fund during the preceding calendar year. Under ordinary circumstances, each Fund expects to time its distributions so as to avoid liability for this tax.
The following discussion of tax consequences is for the general information of shareholders that are subject to tax. Shareholders that are IRAs or other qualified retirement plans are exempt from income taxation under the Code.
Distributions of taxable net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.
Distributions of net capital gain ("capital gain dividends") generally are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain; regardless of the length of time the shares of the Trust have been held by such shareholders.
Certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals and estates and trusts, are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which should include dividends from the Fund and net gains from the disposition of shares of the Fund. U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the implications of the additional Medicare tax resulting from an investment in a Fund.
Redemption of Fund shares by a shareholder will result in the recognition of taxable gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and the shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares. Such gain or loss is treated as a capital gain or loss if the shares are held as capital assets. However, any loss realized upon the redemption of shares within six months from the date of their purchase will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as capital gain dividends during such six-month period. All or a portion of any loss realized upon the redemption of shares may be disallowed to the extent shares are purchased (including shares acquired by means of reinvested dividends) within 30 days before or after such redemption.
Distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain will be taxable as described above, whether received in additional cash or shares. Shareholders electing to receive distributions in the form of additional shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each share so received equal to the net asset value of a share on the reinvestment date.
All distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain, whether received in shares or in cash, must be reported by each taxable shareholder on his or her federal income tax return. Dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December as of a record date in such a month, if any, will be deemed to have been received by shareholders on December 31, if paid during January of the following year. Redemptions of shares may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder and are also subject to these reporting requirements.
Under the Code, a Fund will be required to report to the Internal Revenue Service all distributions of taxable income and capital gains as well as gross proceeds from the redemption or exchange of Fund shares, except in the case of certain exempt shareholders. Under the backup withholding provisions of Section 3406 of the Code, distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain and proceeds from the redemption or exchange of the shares of a regulated investment company may be subject to withholding of federal income tax in the case of non-exempt shareholders who fail to furnish the investment company with their taxpayer identification numbers and with required certifications regarding their status under the federal income tax law, or if a Fund is notified by the IRS or a broker that withholding is required due to an incorrect TIN or a previous failure to report taxable interest or dividends. If the withholding provisions are applicable, any such
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distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld.
Options, Futures, Forward Contracts and Swap Agreements
To the extent such investments are permissible for a Fund, the Fund's transactions in options, futures contracts, hedging transactions, forward contracts, straddles and foreign currencies will be subject to special tax rules (including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale and short sale rules), the effect of which may be to accelerate income to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains and convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to shareholders.
To the extent such investments are permissible, certain of a Fund's hedging activities (including its transactions, if any, in foreign currencies or foreign currency-denominated instruments) are likely to produce a difference between its book income and its taxable income. If a Fund's book income exceeds its taxable income, the distribution (if any) of such excess book income will be treated as (i) a dividend to the extent of a Fund's remaining earnings and profits (including earnings and profits arising from tax-exempt income), (ii) thereafter, as a return of capital to the extent of the recipient's basis in the shares, and (iii) thereafter, as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset. If a Fund's book income is less than taxable income, a Fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a regulated investment company that is accorded special tax treatment.
Passive Foreign Investment Companies
Investment by a Fund in certain "passive foreign investment companies" ("PFICs") could subject the Fund to a U.S. federal income tax (including interest charges) on distributions received from the company or on proceeds received from the disposition of shares in the company, which tax cannot be eliminated by making distributions to Fund shareholders. However, a Fund may elect to treat a PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF"), in which case the Fund will be required to include its share of the company's income and net capital gains annually, regardless of whether it receives any distribution from the company.
A Fund also may make an election to mark the gains (and to a limited extent losses) in such holdings "to the market" as though it had sold and repurchased its holdings in those PFICs on the last day of a Fund's taxable year. Such gains and losses are treated as ordinary income and loss. The QEF and mark-to-market elections may accelerate the recognition of income (without the receipt of cash) and increase the amount required to be distributed for a Fund to avoid taxation. Making either of these elections, therefore, may require a Fund to liquidate other investments (including when it is not advantageous to do so) to meet its distribution requirement, which also may accelerate the recognition of gain and affect a Fund's total return.
Foreign Currency Transactions
A Fund's transactions in foreign currencies, foreign currency-denominated debt securities and certain foreign currency options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned.
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Foreign Taxation
Income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties and conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the value of a Fund's total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may be able to elect to "pass through" to the Fund's shareholders the amount of eligible foreign income and similar taxes paid by the Fund. If this election is made, a shareholder generally subject to tax will be required to include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) his or her pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid by a Fund, and may be entitled either to deduct (as an itemized deduction) his or her pro rata share of foreign taxes in computing his or her taxable income or to use it as a foreign tax credit against his or her U.S. federal income tax liability, subject to certain limitations. In particular, a shareholder must hold his or her shares (without protection from risk of loss) on the ex-dividend date and for at least 15 more days during the 30-day period surrounding the ex-dividend date to be eligible to claim a foreign tax credit with respect to a gain dividend. No deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by a shareholder who does not itemize deductions. Each shareholder will be notified within 60 days after the close of the Fund's taxable year whether the foreign taxes paid by the Fund will "pass through" for that year.
Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of a Fund's income will flow through to shareholders of the Fund. With respect to a Fund, gains from the sale of securities will be treated as derived from U.S. sources and certain currency fluctuation gains, including fluctuation gains from foreign currency-denominated debt securities, receivables and payables will be treated as ordinary income derived from U.S. sources. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. A shareholder may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of his or her proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by a Fund. The foreign tax credit can be used to offset only 90% of the revised alternative minimum tax imposed on corporations and individuals and foreign taxes generally are not deductible in computing alternative minimum taxable income.
Original Issue Discount and Pay-In-Kind Securities
Current federal tax law requires the holder of a U.S. Treasury or other fixed income zero coupon security to accrue as income each year a portion of the discount at which the security was purchased, even though the holder receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year. In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income, which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.
Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by a Fund may be treated as debt securities that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount ("OID") is treated as interest income and is included in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. A portion of the OID includable in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities (including certain pay-in-kind securities) may be treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by a Fund in the secondary market may be treated as having market
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discount. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt security having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the "accrued market discount" on such debt security. Market discount generally accrues in equal daily installments. A Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having market discount, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
Some debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by a Fund may be treated as having acquisition discount, or OID in the case of certain types of debt securities. Generally, a Fund will be required to include the acquisition discount, or OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. A Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having acquisition discount, or OID, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
A Fund that holds the foregoing kinds of securities may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash interest a Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of a Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary (including when it is not advantageous to do so). A Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event a Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would in the absence of such transactions.
Shareholders of a Fund may be subject to state and local taxes on distributions received from the Fund and on redemptions of the Fund’s shares.
A brief explanation of the form and character of the distribution accompany each distribution. In January of each year the Fund issues to each shareholder a statement of the federal income tax status of all distributions.
Shareholders should consult their tax advisors about the application of federal, state and local and foreign tax law in light of their particular situation.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Board has selected BBD, LLP, located at 1835 Market Street, 26th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, as its independent registered public accounting firm for the current fiscal period. The firm provides services including (i) audit of annual financial statements, and (ii) assistance and consultation in connection with SEC filings.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Thompson Hine LLP, 41 South High Street, Suite 1700, Columbus, Ohio 43215, serves as the Trust's legal counsel.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Funds have not yet commenced operations and, therefore, have not produced financial statements. Once produced, you can obtain a copy of the financial statements contained in the Fund's Annual or Semi-Annual Report without charge by calling the Fund at [PHONE NUMBER].
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Adviser Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
REGENTS PARK FUNDS, LLC PROXY VOTING POLICY
[TO BE PROVIDED BY AMENDMENT]
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Adviser Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
AFFINITY INVESTMENT ADVISORS, LLC PROXY VOTING POLICY
[TO BE PROVIDED BY AMENDMENT]
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Adviser Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
ANFIELD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC PROXY VOTING POLICY
[TO BE PROVIDED BY AMENDMENT]
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PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(a) Articles of Incorporation.
(i) | Registrant's Trust Instrument was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 14, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 and is incorporated by reference. |
(ii) | Certificate of Trust was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on June 8, 2015 and is incorporated by reference. |
(b) By-Laws. Registrant's By-Laws was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s
Registration Statement on August 14, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 and is incorporated by reference.
(c) Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holder. None other than in the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Registrant.
(d) Investment Advisory Contracts.
(i) | Management Agreement between Anchor Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant with respect to Anchor Tactical Credit Strategies Fund was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 14, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 and is incorporated by reference. |
(ii) | Management Agreement between Main Management Fund Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Main BuyWrite Fund was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on December 21, 2015 in Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 and is incorporated by reference. |
(iii) | Management Agreement between Measured Risk Portfolios, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the Measured Risk Strategy Fund was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on December 21, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 and is incorporated by reference. |
(iv) | Management Agreement between Tree Ring Capital Management LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Tree Ring Stock Fund was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on March 24, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 and is incorporated by reference. |
(v) | Management Agreement between Moerus Capital Management LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Moerus Worldwide Value Fund was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on May 20, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 and is incorporated by reference. |
(vi) | Form of Management Agreement between LGM Capital Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Low Beta Tactical 500 Fund was previously filed as an |
exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 26, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 and is incorporated by reference.
(vii) | Management Agreement between Anchor Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the Anchor Tactical Equity Strategies Fund, Anchor Tactical Municipal Strategies Fund, Anchor Tactical Real Estate Fund, Anchor Tactical Equity Strategies VP, Anchor Tactical Municipal Strategies VP, Anchor Tactical Real Estate VP, and Anchor Tactical Credit Strategies VP was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 31, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 and is incorporated by reference. |
(viii) | Management Agreement between Blue Sky Asset Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the QUANTX Global Growth ETF, QUANTX Risk Managed Multi-Asset Income ETF, QUANTX Risk Managed Real Asset ETF, QUANTX Risk Managed Multi-Asset Total Return ETF and QUANTX SmartVol USA Equity ETF will be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(ix) | Sub-Advisory Agreement between Measured Risk Portfolios, Inc. and Black Peak Capital, LLC will be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(x) | Management Agreement between Regents Park Funds, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Affinity Global Franchise Equity ETF and Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF is filed herewith. |
(xi) | Sub-advisory Agreement between Regents Park Funds, LLC and Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC with respect to the Affinity Global Franchise Equity ETF will be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(xii) | Sub-advisory Agreement between Regents Park Funds, LLC and Anfield Capital Management, LLC with respect to the Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF is filed herewith. |
(e) Underwriting Contracts.
(i) | Underwriting Agreement with Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 14, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 and is incorporated by reference. |
(ii) | Underwriting Agreement with Ceros Financial Services was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on March 24, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 and is incorporated by reference. |
(iii) | Underwriting Agreement with Foreside Fund Services, LLC was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on May 20, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 and is incorporated by reference. |
(iv) | ETF Underwriting Agreement with Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, will be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(f) Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts. None.
(g) Custodial Agreement.
(i) | Custody Agreement with MUFG Union Bank, N.A. was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 14, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 and is incorporated by reference. |
(ii) | Custody Agreement with The Huntington National Bank was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on December 21, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 and is incorporated by reference. |
(iii) | Form of Custody Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on May 20, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 and is incorporated by reference. |
(iv) | Custody Agreement and Transfer Agent with Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., will be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(h) Other Material Contracts.
(i) | Fund Services Agreement was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 14, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 and is incorporated by reference. |
(ii) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Main Management Fund Advisors, LLC and the Registrant with respect to the Main BuyWrite Fund was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on December 21, 2015 in Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 and is incorporated by reference. |
(iii) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Measured Risk Portfolios, Inc. and the Registrant with respect to the Measured Risk Strategy Fund was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on December 21, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 and is incorporated by reference. |
(iv) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Anchor Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant with respect to Anchor Tactical Credit Strategies Fund previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on January 11, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 and is incorporated by reference. |
(v) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Tree Ring Capital Management LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Tree Ring Stock Fund was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on March 24, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 and is incorporated by reference. |
(vi) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Moerus Capital Management LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Moerus Worldwide Value Fund was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on May 20, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 and is incorporated by reference. |
(vii) | Form of Expense Limitation Agreement between LGM Capital Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Low Beta Tactical 500 Fund was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 26, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 and is incorporated by reference. |
(viii) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Anchor Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the Anchor Tactical Equity Strategies Fund, Anchor Tactical Municipal Strategies Fund, and Anchor Tactical Real Estate Fund was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 31, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 and is incorporated by reference. |
(ix) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Blue Sky Asset Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the QUANTX Global Growth ETF, QUANTX Risk Managed Multi-Asset Income ETF, QUANTX Risk Managed Real Asset ETF, QUANTX Risk Managed Multi-Asset Total Return ETF and QUANTX SmartVol USA Equity ETF will be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(x) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Regents Park Funds, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Affinity Global Franchise Equity ETF and Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF is filed herewith. |
(xi) | ETF Fund Services Agreement with Gemini Fund Services, LLC is filed herewith. |
(i) Legal Opinion.
(i) | Legal Opinion and Consent of Thompson Hine LLP will be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(j) Other Opinions. None.
(k) Omitted Financial Statements. None.
(l) Initial Capital Agreements. None.
(m) Rule 12b-1 Plans.
(i) | Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Class A shares was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 14, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 and is incorporated by reference. |
(a) | Amended Exhibit A to Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Class A shares was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on May 20, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 and is incorporated by reference. |
(ii) | Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Class C shares was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on December 21, 2015 in Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 and is incorporated by reference. |
(iii) | Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Institutional Class shares was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 14, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 and is incorporated by reference. |
(a) | Amended Exhibit A to Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Institutional Class Shares was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 31, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 and is incorporated by reference. |
(iv) | Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Class N Shares was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on May 20, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 and is incorporated by reference. |
(v) | Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Investor Class Shares was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on May 20, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 and is incorporated by reference. |
(a) | Amended Exhibit A to Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Investor Class Shares was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 31, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 and is incorporated by reference. |
(vi) | Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Non-Designated Shares was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 31, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 and is incorporated by reference. |
(vii) | Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for ETF Shares is filed herewith. |
(n)
(i) | Rule 18f-3 Plan was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on December 21, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 and is incorporated by reference. |
(a) | Amended Appendix A to Rule 18f-3 Plan was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on May 20, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 and is incorporated by reference. |
(b) | Amended Appendix A to Rule 18f-3 Plan to add Anchor Tactical Equity Strategies Fund, Anchor Tactical Municipal Strategies Fund, and Anchor Tactical Real Estate Fund was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 31, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 and is incorporated by reference. |
(o) Reserved.
(p) Code of Ethics.
(i) | Code of Ethics for the Trust was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 14, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 and is incorporated by reference. |
(ii) | Code of Ethics for Anchor Capital Management Group, Inc. was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 14, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 and is incorporated by reference. |
(iii) | Code of Ethics for Northern Lights Distributors was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 14, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 and is incorporated by reference. |
(iv) | Code of Ethics for Main Management Fund Advisors, LLC was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on December 21, 2015 in Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 and is incorporated by reference. |
(v) | Code of Ethics for Measured Risk Portfolios, Inc. was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on December 21, 2015 in Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 and is incorporated by reference. |
(vi) | Code of Ethics for Tree Ring Capital Management LLC was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on March 24, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 and is incorporated by reference. |
(vii) | Code of Ethics for Moerus Capital Management LLC was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on May 20, 2016 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 and is incorporated by reference. |
(viii) | Code of Ethics for LGM Capital Management, LLC will be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(ix) | Code of Ethics for Blue Sky Asset Management, LLC will be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(x) | Code of Ethics for Regents Park Funds, LLC will be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(xi) | Code of Ethics for Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC will be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(xii) | Code of Ethics for Anfield Capital Management, LLC will be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(q) Powers of Attorney. Power of Attorney for the Trust, and a certificate with respect thereto, and each trustee and executive officer, was previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on August 14, 2015 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 and is incorporated by reference.
Item 29. Control Persons. None.
Item 30. Indemnification.
Reference is made to Article VIII of the Registrant's Agreement and Declaration of Trust Instrument which is included, Section 8 of the Underwriting Agreement, Section 7 of the Custody Agreement, and Section 4 of the Fund Services Agreement. The application of these provisions is limited by the following undertaking set forth in the rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission:
Article VIII, Section 2(b) provides that every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and every other act or document whatsoever issued, executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust, the officers or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively deemed to have been issued, executed or done only in such Person's capacity as Trustee and/or as officer, and such Trustee or officer, as applicable, shall not be personally liable therefore, except as described in the last sentence of the first paragraph of Section 2 of Article VIII.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in such Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in such Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. The Registrant may maintain a standard mutual fund and investment advisory professional and directors and officers liability policy. The policy, if maintained, would provide coverage to the Registrant, its Trustees and officers, and could cover its advisers, among others. Coverage under the policy would include losses by reason of any act, error, omission, misstatement, misleading statement, neglect or breach of duty.
The Underwriting Agreement between the Trust and Northern Lights Distributors, LLC ("NLD")provides that the Registrant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold NLD, its several officers and directors, and any person who controls NLD within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act free and harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the reasonable cost of investigating or defending such claims, demands or liabilities and any reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) which NLD, its officers and directors, or any such controlling persons, may incur under the Securities Act, the 1940 Act, or common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon: (i) any untrue statement, or alleged untrue statement, of a material fact required to be stated in either any Registration Statement or any Prospectus, (ii) any omission, or alleged omission, to state a material fact required to be stated in any Registration Statement or any Prospectus or necessary to make the statements in any of them not misleading, (iii) the Registrant's failure to maintain an effective Registration statement and Prospectus with respect to Shares of the Funds that are the subject of the claim or demand, or (iv) the Registrant's failure to provide NLD with advertising or sales materials to be filed with the FINRA on a timely basis.
The Underwriting Agreement between the Trust and Ceros Financial Services Inc. (“Ceros") provides that the Registrant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Ceros, its several officers and directors, and any person who controls Ceros within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act free and harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the reasonable cost of investigating or defending such claims, demands or liabilities and any reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) which Ceros, its officers and directors, or any such controlling persons, may incur under the Securities Act, the 1940 Act, or common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon: (i) any untrue statement, or alleged untrue statement, of a material fact required to be stated in either any Registration Statement or any Prospectus, (ii) the breach of any representations, warranties or obligations set forth herein, (iii) any omission, or alleged omission, to state a material fact required to be stated in any Registration Statement or any Prospectus or necessary to make the statements in any of them not misleading, (iv) the Trust’s failure to maintain an effective Registration statement and Prospectus with respect to Shares of the Funds that are the
subject of the claim or demand, (v) the Trust’s failure to provide Ceros with advertising or sales materials to be filed with FINRA on a timely basis or use of marketing materials that are false or misleading, (vi) the Trust’s failure to properly register Fund Shares under applicable state laws, or (vii) all reasonable actions taken by Ceros hereunder, including all actions resulting from Ceros’s reliance on instructions received from an officer, agent or legal counsel of the Trust.
The Registrant shall indemnify, defend and hold the Foreside, its affiliates and each of their respective members, managers, directors, officers, employees, representatives and any person who controls or previously controlled the Foreside within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the “Foreside Indemnitees”), free and harmless from and against any and all losses, claims, demands, liabilities, damages and expenses (including the costs of investigating or defending any alleged losses, claims, demands, liabilities, damages or expenses and any reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) (collectively, “Losses”) that any Foreside Indemnitee may incur under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act any other statute (including Blue Sky laws) or any rule or regulation thereunder, or under common law or otherwise, arising out of or relating to (i) the Foreside serving as distributor of the Funds pursuant to this Agreement; (ii) the Registrant’s breach of any of its obligations, representations, warranties or covenants contained in this Agreement; (iii) the Registrant’s failure to comply with any applicable securities laws or regulations; or (iv) any claim that the Registration Statement, Prospectus, shareholder reports, sales literature and advertising materials or other information filed or made public by the Registrant (as from time to time amended) include or included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading under the 1933 Act, or any other statute or the common law any violation of any rule of FINRA or of the SEC or any other jurisdiction wherein Shares of the Funds are sold, provided, however, that the Registrant’s obligation to indemnify any of the Foreside Indemnitees shall not be deemed to cover any Losses arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, Prospectus, annual or interim report, or any such advertising materials or sales literature in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Foreside and furnished to the Registrant or its counsel by the Foreside in writing and acknowledging the purpose of its use. In no event shall anything contained herein be so construed as to protect the Foreside against any liability to the Registrant or its shareholders to which the Foreside would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of its duties under this Agreement or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations under this Agreement.
The Fund Services Agreements with Gemini Fund Services, LLC ("GFS") provides that the Registrant agrees to indemnify and hold GFS harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees, payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to the Registrant's refusal or failure to comply with the terms of the Agreement, or which arise out of the Registrant's lack of good faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to the Registrant's performance under or in connection with this Agreement.
The Consulting Agreement with Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC ("NLCS") provides that the Registrant agree to indemnify and hold NLCS harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees, payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to the Trust's refusal or failure to comply with the terms of the Agreement, or which arise out of the Trust's lack of good faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to the Trust's performance under or in connection with the Agreement. NLCS shall not be liable for, and shall be entitled to rely upon, and may act upon information, records and reports generated by the Trust, advice of the Trust, or of counsel for the Trust and upon statements of the Trust's independent accountants, and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to such records and reports.
Item 31. Activities of Investment Advisor.
Certain information pertaining to the business and other connections of each Advisor of each series of the Trust is incorporated herein by reference to the section of the respective Prospectus captioned “Investment Advisor” and to the section of the respective Statement of Additional Information captioned “Investment Advisory and Other Services.” The information required by this Item 26 with respect to each director, officer or partner of each Advisor is incorporated by reference to the Advisor’s Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (Form ADV) on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Each Advisor’s Form ADV may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov, and may be requested by File No. as follows:
Anchor Capital Management Group, Inc., adviser to the Anchor Tactical Credit Strategies Fund, Anchor Tactical Equity Strategies Fund, Anchor Tactical Municipal Strategies Fund, Anchor Tactical Real Estate Fund, Anchor Tactical Equity Strategies VP, Anchor Tactical Municipal Strategies VP, Anchor Tactical Real Estate VP, and Anchor Tactical Credit Strategies VP -- File No. 801-19624
Main Management Fund Advisors, LLC, adviser to the Main BuyWrite Fund – File No. 801-106755
Measured Risk Portfolios, Inc., adviser to the Measured Risk Strategy Fund – File No. 801-80124
Tree Ring Capital Management LLC, adviser to the Tree Ring Stock Fund – File No. 801-107217
Moerus Capital Management LLC, adviser to the Moerus Worldwide Value Fund – File No. 801-107225
LGM Capital Management, LLC adviser to the Low Beta Tactical 500 Fund – File No.801-108408.
Blue Sky Asset Management, LLC adviser to QUANTX Global Growth ETF, QUANTX Risk Managed Multi-Asset Income ETF, QUANTX Risk Managed Real Asset ETF, QUANTX Risk Managed Multi-Asset Total Return ETF, QUANTX SmartVol USA Equity ETF- File No. to be supplied by subsequent amendment.
Black Peak Capital, LLC, sub-adviser to Measured Risk Strategy Fund – File No. 801-108415.
Regents Park Funds, LLC adviser to Affinity Global Franchise ETF and Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives- File No. to be supplied by subsequent amendment.
Affinity Investments Advisors, LLC, sub-adviser to Affinity Global Franchise ETF-File No. 801-42015.
Anfield Capital Management, LLC sub-adviser to Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF- File No. 801-77714.
Item 32. Principal Underwriter.
(a) Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, the principal underwriter to the Trust also acts as principal underwriter for the following investment companies:
AdvisorOne Funds, AmericaFirst Quantitative Funds, Arrow ETF Trust, Arrow QVM Equity Factor ETF a series of the Arrow Investments Trust BlueArc Multi-Strategy Fund, Centerstone Investors Trust, Compass EMP Funds Trust, Copeland Trust, Crow Point Global Dividend Plus Fund, Equinox
Funds Trust, Forethought Variable Insurance Trust, Hays Series Trust, Miller Investment Trust, Morgan Creek Series Trust, Mutual Fund Series Trust, Mutual Fund and Variable Insurance Trust, Neiman Funds, Nile Capital Investment Trust, North Country Funds, Northern Lights Fund Trust, Northern Lights Fund Trust II, Northern Lights Fund Trust III, Northern Lights Variable Trust, OCM Mutual Fund, PREDEX, The Multi-Strategy Growth & Income Fund, The Saratoga Advantage Trust, Total Income+ Real Estate Fund, Tributary Funds, Inc., Two Roads Shared Trust and Vertical Capital Income Fund.
Ceros Financial Services, Inc., 1445 Research Blvd., Suite 530, Rockville, MD 20850, also acts as the principal underwriter to Advisors Preferred Trust underwriter for certain series of the following investment companies: Northern Lights Fund Trust II and Advisors Preferred Trust.
Foreside Distribution Services, L.P. serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:
1. HSBC Advisor Funds Trust
2. HSBC Funds (f/k/a HSBC Investor Funds)
3. IMS Funds, Series of 360 Funds
4. Leader Funds, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust
5. Princeton Futures Strategy Fund, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust
6. Miles Funds, Inc. (f/k/a WB Capital Mutual Funds, Inc.)
(b) Northern Lights Distributors, LLC is registered with Securities and Exchange Commission as a broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. The principal business address of Northern Lights Distributors, LLC is 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. To the best of Registrant’s knowledge, the following are the members and officers of Northern Lights Distributors, LLC:
Name |
Positions and Offices with Underwriter |
Positions and Offices with the Trust |
Brian Nielsen | Manager, CEO, Secretary | None |
Bill Wostoupal | President | None |
Daniel Applegarth | Treasurer | None |
Mike Nielsen | Chief Compliance Officer and AML Compliance Officer | None |
Bill Strait | General Counsel | None |
Ceros Financial Services, Inc. is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. The principal business address of Ceros Financial Services, Inc. is 1445 Research Blvd., Suite 530, Rockville, MD 20850. To the best of Registrant's knowledge, the following are the officers of Ceros Financial Services, Inc.:
Name | Positions and Offices with Underwriter | Positions and Offices with the Trust |
Dr. Franz Winklbauer | Chairman | None |
M. Catherine Ayers-Rigsby | Chief Executive Officer, Director | None |
Robert M. Fox | Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer | None |
Foreside Distribution Services, LP is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as a broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. The Distributor’s main business address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101. The following are the Officers of the distributor:
Name | Address | Position with Underwriter |
Position with the Trust
|
Mark A. Fairbanks | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | President | None |
Richard J. Berthy | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Vice President and Treasurer | None |
Jennifer E. Hoopes | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Secretary | None |
Nanette K. Chern | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer | None |
Lisa S. Clifford | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Vice President and Managing Director of Compliance | None |
Nishant Bhatnagar | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Assistant Secretary | None |
Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records.
All accounts, books and documents required to be maintained by the Registrant pursuant to Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and Rules 31a-1 through 31a-3 thereunder are maintained at the office of the Registrant, Adviser, Sub-Adviser, Principal Underwriter, Transfer Agent, Fund Accountant, Administrator and Custodian at the addresses stated in the SAI.
MUFG Union Bank, National Association, 400 California Street, San Francisco, California 94104 (“Union”), provides custodian services to the Anchor Tactical Credit Strategies Fund and the MainBuyWrite Fund.
The Huntington National Bank located at 7 Easton Oval EA4E70, Columbus, OH 43219, provides custodian services to the Measured Risk Strategy Fund and the Tree Ring Stock Fund.
Bank of New York Mellon (“BONY”), located at One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286, provides custodian services to the Moerus Worldwide Value Fund.
NLD, located at 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130, serves as principal underwriter for all series of Northern Lights Fund Trust, except the Tree Ring Stock Fund. NLD maintains all records required to be maintained pursuant to each Fund’s Distribution Plan and Agreement adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
Ceros Financial Services, Inc., located at 1445 Research Boulevard, Suite 530 Rockville, MD 20850, serves as principal underwriter for the Tree Ring Stock Fund and maintains all records required to be maintained pursuant to the Fund’s Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan and Agreements adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
Item 34. Management Services. Not applicable.
Item 35. Undertakings. Not Applicable.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act, as amended, the Fund certifies that the Fund has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Hauppauge, State of New York, on the 6th day of October, 2016.
Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
By: _/s/ Wendy Wang
Wendy Wang, President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following person in the capacities indicated on October 6, 2016.
Name | Title |
Joseph Breslin* | Trustee |
Thomas Sarkany* | Trustee |
Ira Rothblut* | Trustee |
Charles Ranson* | Trustee |
Wendy Wang* | President and Principal Executive Officer |
Sam Singh* | Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer |
*By: _/s/ Wendy Wang
Wendy Wang
Attorney-in-Fact
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit: | Exhibit No . | |
1. | Management Agreement between Regents Park Funds, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Affinity Global Franchise Equity ETF and Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF | (d)(x) |
2. | Sub-advisory Agreement between Regents Park Funds, LLC and Anfield Capital Management, LLC with respect to the Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF | (d)(xii) |
3. | Expense Limitation between Regents Park Funds, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Affinity Global Franchise Equity ETF and Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF | (h)(x) |
4. | ETF Fund Services Agreement with Gemini Fund Services, LLC | (h)(xi) |
5. | Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for ETF Shares | (m)(vii) |
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
Between
NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST IV
and
Regents Park Funds, LLC
This AGREEMENT is made as of July 27, 2016 between NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST IV, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and Regents Park Funds, LLC a California limited liability Company (the “Adviser”), located at 4695 Macarthur Court, Suite 430, Newport Beach, California, 92660.
RECITALS:
WHEREAS, the Trust is an open-end management investment company and is registered as such under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Act”);
WHEREAS, the Trust is authorized to issue shares of beneficial interest in separate series, each having its own investment objective or objectives, policies and limitations;
WHEREAS, the Trust offers shares in the series named on Appendix A hereto (such series, together with all other series subsequently established by the Trust and made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 1.3, being herein referred to as a “Fund,” and collectively as the “Funds”);
WHEREAS, the Adviser is or soon will be registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; and
WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain the Adviser to render investment advisory services to the Trust with respect to each Fund in the manner and on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Services of the Adviser .
1.1 Investment Advisory Services . Subject to the supervision of the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), the Adviser shall regularly provide the Fund with investment research, advice, management and supervision and shall furnish a continuous investment program for the Fund’s portfolio of securities and other investments. The Adviser shall determine from time to time what securities and other investments and instruments will be purchased, retained, sold or exchanged by the Fund and what portion of the assets of the Fund’s portfolio will be held in the various securities and other investments in which the Fund invests, and shall implement those decisions (including the execution of investment documentation and agreements), all subject to the provisions of the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and By-Laws (collectively, the “Governing Documents”), the 1940 Act and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and interpretive guidance issued thereunder by the SEC staff and any other applicable federal and state law, as well as the investment objectives, policies and restrictions of the Fund, and any other specific policies adopted by the Board and disclosed to the Adviser. The Adviser is authorized as the agent of the Trust to give instructions to the custodian of the Fund as to deliveries of securities and other investments and payments of cash for the account of the Fund. Subject to applicable provisions of
the 1940 Act and direction from the Board, the investment program to be provided hereunder may entail the investment of all or substantially all of the assets of the Fund in one or more investment companies.
The Adviser will place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for the Fund either directly with the issuer or with any broker or dealer, foreign currency dealer, futures commission merchant or others selected by it. In connection with the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, subject to applicable law, brokers or dealers may be selected who also provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) to the Fund and/or the other accounts over which the Adviser or its affiliates exercise investment discretion. The Adviser is authorized to pay a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for executing a portfolio transaction for the Fund which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the Adviser determines in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer. This determination may be viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities which the Adviser and its affiliates have with respect to accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. The Board may adopt policies and procedures that modify and restrict the Adviser’s authority regarding the execution of the Fund’s portfolio transactions provided herein.
The Trust hereby authorizes any entity or person associated with the Adviser or any sub-adviser retained by the Adviser pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement, which is a member of a national securities exchange, to effect any transaction on the exchange for the account of the Trust which is permitted by Section 11(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 11a2-2(T) thereunder, and the Trust hereby consents to the retention of compensation for such transactions in accordance with Rule 11a2-2(T)(a)(2)(iv) provided the transaction complies with the Trust’s Rule 17e-1 policies and procedures.
1.2 Administrative Services . The Trust has engaged the services of an administrator. The Adviser shall provide such additional administrative services as reasonably requested by the Board of Trustees or officers of the Trust; provided, that the Adviser shall not have any obligation to provide under this Agreement any direct or indirect services to Trust shareholders, any services related to the distribution of Trust shares, or any other services which are the subject of a separate agreement or arrangement between the Trust and the Adviser. Subject to the foregoing, in providing administrative services hereunder, the Adviser shall:
1.2.1 Office Space, Equipment and Facilities . Provide such office space, office equipment and office facilities as are adequate to fulfill the Adviser’s obligations hereunder.
1.2.2 Personnel . Provide, without remuneration from or other cost to the Trust, the services of individuals competent to perform the administrative functions, which are not performed by employees or other agents engaged by the Trust or by the Adviser acting in some other capacity pursuant to a separate agreement or arrangement with the Trust.
1.2.3 Agents . Assist the Trust in selecting and coordinating the activities of the other agents engaged by the Trust, including the Trust's shareholder servicing agent, custodian, administrator, independent auditors and legal counsel.
1.2.4 Trustees and Officers . Authorize and permit the Adviser's directors, officers and employees who may be elected or appointed as Trustees or officers of the Trust to serve in such capacities, without remuneration from or other cost to the Trust.
1.2.5 Books and Records . Assure that all financial, accounting and other records required to be maintained and preserved by the Adviser on behalf of the Trust are maintained and preserved by it in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
1.2.6 Reports and Filings . Assist in the preparation of (but not pay for) all periodic reports by the Fund to its shareholders and all reports and filings required to maintain the registration and qualification of the Funds and Fund shares, or to meet other regulatory or tax requirements applicable to the Fund, under federal and state securities and tax laws.
1.3 Additional Series . In the event that the Trust establishes one or more series after the effectiveness of this Agreement (“Additional Series”), Appendix A to this Agreement may be amended to make such Additional Series subject to this Agreement upon the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Trust and the shareholder(s) of the Additional Series, in accordance with the provisions of the Act. The Trust or the Adviser may elect not to make any such series subject to this Agreement.
1.4 Change in Management or Control . The Adviser shall provide at least sixty (60) days' prior written notice to the Trust of any change in the ownership or management of the Adviser, or any event or action that may constitute a change in “control,” as that term is defined in Section 2 of the Act. The Adviser shall provide prompt notice of any change in the portfolio manager(s) responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds.
2. Expenses of the Funds .
2.1 Expenses to be Paid by Adviser . The Adviser shall pay all salaries, expenses and fees of the officers, Trustees and employees of the Trust who are officers, directors, members or employees of the Adviser.
In the event that the Adviser pays or assumes any expenses of the Trust not required to be paid or assumed by the Adviser under this Agreement, the Adviser shall not be obligated hereby to pay or assume the same or any similar expense in the future; provided, that nothing herein contained shall be deemed to relieve the Adviser of any obligation to the Funds under any separate agreement or arrangement between the parties.
2.2 Expenses to be Paid by the Fund . Each Fund shall bear all expenses of its operation, except those specifically allocated to the Adviser under this Agreement or under any separate agreement between the Trust and the Adviser. Subject to any separate agreement or arrangement between the Trust and the Adviser, the expenses hereby allocated to the Fund, and not to the Adviser, include but are not limited to:
2.2.1 Custody . All charges of depositories, custodians, and other agents for the transfer, receipt, safekeeping, and servicing of the Fund's cash, securities, and other property.
2.2.2 Shareholder Servicing . All expenses of maintaining and servicing shareholder accounts, including but not limited to the charges of any shareholder servicing agent,
dividend disbursing agent, transfer agent or other agent engaged by the Trust to service shareholder accounts.
2.2.3 Shareholder Reports . All expenses of preparing, setting in type, printing and distributing reports and other communications to shareholders.
2.2.4 Prospectuses . All expenses of preparing, converting to EDGAR format, filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission or other appropriate regulatory body, setting in type, printing and mailing annual or more frequent revisions of the Fund's Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information and any supplements thereto and of supplying them to shareholders.
2.2.5 Pricing and Portfolio Valuation . All expenses of computing the Fund's net asset value per share, including any equipment or services obtained for the purpose of pricing shares or valuing the Fund's investment portfolio.
2.2.6 Communications . All charges for equipment or services used for communications between the Adviser or the Trust and any custodian, shareholder servicing agent, portfolio accounting services agent, or other agent engaged by the Trust.
2.2.7 Legal and Accounting Fees . All charges for services and expenses of the Trust's legal counsel and independent accountants.
2.2.8 Trustees' Fees and Expenses . All compensation of Trustees other than those affiliated with the Adviser, all expenses incurred in connection with such unaffiliated Trustees' services as Trustees, and all other expenses of meetings of the Trustees and committees of the Trustees.
2.2.9 Shareholder Meetings . All expenses incidental to holding meetings of shareholders, including the printing of notices and proxy materials, and proxy solicitations therefor.
2.2.10 Federal Registration Fees . All fees and expenses of registering and maintaining the registration of the Fund under the Act and the registration of the Fund's shares under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”), including all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, converting to EDGAR format, setting in type, printing, and filing of any Registration Statement, Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information under the 1933 Act or the Act, and any amendments or supplements that may be made from time to time.
2.2.11 State Registration Fees . All fees and expenses of taking required action to permit the offer and sale of the Fund's shares under securities laws of various states or jurisdictions, and of registration and qualification of the Fund under all other laws applicable to the Trust or its business activities (including registering the Trust as a broker-dealer, or any officer of the Trust or any person as agent or salesperson of the Trust in any state).
2.2.12 Confirmations . All expenses incurred in connection with the issue and transfer of Fund shares, including the expenses of confirming all share transactions.
2.2.13 Bonding and Insurance . All expenses of bond, liability, and other insurance coverage required by law or regulation or deemed advisable by the Trustees of the Trust, including, without limitation, such bond, liability and other insurance expenses that may from time to time be allocated to the Fund in a manner approved by its Trustees.
2.2.14 Brokerage Commissions . All brokers' commissions and other charges incident to the purchase, sale or lending of the Fund's portfolio securities.
2.2.15 Taxes . All taxes or governmental fees payable by or with respect to the Fund to federal, state or other governmental agencies, domestic or foreign, including stamp or other transfer taxes.
2.2.16 Trade Association Fees . All fees, dues and other expenses incurred in connection with the Trust's membership in any trade association or other investment organization.
2.2.18 Compliance Fees . All charges for services and expenses of the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer.
2.2.19 Nonrecurring and Extraordinary Expenses . Such nonrecurring and extraordinary expenses as may arise including the costs of actions, suits, or proceedings to which the Trust is a party and the expenses the Trust may incur as a result of its legal obligation to provide indemnification to its officers, Trustees and agents.
3. Advisory Fee
As compensation for all services rendered, facilities provided and expenses paid or assumed by the Adviser under this Agreement, each Fund shall pay the Adviser on the last day of each month, or as promptly as possible thereafter, a fee calculated by applying a monthly rate, based on an annual percentage rate, to the Fund's average daily net assets for the month. The annual percentage rate applicable to each Fund is set forth in Appendix A to this Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time in accordance with Section 1.3 of this Agreement. If this Agreement shall be effective for only a portion of a month with respect to a Fund, the aforesaid fee shall be prorated for the portion of such month during which this Agreement is in effect for the Fund.
4. Proxy Voting
The Adviser will vote, or make arrangements to have voted, all proxies solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of a Fund may be invested from time to time. Such proxies will be voted in a manner that you deem, in good faith, to be in the best interest of the Fund and in accordance with your proxy voting policy. You agree to provide a copy of your proxy voting policy to the Trust prior to the execution of this Agreement, and any amendments thereto promptly.
5. Records
5.1 Tax Treatment . Both the Adviser and the Trust shall maintain, or arrange for others to maintain, the books and records of the Trust in such a manner that treats each Fund as a separate entity for federal income tax purposes.
5.2 Ownership . All records required to be maintained and preserved by the Trust pursuant to the provisions or rules or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 31(a) of the Act and maintained and preserved by the Adviser on behalf of the Trust are the property of the Trust and shall be surrendered by the Adviser promptly on request by the Trust; provided, that the Adviser may at its own expense make and retain copies of any such records.
6. Reports to Adviser
The Trust shall furnish or otherwise make available to the Adviser such copies of each Fund's Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, financial statements, proxy statements, reports and other information relating to its business and affairs as the Adviser may, at any time or from time to time, reasonably require in order to discharge its obligations under this Agreement.
7. Reports to the Trust
The Adviser shall prepare and furnish to the Trust such reports, statistical data and other information in such form and at such intervals as the Trust may reasonably request.
8. Code of Ethics
The Adviser has adopted a written code of ethics complying with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the Act and will provide the Trust with a copy of the code and evidence of its adoption. The Adviser will provide to the Board of Trustees of the Trust at least annually or as more frequently requested by the Trust a written report that describes any issues arising under the code of ethics since the last report to the Board of Trustees, including, but not limited to, information about material violations of the code and sanctions imposed in response to the material violations; and which certifies that the Adviser has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent “access persons” (as that term is defined in Rule 17j-1) from violating the code.
9. Retention of Sub-Adviser
Subject to the Trust's obtaining the initial and periodic approvals required under Section 15 of the Act, the Adviser may retain one or more sub-advisers, at the Adviser's own cost and expense, for the purpose of managing the investments of the assets of one or more Funds of the Trust. Retention of one or more sub-advisers shall in no way reduce the responsibilities or obligations of the Adviser under this Agreement and the Adviser shall, subject to Section 11 of this Agreement, be responsible to the Trust for all acts or omissions of any sub-adviser in connection with the performance of the Adviser's duties hereunder.
10. Services to Other Clients
Nothing herein contained shall limit the freedom of the Adviser or any affiliated person of the Adviser to render investment management and administrative services to other investment companies, to act as investment adviser or investment counselor to other persons, firms or corporations, or to engage in other business activities.
11. Limitation of Liability of Adviser and its Personnel
Neither the Adviser nor any director, manager, officer or employee of the Adviser performing services for the Trust at the direction or request of the Adviser in connection with the Adviser's
discharge of its obligations hereunder shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with any matter to which this Agreement relates, and the Adviser shall not be responsible for any action of the Trustees of the Trust in following or declining to follow any advice or recommendation of the Adviser or any sub-adviser retained by the Adviser pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement; PROVIDED, that nothing herein contained shall be construed (i) to protect the Adviser against any liability to the Trust or its shareholders to which the Adviser would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of the Adviser's duties, or by reason of the Adviser's reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (ii) to protect any director, manager, officer or employee of the Adviser who is or was a Trustee or officer of the Trust against any liability of the Trust or its shareholders to which such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person's office with the Trust. The federal securities laws impose liabilities under certain circumstances on persons who act in good faith, and therefore nothing herein shall in any way constitute a waiver or limitation of such rights which the Trust or the Fund may have under federal securities laws.
12. Effect of Agreement
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to require to the Trust to take any action contrary to its Declaration of Trust or its By-Laws or any applicable law, regulation or order to which it is subject or by which it is bound, or to relieve or deprive the Trustees of the Trust of their responsibility for and control of the conduct of the business and affairs of the Trust.
13. Term of Agreement
With respect to each Fund, the term of this Agreement shall begin as of the date and year upon which the Fund commences investment operations, and unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided, this Agreement shall remain in effect for a period of two years. Thereafter, this Agreement shall continue in effect with respect to each Fund from year to year, subject to the termination provisions and all other terms and conditions hereof; PROVIDED, such continuance with respect to a Fund is approved at least annually by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or by the Trustees of the Trust; PROVIDED, that in either event such continuance is also approved annually by the vote, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of either party hereto. The Adviser shall furnish to the Trust, promptly upon its request, such information as may reasonably be necessary to evaluate the terms of this Agreement or any extension, renewal or amendment thereof.
14. Amendment or Assignment of Agreement
Any amendment to this Agreement shall be in writing signed by the parties hereto; PROVIDED, that no such amendment shall be effective unless authorized (i) by resolution of the Trustees of the Trust, including the vote or written consent of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of either party hereto, and (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund affected by such amendment if required by applicable law. This Agreement shall terminate automatically and immediately in the event of its assignment.
15. Termination of Agreement
Notwithstanding whatever may be provided herein to the contrary, this Agreement may be terminated at any time with respect to one or more Funds, without payment of any penalty:
(i) By vote of the Trust’s Board of Trustees, including the vote or written consent of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of either party hereto, or by “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), in each case, upon not more than 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser;
(ii) By any party hereto upon written notice to the other party in the event of a breach of any provision of this Agreement by the other party if the breach is not cured within 15 days of notice of the breach; or
(iii) By the Adviser upon 60 days’ written notice to the Trust.
16. Use of Name
The Trust is named the Northern Lights Fund Trust IV and each Fund may be identified, in part, by the name “Northern Lights.”
17. Declaration of Trust
The Adviser is hereby expressly put on notice of the limitation of shareholder liability as set forth in the Trust's Declaration of Trust and agrees that the obligations assumed by the Trust or a Fund, as the case may be, pursuant to this Agreement shall be limited in all cases to the Trust or a Fund, as the case may be, and its assets, and the Adviser shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the shareholders or any shareholder of the Trust. In addition, the Adviser shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligations from the Trustees or any individual Trustee. The Adviser understands that the rights and obligations of any Fund under the Declaration of Trust are separate and distinct from those of any and all other Funds. The Adviser further understands and agrees that no Fund of the Trust shall be liable for any claims against any other Fund of the Trust and that the Adviser must look solely to the assets of the pertinent Fund of the Trust for the enforcement or satisfaction of any claims against the Trust with respect to that Fund.
18. Confidentiality
The Adviser agrees to treat all records and other information relating to the Trust and the securities holdings of the Funds as confidential and shall not disclose any such records or information to any other person unless (i) the Board of Trustees of the Trust has approved the disclosure or (ii) such disclosure is compelled by law. In addition, the Adviser and the Adviser's officers, directors, members and employees are prohibited from receiving compensation or other consideration, for themselves or on behalf of a Fund, as a result of disclosing the Fund's portfolio holdings. The Adviser agrees that, consistent with the Adviser's Code of Ethics, neither the Adviser nor the Adviser's officers, directors, members or employees may engage in personal securities transactions based on nonpublic information about a Fund's portfolio holdings.
19. Governing Law
This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
20. Interpretation and Definition of Terms
Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a term or provision of the Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the Act and to interpretation thereof, if any, by the United States courts, or, in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court, by rules, regulations or orders of the Securities and Exchange Commission validly issued pursuant to the Act. Specifically, the terms “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested persons,” “assignment” and “affiliated person,” as used in this Agreement shall have the meanings assigned to them by Section 2(a) of the Act. In addition, when the effect of a requirement of the Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is modified, interpreted or relaxed by a rule, regulation or order of the Securities and Exchange Commission, whether of special or of general application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.
21. Captions
The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
22. Execution in Counterparts
This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but both of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
[ Signature Page Follows ]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the date and year first above written.
NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST IV
By: /s/ Wendy Wang
Name: Wendy Wang
Title: President
Regents Park Funds, LLC
By: /s/David Young
Name: David Young
Title: C.E.O.
NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST IV
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
APPENDIX A
FUNDS OF THE TRUST
NAME OF FUND |
ANNUAL ADVISORY FEE AS A % OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS OF THE FUND |
Affinity Global Franchise Equity Fund Anfield Diversified Liquid Alternative Fund |
0.80% 0.80% |
SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of the 27th day of July, 2016 by and between Regents Park Funds, LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of California registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”), (the “Adviser”) and Anfield Capital Management, LLC a limited liability company organized under the laws of California registered under the Advisers Act (the “Subadviser”), with respect to the Anfield Diversified Liquid Alternatives Fund (the “Fund”) a series of the Northern Lights Fund Trust IV, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);
WHEREAS, the Adviser has, pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust dated as of the 27th day of July, 2016 (the “Advisory Agreement”), been retained to act as investment adviser for the Fund;
WHEREAS, the Adviser represents that the Advisory Agreement permits the Adviser to delegate certain of its duties under the Advisory Agreement to other investment advisers, subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, the Adviser desires to retain Subadviser to assist it in the provision of a continuous investment program for that portion of the Fund’s assets that the Adviser will assign to the Subadviser, and Subadviser is willing to render such services subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement,
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties do mutually agree and promise as follows with respect to each Fund:
1. Appointment as Subadviser . The Adviser hereby appoints the Subadviser to act as investment adviser for and to manage a portion of the assets of the Fund (the “Subadviser Assets”) assigned to it by the Adviser, subject to the supervision of the Adviser and the Board of Trustees of the Trust and subject to the terms of this Agreement; and the Subadviser hereby accepts such appointment. In such capacity, the Subadviser shall be responsible for the investment management of the Subadviser Assets. It is recognized that the Subadviser and certain of its affiliates may act as investment adviser to one or more other investment companies and other managed accounts and that the Adviser and the Trust do not object to such activities.
2. Duties of Subadviser .
(a) Investments . The Subadviser is hereby authorized and directed and hereby agrees, subject to the stated investment policies and restrictions of the Fund as set forth
in the Fund’s prospectus (“Prospectus”) and statement of additional information (“SAI”) as currently in effect and, as soon as practical after the Trust, the Fund or the Adviser notifies the Subadviser thereof, as supplemented or amended from time to time and subject to the directions of the Adviser and the Trust’s Board of Trustees, to monitor on a continuous basis the performance of the Subadviser Assets and to conduct a continuous program of investment, evaluation and, if appropriate, sale and reinvestment of the Subadviser Assets. The Adviser agrees to provide the Subadviser with such assistance as may be reasonably requested by the Subadviser in connection with the Subadviser’s activities under this Agreement, including, without limitation, providing information concerning the Fund, its funds available, or to become available, for investment and generally as to the conditions of the Fund’s or the Trust’s affairs.
(b) Compliance with Applicable Laws and Governing Documents . In the performance of its services under this Agreement, the Subadviser shall act in conformity with the Prospectus, SAI and the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws as currently in effect and, as soon as practical after the Trust, the Fund or the Adviser notifies the Subadviser thereof, as supplemented, amended and/or restated from time to time (referred to hereinafter as the “Declaration of Trust” and “By-Laws,” respectively) and with the instructions and directions received in writing from the Adviser or the Trustees of the Trust and will conform to, and comply with, the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations. Without limiting the preceding sentence, the Adviser promptly shall notify the Subadviser as to any act or omission of the Subadviser hereunder that the Adviser reasonably deems to constitute or to be the basis of any noncompliance or nonconformance with any of the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, the Prospectus and the SAI, the instructions and directions received in writing from the Adviser or the Trustees of the Trust, the 1940 Act, the Code, and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser shall remain responsible for ensuring the Fund’s and the Trust’s overall compliance with the 1940 Act, the Code and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations and the Subadviser is only obligated to comply with this subsection (b) with respect to the Subadviser Assets. The Adviser timely will provide the Subadviser with a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Trustees of the Trust to the extent they may affect the Fund or the services of the Subadviser, copies of any financial statements or reports made by the Fund to its shareholders, and any further materials or information which the Subadviser may reasonably request to enable it to perform its functions under this Agreement.
The Adviser shall perform quarterly and annual tax compliance tests to ensure that the Fund is in compliance with Subchapter M of the Code. In this regard, the Adviser acknowledges that the Subadviser shall rely completely upon the Adviser’s determination of whether and to what extent the Fund is in compliance with Subchapter M of the Code and that the Subadviser has no separate and independent responsibility to test the Fund for such compliance. In connection with such compliance tests, the Adviser shall inform the Subadviser at least ten (10) business days prior to a calendar quarter end if the Subadviser Assets are out of compliance with the diversification requirements under Subchapter M. If the Adviser notifies the Subadviser that the Subadviser Assets are not in compliance with such requirements noted above, the Subadviser will take prompt action to bring the Subadviser Assets back into compliance within the time permitted under the Code thereunder.
The Adviser will provide the Subadviser with reasonable advance notice of any change in the Fund’s investment objectives, policies and restrictions as stated in the Prospectus and SAI, and the Subadviser shall, in the performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, manage the Subadviser Assets consistent with such changes, provided that the Subadviser has received prompt notice of the effectiveness of such changes from the Trust or the Adviser. In addition to such notice, the Adviser shall provide to the Subadviser a copy of a modified Prospectus and SAI reflecting such changes. The Adviser acknowledges and will ensure that the Prospectus and SAI will at all times be in compliance with all disclosure requirements under all applicable federal and state laws and regulations relating to the Trust or the Fund, including, without limitation, the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and that the Subadviser shall have no liability in connection therewith, except as to the accuracy of material information furnished in writing by the Subadviser to the Trust or to the Adviser specifically for inclusion in the Prospectus and SAI. The Subadviser hereby agrees to provide to the Adviser in a timely manner such information relating to the Subadviser and its relationship to, and actions for, the Trust as may be required to be contained in the Prospectus, SAI or in the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and any amendments thereto.
(c) Voting of Proxies . The Adviser retains authority to exercise voting rights with respect to the securities and other investments in the Subadviser Assets. [OR] The Adviser hereby delegates to the Subadviser the Adviser’s discretionary authority to exercise voting rights with respect to the securities and other investments in the Subadviser Assets and authorizes the Subadviser to delegate further such discretionary authority to a designee identified in a notice given to the Trust and the Adviser. The Subadviser, including without limitation its designee, shall have the power to vote, either in person or by proxy, all securities in which the Subadviser Assets may be invested from time to time, and shall not be required to seek or take instructions from, the Adviser, the Fund or the Trust or take any action with respect thereto.
The Subadviser will establish a written procedure for proxy voting in compliance with current applicable rules and regulations, including but not limited to Rule 30b1-4 under the 1940 Act. The Subadviser will provide the Adviser or its designee, a copy of such procedure and establish a process for the timely distribution of the Subadviser’s voting record with respect to the Fund’s securities and other information necessary for the Fund to complete information required by Form N-1A under the 1940 Act and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), Form N-PX under the 1940 Act, and Form N-CSR under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, respectively.
(d) Agent . Subject to any other written instructions of the Adviser or the Trust, the Subadviser is hereby appointed the Adviser’s and the Trust’s agent and attorney-in-fact for the limited purposes of executing account documentation, agreements, contracts and other documents as the Subadviser shall be requested by brokers, dealers, counterparties and other persons in connection with its management of the Subadviser Assets. The Subadviser agrees to provide the Adviser and the Trust with copies of any such agreements executed on behalf of the Adviser or the Trust.
(e) Brokerage . The Subadviser is authorized, subject to the supervision of the Adviser and the plenary authority of the Trust’s Board of Trustees, to establish and maintain
accounts on behalf of the Fund with, and place orders for the investment and reinvestment, including without limitation purchase and sale of the Subadviser Assets with or through, such persons, brokers (including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any broker affiliated with the Subadviser) or dealers (collectively “Brokers”) as Subadviser may elect and negotiate commissions to be paid on such transactions. The Subadviser, however, is not required to obtain the consent of the Adviser or the Trust’s Board of Trustees prior to establishing any such brokerage account. The Subadviser shall place all orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio investments for the Fund’s account with Brokers selected by the Subadviser. In the selection of such Brokers and the placing of such orders, the Subadviser shall seek to obtain for the Fund the most favorable price and execution available, except to the extent it may be permitted to pay higher brokerage commissions for brokerage and research services, as provided below. In using its reasonable efforts to obtain for the Fund the most favorable price and execution available, the Subadviser, bearing in mind the best interests of the Fund at all times, shall consider all factors it deems relevant, including price, the size of the transaction, the breadth and nature of the market for the security, the difficulty of the execution, the amount of the commission, if any, the timing of the transaction, market prices and trends, the reputation, experience and financial stability of the Broker involved, and the quality of service rendered by the Broker in other transactions. The Subadviser shall not consider a Broker’s sale of Fund shares when selecting the Broker to execute trades. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the Trust, the Fund nor the Adviser shall instruct the Subadviser to place orders with any particular Broker(s) with respect to the Subadviser Assets. Subject to such policies as the Trustees may determine, or as may be mutually agreed to by the Adviser and the Subadviser, the Subadviser is authorized but not obligated to cause, and shall not be deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any duty created by this Agreement or otherwise solely by reason of its having caused, the Fund to pay a Broker that provides brokerage and research services (within the meaning of Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to the Subadviser an amount of commission for effecting a Subadviser Assets investment transaction that is in excess of the amount of commission that another Broker would have charged for effecting that transaction if, but only if, the Subadviser determines in good faith that such commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such Broker viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibility of the Subadviser with respect to the accounts as to which it exercises investment discretion.
It is recognized that the services provided by such Brokers may be useful to the Subadviser in connection with the Subadviser’s services to other clients. On occasions when the Subadviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interests of the Fund with respect to the Subadviser Assets as well as other clients of the Subadviser, the Subadviser, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, may, but shall be under no obligation to, aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased in order to obtain the most favorable price or lower brokerage commissions and efficient execution. In such event, allocation of securities so sold or purchased, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Subadviser in the manner the Subadviser considers to be the most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and to such other clients. It is recognized that in some cases, this procedure may adversely affect the price paid or received by the Fund or the size of the position obtainable for, or disposed of by, the Fund with respect to the Subadviser Assets.
(f) Securities Transactions . The Subadviser and any affiliated person of the Subadviser will not purchase securities or other instruments from or sell securities or other instruments to the Fund; provided, however, the Subadviser or any affiliated person of the Subadviser may purchase securities or other instruments from or sell securities or other instruments to the Fund if such transaction is permissible under applicable laws and regulations, including, without limitation, the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
The Subadviser, on its own behalf and with respect to its Access Persons (as defined in subsection (e) of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act), agrees to observe and comply with Rule 17j-1 and its Code of Ethics (which shall comply in all material respects with Rule 17j-1), as the same may be amended from time to time. On at least an annual basis, the Subadviser will comply with the reporting requirements of Rule 17j-1, which include (i) certifying to the Adviser and the Trust that the Subadviser and its Access Persons have complied with the Subadviser’s Code of Ethics with respect to the Subadviser Assets and (ii) identifying any violations which have occurred with respect to the Subadviser Assets. The Subadviser will have also submitted its Code of Ethics for its initial approval by the Trust’s Board of Trustees no later than the date of execution of this agreement and subsequently within six months of any material change thereto.
Subadviser is prohibited from consulting with any other subadviser to the Fund with respect to the Fund’s transactions in securities or other assets.
(g) Books and Records . The Subadviser shall maintain separate detailed records as are required by applicable laws and regulations of all matters hereunder pertaining to the Subadviser Assets (the “Fund’s Records”), including, without limitation, brokerage and other records of all securities transactions. The Subadviser acknowledges that the Fund’s Records are property of the Trust; except to the extent that the Subadviser is required to maintain the Fund’s Records under the Advisers Act or other applicable law and except that the Subadviser, at its own expense, is entitled to make and keep a copy of the Fund’s Records for its internal files. The Fund’s Records shall be available to the Adviser or the Trust at any time upon reasonable request during normal business hours and shall be available for telecopying promptly to the Adviser during any day that the Fund is open for business as set forth in the Prospectus.
(h) Information Concerning Subadviser Assets and Subadviser . From time to time as the Adviser or the Trust reasonably may request in good faith, the Subadviser will furnish the requesting party reports on portfolio transactions and reports on the Subadviser Assets, all in such reasonable detail as the parties may reasonably agree in good faith. The Subadviser will also inform the Adviser in a timely manner of material changes in portfolio managers responsible for Subadviser Assets, any changes in the ownership or management of the Subadviser, or of material changes in the control of the Subadviser. Upon the Trust’s or the Adviser’s reasonable request, the Subadviser will make available its officers and employees to meet with the Trust’s Board of Trustees to review the Subadviser Assets via telephone on a quarterly basis and on a less frequent basis as agreed upon by the parties in person.
Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Subadviser will also provide such information or perform such additional acts with respect to the Subadviser Assets as are reasonably required for the Trust or the Adviser to comply with their respective obligations under applicable laws, including without limitation, the Code, the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, and the Securities Act, and any rule or regulation thereunder.
(i) Custody Arrangements . The Trust or the Adviser shall notify the Subadviser of the identities of its custodian banks and the custody arrangements therewith with respect to the Subadviser Assets and shall give the Subadviser written notice of any changes in such custodian banks or custody arrangements. The Subadviser shall on each business day provide the Adviser and the Trust’s custodian such information as the Adviser and the Trust’s custodian may reasonably request in good faith relating to all transactions concerning the Subadviser Assets. The Trust shall instruct its custodian banks to (A) carry out all investment instructions as may be directed by the Subadviser with respect to the Subadviser Assets (which instructions may be orally given if confirmed in writing); and (B) provide the Subadviser with all operational information necessary for the Subadviser to trade the Subadviser Assets on behalf of the Fund. The Subadviser shall have no liability for the acts or omissions of the authorized custodian(s), unless such act or omission is required by and taken in reliance upon instructions given to the authorized custodian(s) by a representative of the Subadviser properly authorized (pursuant to written instruction by the Adviser) to give such instructions.
3. Independent Contractor . In the performance of its services hereunder, the Subadviser is and shall be an independent contractor and unless otherwise expressly provided herein or otherwise authorized in writing, shall have no authority to act for or represent the Fund, the Trust or the Adviser in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund, the Trust or the Adviser.
4. Expenses . During the term of this Agreement, Subadviser will pay all expenses incurred by it in connection with its activities under this Agreement. The Subadviser shall, at its sole expense, employ or associate itself with such persons as it believes to be particularly fitted to assist it in the execution of its duties under this Agreement. The Subadviser shall not be responsible for the Trust’s, the Fund’s or Adviser’s expenses, which shall include, but not be limited to, the cost of securities, commodities and other investments (including brokerage commissions and other transaction charges, if any) purchased for the Fund and any losses incurred in connection therewith, expenses of holding or carrying Subadviser Assets, including, without limitation, expenses of dividends on stock borrowed to cover a short sale and interest, fees or other charges incurred in connection with leverage and related borrowings with respect to the Subadviser Assets, organizational and offering expenses (which include, but are not limited to, out-of-pocket expenses, but not overhead or employee costs of the Subadviser); expenses for legal, accounting and auditing services; taxes and governmental fees; dues and expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; costs of printing and distributing shareholder reports, proxy materials, prospectuses, stock certificates and distribution of dividends; charges of the Fund’s custodians and sub-custodians, administrators and sub-administrators, registrars, transfer agents, dividend disbursing agents and dividend reinvestment plan agents; payment for portfolio pricing services to a pricing agent, if any; registration and filing fees of the SEC; expenses of registering or qualifying securities of the Fund for sale in the various states; freight and other charges in connection with the shipment of
the Fund’s portfolio securities; fees and expenses of non-interested Trustees; salaries of shareholder relations personnel; costs of shareholders meetings; insurance; interest; brokerage costs; and litigation and other extraordinary or non-recurring expenses. The Trust or the Adviser, as the case may be, shall reimburse the Subadviser for any expenses of the Fund or the Adviser as may be reasonably incurred by such Subadviser on behalf of the Fund or the Adviser. The Subadviser shall keep and supply to the Trust and the Adviser reasonable records of all such expenses.
5. Investment Analysis and Commentary . The Subadviser will provide quarterly performance analysis and market commentary (the “Investment Report”) during the term of this Agreement. The Investment Reports are due within 10 days after the end of each quarter. In addition, interim Investment Reports shall be issued at such times as may be mutually agreed upon by the Adviser and Subadviser; provided however, that any such interim Investment Report will be due within 10 days of the end of the month in which such agreement is reached between the Adviser and Subadviser. The subject of each Investment Report shall be mutually agreed upon. The Adviser is freely able to publicly distribute the Investment Report.
6. Compensation . For the services provided pursuant to this Agreement, the Subadviser is entitled to an annual fee equal to the percentage of the Subadviser Assets set forth on Exhibit A hereto. Such fee will be computed daily and paid no later than the seventh (7th) business day following the end of each month, from the Adviser or the Trust, calculated at an annual rate based on the Subadviser Assets’ average daily net assets.
The method of determining the net asset value of the Subadviser Assets for purposes hereof shall be the same as the method of determining net asset value for purposes of establishing the offering and redemption price of the shares of the Trust as described in the Fund’s Prospectus and/or SAI. If this Agreement shall be effective for only a portion of a month with respect to the Fund, the aforesaid fee shall be prorated for the portion of such month during which this Agreement is in effect for the Fund.
7. Exclusivity . The Subadviser will not subadvise or license the Fund’s investment strategy for another regulated investment company as defined in the Code under Subchapter M without mutual consent of both the Adviser and Subadviser for a period of 12 months. Exclusivity is not applicable to the sub-investment strategies that combined, constitute the Fund’s investment strategy.
8. Representations and Warranties of Subadviser . The Subadviser represents and warrants to the Adviser and the Trust as follows:
(a) The Subadviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act;
(b) The Subadviser is a limited liability company duly organized and properly registered and operating under the laws of the State of California with the power to own and possess its assets and carry on its business as it is now being conducted and as proposed to be conducted hereunder;
(c) The execution, delivery and performance by the Subadviser of this Agreement are within the Subadviser’s powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary actions of its directors or shareholders, and no action by, or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official is required on the part of the Subadviser for execution, delivery and performance by the Subadviser of this Agreement, and the execution, delivery and performance by the Subadviser of this Agreement do not contravene or constitute a violation of, or a material default under, (i) any provision of applicable law, rule or regulation, (ii) the Subadviser’s governing instruments, or (iii) any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument binding upon the Subadviser; and
(d) The Form ADV of the Subadviser provided to the Adviser and the Trust 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 the Subadviser, 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;
9. Representations and Warranties of Adviser . The Adviser represents and warrants to the Subadviser as follows:
(a) The Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act;
(b) The Adviser is a limited liability company duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of California with the power to own and possess its assets and carry on its business as it is now being conducted and as proposed to be conducted hereunder;
(c) The execution, delivery and performance by the Adviser of this Agreement are within the Adviser’s powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of its directors, shareholders or managing unitholder, and no action by, or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official is required on the part of the Adviser for the execution, delivery and performance by the Adviser of this Agreement, and the execution, delivery and performance by the Adviser of this Agreement do not contravene or constitute a violation of, or a material default under, (i) any provision of applicable law, rule or regulation, (ii) the Adviser’s governing instruments, or (iii) any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument binding upon the Adviser;
(d) The Form ADV of the Adviser provided to the Subadviser and the Trust 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 the Adviser, 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;
(e) The Adviser acknowledges that it received a copy of the Subadviser’s Form ADV prior to the execution of this Agreement; and
(f) The Adviser and the Trust have duly entered into the Advisory Agreement pursuant to which the Trust authorized the Adviser to delegate certain of its duties under the Advisory Agreement to other investment advisers, including without limitation, the appointment of a subadviser with respect to assets of the Fund, including without limitation the Adviser’s entering into and performing this Agreement.
10. Survival of Representations and Warranties; Duty to Update Information . All representations and warranties made by the Subadviser and the Adviser pursuant to the recitals above and Sections 8 and 9, respectively, shall survive for the duration of this Agreement and the parties hereto shall promptly notify each other in writing upon becoming aware that any of the foregoing representations and warranties are no longer true or accurate in all material effects.
11. Liability and Indemnification .
(a) Liability . The Subadviser shall exercise its best judgment in rendering its services in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, but otherwise, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Subadviser or a reckless disregard of its duties hereunder, the Subadviser, each of its affiliates and all respective partners, officers, directors and employees (“Affiliates”) and each person, if any, who within the meaning of the Securities Act controls the Subadviser (“Controlling Persons”), if any, shall not be subject to any expenses or liability to the Adviser, the Trust or the Fund or any of the Fund’s shareholders, in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates, including without limitation for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of Subadviser Assets. The Adviser shall exercise its best judgment in rendering its obligations in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, but otherwise (except as set forth in Section 11(c) below), in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser or a reckless disregard of its duties hereunder, the Adviser, any of its Affiliates and each of the Adviser’s Controlling Persons, if any, shall not be subject to any liability to the Subadviser, for any act or omission in the case of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of Subadviser Assets. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall relieve the Adviser and the Subadviser from any of their obligations under applicable law, including, without limitation, the federal and state securities laws.
(b) Indemnification . The Subadviser shall indemnify the Adviser, the Trust and the Fund, and their respective Affiliates and Controlling Persons for any liability and expenses, including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, which the Adviser, the Trust and/or the Fund and their respective Affiliates and Controlling Persons may sustain as a result of the Subadviser’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, reckless disregard of its duties hereunder or violation of applicable law, including, without limitation, the federal and state securities laws. Unless otherwise obligated under applicable law, the Subadviser shall not be liable for indirect, punitive, special or consequential damages arising out of this Agreement.
The Adviser shall indemnify the Subadviser, its Affiliates and its Controlling Persons, for any liability and expenses, including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, which may be sustained as a result of the Adviser’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, reckless disregard of its duties hereunder or violation of applicable law, including, without limitation, the federal and state securities laws.
(c) The Subadviser shall not be liable to the Adviser for acts of the Subadviser which result from acts of the Adviser, including, but not limited to, a failure of the Adviser to provide accurate and current information with respect to any records maintained by the Adviser, which records are not also maintained by or otherwise available to the Subadviser upon reasonable request.
12. Duration and Termination .
(a) Duration . Unless sooner terminated, this Agreement shall continue for an initial period of no more than two years following the date and year upon which the Sub-Adviser begins to manage Fund assets, and thereafter shall continue automatically for successive annual periods with respect to the Fund, provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Trust’s Board of Trustees or vote of the lesser of (a) 67% of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting if holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present in person or by proxy or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund; provided that in either event its continuance also is approved by a majority of the Trust’s Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to this Agreement, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.
(b) Termination . Notwithstanding whatever may be provided herein to the contrary, this Agreement may be terminated at any time with respect to the Fund, without payment of any penalty:
(i) By vote of a majority of the Trust’s Board of Trustees, or by “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), or by the Adviser, in each case, upon not more than 60 days’ written notice to the Subadviser;
(ii) By any party hereto upon written notice to the other party in the event of a breach of any provision of this Agreement by the other party if the breach is not cured within 15 days of notice of the breach; or
(iii) By the Subadviser upon not more than 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser and the Trust.
This Agreement shall not be assigned (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) and shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment or upon the termination of the Advisory Agreement.
13. Duties of the Adviser . The Adviser shall continue to have responsibility for all services to be provided to the Fund pursuant to the Advisory Agreement and shall oversee and review the Subadviser’s performance of its duties under this Agreement. Nothing contained in
this Agreement shall obligate the Adviser to provide any funding or other support for the purpose of directly or indirectly promoting investments in the Fund.
14. Reference to Adviser and Subadviser .
(a) The Subadviser grants, subject to the conditions below, the Adviser non-exclusive rights to use, display and promote trademarks of the Subadviser in conjunction with any activity associated with the Fund. In addition, the Adviser may promote the identity of and services provided by the Subadviser to the Adviser, which references shall not differ in substance from those included in the Prospectus, SAI and this Agreement, in any advertising or promotional materials. The Adviser shall protect the goodwill and reputation of the Subadviser in connection with marketing and promotion of the Fund. The Adviser shall submit to the Subadviser for its review and approval all such public informational materials relating to the Fund that refer to any recognizable variant or any registered mark or logo or other proprietary designation of the Subadviser. Approval shall not be unreasonably withheld by the Subadviser and notice of approval or disapproval will be provided in a timely manner. Subsequent advertising or promotional materials having very substantially the same form as previously approved by the Subadviser may be used by the Adviser without obtaining the Subadviser’s consent unless such consent is withdrawn in writing by the Subadviser.
(b) Neither the Subadviser nor any Affiliate or agent of Subadviser shall make reference to or use the name of the Adviser or any of its Affiliates, or any of their clients, except references concerning the identity of and services provided by the Adviser to the Fund or to the Subadviser, which references shall not differ in substance from those included in the Prospectus, SAI and this Agreement, in any advertising or promotional materials without the prior approval of Adviser, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. The Subadviser hereby agrees to make all reasonable efforts to cause any Affiliate of the Subadviser to satisfy the foregoing obligation.
15. Amendment . This Agreement may be amended by mutual consent of the parties, provided that the terms of any material amendment shall be approved by: (a) the Trust’s Board of Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as required by the 1940 Act), and (b) the vote of a majority of those Trustees of the Trust who are not “interested persons” of any party to this Agreement cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, if such approval is required by applicable law.
16. Confidentiality . Subject to the duties of the Adviser, the Trust and the Subadviser to comply with applicable law, including any demand of any regulatory or taxing authority having jurisdiction, the parties hereto shall treat as confidential and shall not disclose any and all information pertaining to the Fund and the actions of the Subadviser, the Adviser and the Fund in respect thereof; except to the extent:
(a) Authorized . The Adviser or the Trust has authorized such disclosure;
(b) Court or Regulatory Authority . Disclosure of such information is expressly required or requested by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction or applicable federal or state regulatory authorities;
(c) Publicly Known Without Breach . Such information becomes known to the general public without a breach of this Agreement or a similar confidential disclosure agreement regarding such information;
(d) Already Known . Such information already was known by the party prior to the date hereof;
(e) Received From Third Party . Such information was or is hereafter rightfully received by the party from a third party (expressly excluding the Fund’s custodian, prime broker and administrator) without restriction on its disclosure and without breach of this Agreement or of a similar confidential disclosure agreement regarding them; or
(f) Independently Developed . The party independently developed such information.
In addition, the Subadviser and its officers, directors and employees are prohibited from receiving compensation or other consideration, for themselves or on behalf of the Fund, as a result of disclosing the Fund’s portfolio holdings. The Subadviser agrees, consistent with its Code of Ethics that neither it nor its officers, directors or employees may engage in personal securities transactions based on non-public information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings.
17. Notice . Any notice that is required to be given by the parties to each other under the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, delivered, or mailed postpaid to the other parties, or transmitted by facsimile with acknowledgment of receipt, to the parties at the following addresses or facsimile numbers, which may from time to time be changed by the parties by notice to the other party:
(a) If to the Subadviser:
4695 MacArthur Court, Suite 430
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Phone: 949-891-0600
Email: [ ]
(b) If to the Adviser:
4695 MacArthur Court, Suite 430
Newport Beach, California, 92660
Phone: 949-891-0600
Email:
18. Jurisdiction . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of Delaware without reference to choice of law principles thereof and in accordance with the 1940 Act. In the case of any conflict, the 1940 Act shall control.
19. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, all of which shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
20. Certain Definitions . For the purposes of this Agreement and except as otherwise provided herein, “interested person,” “affiliated person,” and “ assignment ” shall have their respective meanings as set forth in the 1940 Act, subject, however, to such exemptions as may be granted by the SEC.
21. Captions . The captions herein are included for convenience of reference only and shall be ignored in the construction or interpretation hereof.
22. Severability . If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision or applicable law, the remainder of the Agreement shall not be affected adversely and shall remain in full force and effect.
23. Entire Agreement . This Agreement, together with all exhibits, attachments and appendices, contains the entire understanding and agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the day and year first written above.
Regents Park Funds, LLC
By: /s/David Young
Name: David Young
Title: C.E.O.
Anfield Capital Management, LLC
By: /s/David Young
Name: David Young
Title: C.E.O.
NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST IV
OPERATING EXPENSES LIMITATION
AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
Regents Park Funds, LLC
THIS OPERATING EXPENSES LIMITATION AND SECURITY AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made as of the 27 th day of July, 2016, by and between NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST IV, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of the Affinity Global Franchise Equity Fund and the Anfield Diversified Liquid Alternative Fund (each a “Fund”, collectively the “Funds”) a series of the Trust, and the advisor of the Funds, Regents Park Funds, LLC (the “Advisor”).
RECITALS:
WHEREAS
, the Advisor renders advice and services to the Funds pursuant to the terms and provisions of an Investment Advisory
Agreement between the Trust and the Advisor dated as of the 27
th
day of July, 2016 (the “Advisory Agreement”);
and
WHEREAS
, the Funds are responsible for, and has assumed the obligation for, payment of certain expenses pursuant to the
Advisory Agreement that have not been assumed by the Advisor; and
WHEREAS
, the Advisor desires to limit the Funds’ Operating Expenses (as that term is defined in Paragraph 2 of this
Agreement) pursuant to the terms and provisions of this Agreement, and the Trust (on behalf of the Funds) desires to allow the
Advisor to implement those limits; and
WHEREAS , as a condition to the continuation of its contractual relationship with the Advisor, the Trust has required that Advisor grant to the Trust a continuing security interest in and to a designated account of the Advisor established with Gemini Fund Services, LLC, Transfer Agent to the Funds, or its successor and assigns (the “Securities Intermediary”), for so long as Fund’s assets remain below $15 million;
NOW THEREFORE
, in consideration of the covenants and the mutual promises hereinafter set forth, the parties, intending to
be legally bound hereby, mutually agree as follows:
1.
Limit on Operating Expenses
. The Advisor hereby agrees to limit the Funds’ current Operating Expenses to
an annual rate, expressed as a percentage of the Funds’ average daily net assets for the month, to the amounts listed in
Appendix A
(the “Annual Limit”). In the event that the current Operating Expenses of the Funds, as accrued
each month, exceed its Annual Limit, the Advisor will pay to the Funds, on a monthly basis, the excess expense within the first
ten days of the month following the month in which such Operating Expenses were incurred (each payment, a “Fund Reimbursement
Payment”).
2. Definition . For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Operating Expenses” with respect to the Funds are defined to include all expenses necessary or appropriate for the operation of the Funds and including the Advisor’s investment advisory or management fee detailed in the Advisory Agreement, any Rule 12b-l fees and other expenses described in the Advisory Agreement, but does not include: (i) any front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions, (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example option and swap fees and expenses); (v) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (vi) taxes; and (vii) extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees, contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the Adviser)).
3. Reimbursement of Fees and Expenses . The Advisor retains its right to receive in future years on a rolling three year basis, reimbursement of any Fund Reimbursement Payments paid by the Advisor pursuant to this Agreement, if such reimbursement can be achieved within the lesser of the Annual Limit in place at the time of waiver or those in place at the time of recapture.
4. Collateral Account and Security Interest . At any time when Funds’ assets are below $15 million, the Advisor, for value received, hereby pledges, assigns, sets over and grants to the Trust a continuing security interest in and to an account to be established and maintained by the Advisor with the Securities Intermediary and designated as a collateral account (the “Collateral Account”), including any replacement account established with any successor, together with all dividends, interest, stock-splits, distributions, profits and all cash and non-cash proceeds thereof and any and all other rights as may now or hereafter derive or accrue therefrom (collectively, the “Collateral”) to secure the payment of any required Fund Reimbursement Payment or Liquidation Expenses (as defined in Paragraph 5 of this Agreement). For so long as this Agreement is in effect, any transfers or conveyances of Collateral to any party shall require the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”), except as specified in Section 7(a)(ii) of this Agreement, below. In addition, the Trust will not issue entitlement orders, redeem or otherwise take any action with respect to the Collateral or Collateral Account unless a Collateral Event (defined below under Section 5 of this Agreement) has occurred or is continuing.
5. Collateral Event . In the event that either (a) the Advisor does not make the Fund Reimbursement Payment due in connection with a particular calendar month by the tenth day of the following calendar month or (b) the Board enacts a resolution calling for the liquidation of the Funds (either (a) or (b), a “Collateral Event”), then, in either event, the Board shall have absolute discretion to redeem any shares or other Collateral held in the Collateral Account and utilize the proceeds from such redemptions or such other Collateral to make any required Fund Reimbursement Payment, or to cover any costs or expenses which the Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, estimates will be required in connection with the liquidation of the Funds (the “Liquidation Expenses”). Pursuant to the terms of Paragraph 6 of this Agreement, upon authorization from the Board, but subject to the provisions of the Control Agreement, no further
instructions shall be required from the Advisor for the Securities Intermediary to transfer any Collateral from the Collateral Account to the Funds. The Advisor acknowledges that in the event the Collateral available in the Collateral Account is insufficient to cover the full cost of any Fund Reimbursement Payment or Liquidation Expenses, the Funds shall retain the right to receive from the Advisor any costs in excess of the value of the Collateral.
6. Control Agreement; Appointment of Attorney-in-Fact . The Advisor agrees to execute and deliver to the Board, in form and substance satisfactory to the Board, a Control Agreement by, between and among the Trust, the Advisor and the Securities Intermediary (the “Control Agreement”) pursuant to and consistent with Section 8-106(c) of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, which shall terminate when the Collateral Account is no longer required under this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, for so long as the Collateral Account in required under the Agreement, the Advisor hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Trust, through any officer thereof, with full power of substitution, as Advisor's true and lawful Attorney-in-Fact, with full irrevocable power and authority in place and stead of the Advisor and in the name of the Advisor or in the Trust's own name, from time to time, for the purpose of carrying out the terms of this Agreement, to take any and all appropriate actions and to execute and deliver any and all documents and instruments which the Board deems necessary to accomplish the purpose of this Agreement, which power of attorney is coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Trust shall have the right and power following any Collateral Event to receive, endorse and collect all checks and other orders for the payment of money made payable to the Advisor representing any interest payment, dividend, or other distribution payable in respect of or to the Collateral, or any part thereof, and to give full discharge for the same. So long as a Collateral Event has occurred and is continuing, the Board, in its discretion, may direct the Advisor or Advisor's agent to transfer the Collateral in certificated or uncertificated form into the name and account of the Trust or its designee.
7. Covenants . So long as this Agreement shall remain in effect, the Advisor represents and covenants as follows:
(a) | No later than 120 days after the Funds become operational, the Advisor shall invest at least $30,000 in the Collateral Account, unless the Fund’s assets have reached $15 million by that time (in which case no Collateral Account is required until the Fund’s assets fall below $15 million for more than 30 days). Once the Collateral Account is established: (i) the Advisor will maintain at least $30,000 in said account, such that additional amounts will be deposited by the Advisor where Fund outflows or negative Funds performance reduce the Collateral Account below $30,000 for a period of more than thirty days; (ii) when the Funds reach $15 million or more in net assets, the Advisor may withdraw all assets from said account, less the minimum amount required to maintain the account open; and (iii) the Advisor hereby agrees to deposit and maintain $30,000 in the Collateral Account within 30 days of Fund’s assets falling below $15 million, where assets |
have not risen above $15 million at the end of that 30-day period. The Collateral Account may be closed completely upon Fund’s assets reaching $25 million.
(b) | To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Advisor agrees not to challenge any action taken by the Board or the Trust in executing the terms of this Agreement; provided that the action does not constitute willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties of the Board under this Agreement, the Advisory Agreement, or to the Funds shareholders. |
(c) | The Trust will not issue entitlement orders, redeem or otherwise take any action with respect to the Collateral or Collateral Account unless a Collateral Event (defined above under Section 5 of this Agreement) has occurred or is continuing. |
8. Term . This Agreement shall become effective on the Funds’ effective date and shall remain in effect until at least [ ], unless sooner terminated as provided in Paragraph 9 of this Agreement, and shall continue in effect for successive twelve-month periods provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust.
9.
Termination
. This Agreement may be terminated at any time, and without payment of any penalty, by the Board, on
behalf of the Funds, upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Advisor. This Agreement may not be terminated by the Advisor
without the consent of the Board. This Agreement and the Control Agreement will automatically terminate, with respect to the Fund
listed in
Appendix A
if the Advisory Agreement for the Funds are terminated and the Funds continue to operate under
the management of a new investment adviser, with such termination effective upon the effective date of the Advisory Agreement’s
termination for the Funds.
10.
Assignment
. This Agreement and all rights and obligations hereunder may not be assigned without the written consent
of the other party.
11.
Severability
. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute or
rule, or shall be otherwise rendered invalid, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby.
12.
Governing Law
. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of
New York without giving effect to the conflict of laws principles thereof; provided that nothing herein shall be construed to preempt,
or to be inconsistent with, any federal law, regulation or rule, including the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(Signature Page follows)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and attested by their duly authorized officers, all on the day and year first above written.
NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST IV | Regents Park Funds, LLC |
on behalf of Affinity Global Franchise Equity Fund and Anfield Diversified Liquid Alternative Fund | |
By: /s/ Wendy Wang | By: /s/David Young |
Name: Wendy Wang | Name: David Young |
Title: President | Title: C.E.O. |
Appendix A
Fund | Class | Operating Expense Limit |
Affinity Global Franchise Equity Fund | 1.30% | |
Anfield Diversified Liquid Alternative Fund | 1.30% |
ETF FUND SERVICES AGREEMENT
between
Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
and
INDEX
1. APPOINTMENT AND DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS | 1 |
2. DUTIES OF GFS | 2 |
3. FEES | 2 |
4. STANDARD OF CARE, INDEMNIFICATION AND RELIANCE | 4 |
5. LIMITATION OF SHAREHOLDER AND TRUSTEE LIABILITY | 6 |
6. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES | 6 |
7. CONFIDENTIALITY | 7 |
8. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION | 8 |
9. ADDITIONAL FUNDS | 9 |
10. ASSIGNMENT AND SUBCONTRACTING | 9 |
11. TERM AND TERMINATION | 9 |
12. MISCELLANEOUS | 10 |
APPENDIX I
APPENDIX II
APPENDIX III
Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
ETF FUND SERVICES AGREEMENT
THIS ETF FUND SERVICES AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) dated the 27 th day of July, 2016 (the “Effective Date”), is entered into by and between NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST IV, a Delaware statutory trust having its principal office and place of business at 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, NE 68130 (the "Trust") and GEMINI FUND SERVICES, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company having its principal office and place of business at 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 (“GFS”).
WHEREAS , the Trust is an investment company registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”); and
WHEREAS , the Trust is authorized to issue shares (“Shares”) in separate series, with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets; and
WHEREAS , the Trust offers shares in the series as set forth on Appendix III attached hereto (each such series, together with all other series subsequently established by the Trust and made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 10 , being herein referred to as a “Fund,” and collectively as the “Funds”); and
WHEREAS , the Trust desires that GFS perform the services described on Appendices I and II (collectively the “Services”) for the Funds and GFS is willing to provide those services on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement;
NOW THEREFORE , in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein, the Trust and GFS hereby agree as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT AND DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS
(a) | The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, hereby appoints GFS to provide the Services to the Trust and the Funds for the period and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. GFS accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the Services in return for the compensation as provided in Section 3 and Appendix III of this Agreement. |
(b) | In connection therewith, the Trust has delivered to GFS copies of: |
(i) | the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Bylaws (collectively, the "Organizational Documents"); |
(ii) | the Trust's Registration Statement and all amendments thereto filed with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and the Investment Company Act (the "Registration Statement"); |
(iii) | the Trust’s notification of registration under the Investment Company Act on Form N-8A as filed with the SEC; |
1 |
(iv) | each Fund’s listing notice from the applicable securities exchange; |
(v) | the Trust's current prospectus and statement of additional information for each Fund (collectively, as currently in effect and as amended or supplemented, the "Prospectus"); |
(vi) | if applicable, each Fund’s current plan of distribution adopted by the Trust under Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act (the "Plan"); |
(vii) | each Fund’s investment advisory agreement; |
(viii) | each Fund’s underwriting agreement; |
(ix) | contact information for each Fund’s service providers, including, but not limited to, the Fund’s administrator, custodian, transfer agent and/or index receipt agent, independent auditors, legal counsel, underwriter, lead market maker, securities exchange where the Shares will be listed and chief compliance officer; and |
(x) | procedures adopted by the Trust in accordance with Rule 17a-7 under the Investment Company Act with respect to affiliated transactions. |
(c) | The Trust shall promptly furnish GFS with all amendments of or supplements to the items listed in Section 1(b) above, and shall deliver to GFS a copy of the resolutions of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Board") appointing GFS and authorizing the execution and delivery of this Agreement. |
2. DUTIES OF GFS
GFS’s duties with respect to the Services are detailed in Appendices I and II to this Agreement.
(a) | In order for GFS to perform the Services, the Trust (i) shall cause all third party service providers to the Trust or Funds to furnish any and all information to GFS and assist GFS as GFS may require and (ii) shall ensure that GFS has access to all records and documents maintained by the Trust and the Funds or any service provider to the Trust or the Funds. |
(b) | GFS shall, for all purposes herein, be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no authority to act for or represent the Trust in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Trust. |
(c) | Whenever, in the course of performing its duties under this Agreement, GFS determines, on the basis of information supplied to GFS by the Trust, that a violation of applicable law has occurred, or that, to its knowledge, a possible violation of applicable law may have occurred, or with the passage of time could occur, GFS shall promptly notify the Trust’s chief compliance officer and its legal counsel of such violation. |
2 |
3. | FEES |
(a) | Fees. As compensation for the Services provided by GFS to the Trust pursuant to this Agreement, the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, agrees to pay GFS the fees set forth in Appendix III attached hereto. Fees will begin to accrue for each Fund on the latter of the Effective Date or the date GFS begins providing services to such Fund. For the purpose of determining fees calculated as a function of such Fund’s assets, the value of the Fund’s assets and net assets shall be computed as required by its currently effective Prospectus, generally accepted accounting principles, and resolutions of the Board. GFS will render, after the close of each month in which the Services have been furnished, a statement reflecting all of the charges for such month together with any unpaid charges from prior months. Services provided for partial months shall be subject to pro ration. |
(b) | Expenses. In addition to the fees paid under Section 3(a) , the Trust agrees to reimburse GFS for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses or advances incurred by GFS to perform the Services, as well as for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by GFS at the request or with the consent of the Trust. For the avoidance of doubt, and without intending to limit the Trust’s reimbursement obligation, the Trust agrees to reimburse GFS for the following expenses to the extent incurred by GFS in the performance of the Services: |
(i) | taxes (except to the extent relating the income of GFS); |
(ii) | interest; |
(iii) | brokerage fees and commissions, if any; |
(iv) | fees for trustees who are not officers, directors, partners, employees or holders of five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding voting securities of GFS or the Company’s investment adviser; |
(v) | SEC fees (including EDGAR filing fees); |
(vi) | state blue sky registration or qualification fees; |
(vii) | licensing fees for the index on which the Funds are based (“Index”); |
(viii) | securities exchange listing fees and fees associated with the calculation and dissemination of the Index and indicative optimized portfolio value (“IOPV”); |
(ix) | advisory fees; |
(x) | charges of custodians; |
(xi) | transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent and index receipt agent fees; |
(xii) | insurance premiums; |
(xiii) | outside auditing and legal expenses; |
(xiv) | costs of maintaining Trust existence; |
(xv) | costs attributable to shareholder services, including, without limitation, telephone and personnel expenses; |
(xvi) | costs of preparing and printing prospectuses for regulatory purposes; |
(xvii) | costs of shareholders' reports, Trust meetings and related expenses; |
(xviii) | costs associated with Fund purchase and redemption transactions; and |
(xix) | any extraordinary expenses. |
(c) | Fee Changes . On each anniversary date of this Agreement, the base and/or minimum fees enumerated in Appendix III attached hereto, may be increased by the change in the Consumer Price Index for the Northeast region (the “CPI”) for the twelve-month period ending with the month preceding such annual anniversary date. Any CPI increases not |
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charged in any given year may be included in prospective CPI fee increases in future years. GFS Agrees to provide the Board prior written notice of any CPI increase.
(d) | Due Date . All fees contemplated under Section 3(a) above and reimbursement for all expenses contemplated under Section 3(b) above are due and payable within ten (10) days of receipt of an invoice provided by GFS. Any fees or reimbursements due hereunder and not received by its due date may be assessed interest at the maximum amount permitted by law. |
(e) | Books and Records. The accounts, books, records and other documents (the “Records”) maintained by GFS in connection with the performance of the Services shall be the property of the Funds, and shall be surrendered to the Funds, at the expense of the Funds, promptly upon request by the Funds in the form in which such Records have been maintained or preserved, provided that all service fees and expenses charged by GFS in the performance of its duties hereunder have been fully paid to the satisfaction of GFS. GFS agrees to maintain a backup set of each Fund’s Records Funds (which backup set shall be updated on at least a weekly basis) at a location other than that where the original Records are stored. GFS shall assist the Funds’ independent auditors, or, upon approval of the Funds, any regulatory body, in any requested review of the Funds’ Records. GFS shall preserve the Records, as they are required to be maintained and preserved by Rule 31a-1 under the Investment Company Act. |
(f) | Post-Engagement Audit Support Fees. After a de-conversion, GFS may be called upon to provide support to a Fund’s service providers in connection with a Fund’s annual audit. Services provided by GFS to accommodate any request by the Fund for assistance with the Fund’s annual audit following termination of this Agreement shall be subject to GFS’s standard hourly rates existing at the time of the request. The Fund agrees to compensate GFS, at GFS’s standard hourly rates, for accommodating any such request. |
4. | STANDARD OF CARE, INDEMNIFICATION AND RELIANCE |
(a) | Indemnification of GFS . The Trust shall, on behalf of each applicable Fund, indemnify and hold GFS harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable attorney or consultant fees, payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to the Trust’s refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement, breach of any representation or warranty made by the Trust contained in this Agreement, or which arise out of the Trust’s lack of good faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to the Trust’s performance under or in connection with this Agreement. The Trust shall also indemnify and hold GFS harmless from all reasonable actions taken by GFS hereunder in good faith without gross negligence, willful misconduct or reckless disregard of its duties. |
(b) | Indemnification of the Trust . GFS shall indemnify and hold the Trust and each applicable Fund harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable attorney or consultant fees, payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to GFS’s refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement, breach of any representation or warranty made by GFS contained in this Agreement or which arise out |
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of GFS’s lack of good faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to GFS’s performance under or in connection with this Agreement.
(c) | Reliance . Except to the extent that GFS may be liable pursuant to Section 4(b) above, the Trust shall hold GFS harmless and GFS shall not be liable for any action taken or failure to act in reliance upon, and shall be entitled to rely upon: |
(i) | advice of the Trust, its officers, independent auditors or counsel to the Trust; |
(ii) | any oral instruction which it receives and which it reasonably believes in good faith was transmitted by the person or persons authorized by the Board to give such oral instruction pursuant to the parties standard operating practices; |
(iii) | any written instruction or resolution of the Board, and GFS may rely upon the genuineness of any such document, copy or facsimile thereof reasonably believed by GFS to have been validly executed; |
(iv) | any signature, instruction, request, letter of transmittal, certificate, opinion of counsel, statement, instrument, report, notice, consent, order, or other document reasonably believed by GFS to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the Trust or other proper party or parties; |
(v) | any instruction, information, data, records or documents provided to GFS or its agents or subcontractors furnished (pursuant to procedures mutually agreed to by GFS and the Trust’s service providers) by machine readable input, data entry, email, facsimile or other similar means authorized by the Trust; and |
(vi) | any authorization, instruction, approval, item or set of data, or information of any kind transmitted to GFS in person or by telephone, email, facsimile or other electronic means, furnished and reasonably believed by GFS to be genuine and to have been given by the proper person or persons. GFS shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person, until receipt of written notice thereof from the Trust. |
GFS shall not be under any duty or obligation to inquire into the validity or invalidity or authority or lack of authority of any statement, oral or written instruction, resolution, signature, request, letter of transmittal, certificate, opinion of counsel, instrument, report, notice, consent, order, or any other document or instrument which GFS reasonably believes to be genuine. |
At any time, GFS may apply to any officer of the Trust for instructions, and may consult with legal counsel to the Trust with respect to any matter arising in connection with the routine services to be performed by GFS under this Agreement, and GFS and its agents or subcontractors shall not be liable and shall be indemnified by the Trust for any action taken or omitted by it in reasonable reliance upon such instructions or upon the advice of such counsel. |
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(d) | Errors of Others . GFS shall not be liable for the errors of other service providers to the Trust, except or unless any GFS action or inaction is a direct cause of the error. |
(e) | Reliance on Electronic Instructions. If the Trust has the ability to originate electronic instructions to GFS in order to (i) effect the transfer or movement of cash or Shares or (ii) transmit shareholder information or other information, then in such event GFS shall be entitled to rely on the validity and authenticity of such instruction without undertaking any further inquiry as long as such instruction is undertaken in conformity with security procedures established and agreed upon by GFS and the Trust. |
(f) | Notification of Claims. In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this Section shall apply, upon the assertion of a claim for which either party may be required to indemnify the other, the party seeking indemnification shall promptly notify the other party of such assertion, and shall keep the other party advised with respect to all developments concerning such claim. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure of the indemnitee to timely notify the indemnitor shall not relieve the indemnitor of its indemnification obligations hereunder except to the extent that the indemnitor is materially prejudiced by such failure. |
(g) | Defense of Claims . The party who may be required to indemnify shall have the option to participate with the party seeking indemnification in the defense of such claim or to defend against said claim in its own name or in the name of the other party. The party seeking indemnification shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the other party may be required to indemnify it except with the other party’s prior written consent. |
(h) | Limitation of GFS’s Liability . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, GFS’s maximum liability to the Trust or any Fund arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby, whether arising in contract, tort (including, without limitation, negligence) or otherwise, shall not exceed the direct loss to the Trust or such Fund. IN NO EVENT SHALL GFS BE LIABLE FOR TRADING LOSSES, LOST REVENUES, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES OR LOST PROFITS, WHETHER OR NOT SUCH DAMAGES WERE FORESEEABLE OR GFS WAS ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF. THE PARTIES ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE OTHER PARTS OF THIS AGREEMENT ARE PREMISED UPON THE LIMITATION STATED IN THIS SECTION. |
5. | LIMITATION OF SHAREHOLDER AND TRUSTEE LIABILITY |
The Board and the shareholders of each Fund shall not be liable for any obligations of the Trust or of the Funds under this Agreement, and GFS agrees that, in asserting any rights or claims under this Agreement, it shall look only to the assets and property of the Trust or the Fund(s) to which GFS’s rights or claims relate in settlement of such rights or claims, and not to the Board or the shareholders of the Trust or the Fund(s). It is expressly agreed that the obligations of the Trust hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the Trustees, shareholders, nominees, officers, agents or employees of the Trust personally, but bind only the Trust property of the Trust, as provided in the Trust’s Organizational Documents.
6. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
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(a) | Representations of GFS. GFS represents and warrants to the Trust that: |
(i) | it is a limited liability company duly organized, existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of Nebraska; |
(ii) | it is empowered under applicable laws and by its organizational documents to enter into this Agreement and perform its duties under this Agreement; |
(iii) | it has access to the necessary facilities, equipment, and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; and |
(iv) | it is registered as a transfer agent under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and shall continue to be so registered throughout the remainder of this Agreement. |
(b) | Representations of the Trust. The Trust represents and warrants to GFS that: |
(i) | it is a Trust duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its organization; |
(ii) | it is empowered under applicable laws and by its Organizational Documents to enter into and perform this Agreement; |
(iii) | all proceedings required by said Organizational Documents have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement; |
(iv) | it is an investment company registered or to-be registered under the Investment Company Act and will operate in conformance with the Investment Company Act and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder during the term of this Agreement; |
(v) | a registration statement under the Securities Act is or will be effective and will remain effective, and appropriate state securities law filings as required, have been or will be made and will continue to be made, with respect to all Shares of the Fund(s) being offered for sale; and |
(vi) | Each Fund’s Organizational Documents, Registration Statement and Prospectus are true and accurate and will remain true and accurate at all times during the term of this Agreement in conformance with applicable federal and state securities laws. |
7. CONFIDENTIALITY
GFS and the Trust agree that all books, records, information, and data pertaining to the business of the other party which are exchanged or received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this Agreement shall remain confidential, and shall not be voluntarily disclosed to any other person, except that GFS may:
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(a) | prepare or assist in the preparation of periodic reports to shareholders and regulatory bodies such as the SEC; |
(b) | provide information typically supplied in the investment company industry to companies that track or report price, performance or other information regarding investment companies; and |
(c) | release such information as permitted or required by law or approved in writing by the Trust, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where GFS may be exposed to civil or criminal liability or proceedings for failure to release the information, when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities or when so requested by the Trust. |
Except as provided above, in accordance with Title 17, Chapter II, part 248 of the Code of Federal Regulations (17 CFR 248.1 – 248.30) (“Reg S-P”), GFS will not directly, or indirectly through an affiliate, disclose any non-public personal information as defined in Reg S-P, received from a Fund to any person that is not affiliated with the Fund or with GFS and provided that any such information disclosed to an affiliate of GFS shall be under the same limitations on non-disclosure.
Both parties agree to communicate sensitive information via secured communication channels (i.e., encrypted format).
8. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION
(a) | Proprietary Information of GFS . The Trust acknowledges that the databases, computer programs, screen formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, and documentation manuals maintained by GFS on databases under the control and ownership of GFS or a third party constitute copyrighted, trade secret, or other proprietary information (collectively, “GFS Proprietary Information”) of substantial value to GFS or the third party. The Trust agrees to treat all GFS Proprietary Information as proprietary to GFS and further agrees that it shall not divulge any GFS Proprietary Information to any person or organization except as may be provided under this Agreement or as may be directed by GFS or as may be duly requested by regulatory authorities. |
(b) | Proprietary Information of the Trust . GFS acknowledges that all information related to shareholders purchasing or redeeming in-kind furnished to GFS by the Trust or by a shareholder in connection with this Agreement (collectively, “Customer Data”), all information regarding the Trust portfolios, arrangements with brokerage firms and Authorized Participants (as defined in the Funds’ Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information), compensation paid to or by the Trust, trading strategies and all such related information (collectively, “Trust Proprietary Information”) constitute proprietary information of substantial value to the Trust. GFS agrees to treat all Trust Proprietary Information and Customer Data as proprietary to the Trust and further agrees that it shall not divulge any Trust Proprietary Information or Customer Data to any person or organization except as may be provided under this Agreement or as may be directed by the Trust or as may be duly requested by regulatory authorities. |
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(c) | Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its employees of their obligations pursuant to this Section 8. The obligations of this Section 8 shall survive any earlier termination of this Agreement. |
9. ADDITIONAL FUNDS
In the event that the Trust establishes one or more series of Shares (i.e. Funds) after the effectiveness of this Agreement, such series shall become Funds under this Agreement with necessary changes made to Appendix III ; however, either GFS or the Trust may elect not to make any such series subject to this Agreement.
10. ASSIGNMENT AND SUBCONTRACTING
This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Trust without the prior written consent of GFS. GFS may subcontract any or all of its responsibilities pursuant to this Agreement to one or more companies, trusts, firms, individuals or associations, which may or may not be affiliated persons of GFS and which agree to comply with the terms of this Agreement; provided, however, that any such subcontracting shall not relieve GFS of its responsibilities hereunder. GFS may pay such persons for their services, but no such payment will increase fees due from the Trust hereunder.
11. TERM AND TERMINATION
(a) | Term . This Agreement shall remain in effect for a period of two (2) years from the Effective Date and shall continue in effect for successive twelve-month periods provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board. |
(b) | Termination . This Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Trust and/or with respect to any Fund by the Board, by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust, or by GFS at the end of the initial term or any subsequent renewal term upon not less than ninety (90) days’ advanced written notice; or upon written notice from either party of a material breach, provided that a party shall have a thirty (30) day cure period in which to remedy any claimed material breach. If the party attempting to cure any claimed material breach is unable to do so within the allotted thirty (30) day cure period, the parties agree to submit to arbitration in accordance with Section 12(g) of this Agreement. Additionally, GFS may terminate this Agreement with respect to a Fund at any time following the Board’s determination to liquidate such Fund by delivering written notice to the Board setting forth the date on which such termination is to be effective. In the event of any termination of this Agreement, GFS agrees that it will cooperate to facilitate the smooth transition of services to a replacement service provider, if one has been selected by the Board. |
(c) | Reimbursement of Expenses Incurred by GFS in Effecting Any Termination . If this Agreement is terminated with respect to a Fund or Funds, GFS shall be entitled to collect from the Fund or Funds, in addition to the compensation described under Section 3 of this Agreement, the amount of all of GFS’s reasonable labor charges and cash |
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disbursements for services in connection with GFS’s activities in effecting such termination.
(d) | Survival of Certain Obligations . The obligations of Sections 3, 4, 7, 8, 11 and 12 shall survive any termination of this Agreement. |
12. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) | Amendments . This Agreement may not be amended, or any provision hereof waived, except in writing signed by the party against which the enforcement of such amendment or waiver is sought. |
(b) | Governing Law . This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. |
(c) | Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto. |
(d) | C ounterparts . The parties may execute this Agreement on any number of counterparts, and all of the counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. |
(e) | Severability . If any part, term or provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, in conflict with any law or otherwise invalid, the remaining portion or portions shall be considered severable and not be affected by such determination, and the rights and obligations of the parties shall be construed and enforced as if this Agreement did not contain the particular part, term or provision held to be illegal or invalid. |
(f) | Force Majeure. Neither party shall be liable for failure to perform if the failure results from a cause beyond its control, including, without limitation, fire, electrical, mechanical, or equipment breakdowns, delays by third party vendors and/or communications carriers, civil disturbances or disorders, terrorist acts, strikes, acts of governmental authority or new governmental restrictions, or acts of God. |
(g) | Arbitration . Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this contract, or the breach thereof, shall be settled by arbitration in New York according to the Securities Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. |
This arbitration provision shall be enforced and interpreted exclusively in accordance with applicable federal law, including the Federal Arbitration Act. Any costs, fees, or taxes involved in enforcing the award shall be fully assessed against and paid by the party resisting enforcement of said award. The prevailing party shall also be entitled to an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in connection with the enforcement of this Agreement.
(h) | Headings . Section and paragraph headings in this Agreement are included for convenience only and are not to be used to construe or interpret this Agreement. |
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(i) | Notices . All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (a) on the date of delivery if delivered personally, (b) on the fifth Business Day following the date of mailing, if mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid to the party to receive such notice, (c) if dispatched via a nationally recognized overnight courier service (delivery receipt requested) with charges paid by the dispatching party, on the later of (i) the first Business Day following the date of dispatch, or (ii) the scheduled date of delivery by such service, or (d) on the date sent by electronic mail if sent during normal business hours of the recipient during a Business Day, and otherwise on the next Business Day, if sent after normal business hours of the recipient, provided that in the case of electronic mail, each notice or other communication shall be confirmed within one Business Day by dispatch of a copy of such notice pursuant to one of the other methods described herein, at the following addresses, or such other address as a party may designate from time to time by notice in accordance with this Section. |
(j) | Safekeeping . GFS shall establish and maintain facilities and procedures reasonably acceptable to the Trust for the safekeeping and control of records maintained by GFS under this Agreement including the preparation and use of check forms, facsimile, email or other electronic signature imprinting devices. |
(k) | Distinction of Funds . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the parties agree that the assets and liabilities of each Fund of the Trust are separate and distinct from the assets and liabilities of each other Fund and that no Fund shall be liable or shall be charged for any debt, obligation or liability of any other Fund, whether arising under this Agreement or otherwise. |
(l) | Representation of Signatories . Each of the undersigned expressly warrants and represents that they have full power and authority to sign this Agreement on behalf of the party indicated and that their signature will bind the party indicated to the terms hereof. |
Signature Page Follows
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized persons, as of the day and year first above written.
NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST IV
By: /s/ Wendy Wang Wendy Wang President |
GEMINI FUND SERVICES, LLC
By: /s/ Kevin Wolf Kevin Wolf President |
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APPENDIX I
Fund Accounting Services
With respect to each Fund electing Fund Accounting Services, GFS shall provide the following services subject to, and in compliance with, the objectives, policies and limitations set forth in the Trust’s Registration Statement, the Trust’s Organizational Documents, applicable laws and regulations, exemptive orders and resolutions and policies established by the Trust’s Board:
1) | Timely calculate the net asset value per share with the frequency prescribed in each Fund's then-current Prospectus, transmit the Fund's net asset value to the Fund’s listing exchange and Authorized Participants by the times agreed upon by GFS and the Trust, and communicate such net asset value to the Trust and its transfer agent and/or index receipt agent; |
2) | Calculate each item of income, expense, deduction, credit, gain and loss, if any, as required by the Trust and in conformance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), SEC Regulation S-X (or any successor regulation) and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor laws)(the "Code"); |
3) | Prepare and maintain on behalf of the Trust, books and records of each Fund, as required by Rule 31a-1 under the Investment Company Act, and as such rule or any successor rule, may be amended from time to time, that are applicable to the fulfillment of GFS’s Fund Accounting Services, as well as any other documents necessary or advisable for compliance with applicable regulations as may be mutually agreed to between the Trust and GFS. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, GFS will prepare and maintain the following records upon receipt of information in proper form from the Fund or its authorized agents: |
a. | Cash receipts journal |
b. | Cash disbursements journal |
c. | Dividend record |
d. | Purchase and sales - portfolio securities journals |
e. | Subscription and redemption journals |
f. | Security ledgers |
g. | Broker ledger |
h. | General ledger |
i. | Daily expense accruals |
j. | Daily income accruals |
k. | Securities and monies borrowed or loaned and collateral therefore |
l. | Foreign currency journals |
m. | Trial balances |
4) | Make such adjustments over such periods as the Trust’s administrator deems necessary, and communicates to GFS in writing, to reflect over-accruals or under-accruals of estimated expenses or income; |
5) | Provide the Trust and, each investment adviser serving as an investment adviser for a Fund with daily portfolio valuation, net asset value calculation and other standard operational reports as requested from time to time; |
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6) | Provide all raw data available from its fund accounting system for the Fund’s investment adviser or the administrator to assist in preparation of the following: |
a. | Semi-annual financial statements; |
b. | Semi-annual form N-SAR and annual tax returns; |
c. | Financial data necessary to update the Trust’s Registration Statement; and |
d. | Annual proxy statement. |
7) | Provide facilities to accommodate an annual audit by each Fund’s independent accountants and, upon approval of the Trust, any audits or examinations conducted by the SEC or any other governmental or quasi-governmental entities with jurisdiction; |
8) | Transmit to and receive from each Fund's transfer agent and/or index receipt agent appropriate data on a daily basis and daily reconcile Shares outstanding and other data with the transfer agent; |
9) | Periodically reconcile all appropriate data with each Fund's custodian; |
10) | Perform such other record keeping, reporting and other tasks as may be specified from time to time in the procedures adopted by the Board pursuant to mutually acceptable timelines and compensation agreements; and |
11) | Create each Fund’s daily portfolio composition file (“PCF”), transmitting the PCF to each Fund and its Adviser and assist the Fund and its Adviser with inputting the PCF into the NSCC system and facilitating any other communications required by the NSCC related to the PCFs. |
Fund Accounting Records.
Maintenance of and Access to Records . GFS shall maintain records relating to its services, such as journals, ledger accounts and other records, as are required to be maintained under the Investment Company Act and, specifically, Rule 31a-1 thereunder. The books and records pertaining to the Trust that are in possession of GFS shall be the property of the Trust. The Trust, or the Trust's authorized representatives, shall have access to such books and records at all times during GFS’s normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Trust, copies of any such books and records shall be provided promptly by GFS to the Trust or the Trust's authorized representatives. In the event the Trust designates a successor that assumes any of GFS’s obligations hereunder, GFS shall, at the expense and direction of the Trust, transfer to such successor all relevant books, records and other data established or maintained by GFS under this Agreement.
Inspection of Records . In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of the records of the Trust maintained by GFS, GFS will endeavor to notify the Trust and to secure instructions from an authorized officer of the Trust as to such inspection. GFS shall abide by the Trust's instructions for granting or denying the inspection; provided, however, that GFS may grant the inspection without instructions from the Trust if GFS is advised to disclose by its legal counsel.
All out-of-pocket expenses will be billed as set forth on Appendix III. GFS may from time to time adopt new procedures, or modify existing procedures, in order to carry out its Fund Accounting Services. Any modification of the Fund Accounting Services provided by GFS as set forth in this Appendix I shall be delivered to the Trust in writing.
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APPENDIX II
Fund Administrative Services
With respect to each Fund electing Fund Administrative Services, GFS shall provide the following services subject to, and in compliance with the objectives, policies and limitations set forth in the Trust’s Registration Statement, the Trust’s Organizational Documents, Bylaws, applicable laws and regulations, and resolutions and policies established by the Trust’s Board:
1) | Monitor the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to the Trust by others, including its custodian, transfer agent, fund accountant and dividend disbursing agent as well as legal, auditing, shareholder servicing and other services performed for the Trust; |
2) | Monitor Fund holdings and operations for post-trade compliance with the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, SEC statutes, rules, regulations and policies and pursuant to advice from the Fund’s independent public accountants and Trust counsel, monitor Fund holdings for compliance with IRS taxation limitations and restrictions and applicable Federal Accounting Standards Board rules, statements and interpretations; provide periodic compliance reports to each investment adviser or sub-adviser to the Trust, and assist the Trust, the Adviser and each sub-adviser to the Trust (collectively referred to as “Advisers”) in preparation of periodic compliance reports to the Trust, as applicable; |
3) | Prepare and coordinate the printing of semi-annual and annual financial statements; |
4) | Prepare selected management reports for performance and compliance analyses agreed upon by the Trust and GFS from time to time; |
5) | In consultation with legal counsel to the Trust, the investment adviser, officers of the Trust and other relevant parties, prepare and disseminate materials for meetings of the Board, including agendas and selected financial information as agreed upon by the Trust and GFS from time to time; attend and participate in Board meetings to the extent requested by the Board; and prepare or cause to be prepared minutes of the meetings of the Board; |
6) | Determine income and capital gains available for distribution and calculate distributions required to meet regulatory, income, and excise tax requirements, to be reviewed by the Trust's independent public accountants; |
7) | Review the Trust's federal, state, and local tax returns as prepared and signed by the Trust's independent public accountants; |
8) | Prepare and maintain the Trust's operating expense budget to determine proper expense accruals to be charged to each Fund in order to calculate its daily net asset value; |
9) | In consultation with legal counsel for the Trust, assist in and monitor the preparation, filing, printing and where applicable, dissemination to shareholders of the following: |
a. | amendments to the Trust’s Registration Statement; |
b. | periodic reports to the Trustees, shareholders and the SEC, including but not limited to annual reports and semi-annual reports; |
c. | notices pursuant to Rule 24f-2 (as applicable); |
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d. | proxy materials; and |
e. | reports to the SEC on Forms N-CEN, N-CSR, N-PORT, N-23c-3 and N-PX (as applicable). |
10) | Coordinate the Trust's audits and examinations by: |
a. | assisting each Fund’s independent public accountants, or, upon approval of the Trust, any regulatory body or securities exchange, in any requested review of a Fund’s accounts and records; |
b. | providing appropriate financial schedules (as requested by a Fund’s independent public accountants or SEC examiners); and |
c. | providing office facilities as may be required. |
11) | Determine, after consultation with legal counsel for the Trust and the Fund’s investment adviser, the jurisdictions in which Shares of the Trust shall be registered or qualified for sale; facilitate, register, or prepare applicable notice or other filings with respect to, the Shares with the various state and territories of the United States and other securities commissions, provided that all fees for the registration of Shares or for qualifying or continuing the qualification of the Trust shall be paid by the Trust; |
12) | Monitor sales of Shares and ensure that the Shares are properly and duly registered with the SEC; |
13) | Coordinate with the Funds’ service providers to facilitate the setup of Funds on applicable securities exchanges; |
14) | Monitor sales of Shares and ensure that the Shares are properly and duly listed with the applicable securities exchanges and that securities exchange listing requirements are met; |
15) | Process share creations and redemptions with the Funds’ transfer agent; |
16) | Maintain create/redeem records to the extent they are not otherwise maintained by other Service Providers; |
17) | Arrange for vendors to provide and post each Fund’s IOPV and other information required by exemptive orders; |
18) | Monitor the calculation of performance data for dissemination to information services covering the investment company industry, for sales literature of the Trust and other appropriate purposes; |
19) | Prepare, or cause to be prepared, expense and financial reports, including Fund budgets, expense reports, pro-forma financial statements, expense and profit/loss projections and fee waiver/expense reimbursement projections on a periodic basis; |
20) | Prepare authorization for the payment of Trust expenses and pay, from Trust assets, all bills of the Trust; |
21) | Provide information typically supplied in the investment company industry to companies that track or report price, performance or other information with respect to investment companies; |
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22) | Upon request, assist each Fund in the evaluation and selection of other service providers, such as independent public accountants, printers, EDGAR providers and proxy solicitors (such parties may be affiliates of GFS); and |
23) | Perform other services, recordkeeping and assistance relating to the affairs of the Trust as the Trust may, from time to time, reasonably request pursuant to mutually acceptable timelines and compensation agreements. |
All out-of-pocket expenses will be billed as set forth on Appendix III. GFS may from time to time adopt new procedures, or modify existing procedures, in order to carry out its Fund Administrative Services. Any modification of the Fund Administrative Services provided by GFS as set forth in this Appendix II shall be delivered to the Trust in writing.
ETF DISTRIBUTION PLAN
PURSUANT TO RULE 12B-1
UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST IV
Adopted July 27, 2016
WHEREAS, Northern Lights Fund Trust IV (the “Trust”) is an open-end management investment company registered as such under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and organized as a series trust; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Trust (“Trustees”) desires to adopt a plan of distribution pursuant to rule l2b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to the shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”) of the series listed on Schedule A (each a “Fund”, collectively, the “Funds”), and the Trustees have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that adoption of this ETF Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) will benefit each Fund and holders of such Fund’s Shares.
NOW, THEREFORE, on behalf of each Fund, the Trust hereby adopts this Plan in accordance with rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act on the following terms and conditions (capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned thereto in the Trust’s registration statement under the 1940 Act and under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as such registration statement is amended by any amendments thereto at the time in effect).
SECTION 1. The Trust has adopted this Plan to enable the Trust to directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of the Shares of the Trust.
SECTION 2. With respect to each Fund, the Trust may pay a monthly fee up to the amount set forth in Schedule A (“Limit”) to finance any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Shares as described in the Trust’s registration statement (“Creation Units”) of each Fund or the provision of investor services, including but not limited to (a) compensation paid to registered representatives of the Funds’ distributor (“the “Distributor”) and other persons that have entered into agreements with the Distributor, (b) salaries and other expenses of the Distributor or other parties relating to selling or servicing efforts, including travel, communications and the provision of sales personnel, (c) expenses of organizing and conducting sales seminars, printing of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports for other than existing shareholders, (d) preparation and distribution of advertising materials and sales literature and other marketing and sales promotion expenses, (e) distribution and/or shareholder service assistance through financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations, insurance companies and investment counselors, broker-dealers, and the affiliates and subsidiaries of the Trust’s service providers, (f) delivering any notices of shareholder meetings and proxy statements accompanying such notices in connection with general and special meetings of interest holders of the Trust, and/or (g) ongoing services to shareholders which facilitate the continued retention of investors as shareholders of a Fund.
The Distributor may use all or any portion of the amount received pursuant to this Plan to compensate securities dealers or other persons that are Authorized Participants (“third parties”) for providing distribution assistance, including broker-dealer and shareholder support and educational and promotional services, pursuant to agreements with the Distributor, or to pay any of the expenses associated with other activities authorized under this paragraph. All expenses covered by this Plan shall be deemed incurred whether paid directly by the Distributor or by a third party to the extent reimbursed therefor by the Distributor.
Fees shall be payable by the Trust on behalf of any Fund regardless of whether such fees are greater or less than the actual expenses incurred by the Distributor or third party with respect to such Fund during the relevant period. Although the Fund is not permitted to pay any expenses in excess of the relevant Limit, such excess expenses may be reimbursed during any of the Fund’s subsequent three fiscal years, provided and to the extent that the current expenses plus the excess expenses do not exceed the Limit for that subsequent year and are approved in the manner provided in Section 3 herein.
SECTION 3. Nothing in this Plan shall operate or be construed to prohibit or limit additional compensation derived from sales charges or other sources that may be paid to the Distributor pursuant to the aforementioned Distribution Agreement. In addition, nothing in this Plan shall operate or be construed to limit the extent to which the Trust’s investment adviser or any other person, other than the Trust, may incur costs and bear expenses associated with the distribution of Shares of a Fund. It is recognized that the Trust’s investment adviser and other persons may use its advisory revenues, past profits and other resources to make payments to the Distributor with respect to any expenses incurred in connection with the distribution of Shares. Accordingly, the Trust’s investment adviser and other persons, directly or indirectly, may from time to time make payments to third parties who engage in the sale of Shares or render shareholder support or transfer agency services. If such payments are deemed to be indirect financing of an activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares issued by a Fund within the context of rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, such payments shall be deemed to be authorized by this Plan.
SECTION 4. This Plan shall not take effect with respect to any Fund until it has been approved, together with any related agreements, by votes of the majority of both (a) the Trustees and (b) the Qualified Trustees (as defined in Section 10 herein), cast in person at a meeting of the Trustees called for the purpose of voting on this Plan or such agreement.
SECTION 5. This Plan shall continue in effect for a period of more than one year after it takes effect, only for so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually in the manner provided in Section 4 herein for the approval of this Plan.
SECTION 6. Any person authorized to direct the disposition of monies paid or payable by the Trust pursuant to this Plan or any related agreement shall provide to the Trustees, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts so expended and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.
SECTION 7. This Plan may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by the vote of a majority of the Qualified Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Shares of the Funds.
SECTION 8. All agreements with any person relating to implementation of this Plan shall be in writing, and any agreement related to this Plan shall provide (a) that such agreement may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by the vote of a majority of the Qualified Trustees or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Shares of the Funds, on not more than 60 days written notice to any other party to the agreement; and (b) that such agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
SECTION 9. This Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of distribution expenses permitted with respect to any Fund pursuant to Section 2 hereof without the approval of Shareholders holding a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Shares of the Fund, and all material amendments to this Plan shall be approved in the manner provided in Part (b) of Section 4 herein for the approval of this Plan.
SECTION 10. As used in this Plan, the term “Qualified Trustees” shall mean those Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust, and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of this Plan or any agreements related to it. The terms “assignment,” “interested person,” and “majority of the outstanding voting securities” shall have the respective meanings specified in the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, subject to such exemptions as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SECTION 11. While this Plan is in effect, the selection and nomination of those Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust within the meaning of section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act shall be committed to the discretion of the Trustees then in office who are not interested persons of the Trust.
SECTION 12. This Plan shall not obligate the Trust or any other party to enter into an agreement with any particular person.
SECTION 13. If any provision of the Plan shall be held or made invalid, the remainder of the Plan shall not be affected thereby.
SECTION 14. The Trust shall preserve
copies of this Plan, each agreement related hereto and each report referred to in Section 6 hereof for a period of at least six
years, the first two years in an easily accessible place.
SCHEDULE A
NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST IV
The following series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV are subject to this Plan, at the fee rates specified:
Fund | Fee (as a Percentage of Average Daily Net Assets of the Fund)* |
Affinity Global Franchise ETF | 0.25% |
Anfield Capital Diversified Liquid Alternatives ETF | 0.25% |
* The determination of daily net assets shall be made at the close of business each day throughout the month and computed in the manner specified in the then current Prospectus for the determination of the net asset value of Creation Units. Plan payments shall be made within ten (10) days of the end of each calendar month unless otherwise agreed by the parties and approved or ratified by the Trustees.
Adopted: July 27, 2016
Acknowledged and Approved by:
Northern Lights Fund Trust IV:
By: /s/ Wendy Wang Wendy Wang, President |
Northern Lights Distributors, LLC:
By: /s/ Brian Nielsen Brian Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer |