Securities Act File No. 333-122917
ICA No. 811- 21720
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 12, 2016
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Pre-Effective Amendment No. _______ | [ ] | ||
Post-Effective Amendment No. 881 | [ X ] |
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
Amendment No. 886
|
[ X ] |
(Check Appropriate Box or Boxes)
Northern Lights Fund Trust
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
17605 Wright Street
Omaha, NE 68154-1150
Attention: Andrew Rogers
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)
(402) 895-1600
(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
The Corporation Trust Company
Corporate Trust Center
1209 Orange Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
With a copy to :
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):
( ) 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.
Title of Securities Being Registered: Shares of Beneficial Interest
____________, 2015
Altegris Trend Strategy Fund
Class
A (____X)
a Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust |
|
Prospectus |
|
ADVISED BY Altegris Advisors, L.L.C.
1200 Prospect
Street, Suite 400
|
This Prospectus provides important information about the Fund that you should know before investing. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Altegris Trend strategy Fund
Investment Objective: The Fund's investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation through utilization of an absolute return strategy.
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. You may qualify for sales charge discounts on purchases of Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in How to Purchase Shares on page [___] of the Fund’s Prospectus and in Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares on page [___] of the Statement of Additional Information.
SHAREHOLDER FEES
(Fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class
A |
Class
C |
Class
I |
Class
N |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a % of offering price) |
5.75% | None | None | None |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a % of original purchase price) |
1.00% | 1.00% | None | None |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load)
Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and other Distributions |
None | None | None | None |
Redemption Fee
(as a % of amount redeemed, if sold within 30 days) |
1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% |
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
||||
Management Fees | % | % | % | % |
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% | 0.00% | 0.25% |
Other Expenses (1) | % | % | % | % |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | % | % | % | % |
Fee Waiver (2) | % | % | % | % |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver | % | % | % | % |
1) Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
2) The Fund's adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and to reimburse expenses, at least until [_____], [20__], to ensure that total annual Fund operating expenses (including organizational and offering costs) after fee waiver and reimbursement (excluding any front-end or contingent deferred loads, brokerage fees and commissions, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), taxes, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the adviser)) will not exceed [__]%, [__]%, [__]% and [__]% of average daily net assets attributable to Class A, Class C, Class I and Class N shares, respectively. These fee waivers and expense reimbursements are subject to possible recoupment from the Fund in future years on a rolling three year basis (within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed) if such recoupment can be achieved within the foregoing expense limits. This agreement may be terminated only by the Fund's Board of Trustees, on 60 days written notice to the adviser. An "Advisory Fee Breakpoint" table can be found in the "Management" section of this Prospectus.
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:
Class | 1 Year | 3 Years |
A | $ | $ |
C | $ | $ |
I | $ | $ |
N | $ | $ |
You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your Class C Shares:
Class | 1 Year | 3 Years |
C | $ | $ |
Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells financial instruments (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover 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 allocating its assets between a "Trend" strategy and a "Fixed Income" strategy.
Trend Strategy : The Trend strategy seeks to deliver absolute returns for the Fund through a range of quantitative algorithms designed to exploit directional trends in global financial markets. In doing so, the strategy employs a range of statistical signals and filters that seek to capture medium-term trends in global futures and forwards markets, and to capitalize on them through a systematic investment process in a variety of financial instruments across multiple asset classes. Such instruments and assets classes may include, but are not limited to, equity securities, spot currencies and forward foreign exchange contracts, government and corporate debt securities, interest rate instruments, stock indices, precious metals and traditional and base industrial commodities through the forward, futures, options, swap and/or commodity spot markets, as well as in hybrid securities and other derivative instruments. The instruments in which the Fund invests pursuant to the Trend Strategy may be listed or unlisted and rated or unrated, and derivative instruments may be exchange-traded or over-the-counter. The Fund’s Adviser delegates management of the Fund’s Trend strategy portfolio to a sub-adviser.
In order to provide the Fund with exposure to certain positions pursued as part of the Trend strategy (primarily non-financial commodity futures contracts) within the limitations of the federal tax requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), the Fund will execute a portion of its Trend strategy by investing up to 25% of its total assets (measured at the time of purchase) in a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary (the "Subsidiary"). The Subsidiary will invest the majority of its assets in non-financial futures contracts and other investments (short to medium term investment grade securities) intended to serve as margin or collateral for such futures positions. The Subsidiary is managed by the adviser and sub-advised by [ ]and is subject to the same investment restrictions as the Fund, when viewed on a consolidated basis. The Fund may also execute a portion of the Trend strategy portfolio investments outside of the Subsidiary, primarily financial futures contracts and other investments (short to medium term investment grade securities) intended to serve as margin or collateral for such futures positions.
Fixed Income Strategy : The Fixed Income strategy invests the Fund’s assets primarily in investment grade fixed income securities (of all durations and maturities) in order to generate interest income and capital appreciation, which may add diversification to the returns generated by the Fund’s Trend strategy. However, the Fund is "non-diversified" for purposes of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”), which means that the Fund may invest in fewer securities at any one time than a diversified fund. Also, the Fund must set aside liquid assets, or engage in other measures, as required by the 1940 Act and regulations thereunder, to “cover” open positions with respect to certain kinds of derivatives and other financial instruments. The Fixed Income strategy investments may be used to help cover the Fund’s derivatives and other positions in financial instruments for which coverage is required by the 1940 Act.
Commodity Pool Regulation : The Fund and the Subsidiary are each a "commodity pool" under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act and the Adviser and Sub-Adviser are each a "commodity pool operator" registered with and regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC"). As a result, additional CFTC-mandated disclosure, reporting and recordkeeping obligations apply with respect to the Fund and the Subsidiary under CFTC and SEC harmonized regulations.
Exemptive Order:
The Adviser, on behalf of itself and on behalf of the Fund and other funds it advises or may advise in
the future that are each a series of Northern Lights Fund Trust, was granted an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser,
with Board of Trustees approval, to enter into or amend sub-advisory agreements with sub-advisers without obtaining shareholder
approval. Shareholders will be notified within 90 days of the engagement of an additional sub-adviser or sub-advisers to manage
a portion of the Fund’s portfolio.
Principal Investment Risks: As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective and is not intended to be a complete investment program.
The following is a summary description of principal risks of investing in the Fund and apply to the Fund's investments as well the Fund's indirect investments in the Subsidiary. The principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are:
Changing Fixed Income Market Conditions: Following the financial crisis that began in 2007, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”) has attempted to support the U.S. economic recovery by keeping the federal funds rate at a low level and purchasing large quantities of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities on the open market (“Quantitative Easing”). As the Federal Reserve reduces Quantitative Easing, it is uncertain what impact this may have on the Fund’s and its investments.
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.
Counterparty Risk: The risk that a party upon whom the Fund relies to consummate a transaction will default.
Credit Risk: There is a risk that issuers and counterparties will not make payments on securities and other investments held by the Fund, resulting in losses to the Fund. In addition, the credit quality of securities held by the Fund may be lowered if an issuer’s financial condition changes. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer’s credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
Defaulted Securities Risk: Repayment of defaulted securities and obligations of distressed issuers (including insolvent issuers or issuers in payment or covenant default, in workout or restructuring or in bankruptcy or in solvency proceedings) is subject to significant uncertainties. Investments in defaulted securities and obligations of distressed issuers are considered speculative.
Derivatives Risk: The Fund’s use of futures, options, options on futures swaps or structured notes directly, or indirectly through investments by the Subsidiary, involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities, including leverage risk, tracking risk and counterparty default risk in the case of over the counter derivatives. Option positions held by the Fund or the Subsidiary may expire worthless exposing the Fund to potentially significant losses.
Extension Risk: There is a risk that if interest rates rise, repayments of principal on certain debt securities, including, but not limited to, floating rate loans and mortgage-related securities, may occur at a slower rate than expected and the expected maturity of those securities could lengthen as a result. Securities that are subject to extension risk generally have a greater potential for loss when prevailing interest rates rise, which could cause their values to fall sharply.
Fixed Income and Interest Rate Risk: The value of the Fund’s investments in fixed income securities and derivatives will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities and derivatives owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of fixed income securities and derivatives generally increases. Securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates, usually making them more volatile than securities with shorter durations. Any U.S. Federal Reserve System revisions to its current policy of maintaining the federal funds rate at a low level and purchasing large quantities of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities on the open market to support U.S. economic recovery will have uncertain impacts on U.S. interest rates and fixed income market volatility. Your investment will decline in value if the value of the Fund’s investments decreases.
Foreign Currency Risk: Currency trading risks include market risk, credit risk and country risk. Market risk results from adverse changes in exchange rates in the currencies the Fund is long or short. Credit risk results because a currency-trade counterparty may default. Country risk arises because a government may interfere with transactions in its currency.
Foreign Investment Risk: Foreign investing involves risks not typically associated with U.S. investments, including adverse fluctuations in foreign currency values, adverse political, social and economic developments, less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards. Investing in emerging markets imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in foreign developed countries.
Interest Rate Risk: Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer’s credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
Issuer-Specific Risk: The value of a specific security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of securities of smaller issuers can be more volatile than those of larger issuers. The value of certain types of securities can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments.
Leverage Risk: The Fund directly or indirectly and via investments in the Subsidiary will use derivatives such as swaps, structured notes or other derivatives, to increase long and short exposure creating leverage, which 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 has a limited history of operations.
Liquidity Risk: Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain sector, 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’s and sub-adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular asset classes and Fund investments may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results. Additionally, the Adviser’s judgments about the potential performance of the sub-adviser may also prove incorrect and may not produce the desired results.
Market Risk: Overall securities and derivatives market risks may affect the value of individual instruments in which the Fund invests. Factors such as domestic and foreign economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels, and political events affect the securities and derivatives markets. When the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value and you could lose money.
Non-Diversification Risk : As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of one or more issuers. The Fund's performance may be more sensitive to any single economic, business, political or regulatory occurrence than the value of shares of a diversified investment company.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: A higher portfolio turnover will result in higher transactional and brokerage costs.
Taxation Risk: By investing in commodities indirectly through the Subsidiary, the Fund will obtain exposure to the commodities markets within the federal tax requirements that apply to the Fund. However, because the Subsidiary is a controlled foreign corporation, any income received from its investments, will be passed through to the Fund as ordinary income, which may be taxed at less favorable rates than capital gains.
U.S. Government Securities Risk: The risk that debt securities issued or guaranteed by certain U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities, and sponsored enterprises are not supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, and so investments in their securities or obligations issued by them involve credit risk greater than investments in other types of U.S. Government securities.
Volatility Risk: The Fund may have investments that appreciate or decrease significantly in value of short periods of time. This may cause the Fund’s net asset value per share to experience significant increases or declines in value over short periods of time, however, all investments long- or short-term are subject to risk of loss.
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Risk: The Subsidiary will not be registered under the 1940 Act and, unless otherwise noted in this Prospectus, will not be subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands, under which the Fund and the Subsidiary, respectively, are organized, could result in the inability of the Fund and/or Subsidiary to operate as described in this Prospectus and could negatively affect the Fund and its shareholders. Your cost of investing in the Fund will be higher because you indirectly bear the expenses of the Subsidiary.
Who Should Invest in the Fund? The Adviser believes the Fund will be appropriate for investors seeking the non-correlation benefits of trend following managed futures strategies, relative to traditional stock portfolios.
Performance: Because the Fund has less than a full calendar year of 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 www.altegrismutualfunds.com or by calling 1-877-772-5838.
Investment Adviser: Altegris Advisors, L.L.C.
Investment Adviser Portfolio Managers: Matthew Osborne, Co-President of the Adviser, Eric Bundonis, Director of Research and Sourcing, and Lara Magnusen, Portfolio Strategist have each served as co-portfolio managers of the Fund since its inception in [December 2016].
Sub-Adviser (Trend Strategy): [ ]
Sub-Adviser Portfolio Managers : [ ] and [ ], have each served the Fund as portfolio managers of the Trend Strategy since the Fund’s inception in [December 2016]..
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: You may purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on any day that the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading by written request, telephone, or through your broker. The Fund or the Adviser may waive any investment minimum.
Class | Minimum Investment | |
Initial | Subsequent | |
A | $2,500 | $250 |
C | $5,000 | $250 |
I | $1,000,000 | $250 |
N | $2,500 | $250 |
Tax Information: Dividends and capital gain distributions you receive from the Fund, whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash, are taxable to you at either ordinary income or capital gains tax rates unless you are investing through a tax-deferred plan such as an IRA or 401(k) plan. However, these dividend and capital gain distributions may be taxable upon their eventual withdrawal from tax-deferred plans.
The Fund is aware of certain private letter rulings from the Internal Revenue Service issued to other mutual funds (including the Altegris Managed Futures Strategy Fund), which indicate that income from the fund's investment in a subsidiary will constitute "qualifying income" for purposes of Subchapter M; however, the Fund has not itself received or applied for private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service and does not intend to apply for such a ruling. Private letter rulings are not precedent and the Internal Revenue Service is not bound by them. Therefore, if the Internal Revenue Service challenges the position taken by the Fund that the income is qualifying income, it may not prevail and would lose its status as a regulated investment company.
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.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVES AND
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The investment objective and principal strategies of the Fund are described in this section. The Fund’s investment objective is a non-fundamental policy and may be changed without shareholder approval by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days written notice to shareholders. If the Fund’s investment objective is changed, the prospectus will be supplemented to reflect the new investment objective. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. Please see the statement of additional information (“SAI”) for additional information about the securities and investment strategies described in this prospectus and about additional securities and investment strategies that may be used by the Fund.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The Fund's investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation through utilization of an absolute return strategy.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Adviser’s Investment Process
The Adviser’s investment process consists
of five primary stages: (1) asset allocation; (2) sourcing;
(3) evaluating investment vehicles or managers; (4) portfolio construction; and (5) ongoing investment monitoring, risk management
and reallocation.
The Adviser’s investment process includes what the Adviser believes is a rigorous methodology for sourcing, evaluating and qualifying sub-advisers, or swaps and structured notes in which the Fund can invest. This process is coordinated in conjunction with the Adviser’s procedures within asset allocation and portfolio construction. Once these investments have been added to the Fund’s portfolio, the Adviser performs extensive ongoing monitoring to assess performance, identify potential style drift, and evaluate core components of risk management. A summary of the Adviser’s process is as follows:
Asset Allocation: The Adviser determines the relevant sub-strategies that should comprise the portfolio within an asset allocation framework for the Fund. To determine recommended sub-strategy ranges, the process incorporates a combination of top-down and bottom-up analysis that includes quantitative and qualitative factors. The experience of the Adviser, relevant trading adviser or sub-adviser is a critical input in determining the qualitative rationale of relevant drivers for sub-strategies.
Sourcing: The next step in the investment process is the sourcing of prospective sub-adviser(s) and swap, structured note, or other investment counterparties from the large and growing universe of managers and investment choices. The sourcing of investments and investment managers is derived from years of alternative industry experience of the Portfolio Co-Managers and the Adviser’s management. The Adviser’s network of relationships with investment professionals plays an important role. Specific sources can include alternative investment managers, traders, research analysts, other industry contacts and existing investment manager relationships. Other resources include proprietary and public databases and prime brokers. Once the Adviser has identified investment managers or options that are of initial interest, these are presented to the Adviser’s Investment Committee, which is composed of the Adviser’s Portfolio Co-Managers, key members from the Adviser’s research group and management of the Adviser and its affiliates. The Investment Committee reviews the initial due diligence of the sub-advisers and their managers, and other investments by the research group to determine which of these initially-reviewed investments advance for further evaluation in the next stage of review.
Evaluating:
For sub-advisers
and their respective investment managers, and other investments passing the initial review process, the Adviser performs a rigorous
due diligence process. In addition to qualitative discussions with the investment managers as well as quantitative analysis of
the investment program performed during the initial review process, the Adviser conducts further review that includes
(1) documentation collection and review,(2) investment due diligence and (3) operational due diligence.
The list of documentation required and reviewed by the Adviser is lengthy. However, as each investment is unique, not all documentation is required for Investment Committee approval, nor are all documents requested applicable or available. Requested documentation typically encompasses fund offering materials, due diligence questionnaire, fund or manger reporting and annual audits, investor communications and other materials. The investment due diligence process may include onsite manager visits and interviews, quantitative analysis, background checks and review of the investment program, process and risk management as well as business management issues. While operational due diligence varies across investment and investment strategies, the process includes an onsite visit as well as multiple follow up calls. Among the specifics reviewed by the Adviser are:
After numerous contact points including on-site visits and conference calls, all manager information is documented within a formal report for review and subject to final approval by the Adviser’s Investment Committee. If a specific investment instrument or vehicle is not satisfactory for executing an element of a strategy or sub-strategy (whether due to fees, liquidity or other factors), the Adviser may use swap contracts, structured notes or other investment instruments to access the same or a substantially similar element of a desired sub-strategy.
Portfolio Construction:
Consultation with [ ] as sub-adviser determines the allocations of Fund assets to the various managed futures strategies pursued by the Trend strategy. In respect of Fund assets not allocated to the Trend Strategy, the Adviser will allocate to investment grade fixed income securities pursuant to the Fixed Income strategy.
Monitoring, Risk Management and Reallocation: Tracking and monitoring is a critical component of the Adviser’s approach to maintaining a portfolio designed to capture investment returns. The Adviser’s research staff and Portfolio Co-Managers closely monitor the investment results for each component of the Fund’s portfolio. On an ongoing basis, the Adviser performs quantitative analysis of performance against predefined parameters, looking for unexplained variances including any material changes in business or investment strategies (style drift), as well as material changes in operations, service providers and key personnel as well as any other piece of information that may cause the Adviser to re-evaluate the sub-adviser or manager of the particular investment or strategy. Additionally, the Adviser monitors the sub-advisers and to the extent practicable, the managers of other investments accessed by the Fund as to volatility relative to historical performance and benchmarks, trading frequency, changes in the management and changes in correlation among the returns of the various sub-strategies used by the Fund. The Adviser will also monitor the credit quality of swap counterparties and structured note issuers to assure they maintain, what the Adviser believes to be, sufficient financial resources to meet their obligations to the Fund. The Adviser may, based on market conditions and its assessment of various quantitative and qualitative factors, reallocate the Fund’s assets.
Generally, the Adviser’s investment process narrows the universe of potential investments through a rigorous screening and assessment process that includes the quantitative and qualitative information regarding prospective investment vehicles and the strategies deployed. The Adviser expects to allocate the Fund’s assets to sub-advisers for investment pursuant to sub-advised strategies, to swap contracts, structured notes and/or to direct investments in other financial instruments or sub-strategies. However, asset allocation will vary by asset class, sub-strategy and investment vehicle. The Fund’s investment portfolio is rebalanced both within a particular sub-strategy and between the Fund’s various sub-strategies as a result of the Adviser’s monitoring policies.
SUB-ADVISER AND STRATEGIES
The Adviser may select and delegate management of the Fund’s portfolio to one or more sub-advisers. The Adviser determines the various percentages of the Fund’s assets to be allocated among each of the sub-advisers and retains the ability to override a sub-adviser’s selection of securities if it believes an investment or allocation is not consistent with that Fund’s investment guidelines. The Adviser is also responsible for ongoing performance evaluation and monitoring of all sub-advisers. The Adviser, on behalf of itself and on behalf of the Fund it advises, or may advise in the future that are each a series of Northern Lights Fund Trust, was granted an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, with the Board of Trustees’ approval, to enter into or amend sub-advisory agreements with sub-advisers without obtaining shareholder approval. Shareholders of the Fund will be notified within 90 days of the engagement of an additional or replacement sub-adviser to manage a portion of that Fund’s portfolio.
While the sub-adviser is subject to the oversight of the Adviser, the Adviser will not attempt to coordinate or manage the day-to-day investments of the sub-advisers. The sub-adviser has discretion to invest the portion of the Fund’s assets allocated to it by the Adviser as it deems appropriate, based on its particular philosophy, style, strategies and views.
[ ]). [ ] manages the Trend Strategy for the Fund. The Adviser, after consultation with [ ] allocates a portion of the Fund’s assets to [ ] to be invested pursuant to the Trend strategy. [ ], through application of the Trend strategy, seeks to deliver absolute returns for the Fund through a range of quantitative algorithms designed to exploit directional trends in global financial markets. In doing so, the strategy employs a range of statistical signals and filters that seek to capture medium-term trends in global futures and forwards markets, and to capitalize on them through a systematic investment process in a variety of financial instruments across multiple asset classes. Outputs of different filters – or individual “signals” – are aggregated to produce a combined signal for each asset by which [ ]. The signals are adjusted by [ ] to account for varying levels of volatility in markets, across assets and over time. Using these signals, [ ] constructs portfolios for various asset within the Trend strategy, including equities, commodities, fixed income and foreign currency or “FX”, as described further below.
The instruments and assets classes traded by the Trend strategy may include, but are not limited to, equity securities, spot currencies and forward foreign exchange contracts, government and corporate debt securities, interest rate instruments, stock indices, precious metals and traditional and base industrial commodities through the forward, futures, options, swap and/or commodity spot markets, as well as in hybrid securities and other derivative instruments. The instruments in which the Fund invests pursuant to the Trend Strategy may be listed or unlisted and rated or unrated, and derivative instruments may be exchange-traded or over-the-counter.
In constructing the Trend strategy portfolio, [ ] aims to maximize the strategy’s “information ratio”, a measure of risk-adjusted returns, by allocating risk among managed futures positions primarily among four asset categories – equities, commodities, fixed income and FX – although the portfolio will not be exclusive to only these asset classes. Allocation among these or other assets classes will be determined proportionally, based upon [ ]’s views of expected return and potential for diversification in each asset class. In positioning managed futures trades in the Trend strategy, [ ] anticipates, all else being equal, that the strategy will under normal circumstances allocate toward greater risk exposure in commodities than to equities, as commodities have historically enjoyed greater potential for diversification, less correlation, and a more rewarding risk/return profile, as compared to equities. In managing the Trend strategy portfolio, [ ] expects to rebalance it daily, although not every change in signals or a change in volatility will trigger an additional trade or putting on of a position. [ ]’s Trend strategy portfolio construction process also imposes various limits on the sizing of positions relative to each asset class trading volume, in an effort to maintain overall strategy liquidity.
[ ] monitors the signals generated by the trading model to prevent trading unless the signals are significant to justify new or modified positions in the portfolio, which [ ] believes is prudent in managing transaction costs. The Trend strategy also benefits from [ ]’s centralized monitoring technologies across the portfolio, which include (i) automation of task schedules, including a system to raise and escalate alerts should any tasks fail to run as expected; (ii) a range of real-time risk limits automatically monitored by [ ]s trade routing system; and (iii) use of graphical user interfaces for monitoring the portfolio, which provides [ ]’s research team interactive analytics for drilling down in real-time on the portfolio’s performance and execution statistics.
Prior Performance of Trend Strategy Managed by [ ] . [ ] manages the [ ] Trend Strategy, an investment strategy with substantially similar objectives and strategies to the Trend Strategy that is managed on behalf of the Fund by [ ], as sub-adviser of the Trend Strategy Fund.
The following tables set forth performance data relating to the historical performance of the [ ] Trend Strategy, which represents the composite performance of various accounts managed by [ ] with investment objectives, policies, strategies and risks substantially similar to those employed by [ ] as sub-adviser in respect of the portion of the Trend Strategy Fund’s assets allocated to it for management. These accounts include [a private fund account managed by [ ], which is the longest running account included in the performance data shown below,] and various other client accounts. The data, which has been provided by the subadviser, is provided to illustrate the past performance of the sub-adviser in managing an investment strategy with substantially similar investment strategies measured against the SG Trend Index and does not represent the performance of the Trend Strategy Fund. The composite performance data of the [ ]Trend Strategy is presented on a pro forma basis to reflect performance as adjusted for the fees and expenses as applicable to Class I Shares of the Trend Strategy Fund, subject to the Fee Waiver, but exclusive of any Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, rather than presented to reflect the fees and expenses as actually apply to the various accounts managed by [ ] that comprise the composite performance. The [ ] Trend Strategy, as managed for [ ]’s other managed accounts, is not subject to the diversification requirements, specific tax restrictions and investment limitations imposed on the Trend Strategy Fund by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), or Subchapter M of the Code. In particular, in order to comply with asset segregation rules under the 1940 Act, the Trend Strategy Fund will be subject to limitations on the amount of exposure it may maintain in respect of certain futures, primarily commodity- and fixed income-based futures, which limitation does not apply to the trading of the [ ] Trend Strategy as reflected in the tables. Consequently, the performance results for other accounts managed by [ ] pursuant to its [ ] Trend Strategy could have been adversely affected if the strategy had been operated as a registered investment company under the federal securities laws. The method used to calculate the performance of the other accounts managed pursuant to [ ]’s Trend Strategy differs from the Securities and Exchange Commission's standardized method of calculating performance, and may produce different results.
As noted above, the pro forma performance presented below reflects on a composite basis the performance of [ ]’s Trend Strategy, as adjusted for fees and expenses attributable to Class I shares of the Trend Strategy Fund. If such performance had been presented based on the estimated fees and expenses of Class A or Class C shares of the Trend Strategy Fund, returns would have been lower. You should not consider the past performance of the [ ] Trend Strategy, as represented in the tables below, as being indicative of the future performance of the Trend Strategy Fund.
The pro forma performance presented below for other accounts similarly-managed by [ ] pursuant to its Trend Strategy is shown on a net basis, and the results include the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains. The other managed accounts traded by [ ] pursuant to its Trend Strategy are traded on a notionally-funded basis, unlike the Trend Strategy Fund which is traded on a fully-funded basis. As such, the performance as reflected below has been further adjusted to include interest income earned on cash and cash equivalents calculated for each month in the reporting period by multiplying the then applicable Treasury Bill rate by a factor of [0.90], which represents the average rate of free cash for other managed accounts traded by [ ] pursuant to its Trend Strategy.
The charts below show the (a) net monthly historical returns, ( b) net annual historical returns and (c) and average annual historical performance, in each instance reflecting composite performance of other accounts traded by [ ] pursuant to its Trend Strategy, for the periods shown, adjusted to reflect the fees, expenses and interest income as described above. Rates of return are asset-weighted and are calculated as the change in total capital, as adjusted for subscriptions and redemptions during each period.
Net Monthly Returns – [ ] Trend Strategy
Jan | Fed | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | YTD 2 | |
2013 1 | |||||||||||||
2014 | |||||||||||||
2015 | |||||||||||||
2016 2 |
(1) | [ ]commenced trading its Trend Strategy September 2, 2013. |
(2) | Partial year performance. |
Net Annual Returns
Name | 2013 1 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 1 |
[ ] Trend Strategy | ||||
SG Trend Index 2 |
(1) | Partial year performance. [ ] commenced trading its Trend Strategy September 2, 2013. Annual return data through October 2016. |
(2) | The Societe General (SG) Trend Index (f.k.a. SG Trend-Sub Index) is designed to track the 10 largest (by assets under management) trend following commodity trading advisors (CTAs) and be representative of the trend followers in the managed futures space. Managers must meet the following criteria must: (i) be open to new investment; (ii) report returns on a daily basis; (iii) be an industry recognized trend follower as determined at the discretion of the SG Index Committee; and (iv) exhibit significant correlation to trend following peers and the SG Trend Indicator. The SG Trend Indicator is a market-based performance indicator designed to have a high and stable correlation to the returns of trend following strategies. The SG Trend Index is equally weighted, and rebalanced and reconstituted annually. |
Average Annual Performance
For the period ending 12/31/15 |
GSA Trend Strategy |
SG Trend Index |
1 Year | ||
Since Inception 1 |
(1) | [ ] commenced trading its Trend Strategy September 2, 2013. |
TEMPORARY INVESTMENTS: To respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, the 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 the Fund is in a defensive position, the opportunity to achieve its investment objective will be limited. Furthermore, to the extent that the Fund invests in money market 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. The 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.
DESCRIPTION OF PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS
The following risks may apply to the Fund’s direct investments as well the Fund’s indirect risks through investing in its Subsidiary.
Changing Fixed Income Market Conditions: Following the financial crisis that began in 2007, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”) has attempted to support the U.S. economic recovery by keeping the federal funds rate at a low level and purchasing large quantities of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities on the open market (“Quantitative Easing”). As the Federal Reserve reduces Quantitative Easing, , the risk increases that interest rates across the U.S. financial system may rise. Any future interest rate increases could cause the value of any Fund that invests in fixed income securities to decrease. These policy changes may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility and may reduce liquidity for certain Fund investments, which could cause the value of the Fund’s investments and share price to decline. If the Fund invests in derivatives tied to fixed-income markets, the Fund may be more substantially exposed to these risks than a fund that does not invest in derivatives. To the extent the Fund experiences high redemptions because of these policy changes, the Fund may experience increased portfolio turnover, which will increase the costs the Fund incurs and may lower its performance. Furthermore, if rising interest rates cause the Fund to lose enough value, the Fund could also face increased shareholder redemptions, which could force the Fun to liquidate investments at disadvantageous times or prices, therefore adversely affecting the Fund. In addition, decreases in fixed income dealer market-making capacity may persist in the future, potentially leading to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed income markets.
Commodity Risk: The Fund’s exposure to the commodities futures markets may subject the Fund to greater volatility and less liquid than investments in traditional securities. The value of commodity-linked derivative instruments, commodity-based notes, and other derivate instruments that provide exposure to the investment returns of the commodities markets 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.
Counterparty Risk: The Fund may enter into various types of derivative contracts as described below in this section under “Derivatives Risk”. Many of these derivative contracts will be privately negotiated in the over-the-counter market. These contracts involve exposure to credit risk, since contract performance depends in part on the financial condition of the counterparty. If a privately negotiated over-the-counter contract calls for payments by the Fund, the Fund must be prepared to make such payments when due. In addition, if a counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the Fund may not receive payments owed under the contract, or such payments may be delayed under such circumstances and the value of agreements with such counterparty can be expected to decline, potentially resulting in losses to the Fund.
Credit Risk: There is a risk that issuers and counterparties will not make payments on securities and other investments, resulting in losses to the Fund. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. In addition, the credit quality of securities may be lowered if an issuer’s financial condition changes. Lower credit quality may lead to greater volatility in the price of a security and in shares of the Fund. Lower credit quality also may affect liquidity and make it difficult for the Fund to sell the security. Default, or the market’s perception that an issuer is likely to default, could reduce the value and liquidity of securities, thereby reducing the value of your investment in Fund shares. In addition, default may cause the defaulting Fund to incur expenses in seeking recovery of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings. Credit risk also exists in foreign exchange or derivative contracts, because the counterparty may not be able or may choose not to perform under the contract. Investments in foreign currency contracts, or other over-the-counter derivative instruments (including options), involve credit risk with regard to the party with which it trades and also the risk of settlement default. These risks may differ materially from risks associated with transactions effected on an exchange, which generally are backed by clearing organization guarantees, daily mark-to-market and settlement, segregation and minimum capital requirements applicable to intermediaries. Transactions entered into directly between two counterparties generally do not benefit from such protections. Relying on a counterparty exposes the Fund to the risk that a counterparty will not settle a transaction in accordance with its terms and conditions because of a dispute over the terms of the contract (whether or not bona fide) or because of a credit or liquidity problem, thus causing the Fund to suffer a loss. If a counterparty defaults on its payment obligations, this default will cause the value of an investment in the Fund to decrease. In addition, to the extent the Fund deals with a limited number of counterparties, the Fund will be more susceptible to the credit risks associated with those counterparties. The Fund are neither restricted from dealing with any particular counterparties nor from concentrating any or all of its transactions with one counterparty except that the Fund does not invest more than 25% of its assets in derivatives with any one counterparty. The ability of the Fund to transact business with any one or number of counterparties and the absence of a regulated market to facilitate settlement may increase the potential for losses by the Fund.
Currency Risk: Currency trading involves significant risks, including market risk, interest rate risk, country risk, counterparty credit risk and short sale risk. Market risk results from the price movement of foreign currency values in response to shifting market supply and demand. Since exchange rate changes can readily move in one direction, a currency position carried overnight or over a number of days may involve greater risk than one carried a few minutes or hours. Interest rate risk arises whenever a country changes its stated interest rate target associated with its currency. Country risk arises because virtually every country has interfered with international transactions in its currency. Interference has taken the form of regulation of the local exchange market, restrictions on foreign investment by residents or limits on inflows of investment funds from abroad. Restrictions on the exchange market or on international transactions are intended to affect the level or movement of the exchange rate. This risk could include the country issuing a new currency, effectively making the “old” currency worthless.
Defaulted Securities Risk: Defaulted securities risk refers to the uncertainty of repayment of defaulted securities and obligations of distressed issuers. Repayment of defaulted securities and obligations of distressed issuers (including insolvent issuers or issuers in payment or covenant default, in workout or restructuring or in bankruptcy or in solvency proceedings) is subject to significant uncertainties. Insolvency laws and practices in Emerging Markets Countries are different than those in the U.S. and the effect of these laws and practices cannot be predicted with certainty. Investments in defaulted securities and obligations of distressed issuers are considered speculative.
Derivatives Risk: Futures, options, options on futures, swaps and structured notes involve 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 including:
· | Leverage and Volatility Risk: Derivative contracts ordinarily have leverage inherent in their terms. The low margin deposits normally required in trading derivatives, if any, including futures contracts, permit a high degree of leverage. In addition, it is anticipated that the sub-adviser will employ nominal futures trading levels that will exceed their cash deposited in the trading accounts. 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 its portfolio position when it would not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy its swap obligations or to meet collateral segregation requirements. The use of leveraged derivatives can magnify Fund’ potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund’s share prices. To the extent that the Fund is not able to close out a leveraged position because of market illiquidity, the Fund’s liquidity may be impaired to the extent that it has a substantial portion of liquid assets segregated or earmarked to cover obligations. Furthermore, valuation may be more difficult in times of market turmoil since many investors and market makers may be reluctant to purchase complex instruments or quote prices for them. |
· | Liquidity Risk: Although it is anticipated that the derivatives traded by the Fund will be actively traded, it is possible that particular 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 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. |
· | Risk of Forward and Futures Contracts: The successful use of forward and futures contracts draws upon a Sub-Adviser’s skill and experience with respect to such instruments and are subject to special risk considerations. The primary risks associated with the use of forward and futures contracts, which may adversely affect the Fund’s NAV and total return, are (a) the imperfect correlation between the change in market value of the instruments held by the Fund and the price of the forward or futures contract; (b) possible lack of a liquid secondary market for a forward or futures contract and the resulting inability to close a forward or futures contract when desired; (c) losses caused by unanticipated market movements, which are potentially unlimited; (d) the Sub-Adviser’s inability to predict correctly the direction of securities prices, interest rates, currency exchange rates and other economic factors; (e) the possibility that the counterparty will default in the performance of its obligations; and (f) if the Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities from its portfolio to meet daily variation margin requirements, and the Fund may have to sell securities at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. |
· | Tax Risk: The federal income tax treatment of a derivative may not be as favorable as a direct investment in an underlying asset and may adversely affect the timing, character and amount of income the Fund realizes from its investments. As a result, a larger portion of the Fund’s distributions may be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gains. In addition, certain derivatives are subject to mark-to-market or straddle provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). If such provisions are applicable, there could be an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund. In addition, the tax treatment of certain derivatives, such as swaps, is unsettled and be subject to future legislature, regulation or administrative pronouncements issued by the Code. |
Extension Risk: Refers to the risk that if interest rates rise, repayments of principal on certain debt securities, including, but not limited to, floating rate loans and mortgage-related securities, may occur at a slower rate than expected and the expected maturity of those securities could lengthen as a result. Securities that are subject to extension risk generally have a greater potential for loss when prevailing interest rates rise, which could cause their values to fall sharply.
Fixed Income Risk: When the Fund invest in fixed income securities or derivatives, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities or derivatives owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments). These risks could affect the value of a particular investment by the Fund possibly causing the Fund's share price and total return to be reduced and fluctuate more than other types of investments.
Foreign (Non-U.S.) Exchanges Risk: A portion of the derivatives trades made by the Fund may take place on foreign markets. Neither existing CFTC regulations nor regulations of any other U.S. governmental agency apply to transactions on foreign markets. Some of these foreign markets, in contrast to U.S. exchanges, are so-called principals’ markets in which performance is the responsibility only of the individual counterparty with whom the trader has entered into a commodity interest transaction and not of the exchange or clearing corporation. In these kinds of markets, there is risk of bankruptcy or other failure or refusal to perform by the counterparty.
Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investment Risk: Foreign investing involves risks not typically associated with U.S. investments, including adverse fluctuations in foreign currency values, adverse political, social and economic developments, less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards. Investing in emerging markets imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in foreign developed countries.
Inflation-Indexed Bond Risk: Inflation-indexed bonds are fixed income securities whose principal values are periodically adjusted according to a measure of inflation. If the index measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation indexed bonds. For bonds that do not provide a similar guarantee, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal. With regard to municipal inflation-indexed bonds and certain corporate inflation-indexed bonds, the inflation adjustment is reflected in the semi-annual coupon payment. As a result, the principal value of municipal inflation-indexed bonds and such corporate inflation indexed bonds does not adjust according to the rate of inflation. The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. If nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates may rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds. Inflation-indexed bonds may cause a potential cash flow mismatch to investors, because an increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be treated as interest income currently subject to tax at ordinary income rates even though investors will not receive repayment of principal until maturity. If the Fund invests in such bonds, it will be required to distribute such interest income in order to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company and eliminate the Fund-level tax, without a corresponding receipt of cash, and therefore may be required to dispose of portfolio securities at a time when it may not be desirable.
Interest Rate Risk: Interest rate risk refers to the change in value of debt instruments associated with increases in interest rates. Interest rate changes may affect the value of a debt security directly (especially in the case of fixed rate securities) and indirectly (especially in the case of adjustable rate securities). In general, rises in interest rates will negatively impact the value of fixed rate securities and falling interest rates will have a positive effect on value. Duration is a measure of the expected life of a bond that is used to determine the sensitivity of a security's price to changes in interest rates. A fund with a longer average portfolio duration will be more sensitive to increases in interest rates than a fund with a shorter average portfolio duration. For example, the price of a bond fund with an average duration of eight years would generally be expected to fall approximately 8% if interest rates rose by one percentage point. Inverse floaters, interest-only and principal-only securities are extremely sensitive to interest rate changes. Adjustable rate instruments also react to interest rate changes in a similar manner although generally to a lesser degree (depending, however, on the characteristics of the reset terms, including the index chosen, frequency of reset and reset caps or floors, among other things).
Issuer-Specific Risk: The value of a specific security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of securities of smaller issuers can be more volatile than those of larger issuers. The value of certain types of securities can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments.
Leverage Risk: The Fund, directly or indirectly via investments in the Subsidiary, will use derivatives to increase their long and short exposure creating leverage, which can magnify the Fund’s potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund’s share price. The Fund’s use of swap contracts or futures contracts involves indirect leverage because swap contract payments are based upon notional value rather than the amount invested. To the extent that the Fund is not able to close out a leveraged position because of market illiquidity, the Fund’s liquidity may be impaired to the extent that it has a substantial portion of liquid assets segregated or earmarked to cover obligations.
Limited History of Operations: The Fund has a limited history of operations.
Liquidity Risk: The Fund is s ubject to liquidity risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund 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 obligations. Fund with principal investment strategies that involve securities of companies with smaller market capitalizations, non-U.S. securities, Rule 144A securities, derivatives or securities with substantial market and/or credit risk tend to have the greatest exposure to liquidity risk.
Management Risk: The net asset value of the Fund change daily based on the performance of the securities and derivatives in which it invests. The Adviser’s and a sub-adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular asset classes and securities in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results. Additionally, the Adviser’s judgments about the potential performance of a sub-adviser may also prove incorrect and may not produce the desired results. There can be no assurance that either the securities selected by the Adviser or a sub-adviser will produce positive returns.
Market Risk: The net asset value of the Fund will fluctuate based on changes in the value of the securities and swaps in which the Fund invests. The Fund invests in securities and swaps, which may be more volatile and carry more risk than some other forms of investment. The price of securities and derivatives may rise or fall because of economic or political changes and result in greater volatility for the Fund. Security and derivative prices in general may decline over short or even extended periods of time. Market prices of securities and derivatives in broad market segments may be adversely affected by price trends in commodities, interest rates, exchange rates or other factors wholly unrelated to the value or condition of an issuer.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of one or more issuers. The Fund may also invest in ETFs that are non-diversified. Because a relatively high percentage of the assets of the Fund may be invested in the securities of a limited number of issuers, the value of shares of the Fund may be more sensitive to any single economic, business, political or regulatory occurrence than the value of shares of a diversified investment company. This fluctuation, if significant, may affect the performance of the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: A higher portfolio turnover may result in higher transactional and brokerage costs associated with the turnover which may reduce the Fund’s return, unless the securities traded can be bought and sold without corresponding commission costs. Active trading of securities may also increase the Fund’s realized capital gains or losses, which may affect the taxes you pay as the Fund shareholder.
Structured Products and Structures Notes Risk: There is a risk that an investment in a structured product may decline in value due to changes in the underlying instruments on which the product is based. Structured products include, among other things, CDOs, mortgage-backed securities, other types of asset-backed securities and certain types of structured notes. Structured products and structured notes involve risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with traditional investments. These risks include (i) the risk that the issuer may default; (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the product or note may not correlate perfectly with the underlying assets, rate or index. Structured product and structured note prices may be 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.
· | Structured products are generally privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. Certain structured products may be thinly traded or have a limited trading market and may have the effect of increasing the Fund’s illiquidity to the extent that the Fund, at a particular point in time, may be unable to find qualified buyers for these securities. In addition to the general risks associated with fixed income securities discussed herein, structured products carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from underlying investments will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the underlying investments may decline in value or default, (iii) the possibility that the security may be subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results. |
· Structured notes are derivative securities for which the amount of principal repayment and/or interest payments is based on the movement of one or more “factors.” These factors may include, but are not limited to, currency exchange rates, interest rates (such as the prime lending rate or LIBOR), referenced bonds and stock indices. Some of these factors may or may not correlate to the total rate of return on one or more underlying instruments referenced in such notes. In some cases, the impact of the movements of these factors may increase or decrease through the use of multipliers or deflators. Investments in structured notes involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing traditional securities including:
· | Leverage and Volatility Risk: Structured notes ordinarily have leverage inherent in their terms. Accordingly, a relatively small movement in an index to which structured note is linked may result in an immediate and substantial loss. |
· | Liquidity Risk: Although it is anticipated that the structured notes will be actively traded, it is possible that particular 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. |
· | Tracking Risk: Structured notes may not be perfect substitutes for the securities, commodities or currencies they are intended to track. Factors such as differences in supply and demand for certain structured note-related derivatives and indices may cause structured note returns to deviate from the Adviser’s expectations. Consequently, structured note returns may not be highly correlated to the securities commodities or currencies they are intended to track. |
· | Interest Rate Risk, Credit Risk and Market Risk: Where the Fund’s investments in structured notes are based upon the movement of one or more factors, depending on the factor used and the use of multipliers or deflators, changes in interest rates and movement of the factor may cause significant price fluctuations. |
Taxation Risk: By investing in commodities indirectly through the Subsidiary, the Fund will obtain exposure to the commodities markets within the federal tax requirements that apply to the Fund. The subsidiary is classified as a controlled foreign corporation for US tax purposes. Typically any gains/losses from trading in 1256 futures contracts, such as exchange-traded commodity futures contracts, are taxed 60% as long term capital gains/losses and 40% short term capital gains/losses. However, because the Subsidiary is a controlled foreign corporation, any income received by from its investments will be passed through to the Fund as ordinary income and reflected on shareholders’ tax Forms 1099 as such.
U.S. Government Securities Risk: Some U.S. Government securities, such as Treasury bills, notes, and bonds and mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency’s obligations; still others are supported only by the credit of the issuing agency, instrumentality, or enterprise. Although U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises may be chartered or sponsored by Congress, they are not funded by Congressional appropriations, their securities are not issued by the U.S. Treasury, their obligations are not supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, and so investments in their securities or obligations issued by them involve greater risk than investments in other types of U.S. Government securities. In addition, certain governmental entities have been subject to regulatory scrutiny regarding their accounting policies and practices and other concerns that may result in legislation, changes in regulatory oversight and/or other consequences that could adversely affect the credit quality, availability or investment character of securities issued or guaranteed by these entities. The events surrounding the U.S. federal government debt ceiling and any resulting agreement could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objectives. On August 5, 2011, S&P lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating on the U.S. The downgrade by S&P and other future downgrades could increase volatility in both stock and bond markets, result in higher interest rates and lower Treasury prices and increase the costs of all kinds of debt. These events and similar events in other areas of the world could have significant adverse effects on the economy generally and could result in significant adverse impacts on issuers of securities held by the Fund and the Fund itself. The Adviser cannot predict the effects of these or similar events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets or on the Fund’s portfolio. The Adviser may not timely anticipate or manage existing, new or additional risks, contingencies or developments.
Volatility Risk: The Fund may have investments that appreciate or decrease significantly in value of short periods of time. This may cause the Fund’s net asset value per share to experience significant increases or declines in value over short periods of time, however, all investments long- or short-term are subject to risk of loss.
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Risk: The Subsidiary will not be registered under the 1940 Act and, unless otherwise noted in this Prospectus, will not be subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. The Fund, by investing in its Subsidiary, will not have all of the protections offered to investors in registered investment companies. However, the Fund wholly owns and controls its Subsidiary. The investments of the Fund and its Subsidiary are both managed by the Fund’s Adviser, making it unlikely that the Subsidiary will take action contrary to the interests of the Fund or its shareholders. The Trust’s Board has oversight responsibility for the investment activities of the Fund, including its investment in the Subsidiary, and the Fund’s role as the sole shareholder of the Subsidiary. Also, the Adviser, in managing the Subsidiary’s portfolio, will be subject to the same investment restrictions and operational guidelines that apply to the management of the Fund. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands, under which the Fund and its Subsidiary, respectively, are organized, could result in the inability of the Fund and/or Subsidiary to operate as described in this Prospectus and could negatively affect the Fund and its shareholders. For example, the Cayman Islands does not currently impose any income, corporate or capital gains tax, estate duty, inheritance tax, gift tax or withholding tax on the Subsidiary. If Cayman Islands law changes such that the Subsidiary must pay Cayman Islands taxes, Fund shareholders would likely suffer decreased investment returns.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE: A description of the Fund's policies regarding the release of portfolio holdings information is available in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information. The Fund may, from time to time, make available month-end portfolio holdings information on the website www.altegrismutualfunds.com, which may also include information about the Fund’s investments in securities of swaps, structured notes or other investments, and the investment managers accessed through such investments. If month-end portfolio holdings information is posted to the website, the information is expected to be approximately 30 days old and remain available until new information for the next month is posted. Shareholders may request publicly available portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling 1-877-772-5838. The Adviser may make available certain information about the Fund’s portfolio prior to the public dissemination of portfolio holdings, including, but not limited to, the Fund’s portfolio characteristics data; currency and sector exposures; the Fund’s asset class and instrument exposures; and the Fund’s performance attribution, by posting such information on the website www.altegrismutualfunds.com or upon reasonable request made to the Fund or the Adviser.
Cybersecurity: The computer systems, networks and devices used by the Fund and its 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 Fund and its service providers, systems, networks, or devices potentially can be breached. The 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 the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses; interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading; the inability of the 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 Fund invest; counterparties with which the Fund 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 the 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: Altegris Advisors, L.L.C., 1200 Prospect Street, Suite 400 La Jolla, CA 92037, serves as investment Adviser to the Fund. Subject to the authority of the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is responsible for management of the Fund’s investment portfolio including through the sub-adviser. The Adviser is responsible for selecting the Fund’s sub-adviser and assuring that investments are made according to the Fund’s investment objective, policies and restrictions. Additionally, the Adviser is responsible for conducting initial and ongoing independent evaluation of asset allocation, selection of swap or structured note counterparties, and oversight of the sub-adviser’s fixed income investments. The Adviser was established in 2010 for the purpose of advising mutual funds. As of June 30, 2016, the Adviser had approximately $[2.34] billion in assets under management.
The Adviser is wholly-owned and controlled by (1) private equity funds managed by Aquiline Capital Partners LLC and its affiliates (“Aquiline”), and by Genstar Capital Management, LLC and its affiliates (“Genstar”), and (2) certain senior management of Altegris and certain of its affiliates. Established in 2005, Aquiline focuses its investments exclusively in the financial services industry. Established in 1988, Genstar focuses its investment efforts across a variety of industries and sectors, including financial services.
Pursuant to an advisory agreement between the Fund and the Adviser, the Adviser is entitled to receive, on a monthly basis, an annual advisory fee equal to [ ]% of the Fund’s average daily net assets in accordance with an advisory fee schedule which includes breakpoints according to the table below.
Advisory Fee Breakpoint Table
Portion of Net Assets | Advisory Fee |
$1 billion and less | % |
Greater than $1 billion and less than or equal to $1.5 billion | % |
Greater than $1.5 billion and less than or equal to $2.0 billion | % |
Greater than $2.0 billion and less than or equal to $2.5 billion | % |
Greater than $2.5 billion and less than or equal to $3.0 billion | % |
Greater than $3 billion | % |
The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and/or absorb expenses of the Fund as described in the Fund Summary, until at least [_________], to ensure the total Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and reimbursement (exclusive of (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; (vii) expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization; and (viii) extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees, and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the Adviser)) will not exceed certain levels. Waived fees and absorbed expenses are subject to possible recoupment from the Fund in future years on a rolling three year basis (within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed) if such recoupment can be achieved within the foregoing expense limits. This agreement may be terminated only by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, on 60 days written notice to the Adviser. 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 with respect to the Fund will be available in the Fund's first annual or semi-annual shareholder report.
INVESTMENT ADVISER PORTFOLIO MANAGERS:
Matthew Osborne
Co-President
Mr. Osborne has served as Co-President of the Adviser since June 2015 and was previously its Executive Vice President since its founding in February 2010 to June 2015. From 2002 until May 2010, Mr. Osborne served as an Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of Altegris Investments, LLC. From July 2002 to December 2014, he also served as Director and Vice President of Altegris Fund. He also serves as a manager and Executive Vice President of Altegris Clearing Solutions and, until December 2014, of Altegris Futures. Mr. Osborne brings more than 22 years of international business and financial market experience to his role in directing the managed futures strategies and related strategic initiatives for the Adviser. Mr. Osborne was Director of Research for the Managed Investments Division of Man Financial. Previous to his role at Man Financial, Mr. Osborne served as Investment Manager for a family office in his native New Zealand where he was responsible for formulating investment policies and implementing a global asset allocation program that specialized in alternative investment strategies such as hedge funds and managed futures.
Eric Bundonis, CFA
Director of Research and Sourcing
Mr. Bundonis has served as Director of Research and Sourcing of the Adviser since November 2014 and served as Vice President until July 2015. From February 2012 to November 2014, Mr. Bundonis was Co-Director of Research and Investments of the Adviser. His responsibilities include portfolio management, manager sourcing, research, and due diligence across a wide variety of alternative strategies. Mr. Bundonis brings over 10 years of alternative investment experience. From July 2009 to January 2012, Mr. Bundonis served as Vice President, Senior Research Analyst for an affiliate of the Adviser. Prior to joining the Adviser in 2009, Mr. Bundonis was an Associate at OneCapital Management Partners in New York. As a member of OneCapital’s investment committee, Mr. Bundonis was responsible for identifying, selecting, and monitoring investments for multi-manager funds of hedge funds serving institutional and high net worth investors. Mr. Bundonis graduated from Middlebury College with a BA in History and attended the Post-Baccalaureate Program in Business at Columbia University. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst and a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts.
Lara Magnusen, CAIA
Portfolio Strategist
Lara Magnusen has served as a Portfolio Strategist of the Adviser since November 2014, and is a member of the Investment Committee. Ms. Magnusen has held several positions with the Adviser including, Director, Investment Products from January 2012 to November 2014 and Director, Research and Investments from July 2010 to January 2012. Ms. Magnusen served as Vice President, Research and Investments for an affiliate of the Adviser from November 2008 to June 2010. Ms. Magnusen has worked at the Adviser or an affiliate since October 2005, previously serving as Senior Research Associate from October 2005 to May 2008. She served as Director of Manager Research for Cabezon Capital LLC from May 2008 to November 2008, responsible for due diligence and development of emerging hedge fund managers.
Before joining the Adviser, Ms. Magnusen, served in investor relations and associate portfolio managers roles at Helix Investment Partners from July 2003 to May 2005, a fixed income oriented hedge fund, in a temporary associate position with MAG Capital, a venture capital and private equity firm, from May 2005 to September 2005, and as a Financial Analyst at Goldman Sachs from September 2000 to May 2003. Ms. Magnusen is also a board member for the Unusual Suspects Theatre Company, a non-profit that mentors and empowers youth in underserved and at-risk environments.
Ms. Magnusen received a BA in Economics with a minor in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley, an MBA from the Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego, and holds the designation of Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA).
SUB-ADVISER AND SUB-ADVISER PORTFOLIO MANAGERS:
[ ], [ ], serves as sub-adviser to the Trend Strategy Fund, and has been delegated management of the Trend Strategy Fund’s Trend strategy portfolio. [ ] is and has been registered as an investment adviser with the SEC since [ ], and as of March 31, 2016, managed approximately $[ ] for investment funds and client managed accounts clients.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the sub-advisory agreement between the Adviser and [ ] with respect to the Trend Strategy Fund will be available in the Fund's first annual or semi-annual shareholder report.
The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers' compensation structure, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers, and the Portfolio Managers' ownership of shares of the Fund, and the same additional information about the sub-adviser’s portfolio managers.
Investment Subsidiary
The Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in a Subsidiary. The Subsidiary will invest the majority of its assets in non-financial futures contracts and other investments (short to medium term investment grade securities) intended to serve as margin or collateral for such futures positions. The Subsidiary is organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands, and is overseen by its own board of directors. The Fund is the sole shareholder of its Subsidiary. It is not currently expected that shares of the Subsidiary will be sold or offered to other investors. If, at any time, the Subsidiary proposes to offer or sell its shares to any investor other than the Fund, you will receive 60 days prior notice of such offer or sale.
As with the Fund, the Adviser is responsible for the Subsidiary’s day-to-day business pursuant to an investment advisory agreement with the Subsidiary. Under this agreement, the Adviser provides the Subsidiary with the same type of management services, under the same terms, as are provided to the Fund. The advisory agreement with the Subsidiary provides for automatic termination upon the termination of the investment advisory agreement with respect to the Fund. The Subsidiary has also entered into separate contracts for the provision of custody, transfer agency, and audit services with the same service providers that provide those services to the Fund.
The Fund pays the Adviser a fee for its services. The Adviser is currently waiving any fee from the Subsidiary and the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive the management fee it receives from the Fund in an amount equal to the management fee paid to the Adviser by the Fund’s Subsidiary. This undertaking will continue in effect for so long as the Fund invests in the Subsidiary, and may not be terminated by the Adviser unless it first obtains the prior approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees for such termination. The Subsidiary will also bear the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the custody, transfer agency and audit services that it receives. The Fund expects that the expenses borne by its Subsidiary will not be material in relation to the value of the Fund’s assets. It is also anticipated that the Fund’s own expenses will be reduced to some extent as a result of the payment of such expenses at the Subsidiary level. It is therefore expected that any duplicative fees for similar services provided to the Fund and the Subsidiary will not be material.
The Subsidiary will be managed pursuant to compliance policies and procedures that are the same, in all material respects, as the policies and procedures adopted by the related Fund. As a result, the Adviser is subject to the same investment policies and restrictions that apply to the management of the Fund, and, in particular, to the requirements relating to portfolio leverage, liquidity, brokerage, and the timing and method of the valuation of the Subsidiary’s portfolio investments. These policies and restrictions are described in detail in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer oversees implementation of the Subsidiary’s policies and procedures, and makes periodic reports to the Trust’s Board regarding a Subsidiary’s compliance with its policies and procedures.
The financial statements of the Subsidiary will be consolidated in the Fund’s financial statements which are included in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports. The Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports are distributed to shareholders, and copies of the reports are provided without charge upon request as indicated on the back cover of this Prospectus. Please refer to the SAI for additional information about the organization and management of the Subsidiary.
HOW FUND SHARES ARE PRICED
The net asset value (“NAV”) and offering price (NAV plus any applicable sales charges) of each class of shares are valued at the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day the NYSE is open for business. NAV is computed by determining, on a per class basis, the aggregate market value of all assets of the 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 (if any), which are accrued daily. The determination of NAV for a share class 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, the Fund's investments are valued each day at the last quoted sales price on each security's primary exchange. Investments traded or dealt in upon one or more 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 an investment is not traded on an exchange, investments will be valued at their fair market value as determined using the “fair value” procedures approved by the Board. Investments made pursuant to the Managed Futures strategy, which include swap contracts and structured notes providing the returns of reference assets such as securities of limited partnerships, corporations, limited liability companies (including individual share classes therein) and other types of pooled investment vehicles, swap contracts, structured notes or other investments or derivatives will be valued according to such fair value procedures. If market quotations are otherwise not readily available, or deemed unreliable for an investment, or if an investment’s value may have been materially affected by events occurring after the close of an investment’s market on which the investment principally trades, but before the Fund calculates its NAV, investments will be valued at their fair market value as determined in good faith by the Adviser and/or sub-adviser in accordance with such procedures approved by the Board. In this respect, the Adviser and/or sub-adviser participate in the valuation process by preparing the fair valuation for any such investments as per approved procedures and pursuant to a fair value process developed in coordination with the Fund’s administrator, auditors, and in some cases certain service providers to the issuers of securities subject to the fair valuation. This process is tested and subject to ongoing and periodic monitoring by the Adviser and/or sub-adviser, the Fund’s administrator, and the Board.
Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for an investment may be materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that investment. This fair value may also vary from valuations determined by other funds using their own fair valuation procedures. 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 (i) Trust, (ii) administrator, and (iii) Adviser and/or sub-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 and the Adviser may use independent pricing services to assist in calculating the value of the Fund’s investments. In addition, market prices for foreign investments are not determined at the same time of day as the NAV for the Fund. In computing the NAV, the Fund values foreign investments held by the Fund at the latest closing price on the exchange in which they are traded immediately prior to closing of the NYSE. Prices of foreign investments quoted in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at current rates. If events materially affecting the value of a security in the Fund’s portfolio, particularly foreign investments, occur after the close of trading on a foreign market but before the Fund prices its shares, the security will be valued at fair value. For example, if trading in a portfolio investment is halted and does not resume before the Fund calculates its NAV, the Adviser and/or sub-adviser may need to price the investment using the Fund’s 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 the Fund’s portfolio investments 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 the Fund’s NAV by short term traders. The determination of fair value involves subjective judgments. As a result, using fair value to price an investment may result in a price materially different from the prices used by other mutual funds to determine net asset value, from the price that may be realized upon the actual sale of the investment, or from market prices when they become available.
With respect to any portion of the Fund’s assets that are invested in one or more open-end management investment companies registered under the 1940 Act, the 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.
As a result of investments by the Fund, a Subsidiary, or other investment vehicle accessed by the Fund, if any, in foreign securities or other instruments denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, the NAV of the Fund’s shares may be affected by changes in the value of currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar. The value of these instruments denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar may be affected significantly on a day that the NYSE is closed and an investor is not able to purchase, redeem or exchange shares.
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES
Share Classes
This Prospectus describes four classes of shares offered by the Fund: Class A, Class C, Class I and Class N. Under this Prospectus, the Fund offers four classes of shares so that you can choose the class that best suits your investment needs. Refer to the information below so that you can choose the class that best suits your investment needs. The main differences between the share classes are sales charges, ongoing fees and minimum initial investment. Class A and Class N shares pay an annual distribution fee of 0.25% of average daily net assets attributable to those share classes, and Class C shares pay an annual distribution fee of up to 1.00% of average daily net assets attributable to that share class – for distribution and shareholder servicing expenses pursuant to the Trust’s Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plans adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1. Class I shares do not pay such fees. Class A shares are subject to a sales load on all purchases of up to 5.75%; Class C shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales load of 1.00%; and Class I and Class N shares are not subject to a sales charge. For information on ongoing distribution fees, see Distribution (12b-1) and Shareholder Servicing Fees on page 66 of this Prospectus. Each class of shares in the Fund represents interest in the same portfolio of investments within the Fund. There is no investment minimum on reinvested distributions and the Fund may change investment minimums at any time. The Fund reserves the right to waive sales charges, as described below, and investment minimums. The Fund reserves the right to waive all sales charges and investment minimums. All share classes may not be available for purchase in all states.
Class A Shares
Class A shares are offered at their public offering price, which is NAV plus the applicable sales charge and are subject to 12b-1 distribution and/or shareholder servicing fees of 0.25% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of Class A shares. The 12b-1 fees are accrued and paid monthly. Over time, fees paid under this distribution and service plan will increase the cost of a Class A shareholder's investment and may cost more than other types of sales charges. The minimum initial investment in Class A shares of the Fund is $2,500 for all accounts. The minimum subsequent investment in Class A shares of the Fund is $250 for all accounts. The sales charge varies, depending on how much you invest. There are no sales charges on reinvested distributions. The following sales charges apply to your purchases of Class A shares of the Fund, unless waived as described under “Sales Charge Waivers”:
Amount Invested |
Sales Charge as a %
of Offering Price (1) |
Sales Charge as a %
of Amount Invested |
Dealer
Reallowance |
Under $25,000 | 5.75% | 6.10% | 5.00% |
$25,000 to $49,999 | 5.00% | 5.26% | 4.25% |
$50,000 to $99,999 | 4.75% | 4.99% | 4.00% |
$100,000 to $249,999 | 3.75% | 3.83% | 3.25% |
$250,000 to $499,999 | 2.50% | 2.56% | 2.00% |
$500,000 to $999,999 | 2.00% | 2.04% | 1.75% |
$1,000,000 and above | 0.00% | 0.00% | See below |
(1) | Offering price includes the front-end sales load. The sales charge you pay may differ slightly from the amount set forth above because of rounding that occurs in the calculation used to determine your sales charge. |
A selling broker may receive commissions on
purchases of Class A shares over $1 million calculated as follows: 1.00% on purchases between $1 million and $3 million, 0.50%
on amounts over $3 million but less than
$5 million, 0.25% on amounts over $5 million. The commission rate is determined based on the purchase amount combined with the
current market value of existing investments in Class A shares.
As shown, investors that purchase $1,000,000 or more of the Fund’s Class A shares will not pay any initial sales charge on the purchase. However, purchases of $1,000,000 or more of Class A shares may be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) on shares redeemed during the first 18 months after their purchase in the amount of the commissions paid on the shares redeemed.
How to Reduce Your Sales Charge
You may be eligible to purchase Class A shares at a reduced sales charge. To qualify for these reductions, you must notify the Fund’s distributor, Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (the “distributor”), in writing and supply your account number at the time of purchase. You may combine your purchase with those of your “immediate family” (your spouse and your children under the age of 21) for purposes of determining eligibility. If applicable, you will need to provide the account numbers of your spouse and your minor children as well as the ages of your minor children.
Rights of Accumulation : To qualify for the lower sales charge rates that apply to larger purchases of Class A shares, you may combine your new purchases of Class A shares with Class A shares of the Fund that you already own. The applicable initial sales charge for the new purchase is based on the total of your current purchase and the current value of all other Class A shares that you own. The reduced sales charge will apply only to current purchases and must be requested in writing when you buy your shares.
Shares of the Fund held as follows cannot be combined with your current purchase for purposes of reduced sales charges:
· | Shares held indirectly through financial intermediaries other than your current purchase broker-dealer (for example, a different broker-dealer, a bank, a separate insurance company account or an investment advisor), |
· | shares held through an administrator or trustee/custodian of an Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan (for example, a 401(k) plan) other than employer-sponsored IRAs, and |
· | shares held directly in the Fund account on which the broker-dealer (financial advisor) of record is different than your current purchase broker-dealer. |
Letter of Intent : Under a Letter of Intent (“LOI”), you commit to purchase a specified dollar amount of Class A shares of the Fund, with a minimum of $25,000, during a 13-month period. The 13-month period commences on the day that the LOI is received by the Fund, and you must tell the Fund that later purchases are subject to the LOI. Purchases submitted prior to the date the LOI is received by the Fund are not counted toward the sales charge reduction. The amount you agree to purchase determines the initial sales charge you pay. If the full-face amount of the LOI is not invested by the end of the 13-month period, your account will be adjusted to the higher initial sales charge level for the amount actually invested. You are not legally bound by the terms of your LOI to purchase the amount of your shares stated in the LOI. The LOI does, however, authorize the Fund to hold in escrow 5% of the total amount you intend to purchase. If you do not complete the total intended purchase at the end of the 13 month period, the Fund’s transfer agent will redeem the necessary portion of the escrowed shares to make up the difference between the reduced rate sales charge (based on the amount you intended to purchase) and the sales charge that would normally apply (based on the actual amount you purchased).
Repurchase of Class A Shares : If you have redeemed Class A shares of the Fund within the past 120 days, you may repurchase an equivalent amount of Class A shares of the Fund at NAV, without the normal front-end sales charge. In effect, this allows you to reacquire shares that you may have had to redeem, without repaying the front-end sales charge. You may exercise this privilege only once and must notify the Fund that you intend to do so in writing. The Fund must receive your purchase order within 120 days of your redemption. Note that if you reacquire shares through separate installments (e.g., through monthly or quarterly repurchases), the sales charge waiver will only apply to those portions of your repurchase order received within 120 days of your redemption.
Sales Charge Waivers
The sales charge on purchases of Class A shares is waived for certain types of investors, including:
· | Current and retired directors and officers of the Fund, or the Adviser, or any of their subsidiaries or affiliates, or their families ( e.g. , spouse, children, mother or father). |
· | Employees of the Adviser and their families, or any full-time employee or registered representative of the distributor or of broker-dealers (each a “Selling Broker”) and their affiliates having dealer agreements with the distributor and their immediate families (or any trust, pension, profit sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons). |
· | Any full-time employee of a bank, savings and loan, credit union or other financial institution that utilizes a Selling Broker to clear purchases of the fund’s shares and their immediate families. |
· | Participants in certain “wrap-fee” or asset allocation programs or other fee-based arrangements sponsored by broker-dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with the distributor. |
· | Clients of financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the distributor providing for the shares to be used in particular investment products made available to such clients and for which such registered investment advisors may charge a separate fee. |
· | Clients of financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts, whether or not such accounts are subject to transaction fees. |
· | Any accounts established on behalf of registered investment advisors or their clients by broker-dealers that charge a transaction fee and that have entered into agreements with the distributor. |
· | Separate accounts used to fund certain unregistered variable annuity contracts or Section 403(b) or 401(a) or (k) accounts. |
The Fund do not waive sales charges for the reinvestment of proceeds from the sale of shares of a different fund where those shares were subject to a front-end sales charge (sometimes called an “NAV transfer”).
Class C Shares
Class C shares of the Fund are offered at their NAV without an initial sales charge. This means that 100% of your initial investment is placed into shares of the Fund. Class C shares pay 1.00% on an annualized basis of their average daily net assets as reimbursement or compensation for service and distribution-related activities with respect to the Fund and/or shareholder services, which amount is accrued and paid monthly. Over time, fees paid under this distribution and service plan will increase the cost of a Class C shareholder’s investment and may cost more than other types of sales charges.
The Adviser will advance to Selling Brokers, or other financial intermediaries that have entered into distribution agreements with the distributor, 1.00% of the purchase price of Class C shares from the Adviser’s own resources, at the time of purchase. The Fund’s distributor will pay the Class C shares distribution and/or shareholder service fees (as described above) during the first year after purchase to the Adviser in satisfaction of the advance. The Fund’s distributor will pay the Class C shares distribution and/or shareholder service fees to Selling Brokers, or other financial intermediaries that have entered into distribution agreements with the distributor, for Class C shares held for over a year.
If you redeem Class C shares within one year after purchase, you will be charged a CDSC of up to 1.00%. The charge will apply to the lesser of the original cost of the Class C shares being redeemed or the proceeds of your redemption and will be calculated without regard to any redemption fee. When you redeem Class C shares, the redemption order is processed so that the lowest CDSC is charged. Class C shares that are not subject to a CDSC are redeemed first. In addition, you will not be charged a CDSC when you redeem shares that you acquired through reinvestment of Fund dividends or capital gains. Any CDSC paid on the redemptions of Class C shares expressed as a percentage of the applicable redemption amount may be higher or lower than the charge described due to rounding.
The minimum initial investment in the Class C shares is $5,000 and the minimum subsequent investment is $250.
Class N Shares
Class N shares of the Fund are offered at their NAV without an initial sales charge. This means that 100% of your initial investment is placed into shares of the Fund. Class N shares pay 0.25% on an annualized basis of their average daily net assets as reimbursement or compensation for service and distribution-related activities with respect to the Fund and/or shareholder services, which amount is accrued and paid monthly. Class N shares may not be available to all shareholders and have differing distribution and/or shareholder serving fees that reflect variations in distribution channels. Over time, fees paid under this distribution and service plan will increase the cost of a Class N shareholder’s investment and may cost more than other types of sales charges. The minimum initial investment in Class N Shares is $2,500 and the minimum subsequent investment is $250.
Class I Shares
Class I shares of the Fund are sold at NAV without an initial sales charge and are not subject to 12b-1 distribution fees, but have a higher minimum initial investment than Class A and Class C shares. This means that 100% of your initial investment is placed into shares of the Fund. Unless otherwise waived by the Fund, Class I shares require a minimum initial investment of $1,000,000 and the minimum subsequent investment is $250. Class I shares are offered to investment and institutional clients of the Fund’s Adviser and its affiliates, to certain persons affiliated with the Adviser, to certain of the Fund’s service providers, and to clients of financial institutions or intermediaries (i) that charge such clients an ongoing fee for advisory, investment, consulting or similar fee-based charges for financial services or (ii) that have entered into an agreement with the Fund’s distributor to offer Class I shares through a no-load network or platform.
Exchanges for Class I Shares
Holders of Class A and Class C shares issued by the Fund may exchange their shares for Class I shares provided that they: (1) hold their shares through a Selling Broker or other financial intermediary or institution that has a distribution agreement with the Fund’s distributor to offer Class I shares and which authorizes such an exchange; and (2) are otherwise eligible to invest in Class I shares in accordance with the terms of this Prospectus. Any such exchange is subject to the Fund’s discretion to accept or reject the exchange. Class A shareholders who purchased $1,000,000 or more of shares, and who then exchange them for Class I shares within eighteen months of the original purchase date, will be subject to a CDSC for such exchange in the same manner as would be applicable to a redemption of Class A shares purchased in an amount of $1,000,000 or more and redeemed within eighteen months of the date of original purchase, unless the Fund’s Adviser in its sole discretion determines to waive the applicable CDSC. Class C shareholders who exchange them for Class I shares within one year of the original purchase date will be subject to a CDSC for such exchange in the same manner as would be applicable to a redemption of Class C shares made within one year of the date of original purchase, unless the Fund’s Adviser in its sole discretion determines to waive the applicable CDSC. For federal income tax purposes, an exchange of Class A or Class C shares for Class I shares within the same Fund will not result in the recognition of a capital gain or loss.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Share Class: When deciding which class of shares of the Fund to purchase, you should consider your investment goals, present and future amounts you may invest in the Fund, and the length of time you intend to hold your shares. To help you make a determination as to which class of shares to buy, please refer back to the examples of the Fund’s expenses over time in the Fees and Expenses of the Fund section for the Fund in this Prospectus. You also may wish to consult with your financial Adviser for advice with regard to which share class would be most appropriate for you.
Purchasing Shares: You may purchase shares of the Fund by sending a completed application form to the following address, addressed to the Fund:
via Regular Mail: ALTEGRIS TREND STRATEGY FUND c/o Gemini Fund Services, LLC P.O. Box 541150 Omaha, NE 68154 |
or Overnight Mail: ALTEGRIS TREND STRATEGY FUND c/o Gemini Fund Services, LLC 17605 Wright Street, Suite 2 Omaha, NE 68130 |
The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Fund, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the Application, you should supply your full name, date of birth, social security number and permanent street address. Mailing addresses containing a P.O. Box will not be accepted. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder’s identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.
The Fund, however, reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any application to purchase shares. Applications will not be accepted unless they are accompanied by a check drawn on a U.S. bank, thrift institutions, or credit union in U.S. funds for the full amount of the shares to be purchased. After you open an account, you may purchase additional shares by sending a check together with written instructions stating the name(s) on the account and the account number, to the above address. Make all checks payable to the Fund. The Fund will not accept payment in cash, including cashier’s checks or money orders. Also, to prevent check fraud, the Fund will not accept third party checks, U.S. Treasury checks, credit card checks or starter checks for the purchase of shares.
Note: Gemini Fund Services, LLC, the Fund’s transfer agent, will charge a $25 fee against a shareholder’s account, in addition to any loss sustained by the Fund, for any check returned to the transfer agent for insufficient funds.
Purchase through Brokers: You may invest in the Fund through brokers or agents who have entered into selling agreements with the Fund’s distributor. The brokers and agents are authorized to receive purchase and redemption orders on behalf of the Fund. Such brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Fund’s behalf. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker or its designee receives the order. The broker or agent may set their own initial and subsequent investment minimums. You may be charged a fee if you use a broker or agent to buy or redeem shares of the Fund. Finally, various servicing agents use procedures and impose restrictions that may be in addition to, or different from those applicable to investors purchasing shares directly from the Fund. You should carefully read the program materials provided to you by your servicing agent.
Purchase by Wire:
If you wish
to wire money to make an investment in the Fund, please call the Fund at
1-877-772-5838 for wiring instructions and to notify the Fund that a wire transfer is coming. Any commercial bank can transfer
same-day funds via wire. The Fund will normally accept wired funds for investment on the day received if they are received by the
Fund’s designated bank before the close of regular trading on the NYSE. Your bank may charge you a fee for wiring same-day
funds.
Automatic Investment Plan: You may participate in the Fund’s Automatic Investment Plan, an investment plan that automatically moves money from your bank account and invests it in the Fund through the use of electronic funds transfers or automatic bank drafts. You may elect to make subsequent investments by transfers of a minimum of $500 on specified days of each month into your established Fund account. Please contact the Fund at 1-877-772-5838 for more information about the Fund’s Automatic Investment Plan.
The Fund, however, reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any application to purchase shares. Applications will not be accepted unless they are accompanied by a check drawn on a U.S. bank, thrift institutions, or credit union in U.S. funds for the full amount of the shares to be purchased. After you open an account, you may purchase additional shares by sending a check together with written instructions stating the name(s) on the account and the account number, to the above address. Make all checks payable to the Fund in which you choose to invest. The Fund will not accept payment in cash, including cashier’s checks or money orders. Also, to prevent check fraud, the Fund will not accept third party checks, U.S. Treasury checks, credit card checks or starter checks for the purchase of shares.
When Order is Processed: All shares will be purchased at the NAV per share (plus applicable sales charges, if any) next determined after the Fund receives your application or request in good order. All requests received in good order by the Fund before the close of NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)) will be processed on that same day. Requests received after the close will be processed on the next business day.
Good Order: When making a purchase request, make sure your request is in good order. “Good Order” means your purchase request includes: · the name of the Fund and share class, · the dollar amount of shares to be purchased, · a completed purchase application or investment stub, and · check payable to the applicable Fund. |
Retirement Plans: You may purchase shares of the Fund for your individual retirement plans. Please call the Fund at 1-877-772-5838 for the most current listing and appropriate disclosure documentation on how to open a retirement account.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
Redeeming Shares: You may redeem all or any portion of the shares credited to your account by submitting a written request for redemption to the Fund:
via Regular Mail: ALTEGRIS TREND STRATEGY FUND c/o Gemini Fund Services, LLC P.O. Box 541150 Omaha, NE 68154 |
or Overnight Mail: ALTEGRIS TREND STRATEGY FUND c/o Gemini Fund Services, LLC 17605 Wright Street, Suite 2 Omaha, NE 68130 |
Redemptions by Telephone: The telephone redemption privilege is automatically available to all new accounts except retirement accounts. If you do not want the telephone redemption privilege, you must indicate this in the appropriate area on your account application or you must write to the Fund and instruct it to remove this privilege from your account.
The proceeds will be sent by mail to the address designated on your account or wired directly to your existing account in a bank or brokerage firm in the United States as designated on your application. To redeem by telephone, call 1-877-772-5838. The redemption proceeds normally will be sent by mail or by wire within three business days after receipt of your telephone instructions. IRA accounts are not redeemable by telephone.
The Fund reserve the right to suspend the telephone redemption privileges with respect to your account if the name(s) or the address on the account has been changed within the previous 30 days. Neither the Fund, the transfer agent, nor their respective affiliates will be liable for complying with telephone instructions they reasonably believe to be genuine or for any loss, damage, cost or expenses in acting on such telephone instructions and you will be required to bear the risk of any such loss. The Fund or the transfer agent, or both, will employ reasonable procedures to determine that telephone instructions are genuine. If the Fund and/or the transfer agent do not employ these procedures, they may be liable to you for losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. These procedures may include, among others, requiring forms of personal identification prior to acting upon telephone instructions, providing written confirmation of the transactions and/or tape recording telephone instructions.
Redemptions through Broker: If shares of the Fund are held by a broker-dealer, financial institution or other servicing agent, you must contact that servicing agent to redeem shares of the Fund. The servicing agent may charge a fee for this service.
Redemptions by Wire: You may request that your redemption proceeds be wired directly to your bank account. The Fund’ transfer agent imposes a $15 fee for each wire redemption and deducts the fee directly from your account. Your bank may also impose a fee for the incoming wire.
When Redemptions are Sent: Once the Fund receives your redemption request in “good order” as described below, it will issue a check based on the next determined NAV following your redemption request. The redemption proceeds normally will be sent by mail or by wire within three business days after receipt of a request in “good order”. If you purchase shares using a check and soon after request a redemption, your redemption proceeds will not be sent until the check used for your purchase has cleared your bank.
Good Order:
Your redemption request
will be processed if it is in “good order”.
· The request should be in writing, unless redeeming by telephone, indicating the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed; · the request must identify your account number; · the request should be signed by you and any other person listed on the account, exactly as the shares are registered; and · if you request that the redemption proceeds be sent to a person, bank or an address other than that of record or paid to someone other than the record owner(s), or if the address was changed within the last 30 days, or if the proceeds of a requested redemption exceed $50,000, the signature(s) on the request must be medallion signature guaranteed by an eligible signature guarantor. |
When You Need Medallion Signature Guarantees: If you wish to change the bank or brokerage account that you have designated on your account, you may do so at any time by writing to the Fund with your signature guaranteed. A medallion signature guarantee assures that a signature is genuine and protects you from unauthorized account transfers. You will need your signature guaranteed if:
· | You request a redemption to be made payable to a person not on record with the Fund, |
· | you request that a redemption be mailed to an address other than that on record with the Fund, |
· | the proceeds of a requested redemption exceed $50,000, |
· | any redemption is transmitted by federal wire transfer to a bank other than the bank of record, or |
· | your address was changed within 30 days of your redemption request. |
Signatures may be guaranteed by any eligible guarantor institution (including banks, brokers and dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings associations). Further documentation will be required to change the designated account if shares are held by a corporation, fiduciary or other organization. A notary public cannot guarantee signatures.
Retirement Plans: If you own an IRA or other retirement plan, you must indicate on your redemption request whether the Fund should withhold federal income tax. Unless you elect in your redemption request that you do not want to have federal tax withheld, the redemption will be subject to withholding.
Low Balances: If at any time your account balance in the Fund falls below the following amounts per share class:
A | C | I | N |
$2,500 | $5,000 | $1,000,000 | $2,500 |
The Fund may notify you that, unless the account is brought up to at least the per-class minimum within 60 days of the notice; your account could be closed. After the notice period, the Fund may redeem all of your shares and close your account by sending you a check to the address of record. Your account will not be closed if the account balance drops below the per-class minimum due to a decline in NAV.
FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES
The Fund discourage and do not accommodate market timing. Frequent trading into and out of the Fund can harm all Fund shareholders by disrupting the Fund’s investment strategies, increasing Fund expenses, decreasing tax efficiency and diluting the value of shares held by long-term shareholders. The Fund are designed for long-term investors and are not intended for market timing or other disruptive trading activities. Accordingly, the Fund’s Board has approved policies that seek to curb these disruptive activities while recognizing that shareholders may have a legitimate need to adjust their Fund investments as their financial needs or circumstances change. The Fund currently uses several methods to reduce the risk of market timing. These methods include:
· | Committing staff to review, on a continuing basis, recent trading activity in order to identify trading activity that may be contrary to the Fund’s “Market Timing Trading Policy”, |
· | Rejecting or limiting specific purchase requests, |
· | Rejecting purchase requests from certain investors, and |
· | Assessing a redemption fee for short-term trading made within 30 days of purchase. |
Though these methods involve judgments that are inherently subjective and involve some selectivity in their application, the Fund seek to make judgments and applications that are consistent with the interests of the Fund’s shareholders.
Based on the frequency of redemptions in your account, the Adviser or transfer agent may in its sole discretion determine that your trading activity is detrimental to the Fund as described in the Fund’s Market Timing Trading Policy and elect to reject or limit the amount, number, frequency or method for requesting future purchases or exchanges into the Fund.
The Fund reserve the right to reject or restrict purchase requests for any reason, particularly when the shareholder’s trading activity suggests that the shareholder may be engaged in market timing or other disruptive trading activities. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser will be liable for any losses resulting from rejected purchase orders. The Adviser may also bar an investor who has violated these policies (and the investor’s financial advisor) from opening new accounts with the Fund.
Although the Fund attempt to limit disruptive trading activities, some investors use a variety of strategies to hide their identities and their trading practices. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify or limit these activities. Omnibus account arrangements are common forms of holding shares of the Fund. While the Fund will encourage financial intermediaries to apply the Fund’s Market Timing Trading Policy to their customers who invest indirectly in the Fund, the Fund is limited in its ability to monitor the trading activity or enforce the Fund’s Market Timing Trading Policy with respect to customers of financial intermediaries. For example, should it occur, the Fund may not be able to detect market timing that may be facilitated by financial intermediaries or made difficult to identify in the omnibus accounts used by those intermediaries for aggregated purchases, exchanges and redemptions on behalf of all their customers. More specifically, unless the financial intermediaries have the ability to apply the Fund’s Market Timing Trading Policy to their customers through such methods as implementing short-term trading limitations or restrictions and monitoring trading activity for what might be market timing, the Fund may not be able to determine whether trading by customers of financial intermediaries is contrary to the Fund’s Market Timing Trading Policy. Brokers maintaining omnibus accounts with the Fund have agreed to provide shareholder transaction information to the extent known to the broker to the Fund upon request. If the Fund or its transfer agent or shareholder servicing agent suspects there is market timing activity in the account, the Fund will seek full cooperation from the service provider maintaining the account to identify the underlying participant. At the request of the Adviser, the service providers may take immediate action to stop any further short-term trading by such participants.
TAX STATUS, DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Any sale or exchange of the Fund’s shares may generate tax liability (unless you are a tax-exempt investor or your investment is in a qualified retirement account). When you redeem your shares you may realize a taxable gain or loss. This is measured by the difference between the proceeds of the sale and the tax basis for the shares you sold. (To aid in computing your tax basis, you generally should retain your account statements for the period that you hold shares in the Fund.)
The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income at least annually and net capital gains annually. Both distributions will be reinvested in shares of the Fund unless you elect to receive cash. Dividends from net investment income (including any excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) are taxable to investors as ordinary income, while distributions of net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are generally taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of your holding period for the shares. Any dividends or capital gain distributions you receive from the Fund will normally be taxable to you when made, regardless of whether you reinvest dividends or capital gain distributions or receive them in cash. In addition, you pay taxes on the distribution whether the value of your investment decreased, increased or remained the same after you bought shares of the Fund. Purchasing the Fund’s shares in a taxable account shortly before a distribution by the Fund is sometimes called “buying into a distribution.” The Fund may build up capital gains during the period covered by a distribution (over the course of the year, for example) when investments in the Fund’s portfolio are sold at a profit. After subtracting any capital losses, the Fund distributes those gains to you and other shareholders, even if you did not own the shares when the gains occurred (if you did not hold the Fund earlier in the year, for example), and you incur the full tax liability on the distribution.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year the Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Your redemptions, including exchanges, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them.
On the account application, you will be asked to certify that your social security number or taxpayer identification number is correct and that you are not subject to backup withholding for failing to report income to the IRS. If you are subject to backup withholding or you did not certify your taxpayer identification number, the IRS requires the Fund to withhold a percentage of any dividend, redemption or exchange proceeds. The Fund reserves the right to reject any application that does not include a certified social security or taxpayer identification number. If you do not have a social security number, you should indicate on the purchase form that your application to obtain a number is pending. The Fund is required to withhold taxes if a number is not delivered to the Fund within seven days.
This summary is not intended to be and should not be construed to be legal or tax advice. You should consult your own tax advisors to determine the tax consequences of owning the Fund’s shares.
DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES
Distributor: Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130, is the distributor for the shares of the Fund. Northern Lights Distributors, LLC is a registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). Shares of the Fund are offered on a continuous basis.
Distribution (12b-1) and Shareholder Servicing Fees: The Trust, with respect to the Fund, has adopted the Trust’s Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plans for each of Class A, Class C, and Class N, respectively (the “Plans”), pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act, pursuant to which the Fund may pay the Fund’s distributor an annual fee for distribution and shareholder servicing expenses as indicated in the following table of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the respective class of shares. Class I does not have a 12b-1 Plan.
Class | A | C | N |
12b-1 Fee | 0.25% | 1.00% | 0.25% |
The distributor and other entities are paid under the Plans for services provided and the expenses borne by the distributor and others in the distribution of the Fund shares, including the payment of commissions for sales of the shares and incentive compensation to and expenses of dealers and others who engage in or support distribution of shares or who service shareholder accounts, including overhead and telephone expenses; printing and distribution of prospectuses and reports used in connection with the offering of the Fund’s shares to other than current shareholders; and preparation, printing and distribution of sales literature and advertising materials. In addition, the distributor or other entities may utilize fees paid pursuant to the Plans to compensate dealers or other entities for their opportunity costs in advancing such amounts, which compensation would be in the form of a carrying charge on any un-reimbursed expenses.
ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES: The distributor, its affiliates, and the Fund’s adviser and its affiliates may each, at its own expense and out of its own assets including their legitimate profits from Fund-related activities (and not as an additional charge to any Fund), provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. Financial intermediaries include broker-dealers, financial advisers, financial planners, banks, insurance companies, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators and others. These payments may be in addition to the Rule 12b-1 fees and any sales charges that are disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus. These payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide shareholder or administrative services, or marketing support. Marketing support may include access to sales meetings, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives, inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs. These payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The distributor may, from time to time, provide promotional incentives to certain investment firms. Such incentives may, at the distributor’s discretion, be limited to investment firms who allow their individual selling representatives to participate in such additional compensation.
Such payments may provide incentives for such parties to make shares of the Fund available to their customers, and may allow the Fund greater access to such parties and their customers than would be the case if no payments were paid. Such access advantages include, but are not limited to, placement of the Fund on a list of mutual funds offered as investment options to the financial intermediary’s customers; access to the financial intermediary’s registered representatives and/or ability to assist in training and educating the financial intermediary’s registered representatives. These payment arrangements will not change the price an investor pays for shares of the Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor.
The Adviser does not direct the Fund’s portfolio securities or other investments transactions, or otherwise compensate broker-dealers in connection with the Fund’s portfolio transactions, in consideration of sales of Fund shares.
Financial intermediary’s that receive these types of payments may have a conflict of interest in recommending or selling the Fund rather than other mutual funds to their client investors, particularly if these payments exceed the amounts paid by other mutual funds.
HOUSEHOLDING: To reduce expenses, the Fund 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 Fund at 1-877-772-5838 on days the Fund are open for business or contact your financial institution. The Fund will begin sending you individual copies thirty days after receiving your request.
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Because the Altegris Trend Strategy Fund recently commenced investment operations, no financial highlights are available for that Fund at this time. In the future, financial highlights for the Trend Strategy Fund will be presented in this section of the Prospectus.
PRIVACY NOTICE
Rev. February 2014
FACTS | WHAT DOES NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST 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 chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing. |
Reasons we can share your personal information: | Does Northern Lights Fund Trust 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 |
What we do : | |
How does Northern Lights Fund Trust 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 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 does not share with our affiliates. |
Nonaffiliates |
Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies. · Northern Lights Fund Trust 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 doesn’t jointly market . |
Adviser |
Altegris Advisors, L.L.C.
1200 Prospect Street, Suite 400
|
Distributor |
Northern Lights Distributors, LLC 17605 Wright Street Omaha, NE 68130 |
Independent Registered Public Accountant |
|
Legal Counsel |
Thompson Hine LLP 41 South High Street, Suite 1700 Columbus, OH 43215 |
Custodian |
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. 270 Park Ave. New York, NY 10017 |
Transfer Agent |
Gemini Fund Services, LLC
Omaha, NE 68130 |
Additional information about the Fund is included in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information dated [ ], 2016 (the “SAI”). 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 Fund’s policies and management. Additional information about the Fund’s investments will also be available in the Fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders. In the Fund’s Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its 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 Fund, or to make shareholder inquiries about a Fund, please call 1-877-772-5838 or visit www.altegrismutualfunds.com. You may also write to:
ALTEGRIS TREND STRATEGY FUND
c/o Gemini Fund Services, LLC
17605 Wright Street, Suite 2
Omaha, Nebraska 68130
You may review and obtain copies of the Fund’s 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 Fund 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. 20549-1520.
Investment Company Act File # 811-21720
[ ], 2016
Altegris Trend Strategy Fund A Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust |
|
Statement of Additional Information
Class A ( )
|
|
ADVISED BY Altegris Advisors, LLC
1200 Prospect
Street
|
SUB-ADVISED BY [ ] |
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Altegris Trend Strategy Fund (the “Fund”) dated [ ], 2016. The Fund’s Prospectus is hereby incorporated by reference, which means it is legally part of this SAI. You can obtain copies of the Fund's Prospectus, annual or semiannual reports without charge by contacting the Fund's transfer agent, Gemini Fund Services, LLC, 17605 Wright Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 or by calling 1-877-772-5838. You may also obtain a Prospectus by visiting the Fund's website at www.altegrismutualfunds.com.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE FUND | 1 |
TYPES OF INVESTMENTS | 1 |
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS | 21 |
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS | 23 |
MANAGEMENT | 24 |
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS | 30 |
INVESTMENT ADVISER AND SUB-ADVISER | 31 |
DISTRIBUTION OF FUND SHARES | 34 |
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS | 37 |
ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY | 40 |
ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO BROKERAGE | 41 |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER | 41 |
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS | 42 |
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES | 43 |
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM | 43 |
PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES | 44 |
TAX STATUS | 47 |
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM | 54 |
LEGAL COUNSEL | 54 |
CONSOLDIATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | 54 |
APPENDIX A | A-1 |
THE FUND
The Altegris Trend Strategy Fund is a series of Northern Lights Fund Trust, a Delaware statutory trust organized on January 19, 2005 (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” or “Board of Trustees”). The Fund may issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest. All shares of the Fund have equal rights and privileges. Each share of the Fund is entitled to one vote on all matters as to which shares are entitled to vote. In addition, each share of the Fund is entitled to participate equally, on a per-class basis, with other shares (i) in dividends and distributions declared by the Fund and (ii) on liquidation to its proportionate share of the assets remaining after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities. Shares of the 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.
The Fund's investment objective, restrictions and policies are more fully described here and in the Prospectus. The Board may add classes to the Fund, start other series and offer shares of a new fund under the Trust at any time.
The SAI describes four classes of shares of the Fund: Class A, Class C, Class I and Class N. Each share class represents an interest in the same assets of the Fund, has the same rights and is identical in all material respects except that (i) each class of shares may be subject to different (or no) sales loads, (ii) each class of shares may bear different (or no) distribution fees; (iii) each class of shares may have different shareholder features, such as minimum investment amounts; (iv) certain other class-specific expenses will be borne solely by the class to which such expenses are attributable, including transfer agent fees attributable to a specific class of shares, printing and postage expenses related to preparing and distributing materials to current shareholders of a specific class, registration fees paid by a specific class of shares, the expenses of administrative personnel and services required to support the shareholders of a specific class, litigation or other legal expenses relating to a class of shares, Trustees' fees or expenses paid as a result of issues relating to a specific class of shares and accounting fees and expenses relating to a specific class of shares and (v) each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to matters relating to its own distribution arrangements. The Board of Trustees may classify and reclassify the shares of the Fund into additional classes of shares at a future date.
Under the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust, each Trustee will continue in office until the termination of the Trust or his/her earlier death, incapacity, resignation or removal. Shareholders can remove a Trustee to the extent provided by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Vacancies may be filled by a majority of the remaining Trustees, except insofar as the 1940 Act may require the election by shareholders. As a result, normally no annual or regular meetings of shareholders will be held unless matters arise requiring a vote of shareholders under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust or the 1940 Act.
TYPES OF INVESTMENTS
The investment objective of the Fund and the descriptions of the Fund's principal investment strategies are set forth under “Investment Objective, Principal Investment Strategies, Related Risks” in the Prospectus. The 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 the Fund may invest, strategies Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. (the “Adviser”) and [ ] (the “Sub-Adviser” or “[ ]”) may employ in pursuit of the Fund's investment objective and a summary of related risks. To the extent a type of investment is not discussed in the section titled “Principal Investment Strategies” in the Fund’s prospectus, such type of investment is not used by the Fund in executing its principal investment strategies.
Equity Securities
Equity securities in which the Fund invests 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
The Fund may invest in preferred stock with no minimum credit rating. 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.
The 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 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
The Fund may invest in convertible securities with no minimum credit rating. 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.
Warrants
The Fund may invest in 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
The Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), which 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.
Foreign Securities
General
The Fund may invest in exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) and other investment companies that hold a portfolio of 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 the 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 the 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 the Fund's currency exchange transactions do not fully protect the Fund against adverse changes in currency exchange rates, decreases in the value of currencies of the foreign countries in which the Fund will invest relative to the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding decrease in the U.S. dollar value of the 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 the Fund invests relative to the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding increase in the U.S. dollar value of the Fund's assets (and possibly a corresponding decrease in the amount of securities to be liquidated).
Emerging Markets Securities
The Fund may purchase ETFs and other closed end funds that invest in emerging market 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 the 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 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 the 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
The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit and bankers' acceptances, which are considered to be short-term money market instruments.
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
The Fund may purchase 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
The Fund may invest in fixed time deposits, whether or not subject to withdrawal penalties.
The commercial paper obligations which the Fund may buy are unsecured and may include variable rate notes. The nature and terms of a variable rate note (i.e., a “Master Note”) permit the Fund to invest fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement between the Fund as Lender, and the issuer, as borrower. It permits daily changes in the amounts borrowed. The Fund 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 lending arrangements between the 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 or Sub-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 the Fund's investment restriction on illiquid securities unless such notes can be put back to the issuer on demand within seven days.
Insured Bank Obligations
The Fund may invest in 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. The Fund may purchase bank obligations which are 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.
Securities of Other Investment Companies
The Fund's investments in exchange-traded funds (“EFTs”), mutual funds and closed-end funds involve certain additional expenses and certain tax results, which would not be present in a direct investment in the underlying fund. Due to legal limitations, the 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 the Fund's assets in any single such investment company, and 3) investing more than 10% of the Fund's assets in investment companies overall; unless: (i) the underlying investment company and/or the 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 the Fund take appropriate steps to comply with any conditions in such order. In the alternative, the 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 FINRA for funds of funds. In addition to ETFs, the Fund may invest in other investment companies such as open-end mutual funds or exchange-traded closed-end funds, within the limitations described above.
Closed-End Investment Companies
The 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”) and, 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 the Fund), investors seek to buy and sell shares of closed-end funds in the secondary market.
The Fund generally will purchase shares of closed-end funds only in the secondary market. The Fund will incur normal brokerage costs on such purchases similar to the expenses The Fund would incur for the purchase of securities of any other type of issuer in the secondary market. The Fund may, however, also purchase securities of a closed-end fund in an initial public offering when, in the opinion of the Adviser or Sub-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 the 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 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.
The 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 the Fund will ever decrease. In fact, it is possible that this market discount may increase and the 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 the Fund's shares. Similarly, there can be no assurance that any shares of a closed-end fund purchased by the 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 the 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. The 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.
Open-End Investment Companies
The 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, the Fund's ability to invest fully in shares of those funds is restricted, and the Adviser or Sub-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 the Fund will be obligated to redeem shares held by the 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 the 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 the Fund's total assets.
Under certain circumstances an underlying fund may determine to make payment of a redemption by the 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, The Fund may hold securities distributed by an underlying fund until the Adviser or Sub-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 the Fund and the Adviser or Sub-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 of another such fund. The result would be an indirect expense to the 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 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”). 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.
High Yield Securities
The Fund may invest in high yield securities. High yield, high risk bonds are securities that are generally rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies (BB+ or lower by S&P and Ba1 or lower by Moody's). Other terms used to describe such securities include “lower rated bonds,” “non-investment grade bonds,” “below investment grade bonds,” and “junk bonds.” These securities are considered to be high-risk investments. The risks include the following:
Greater Risk of Loss. These securities are regarded as predominately speculative. There is a greater risk that issuers of lower rated securities will default than issuers of higher rated securities. Issuers of lower rated securities generally are less creditworthy and may be highly indebted, financially distressed, or bankrupt. These issuers are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes or adverse industry developments. In addition, high yield securities are frequently subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. If an issuer fails to pay principal or interest, the Fund would experience a decrease in income and a decline in the market value of its investments.
Sensitivity to Interest Rate and Economic Changes. The income and market value of lower-rated securities may fluctuate more than higher rated securities. Although non-investment grade securities tend to be less sensitive to interest rate changes than investment grade securities, non-investment grade securities are more sensitive to short-term corporate, economic and market developments. During periods of economic uncertainty and change, the market price of the investments in lower-rated securities may be volatile. The default rate for high yield bonds tends to be cyclical, with defaults rising in periods of economic downturn.
Valuation Difficulties. It is often more difficult to value lower rated securities than higher rated securities. If an issuer's financial condition deteriorates, accurate financial and business information may be limited or unavailable. In addition, the lower rated investments may be thinly traded and there may be no established secondary market. Because of the lack of market pricing and current information for investments in lower rated securities, valuation of such investments is much more dependent on judgment than is the case with higher rated securities.
Liquidity. There may be no established secondary or public market for investments in lower rated securities. Such securities are frequently traded in markets that may be relatively less liquid than the market for higher rated securities. In addition, relatively few institutional purchasers may hold a major portion of an issue of lower-rated securities at times. As a result, the Fund may be required to sell investments at substantial losses or retain them indefinitely when an issuer's financial condition is deteriorating.
Credit Quality. Credit quality of non-investment grade securities can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and even recently-issued credit ratings may not fully reflect the actual risks posed by a particular high-yield security.
New Legislation. Future legislation may have a possible negative impact on the market for high yield, high risk bonds. As an example, in the late 1980s, legislation required federally-insured savings and loan associations to divest their investments in high yield, high risk bonds. New legislation, if enacted, could have a material negative effect on the Fund's investments in lower rated securities.
High yield, high risk investments may include the following:
Straight Fixed-Income Debt Securities. These include bonds and other debt obligations that bear a fixed or variable rate of interest payable at regular intervals and have a fixed or resettable maturity date. The particular terms of such securities vary and may include features such as call provisions and sinking funds.
Zero-Coupon Debt Securities. These do not pay periodic interest but are issued at a discount from their value at maturity. When held to maturity, their entire return equals the difference between their issue price and their maturity value.
Zero-Fixed-Coupon Debt Securities. These are zero-coupon debt securities that convert on a specified date to periodic interest-paying debt securities.
Pay-in-Kind
Bonds.
These are bonds which allow the issuer, at its option, to make current interest payments on the bonds either
in cash or in additional bonds. These are bonds are typically sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
( “Securities Act “), usually to a relatively small number of institutional investors.
Convertible Securities. These are bonds or preferred stock that may be converted to common stock.
Preferred Stock. These are stocks that generally pay a dividend at a specified rate and have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and in liquidation.
Loan Participations and Assignments. These are participations in, or assignments of all or a portion of loans to corporations or to governments, including governments of less developed countries (“LDCs”).
Securities Issued in Connection with Reorganizations and Corporate Restructurings. In connection with reorganizing or restructuring of an issuer, an issuer may issue common stock or other securities to holders of its debt securities. The Fund may hold such common stock and other securities even if it does not invest in such securities.
Municipal Government Obligations
In general, municipal obligations are debt obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States (including the District of Columbia) and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities. Municipal obligations generally include debt obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes. Certain types of municipal obligations are issued in whole or in part to obtain funding for privately operated facilities or projects. Municipal obligations include general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, industrial development bonds, notes and municipal lease obligations. Municipal obligations also include additional obligations, the interest on which is exempt from federal income tax, that may become available in the future as long as the Board of the Fund determines that an investment in any such type of obligation is consistent with a Fund's investment objectives. Municipal obligations may be fully or partially backed by local government, the credit of a private issuer, current or anticipated revenues from a specific project or specific assets or domestic or foreign entities providing credit support such as letters of credit, guarantees or insurance.
Bonds and Notes
General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of interest and principal. Revenue bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a project or facility or from the proceeds of a specified revenue source. Industrial development bonds are generally revenue bonds secured by payments from and the credit of private users. Municipal notes are issued to meet the short-term funding requirements of state, regional and local governments. Municipal notes include tax anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes, tax and revenue anticipation notes, construction loan notes, short-term discount notes, tax-exempt commercial paper, demand notes and similar instruments.
Municipal Lease Obligations
Municipal lease obligations may take the form of a lease, an installment purchase or a conditional sales contract. They are issued by state and local governments and authorities to acquire land, equipment and facilities, such as vehicles, telecommunications and computer equipment and other capital assets. The Fund may invest in funds that purchase these lease obligations directly, or it may purchase participation interests in such lease obligations. States have different requirements for issuing municipal debt and issuing municipal leases. Municipal leases are generally subject to greater risks than general obligation or revenue bonds because they usually contain a “non-appropriation” clause, which provides that the issuer is not obligated to make payments on the obligation in future years unless funds have been appropriated for this purpose each year. Such non-appropriation clauses are required to avoid the municipal lease obligations from being treated as debt for state debt restriction purposes. Accordingly, such obligations are subject to “non-appropriation” risk. Municipal leases may be secured by the underlying capital asset and it may be difficult to dispose of any such asset in the event of non-appropriation or other default.
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. The Fund may also invest in Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (“TIPS”). TIPS are special types of treasury bonds that were created in order to offer bond investors protection from inflation. The values of the TIPS are automatically adjusted to the inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”). If the CPI goes up by half a percent, the value of the bond (the TIPS) would also go up by half a percent. If the CPI falls, the value of the bond does not fall because the government guarantees that the original investment will stay the same. TIPS decline in value when real interest rates rise. However, in certain interest rate environments, such as when real interest rates are rising faster than nominal interest rates, TIPS may experience greater losses than other fixed income securities with similar duration.
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). 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 and Freddie Mac.
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 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. Freddie Mac issues Participation Conflicts (“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.
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. 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 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.
Mortgage Pass-Through Securities
Interests in pools of mortgage pass-through securities differ from other forms of debt securities (which normally provide periodic payments of interest in fixed amounts and the payment of principal in a lump sum at maturity or on specified call dates). Instead, mortgage pass-through securities provide monthly payments consisting of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a “pass-through” of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on the underlying residential mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Unscheduled payments of principal may be made if the underlying mortgage loans are repaid or refinanced or the underlying properties are foreclosed, thereby shortening the securities' weighted average life. Some mortgage pass-through securities (such as securities guaranteed by Ginnie Mae) are described as “modified pass-through securities”. These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, on the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether the mortgagor actually makes the payment.
The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage pass-through securities is Ginnie Mae. Ginnie Mae is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by lending institutions approved by Ginnie Mae (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgage loans. These mortgage loans are either insured by the Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration. A “pool” or group of such mortgage loans is assembled and after being approved by Ginnie Mae, is offered to investors through securities dealers.
Government-related guarantors of mortgage pass-through securities (i.e., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury) include Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie Mae 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 sellers/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Mortgage 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 U.S. Treasury.
Freddie Mac was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a U.S. government-sponsored corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks and now owned by 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 U.S. Treasury.
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 pass-through securities.
Resets. The interest rates paid on the Adjustable Rate Mortgage Securities (“ARMs”) in which the Fund may invest generally are readjusted or reset at intervals of one year or less to an increment over some predetermined interest rate index. There are two main categories of indices: those based on U.S. Treasury securities and those derived from a calculated measure, such as a cost of funds index or a moving average of mortgage rates. Commonly utilized indices include the one-year and five-year constant maturity Treasury Note rates, the three-month Treasury Bill rate, the 180-day Treasury Bill rate, rates on longer-term Treasury securities, the National Median Cost of Funds, the one-month or three-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), the prime rate of a specific bank, or commercial paper rates. Some indices, such as the one-year constant maturity Treasury Note rate, closely mirror changes in market interest rate levels. Others tend to lag changes in market rate levels and tend to be somewhat less volatile.
Caps and Floors. The underlying mortgages which collateralize the ARMs in which the Fund may invest will frequently have caps and floors which limit the maximum amount by which the loan rate to the residential borrower may change up or down: (1) per reset or adjustment interval, and (2) over the life of the loan. Some residential mortgage loans restrict periodic adjustments by limiting changes in the borrower's monthly principal and interest payments rather than limiting interest rate changes. These payment caps may result in negative amortization. The value of mortgage securities in which the Fund invests may be affected if market interest rates rise or fall faster and farther than the allowable caps or floors on the underlying residential mortgage loans. Additionally, even though the interest rates on the underlying residential mortgages are adjustable, amortization and prepayments may occur, thereby causing the effective maturities of the mortgage securities in which the Fund invests to be shorter than the maturities stated in the underlying mortgages.
Private Mortgage Pass-Through Securities. Private mortgage pass-through securities are structured similarly to the Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage pass-through securities and are issued by United States and foreign private issuers such as originators of and investors in mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing. These securities usually are backed by a pool of conventional fixed rate or adjustable rate mortgage loans. Since private mortgage pass-through securities typically are not guaranteed by an entity having the credit status of Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, such securities generally are structured with one or more types of credit enhancement.
Mortgage assets often consist of a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties. There are usually fewer properties in a pool of assets backing commercial mortgage-backed securities than in a pool of assets backing residential mortgage-backed securities hence they may be more sensitive to the performance of fewer mortgage assets. To lessen the effect of failures by obligors on underlying assets to make payments, those securities may contain elements of credit support, which fall into two categories: (1) liquidity protection and (2) protection against losses resulting from ultimate default by an obligor on the underlying assets. Liquidity protection refers to the provision of advances, generally by the entity administering the pool of assets, to ensure that the receipt of payments on the underlying pool occurs in a timely fashion. Protection against losses resulting from default ensures ultimate payment of the obligations on at least a portion of the assets in the pool. This protection may be provided through guarantees, insurance policies or letters of credit obtained by the issuer or sponsor from third parties, through various means of structuring the transaction or through a combination of such approaches. The degree of credit support provided for each issue is generally based on historical information respecting the level of credit risk associated with the underlying assets. Delinquencies or losses in excess of those anticipated could adversely affect the return on an investment in a security. The Fund will not pay any fees for credit support, although the existence of credit support may increase the price of a security.
Stripped Mortgage Securities. Stripped mortgage securities may be issued by Federal Agencies, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing.
Stripped mortgage securities usually are structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distribution of a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of stripped mortgage security will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the interest-only or “IO” class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or “PO” class). PO classes generate income through the accretion of the deep discount at which such securities are purchased, and, while PO classes do not receive periodic payments of interest, they receive monthly payments associated with scheduled amortization and principal prepayment from the mortgage assets underlying the PO class. The yield to maturity on a PO or an IO class security is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets. A slower than expected rate of principal payments may have an adverse effect on a PO class security's yield to maturity. If the underlying mortgage assets experience slower than anticipated principal repayment, the Fund may fail to fully recoup its initial investment in these securities. Conversely, a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on an IO class security's yield to maturity. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments or principal, the Fund may fail to fully recoup its initial investment in these securities.
The Fund may purchase stripped mortgage securities for income, or for hedging purposes to protect the Fund's portfolio against interest rate fluctuations. For example, since an IO class will tend to increase in value as interest rates rise, it may be utilized to hedge against a decrease in value of other fixed-income securities in a rising interest rate environment.
Inverse Floaters. Inverse floaters constitute a class of MBS with a coupon rate that moves inversely to a designated index, such as LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) or 11th District Cost of Funds Index (“COFI”). Inverse floaters have coupon rates that typically change at a multiple of the changes of the relevant index rate. Any rise in the index rate (as a consequence of an increase in interest rates) causes a drop in the coupon rate on an inverse floater while any drop in the index rate causes an increase in the coupon rate of an inverse floater. In some circumstances, the coupon on an inverse floater could decrease to zero. In addition, like most other fixed-income securities, the value of inverse floaters will decrease as interest rates increase and their average lives will extend. Inverse floaters exhibit greater price volatility than the majority of mortgage-backed securities. In addition, some inverse floaters display extreme sensitivity to changes in prepayments. As a result, the yield to maturity of an inverse floater is sensitive not only to changes in interest rates but also to changes in prepayment rates on the related underlying mortgage assets. As described above, inverse floaters may be used alone or in tandem with interest-only stripped mortgage instruments.
Mortgage Dollar Rolls. The Fund may enter into mortgage dollar rolls with a bank or a broker-dealer. A mortgage dollar roll is a transaction in which a Fund sells mortgage-related securities for immediate settlement and simultaneously purchases the same type of securities for forward settlement at a discount. While a Fund begins accruing interest on the newly purchased securities from the purchase or trade date, it is able to invest the proceeds from the sale of its previously owned securities, which will be used to pay for the new securities, in money market investments until future settlement date. The use of mortgage dollar rolls is a speculative technique involving leverage, and is considered to be a form of borrowing by the Fund.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. There are certain risks associated specifically with collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”). CMOs are debt obligations collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities. The average life of CMOs is determined using mathematical models that incorporate prepayment assumptions and other factors that involve estimates of future economic and market conditions. These estimates may vary from actual future results, particularly during periods of extreme market volatility. Further, under certain market conditions, such as those that occurred in 1994, 2007, 2008 and 2009, the average weighted life of certain CMOs may not accurately reflect the price volatility of such securities. For example, in periods of supply and demand imbalances in the market for such securities and/or in periods of sharp interest rate movements, the prices of CMOs may fluctuate to a greater extent than would be expected from interest rate movements alone. CMOs issued by private entities are not obligations issued or guaranteed by the United States Government, its agencies or instrumentalities and are not guaranteed by any government agency, although the securities underlying a CMO may be subject to a guarantee. Therefore, if the collateral securing the CMO, as well as any third party credit support or guarantees, is insufficient to make payment, the holder could sustain a loss.
Collateralized Debt Obligations. Collateralized Debt Obligations (“CDOs”) include collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses. For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the equity tranche which generally bears losses in connection with the first defaults, if any, on the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to provide some measure of protection to the other, more senior tranches from defaults. A senior tranche from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically has higher ratings and lower yields than the underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults and aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class. The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which a Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities; however, an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify under Rule 144A under the Securities Act. In addition to the normal risks associated with debt instruments (e.g., interest rate risk and credit risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (1) the possibility that distributions from the collateral will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (2) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (3) that they may be subordinate to other classes; and (4) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.
Securities Options
The 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 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 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 NASDAQ PHLX.
The 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 the 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 the 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 the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a loss equal to the premium paid. If the Fund enters into a closing sale transaction on an option purchased by it, the Fund will realize a gain if the premium received by the 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 the Fund expires on the stipulated expiration date or if the 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 the Fund is exercised, the proceeds of the sale will be increased by the net premium originally received and the 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 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 the Fund of options on stock indices will be subject to the ability of the Adviser or Sub-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 the Fund. Inasmuch as the Fund's securities will not duplicate the components of an index, the correlation will not be perfect. Consequently, the 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 the Fund's securities that would result in a loss on both such securities and the options on stock indices acquired by the 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 the 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 the Fund is unable to close out a call option on securities that it has written before the option is exercised, the Fund may be required to purchase the optioned securities in order to satisfy its obligation under the option to deliver such securities. If the 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 the Fund has purchased) expose the Fund to an obligation to another party. The Fund will not enter into any such transactions unless it owns either (1) an offsetting (“covered”) position in securities or other options or (2) cash or liquid securities with a value sufficient at all times to cover its potential obligations not covered as provided in (1) above. The 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 the Fund's custodian in the prescribed amount. Under current SEC guidelines, the Fund will segregate assets to cover transactions in which the Fund writes or sells options.
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 the Fund's assets to cover or segregated accounts could impede portfolio management or the Fund's ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
Options on Futures Contracts
The 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
The Fund may engage in transactions involving dealer options as well as exchange-traded options. Certain additional risks are specific to dealer options. While the Fund might look to a clearing corporation to exercise exchange-traded options, if the 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 the 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, the 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 the 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 the Fund originally wrote the option. While the 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 the Fund, there can be no assurance that the Fund will at any time be able to liquidate a dealer option at a favorable price at any time prior to expiration. Unless the 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, the Fund may be unable to liquidate a dealer option. With respect to options written by the Fund, the inability to enter into a closing transaction may result in material losses to the Fund. For example, because the Fund must maintain a secured position with respect to any call option on a security it writes, the 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 the 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. The Fund may treat the cover used for written dealer options as liquid if the dealer agrees that the Fund may repurchase the dealer option it has written for a maximum price to be calculated by a 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, the Fund will treat dealer options as subject to the Fund's limitation on illiquid securities. If the SEC changes its position on the liquidity of dealer options, the Fund will change its treatment of such instruments accordingly.
Spread Transactions
The 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 the Fund the right to put securities that it owns at a fixed dollar spread or fixed yield spread in relationship to another security that the Fund does not own, but which is used as a benchmark. The risk to the 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 the 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.
Credit Default Swaps
The Fund may enter into credit default swaps. In a credit default swap, one party makes a stream of payments to another party in exchange for the right to receive a specified return in the event of a default by a third party, typically an emerging country, on its obligation. The Fund may use credit default swaps to provide a measure of protection against defaults of sovereign issuers (i.e., to reduce risk where the Fund owns or has exposure to the sovereign issuer) and may use credit default swaps to take an active long or short position with respect to the likelihood of a particular issuer's default. In connection with these agreements, cash or liquid securities may be set aside as collateral by the Fund's custodian in accordance with the terms of the swap agreement. The Fund earns interest on cash set aside as collateral. Swaps are marked to market daily based upon quotations from market makers and the change in value, if any, is recorded as unrealized gain or loss. These financial instruments are not actively traded on financial markets. The values assigned to these instruments are based upon the best available information and because of the uncertainty of the valuation, these values may differ significantly from the values that would have been realized had a ready market for these instruments existed, and the differences could be material. Payments received or made at the end of the measurement period are recorded as realized gain or loss. Entering into these agreements involves, to varying degrees, elements of credit, market, and documentation risk. Such risks involve the possibility that there will be no liquid market for these agreements, that the counterparty to the agreements may default on its obligation to perform or disagree as to the meaning of contractual terms in the agreements, and that there may be unfavorable changes in interest rates.
Additional Risks
Risk of Potential Government Regulation of Derivatives
It is possible that government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, including futures and swap agreements, may limit or prevent the Fund from using such instruments as part of its investment strategy, and could ultimately prevent the Fund from being able to achieve its investment goals. For example, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) (which was passed into law in July 2010), and related regulatory developments, will require the clearing and exchange-trading of many standardized OTC derivative instruments that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and SEC, recently have defined as “swaps”. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing will take place on a phased-in basis based on the type of market participant and CFTC approval of contracts for clearing. Additionally, these regulatory changes would upon implementation impose limits on the maximum position that could be held by a single trader in certain contracts and would subject some derivatives transactions to new forms of regulation that could create barriers to some types of investment activity. Other provisions would expand entity registration requirements, impose business conduct requirements on dealers that enter into swaps with a pension plan, endowment, retirement plan or government entity, and require banks to move some derivatives trading units to a non-guaranteed affiliate separate from the deposit-taking bank or divest them altogether. While many provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act must be implemented through future rulemaking, and any regulatory or legislative activity may not necessarily have a direct, immediate effect upon the Fund, it is possible that, upon implementation of these measures or any future measures, they could potentially limit or completely restrict the ability of the Fund to use these instruments as a part of its investment strategy, increase the costs of using these instruments or make them less effective.
Commodity Pool Operator Regulation
The Adviser, on behalf of the Fund, 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 CFTC promulgated thereunder, with respect to the Fund's operation. Accordingly, neither the Fund nor the Subsidiary is currently subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator.
Specific Risks Relating to Managed Futures Trading
· | Commodity Interests Trading is Speculative. Commodity Interest prices are highly volatile. Price movements for futures contracts, for example, which may fluctuate substantially during a short period of time, are influenced by numerous factors that affect the commodities markets, including, but not limited to: changing supply and demand relationships; government programs and policies; national and international political and economic events and changes in interest rates. |
· | Commodity Interests Trading is Highly Leveraged. The low margin deposits normally required in trading Commodity Interests permit an extremely high degree of leverage. Accordingly, a relatively small price movement in a Commodity Interest may result in an immediate and substantial loss to the investor. For example, if at the time of purchase 5% of the price of a futures contract is deposited as margin, a 5% decrease in the price of the futures contract would, if the contract were then closed out, result in a total loss of the margin deposit (brokerage commission expense would also be incurred). Like other leveraged investments, any Commodity Interest trade may result in losses in excess of the amount invested. Although the Partnership may lose more than its initial margin on a trade, the Partnership, and not you personally, will be subject to margin calls. See “The Commodity Markets -- Margin” in the SAI. |
· | Commodity Interests Trading may be Illiquid. 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. Futures prices in particular contracts have occasionally moved the daily limit for several consecutive days with little or no trading. If this occurs, the Partnership might be prevented from promptly liquidating unfavorable positions which could result in substantial losses. Those losses could significantly exceed the margin initially committed to the trades involved. In addition, even if prices have not moved the daily limit, or if there are no limits for the contracts traded by the Partnership, the Partnership may not be able to execute trades at favorable prices if little trading in the contracts is taking place. It is also possible that an exchange or the CFTC may suspend trading in a particular contract, order immediate settlement of a contract or order that trading to the liquidation of open positions only. |
· | Trading Decisions Based on Technical Analysis. Certain Commodity Managers use trading programs that use “technical” factors in identifying price moves. The success of technical analysis depends upon the occurrence in the future of price movements. Technical systems will not be profitable and may in fact produce losses if there are no market moves of the kind the system seeks to follow. Any factor that would make it more difficult to execute the trades identified, such as a reduction of liquidity, also would reduce profitability. There is no assurance that Winton's trading systems will generate profits under all or any market conditions. |
· | Reliance on Key Personnel. Many Commodity managers depend on the services of one or two key persons. If they cannot or will not provide those services, it could adversely affect their ability to trade. |
· | Possible Effects of Speculative Position Limits and Accountability Levels. The CFTC and U.S. exchanges have established speculative position limits and accountability levels. Position limits control the number of net long or net short speculative futures or option (on futures) positions any person may hold or control in futures or option contracts traded on U.S. exchanges. Position accountability levels are position levels established by an exchange that, if reached by a person, cause such person to be subject to instructions by such exchange to reduce or not increase such position. Most Commodity Managers control the commodity trading of other accounts. All positions and accounts owned or controlled the Commodity Managers and their principals are combined for position limit and accountability level purposes. In order to comply with position limits or exchange limitations arising out of having positions subject to accountability levels, it is possible that a Commodity Manager will have to modify its trading instructions, and that positions held for the Fund will have to be liquidated. That could have a negative effect on the Fund's profitability. |
· | Increase in Amount of Funds Managed. If any Commodity Manager manages more money in the future, including money raised in this offering, such additional funds could affect its performance or trading strategies. |
· | Changes in the Number of Available Futures Contracts and Related Options. U.S. and foreign exchanges have established new futures and options contracts in the past few years. This trend could continue. A Commodity Manager's trading strategy might not be successful trading those new contracts. |
· | Other Clients of the Commodity Managers. The Commodity Managers manage other accounts. This increases the competition for the same trades which the Partnership makes. There is no assurance that the Fund's trading will generate the same results as any other accounts managed by the Commodity Managers. |
· | Failure of Clearing Brokers, Counterparties, Banks, Custodians and other Financial Firms. Commodity brokers must maintain the Fund's assets (other than assets used to trade foreign futures or options on foreign markets) in a segregated account. If a commodity broker goes bankrupt, the Fund could lose money as it may only be able to recover a pro rata share of the property available for distribution to all of the broker's customers. In addition, even if a commodity broker adequately segregates the Fund's assets, the Fund may still be subject to risk of loss of funds on deposit should another customer of the commodity broker fail to satisfy deficiencies in such other customer's account. |
· | Trading on Foreign Exchanges and Currency Exchange Rate Fluctuations. Trading may occur on foreign exchanges and other non-U.S. markets. Neither existing CFTC regulations nor regulations of any other U.S. governmental agency apply to transactions on foreign markets. The Fund is at risk for fluctuations in the exchange rate between the currencies in which it trades and U.S. dollars. It also is possible that exchange controls could be imposed in the future. There is no restriction on how much of the Fund's trading might be on foreign markets. |
· | Trading in Over the Counter Instruments. The trading of over-the-counter instruments, subjects the Fund to a variety of risks including: (1) counterparty risk; (2) basis risk; (3) interest rate risk; (4) settlement risk; (5) legal risk; and (6) operational risk. Counterparty risk is the risk that the Partnership's counterparties might default on their obligation to pay or perform generally on their obligations. The over-the-counter markets and some foreign markets are “principals' markets.” That means that performance of the contract is the responsibility only of the individual firm or member on the other side of the trade and not any exchange or clearing corporation. Such “counterparty risk” is accentuated for contracts with longer maturities where events may intervene to prevent settlement, or where the Fund has concentrated its transactions with a single or small group of counterparties. Basis risk is the risk attributable to the movements in the spread between the derivative contract price and the future price of the underlying instrument. Interest rate risk is the general risk associated with movements in interest rates. Settlement risk is the risk that a settlement in a transfer system does not take place as expected. Legal risk is the risk that a transaction proves unenforceable in law or because it has been inadequately documented. Operational risk is the risk of unexpected losses arising from deficiencies in a firm's management information, support and control systems and procedures. Transactions in over-the-counter derivatives may involve other risks as well, as there is no exchange market on which to close out an open position. It may be impossible to liquidate an existing position, to assess the value of a position or to assess the exposure to risk. |
· | Exchange for Physicals. The Fund may exchange a cash, forward or spot market position outside of regular trading hours for a comparable futures position. Such transactions are subject to counterparty creditworthiness risk. The CFTC has permitted the futures exchanges to expand the types of over-the-counter positions that can be part of an exchange for physicals position. |
Repurchase Agreements
The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements. In a repurchase agreement, an investor (such as the 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 or Sub-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 the Fund, or the purchase and repurchase prices may be the same, with interest at an agreed upon rate due to the Fund on repurchase. In either case, the income to the 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 the 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, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying security and losses. These losses could result from: (1) possible decline in the value of the underlying security while the Fund is seeking to enforce its rights under the repurchase agreement; (2) possible reduced levels of income or lack of access to income during this period; and (3) 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.
Unlike when the Fund purchases or sells a security, no price would be paid or received by the Fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Upon entering into a futures contract, and to maintain the Fund's open positions in futures contracts, the 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 the 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.” The Fund expects to earn interest income on its 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, the Fund realizes a gain; if it is more, the Fund realizes a loss. Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a gain; if it is less, the Fund realizes a loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. There can be no assurance, however, that the Fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular futures contract at a particular time. If the Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the 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 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, the 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 the Fund's commitment. It may be expected that the 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.
The Fund does not intend to engage in these transactions for speculative purposes but only in furtherance of its investment objective. Because the Fund will segregate liquid assets to satisfy its purchase commitments in the manner described, the Fund's liquidity and the ability of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser to manage them may be affected in the event the Fund's forward commitments, commitments to purchase when-issued securities and delayed settlements ever exceeded 15% of the value of its net assets.
The 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, the 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 the Fund on the settlement date. In these cases the Fund may realize a taxable capital gain or loss. When the 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 the 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 the Fund starting on the day the Fund agrees to purchase the securities. The Fund does not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until it has paid for and delivered on the settlement date.
Underlying Pools that Trade Commodity Futures
The Fund may invest a portion of its assets directly, or through the Subsidiary, in corporations (including foreign corporations), limited partnerships and other pooled investment vehicles (“Underlying Pools”). Each Underlying Pool, or share class of the Underlying Pool, is managed by its own manager or trading adviser, pursuant to a proprietary strategy. The Underlying Pools use a form of leverage often referred to as “notional funding”—that is the nominal trading level for an Underlying Pool will exceed the cash deposited in its trading accounts. For example, if the Underlying Pool manager wants the Underlying Pool to trade a $200,000,000 commodity futures portfolio (the “nominal trading level”) the Underlying Pool's margin requirement may be $10,000,000. The Underlying Pool can either deposit $200,000,000 to “fully fund” the account or can deposit only a portion of the $200,000,000, provided that the amount deposited meets the account's ongoing minimum margin requirements. The difference between the amount of cash deposited in the account and the nominal trading level of the account is referred to as notional funding. The use of notional funding (i.e., leverage) will increase the volatility of the Underlying Pools. In addition, the leverage may make the Underlying Pools subject to more frequent margin calls. Being forced to raise cash at inopportune times to meet margin calls may prevent the Underlying Pool manager from making investments it considers optimal. The cash and any marketable securities of the Underlying Pool will be available to meet the margin requirements for the Underlying Pool. However, in no circumstance will the assets of the Fund or Subsidiary not already invested in an Underlying Pool be available to meet the margin requirements of the Underlying Pool. Underlying Pool management fees are based on the nominal trading level and not the cash deposited in the trading account. For illustration purposes only, assume an Underlying Pool has assets of $50 million and has engaged a single Underlying Pool investment manager to trade futures on its behalf. The Underlying Pool is notionally funded and uses a nominal trading level of $200 million. The Underlying Pool pays its manager an annual management fee of 1% of the nominal account size, or $2,000,000. While the management fee represents 1% of the nominal account size ($200 million), the management fee represents 4% of the cash deposited ($50 million) in the Underlying Pool's commodity futures trading account.
The Underlying Pools are typically offered privately and no public market for such securities will exist. However, shares of the Underlying Pools are redeemable at intervals of one week or less. See, “Illiquid and Restricted Securities.”
Swaps on Reference Assets (such as Underlying Pools)
In order to achieve the desired managed futures exposure, the Fund may enter into swap agreements in which a counterparty agrees to pay the Fund the return of a reference asset (such as an Underlying Pool), or a basket of such reference assets, in exchange for the Fund paying the counterparty a floating rate and/or a fixed rate. In connection with these agreements, cash or liquid securities may be set aside as collateral by the Fund's custodian in accordance with the terms of the swap agreement. The Fund receives any gains generated by such collateral. Swaps are marked to market daily based upon market quotations and fair value estimates of the value of the reference asset, and in accordance with the Fund’s valuation policies. The change in swap value, if any, is recorded as unrealized gain or loss. These financial instruments are not actively traded on financial markets. The values assigned to these instruments are based upon the best available information and because of the uncertainty of the valuation, these values may differ significantly from the values that would have been realized had a ready market for these instruments existed, and the differences could be material. Payments received or made at the end of the measurement period are typically based on independent valuations of the reference asset(s) and are recorded as realized gain or loss. Entering into these agreements involves, to varying degrees, elements of credit, market, and documentation risk. Such risks involve the possibility that there will be no independent valuation of the reference asset(s), that the counterparty to the agreements may default on its obligation to perform or disagree as to the meaning of contractual terms in the agreements, and that the return of the reference asset relative to the floating and/or fixed rate may be below expectations.
Structured Notes on Reference Assets (such as Underlying Pools)
In order to achieve the desired managed futures exposure, the Fund may purchase structured notes from an issuer who agrees to pay the Fund the return of a reference asset (such as an Underlying Pool), or a basket of such reference assets, less a floating rate and/or a fixed rate. Structured notes are marked to market daily based upon market quotations and fair value estimates of the value of the reference asset, and in accordance with the Fund’s valuation policies. The change in note value, if any, is recorded as unrealized gain or loss. These financial instruments are not actively traded on financial markets. The values assigned to these instruments are based upon the best available information and because of the uncertainty of the valuation, these values may differ significantly from the values that would have been realized had a ready market for these instruments existed, and the differences could be material. Payments received or made upon note redemption or maturity are typically based on independent valuations of the reference asset(s) and are recorded as realized gain or loss. Purchasing such structured notes involves, to varying degrees, elements of credit, market, and documentation risk. Such risks involve the possibility that there will be no independent valuation of the reference asset(s), that the issuer may default on its obligation to perform (possibly leading to a loss of principal) or disagree as to the meaning of contractual terms in the note documents, and that the return of the reference asset less the floating and/or fixed rate may be below expectations.
Illiquid and Restricted Securities
The 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 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. The 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. The 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.
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 and the PORTAL Alliance have produced enhanced liquidity for many restricted securities. The PORTAL Alliance is an open, industry-wide platform to facilitate over the counter trading of 144A equity securities and is intended to enhance the liquidity and transparency of 144A equity securities by creating a source for indicative quotes, trade reporting and issuer information for 144A equity securities.
(i) | Under guidelines adopted by the Board, the Adviser or Sub-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 or Sub-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 or Sub-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 or Sub-Adviser determines that it is of equivalent quality ; and (3) the Adviser/Sub-Adviser’s decision takes into account all relevant factors of the trading market for the specific security. |
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 or Sub-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 the 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, the 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) the Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of securities loaned, (3) the 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 the Fund.
Short Sales
The 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 the Fund sells a 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 the 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. The Fund is required to make a margin deposit in connection with such short sales; the 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 the Fund covers its short position, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the 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 the 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 (not including the proceeds of the short sale). The Fund does not intend to enter into short sales (other than short sales “against the box”) if immediately after such sales the aggregate of the value of all collateral plus the amount in such segregated account exceeds 30% of the value of the Fund's net assets. This percentage may be varied by action of the Board of Trustees. A short sale is “against the box” to the extent the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short.
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary
The Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in a wholly-owned and controlled Cayman Islands subsidiary (the “Subsidiary“), which is expected to invest through Underlying Pool investments primarily in commodity and financial futures and option contracts, as well as in swap contracts, structured notes and in fixed income securities and other investments intended to serve as margin or collateral for the Subsidiary's derivatives positions. As a result, the Fund may be considered to be investing indirectly in these investments through the Subsidiary. For that reason, and for the sake of convenience, references in this Statement of Additional Information to the Fund may also include the Subsidiary.
The Subsidiary will not be registered under the 1940 Act but, will be subject to certain of the investor protections of that Act, as noted in this Statement of Additional Information. The Fund, as the sole shareholder of the Subsidiary, will not have all of the protections offered to investors in registered investment companies. However, since the Fund wholly owns and controls the Subsidiary, and the Fund and Subsidiary are both managed by the Adviser, it is unlikely that the Subsidiary will take action contrary to the interests of the Fund or its shareholders. The Board has oversight responsibility for the investment activities of the Fund, including its investment in the Subsidiary, and the Fund's role as the sole shareholder of the Subsidiary. Also, in managing the Subsidiary's portfolio, the Adviser will be subject to the same investment restrictions and operational guidelines that apply to the management of the Fund, including any collateral or segregation requirements in connection with various investment strategies.
Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands, under which the Fund and the Subsidiary, respectively, are organized, could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as described in this Statement of Additional Information and could negatively affect the Fund and its shareholders. For example, the Cayman Islands does not currently impose any income, corporate or capital gains tax, estate duty, inheritance tax, gift tax or withholding tax on the Subsidiary. If Cayman Islands law changes such that the Subsidiary must pay Cayman Islands taxes, Fund shareholders would likely suffer decreased investment returns.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The 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 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. The Fund may not:
1. | Issue senior securities. This limitation is not applicable to activities that may be deemed to involve the issuance or sale of a senior security by the Fund, provided that the Fund's engagement in such activities is consistent with or permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or interpretations of the SEC or its staff; |
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 25% or more 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. The Fund takes the position that mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities, whether government-issued or privately issued do not represent interests in any particular “industry” or group of industries, and therefore the 25% concentration restrictions noted above do not apply to such securities.); |
6. | Purchase or sell commodities (unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments), except that the Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts (including commodity futures) and options on futures (including options on commodity futures) to the fullest 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 (a) through the purchase of debt securities in accordance with its investment objective and policies, (b) to the extent the entry into a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan, and (c) by loaning portfolio securities. |
The Fund observes the following policies, which are not deemed fundamental and which may be changed without shareholder vote. The Fund may not:
1. | Invest in any issuer for purposes of exercising control or management; |
2. | Invest in securities of other investment companies except as permitted under the 1940 Act; |
3. | Invest, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets in securities with legal or contractual restrictions on resale, securities, which are not readily marketable and repurchase agreements with more than seven days to maturity However, if more than 15% of Fund assets (defined as net assets plus the amount of any borrowing for investment purposes) are illiquid, the Fund's investment adviser(s) will reduce illiquid assets such that they do not represent more than 15% of Fund assets, subject to timing and other considerations which are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders; or |
4. | Mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or in any manner transfer, as security for indebtedness, any assets of the Fund except as may be necessary in connection with borrowings described in fundamental limitation (2) on the prior page above. Margin deposits, security interests, liens and collateral arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, futures contracts, short sales and other permitted investments and techniques are not deemed to be a mortgage, pledge or hypothecation of assets for purposes of this limitation. |
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 instruments, or change in average duration 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.
The Subsidiary will also follow the Fund's fundamental and non-fundamental investment restrictions, described above, with respect to its investments. The Fund will look through the Subsidiary for purposes of compliance with diversification, leverage and concentration requirements and restrictions.
With respect to interpretations of the SEC or its staff described in fundamental restriction number 1 above, the SEC and its staff have identified various securities trading practices and derivative instruments used by mutual funds that give rise to potential senior security issues under Section 18(f) of the 1940 Act, which prohibits mutual funds from issuing senior securities. Under the 1940 Act, a mutual fund may borrow from a bank, provided that immediately after any such borrowing there is an asset coverage of at least 300 percent for all borrowings; or 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. However, rather than rigidly deeming all such practices outside of bank borrowing as impermissible forms of issuing a “senior security” under Section 18(f), the SEC and its staff through interpretive releases, including Investment Company Act Release No. 10666 (April 18, 1979), and no-action letters has developed an evolving series of methods by which a fund may address senior security issues. In particular, the common theme in this line of guidance has been to use methods of “covering” fund obligations that might otherwise create a senior security-type obligation by holding sufficient liquid assets that permit a fund to meet potential trading and derivative-related obligations. Thus, a potential Section 18(f) senior security limitation is not applicable to activities that might be deemed to involve a form of the issuance or sale of a senior security by the Fund, provided that the Fund's engagement in such activities is consistent with or permitted by Section 18 of the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or interpretations of the SEC or its staff.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that govern the disclosure of the Fund's portfolio holdings. These policies and procedures are designed to ensure that such disclosure is in the best interests of Fund shareholders.
It is the Trust's policy to: (1) ensure that any disclosure of portfolio holdings information is in the best interest of Trust shareholders; (2) protect the confidentiality of portfolio holdings information; (3) have procedures in place to guard against personal trading based on the information; and (4) ensure that the disclosure of portfolio holdings information does not create conflicts between the interests of the Trust's shareholders and those of the Trust's affiliates. The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer monitors any potential conflicts of interest and seeks to mitigate through careful review of such disclosures and requests to add approved recipients.
The Fund discloses its portfolio holdings by mailing the annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders approximately two months after the end of the fiscal year and semi-annual period. In addition, the Fund discloses its portfolio holdings reports on Forms N-CSR and Form N-Q two months after the end of each quarter/semi-annual period. The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for monitoring disclosures of Fund holdings.
The Fund may choose to make portfolio holdings information available to rating agencies such as Lipper, Morningstar or Bloomberg earlier and more frequently on a confidential basis.
Under limited circumstances, as described below, the Fund's portfolio holdings may be disclosed to, or known by, certain third parties in advance of their filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-CSR or Form N-Q. In each case, a determination has been made that such advance disclosure is supported by a legitimate business purpose and that the recipient and its personnel is subject to a duty to keep the information confidential.
The Adviser and Sub-Adviser
Personnel of the Adviser and Sub-Adviser, including personnel responsible for managing the Fund's portfolio, may have full daily access to Fund portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for the Adviser and Sub-Adviser to provide their management, administrative, and investment services to the Fund. As required for purposes of analyzing the impact of existing and future market changes on the prices, availability, demand and liquidity of such securities, as well as for the assistance of portfolio managers in the trading of such securities, personnel of the Adviser and Sub-Adviser may also release and discuss certain portfolio holdings with various broker-dealers.
Gemini Fund Services, LLC
Gemini Fund Services, LLC is the transfer agent, fund accountant, administrator and custody administrator for the Fund; therefore, its personnel have full daily access to the Fund's portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for the Trust.
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. is custodian for the Fund; therefore, its personnel have full daily access to the Fund's portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for the Trust.
[ ]
[ ] is the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm; therefore, its personnel have access to the Fund's portfolio holdings in connection with auditing of the 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 Fund; therefore, its personnel have access to the Fund's portfolio holdings in connection with review of the Fund's annual and semi-annual shareholder reports and SEC filings.
Counsel to the Independent Trustees
Counsel to the Independent Trustees and its personnel have access to the Fund's portfolio holdings in connection with the review of the 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 Fund's 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 Fund, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, or any other party receive any direct or indirect compensation in connection with the disclosure of information about the Fund's portfolio holdings.
Compliance with Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Procedures
The Trust's Chief Compliance Officer will report periodically to the Board with respect to compliance with the Fund's 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 Fund 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 seven (7) individuals, six (6) of whom are not “interested persons” (as defined under the 1940 Act) of the Trust, the Adviser and Sub-Adviser (“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 Anthony Hertl, an Independent Trustee, who has served as the Chairman of the Board since July 2013. The Board of Trustees is comprised of Mr. Hertl, five (5) additional Independent Trustees, and one (1) Interested Trustee. Andrew Rogers, the Interested Trustee, is the Chief Executive Officer of Gemini Fund Services, LLC, and President of the Trust. 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. Generally, the Trust believes it best to have a non-executive Chairman of the Board, who together with the President (principal executive officer), are seen by our shareholders, business partners and other stakeholders as providing strong leadership. 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, Mark H. Taylor. 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.
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. Hertl has over 20 years of business experience in financial services industry and related fields including serving as chair of the finance committee for the Borough of Interlaken, New Jersey and Vice President-Finance and Administration of Marymount College, holds a Certified Public Accountant designation, serves or has served as a member of other mutual fund boards outside of the Fund Complex and possesses a strong understanding of the regulatory framework under which investment companies must operate based on his years of service to this Board and other fund boards. Gary W. Lanzen has over 20 years of business experience in the financial services industry, holds a Master’s degree in Education Administration, is a Certified Financial Planner (“CFP”), serves as a member of two other mutual fund boards outside of the Fund Complex and possesses a strong understanding of the regulatory framework under which investment companies must operate based on his years of service to this Board and other mutual fund boards. Mark H. Taylor, has over two decades of academic and professional experience in the accounting and auditing areas, has Doctor of Philosophy, a Master’s and Bachelor degrees in Accounting, is a Certified Public Accountant and is Professor of Accountancy at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. He serves as a member of two other mutual fund boards outside of the Fund Complex, has served a fellowship in the Office of the Chief Accountant at the headquarters of the United States Securities Exchange Commission, served a three-year term on the AICPA Auditing Standards Board (2008-2011), and like the other Board members, possesses a strong understanding of the regulatory framework under which investment companies must operate based on his years of service to this Board and other mutual fund boards. John V. Palancia has over 30 years of business experience in financial services industry including serving as the Director of Futures Operations for Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. Mr. Palancia holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. He also possesses a strong understanding of risk management, balance sheet analysis and the regulatory framework under which regulated financial entities must operate based on service to Merrill Lynch. Additionally, he is well versed in the regulatory framework under which investment companies must operate and serves as a member of three other fund boards. Andrew Rogers has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry and has served as the President of the Trust since 2006. Mr. Rogers is also currently the Chief Executive Officer of Gemini Fund Services, LLC. Prior to joining Gemini Fund Services, LLC, he served in executive roles at J.P. Morgan Chase and Co. and Alliance Capital Management Holdings L.P. as Financial Reporting Manager. Mr. Rogers holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Mark D. Gersten has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, having served in executive roles at AllianceBernstein LP and holding key industry positions at Prudential-Bache Securities and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. He also serves as a member of two other mutual fund boards outside of the Fund Complex. Mr. Gersten is a certified public accountant and holds an MBA in accounting. Like other trustees, his experience has given him a strong understanding of the regulatory framework under which investment companies operate. Mark S. Garbin has more than 30 years of experience in corporate balance sheet and income statement risk management for large asset managers, serving as Managing Principal of Coherent Capital Management LLC since 2007. Mr. Garbin has extensive derivatives experience and has provided consulting services to alternative asset managers. He is both a Chartered Financial Analyst and Professional Risk Manager charterholder and holds advanced degrees in international business. 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 |
Mark Garbin Born in 1951 |
Trustee Since 2013 |
Managing Principal, Coherent Capital Management LLC (since 2007). |
[122]
|
Two Roads Shared Trust (since 2012); Forethought Variable Insurance Trust (since 2013); Northern Lights Variable Trust (since 2013); Independent Director OHA Mortgage Strategies Fund (offshore), Ltd. (since 2014); Altegris KKR Commitments Master Fund and Altegris KKR Commitments Fund (since 2014) |
Mark D. Gersten
Born in 1950 |
Trustee Since 2013 |
Independent Consultant (since 2012); Senior Vice President – Global Fund Administration Mutual Funds & Alternative Funds, AllianceBernstein LP (1985 – 2011). | [122] | Schroder Global Series Trust (since 2012); Two Roads Shared Trust (since 2012); Northern Lights Variable Trust (since 2013); Altegris KKR Commitments Master Fund and Altegris KKR Commitments Fund (since 2014) |
Anthony J. Hertl Born in 1950 |
Trustee Since 2005; Chairman of the Board since 2013 |
Consultant to small and emerging businesses (since 2000).
|
[110] | AdvisorOne Funds (2004-2013); Alternative Strategies Fund (since 2010); Satuit Capital Management Trust (since 2007); Greenwich Advisers Trust (2007- February 2011); Global Real Estate Fund (2008-2011); The World Funds Trust (2010-2013); Northern Lights Variable Trust (since 2006) |
Gary W. Lanzen Born in 1954 |
Trustee Since 2005 |
Retired since 2012. Formerly, Founder, Partner and President, Orizon Investment Counsel, Inc. (2000-2006); Chief Investment Officer (2000 -2010). | [110] | AdvisorOne Funds (since 2003); Alternative Strategies Fund (since 2010); Northern Lights Variable Trust (since 2006); CLA Strategic Allocation Fund (since 2014) |
John V. Palancia Born in 1954 |
Trustee Since 2011 |
Retired (since 2011). Formerly, Director of Futures Operations, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. (1975-2011). | [144] |
Northern Lights Variable Trust (since 2011); Northern Lights Fund Trust III (since February 2012); Alternative Strategies Fund (since 2012)
|
Mark H. Taylor Born in 1964 |
Trustee Since 2007; Chairman of the Audit Committee since 2013 |
Andrew D. Braden Professor of Accounting and Auditing, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University (since 2009); President, Auditing Section of the American Accounting Association (2012-2015); Former member of the AICPA Auditing Standards Board, AICPA (2008-2011); Fellow, Office of the Chief Accountant, United States Securities Exchange Commission (2005-2006). | [144] | Alternative Strategies Fund (since 2010); Lifetime Achievement Mutual Fund, Inc. (2007-2012); Northern Lights Fund Trust III (since 2012); Northern Lights Variable Trust (since 2007) |
Interested Trustees and 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 |
Andrew Rogers***
80 Arkay Drive Hauppauge, NY 11788 Born in 1969 |
Trustee Since 2013;
|
Chief Executive Officer, Gemini Alternative Funds, LLC (since 2013); Chief Executive Officer, Gemini Hedge Fund Services, LLC (since 2013); Chief Executive Officer, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (since 2012); President and Manager, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2006 - 2012); Formerly President and Manager, Blu Giant, LLC (2004 - 2011). | [110] | Northern Lights Variable Trust (since 2013) |
Kevin E. Wolf
80 Arkay Drive Hauppauge, NY 11788 Born in 1969 |
Treasurer
|
President, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (since 2012); Director of Fund Administration, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2006 - 2012); and Vice-President, Blu Giant, (2004 - 2013). | N/A | N/A |
James P. Ash
80 Arkay Drive Hauppauge, NY 11788 Born in 1976 |
Secretary
Since 2011 |
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 |
Lynn Bowley
17605 Wright Street Suite 2, Omaha, NE 68130 Born in 1958 |
Chief Compliance Officer
|
Compliance Officer of Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (since 2007); Vice President of Investment Support Services for Mutual of Omaha Companies (2002 – 2006).
|
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”), the Northern Lights Variable Trust (“NLVT”), and Two Roads Shared Trust.
*** Andrew Rogers is an “Interested Trustee” of the Trust as that term is defined under the 1940 Act, because of his affiliation with Gemini Fund Services, LLC, (the Trust’s Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent).
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. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Audit Committee held fifteen meetings.
Compensation
Effective January 1, 2016, 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 $32,162.50 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. Previously, each Trustee who is not affiliated with the Trust or an investment adviser to any series of the Trust received a quarterly fee of $29,625. In addition to the quarterly fees and reimbursements, the Chairman of the Board receives a quarterly fee of $7,262.50 and the Audit Committee Chairman receives a quarterly fee of $5,187.50.
Additionally, in the event a meeting of the Board of Trustees other than its regularly scheduled meetings (a “Special Meeting”) is required, each Independent Trustee will receive a fee of $2,500 per Special Meeting, as well as reimbursement for any reasonable expenses incurred, to be paid by the relevant series of the Trust or its investment adviser depending on the circumstances necessitating the Special Meeting.
The “interested persons” who serve as Trustees of the Trust receive no compensation for their services as Trustees. None of the executive officers receive compensation from the Trust.
The table below details the amount of compensation the Trustees received from the Trust during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016. Each Independent Trustee attended all quarterly meetings during the period. The Trust does not have a bonus, profit sharing, pension or retirement plan.
Name and Position | Aggregate Compensation From Trust ** | Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Funds Expenses | Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement | Total Compensation From Trust and Fund Complex*** Paid to Directors |
Anthony J. Hertl | $152,850 | None | None | $187,500 |
Gary Lanzen | $124,325 | None | None | $152,500 |
Mark H. Taylor | $144,700 | None | None | $246,000 |
John V. Palancia | $124,325 | None | None | $195,825 |
Andrew Rogers* | None | None | None | None |
Mark D. Gersten** | $124,325 | None | None | $152,500 |
Mark Garbin*** | $124,325 | None | None | $152,500 |
* This Trustee is deemed to be an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act as a result of his affiliation with Gemini Fund Services, LLC (the Trust’s Administrator, Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant).
**Elected as a Trustee in September 2013.
*** There are currently multiple series comprising the Trust. Trustees’ fees are allocated equitably among the series in the Trust.
**** The term “Fund Complex” includes the NLFT, NLFTII, NLFT III, NLFT IV, NLVT, and Two Roads Shared Trust..
Trustee Ownership
The following table indicates the dollar range of equity securities that each Trustee beneficially owned in the Fund as of December 31, 2014.
Name of Trustee |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund | Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Trustee in Family of Investment Companies |
Anthony J. Hertl | None | None |
Gary Lanzen | None | None |
John V. Palancia | None | None |
Andrew Rogers* | None | None |
Mark Taylor | None | None |
Mark D. Gersten | None | None |
Mark Garbin | None | None |
* This Trustee is deemed to be an ‘interested person’ as defined in the 1940 Act as a result of his affiliation with Gemini Fund Services, LLC (the Trust’s Administrator, Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant),
Management Ownership
As of October 1, 2015, the Trustees, as a group, owned less than 1.00% of the Fund’s outstanding shares and less than 1.00% 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.
As of the date of this SAI, there were no shareholders of record that owned 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund.
INVESTMENT ADVISER AND SUB-ADVISER
Investment Adviser and Advisory Agreement
Altegris Advisors, L.L.C., located at 1200 Prospect Street, Suite 400 La Jolla, CA 92037, serves as investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser was established in 2010 for the purpose of advising the Fund and has no other clients. Subject to the authority of the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is responsible for the overall management of the Fund's business affairs. Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) with the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, the Adviser, subject to the supervision of the Board of the Trust, and in conformity with the stated policies of the Fund, manages the portfolio investment operations of the Fund.
The Adviser has overall supervisory responsibilities for the general management and investment of the 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 the Fund's overall investment strategies and asset allocation;
Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser, under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, agrees to invest the assets of the Fund directly in accordance with applicable law and the investment objective, policies and restrictions set forth in the 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 Fund and, as such shall, directly, (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 the 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 Fund, 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 provides the Fund with all necessary office facilities and personnel for servicing the 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, directly subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, provides the management and administrative services necessary for the operation of the Fund. These services include providing facilities for maintaining the Trust's organization; supervising relations with custodians, transfer and pricing agents, accountants, underwriters and other persons dealing with the Fund; preparing all general shareholder communications and conducting shareholder relations; maintaining the Fund's records and the registration of the Fund's shares under federal securities laws and making necessary filings under state securities laws; developing management and shareholder services for the Fund; and furnishing reports, evaluations and analyses on a variety of subjects to the Trustees.
Pursuant to an advisory agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and the Adviser, the Adviser is entitled to receive, on a monthly basis, an annual advisory fee equal to a percentage of the Fund's average daily net assets.
The Adviser has agreed to an advisory fee schedule including breakpoints according to the table below:
ADVISORY FEE BREAKPOINT TABLE
PORTION OF NET ASSETS | ADVISORY FEE |
$1 billion and less | [ ]% |
Greater than $1 billion and less than or equal to $1.5 billion | [ ]% |
Greater than $1.5 billion and less than or equal to $2.0 billion | [ ]% |
Greater than $2.0 billion and less than or equal to $2.5 billion | [ ]% |
Greater than $2.5 billion and less than or equal to $3.0 billion | [ ]% |
Greater than $3 billion | [ ]% |
The fee is computed daily and payable monthly. The Adviser has agreed contractually to waive its management fee and to reimburse expenses of the Fund, at least until [ ], 2017, (excluding any front-end or contingent deferred loads, brokerage fees and commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, fees and expenses associated with instruments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example options and swap fees and expenses), borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), taxes, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the adviser)), such that net annual fund operating expenses of the Fund do not exceed the percentages in the table below. Waiver/reimbursement is subject to possible recoupment from the Fund in future years on a rolling three-year basis (within three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed) if such recoupment can be achieved within the foregoing expense limits. No reimbursement amount will be paid to the Adviser in any fiscal quarter unless the Trust's Board of Trustees has determined in advance that a reimbursement is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders. Fee waiver and reimbursement arrangements can decrease the Fund's expenses and increase its performance.
FUND CLASS | EXPENSE CAP | MINIMUM DURATION |
Class A | [ ]% | [ ], 2017 |
Class C | [ ]% | [ ], 2017 |
Class I | [ ]% | [ ], 2017 |
Class N | [ ]% | [ ], 2017 |
Expenses not expressly assumed by the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement are paid by the Fund. Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the 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 (as defined under the section entitled “Custodian”) and Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent (as defined under the section entitled “Transfer 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 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.
The Advisory Agreement continued in effect for two (2) years initially and thereafter continues 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 that Trust's outstanding shares. The Advisory Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment. Pursuant to a tri-party agreement among the Adviser, the sub-adviser, and the Trust on behalf of the Fund, the Adviser has further agreed to waive advisory fees equal to the amount of any sub-advisory fees waived by the sub-adviser for investments made by the sub-adviser in its affiliated funds.
In addition, as described below under “Organization and Management of Wholly-Owned Subsidiary,” the Subsidiary has entered into a separate contract with the Adviser for the management of the Subsidiary's portfolio. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive the management fee it receives from the Fund in an amount equal to the management fee paid to the Adviser by the Subsidiary. This undertaking will continue in effect for so long as the Fund invests in the Subsidiary, and may not be terminated by the Adviser unless the Adviser first obtains the prior approval of the Board for such termination.
Sub-Adviser and Sub-Advisory Agreement
The Adviser has engaged [ ], to serve as Sub-Adviser to the Fund. The Sub-Adviser is responsible for selecting Trend Strategy investments and assuring that investments are made according to the Fund's investment objective, policies and restrictions.
The Sub-Advisory Agreement provides that the Sub-Adviser will formulate and implement a continuous investment program for the Fund’s Trend Strategy, in accordance with the Fund's objective, policies and limitations and any investment guidelines established by the Adviser. The 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. The Sub-Adviser is required to furnish, at its own expense, all investment facilities necessary to perform its obligations under the Sub-Advisory Agreement. Pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement between the Adviser and Sub-Adviser (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”), the Sub-Adviser is entitled to receive an annual sub-advisory fee on the Trend Strategy portion of the Fund's average daily net assets based on a percentage of the Fund's daily average net assets allocated to the Trend Strategy. The Sub-Adviser is paid by the Adviser not the Fund.
The Sub-Advisory Agreement shall continue in effect for two (2) years initially and thereafter continues 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. The 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).
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 Trust’s Code, the Trustees are permitted to invest in securities that may also be purchased by the Fund.
In addition, the Trust has adopted a separate 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 disclosure in reports and documents that the Trust files with, or submits to, the Securities and Exchange Commission and in other public communications made by the Fund; iii) compliance with applicable governmental laws, rule and regulations; iv) the prompt internal reporting of violations of this Code to an appropriate person or persons identified in the Code; and v) accountability for adherence to the 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 Fund 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 Fund, including a report on the resolution of all proxies identified by the Adviser as involving a conflict of interest. It is anticipated that the Sub-Adviser will vote all proxies that are received on the Fund's behalf.
Where a proxy proposal raises a material conflict between the Adviser's or Sub-Adviser's interests and the Fund's interests, the Adviser or Sub-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 or Sub-Adviser will abstain from voting the securities held by that client's account. A copy of the Sub-Adviser's proxy voting policies is attached hereto as Appendix A.
More information
Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Fund during the most recent 12-month period ending June 30 will be available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at 1-877-772-5838; and (2) on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's website at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Fund's proxy voting policies and procedures are also available by calling 1-877-772-5838 and will be sent within three business days of receipt of a request.
DISTRIBUTION OF FUND SHARES
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 Trust 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 FINRA. The offering of the Fund's shares are continuous. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Distributor, as agent in connection with the distribution of Fund 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 Fund 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 of the outstanding shares of the Fund 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 Fund. The Underwriting Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment.
Rule 12b-1 Plans
The Trust, with respect to the Fund, has adopted the Trust’s Master Distribution Plan and Shareholder Servicing Plans pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act for the Fund’s Class A, Class C and Class N shares (the “Plans”), pursuant to which the Fund is authorized to pay the Distributor as compensation for the Distributor’s account maintenance services under the respective Plan, a distribution and shareholders servicing fees at an annual rate of up to 0.25%, 1.00% and 0.25%, for Class A, Class C and Class N shares, respectively, of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the relevant class . Class I shares does not have a Plan. 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 each share class’ average daily net assets during the preceding month, and shall be calculated and accrued daily. The Fund may pay fees to the Distributor at a lesser rate, as agreed upon by the Board of Trustees and the Distributor. Each Plan authorizes payments to the Distributor as compensation for providing account maintenance services to the 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 Fund may make other payments such as contingent deferred sales charges imposed on certain redemptions of shares, which are separate and apart from payments made pursuant to the Plans.
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 Fund; assisting in the establishment and maintenance of accounts or sub-accounts in the Fund and in processing purchase and redemption transactions; making the Fund’s investment plan and shareholder services available; and providing such other information and services to investors in shares of the Fund as the Distributor or the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, 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 Fund. The Adviser may be compensated by the Distributor for its distribution and marketing efforts.
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 Plans 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 initial term of the Plans are one year and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter, provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board of Trustees and a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust and do not have a direct or indirect financial interest in a Plan (“Rule 12b-1 Trustees”) by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan. A Plan may be terminated at any time by the Trust or the Fund by vote of a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting shares of the Fund.
A Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of the Distributor’s compensation to be paid by the 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 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 the Plans will be in writing and provide that: (a) it may be terminated by the Trust or with respect to the Fund 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 Fund; (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.
Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries
Set forth below is a list of the member firms of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) to which the Adviser or certain of its affiliates made payments out of their revenues in connection with the sale and distribution of the Fund’s shares or for services to the Fund and its shareholders. Such payments are in addition to any 12b-1 Plan fees paid to such FINRA member firms. The level of additional compensation payments made to these firms will vary, may be limited to specific share classes and can include various initial and on-going payments. The payments are discussed in detail in the Prospectus under the title “Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries.”
As of the date of this Statement of Additional Information the Adviser and/or the Fund and had entered into arrangements with the following FINRA member firms: Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Fidelity, LPL Financial, Merrill Lynch, National Financial Services, Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., Pershing LLC, RBC Wealth Management, TD Ameritrade Inc., UBS Financial Services, and Millennium Wave Securities. Inclusion on this list does not imply that the additional compensation paid to such firms necessarily constitutes “special cash compensation” as defined by FINRA Conduct Rule 2830. This list will be updated annually and interim arrangements may not be reflected. The Adviser and the Fund assume no duty to notify any investor whether a firm through which he/she invests should be included on any such listing. Investors are encouraged to review the prospectus for any other compensation arrangements pertaining to the distribution of Fund shares. Investors are also encouraged to ask their financial intermediary what compensation that person or the relevant firm may be receiving for the investor’s investment in the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Matthew Osborne, Robert Murphy and Eric Bundonis, each of the Adviser, are portfolio co-managers of the Fund. Mr. Osborne is the lead portfolio manager. As of September 30, 2016, they were responsible for the portfolio management of the following types of accounts in addition to the Fund and the Subsidiary:
MATTHEW OSBORNE | ||||
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 |
Registered Investment Companies | [ ] | [ ] | 0 | $0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | [ ] | [ ] | 0 | $0 |
Other Accounts | [ ] | [ ] | 0 | $0 |
ERIC BUNDONIS | ||||
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 |
Registered Investment Companies | [ ] | [ ] | 0 | $0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | [ ] | [ ] | 0 | $0 |
Other Accounts | [ ] | [ ] | 0 | $0 |
Robert Murphy * | ||||
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 |
Registered Investment Companies | [ ] | [ ] | 0 | $0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | [ ] | [ ] | 0 | $0 |
Other Accounts | [ ] | [ ] | 0 | $0 |
[ ] | ||||
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 | [ ] | [ ] | 0 | $0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | [ ] | [ ] | 0 | $0 |
Other Accounts | [ ] | [ ] | 0 | $0 |
Conflicts of Interest
When a portfolio manager has responsibility for managing more than one account, potential conflicts of interest may arise. Those conflicts could include preferential treatment of one account over others in terms of allocation of resources or of investment opportunities. For instance, a portfolio manager may receive fees from certain accounts that are higher than the fee it receives from other accounts, or it may receive a performance-based fee on certain accounts. The procedures to address conflicts of interest, if any, are described below for the Fund’s Adviser (and portfolio co-managers) and the Fund’s Sub-Adviser and its portfolio manager.
Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. (“Altegris”). Altegris manages multiple client accounts and, as such, potential conflicts of interest may arise. Those conflicts could include preferential treatment of one account over others in terms of allocation of resources or of investment opportunities. For instance, Altegris may receive fees from certain client accounts that are higher than the fee it receives from the Fund, or it may receive a performance-based fee on certain accounts.
Altegris and its associates will attempt to avoid conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of the management of multiple client accounts. From time to time, Altegris may recommend or cause a client to invest in a security in which another client of Altegris has an ownership position. Altegris has adopted certain procedures intended to treat all client accounts in a fair and equitable manner. To the extent that Altegris seeks to purchase or sell the same security for multiple client accounts, Altegris may aggregate, or bunch, these orders where it deems this to be appropriate and consistent with applicable regulatory requirements. When a bunched order is filled in its entirety, each participating client account will participate at the average share prices for the bunched order. When a bunched order is only partially filled, the securities purchased will be allocated on a pro-rata basis to each account participating in the bunched order based upon the initial amount requested for the account, subject to certain exceptions. Each participating account will receive the average share price for the bunched order on the same business day.
[Subadviser]
[to be provided by subsequent amendment]
Compensation
For services as a portfolio co-manager to the Fund, each of Robert Murphy and Eric Bundonis receives a salary and a discretionary bonus from the Adviser. Matthew Osborne receives a salary from the Adviser. Each of Messrs. Osborne, Murphy and Bundonis also have an equity interest in a privately-held entity that directly or indirectly controls the Adviser and its affiliates, and will receive compensation from that entity based upon the future profitability of the Adviser and its affiliates. For services as the Sub-Adviser’s portfolio manager to the Fund, [ ] is compensated by the Sub-Adviser through a combination of [ ].
Ownership of Securities
The following table shows the dollar range of Equity Securities beneficially owned by the Portfolio Manager in the Fund as of June 30, 2015:
Name of Portfolio Manager | Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund |
Matthew Osborne | $100,001-$500,000 |
Eric Bundonis | $0 |
Robert Murphy | $0 |
[ ] | $0 |
OrGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY
The Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in the Subsidiary. It is expected that the Subsidiary will invest through Underlying Pool investments primarily in commodity and financial futures and option contracts, as well as fixed income securities and other investments intended to serve as margin or collateral for the Subsidiary's derivatives positions.
The Subsidiary is a company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands, whose registered office is located at the offices of [ ] Fund, Limited, c/o Maples Corporate Services, Limited, PO Box 309, Ugland House, South Church Street, George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-1104, Cayman Islands. The Subsidiary's affairs are overseen by a board of directors consisting of the following directors:
DIRECTORS
Name and Year of Birth | Position/Term of Office* |
Principal Occupation During the Past Five Years |
Anthony J. Hertl 1950 |
Director since May 2013 |
Consultant to small and emerging businesses (since 2000).
|
Gary W. Lanzen 1954 | Director since May 2013 | Retired since 2012. Formerly, Founder, Partner and President, Orizon Investment Counsel, Inc. (2000-2006); Chief Investment Officer (2000 -2010). |
Mark H. Taylor 1964 |
Director since May 2013 | Andrew D. Braden Professor of Accounting and Auditing, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University (since 2009); President, Auditing Section of the American Accounting Association (2012-2015); Former member of the AICPA Auditing Standards Board, AICPA (2008-2011); Fellow, Office of the Chief Accountant, United States Securities Exchange Commission (2005-2006). |
John V. Palancia 1954 |
Director since May 2013 |
Retired (since 2011). Formerly, Director of Futures Operations, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. (1975-2011). |
Mark D. Gersten
1950
|
Director since December 2013 |
Independent Consultant (since 2012); Senior Vice President – Global Fund Administration Mutual Funds & Alternative Funds, AllianceBernstein LP (1985 – 2011). |
Mark Garbin 1951 |
Director since December 2013 |
Managing Principal, Coherent Capital Management LLC (since 2007); Managing Director and Head of Equity Derivatives -Americas, Rabobank International (2006-2007). |
The Subsidiary has entered into a separate contract with the Adviser for the management of the Subsidiary's portfolio, which has been properly approved pursuant to Section 15 of the 1940 Act. The Subsidiary has also entered into arrangements with Deloitte & Touche LLP to serve as the Subsidiary’s independent auditor, with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. to serve as the Subsidiary's custodian, and with Gemini Fund Services, LLC to serve as the Subsidiary's transfer agent. The Subsidiary has adopted compliance policies and procedures that are substantially similar to the policies and procedures adopted by the Fund. The Fund's Chief Compliance Officer oversees implementation of the Subsidiary's policies and procedures, and makes periodic reports to the Fund's Board regarding the Subsidiary's compliance with its policies and procedures .
The Fund pays the Adviser a fee for its services. The Adviser is currently waiving any advisory fee from the Subsidiary and the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive the management fee it receives from the Fund in an amount equal to the management fee paid to the Adviser by the Subsidiary. This undertaking will continue in effect for so long as the Fund invests in the Subsidiary, and may not be terminated by the Adviser unless the Adviser first obtains the prior approval of the Fund's Board of Trustees for such termination. The Subsidiary will bear the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the custody, transfer agency, and audit services that it receives. The Fund expects that the expenses borne by the Subsidiary will not be material in relation to the value of the Fund's assets. It is also anticipated that the Fund's own expense will be reduced to some extent as a result of the payment of such expenses at the Subsidiary level. It is therefore expected that the Fund's investment in the Subsidiary will not result in the Fund's paying duplicative fees for similar services provided to the Fund and Subsidiary.
Please refer to the section in this Statement of Additional Information titled “Tax Status—Wholly Owned Subsidiary” for information about certain tax aspects of the Fund's investment in the Subsidiary.
ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO BROKERAGE
Specific decisions to purchase or sell securities for the Fund are made by the co-portfolio managers who are employees of the Adviser or by the portfolio manager of the Sub-Adviser. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser 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 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 or Sub-Adviser may determine.
In selecting a broker or dealer to execute each particular transaction, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser will take a series of factors, such as but not limited to the following, into consideration:
· | The best net price available; |
· | The reliability, integrity and financial condition of the broker or dealer; |
· | The size of and difficulty in executing the order; and |
· |
The value of the expected contribution of the broker or dealer to the investment performance
of the fund on a continuing basis. |
Brokers or dealers executing a portfolio transaction on behalf of the Fund 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 Fund. 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 Fund. The managers of Underlying Pools may select an affiliate of the Adviser as their futures introducing broker in connection with futures trades. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013, Fund paid brokerage commissions of $1. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, Fund paid brokerage commissions of $0. For the fiscal period ended June 30, 2015, Fund paid brokerage commissions of $0.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The 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 the Fund's portfolio securities were replaced once within a one-year period.
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
Fund Administration, Fund Accounting and Transfer Agent Services
The administrator for the Fund is Gemini Fund Services, LLC, (“GFS”), which has its principal office at 80 Arkay Drive, Hauppauge, New York 11788, and is primarily in the business of providing administrative, fund accounting and transfer agent services to retail and institutional mutual funds. GFS is an affiliate of the Distributor.
The Agreement became effective on June 22, 2011 and will remain in effect for two years from the applicable effective date for the Fund, and will continue in effect for successive twelve-month periods provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board. The Agreement is terminable by the Board or GFS on 90 days’ written notice and may be assigned by either party, provided that the Trust may not assign this agreement without the prior written consent of GFS. The Agreement provides that GFS shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to the Agreement.
Under the Agreement, GFS performs administrative services, including: (1) monitoring the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to the Trust by others service providers; (2) monitoring Fund holdings and operations for post-trade compliance with the Fund’s registration statement and applicable laws and rules; (3) preparing and coordinating the printing of semi-annual and annual financial statements; (4) preparing selected management reports for performance and compliance analyses; (5) preparing and disseminating materials for and attending and participating in meetings of the Board; (6) determining income and capital gains available for distribution and calculating distributions required to meet regulatory, income, and excise tax requirements; (7) reviewing the Trust's federal, state, and local tax returns as prepared and signed by the Trust's independent public accountants; (8) preparing and maintaining the Trust's operating expense budget to determine proper expense accruals to be charged to each Fund to calculate its daily net asset value; (9) assisting in and monitoring the preparation, filing, printing and where applicable, dissemination to shareholders of amendments to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, periodic reports to the Trustees, shareholders and the SEC, notices pursuant to Rule 24f-2, proxy materials and reports to the SEC on Forms N-SAR, N-CSR, N-Q and N-PX; (10) coordinating the Trust's audits and examinations by assisting each Fund’s independent public accountants; (11) determining, in consultation with others, the jurisdictions in which shares of the Trust shall be registered or qualified for sale and facilitating such registration or qualification; (12) monitoring sales of shares and ensure that the shares are properly and duly registered with the SEC; (13) monitoring the calculation of performance data for the Fund; (14) preparing, or cause to be prepared, expense and financial reports; (15) preparing authorizations for the payment of Trust expenses and pay, from Trust assets, all bills of the Trust; (16) providing information typically supplied in the investment company industry to companies that track or report price, performance or other information with respect to investment companies; (17) upon request, assisting 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 (18) performing other services, recordkeeping and assistance relating to the affairs of the Trust as the Trust may, from time to time, reasonably request.
GFS 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.
GFS also acts as transfer, dividend disbursing, and shareholder servicing agent for the Fund pursuant to the Agreement. Under the Agreement, GFS 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
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 270 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017 (the “Custodian”) serves as the custodian of the Fund's assets pursuant to a custody agreement (the “Custody Agreement”) by and between the Custodian and the Trust on behalf of the Fund. The Custodian's responsibilities include 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 Custody 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 or Sub-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 Fund, the Fund pays NLCS a one-time fee of $2,500, plus an annual fee, based on Fund assets, ranging from $13,500 (net assets of $50 million or less) to $31,500 (net assets over $1 billion). The Fund also pays 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 dividend, distribution and liquidation rights. There are no conversions or preemptive rights applicable to any shares of the und. 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 the 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.
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,” the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund's shares is determined by dividing the total value of the Fund's portfolio investments and other assets, less any liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding of the Fund.
Generally, the 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, on the day of valuation, or if there has been no sale on such day, 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, or deemed unreliable for a security, or if a security's value may have been materially affected by events occurring after the close of a securities market on which the security principally trades, but before a Fund calculates its NAV, securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined in good faith by the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser in accordance with procedures approved by the Board and evaluated by the Board as to the reliability of the fair value method used. In this respect, the Adviser and/or relevant Sub-Adviser, participates in the valuation process by preparing the fair valuation for any such securities as per approved procedures and pursuant to a fair value process developed in coordination with the Fund’s administrator and auditors, and in some cases certain service providers to the issuers of securities subject to the fair valuation. This process is tested and subject to ongoing and periodic monitoring by the Adviser, the Fund’s administrator and the Board as described below.
In cases where a fair valuation of securities is applied, the Fund's NAV will reflect certain portfolio securities' fair value rather than their market price. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. This fair value may also vary from valuations determined by other funds using their own fair valuation procedures. The fair value prices can differ from market prices when they become available or when a price becomes available.
The Fund and the Adviser may use independent pricing services to assist in calculating the value of the 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. In computing the NAV, the Fund values foreign securities held by the Fund at the latest closing price on the exchange in which they are traded immediately prior to closing of the New York Stock Exchange (“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 the Fund's portfolio, particularly foreign securities, occur after the close of trading on a foreign market but before the 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 the Fund calculates its NAV, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser may need to price the security using the Fund's 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 the 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 the Fund's NAV by short term traders.
With respect to any portion of the Fund's assets that are invested in one or more open-end management investment companies registered under the 1940 Act, each 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.
Short-term investments having a maturity of 60 days or less are generally valued at amortized cost. Exchange traded options, futures and options on futures are valued at the settlement price determined by the exchange. Other securities for which market quotes are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board or persons acting at their direction.
As a result of the Fund’s, Subsidiary’s or an Underlying Pool’s investment, if any, in foreign securities or other instruments denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, the NAV of the Fund's shares may be affected by changes in the value of currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar. The value of these instruments denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar may be affected significantly on a day that the NYSE is closed and an investor is not able to purchase, redeem or exchange shares.
Fund shares are valued at the close of regular trading on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) (the “NYSE Close”) on each day that the NYSE is open. For purposes of calculating the NAV, the Fund normally uses pricing data for domestic equity securities received shortly after the NYSE Close and do not normally take into account trading, clearances or settlements that take place after the NYSE Close. Domestic fixed income and foreign securities are normally priced using data reflecting the earlier closing of the principal markets for those securities. Information that becomes known to the Fund or its agents after the NAV has been calculated on a particular day will not generally be used to retroactively adjust the price of the security or the NAV determined earlier that day.
The Fund may hold securities, such as private placements, interests in commodity pools, other non-traded securities or temporarily illiquid securities, for which market quotations are not readily available or are determined to be unreliable. These securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined using the “fair value” procedures approved by the Board. The Board has delegated execution of these procedures to a fair value team composed of one of more representatives from each of the (i) Trust, (ii) administrator, and (iii) Adviser and/or Sub-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.
Fair Value Team and Valuation Process. The fair value team is composed of one or more representatives from each of the (i) Trust, (ii) administrator, and (iii) Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser. The applicable investments are valued collectively via inputs from each of these groups. For example, fair value determinations are required for the following securities: (i) securities for which market quotations are insufficient or not readily available on a particular business day (including securities for which there is a short and temporary lapse in the provision of a price by the regular pricing source), (ii) securities for which, in the judgment of the adviser or sub-adviser, the prices or values available do not represent the fair value of the instrument. Factors which may cause the adviser or sub-adviser to make such a judgment include, but are not limited to, the following: only a bid price or an asked price is available; the spread between bid and asked prices is substantial; the frequency of sales; the thinness of the market; the size of reported trades; and actions of the securities markets, such as the suspension or limitation of trading; (iii) securities determined to be illiquid; (iv) securities with respect to which an event that will affect the value thereof has occurred (a “significant event”) since the closing prices were established on the principal exchange on which they are traded, but prior to the Fund’s calculation of its net asset value. Specifically, interests in commodity pools or managed futures pools are valued on a daily basis by reference to the closing market prices of each futures contract or other asset held by a pool, as adjusted for pool expenses. Restricted or illiquid securities, such as private placements or non-traded securities are valued via inputs from the adviser or sub-adviser valuation based upon the current bid for the security from two or more independent dealers or other parties reasonably familiar with the facts and circumstances of the security (who should take into consideration all relevant factors as may be appropriate under the circumstances). If the adviser or sub-adviser is unable to obtain a current bid from such independent dealers or other independent parties, the fair value team shall determine the fair value of such security using the following factors: (i) the type of security; (ii) the cost at date of purchase; (iii) the size and nature of the Fund's holdings; (iv) the discount from market value of unrestricted securities of the same class at the time of purchase and subsequent thereto; (v) information as to any transactions or offers with respect to the security; (vi) the nature and duration of restrictions on disposition of the security and the existence of any registration rights; (vii) how the yield of the security compares to similar securities of companies of similar or equal creditworthiness; (viii) the level of recent trades of similar or comparable securities; (ix) the liquidity characteristics of the security; (x) current market conditions; and (xi) the market value of any securities into which the security is convertible or exchangeable.
Standards For Fair Value Determinations. As a general principle, the fair value of a security is the amount that the Fund might reasonably expect to realize upon its current sale. The Trust has adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (“ASC 820”). In accordance with ASC 820, fair value is defined as the price that the Fund would receive upon selling an investment in a timely transaction to an independent buyer in the principal or most advantageous market of the investment. ASC 820 establishes a three-tier hierarchy to maximize the use of observable market data and minimize the use of unobservable inputs and to establish classification of fair value measurements for disclosure purposes. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk, for example, the risk inherent in a particular valuation technique used to measure fair value including such a pricing model and/or the risk inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the reporting entity's own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, developed based on the best information available under the circumstances.
Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund's investments relating to ASC 820. These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below.
Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2 – other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)
Level 3 – significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).
The fair value team takes into account the relevant factors and surrounding circumstances, which may include: (i) the nature and pricing history (if any) of the security; (ii) whether any dealer quotations for the security are available; (iii) possible valuation methodologies that could be used to determine the fair value of the security; (iv) the recommendation of a portfolio manager of the Fund with respect to the valuation of the security; (v) whether the same or similar securities are held by other funds managed by the Adviser (or Sub-Adviser) or other funds and the method used to price the security in those funds; (vi) the extent to which the fair value to be determined for the security will result from the use of data or formulae produced by independent third parties and (vii) the liquidity or illiquidity of the market for the security.
Board of Trustees Determination. The Board of Trustees meets at least quarterly to consider the valuations provided by the fair value team and to ratify valuations for the applicable securities. The Board of Trustees considers the reports provided by the fair value team, including follow up studies of subsequent market-provided prices when available, in reviewing and determining in good faith the fair value of the applicable portfolio securities.
The Trust expects that the NYSE will be closed on 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.
Purchase of Shares
Orders for shares received by the Fund in good order prior to the close of business on the NYSE on each day during such periods that the NYSE is open for trading are priced at the public offering price, which is NAV plus any sales charge, or at net asset value per share (if no sales charges apply) computed as of the close of the regular session of trading on the NYSE. Orders received in good order after the close of the NYSE, or on a day it is not open for trading, are priced at the close of such NYSE on the next day on which it is open for trading at the next determined net asset value per share plus sales charges, if any.
Redemption of Shares
The Fund will redeem all or any portion of a shareholder's shares of the Fund when requested in accordance with the procedures set forth in the “”How to Redeem Shares” section of the Prospectus. Under the 1940 Act, a shareholder's right to redeem shares and to receive payment therefore may be suspended at times:
(a) | when the NYSE is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings; |
(b) | when trading on that exchange is restricted for any reason; |
(c) | when an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly to determine the value of net assets, provided that applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (or any succeeding governmental authority) will govern as to whether the conditions prescribed in (b) or (c) exist; or |
(d) | when the SEC by order permits a suspension of the right to redemption or a postponement of the date of payment on redemption. |
In case of suspension of the right of redemption, payment of a redemption request will be made based on the net asset value next determined after the termination of the suspension.
Supporting documents in addition to those listed under “”“How to Redeem Shares” in the Prospectus will be required from executors, administrators, trustees, or if redemption is requested by someone other than the shareholder of record. Such documents include, but are not restricted to, stock powers, trust instruments, certificates of death, appointments as executor, certificates of corporate authority and waiver of tax required in some states when settling estates.
Deferred Sales Charge – Class A and C Shares
A deferred sales charge of up to 1% may be applied to Class A shares redeemed or exchanged for Class C shares within 18 months of purchase if the initial sales charge has been waived and the Fund's Distributor has paid authorized broker-dealers a commission for selling Fund shares. The deferred sales charge will equal the amount of the commissions paid on those shares redeemed. A deferred sales charge of up to 1% may be applied to Class C shares redeemed or exchanges for Class I Shares within one year of purchase.
Redemption Fees
A redemption fee of 1% of the amount redeemed is assessed on shares that have been redeemed within 30 days of purchase.
Waivers of Redemption Fees : The Fund has elected not to impose the redemption fee for:
· | Redemptions and exchanges of Fund shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions; |
· | Certain types of redemptions and exchanges of Fund shares owned through participant-directed retirement plans; |
· | Redemptions or exchanges in discretionary asset allocation, fee based or wrap programs (“wrap programs”) that are initiated by the sponsor/financial advisor as part of a periodic rebalancing; |
· | Redemptions or exchanges in a fee based or wrap program that are made as a result of a full withdrawal from the wrap program or as part of a systematic withdrawal plan including the Fund's systematic withdrawal plan; |
· | Involuntary redemptions, such as those resulting from a shareholder's failure to maintain a minimum investment in the Fund, or to pay shareholder fees; or |
· | Other types of redemptions as the Adviser or the Trust may determine in special situations and approved by the Fund's or the Adviser's Chief Compliance Officer. |
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 adviser regarding their investment in the Fund.
The Fund intends to qualify as regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), 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, the Fund should not be subject to federal income or excise tax on its net investment company taxable income or net capital gain, which are distributed to shareholders in accordance with the applicable timing requirements. Investment company taxable income and net capital gain of the Fund will be computed in accordance with Section 852 of the Code.
Investment company taxable income generally included dividends and interest and other income, less certain allowable expenses, and it also includes any excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses. Net capital gain (that is, any excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term losses.) for a fiscal year is computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund. Capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010 may now be carried forward indefinitely and retain the character of the original loss. Under previously enacted laws, capital losses could be carried forward to offset any capital gains for only eight years, and carried forward as short-term capital losses, irrespective of the character of the original loss. Capital loss carryforwards are available to offset future realized capital gains. To the extent that these carryforwards are used to offset future capital gains it is probable that the amount offset will not be distributed to shareholders.
The Fund intends to distribute all of its investment company taxable income, and net capital gain 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 company taxable income and net capital gain will be made after the end of each fiscal year, and no later than December 31 of each year. Both types of distributions will be in shares of the Fund unless a shareholder elects to receive cash.
Notwithstanding the above, the Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income monthly and net capital gains annually. Both distributions will be reinvested in shares of the Fund unless you elect to receive cash. Dividends from net investment income (as well as any excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) are taxable to investors as ordinary income, while distributions of net capital gain (in the case of the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are generally taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of your holding period for the shares. Any dividends or capital gain distributions you receive from the Fund will normally be taxable to you when made, regardless of whether you reinvest dividends or capital gain distributions or receive them in cash.
To be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, the 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 holdings so that, at the end of each fiscal quarter, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the 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 the 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 which the Fund controls and which are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or the securities of certain publicly traded partnerships.
If the 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 income at the rates generally applicable to corporations and distributions to shareholders would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of current or accumulated earnings and profits of the Fund.
Altegris is aware of certain private letter rulings from the Internal Revenue Service issued to other mutual funds, which indicate that income from the fund’s investment in a subsidiary will constitute “qualifying income” for purposes of Subchapter M; however, the Fund has not itself received or applied for private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service and does not intend to apply for such a ruling. Private letter rulings are not precedent and the Internal Revenue Service is not bound by them. Therefore, if the Internal Revenue Service challenges the position taken by the Fund that the income is qualifying income, it may not prevail and would lose its status as a registered investment company.
The 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 the 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 to the Fund during the preceding calendar year. Under ordinary circumstances, the 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 generally are exempt from income taxation under the Code, but should consult their own tax advisors about the tax consequences of investing in the Fund, including potential taxation of unrelated business taxable income.
The Fund intends to make monthly distributions of any net income (for example, from interest and dividends) to shareholders. However, the Fund may not generate net income in every month or any month. Additionally, the Fund's distributions are not designed to generate, and are not expected to result in, distributions that equal a fixed percentage of the Fund's current net asset value per share. Shareholders receiving periodic payments from the Fund may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits. However, all or a portion of a distribution may consist of a return of capital. Shareholders should not assume that the source of a distribution from the Fund is net profit. Shareholders should note that return of capital will reduce the tax basis of their shares and potentially increase the taxable gain, if any, upon disposition of their shares. Returns of capital reduce a shareholder's tax cost (or “tax basis”). Once a shareholder's tax basis is reduced to zero, any further return of capital would be taxable. As required under the 1940 Act, the Fund will provide a notice to shareholders at the time of distribution when such distribution does not consist solely of net income. Additionally, each distribution payment will be accompanied by a written statement which discloses the source or sources of each distribution. The IRS requires you to report these amounts, excluding returns of capital, on your income tax return for the year declared. The Fund will provide disclosures, with each monthly distribution, that estimate the percentages of the current and year-to-date distributions that represent (1) net investment income, (2) capital gains and (3) return of capital. At the end of the year, the Fund may be required under applicable law to re-characterize distributions made previously during that year among (1) ordinary income, (2) capital gains and (3) return of capital for tax purposes. An additional distribution may be made in December, and other additional distributions may be made with respect to a particular fiscal year in order to comply with applicable law. Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year the Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Your redemptions, including exchanges, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them.
On the account application, you will be asked to certify that your social security number or taxpayer identification number is correct and that you are not subject to backup withholding for failing to report income to the IRS. If you are subject to backup withholding or you did not certify your taxpayer identification number, the IRS requires the Fund to withhold a percentage of any dividend, redemption or exchange proceeds. The Fund reserves the right to reject any application that does not include a certified social security or taxpayer identification number. If you do not have a social security number, you should indicate on the purchase form that your application to obtain a number is pending. The Fund is required to withhold taxes if a number is not delivered to the Fund within seven days.
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 investment company taxable income generally taxable to shareholders as ordinary income or “qualified dividend income” (as described below).
Dividends paid by the Fund to an individual shareholder, to the extent such dividends are attributable to “qualified dividend income” received by the Fund from U.S. corporations (and certain foreign corporations), may qualify for taxation at the long-term capital gains rate available to individuals on qualified dividend income. Furthermore, dividends paid by the Fund to a corporate shareholder, to the extent such dividends are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, may qualify for a dividends received deduction.
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 Fund have been held by such shareholders.
An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends, qualified dividend income distributions and capital gain dividends, as well as gains from redemption of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts, to the extent that the shareholder’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts. U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers regarding the implications of the additional Medicare tax resulting from an investment in the Fund.
“”A 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 investment company taxable 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 investment company taxable 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, the Fund will be required to report to the Internal Revenue Service all distributions of investment company 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 the 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 distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld.
Other Reporting and Withholding Requirements
Payments to a shareholder that is either a foreign financial institution (“FFI”) or a non-financial foreign entity (“NFFE”) within the meaning of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) may be subject to a generally nonrefundable 30% withholding tax on: (a) income dividends paid by the Fund after June 30, 2014 and (b) certain capital gain distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares paid by the Fund after December 31, 2016. FATCA withholding tax generally can be avoided: (a) by an FFI, subject to any applicable intergovernmental agreement or other exemption, if it enters into a valid agreement with the IRS to, among other requirements, report required information about certain direct and indirect ownership of foreign financial accounts held by U.S. persons with the FFI and (b) by an NFFE, if it: (i) certifies that it has no substantial U.S. persons as owners or (ii) if it does have such owners, reports information relating to them. A Fund may disclose the information that it receives from its shareholders to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of the Fund fails to provide the Fund with appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.
This summary is not intended to be and should not be construed to be legal or tax advice. You should consult your own tax advisors to determine the tax consequences of owning the Fund's shares.
Options, Futures, Forward Contracts and Swap Agreements
To the extent such investments are permissible for the 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 the 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 the 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 the 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 the Fund's book income is less than taxable income, the Fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a regular investment company that is accorded special tax treatment.
Passive Foreign Investment Companies
Investment by the 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, the Fund may elect to treat a PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” (“QEF election”), 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 they receives any distribution from the company.
The 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 the 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 the Fund to avoid taxation. Making either of these elections therefore may require the 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 the Fund's total return.
Foreign Currency Transactions
The 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.
Foreign Taxation
Income received by the 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 the 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 the 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 the 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 the Fund's income will flow through to shareholders of the Fund. With respect to the Fund, gains from the sale of securities generally 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 generally 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 the 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 originally issued, even though the holder receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year. In addition, other debt instruments, such as pay-in-kind securities may will give rise to income under the original issue discount rules, which income 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 the 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 the Fund in the secondary market may be treated as having market 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. The 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 the Fund may be treated as having acquisition discount, or OID in the case of certain types of debt securities. Generally, the 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. The 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, which is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary (including when it is not advantageous to do so). The Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the 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 the Fund may be subject to state and local taxes on distributions received from the Fund and on redemptions of the Fund's shares.
The foregoing discussion relates only to U.S. federal income tax law as applicable to U.S. persons (that is, U.S. citizens and residents, and domestic corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates). Shareholders who are not U.S. persons should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. and foreign tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.
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 advisers about the application of federal, state and local and foreign tax law in light of their particular situation.
Wholly Owned Subsidiary
The Fund intends to invest a portion of its assets in the Subsidiary, which will be classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A foreign corporation, such as the Subsidiary, will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation unless it is deemed to be engaged in a U.S. trade or business. It is expected that the Subsidiary will conduct its activities in a manner so as to meet the requirements of a safe harbor under Section 864(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Safe Harbor”) pursuant to which the Subsidiary, provided it is not a dealer in stocks, securities or commodities, may engage in the following activities without being deemed to be engaged in a U.S. trade or business: (1) trading in stocks or securities (including contracts or options to buy or sell securities) for its own account; and (2) trading, for its own account, in commodities that are “of a kind customarily dealt in on an organized commodity exchange” if the transaction is of a kind customarily consummated at such place. Thus, the Subsidiary's securities and commodities trading activities should not constitute a U.S. trade or business. However, if certain of the Subsidiary's activities were determined not to be of the type described in the Safe Harbor or if the Subsidiary's gains are attributable to investments in securities that constitute U.S. real property interests (which is not expected), then the activities of the Subsidiary may constitute a U.S. trade or business, or be taxed as such.
In general, a foreign corporation that does not conduct a U.S. trade or business is nonetheless subject to tax at a flat rate of 30 percent (or lower tax treaty rate), generally payable through withholding, on the gross amount of certain U.S.-source income that is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. There is presently no tax treaty in force between the U.S. and the Cayman Islands that would reduce this rate of withholding tax. Income subject to such a flat tax includes dividends and certain interest income. The 30 percent tax does not apply to U.S.-source capital gains (whether long-term or short-term) or to interest paid to a foreign corporation on its deposits with U.S. banks. The 30 percent tax also does not apply to interest which qualifies as “portfolio interest.” The term “portfolio interest” generally includes interest (including original issue discount) on an obligation in registered form which has been issued after July 18, 1984 and with respect to which the person, who would otherwise be required to deduct and withhold the 30 percent tax, received the required statement that the beneficial owner of the obligation is not a U.S. person within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code. Under certain circumstances, interest on bearer obligations may also be considered portfolio interest.
The Subsidiary will be wholly-owned by the Fund. A U.S. person who owns (directly, indirectly or constructively) 10 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of a foreign corporation is a “U.S. Shareholder” for purposes of the controlled foreign corporation (“CFC”) provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. A foreign corporation is a CFC if, on any day of its taxable year, more than 50 percent of the voting power or value of its stock is owned (directly, indirectly or constructively) by “U.S. Shareholders.” Because the Fund is a U.S. person that will own all of the stock of the Subsidiary, the Fund will be a “U.S. Shareholder” and the Subsidiary will be a CFC. As a “U.S. Shareholder,” the Fund will be required to include in gross income for United States federal income tax purposes all of the Subsidiary's “subpart F income” (defined, in part, below), whether or not such income is distributed by the Subsidiary. It is expected that all of the Subsidiary's income will be “subpart F income.” “Subpart F income” generally includes interest, original issue discount, dividends, net gains from the disposition of stocks or securities, receipts with respect to securities loans and net payments received with respect to equity swaps and similar derivatives. “Subpart F income” also includes the excess of gains over losses from transactions (including futures, forward and similar transactions) in any commodities. The Fund's recognition of the Subsidiary's “subpart F income” will increase the Fund's tax basis in the Subsidiary. Distributions by the Subsidiary to the Fund will be tax-free, to the extent of its previously undistributed “subpart F income,” and will correspondingly reduce the Fund's tax basis in the Subsidiary. “Subpart F income” is generally treated as ordinary income, regardless of the character of the Subsidiary's underlying income.
In general, each “U.S. Shareholder” is required to file IRS Form 5471 with its U.S. federal income tax (or information) returns providing information about its ownership of the CFC. In addition, a “U.S. Shareholder” may in certain circumstances be required to report a disposition of shares in the Subsidiary by attaching IRS Form 5471 to its U.S. federal income tax (or information) return that it would normally file for the taxable year in which the disposition occurs. In general, these filing requirements will apply to investors of the Fund if the investor is a U.S. person who owns directly, indirectly or constructively (within the meaning of Sections 958(a) and (b) of the Internal Revenue Code) 10 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of voting stock of a foreign corporation that is a CFC for an uninterrupted period of 30 days or more during any tax year of the foreign corporation, and who owned that stock on the last day of that year.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Fund has selected [ ], located at [ ], as its independent registered public accounting firm for the current fiscal year. The firm provides services including (i) audit of annual consolidated financial statements, and (ii) and other audit-related tax services.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Thompson Hine LLP, 41 South High Street, Suite 1700, Columbus, Ohio 43215 serves as the Trust's legal counsel.
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Fund has not yet commenced operations and, therefore, has 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 1-877-772-5838.
Northern Lights Fund Trust
PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 28.
EXHIBITS.
(a)(1) | Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 19, 2005, as amended December 14, 2009 previously filed on March 24, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 133, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(a)(2) | Certificate of Trust as filed with the State of Delaware on January 19, 2005. Previously filed on February 18, 2005 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(b) | By-Laws, effective as of January 19, 2005, as amended December 14, 2009, previously filed on March 24, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 133, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(c) | Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders. See Article III, “Shares” and Article V “Shareholders’ Voting Powers and Meetings” of the Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust. See also, Article II, “Meetings of Shareholders” of the Registrant’s By-Laws. |
(d)(1) | Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the Adaptive Allocation Fund (previously known as Critical Math Fund), and Critical Math Advisors LLC, previously filed on January 30, 2006 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 8, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(2) | Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to The Biondo Growth Fund, and Biondo Investment Advisors, LLC, previously filed on April 24, 2006 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 11, and hereby incorporated by reference. Amended Investment Advisory Agreement to include The Biondo Focus Fund previously filed on January 14, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 121, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(3) | Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the Changing Parameters Fund, and Changing Parameters, LLC, previously filed on January 12, 2007 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 16, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(4) | Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the Pacific Financial Core Equity Fund, the Pacific Financial Explorer Fund, the Pacific Financial International Fund, the Pacific Financial Strategic Conservative Fund and the Pacific Financial Tactical Fund, and The Pacific Financial Group, Inc., previously filed on May 10, 2007 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 21, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(5) | Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to Sierra Core Retirement Fund and Wright Fund Management, LLC, previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(6) | Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to EAS Crow Point Alternatives Fund and Crow Point Partners, LLC, previously filed on October 9, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 540, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(7) | Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to KCM Macro Trends Fund and Kerns Capital Management, Inc., previously filed on October 11, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 542, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(8) | Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the Wade Tactical L/S Fund and Wade Financial Group, previously filed on November 28, 2012 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 436, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(9) | Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the Toews Hedged Core Frontier Fund (formerly Toews Hedged Emerging Markets Fund) and Toews Corporation previously filed on May 14, 2009 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 87, and hereby incorporated by reference. Amended Investment Advisory Agreement to include Toews Hedged Core W Fund (formerly Toews Hedged International Developed Markets Fund), Toews Hedged High Yield Bond Fund, Toews Hedged Core L Fund (formerly Toews Hedged Large-Cap Fund) and Toews Hedged Core S Fund (formerly Toews Hedged Small & Mid Cap Fund) previously filed on June 4, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 156, and hereby incorporated by reference. Amended Investment Advisory to include Toews Hedged Growth Allocation, Toews Unconstrained Income Fund and Toews Hedged Commodities Fund previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(10) | Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the Leader Short Term Bond Fund and Leader Capital Corp., previously filed on October 20, 2008 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 66, and hereby incorporated by reference. Amended Investment Advisory Agreement to include Leader Total Return Fund previously filed on June 30, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 162, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(11) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Montebello Partners, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the GMG Defensive Beta Fund previously filed on July 27, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 728, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(12) | Investment Advisory Agreement between BTS Asset Management, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the BTS Bond Asset Allocation Fund previously filed on July 21, 2009 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 94, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(13) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Astor Investment Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Astor Long/Short ETF Fund, the Astor S.T.A.R. ETF Fund and the Astor Active Income ETF Fund, previously filed on March 9, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 694, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(14) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Equinox Fund Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Equinox MutualHedge Futures Strategy Fund previously filed on January 22, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 122, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(15) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Investment Partners Asset Management, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to Investment Partners Opportunities Fund previously filed on October 30, 2009 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 111, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(16) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Princeton Futures Strategy Fund, filed previously filed on July 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 847, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(17) | Sub-Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and 6800 Capital, LLC, with respect to the Princeton Futures Strategy Fund previously filed on May 28, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 720, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(18) | Sub-Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and Congress Asset Management Company, LLP, with respect to the Princeton Futures Strategy Fund previously filed on October 9, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 540, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(19) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Chadwick & D’Amato, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Chadwick & D’Amato Fund previously filed on June 10, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 157, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(20) | Investment Advisory Agreement between 13D Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to 13D Activist Fund previously filed on December 29, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 345, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(21) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and the Registrant, with respect to Altegris Managed Futures Strategy Fund, Altegris Macro Strategy Fund, Altegris Futures Evolution Fund, Altegris Equity Long Short Fund, Altegris Fixed Income Long Short Fund and Altegris Multi-Strategy Alternatives Fund previously filed on January 28, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 589, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(22) | Investment Advisory Agreement between W.E. Donoghue & Co., Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to Power Income Fund previously filed on August 27, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 170, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(23) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Portfolio Strategies, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to PSI Market Neutral Fund, PSI Total Return Fund, PSI Strategic Growth Fund and PSI Tactical Growth Fund previously filed on August 27, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 170, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(24) | Investment Advisory Agreement between CWC Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to CWC Small Cap Aggressive Value Fund previously filed on November 30, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 186, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(25) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Traub Capital Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to The FX Strategy Fund previously filed on January 20, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 201, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(26) | Investment Advisory Agreement between TransWestern Capital Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to TransWestern Institutional Short Duration Government Bond Fund previously filed on December 2, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 187, and hereby incorporated by reference. Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between TransWestern Capital Advisors, LLC, and the Registrant, with respect to TransWestern Institutional Short Duration Government Bond Fund previously filed on April 25, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 601, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(27) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between TransWestern Capital Advisors, LLC and Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P., with respect to TransWestern Institutional Short Duration Government Bond Fund previously filed on December 2, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 187, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(28) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Logan Circle Partners, L.P., and the Registrant, with respect to Fortress Long/Short Credit Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(29) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Beech Hill Advisors, Inc., and the Registrant, with respect to Beech Hill Total Return Fund previously filed on January 5, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 196, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(30) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Clark Capital Management Group, Inc., and the Registrant, with respect to Navigator Equity Hedged Fund previously filed on November 30, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 186, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(31) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Knollwood Investment Advisors, LLC, and the Registrant, with respect to Grant Park Managed Futures Strategy Fund previously filed on March 1, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 226, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(32) | Transfer and Assumption Agreement between Knollwood Investment Advisors, LLC, and Dearborn Capital Management, L.L.C., with respect to the Investment Advisory Agreement specific as to the Grant Park Managed Futures Strategy Fund previously filed on May 31, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 491, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(33) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Risk Paradigm Group, LLC, and the Registrant, with respect to Diversified Risk Parity Fund previously filed on April 21, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 240, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(34) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Genesis Capital LLC, and the Registrant, with respect to Granite Harbor Alternative Fund (formerly SCA Absolute Return Fund) and Granite Harbor Tactical Fund (formerly SCA Directional Fund) previously filed on April 21, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 240, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(35) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Zeo Capital Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Zeo Strategic Income Fund previously filed on May 27, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 261, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(36) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Giralda Advisors, LLC, and the Registrant, with respect to The Giralda Fund previously filed on May 4, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 245, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(37) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Van Hulzen Asset Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Iron Horse Fund previously filed on March 3, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 595, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(38) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Makefield Capital Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Makefield Managed Futures Strategy Fund, previously filed on December 23, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 571, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(39) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Ascendant Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Ascendant Balanced Fund, Ascendant Natural Resources Fund, Ascendant Deep Values Convertible Fund (formerly Ascendant Diversified Income & Growth Fund) and Patriot Fund previously filed on December 23, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 580, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(40) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Winch Advisory Services, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Ginkgo Multi-Strategy Fund previously filed on July 19, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 282, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(41) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and Doubleline Capital LP, with respect to Altegris Futures Evolution Strategy Fund previously filed on October 19, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 318, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(42) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Risk Paradigm Group, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to RPG Emerging Market Sector Rotation Fund previously filed on November 28, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 341, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(43) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Risk Paradigm Group, LLC and F-Squared Institutional Advisors, LLC, with respect to RPG Emerging Market Sector Rotation Fund previously filed on October 9, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 540, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(44) | Investment Advisory Agreement between CMG Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the CMG Tactical Futures Strategy Fund previously filed on March 12, 2012 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 363, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(45) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between CMG Capital Management Group, Inc. and Scotia Partners, LLC, with respect to the CMG Tactical Futures Strategy Fund previously filed on March 12, 2012 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 363, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(46) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and Harvest Capital Strategies, LLC, with respect to the Altegris Equity Long Short Fund previously filed on October 15, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 543, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(47) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Wright Fund Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Sierra Strategic Income Fund previously filed on December 21, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 343, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(48) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC, Eagle Global Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Eagle MLP Strategy Fund previously filed on October 15, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 543, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(49) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and Visium Asset Management LP, with respect to the Altegris Equity Long Short Fund previously filed on October 15, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 543, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(50) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Sandalwood Opportunity Fund previously filed on October 15, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 543, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(51) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and Sandalwood Securities, Inc., with respect to the Sandalwood Opportunity Fund previously filed on October 15, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 543, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(52) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and Deer Park Road Management, LP, with respect to the Sandalwood Opportunity Fund previously filed on January 13, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 658, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(53) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and Acuity Capital Management, LLC, with respect to the Sandalwood Opportunity Fund previously filed on November 20, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 561, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(54) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and MidOcean Credit Fund Management, L.P., with respect to the Sandalwood Opportunity Fund previously filed on April 7, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 598, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(55) | Interim Sub-Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and Whippoorwill Capital Management LP, with respect to the Sandalwood Opportunity Fund previously filed on July 28, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 729, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(56) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and RockView Management, LLC, with respect to the Altegris Fixed Income Long Short Fund previously filed on December 17, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 570, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(57) | Investment Advisory Agreement between The Pacific Financial Group, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the Pacific Financial Alternative Strategies Fund, Pacific Financial Flexible Growth & Income Fund, Pacific Financial Balanced Fund, Pacific Financial Foundational Asset Allocation Fund, Pacific Financial Faith & Values Based Moderate Fund, Pacific Financial Faith & Values Based Conservative Fund and Pacific Financial Faith & Values Based Diversified Growth Fund previously filed on December 17, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 570, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(58) | Investment Advisory Agreement between BTS Asset Management, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the BTS Hedged Income Fund previously filed on February 12, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 459, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(59) | Investment Advisory Agreement between CMG Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the CMG Global Equity Fund and CMG Managed High Yield Fund previously filed on May 30, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 488, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(60) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between CMG Capital Management Group, Inc. and Alpha Simplex Group, LLC, with respect to the CMG Global Equity Fund previously filed on October 29, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 648, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(61) | Investment Advisory Agreement between BTS Asset Management, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the BTS Tactical Fixed Income Fund previously filed on December 17, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 570, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(62) | Assignment and Consent between the Registrant, Emerald Asset Advisors, LLC and Crow Point Partners, LLC previously filed on March 7, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 469, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(63) | Advisory Fee Waiver between Traub Capital Management, LLC. and the Registrant, with respect to The FX Strategy Fund previously filed on April 30, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 480, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(64) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Giralda Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to The Giralda Fund previously filed on May 30, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 488, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(65) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Clark Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to Navigator Duration Neutral Bond Fund previously filed on December 23, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 571, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(66) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Clark Capital Management Group, Inc. and Main Point Advisors, Inc., with respect to the Navigator Duration Neutral Bond Fund previously filed on December 23, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 571, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(67) | Interim Investment Advisory Agreement between Probabilities Fund Management, LLC and Registrant with respect to the Probabilities Fund previously filed on December 31, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 789, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(68) | Investment Advisory Agreement between W.E. Donoghue & Co., Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the Power Dividend Index Fund previously filed on October 11, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 542, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(69) | Advisory Fee Waiver Agreement between Van Hulzen Asset Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Iron Horse Fund previously filed on July 25, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 507, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(70) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Portfolio Strategies, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the PSI Calendar Effects Fund previously filed on December 23, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 571, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(71) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Dearborn Capital Management L.L.C. and the Registrant, with respect to the Grant Park Multi-Alternative Strategy Fund previously filed on December 17, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 570, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(72) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and the Registrant, with respect to the Altegris/AACA Real Estate Long Short previously filed on December 23, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 571, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(73) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and American Assets Investment Management, LLC, with respect to Altegris/AACA Real Estate Long Short Fund previously filed on March 3, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 595, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(74) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc., with respect to Altegris Macro Strategy Fund and Altegris Managed Futures Strategy Fund previously filed on October 28, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 551, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(75) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Genesis Capital, LLC, with respect to Anchor Alternative Income Fund previously filed on January 24, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 578, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(76) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Genesis Capital, LLC and Anchor Capital Management, Group, Inc., with respect to Anchor Alternative Income Fund previously filed on January 24, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 578, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(77) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Giralda Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Giralda Risk-Managed Growth Fund previously filed on February 24, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 593, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(78) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Clark Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the Navigator Sentry Managed Volatility Fund previously filed on February 3, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 591, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(79) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Clark Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the Navigator Tactical Fixed Income Fund previously filed on July 11, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 614, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(80) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Astor Investment Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Astor Macro Alternative Fund previously filed on April 15, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 697, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(81) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Dearborn Capital Management and EMC Capital Management, with respect to Grant Park Multi-Alternative Strategies Fund previously filed on July 28, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 617, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(82) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and Chilton Investment Company, with respect to the Altegris Equity Long Short Fund previously filed on August 22, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 625, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(83) | Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Leader Capital Corp., with respect to Leader Global Bond Fund previously filed on July 27, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 728, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(84) | Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Genesis Capital LLC, with respect to Anchor Tactical Municipal Fund previously filed on April 15, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 697, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(85) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Genesis Capital LLC and Anchor Capital Management Group, Inc., with respect to the Anchor Tactical Municipal Fund previously filed on May 28, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 720, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(86) | Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC with respect to the Athena Value Fund previously filed on May 28, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 720, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(87) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and AthenaInvest Advisors LLC, with respect to the Athena Value Fund is filed herewith. |
(d)(88) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between CMG Capital Management Group, Inc., and Registrant with respect to the CMG Tactical Bond Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(89) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between CMG Capital Management Group, Inc., and Registrant with respect to the CMG Global Equity Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(90) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between BTS Asset Management, Inc. and Registrant with respect to the BTS Hedged Income Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(91) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Ascendant Advisors, LLC, and Registrant with respect to the Ascendant Deep Value Convertibles Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(92) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Genesis Capital LLC, and Registrant with respect to the Granite Harbor Alternative Fund and Granite Harbor Tactical Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(93) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between W.E. Donoghue & Co. Inc., and Registrant with respect to the Power Income Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(94) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Clark Capital Management Group, Inc. and Registrant with respect to the Navigator Duration Neutral Bond Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(95) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between BTS Asset Management, Inc. and Registrant with respect to the BTS Tactical Fixed Income Fund previously filed on March 9, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 694, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(96) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and MAST Capital Management, LLC, with respect to the Altegris Fixed Income Long Short Fund previously filed on April 15, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 697, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(97) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Inc. and Registrant with respect to the Ladenburg Aggressive Growth Fund, Ladenburg Growth Fund, Ladenburg Growth & Income Fund, Ladenburg Income & Growth Fund and Ladenburg Income Fund previously filed on September 1, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No, 749, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(98) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and Registrant with respect to the Deer Park Total Return Credit Fund previously filed on September 8, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 750, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(99) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Dearborn Capital Management, LLC and Registrant with respect to Grant Park Absolute Return Fund and Grant Park Fixed Income Fund previously filed on April 30, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(100) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Dearborn Capital Management, LLC and Revolution Capital Management, LLC previously filed on August 7, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 734, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(101) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and Deer Park Road Management Company, LP, with respect to Deer Park Total Return Credit Fund previously filed on October 16, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 762, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(102) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Dearborn Capital Management, LLC and Middleton Dickinson Capital Management, LLC, with respect to Grant Park Fixed Income Fund previously filed on October 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 762, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(103) | Advisory Fee Waiver Agreement between Dearborn Capital Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Grant Park Fixed Income Fund previously filed on August 7, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 734, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(104) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and Registrant with respect to AFES Fund Limited, previously filed on October 27, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 768, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(105) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and Registrant with respect to AGMS Fund Limited, previously filed on October 27, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 768, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(106) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and Registrant with respect to AMFS Fund Limited, previously filed on October 27, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 768, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d) (107) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Dearborn Capital Management, Inc. and Registrant with respect to the Grant Park Managed Futures Strategy previously filed on December 31, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 789, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d) (108) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between The Pacific Financial Group, LLC and Registrant with respect to the Pacific Financial Strategic Conservative Fund previously filed on December 31, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 789, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d) (109) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Genesis Capital, LLC and Registrant with respect to the Armor Alternative Fund previously filed on December 31, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 789, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d) (110) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Giralda Advisors, LLC and Registrant with respect to the Giralda Risk Managed Fund previously filed on December 31, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 789, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d) (111) | Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Clark Capital Management Group, Inc. and Registrant with respect to the Navigator Duration Neutral Bond Fund previously filed on January 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 791, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d) (112) | Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and Registrant with respect to Princeton Premium Fund previously filed on June 6, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 836, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(113) | Form of Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and Horse Cove Partners, LLC, with respect to Princeton Premium Fund previously filed on June 6, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 836, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(114) | Investment Advisory Agreement between W.E Donoghue & Co. Inc., and Power Momentum Index Fund previously filed on May 26, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 833, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(115) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and Convector Capital Management, LP with respect to the Altegris Equity Long Short Fund previously filed on April 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 821, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(116) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and Cramer Rosenthal McGlynn LLC with respect to the Altegris Equity Long Short Fund previously filed on June 6, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 836, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d) (117) | Interim Sub-Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and Shelton Capital Management, with respect to the Sandalwood Opportunity Fund is filed previously filed on July 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 847, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(d)(118) | Investment Advisory Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C., and Altegris Trend Strategy Fund to be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(e)(1) | Underwriting Agreement between the Registrant and Northern Lights Distributors LLC previously filed on July 27, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 728, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(e)(2) | Underwriting Agreement between the Registrant and Foreside Distribution Services, LP with respect to The Leader Short-Term Bond Fund, previously filed on October 20, 2008 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 66, and hereby incorporated by reference. Amendment to Underwriting Agreement between the Registrant and Foreside Distribution Services, LP with respect to Leader Global Bond Fund, Leader Total Return Fund and Princeton Futures Strategy Fund previously filed on June 3, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 721, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(e)(3) | Underwriting Agreement between the Registrant and ALPS Distribution, Inc. with respect to 13D Activist Fund, previously filed on April 7, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 598, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(f) | Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts - NONE |
(g)(1) | Custody Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon, previously filed on October 3, 2007 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 29, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(g)(2) | Custody Agreement between the Registrant and the First National Bank of Omaha is hereby incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on March 2, 2007 and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(g)(3) | Custody Agreement between the Registrant and Union Bank, N.A., previously filed on October 20, 2008 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 66, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(g)(4) | Custody Agreement between the Registrant and Fifth Third Bank, previously filed on October 20, 2008 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 66, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(g)(5) | Custody Agreement between the Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. previously filed on August 29, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 302, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(g)(6) | Custody Agreement between the Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association previously filed on August 29, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 302, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(1) | Fund Services Agreement between the Registrant and Gemini Fund Services, LLC, dated June 22, 2011, previously filed on June 6, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 721, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(2) | Amended Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the Adaptive Allocation Fund and Critical Math Advisors LLC previously filed on July 11, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 614, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(3) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to The Biondo Growth Fund, and Biondo Investment Advisors, LLC, previously filed on April 29, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 605, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(4) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the Pacific Financial Faith & Values Based Moderate Fund was previously filed on August 26, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 628, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(5) | Revised Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to Sierra Core Retirement Fund and Wright Fund Management, LLC previously filed on March 9, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 694, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(6) | Custody Administration Agreement between Registrant and the Administrator, with respect to certain Funds of the Trust that use First National Bank of Omaha as Custodian, is hereby incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on March 2, 2007 and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(7) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to KCM Macro Trends Fund and Kerns Capital Management, Inc., previously filed on April 18, 2008 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 41, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(8) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the Wade Tactical Long/Short Fund and Wade Financial Group previously filed on August 21, 2008 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 58, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(9) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the Toews Hedged Core Frontier Fund, Toews Hedged Core W Fund, Toews Hedged High Yield Bond Fund, Toews Hedged Core L Fund, Toews Hedged Core S Fund, Toews Hedged Growth Allocation Fund, Toews Hedged Commodities Fund and Toews Unconstrained Income Fund and Toews Corporation previously filed on August 28, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 631, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(10) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to Leader Short-Term Bond Fund and Leader Capital Corp., previously filed on October 20, 2008 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 66, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(11) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the CMG Absolute Return Strategies Fund and CMG Capital Management Group, Inc. previously filed on March 9, 2009 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 80, and hereby incorporated by reference. Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the CMG SR Tactical Bond Fund and CMG Capital Management Group, Inc. as last updated on June 17, 2013 previously filed on June 17, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 496, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(12) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the GMG Defensive Beta Fund and Montebello Partners, LLC previously filed on July 27, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 728, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(13) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to the Astor Active Income ETF/Short Fund, Astor Long/Short ETF Fund and Astor S.T.A.R. ETF Fund, and Astor Investment Management, LLC previously filed on May 28, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 720, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(14) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to Equinox MutualHedge Futures Strategy Fund and Equinox Fund Management, LLC previously filed on September 1, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No, 749, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(15) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to Investment Partners Opportunities Fund and Investment Partners Asset Management, Inc. previously filed on April 29, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 606, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(16) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to Princeton Futures Strategy Fund and Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC previously filed on June 6, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 836, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(17) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to Leader Total Return Fund and Leader Capital Corp. previously filed on June 30, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 162, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(18) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Altegris Advisors, L.L.C., with respect to Altegris Managed Futures Strategy Fund and Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. previously filed on March 9, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 811, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(19) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to Power Income Fund and Power Dividend Index Fund W.E. Donoghue & Co., Inc. previously filed on July 27, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 728, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(20) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to PSI Market Neutral Fund, PSI Total Return Fund, PSI Strategic Growth Fund, PSI Tactical Growth Fund, and PSI Calendar Effects Fund previously filed on October 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 762, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(21) | Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to CWC Small Cap Aggressive Value Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(22) | Amended Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant, with respect to TransWestern Institutional Short Duration Government Bond Fund previously filed on May 29, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 608, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(23) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Logan Circle Partners, L.P. and the Registrant, with respect to Fortress Long/Short Credit Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(24) | Amended Expense Limitation Agreement between Beech Hill Advisors, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to Beech Hill Total Return Fund previously filed on May 29, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 608, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(25) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Clark Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to Navigator Equity Hedged Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(26) | Amended Expense Limitation Agreement between Dearborn Capital Management, L.L.C. and the Registrant, with respect to Grant Park Managed Futures Strategy Fund previously filed on July 11, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 614, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(27) | Amended Expense Limitation Agreement between Dearborn Capital Management, L.L.C. previously filed on May 26, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 833, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(28) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Genesis Capital LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Granite Harbor Alternative Fund (formerly SCA Absolute Return Fund) and Granite Harbor Tactical Fund (formerly SCA Directional Fund) previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(29) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and the Registrant, with respect to Altegris Macro Strategy Fund and Altegris Equity Long Short Fund previously filed on March 9, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 811, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(30) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Zeo Capital Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Zeo Strategic Income Fund was previously filed on August 26, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 628, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(31) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Giralda Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to The Giralda Fund previously filed on April 15, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 697, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(32) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Van Hulzen Asset Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Iron Horse Fund previously filed on January 13, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 658, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(33) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Makefield Capital Management, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Makefield Managed Futures Strategy Fund, previously filed on December 23, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 571, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(34) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Ascendant Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to Ascendant Balanced Fund, Ascendant Natural Resources Fund, Ascendant Deep Value Convertibles Fund and Patriot Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(35) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. and the Registrant, with respect to Altegris Futures Evolution Strategy Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(36) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Risk Paradigm Group, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to RPG Emerging Market Sector Rotation Fund previously filed on November 28, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 341, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(37) | Expense Limitation Agreement between CMG Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant, with respect to the CMG Tactical Equity Strategy Fund, CMG Global Equity Fund and CMG Managed High Yield Fund previously filed on April 30, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 607, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(38) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Wright Fund Management and the Registrant, with respect to the Sierra Strategic Income Fund previously filed on June 11, 2012 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 385, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(39) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC, Eagle Global Advisors, LLC and the Registrant, with respect to the Eagle MLP Strategy Fund previously filed on August 22, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 625, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(40) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC, and the Registrant with respect to the Sandalwood Opportunity Fund previously filed on January 28, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Amendment No. 586, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(41) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Altegris Advisors, L.L.C., and the Registrant with respect to the Altegris Fixed Income Long Short Fund and Altegris Multi-Strategy Alternative Fund previously filed on April 30, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 607, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(42) | Expense Limitation Agreement between BTS Asset Management, Inc. and the Registrant with respect to the BTS Tactical Fixed Income Fund previously filed on April 22, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Amendment No. 815, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(43) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Clark Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant with respect to the Navigator Duration Neutral Bond Fund previously filed on January 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 797, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(44) | Interim Expense Limitation Agreement between Probabilities Fund Management, LLC and the Registrant with respect to the Probabilities Fund previously filed on January 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 797, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(45) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Altegris Advisors, LLC and the Registrant with respect to the Altegris/AACA Real Estate Long Short Fund previously filed on December 23, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 571, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(46) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Genesis Capital, LLC and the Registrant with respect to the Anchor Alternative Income Fund previously filed on April 15, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 697, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(47) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Giralda Advisors, LLC and the Registrant with respect to the Giralda Risk-Managed Growth Fund previously filed on April 15, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 697, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(48) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Clark Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant with respect to the Navigator Sentry Managed Volatility Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(49) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Astor Investment Management, LLC and the Registrant with respect to the Astor Macro Alternative Fund previously filed on October 3, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 876, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(50) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Clark Capital Management Group, Inc. and the Registrant with respect to the Navigator Tactical Fixed Income Fund previously filed on January 23, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 659, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(51) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Leader Capital Corp. and the Registrant with respect to the Leader Global Bond Fund previously filed on October 29, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 648, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(52) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Genesis Capital LLC and the Registrant with respect to the Anchor Tactical Municipal Fund previously filed on May 28, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 720, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(53) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and the Registrant with respect to the Athena Value Fund previously filed on May 28, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 720, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(54) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Dearborn Capital Management, LLC and the Registrant with respect to the Grant Park Absolute Return and Grant Park Fixed Income Fund previously filed on April 30, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(55) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Inc. and Registrant with respect to the Ladenburg Aggressive Growth Fund, Ladenburg Growth Fund, Ladenburg Growth & Income Fund, Ladenburg Income & Growth Fund and Ladenburg Income Fund previously filed on August 27, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 740, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(56) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and Registrant with respect to the Deer Park Total Return Credit Fund previously filed on September 8, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 750, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(57) | Consulting Agreement between Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC and Registrant previously filed on August 7, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 734, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(58) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Probabilities Fund Management and Registrant with respect to the Probabilities Fund is previously filed on December 31, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 789, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(59) | Form of Expense Limitation Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and Registrant with respect to the Princeton Premium Fund previously filed on June 6, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 836, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(60) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Altegris Advisors, LLC and Registrant with respect to the Altegris Multi-Strategy Alternative Fund is previously filed on April 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 821, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(61) | Amended Expense Limitation Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and Registrant with respect to the Princeton Futures Strategy Fund previously filed on July 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 847, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(62) | Amendment to the Fund Services Agreement between the Registrant and Gemini Fund Services, LLC previously filed on September 27, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 873, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(h)(63) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Altegris Advisors, LLC and Registrant with respect to the Altegris Trend Strategy Fund to be filed by subsequent. |
(h)(64) | Expense Limitation Agreement between Toews Corporation and Registrant with respect to the Toews Tactical Defensive Alpha Fund is filed herewith. |
(i)(1) | Legal Opinion previously filed on June 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 842, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(i)(2) | Consent of Counsel to be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(j)(1) | Consent of Independent Auditor to be filed by subsequent amendment. |
(j)(2) | Powers of Attorney of Anthony J. Hertl, Gary W. Lanzen, Mark Taylor, John V. Palancia, Mark D. Gersten, Mark Garbin, Andrew Rogers and Kevin Wolf previously filed on September 1, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 862, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(j)(3) | Powers of Attorney of Anthony J. Hertl, Gary W. Lanzen, Mark Taylor, John V. Palancia, Andrew Rogers, Mark Garbin and Mark D. Gersten with respect to AMA Fund Ltd. previously filed on April 17, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 599, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(k) | Omitted Financial Statements - Not Applicable. |
(l) | Initial Capital Agreements - Not Applicable. |
(m)(1) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Class A Shares previously filed on October 10, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 638, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(2) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Class A1 Shares previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(3) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Class C Shares previously filed on October 10, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 638, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(4) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Class I Shares previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(5) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Class I1 Shares previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(6) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Class N Shares previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(7) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Class O Shares previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(8) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Class R Shares previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(9) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Class R-1 Shares previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(10) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Class R-2 Shares previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(11) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Class W Shares previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(12) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Class Y Shares previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(13) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Institutional Class Shares previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(14) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Investor Class Shares previously filed on October 10, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 638, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(15) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Manager Class Shares previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(16) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Non-designated Class Shares previously filed on May 28, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 720, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(17) | Master Distribution Shareholder Servicing Plan for Retail Class Shares previously filed on October 4, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 539, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(m)(18) | Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and ALPS Distributors, Inc. with respect to The 13D Activist Fund previously filed on March 3, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 595, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(n) | Rule 18f-3 Plan to add Anchor Tactical Municipal Fund, Ascendant Tactical Yield Fund, Athena Value Fund, Ladenburg Aggressive Growth Fund, Ladenburg Growth Fund, Ladenburg Growth & Income Fund, Ladenburg Income & Growth Fund and Ladenburg Income Fund previously filed on April 15, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 697, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(1) | Code of Ethics of Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, previously filed on May 26, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 833, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(2) | Code of Ethics of Critical Math Advisors LLC, previously filed on January 30, 2006 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 8, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(3) | Code of Ethics of Biondo Investment Advisors, LLC, previously filed on April 24, 2006 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 11, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(5) | Code of Ethics of Changing Parameters, LLC previously filed on January 12, 2007 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 16, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(6) | Code of Ethics of The Pacific Financial Group, Inc. previously filed on May 10, 2007 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 21, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(7) | Code of Ethics of Wright Fund Management, LLC, previously filed on December 17, 2007 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 35, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(8) | Code of Ethics of Crow Point Partners, LLC, previously filed on January 23, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 576, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(9) | Code of Ethics of Kerns Capital Management, Inc., previously filed on April 18, 2008 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 41, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(10) | Code of Ethics of Equinox Fund Management, LLC previously filed on August 28, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 631, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(11) | Code of Ethics of Wade Financial Group, previously filed on August 21, 2008 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 58, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(12) | Code of Ethics of Toews Corporation previously filed on August 28, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 631, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(13) | Code of Ethics of Leader Capital Corp., previously filed on October 20, 2008 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 66, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(14) | Code of Ethics of CMG Capital Management Group, Inc. previously filed on April 30, 2009 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 84, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(15)
|
Code of Ethics of Traub Capital Management, LLC previously filed on April 30, 2009 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 84, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(16) | Code of Ethics of Bandon Capital Management, LLC previously filed on August 28, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 631, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(17) | Code of Ethics of Scotia Partners, Ltd . previously filed on April 30, 2009 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 84, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(18)
|
Code of Ethics of Summit Portfolios Advisors, LLC previously filed on June 24, 2009 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 91, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(19)
|
Code of Ethics of Montebello Partners, LLC previously filed on September 14, 2009 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 104, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(20)
|
Code of Ethics of BTS Asset Management, LLC previously filed on August 28, 2009 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 99, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(21)
|
Code of Ethics of National Asset Management, Inc., previously filed on January 23, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 576, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(22) | Code of Ethics of Investment Partners Asset Management, Inc. previously filed on October 2, 2009 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 107, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(23) | Code of Ethics of Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC previously filed on April 7, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 598, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(24) | Code of Ethics of 6800 Capital, LLC previously filed on June 30, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 162, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(25) | Code of Ethics of Congress Asset Management Company, LLP previously filed on June 30, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 162, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(26) | Code of Ethics of Chadwick & D’Amato, LLC previously filed on June 30, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 162, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(27) | Code of Ethics of 13D Management, LLC previously filed on July 8, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 164, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(28) | Code of Ethics of Altegris Advisors, L.L.C. previously filed on August 31, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 171, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(29) | Code of Ethics of W.E. Donoghue & Co., Inc. previously filed on August 31, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 171, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(30) | Code of Ethics of Portfolio Strategies, Inc. previously filed on August 31, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 171, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(31) | Code of Ethics of CWC Advisors, LLC previously filed on March 14, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 230, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(32) | Code of Ethics of TransWestern Capital Advisors, LLC, previously filed on April 7, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 598, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(33) | Code of Ethics of Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. previously filed on March 29, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 232, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(34) | Code of Ethics of Beech Hill Advisors, Inc. previously filed on November 30, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 186, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(35) | Code of Ethics of Clark Capital Management Group, Inc. previously filed on December 2, 2010 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 187, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(36) | Code of Ethics of Dearborn Capital Management, L.L.C., previously filed on January 23, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 576, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(37) | Code of Ethics of Risk Paradigm Group, LLC previously filed on March 14, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 230, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(38) | Code of Ethics of Genesis Capital, LLC previously filed on March 29, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 232, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(39) | Code of Ethics of CWM, LLC previously filed on May 6, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 246, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(40) | Code of Ethics of Zeo Capital Advisors, LLC previously filed on December 29, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 345, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(41) | Code of Ethics of Giralda Advisors, LLC previously filed on March 29, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 232, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(42) | Code of Ethics of Van Hulzen Asset Management, LLC previously filed on May 6, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 246, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(43) | Code of Ethics of Ascendant Advisors, LLC previously filed on August 28, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 631, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(44) | Code of Ethics of Winch Advisory Services, LLC previously filed on December 29, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 345, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(45) | Code of Ethics of Absolute Private Wealth Management, LLC previously filed on July 1, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 279, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(46) | Code of Ethics of Horizon Cash Management LLC previously filed on July 1, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 279, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(47) | Code of Ethics of DoubleLine Capital LP was previously filed on October 19, 2011 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 318, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(48) | Code of Ethics of Eagle Global Advisors, LLC previously filed on June 12, 2012 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 386, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(49) | Code of Ethics of Sandalwood Securities, Inc. previously filed on January 23, 2014 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 576, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(50) | Code of Ethics of RockView Management, LLC previously filed on December 18, 2012 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 445, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(51) | Code of Ethics of Alpha Simplex Group, LLC previously filed on October 11, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 542, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(52) | Code of Ethics of Probabilities Fund Management, LLC previously filed on October 11, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 542, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(53) | Code of Ethics of American Assets Investment Management, LLC previously filed on December 23, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 571, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(54) | Code of Ethics of Anchor Capital Management Group, Inc. previously filed on January 24, 2013 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 578, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(55) | Code of Ethics of AthenaInvest Advisors LLC previously filed on April 15, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 697, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(56) | Code of Ethics of Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Inc. previously filed on June 26, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 725, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(57) | Code of Ethics of Deer Park Road Management, LP previously filed on June 26, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 725, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(58) | Code of Ethics of Whippoorwill Capital Management LP previously filed on July 28, 2015 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 729, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(59) | Code of Ethics of Main Point Advisers, Inc. previously filed on January 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 797, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(60) | Code of Ethics of Asset One, LLC previously filed on February 19, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 807, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(61) | Code of Ethics of Coe Capital Management, LLC previously filed on February 19, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 807, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(62) | Code of Ethics of Harvest Capital Strategies, LLC previously filed on February 19, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 807, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(63) | Code of Ethics of Critical Math Advisors, LLC previously filed on February 19, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 808, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(64) | Code of Ethics of Mariner Holdings, LLC previously filed on February 19, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 808, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(65) | Code of Ethics of Horse Cove Partners, LLC previously filed on June 6, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 836, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(66) | Code of Ethics of MAST Capital Management, LLC previously filed on April 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 821, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(67) | Code of Ethics of Chilton Investment Company, LLC previously filed on April 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 821, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(68) | Code of Ethics of Convector Capital Management, LP previously filed on April 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 821, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(69) | Code of Ethics of Visium Asset Management, LP previously filed on April 28, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 821, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(70) | Code of Ethics of Middleton Dickinson Capital Management, LLC previously filed on June 6, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 836, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(71) | Code of Ethics of Cramer Rosenthal McGlynn LLC previously filed on June 6, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 836, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(72) | Code of Ethics of Astor Investment Management, LLC previously filed on September 27, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 873, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
(p)(73) | Code of Ethics of AlphaCore, LLC previously filed on October 3, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 876, and hereby incorporated by reference. |
ITEM 29.
PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH THE REGISTRANT.
None.
ITEM 30.
INDEMNIFICATION.
Article VIII, Section 2(a) of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides that to the fullest extent that limitations on the liability of Trustees and officers are permitted by the Delaware Statutory Trust Act of 2002, the officers and Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any act or omission of: any agent or employee of the Trust; any investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust; or with respect to each Trustee and officer, the act or omission of any other Trustee or officer, respectively. The Trust, out of the Trust Property, is required to indemnify and hold harmless each and every officer and Trustee from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever arising out of or related to such officer’s or Trustee’s performance of his or her duties as an officer or Trustee of the Trust. This limitation on liability applies to events occurring at the time a person serves as a Trustee or officer of the Trust whether or not such person is a Trustee or officer at the time of any proceeding in which liability is asserted. Nothing contained in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust indemnifies, holds harmless or protects any officer or Trustee from or against any liability to the Trust or any shareholder 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.
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 provisions of Delaware law and the Agreement and Declaration of the Registrant or the By-Laws of the Registrant, 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 the 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 Trust 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 the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Registrant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Northern Lights Distributors (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 provides that the Registrant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Foreside Distribution Services, L.P. (Foreside), its several officers and directors, and any person who controls Foreside 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 Foreside, 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 Foreside with advertising or sales materials to be filed with the FINRA on a timely basis.
The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Registrant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold ALPS Distributors, Inc. (ALPS), its several officers and directors, and any person who controls ALPS 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 ALPS, 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 ALPS with advertising or sales materials to be filed with the FINRA on a timely basis.
The Fund Accounting, Transfer Agency and Administration Service Agreements with Gemini Fund Services (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.
BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISER.
Certain information pertaining to the business and other connections of each Advisor of each series of the Trust is hereby 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:
Critical Math Advisors LLC, the Adviser to the Adaptive Allocation Fund -- File No. 801 - 65306
Biondo Investment Advisors, LLC, the Adviser to The Biondo Growth Fund and The Biondo Focus Fund-- File No. 801 - 62775
Changing Parameters, LLC, the Adviser to Changing Parameters Fund -- File No. 801-63495
The Pacific Financial Group, Inc., the Adviser to the Pacific Financial Core Equity Fund, the Pacific Financial Explorer Fund, the Pacific Financial International Fund, the Pacific Financial Strategic Conservative Fund, the Pacific Financial Tactical Fund, the Pacific Financial Alternative Strategies Fund, Pacific Financial Flexible Growth & Income Fund, Pacific Financial Balanced Fund, Pacific Financial Foundational Asset Allocation Fund, Pacific Financial Faith & Values Based Moderate Fund, Pacific Financial Faith & Values Based Conservative Fund and Pacific Financial Faith & Values Based Diversified Growth Fund -- File No. 801 - 18151
Wright Fund Management, LLC, the Adviser of Sierra Core Retirement Fund and Sierra Strategic Income Fund– File No. 801- 68554
Kerns Capital Management, Inc., the Adviser of the KCM Macro Trends Fund – File No. 801 – 57482
Equinox Fund Management, LLC, the Adviser of the Equinox MutualHedge Futures Strategy Fund – File No. 801- 67852
Toews Corporation, the Adviser of the Toews Hedged Core Frontier Fund (formerly Toews Hedged Emerging Markets Fund), Toews Hedged Core W Fund (formerly Toews Hedged International Developed Markets Fund), Toews Hedged High Yield Bond Fund, Toews Hedged Core L Fund (formerly Toews Hedged Large-Cap Fund), Toews Hedged Core S Fund (formerly Toews Hedged Small & Mid Cap Fund), Toews Hedged Commodities Fund, Toews Hedged Growth Allocation Fund, Toews Unconstrained Income Fund, and Toews Tactical Defensive Alpha Fund – File No. 801- 47765
Leader Capital Corp., the Adviser of the Leader Short Term Bond Fund, Leader Total Return Fund and Leader Global Bond Fund – File No. 801- 56684
CMG Capital Management Group, Inc., the Adviser of the CMG Long/Short Bond Fund, CMG Global Macro Strategy Fund, CMG Global Equity Fund and CMG Tactical All Asset Strategy Fund– File No. 801-43455
Montebello Partners, LLC, the Adviser of the GMG Defensive Beta Fund – File No. 801-70164
BTS Asset Management, Inc., the Adviser of the BTS Tactical Fixed Income Fund– File No.801-14895.
Astor Investment Management, LLC, Adviser of the Astor Long/Short Fund, Astor Active Income Fund, Astor S.T.A.R Fund and Astor Macro Alternative Fund– File No. 801-60150.
Investment Partners Asset Management, Inc., the Adviser of the Investment Partners Opportunities Fund – File No. 801-61906.
Congress Asset Management Company, LLP Sub-Adviser of Princeton Futures Strategy Fund – File No. 801-69845.
Chadwick & D’Amato, LLC, the Adviser of Chadwick & D’Amato Fund – File No. 801-62604.
13D Management, LLC, the Adviser of 13D Activist Fund – File No. 801-71577.
Altegris Advisors, L.L.C., the Adviser of Altegris Managed Futures Strategy Fund, Altegris Macro Strategy Fund, Altegris Futures Evolution Strategy Fund, Altegris Equity Long Short Fund, Altegris Fixed Income Long Short Fund, Altegris Multi-Strategy Alternative Fund, Altegris/AACA Real Estate Long Short Fund and Altegris Trend Strategy Fund– File No. 801- 71496.
W.E. Donoghue & Co., Inc., the Adviser of Power Income Fund, Power Dividend Index Fund, and Power Momentum Fund – File No. 801-27959.
Portfolio Strategies, Inc., the Adviser of PSI Market Neutral Fund, PSI Total Return Fund, PSI Strategic Growth Fund, PSI Tactical Growth Fund and PSI Calendar Effects Fund– File No. 801-18475.
CWC Advisors, LLC, the Adviser of the CWC Small Cap Aggressive Value Fund – File No. 801-62369.
Transwestern Capital Advisors, LLC, the Adviser of the TransWestern Institutional Short Duration Government Bond Fund – File No. 801-67113.
Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P., the Sub-Adviser of the TransWestern Institutional Short Duration Government Bond Fund – File No. 801-170.
Beech Hill Advisors, Inc., the Adviser of the Beech Hill Total Return Fund – File No. 801-31503.
Clark Capital Management Group Inc., the Adviser of the Navigator Equity Hedged Fund, Navigator Duration Neutral Bond Fund, Navigator Sentry Managed Volatility Fund and Navigator Tactical Fixed Income Fund– File No. 801-28445.
Main Point Advisers, Inc., the Sub-Adviser of Navigator Duration Neutral Bond Fund – File No. 801-28445
Dearborn Capital Management, LLC, the Adviser of the Grant Park Managed Futures Strategy Fund, Grant Park Multi-Alternative Strategies Fund, Grant Park Absolute Return Fund and Grant Park Fixed Income Fund – File No. 801-72068.
Genesis Capital LLC, the Adviser of the Anchor Tactical Municipal Fund – File No. 801-62613.
Zeo Capital Advisors, LLC, the Adviser of the Zeo Strategic Income Fund – File No. 801-72287.
Giralda Advisors, LLC, the Adviser of Giralda Fund and the Giralda Risk-Managed Growth Fund – File No. 801-35421.
Van Hulzen Asset Management, LLC, the Adviser of the Iron Horse Fund – File No. 801-61884.
Ascendant Advisors, LLC, the Adviser of Patriot Balanced Fund, Ascendant Deep Value Convertibles Fund, Ascendant Tactical Yield and the Patriot Fund – File No. 801-72278.
Winch Advisory Services LLC, the Advisor of Ginkgo Multi-Strategy Fund – File No. 801-55488.
DoubleLine Capital LP, the Sub-Adviser of Altegris Futures Evolution Strategy Fund – File 801-70942.
Harvest Capital Strategies, LLC, the Sub-Adviser of Altegris Equity Long Short Fund – File No.801-66003.
Chilton Investment Company, LLC, a Sub-Adviser to Altegris Equity Long Short Fund – File No. 801-62678.
MAST Capital Management, LLC, a Sub-Adviser to Altegris Fixed Income Long Short Fund – File No. 801-63090.
Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC, the Co-Advisor of Eagle MLP Strategy Fund and Adviser to Princeton Futures Strategy Fund, Sandalwood Opportunity Fund, Athena Value Fund, Deer Park Total Return Credit Fund and Princeton Premium Fund – File No. 801-72525.
Eagle Global Advisors, LLC, the Co-Advisor of Eagle MLP Strategy Fund – File No. 801-53294.
Sandalwood Securities, Inc., Sub-Adviser of Sandalwood Opportunity Fund – File No. 801-42453.
Shelton Capital Management, Sub-Adviser of Sandalwood Opportunity Fund – File No. 801-25205
Deer Park Road Management, LP, Sub-Adviser of Deer Park Total Return Credit Fund and Sandalwood Opportunity Fund – File No. 801-74577
MidOcean Credit Fund Management, L.P., Sub-Adviser of Sandalwood Opportunity Fund– File No. 801-70672
Alpha Simplex Group, LLC, Sub-Adviser of CMG Global Equity Fund – File No. 801-62448.
Crow Point Partners, LLC, the Adviser of EAS Crow Point Alternatives Fund and Crow Point Alternative Income Fund – File No. 801-67184 .
Probabilities Fund Management, LLC, the Adviser of the Probabilities Fund – File No.801-77947 .
American Assets Investment Management, LLC (DBA AACA), the Sub-Adviser of Altegris/AACA Real Estate Long Short Fund – File No. 801-65209
J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. the Sub-Adviser of Altegris Macro Strategy Fund and Altegris Managed Futures Strategy Fund – File No. 801-21011.
AthenaInvest Advisors LLC, the Sub-Adviser of Athena Value Fund – File No. 801-69258.
Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Inc., the Adviser of Ladenburg Aggressive Growth Fund, Ladenburg Growth Fund, Ladenburg Growth & Income Fund, Ladenburg Income & Growth Fund and Ladenburg Income Fund – File No. 801-54909.
Revolution Capital Management, LLC, the Sub-Adviser of Grant Park Absolute Return Fund – File No. 801-79678
Middleton Dickinson Capital Management, LLC, the Sub-Adviser of Grant Park Fixed Income Fund – File No. 801-66187.
Horse Cove Partners LLC, the Sub-Adviser of Princeton Premium Fund – File No. 801-107577.
Cramer Rosenthal McGlynn LLC, the Sub-Adviser of Altegris Equity Long Short Fund – File No. 801-55244.
ITEM 32.
PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER
(a) Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (“NLD”), the principal underwriter to the Trust also acts as principal underwriter for the following:
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, 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 Fund Trust IV, 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.
Foreside Distribution Services, L.P. (the “Distributor”) serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:
1. | HSBC Funds (f/k/a HSBC Investor Funds) |
2. | Leader Funds, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust |
3. | Miles Funds, Inc. (f/k/a WB Capital Mutual Funds, Inc.) |
4. | Princeton Futures Strategy Fund, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust |
ALPS Distributors, Inc. acts as the distributor for the 13D Activist Fund, a series of the Trust and the following investment companies: ALPS Series Trust, Arbitrage Funds, AQR Funds, Babson Capital Funds Trust, BBH Trust, BLDRS Index Funds Trust, BPV Family of Funds, Broadview Funds Trust, Brown Management Funds, Caldwell & Orkin Funds, Inc., Campbell Multi-Strategy Trust, Centaur Mutual Funds Trust, Century Capital Management Trust, Columbia ETF Trust, CornerCap Group of Funds, Cortina Funds, Inc., CRM Mutual Fund Trust, Cullen Funds, DBX ETF TRUST, db-X Exchange-Traded Funds Inc., Centre Funds, EGA Emerging Global Shares Trust, EGA Frontier Diversified Core Fund, Financial Investors Trust, Firsthand Funds, Heartland Group, Inc., Henssler Funds, Inc., Holland Balanced Fund, IndexIQ Trust, Index IQ ETF Trust, James Advantage Funds, Laudus Trust, Laudus Institutional Trust, Mairs & Power Funds Trust, Oak Associates Funds, Pax World Series Trust I, Pax World Funds Trust II, PowerShares QQQ 100 Trust Series 1, RiverNorth Funds, Russell Exchange Traded Funds Trust, SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust, SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust, Stadion Investment Trust, Stone Harbor Investment Funds, Transparent Value Trust, Wakefield Alternative Series Trust, Wasatch Funds, WesMark Funds, Westcore Trust, Whitebox Mutual Funds, Williams Capital Liquid Assets Fund, Wilmington Funds and WisdomTree Trust.
(b) NLD 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 NLD is 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. NLD is an affiliate of Gemini Fund Services, LLC and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NorthStar Financial Services Group, LLC. To the best of Registrant’s knowledge, the following are the officers of NLD:
Name |
Positions and Offices with Underwriter |
Positions and Offices with the Fund |
|
Brian Nielsen | Manager, CEO, Secretary | None | |
Bill Wostoupal | President | None | |
Daniel Applegarth | Treasurer/ FINOP | None | |
Mike Nielsen | Chief Compliance Officer and AML Compliance Officer | None | |
Bill Strait | General Counsel | 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 Registrant
|
Richard J. Berthy | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | President and Treasurer | None |
Mark A. Fairbanks | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Vice President | None |
Jennifer K. DiValerio | 899 Cassatt Road, 400 Berwyn Park, Suite 110, Berwyn, PA 19312 | Vice President | None |
Nanette K. Chern | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer | None |
Jennifer E. Hoopes | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Secretary | None |
Richard J. Berthy | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | President and Treasurer | None |
ALPS Distributors, 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 address of ALPS is 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203. To the best of Registrant’s knowledge, the directors and executive officers of ALPS Distributors, Inc., are as follows:
* The principal business address for each of the above directors and executive officers is 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.
(c)
Not Applicable.
ITEM 33.
LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS.
The following entities prepare, maintain and preserve the records required by Section 31 (a) of the 1940 Act for the Registrant. These services are provided to the Registrant for such periods prescribed by the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the 1940 Act and such records are the property of the entity required to maintain and preserve such records and will be surrendered promptly on request.
Bank of New York Mellon (“BONY”), located at One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286, provides custodian services to The Biondo Growth Fund, Changing Parameters Fund, Pacific Financial Core Equity Fund, Pacific Financial Explorer Fund, Pacific Financial International Fund, Pacific Financial Strategic Conservative Fund, Pacific Financial Tactical Fund, The Biondo Focus Fund, Navigator Equity Hedged Fund, Navigator Duration Neutral Bond Fund, Navigator Sentry Managed Volatility Fund and Navigator Tactical Fixed Income Fund pursuant to a Custody Agreement between BONY and the Trust.
First National Bank of Omaha (“FNBO”), located at 1620 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68197, provides custodian services to the Adaptive Allocation Fund, Sierra Core Retirement Fund, Sierra Strategic Income Fund, EAS Crow Point Alternatives Fund, Wade Tactical L/S Fund, pursuant to a Custody Agreement between FNBO and the Trust.
MUFG Union Bank, National Association, 400 California Street, San Francisco, California 94104 (“Union”), provides custodian services to the Equinox MutualHedge Futures Strategy Fund, BTS Bond Asset Allocation Fund, Astor Long/Short Fund ETF Fund, GMG Defensive Beta Fund, Investment Partners Opportunities Fund, Princeton Futures Strategy Fund, Princeton Premium Fund, Power Income Fund, Power Momentum Fund, PSI Market Neutral Fund, PSI Total Return Fund, PSI Strategic Growth Fund, PSI Tactical Growth, PSI Calendar Effects Fund, CWC Small Cap Aggressive Value Fund, Chadwick & D’Amato Fund, TransWestern Institutional Short Duration Government Bond Fund, 13D Activist Fund, Beech Hill Total Return Fund, Ginkgo Multi-Strategy Fund, Ascendant Balanced Fund, Ascendant Natural Resources Fund, Ascendant Deep Value Convertibles Fund, Patriot Fund, Eagle MLP Strategy Fund, Sandalwood Opportunity Fund, BTS Hedge Income Fund, BTS Tactical Fixed Income Fund, Power Dividend Index Fund, Anchor Alternative Income Fund, Probabilities Fund, Astor Macro Alternative Fund, Anchor Tactical Municipal Fund, Fortress Long/Short Credit Fund, Athena Value Fund and Ladenburg Aggressive Growth Fund, Ladenburg Growth Fund, Ladenburg Growth & Income Fund, Ladenburg Income & Growth Fund and Ladenburg Income Fund pursuant to a Custody Agreement between Union and the Trust.
Fifth Third Bank (“Fifth Third”), 38 Fountain Square Plaza Cincinnati, Ohio 45263, provides custodian services to KCM Macro Trends Fund, Toews Hedged Core Frontier Fund (formerly Toews Hedged Emerging Markets Fund), CMG Tactical Equity Strategy Fund, CMG Global Futures Fund, Toews Hedged Core W Fund (formerly Toews Hedged International Developed Markets Fund), Toews Hedged High Yield Fund, Toews Hedged Core L Fund (formerly Toews Hedged Large-Cap Fund), Toews Hedged Core S Fund (formerly Toews Hedged Small & Mid Cap Fund), Toews Hedged Commodities Fund and Toews Unconstrained Income Fund pursuant to a Custody Agreement between Fifth Third and the Trust.
JPMorgan Chase Bank (“JPMorgan”), 270 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017, provides custodian services to Altegris Macro Strategy Fund, Altegris Managed Futures Strategy Fund, Altegris Futures Evolution Strategy Fund, Altegris Equity Long Short Fund, Altegris Fixed Income Long Short Fund, Altegris Multi-Strategy Alternative Fund and Altegris/AACA Real Estate Long Short Fund pursuant to a Custody Agreement between JPMorgan and the Trust.
U.S. Bank, National Association (“US Bank”), 1555 N. Rivercenter Drive, Milwaukee, WI MK-WI-S302, provides custodian services to Equinox MutualHedge Futures Strategy Fund pursuant to a Custody Agreement between US Bank and the Trust.
Gemini Fund Services, LLC (“GFS”), located at 17605 Wright Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68130, provides transfer agent and dividend disbursing services pursuant to a Transfer Agency and Service Agreements between GFS and the Trust. In such capacities, GFS provides pricing for each Fund’s portfolio securities, keeps records regarding securities and other assets in custody and in transfer, bank statements, canceled checks, financial books and records, and keeps records of each shareholder’s account and all disbursement made to shareholders. GFS also maintains all records required pursuant to Administrative Service Agreements with the Trust.
NLD, located at 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130, serves as principal underwriter for all series of Northern Lights Fund Trust, except Leader Short-Term Bond Fund, Leader Total Return Fund and 13D Activist Fund, TransWestern Institutional Short Duration Government Bond Fund, Leader Global Bond Fund and Princeton Futures Strategy 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.
Foreside Distribution Services, LP, located at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101, serves as principal underwriter for Leader Short-Term Bond Fund, Leader Total Return Fund, Leader Global Bond Fund and Princeton Futures Strategy 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.
ALPS Distribution Services, Inc., located at 1209 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, CO 80203, serves as principal underwriter for 13D Activist 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.
Critical Math Advisors LLC, located at 29 Emmons Drive, Suite A-20, Princeton, NJ 08540, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to Adaptive Allocation Fund.
Biondo Investment Advisors, LLC, located at 544 Routes 6 & 209, PO Box 909, Milford, Pennsylvania 18337, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to The Biondo Growth Fund and The Biondo Focus Fund.
Changing Parameters, LLC, located at 250 Oak Grove Avenue, Suite A, Menlo Park, California 94025, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Changing Parameters Fund.
The Pacific Financial Group, Inc., located at 10900 NE 8 th Street, Suite 1523, Bellevue, WA 98004, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Pacific Financial Core Equity Fund, the Pacific Financial Explorer Fund, the Pacific Financial International Fund, the Pacific Financial Strategic Conservative Fund, the Pacific Financial Tactical Fund the Pacific Financial Alternative Strategies Fund, Pacific Financial Flexible Growth & Income Fund, Pacific Financial Balanced Fund, Pacific Financial Foundational Asset Allocation Fund, Pacific Financial Faith & Values Based Moderate Fund, Pacific Financial Faith & Values Based Conservative Fund and Pacific Financial Faith & Values Based Diversified Growth Fund.
Wright Fund Management, LLC, located at 3420 Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405, pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to Sierra Core Retirement Fund and Sierra Strategic Income Fund.
Kerns Capital Management, Inc., located at Galleria Financial Center, 5075 Westheimer Road, Suite 1177, Houston, Texas 77056, pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the KCM Macro Trends Fund.
Equinox Fund Management, LLC, 1660 Lincoln Street, Suite 100, Denver, CO 80264, pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Equinox MutualHedge Managed Futures Fund.
Toews Corporation, Cornerstone Commerce Center, 1201 New Road, Suite 111, Linwood, NJ 08221, pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Toews Hedged Core Frontier Fund (formerly Toews Hedged Emerging Markets Fund), Toews Hedged Core W Fund (formerly Toews Hedged International Fund, Toews Hedged High Yield Fund, Toews Hedged Core L Fund (formerly Toews Hedged Large-Cap Fund), Toews Hedged Core S Fund (formerly Toews Hedged Small & Mid Cap Developed Markets Fund), Toews Hedged Commodities Fund and Toews Unconstrained Income Fund.
Leader Capital Corp., 121 SW Morrison St., Suite 425, Portland, OR 97204, pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Leader Short-Term Bond Fund, Leader Total Return Fund and Leader Global Bond Fund.
CMG Capital Management Group, LLC, 1000 Continental Drive, Suite 570, King of Prussia, PA 19406, pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the CMG Long/Short Fund, CMG Macro Strategy Fund, CMG Tactical Bond Fund, CMG Global Equity Fund and CMG Tactical All Asset Strategy Fund.
Traub Capital Management, LLC 97 Chapel Street 3rd Floor, Needham, MA 02492, pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to The FX Strategy Fund.
Montebello Partners, LLC, 75 Montebello Road, Suffern, New York 10901, pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the GMG Defensive Beta Fund.
BTS Asset Management, Inc. located at 420 Bedford Street, Suite 340, Lexington, MA 02420, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the BTS Tactical Fixed Income Fund.
Astor Investment Management LLC., located at 111 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 3950, Chicago, IL 60606, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Astor Long/Short Fund, Astor Active Income Fund, Astor S.T.A.R Fund and Astor Macro Alternative Fund.
Investment Partners Asset Management, Inc. located at 1 Highland Avenue, Metuchen, NJ 08840 pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to Investment Partners Opportunities Fund.
Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC, 1125 17 th Street, Suite 1400, Denver, CO 80202, pursuant to certain Investment Advisory Agreements with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Princeton Futures Strategy Fund, Eagle MLP Strategy Fund, Sandalwood Opportunity Fund, Athena Value Fund, Deer Park Total Return Credit Fund, and Princeton Premium Fund.
Congress Asset Management Company, LLP, 2 Seaport Lane, Floor 5, Boston, MA 02210-2001, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Princeton Futures Strategy Fund.
Chadwick & D’Amato, LLC, 224 Main Street, PO Box 1978, New London, NH 03257, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Chadwick & D’Amato Fund.
13D Management, LLC, 200 East 61 Street, Suite 17C, New York, NY 10065, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the 13D Activist Fund.
Altegris Advisors, L.L.C., 1200 Prospect Street, Suite 400, La Jolla, CA 92037, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Altegris Managed Futures Strategy Fund, Altegris Macro Strategy Fund, Altegris Futures Evolution Strategy Fund, Altegris Equity Long Short Fund, Altegris Fixed Income Long Short Fund, Altegris Multi-Strategy Alternative Fund, Altegris/AACA Real Estate Long Short Fund and Altegris Trend Strategy Fund.
W. E. Donoghue & Inc., 629 Washington Street, Norwood, MA 02062 pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Power Income Fund, Power Dividend Index Fund, and Power Momentum Fund.
Portfolio Strategies, Inc., 1724 W Union Avenue, Suite 200, Tacoma, WA 98405 pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the PSI Market Neutral Fund, PSI Total Return Fund, PSI Strategic Growth Fund, PSI Tactical Growth Fund and PSI Calendar Effects Fund.
CWC Advisors, LLC, 5800 SW Meadows Road, Suite 230, Lake Oswego, OR 97035, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the CWC Small Cap Aggressive Value Fund.
TransWestern Capital Advisors, LLC, 1743 Wazee Street, Suite 250, Denver, CO 80202, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust and as the distributor for such fund, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement and Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Agreement adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to the TransWestern Institutional Short Duration Government Bond Fund.
Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P., One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111, pursuant to a Sub- Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the TransWestern Institutional Short Duration Government Bond Fund.
Beech Hill Advisors, Inc., 880 third Ave., 16 th Floor, New York, NY 10022 pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Beech Hill Total Return Fund.
Clark Capital Management Group, Inc., 1650 Market Street, 53 rd Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Navigator Equity Hedged Fund, Navigator Duration Neutral Bond Fund, Navigator Sentry Managed Volatility Fund and Navigator Tactical Fixed Income Fund.
Main Point Advisers, Inc. One Liberty Place, 1650 Market Street, 53 rd Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Navigator Duration Neutral Bond Fund.
Dearborn Capital Management, LLC, 626 W. Jackson Street, Chicago, IL 60661 pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Grant Park Managed Futures Strategy Fund, Grant Park Multi-Alternative Strategies Fund, Grant Park Absolute Return Fund and Grant Park Fixed Income Fund
Genesis Capital LLC, 7191 Wagner Way NW, Suite 302, Gig Harbor, WA 98335 pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Anchor Alternative Income Fund, Anchor Tactical Municipal Fund, Granite Harbor Alternative Fund and Granite Harbor Tactical Fund.
Zeo Capital Advisors, LLC, 555 California Street, Suite 5180 San Francisco, CA 94104, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Zeo Strategic Income Fund.
Giralda Advisors, LLC, One Giralda Farms, Suite 130, Madison, NJ 07940, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to The Giralda Fund and Giralda Risk-Managed Growth Fund.
Van Hulzen Asset Management, LLC, 950 Iron Point Road, Suite 290, Folsom, CA 95630, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to Iron Horse Fund.
Ascendant Advisors, LLC, Four Oaks Place, 1330 Post Oak Blvd, Suite 1550, Houston, TX, 77056, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to Patriot Balanced Fund, Ascendant Deep Value Convertibles Fund, Ascendant Tactical Yield Fund and the Patriot Fund.
Winch Advisory Services, LLC, 424 East Wisconsin Avenue, Appleton, WI 54911 pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to Ginkgo Multi-Strategy Fund.
J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc., 270 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10036, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Altegris Macro Strategy Fund and Altegris Managed Futures Strategy Fund.
DoubleLine Capital LP, 333 South Grand Avenue, Suite 1800, Los Angeles, CA 90071, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Altegris Futures Evolution Strategy Fund.
Harvest Capital Strategies, LLC, 600 Montgomery Street, 20 th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94111, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Altegris Equity Long Short Fund.
Chilton Investment Company, LLC, 1290 East Main Street, 1 st Floor, Stamford, CT 06902 , pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Altegris Equity Long Short Fund.
MAST Capital Management, LLC, 200 Clarendon St. 51st Floor, Boston, MA 021164, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Altegris Fixed Income Long Short Fund.
Eagle Global Advisors, LLC, 5847 San Felipe, Suite 930, Houston TX 77057, pursuant to a Co-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Eagle MLP Strategy Fund.
Sandalwood Securities, Inc. 101 Eisenhower Parkway, 3 rd Floor, Roseland, NJ 07068, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Sandalwood Opportunity Fund.
Shelton Capital Management, 1050 17 th Street, Suite 1710 Denver, Colorado 80265 pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Sandalwood Opportunity Fund.
Deer Park Road Management, LP, 1865 Ski Time Square, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477 pursuant to certain Sub-Advisory Agreements, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Deer Park Total Return Credit Fund and Sandalwood Opportunity Fund.
MidOcean Credit Fund Management, L.P., 302 Park Avenue, Suite 1600, New York, NY 10022 pursuant to certain Sub-Advisory Agreements, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreements with respect to the Sandalwood Opportunity Fund.
RockView Management, LLC Metro Center, One Station Place, 7 th Floor, Stamford, CT 06902, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Altegris Fixed Income Long Short Fund.
Alpha Simplex Group, LLC One Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the CMG Global Equity Fund.
Crow Point Partners, LLC, 10 New Driftway, Suite 203, Scituate, MA 02066, pursuant to the Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the EAS Crow Point Alternatives Fund.
Probabilities Fund Management, LLC, 1665 Union Street, Suite A, San Diego, CA 92101, pursuant to the Interim Advisory Agreement with the Trust, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Probabilities Fund.
American Assets Investment Management, LLC (dba AACA), 11455 El Camino Real, Suite 140, San Diego, CA 92130, pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Altegris/AACA Real Estate Long Short Fund.
AthenaInvest Advisors LLC 5340 S. Quebec Street, Suite 365-N, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Athena Value Fund.
Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Inc. 507 Lexington Avenue, 11 th Floor, New York, NY 10022, pursuant to an Advisory Agreement, will maintain all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Ladenburg Aggressive Growth Fund, Ladenburg Growth Fund, Ladenburg Growth & Income Fund, Ladenburg Income & Growth Fund and Ladenburg Income Fund.
Revolution Capital Management, LLC 1400 16 th Street, Suite 510, Denver, CO 80202, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Grant Park Absolute Return Fund.
Middleton Dickinson Capital Management, LLC 200 South Third Street, Geneva, IL 60134, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Grant Park Fixed Income Fund.
Horse Cove Partners LLC, 1899 Powers Ferry Road SE, Suite 120, Atlanta, GA 30339, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Princeton Premium Fund.
Cramer Rosenthal McGlynn LLC, 520 Madison Avenue, 20 th Floor, New York, NY 10022, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, maintains all records required pursuant to such agreement with respect to the Altegris Equity Long Short Fund.
ITEM 34.
MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
Not applicable.
ITEM 35.
UNDERTAKINGS.
One or more of the Registrant’s series may invest up to 25% of its respective total assets in a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary (each a “Subsidiary” and collectively the “Subsidiaries”). Each Subsidiary will operate under the supervision of the Registrant. The Registrant hereby undertakes that the Subsidiaries will submit to inspection by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 881 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized in the City of Hauppauge, State of New York on the 12 th of October 2016.
NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST
(Registrant)
By:
/s/ Andrew Rogers
Andrew Rogers*,
President, Trustee and Principal Executive Officer
Pursuant to the Securities Act, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Northern Lights Fund Trust
John V. Palancia* | Trustee | October 12, 2016 |
Gary Lanzen* | Trustee | October 12, 2016 |
Anthony Hertl* | Trustee& Chairman | October 12, 2016 |
Mark Taylor* | Trustee | October 12, 2016 |
Mark D. Gersten* | Trustee | October 12, 2016 |
Mark Garbin* | Trustee | October 12, 2016 |
Andrew Rogers* | President, Principal Executive Officer and Trustee | October 12, 2016 |
Kevin Wolf
|
Treasurer and Principal Accounting Officer | October 12, 2016 |
By: Date:
/s/ Andrew Rogers October 12, 2016
Andrew Rogers, President
*Attorney-in-Fact – Pursuant to Powers of Attorney previously filed on April 1, 2011, January 9, 2012, September 27, 2013 and September 1, 2016 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement in Post-Effective Amendment No. 234, No. 346, No. 535, and No. 862, respectively, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit | Exhibit No. |
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC and AthenaInvest Advisors LLC, with respect to the Athena Value Fund | (d)(87) |
Expense Limitation Agreement between Toews Corporation and Registrant with respect to the Toews Tactical Defensive Alpha Fund | (h)(64) |
SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT
THIS SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of August 23, 2016, by and between Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC (the “ Adviser ”), a Delaware limited liability company located at 1125 17th Street, Suite 1400, Denver, CO 80202 and registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “ Advisers Act ”), and AthenaInvest Advisors, LLC (the “ Subadviser ”), a Colorado limited liability company located at 5340 South Quebec Street, Suite 365-N, Greenwood Village, CO 80111 and also registered under the Advisers Act, with respect to the Athena Value Fund (the “ Fund ”), a series of the NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST, 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 been retained to act as investment adviser for the Fund pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust dated as of February 25, 2015 set forth as Exhibit A hereto (the “ Advisory Agreement ”);
WHEREAS, 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 the Subadviser to assist it in the provision of a continuous investment program for the Fund’s assets, and the 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 the Fund:
1. Appointment as Subadviser . The Adviser hereby appoints the Subadviser to act as investment adviser for and to manage all of the assets of the Fund (the “ Assets ”) during the term of this Agreement, subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “ Board ”) and the Adviser (where such supervision includes, without limitation, the Adviser’s ability to override (by providing notice in writing to the Subadviser) the Subadviser’s allocation of assets or mutual funds or other securities if the Adviser believes an investment or allocation is not consistent with the Fund’s investment guidelines as set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus (the “ Prospectus ”) and Statement of Additional Information (the “ SAI ”)) 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 Assets. It is recognized that the Subadviser and certain of its affiliates may act as investment adviser to other investment funds and other managed accounts and that the Adviser and the Trust do not object to such activities.
2. Duties of Subadviser .
(a) Investments . During the term of this Agreement. the Subadviser is hereby authorized and directed and hereby agrees to manage and monitor on a continuous basis the investment portfolio and performance of the Fund’s Assets and to conduct a continuous program of investment, evaluation and, if appropriate, sale and reinvestment of the Fund’s Assets, subject to the stated investment policies and restrictions of the Fund as set forth in the Prospectus and 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. 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 assets available or to become available for investment, and generally as to the conditions of the Fund’s or the Trust’s affairs. In the event Advisor determines the Fund’s investment portfolio is not in conformity with the Fund’s investment guidelines or any regulatory/tax requirements of the Fund, Advisor shall promptly notify Subadviser of the breach and Subadviser shall promptly make any changes required to the investment portfolio to bring the Fund’s investment portfolio back within the investment guidelines or regulatory/tax requirements of the Fund. In the event Subadviser does not make the changes in a timely manner, Adviser shall have the authority to make the changes necessary to the Fund’s investment portfolio to bring the investment portfolio back to compliance with the Fund’s investment guidelines or regulatory/tax requirements.
(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 reasonable instructions and directions received in writing from the Adviser or the Trustees of the Trust. The Subadviser agrees to assist the Adviser as the Adviser may reasonably request in respect of the Fund’s compliance with the requirements of the 1940 Act and Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”), and agrees to perform its services under this Agreement in conformity with all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations. Without limiting the preceding sentences, the Adviser promptly shall notify the Subadviser as to any act or omission of the Subadviser hereunder that the Adviser becomes aware of and 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. The Adviser timely will provide the Subadviser with a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the Board to the extent they are received by the Adviser and 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.
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To aid the Advisor in quarterly and annual tax compliance tests to ensure that the Fund is in compliance with Subchapter M of the Code, as well as compliance tests to ensure that the Fund is in compliance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Subadviser shall provide information the Adviser reasonably requests from the Subadviser in a timely manner in order to allow the Adviser to complete any such testing in a timely manner. In connection with such tax compliance tests, the Adviser shall inform the Subadviser at least ten (10) business days prior to a calendar quarter end if the Assets are out of compliance with the diversification requirements under Subchapter M. If the Adviser notifies the Subadviser that the Assets are not in compliance with such requirements noted above, the Subadviser will take prompt action to bring the Assets back into compliance within the time permitted under the Code thereunder. In connection with such 1940 Act compliance tests, the Adviser shall inform the Subadviser of any such compliance issue and the Subadviser will take prompt action to rectify such compliance issue as the Adviser and Subadviser shall mutually agree.
The Adviser will provide the Subadviser with reasonable advance notice of any change in the Fund’s investment objectives, policies and restrictions (if the SubAdviser is not already aware of the changes) as stated in the Prospectus and SAI, and the Subadviser shall, in the performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, manage the 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, and subject to the Subadviser’s ability to allocate or reallocate the Assets. 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; as well as any information the Adviser may reasonably request for the purpose of compliance with Subchapter M of the Code.
(c) Voting of Proxies . 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 Assets. The Subadviser shall have the power to vote, either in person or by proxy, all securities in which the 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 Trust and 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
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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 in writing by the Adviser in connection with its management of the 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 Board, 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 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 the Subadviser may elect and negotiate commissions to be paid on such transactions. The Subadviser shall obtain the consent of the Adviser in respect of the use of a Broker prior to establishing a brokerage account with such Broker. 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 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 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
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when the Subadviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interests of the Fund with respect to the 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 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 Assets and (ii) identifying any violations which have occurred with respect to the 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.
(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 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 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 Assets, all in such reasonable detail as the parties may reasonably agree in good faith, subject to the data to be
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included in such reports reasonably being available to the Subadviser. The Subadviser will also (i) inform the Adviser in a timely manner, subject to compliance with the 1940 Act, of any changes in the ownership or management of the Subadviser, and (ii) provide to the Adviser at least ninety (90) days’ prior written notice of any event or action that may constitute a change in “control” (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) 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 Board or the Advisor (A) via telephone on a quarterly basis, and (B) in person on an annual basis, to review the Assets, the performance of the Fund, the outlook for the next quarterly or annual period, and any changes in the Subadvisor’s investment strategy or personnel. The Subadvisor will also provide to the Advisor such additional information reasonably requested by the Advisor to enable it to review and evaluate the Subadvisor’s performance in accordance the Advisor’s subadvisor oversight policy.
Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Subadviser will also provide such information or perform such additional acts with respect to the 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 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 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 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 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, the 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 (unless as part of an Operating Expense Limitation Agreement agreed to by the Adviser), which shall include, but not be limited to, the cost of securities, commodities and other investments
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(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 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 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 performance analysis and market commentary pertaining to the Fund (the “ Investment Report ”) during the term of this Agreement as reasonably requested by the Adviser and agreed to by the Subadviser. The subject of each Investment Report shall be mutually agreed upon. The Investment Reports are due as soon as is practicable after the end of each time period a report is requested for. The Adviser will submit all Investment Reports to Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (“NLD”) for their compliance review and NLD will submit the Investment Reports to FINRA for their review if required. The Adviser is freely able to publicly distribute the Investment Reports on behalf of the Fund once all compliance reviews (NLD and/or FINRA) have been completed.
6. Compensation .
(a) The stated Advisory Fee payable by the Fund to the Adviser pursuant to the Advisory Agreement is currently 100 basis points per annum payable monthly. The Advisory Fee minus (i) a 0.25% marketing allowance that is payable to the individuals or firms, internal or external to either party, that facilitate the purchase of the Fund, and (ii) Other Marketing Expenses (the “ Net Advisory Fee ”) shall be allocated 40% to the Subadviser (the “ Subadviser’s Portion ”) for the services provided pursuant to this Agreement and 60% to the Adviser. “ Other Marketing Expenses ” shall mean any marketing expenses that are incurred by the Advisor in any month in connection with the marketing of the Fund, including, but not limited to, the costs of accessing distribution through platforms such as Ameriprise, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, Charles Schwab, Fidelity, LPL, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Pershing, UBS and other platform providers, the costs of sponsoring conferences, and other marketing costs.
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(b) The Subadviser’s Portion will be paid no later than the fifteenth (15 th ) business day following receipt by the Adviser of the Advisory Fee from the Fund. The Adviser and the Subadviser hereby agree that the Adviser may waive all or a portion of the Advisory Fee or may agree to make out of pocket payments to the Fund in accordance with an Operating Expenses Limitation Agreement with the Fund. In connection therewith, the Subadviser agrees that it shall waive the Subadviser’s Portion of the Advisory Fee for any month where Advisory Fees are waived under the Operating Expense Limitation Agreement. The reimbursement of any Fund expenses (including, without limitation, Other Marketing Expenses) shall be payable 60% by the Adviser and 40% by the Subadviser; and the Subadviser shall pay 40% of any such out of pocket payment to the Adviser no later than the seventh (7 th ) business day following notice from the Adviser; provided , however , that if the Adviser subsequently is reimbursed by the Fund for any such waived Advisory Fees or out of pocket payments in accordance with the reimbursement provisions of the Operating Expenses Limitation Agreement, the Adviser shall promptly pay the Subadviser’s Portion of any such reimbursement amount to the Subadviser.
7. Minimum Investment for Athena Pure Valuation | Profitability Accounts : No later than the earlier of (i) one hundred and twenty (120) days after the date of this Agreement, and (ii) the date the Fund commences investment operations, and at all times thereafter during the term of this Agreement, Subadviser agrees to increase the minimum account size for clients investing in its Athena Pure Valuation | Profitability strategy to $200,000, with the exception of the strategy being used as a “sleeve” or “partial allocation” of a larger multi-strategy managed account product or for existing advisory clients and agreements already in place and as enumerated in Appendix A.
8. Exclusivity .
(a) During the term of this Agreement, neither the Adviser nor Subadviser will advise, subadvise, or license another pooled investment vehicle (mutual fund or otherwise) or separately managed account using an investment strategy that is the same as, or materially similar to, the Portfolio Strategy without the prior consent of the other party; provided, that , the Subadviser’s obligations under this Section 8(a) will continue for a period of 30 months after any termination of the term of this Agreement by the Subadviser pursuant to Section 13(b)(iii) hereof. For the purposes of this Agreement, “ Portfolio Strategy ” is defined as the Subadvisor’s actively managed 10 security Pure Valuation | Profitability methodology that is modified to comply with the diversification requirements of a Regulated Investment Company (as defined under Subchapter M of the Code) by using the same security selection methodology to increase the number of securities held in a portfolio from 10 securities to between 20 and 30 securities.
(b) The restrictions in Section 8(a) hereof shall not apply to any investment company advised or sub-advised by Subadviser prior to the execution of this Agreement or to any private-placement funds, separately managed account programs or private investment companies launched by Subadviser at any time during the term of this Agreement.
(c) Subadviser agrees to ensure the Fund has adequate capacity under the Subadviser’s strategy to accommodate the future growth of the Fund to at least
- 8 - |
$1,000,000,000.00 of assets without any negative impact on its performance due to limitations on the amount of assets available under the strategy.
9. 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 Colorado 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 managers and members, 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;
(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;
(e) Subadviser acknowledges that it received a copy of Advisor’s Form ADV prior to the execution of this Agreement; and
(f) Subadviser provided Advisor with an actual composite performance track record (“Athena Pure Valuation | Profitability Portfolio Composite”) from March 1, 2007 to March 31, 2014 which is compliant with Global Investment Performance Standards (“ GIPS ”). At Advisor’s request, Subadviser subsequently provided Adviser with a simulated performance track record (“ RIC Compliant Simulation ”) over the same period of time period. Subadviser represents that no intentional Selection Bias was introduced into the RIC Compliant Simulation. For the purposes of this Agreement, “ Selection Bias ” is defined as any intent by Subadviser to select equity securities, Real Estate Investment Trusts, Limited Partnerships, BDCs or other publically traded securities for the purpose of providing a RIC Compliant Simulation that intentionally represents either i) a higher annualized rate of return, ii) a lower annualized standard deviation of monthly returns or iii) a higher Sharpe Ratio than the Athena Pure Valuation | Profitability Portfolio Composite that is GIPS compliant.
- 9 - |
10. 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 Delaware 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 managers and members, 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.
11. 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 9 and 10, 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.
12. Liability and Indemnification .
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(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, managers, 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 Assets.
The Adviser shall exercise its best judgment in rendering its obligations 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 Adviser or a reckless disregard of its duties hereunder, the Adviser, each 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 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. Unless otherwise obligated under applicable law, the Adviser shall not be liable to the Subadviser for indirect, punitive, special or consequential damages arising out of this Agreement.
(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.
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(d) The Adviser shall not be liable to the Subadviser for acts of the Adviser which result from acts of the Subadviser, including, but not limited to, a failure of the Subadviser to provide accurate and current information with respect to any records maintained by the Subadviser, which records are not also maintained by or otherwise available to the Adviser upon reasonable request.
13. Term and Termination .
(a) Term . Unless sooner terminated, the term of this Agreement shall continue for an initial period of two years following the date upon which the Fund commences investment operations (the “ Initial Term ”), 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 Board 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, the term of this Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Fund, without payment of any penalty:
(i) At any time by vote of a majority of the Board, 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 Subadviser;
(ii) By either 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 either party hereto upon at least 120 days’ written notice to the other party.
This Agreement shall not be assigned (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) and the term shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment or upon the termination of the Advisory Agreement.
The Subadviser hereby warrants to the Adviser, that if either (i) the Advisory Agreement is terminated by the Board or by “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), or (ii) if the term of the Advisory Agreement expires due the failure of the Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund to approve a continuance of the term, in either case for any reason or reasons not relating to (A) breach of contract by the Adviser, (B) failure of the Adviser to maintain its status as an SEC-registered investment adviser, or (C) the Adviser becoming subject to solicitor disqualifying events specified under Rule 206(4)-3(a)(1)(ii) under the Advisers Act, the Subadviser will not serve as adviser or subadviser to the Fund in the future.
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The provisions of Sections 8, 12, 17, 18, 19 and 20 shall survive any termination or expiration of the term of this Agreement.
14. 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.
15. 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 prior 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 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 cause any Affiliate of the Subadviser to satisfy the foregoing obligation.
16. 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 Board 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.
17. 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:
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(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 (i) will not disclose the Fund’s portfolio holdings without the prior written consent of the Advisor or the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, and (ii) 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.
18. 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:
AthenaInvest Advisors LLC
5340 South Quebec Street, Suite 365-N
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
C. Thomas Howard, CEO
Phone: 877-430-5675
Fax: 303-721-6294
Email: tom.howard@athenainvest.com
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(b) If to the Adviser:
Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC
1580 Lincoln Street
Suite 680
Denver, CO 80203
Greg Anderson, Chief Investment Officer
Phone: 303-382-2855
Fax: 303-382-28888
Email: greg.anderson@mtyale.com
19. Dispute Resolution . To the extent not inconsistent with applicable law, the Adviser and Subadviser agree to submit any material dispute to arbitration by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") in accordance with its rules then prevailing. However, the Adviser and Subadviser agree that forum shall be the city of the non-complaining party. Additionally, the Adviser and Subadviser acknowledge that by agreeing to dispute resolution under arbitration (i) each party is giving up the right to sue the other in court, including the right to a trial by jury, except as provided by the rules of the AAA in the arbitration forum in which a claim is filed; (ii) arbitration awards are generally final and binding and a party’s ability to have a court reverse or modify an arbitration award is very limited; (iii) the ability of the parties to obtain documents, witness statements and other discovery is generally more limited in arbitration than in court proceedings; (iv) the arbitrators do not have to explain the reason(s) for their award; (v) the arbitrator or panel of arbitrators will typically include a minority of arbitrators who were or are affiliated with the securities industry; (vi) the rules of AAA in some arbitration forums may impose time limits for bringing a claim in arbitration, yet in some cases, a claim that is ineligible for arbitration may be brought in court; and (vii) the rules of the AAA and the forum in which the claim is filed, and any amendments thereto, shall be incorporated into this Agreement.
20. 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.
21. 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.
22. 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.
23. Captions . The captions herein are included for convenience of reference only and shall be ignored in the construction or interpretation hereof.
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24. 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.
25. 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.
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the day and year first written above.
ADVISER:
Princeton Fund Advisors, LLC
By: /s/ Greg Anderson
Name: Greg Anderson
Title: Chief Investment Officer
SUB-ADVISER:
AthenaInvest Advisors, LLC
By: /s/ C. Thomas Howard
Name: C. Thomas Howard
Title: Chief Executive Officer
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APPENDIX A
List of Existing Advisery Clients for the Athena Pure Valuation | Profitability managed account strategy:
Existing Clients & Relationships
1. | A&I Financial Services LLC |
2. | Augustine Financial, LLC |
3. | Avant-Garde Advisers LLC |
4. | Biltmore Wealth Advisers, LLC |
5. | Camelback Wealth Management, LLC |
6. | Capital Investment Advisers, Inc. |
7. | Cascade Financial Management, Inc. |
8. | Dynamic Wealth Advisers |
9. | Fiduciary Counsel, Inc. |
10. | Hartwell Financial Services |
11. | Holmes & Turner Financial Services, Inc. |
12. | Johnson Financial Group, LLC |
13. | Kindred Financial |
14. | Kummer Financial Strategies, Inc. |
15. | Larimer Capital Corporation |
16. | Mason & Associates |
17. | Merrill Lynch - Beverly Hills |
18. | Mind’s Eye Resource Management, LLC |
19. | Oxford Asset Management, LLC |
20. | Portland Investment Advisers |
21. | Stephanie Bruno Wealth Adviser |
22. | Taylor / Swain Team at Morgan Stanley |
23. | The Holben Group LLC |
24. | The IRA Specialists |
25. | The Madeira Group at Morgan Stanley |
26. | UCI Wealth Advisers |
27. | Wambolt & Associates, LLC |
Existing & In-Progess UMA Platform Clients
1. | Envestnet Asset Management, Inc. |
2. | Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. |
3. | Placemark Investments, Inc. |
4. | Robert W. Baird & Co. |
5. | Wells Fargo Advisers |
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NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST
OPERATING EXPENSES LIMITATION AGREEMENT
TOEWS TACTICAL DEFENSIVE ALPHA FUND
THIS OPERATING EXPENSES LIMITATION AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is effective as of the 30 th day of June, 2015, and amended on August 24, 2016 by and between NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of Toews Tactical Defensive Alpha Fund (the “Fund”), a series of the Trust, and the Advisor of the Fund, Toews Corporation (the “Advisor”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS
, the Advisor renders advice and services to the Fund pursuant to the terms and provisions of an Investment Advisory
Agreement between the Trust and the Advisor dated as of the 30
th
day of June, 2015, with respect to the Toews Tactical
Defensive Alpha Fund (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”); and
WHEREAS
, the Fund is responsible for, and have assumed the obligation for, payment of certain expenses pursuant to the Investment
Advisory Agreement that have not been assumed by the Advisor; and
WHEREAS
, the Advisor desires to limit the Fund’s 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 Fund) desires to allow the Advisor
to implement those limits;
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 Fund’s current Operating Expenses to
an annual rate, expressed as a percentage of the Fund’s average annual net assets, to the amounts listed in
Appendix
A
(the “Annual Limit”). In
the event
that the current Operating Expenses of the Fund, as accrued
each month, exceed its Annual Limit, the Advisor will pay to that Fund, on a monthly basis, the excess expense within 30 days of
being notified that an excess expense payment is due.
2. Definition . For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Operating Expenses” with respect to the Fund, is defined to include all expenses necessary or appropriate for the operation of the Fund and including the Advisor’s investment advisory or management fee detailed in the Investment Advisory Agreement, any Rule 12b-l fees and other expenses described in the Investment Advisory Agreement, but does not include any front-end or contingent deferred loads, brokerage fees and commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), taxes or extraordinary expenses such as litigation.
3. Reimbursement of Fees and Expenses . The Advisor retains its right to receive reimbursement of any excess expense payments paid by it pursuant to this Agreement in future years on a rolling three year basis, if such reimbursement can be achieved within the Operating Expense Limitations listed in Appendix A .
1 |
4.
Term
. This Agreement shall become effective on the date first above written and shall remain in effect until at
least August 31, 2017, unless sooner terminated as
provided in Paragraph 5 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.
5.
Termination
.
This Agreement may be terminated at any time, and without payment of any penalty, by the Board of
Trustees of the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Advisor. This Agreement may not
be terminated by the Advisor without the consent of the Board of Trustees of the Trust. This Agreement will automatically terminate,
with respect to the Fund listed in
Appendix A
if the Investment Advisory Agreement for either Fund is terminated,
with such termination effective upon the effective date of the Investment Advisory Agreement’s termination for the Fund.
6.
Assignment
.
This Agreement and all rights and obligations hereunder may not be assigned without the written consent
of the other party.
7.
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.
8.
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 and the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940 and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
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 | TOEWS CORPORATION |
on behalf of Toews Tactical Defensive Alpha Fund | |
By: /s/Andrew Rogers |
By: /s/Randall D. Schroeder |
Name: Andrew Rogers | Name: Randall D. Schroeder |
Title: President | Title: Chief Operating Officer |
2 |
Appendix A
Fund | Operating Expense Limit |
Toews Tactical Defensive Alpha Fund | 1.25% |
3 |