Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 27, 2017

1933 Act Registration File No. 333-182417

1940 Act File No. 811-22718

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-1A

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933  [ X ]

 

[     ] Pre-Effective Amendment No.                                    

[ X ] Post-Effective Amendment No. 149                                                                                                                      

and/or

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940   [ X ]

 

[ X ] Amendment No. 152

                                                                                                                             

(Check appropriate box or boxes.)

TWO ROADS SHARED TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

17605 Wright Street, Suite 2

Omaha, NE  68130

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code:

402-895-1600

 

The Corporation Trust Company

1209 Orange Street

Wilmington, DE  19801

(Name and. Address of Agent for Service)

Copy to:

 

Joshua Deringer

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

One Logan Square, Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

 

 

Richard A. Malinowski

Gemini Fund Services, LLC

80 Arkay Drive, Suite 110

Hauppauge, NY  11788

 

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

[X ]   immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

[   ]   on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)

[   ]   60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(l)

[   ]   on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(l)

[   ]   75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)

[   ]   on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

[   ]   as soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement

If appropriate, check the following box: [ ] this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF

 

WLDR

 

a series of Two Roads Shared Trust

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROSPECTUS

December 27, 2017

 

 

 

 

Advised by:

Regents Park Funds, LLC

4041 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 155

Newport Beach, CA 92660

 

 

RegentsParkFunds.com 1-866-866-4848

 

 

This Prospectus provides important information about the Fund that you should know before investing. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference.

 

These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

Shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the BATS Global Markets (“BATS”).

 

 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

FUND SUMMARY     1  
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT        
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS     5  
Investment Objective     5  
Principal Investment Strategies     6  
Principal Investment Risks     6  
Temporary Investments     8  
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure     8  
Cybersecurity     8  
MANAGEMENT     8  
Investment Adviser     8  
Investment Sub-Adviser     9  
Portfolio Managers     9  
HOW SHARES ARE PRICED     9  
HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES     10  
FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES     11  
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN     11  
DIVIDENDS, OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES     11  
FUND SERVICE PROVIDERS     13  
OTHER INFORMATION     13  
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS     16  
Privacy Notice     17  

 

 

 
 

FUND SUMMARY - Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF

 

Investment Objective: The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Thomson Reuters StarMine Affinity World Leaders Index (the “TRSAWL Index” or the “Index”).

 

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. Investors purchasing or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market may be subject to costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker. These costs are not included in the expense example below.

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

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

 
Management Fees 0.47%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees 0.00%
Other Expenses (1) 0.50%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.97%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement (0.50)%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement (2) 0.47%
  (1)   Estimated for the current fiscal year.
(2) The Fund’s adviser has contractually agreed to reduce the Fund’s fees and/or absorb expenses of the Fund until at least December 31, 2020 to ensure that total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and reimbursement (exclusive of any taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, indirect expenses, expenses of other investment companies in which the Fund may invest, or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) will not exceed 0.47% of average daily net assets. This agreement may be terminated by the Fund’s Board of Trustees on 60 days’ written notice to the adviser. 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 without exceeding the foregoing expense limits as well as any expense limitation in effect at the time the reimbursement is made .

 

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:

 

1Year 3 Years
$209 $646

 

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance.

 

Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund seeks to passively replicate the TRSAWL Index. The TRSAWL Index consists of equity securities issued and traded in the US as well as international countries. The TRSAWL Index is expected to consist of approximately 150 to 250 stocks of companies located in the U.S. and in at least three countries outside of the U.S., and may invest in up to 20 countries. The TRSAWL Index will be significantly invested in the securities of international companies in addition to securities of U.S. companies. The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities included in the Fund’s benchmark index. The Fund may also invest in American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) (collectively “Depositary Receipts”) based on the securities in the TRSAWL Index.

 

Constituents of the TRSAWL Index are characterized by strong global footprint (measured by market capitalization), rank high on measures of earnings quality, demonstrate improving fundamentals (positive earnings revisions on earnings estimates, revenue estimates, price targets, and analyst recommendations), show stock price momentum, and trade at relatively attractive valuations (based on a ranking from various trading multiples, which are, generally speaking, a ratio of the security's market price to financial or accounting metrics such as earnings, book value, etc., as well as a dividend discount model, which attempts to determine the current or future value of a security based in part on its dividend payments).

 

1  
 

The process of constructing the TRSAWL Index begins with sorting the companies in the Thomson Reuters Global Developed Index (excluding those in Greece and South Korea) (the “Benchmark Index”) by market capitalization. The next step involves selecting those companies that comprise the top 85% of cumulative market capitalization, and categorizing them into two regions: US and International. The final step involves scoring these securities on the above criteria within each region, and then narrowing this universe of companies to approximately 150 to 250 equity securities using a proprietary ranking system of the Fund’s sub-adviser, Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC (“Affinity” or the “Sub-Adviser”). The proprietary ranking system is known as the “Affinity Score” and is calculated by weighting the above criteria based on the Sub-Adviser’s assessment of the correlation between the score components and subsequent long-term stock performance. Stocks that rank in the top decile are candidates for purchase, while those that rank outside the top quartile are typically sold. A risk management overlay is then used to guide portfolio construction. The overlay calls for neutral business sector weights versus the Benchmark Index, approximately equal active weighting of each security within a business sector (active weight is the absolute percentage deviation of a security’s weight in the portfolio from its weight in the Benchmark Index), and limiting the deviation of the TRSAWL Index’s geographical distribution from that of the Benchmark Index. The TRSAWL Index is reconstituted and rebalanced on a semi-annual basis.

 

As of August 31, 2017, the Index was comprised of 171 issues with market capitalizations ranging from $3.11 billion to $234.49 billion. As of August 31, 2017, the countries in the Benchmark Index were: Austria, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

 

The TRSAWL Index is co-sponsored by the Sub-Adviser to the Fund and by Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC (the “Index Provider”), an organization that is independent of the Fund, the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the TRSAWL Index and the Index Provider publishes information regarding the market value of the Index.

 

The Fund uses a “passive” or indexing approach to attempt to approximate the investment performance of the TRSAWL Index by investing in a portfolio of securities that generally replicates the TRSAWL Index. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to “beat” the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular country, region, industry or group of industries to the extent that the TRSAWL Index concentrates in a country, region, industry or group of industries.

 

Principal Investment Risks: As with all funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund. Many factors affect the Fund’s net asset value and performance.

 

As with any fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal.

 

Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. To the extent that authorized participants are unable or otherwise unavailable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders and no other authorized participant is able to create or redeem in their place, shares may trade at a discount to net asset value (NAV) and may face delisting.

 

Calculation Methodology Risk: The TRSAWL Index relies on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser nor Thomson Reuters can offer assurances that the TRSAWL Index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers or correct valuation of securities, nor can they guarantee the availability or timeliness of the production of the TRSAWL Index.

 

Currency Risk : The risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar and adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, or in derivatives that provide exposure to, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies.

 

 

Equity Risk. Equity securities are susceptible to general market fluctuations and volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change.

 

ETF Structure Risks : The Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result is subject to the special risks, including:

o Not Individually Redeemable . Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units.” You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough shares to constitute a Creation Unit.
2  
 
o Trading Issues . Trading in shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. An active trading market for the Fund’s shares may not be developed or maintained. If the Fund’s shares are traded outside a collateralized settlement system, the number of financial institutions that can act as authorized participants that can post collateral on an agency basis is limited, which may limit the market for the Fund’s shares.

o Market Price Variance Risk . The market prices of shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for shares and will include a “bid-ask spread” charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that shares may trade at a discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.
§ In times of market stress, market makers may step away from their role market making in shares of ETFs and in executing trades, which can lead to differences between the market value of Fund shares and the Fund’s net asset value.
§ The market price for the Fund’s shares may deviate from the Fund’s net asset value, particularly during times of market stress, with the result that investors may pay significantly more or significantly less for Fund shares than the Fund’s net asset value, which is reflected in the bid and ask price for Fund shares or in the closing price.
§ When all or a portion of an ETFs underlying securities trade in a market that is closed when the market for the Fund’s shares is open, there may be changes from the last quote of the closed market and the quote from the Fund’s domestic trading day, which could lead to differences between the market value of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s net asset value.
§ In stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s shares may become less liquid in response to the deteriorating liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio. This adverse effect on the liquidity of the Fund’s shares may, in turn, lead to differences between the market value of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s net asset value.

 

Fluctuation of Net Asset Value Risk: The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of the shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in NAV as well as the relative supply of and demand for the shares on the Exchange. The Adviser cannot predict whether the shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for the shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the Fund’s holdings trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time.

 

Foreign Securities Risk: Since the Fund’s investments may include foreign securities, the Fund is subject to risks beyond those associated with investing in domestic securities. Foreign companies are generally not subject to the same regulatory requirements of U.S. companies thereby resulting in less publicly available information about these companies.
In addition, foreign accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards generally differ from those applicable to U.S. companies.

 

Geographic and Sector Risk. The risk that if the Fund invests a significant portion of its total assets in certain issuers within the same geographic region or economic sector, an adverse economic, business or political development affecting that region or sector may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund’s investments were not so focused.

 

Index Tracking Error Risk: As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and the TRSAWL Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the TRSAWL Index. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the TRSAWL Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the Index.

 

Industry Concentration Risk: The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investment more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in securities of a particular industry, group of industries or sector.

 

Limited History of Operations Risk : The Fund is a new fund with a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

 

Management Risk : The Sub-Adviser determines the intrinsic value of the securities the Fund hold and its assessment may be incorrect, which may result in a decline in the value of Fund shares and failure to achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s portfolio managers use qualitative analyses and/or models. Any imperfections or limitations in such analyses and models could affect the ability of the portfolio managers to implement strategies.

 

3  
 

Market Capitalization Risk: The Fund’s anticipated weighting towards larger-sized companies subjects the Fund to the risk that larger companies may not be able to attain the high growth rates of successful smaller companies, especially during strong economic periods, and that they may be less capable of responding quickly to competitive challenges and industry changes. Medium–sized companies typically have less experienced management, narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, and less publicly available information than larger companies. The earnings and prospects of medium sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Medium sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.

 

Securities Market Risk : The value of securities owned by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to factors affecting particular companies or the securities markets generally. A general downturn in the securities market may cause multiple asset classes to decline in value simultaneously.

 

Performance: Because the Fund has only recently commenced investment operations, no performance information is presented for the Fund at this time. In the future, performance information will be presented in this section of this Prospectus. Also, shareholder reports containing financial and performance information will be mailed to shareholders semi-annually. Updated performance information will be available at no cost by visiting RegentsParkFunds.com or by calling 1-866-866-4848.

 

Investment Adviser: Regents Park Funds, LLC (the “Adviser”)

 

Investment Sub-Adviser : Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC

 

Portfolio Managers: Gregory R. Lai, CFA, Principal of the Sub-Adviser, and Pushkar Murthy, CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager, of the Sub-Adviser, have served the Fund as its portfolio managers since it commenced operations in December of 2017 and is responsible for the day to day management of the Fund.

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: The Fund will issue and redeem shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 shares (each block of shares is called a “Creation Unit”). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities. Individual shares may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through brokers.
Except when aggregated in Creation Units, the shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

 

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on BATS (the “Exchange”) and trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than, at, or less than NAV.

 

Tax Information: The Fund’s distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income or long-term capital gains. A sale of shares may result in capital gain or loss.

 

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries: If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

4  
 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE:

 

Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide capital growth and income.

 

The Fund’s investment objective or underlying index may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders. If the Index Provider no longer calculates the underlying index of the Fund, if the underlying index is terminated for any reason, if the identity or the character of the underlying index is materially changed, or for any other reason determined by the Board of Trustees in good faith, the Board of Trustees determines that it is impracticable to substitute a replacement index, it will take whatever action is deemed to be in the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders.

 

The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities included in the fund’s benchmark index. The Sub-Adviser anticipates that, generally, the Fund will hold all of the securities that compose the Index in proportion to their weightings in the Index. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of those securities in those weightings. In these circumstances, the Fund may purchase a sample of securities in the Index. There also may be instances in which the Sub-Adviser may choose to underweight or overweight a security in the Index, purchase securities not in the Index that the Sub-Adviser believes are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in the Index, or utilize various combinations of other available investment techniques. The Fund may sell securities that are represented in the Index in anticipation of their removal from the Index or purchase securities not represented in the Index in anticipation of their addition to the Index. The Fund may also, in order to comply with the tax diversification requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (Code), temporarily invest in securities not included in the Index that are expected to be correlated with the securities included in the Index. Given the Fund’s investment objective of attempting to track the Index, the Fund does not follow traditional methods of active investment management, which may involve buying and selling securities based upon analysis of economic and market factors. Also, unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not attempt to outperform the Index that it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES:

 

 

The Fund seeks to passively replicate the TRSAWL Index. The TRSAWL Index consists of equity securities issued and traded in the US as well as international countries. The TRSAWL Index is expected to consist of approximately 150 to 250 stocks of companies located in the U.S. and in at least three countries outside of the U.S., and may invest in up to 20 countries. The TRSAWL Index will be significantly invested in the securities of international companies in addition to securities of U.S. companies. The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities included in the Fund’s benchmark index. The Fund may also invest in American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) (collectively “Depositary Receipts”) based on the securities in the TRSAWL Index.

 

Constituents of the TRSAWL Index are characterized by strong global footprint (measured by market capitalization), rank high on measures of earnings quality, demonstrate improving fundamentals (positive earnings revisions on earnings estimates, revenue estimates, price targets, and analyst recommendations), show stock price momentum, and trade at relatively attractive valuations (based on a ranking from various trading multiples, which are, generally speaking, a ratio of the security's market price to financial or accounting metrics such as earnings, book value, etc., as well as a dividend discount model, which attempts to determine the current or future value of a security based in part on its dividend payments).

 

The process of constructing the TRSAWL Index begins with sorting the companies in the Thomson Reuters Global Developed Index (excluding those in Greece and South Korea) (the “Benchmark Index”) by market capitalization. The next step involves selecting those companies that comprise the top 85% of cumulative market capitalization, and categorizing them into two regions: US and International. The final step involves scoring these securities on the above criteria within each region, and then narrowing this universe of companies to approximately 150 to 250 equity securities using a proprietary ranking system of the Fund’s sub-adviser, Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC (“Affinity” or the “Sub-Adviser”). The proprietary ranking system is known as the “Affinity Score” and is calculated by weighting the above criteria based on the Sub-Adviser’s assessment of the correlation between the score components and subsequent long-term stock performance. Stocks that rank in the top decile are candidates for purchase, while those that rank outside the top quartile are typically sold. A risk management overlay is then used to guide portfolio construction. The overlay calls for neutral business sector weights versus the Benchmark Index, approximately equal active weighting of each security within

5  
 

a business sector (active weight is the absolute percentage deviation of a security’s weight in the portfolio from its weight in the Benchmark Index), and limiting the deviation of the TRSAWL Index’s geographical distribution from that of the Benchmark Index. The TRSAWL Index is reconstituted and rebalanced on a semi-annual basis.

 

As of August 31, 2017, the Index was comprised of 171 issues with market capitalizations ranging from $3.11 billion to $234.49 billion. As of August 31, 2017, the countries in the Thomson Reuters Global Developed Index were: Austria, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

 

The TRSAWL Index is co-sponsored by the Sub-Adviser to the Fund and by Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC (the “Index Provider”), an organization that is independent of the Fund, the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the TRSAWL Index and the Index Provider publishes information regarding the market value of the Index.

 

The Fund uses a “passive” or indexing approach to attempt to approximate the investment performance of the TRSAWL Index by investing in a portfolio of securities that generally replicates the TRSAWL Index. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to “beat” the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular country, region, industry or group of industries to the extent that the TRSAWL Index concentrates in a country, region, industry or group of industries.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

 

The following describes the principal risks the Fund may bear from its investments.

 

Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. To the extent that authorized participants are unable or otherwise unavailable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders and no other authorized participant is able to create or redeem in their place, shares may trade at a discount to net asset value (NAV) and may face delisting.

 

Calculation Methodology Risk: The TRSAWL Index relies on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser nor Thomson Reuters can offer assurances that the TRSAWL Index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers or correct valuation of securities, nor can they guarantee the availability or timeliness of the production of the TRSAWL Index.

 

Currency Risk: The risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar and adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, or in derivatives that provide exposure to, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies.

 

Equity Risk. Equity securities are susceptible to general market fluctuations and volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change.

 

ETF Structure Risks: The Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result is subject to the special risks, including:

Not Individually Redeemable. Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units.” You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough shares to constitute a Creation Unit.

 

Trading Issues. Trading in shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. An active trading market for the Fund’s shares may not be developed or maintained. If the Fund’s shares are traded outside a collateralized settlement system, the number of financial institutions that can act as authorized participants that can post collateral on an agency basis is limited, which may limit the market for the Fund’s shares.

 

Market Price Variance Risk. The market prices of shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for shares and will include a “bid-ask spread” charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that shares may trade at a discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses. In times of market stress, market makers may step away from their role market making in shares of ETFs and in executing trades, which can lead to differences between the market value of Fund shares and the Fund’s net asset

6  
 

value. The market price for the Fund’s shares may deviate from the Fund’s net asset value, particularly during times of market stress, with the result that investors may pay significantly more or significantly less for Fund shares than the Fund’s net asset value, which is reflected in the bid and ask price for Fund shares or in the closing price. When all or a portion of an ETFs underlying securities trade in a market that is closed when the market for the Fund’s shares is open, there may be changes from the last quote of the closed market and the quote from the Fund’s domestic trading day, which could lead to differences between the market value of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s net asset value. In stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s shares may become less liquid in response to the deteriorating liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio. This adverse effect on the liquidity of the Fund’s shares may, in turn, lead to differences between the market value of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s net asset value.

 

Fluctuation of Net Asset Value Risk: The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of the shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in NAV as well as the relative supply of and demand for the shares on the Exchange. The Adviser cannot predict whether the shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for the shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the Fund’s holdings trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time.

 

Foreign Securities Risk: Since the Fund’s investments may include foreign securities, the Fund is subject to risks beyond those associated with investing in domestic securities. Foreign companies are generally not subject to the same regulatory requirements of U.S. companies thereby resulting in less publicly available information about these companies.

In addition, foreign accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards generally differ from those applicable to U.S. companies.

 

Geographic and Sector Risk: The risk that if the Fund (invests a significant portion of its total assets in certain issuers within the same geographic region or economic sector, an adverse economic, business or political development affecting that region or sector may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund’s investments were not so focused.

 

Index Tracking Error Risk: As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and the TRSAWL Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the TRSAWL Index. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the TRSAWL Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the Index.

 

Industry Concentration Risk: The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investment more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in securities of a particular industry, group of industries or sector.

 

Limited History of Operations Risk: The Fund is a new fund with a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

 

Management Risk: The Sub-Adviser determines the intrinsic value of the securities the Fund hold and its assessment may be incorrect, which may result in a decline in the value of Fund shares and failure to achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s portfolio managers use qualitative analyses and/or models. Any imperfections or limitations in such analyses and models could affect the ability of the portfolio managers to implement strategies.

 

Market Capitalization Risk: The Fund’s anticipated weighting towards larger-sized companies subjects the Fund to the risk that larger companies may not be able to attain the high growth rates of successful smaller companies, especially during strong economic periods, and that they may be less capable of responding quickly to competitive challenges and industry changes. Medium–sized companies typically have less experienced management, narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, and less publicly available information than larger companies. The earnings and prospects of medium sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Medium sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.

 

Securities Market Risk: The value of securities owned by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to factors affecting particular companies or the securities markets generally. A general downturn in the securities market may cause multiple asset classes to decline in value simultaneously.

 

The earnings and prospects of small and medium sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Small and medium sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.

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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.

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE: A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding the release of portfolio holdings information is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.

 

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 invests; counterparties with which the Fund engages 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: Regents Park Funds, LLC, located at 4041 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 155, Newport Beach, CA 92660, serves as the Fund’s investment adviser. The Adviser is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is responsible for managing the Fund’s investments, executing transactions and providing related administrative services and facilities under an Investment Advisory Agreement between the Fund and the Adviser.

 

The management fee set forth in the Investment Advisory Agreement is 0.47% annually, to be paid on a monthly basis.
In addition to investment advisory fees, the Fund pays other expenses including costs incurred in connection with the maintenance of securities law registration, printing and mailing prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information to shareholders, certain financial accounting services, taxes or governmental fees, custodial, transfer and shareholder servicing agent costs, expenses of outside counsel and independent accountants, preparation of shareholder reports and expenses of trustee and shareholders meetings.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and/or absorb expenses of the Fund, until at least December 31, 2020, to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or reimbursement (exclusive of any front-end or contingent deferred loads, taxes, brokerage fees and commissions, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), acquired fund fees and expenses, fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example option and swap fees and expenses), or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) will not exceed 0.47% of the Fund’s average daily net assets; subject to possible recoupment from the Fund in future years within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed if such recoupment can be achieved without exceeding the foregoing expense limits as well as any expense limitation in effect at the time the reimbursement is made. Fee waiver and reimbursement arrangements can decrease the Fund’s expenses and boost its performance. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the advisory agreement will be available in the Fund’s first semi-annual report to shareholders.

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INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISER

 

Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC, 4041 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 150, Newport Beach, CA 92660 serves as Sub-Adviser to the Fund. The Sub-Adviser was formed in 1992 and currently manages assets for a variety of institutional clients and high net worth individuals. As of September 30, 2017, it had approximately $1 billion in assets under management. The Sub-Adviser is paid by the Adviser, not the Fund.

 

Affinity is the co-sponsor of the TRSAWL Index and serves as the investment sub-adviser of the Fund. Affinity has adopted policies and procedures designed to minimize or eliminate potential conflicts of interest; prevent certain persons from having any advantage over other market participants with respect to prior knowledge of companies that may be added to, or deleted from, an Affinity index or from the portfolios of any fund that tracks an Affinity index; and prevent the dissemination or use of non-public information about pending changes to index constituents or methodology.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

 

Gregory R. Lai, CFA

 

Mr. Lai has been a Principal and Lead Portfolio Manager for Affinity since 1992 and has 28 years of investment experience. He developed the firm’s quantitative stock selection, risk management, and portfolio construction models. Previous work experience includes Senior Portfolio Manager and Managing Director at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Van Kampen and Invesco, Ltd., as well as Quantitative Specialist and co-portfolio manager at Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO). Mr. Lai earned his M.B.A from the Paul Merage School at the University of California, Irvine, and a B.S. in Chemistry from UCLA. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

Pushkar V. Murthy, CFA

 

Mr. Murthy is a Senior Portfolio Manager at Affinity. He has 8 years of investment experience. Previous work experience includes Investment Analyst at ClariVest Asset Management LLC, and Director of Business Intelligence at Epocrates, a healthcare technology firm. He began his career as a management consultant with ZS Associates. Mr. Murthyearned an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, a M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a B.Tech. in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

The Statement of Additional Information provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’ compensation, other accounts managed and ownership of Fund shares.

 

 

HOW SHARES ARE PRICED

 

The net asset value (“NAV”) and offering price (NAV plus any applicable sales charges) of each class of shares is determined at the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open. NAV is computed by determining, on a per class basis, the aggregate market value of all assets of the applicable Fund, less its liabilities, divided by the total number of shares outstanding ((assets-liabilities)/number of shares = NAV). The NYSE is closed on weekends and New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The NAV takes into account, on a per class basis, the expenses and fees of the Fund, including management, administration, and distribution fees, which are accrued daily. The determination of NAV for the Fund for a particular day is applicable to all applications for the purchase of shares, as well as all requests for the redemption of shares, received by the Fund (or an authorized broker or agent, or its authorized designee) before the close of trading on the NYSE on that day.

 

Generally, 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, at the mean between the current bid and ask prices on such exchange. Securities primarily traded in the National Association of Securities Dealers’ Automated Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) National Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price. If market quotations are not readily available, securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined using the “fair value” procedures approved by the Board. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may be materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. The fair value prices can differ from market prices when they become available or when a price becomes available. The Board has delegated execution of these procedures to a fair value team

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composed of one or more representatives from each of the (i) Trust, (ii) administrator, and (iii) adviser. The team may also enlist third party consultants such as an audit firm or financial officer of a security issuer on an as-needed basis to assist in determining a security-specific fair value. The Board reviews and ratifies the execution of this process and the resultant fair value prices at least quarterly to assure the process produces reliable results.

 

The Fund may use independent pricing services to assist in calculating the value of 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. Because the Fund may invest in securities primarily listed on foreign exchanges, and these exchanges may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares, the value of some of the Fund’s portfolio securities may change on days when you may not be able to buy or sell Fund shares. In computing the NAV, the 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 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 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. The determination of fair value involves subjective judgments. As a result, using fair value to price a security may result in a price materially different from the prices used by other mutual funds to determine net asset value, or from the price that may be realized upon the actual sale of the security.

 

With respect to any portion of 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.

 

Premium/Discount Information

 

Most investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund in secondary market transactions through brokers at market prices and the Fund’s shares will trade at market prices. The market price of shares of the Fund may be greater than, equal to, or less than NAV. Market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors may affect the trading prices of shares of the Fund.

 

Information regarding how often the shares of the Fund traded at a price above (at a premium to) or below (at a discount to) the NAV of the Fund during the past four calendar quarters, when available, can be found at RegentsParkFunds.com.

 

 

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

 

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on BATS under the symbol WLDR. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per Share. Shares can be bought and sold on the secondary market throughout the trading day like other publicly traded shares, and shares typically trade in blocks of less than a Creation Unit. There is no minimum investment required. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the secondary market when the Exchange is open for trading. The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and the following holidays, as observed: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

When buying or selling shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction.

 

Authorized participants (“APs”) may acquire shares directly from the Fund, and APs may tender their shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per Share only in large blocks, or Creation Units, of 50,000 shares. Purchases and redemptions directly with the Fund must follow the Fund’s procedures, which are described in the SAI.

 

The Fund may liquidate and terminate at any time without shareholder approval.

 

Share Trading Prices

 

The approximate value of shares of the Fund, an amount representing on a per share basis the sum of the current market price of the securities accepted by the Fund in exchange for shares of the Fund and an estimated cash component will be disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading day through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association. This

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approximate value should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV per Share of the Fund because the approximate value may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed once a day, generally at the end of the business day. The Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the approximate value of the shares, and the Fund does not make any warranty as to the accuracy of these values.

 

Book Entry

 

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

 

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

 

 

FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund’s shares can only be purchased and redeemed directly from the Fund in Creation Units by APs, and the vast majority of trading in the Fund’s shares occurs on the secondary market. Because the secondary market trades do not directly involve the Fund, it is unlikely those trades would cause the harmful effects of market timing, including dilution, disruption of portfolio management, increases in the Fund’s trading costs and the realization of capital gains. With regard to the purchase or redemption of Creation Units directly with the Fund, to the extent effected in-kind ( i.e. , for securities), those trades do not cause the harmful effects that may result from frequent cash trades. To the extent trades are effected in whole or in part in cash, those trades could result in dilution to the Fund and increased transaction costs, which could negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. However, direct trading by APs is critical to ensuring that the Fund’s shares trade at or close to NAV. The Fund also employs fair valuation pricing to minimize potential dilution from market timing. In addition, the Fund imposes transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Fund shares to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in effecting trades. These fees increase if an investor substitutes cash in part or in whole for securities, reflecting the fact that the Fund’s trading costs increase in those circumstances. Given this structure, the Trust has determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter market timing of the Fund’s shares.

 

 

DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN

 

The Fund has adopted a distribution and service plan (“Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay distribution fees to the distributor and other firms that provide distribution and shareholder services (“Service Providers”). If a Service Provider provides these services, the Fund may pay fees at an annual rate not to exceed 0.25% of average daily net assets, pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.

 

No distribution or service fees are currently paid by the Fund, and there are no current plans to impose these fees. In the event Rule 12b-1 fees were charged, over time they would increase the cost of an investment in the Fund.

 

 

DIVIDENDS, OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

 

Unlike interests in conventional mutual funds, which typically are bought and sold from and to the fund only at closing NAVs, the Fund’s shares are traded throughout the day in the secondary market on a national securities exchange on an intra-day basis and are created and redeemed in-kind and/or for cash in Creation Units at each day’s next calculated NAV. In-kind arrangements are designed to protect ongoing shareholders from the adverse effects on the Fund’s portfolio that could arise from frequent cash redemption transactions. In a conventional mutual fund, redemptions can have an adverse tax impact on taxable shareholders if the mutual fund needs to sell portfolio securities to obtain cash to meet net fund redemptions. These sales may generate taxable gains for the ongoing shareholders of the mutual fund, whereas the shares’ in-kind redemption mechanism generally will not lead to a tax event for the Fund or its ongoing shareholders.

 

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

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

 

Taxes

 

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

 

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

· The Fund makes distributions,
· You sell your shares listed on the Exchange, and
· You purchase or redeem Creation Units.

 

Taxes on Distributions

 

As stated above, dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly by the Fund. The Fund may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from the Fund’s net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that the Fund’s dividends attributable to its “qualified dividend income” ( i.e ., dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which the Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are subject to federal income tax for non-corporate shareholders who satisfy those restrictions with respect to their Fund shares at the rate for net capital gain -- a maximum of 15% for taxable years beginning before 2013. A part of the Fund’s dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations -- the eligible portion may not exceed the aggregate dividends the Fund receives from domestic corporations subject to federal income tax (excluding REITs) and excludes dividends from foreign corporations -- subject to similar restrictions. However, dividends a corporate shareholder deducts pursuant to that deduction are subject indirectly to the federal alternative minimum tax.

 

In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in the Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of the Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have held the shares.

 

Distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce the Fund’s NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.

 

By law, the Fund is required to withhold 28% of your distributions and redemption proceeds if you have not provided the Fund with a correct Social Security number or other taxpayer identification number and in certain other situations.

 

Taxes on Exchange-Listed Share Sales

 

Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.

 

Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units

 

An AP who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus any Cash Component it pays. An AP who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of the securities received plus any cash equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares being redeemed and the value of the securities. The Internal Revenue Service (“Service”), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales” or for other reasons. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether

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wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

 

Any capital gain or loss realized upon redemption of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less.

 

If you purchase or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many shares you purchased or sold and at what price. See “Tax Status” in the SAI for a description of the newly effective requirement regarding basis determination methods applicable to Share redemptions and the Fund’s obligation to report basis information to the Service.

 

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the shares under all applicable tax laws. See “T ax Status ” in the SAI for more information.

 

 

FUND SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

Gemini Fund Services, LLC is the Fund’s administrator and fund accountant. It has its principal office at 80 Arkay Drive, Suite 110, Hauppauge, NY 11788, and is primarily in the business of providing administrative, fund accounting and transfer agent services to retail and institutional mutual funds. It is an affiliate of the Distributor.

 

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (“BBH”), 50 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02110, is the Fund’s custodian and transfer agent.

 

Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, NE 68130, is the distributor for the shares of the Fund. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

 

Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP, One Logan Square, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.

 

RSM US LLP, One South Wacker Dr., Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606, serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for auditing the annual financial statements of the Fund.

 

 

OTHER INFORMATION

 

Investment by Other Investment Companies

 

The SEC has granted an exemptive order to the Adviser permitting, among other relief, registered investment companies and unit investment trusts that enter into an agreement with respect to certain investment companies that the Adviser or an affiliate advises (“Investing Funds”) to invest in such investment companies beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, subject to certain terms and conditions. This aspect of the exemptive order is not applicable to the Fund. Accordingly, Investing Funds must adhere to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act when investing in the Fund.

 

 

Continuous Offering

 

The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

 

For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.

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Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

 

Dealers effecting transactions in the shares, whether or not participating in this distribution, are generally required to deliver a Prospectus. This is in addition to any obligation of dealers to deliver a Prospectus when acting as underwriters.

 

Householding: To reduce expenses, the Fund mails 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 1-866-866-4848 on days the Fund is open for business or contact your financial institution.
The Fund will begin sending you individual copies thirty days after receiving your request.

 

 

Index, Index Provider, and Calculation Agent

 

The TRSAWL Index is created and co-sponsored by an affiliated person of the Fund. The TRSAWL Index was developed by Affinity, which also serves as Sub-Adviser to the Fund. Affinity has entered into a Client Contracting Agreement with Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC (the “Index Provider”) to maintain, calculate and distribute information about the market value of the Index. Thomson Reuters serves as the Index administrator and is responsible for Index governance. The Index is governed by a published methodology. Changes to the methodology will be publicly disclosed prior to implementation. The Fund is entitled to use the Index pursuant to a sublicensing arrangement with Regents Park, the Adviser to the Fund, which in turn has a licensing agreement with Affinity.

 

 

Index Disclaimers

 

Neither Regents Park Funds, LLC , Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC, nor Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Index or any data included therein, and neither Regents Park Funds, LLC , Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC, nor Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC shall have any liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions therein. Neither Regents Park Funds, LLC , Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC, nor Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC make any warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Fund, owners of the shares of the Fund or any other person or entity from the use of the Index, trading based on the Index, or any data included therein, either in connection with the Fund or for any other use. Neither Regents Park Funds, LLC , Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC, nor Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC makes any express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaim all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall either Regents Park Funds, LLC , Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC, or Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC have any liability for any special, punitive, direct, indirect or consequential damages (including lost profits) arising out of matters relating to the use of the Index, even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

 

The Fund, the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund in particular or the ability of the Index to track general stock market performance. Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC has no obligation to take the needs of the Trust, the Fund or the owners of the Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Index.

 

The Index is the property of Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC, which has contracted with the Index Provider to calculate and maintain the Index. Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC will not be liable for any errors or omissions in calculating the Index. The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC . Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the Index to track general market performance. Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC’s only relationship to Regents Park Funds, LLC and Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC with respect to the Index is the licensing of certain trademarks, service marks and trade names of Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC , and the provision of the calculation services related to the Index. Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices and amount of the Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of the Fund or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the

14  
 

Fund may converted into cash or other redemption mechanics. Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund. Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC is not an investment adviser. Inclusion of a security within the Index is not a recommendation by Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it investment advice. THOMSON REUTERS (MARKETS) LLC DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION WITH RESPECT THERETO, INCLUDING, ORAL, WRITTEN, OR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS. THOMSON REUTERS (MARKETS) LLC SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. THOMSON REUTERS (MARKETS) LLC MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY AFFINITY INVESTMENT ADVISORS, LLC, OWNERS OF THE FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEX OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL THOMSON REUTERS (MARKETS) LLC BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME, OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE.

 

The Thomson Reuters Kinesis Logo and “Thomson Reuters” are registered trademarks of Thomson Reuters Corporation or its affiliates.

15  
 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

Because the Fund has only recently commenced investment operations, no financial highlights are available for the Fund at this time. In the future, financial highlights will be presented in this section of the Prospectus.

16  
 

 

  PRIVACY NOTICE

FACTS WHAT DOES TWO ROADS SHARED 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 income
  • 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 reason Two Roads Shared Trust chooses to share and whether you can limit this sharing.

 

Reasons we can share your personal information Does Two Roads Shared Trust share? 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 do not share
For joint marketing with other financial companies NOW We do not share

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes –

information about your transactions and experiences

NO We do not share

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes –

information about your creditworthiness

NO We do not share
For our affiliates to market to you NO We do not share
For nonaffiliates to market to you NO We do not share

 

17  
 

 

Questions? Call 1-402-895-1600

 

What we do

How does Two Roads Shared 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 Two Roads Shared Trust collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

  • open an account or give us contact information
  • provide account information or give us your income information
  • make deposits or withdrawals from your account

We also collect your personal information from 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.

  • Two Roads Shared Trust has no affiliates.
Nonaffiliates

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

  • Two Roads Shared Trust does not share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.
Joint marketing

A formal agreement between nonaffiliates financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

  • Two Roads Shared Trust does not jointly market.

 

18  
 

 

Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF

 

Adviser

Regents Park Funds, LLC

4041 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 155

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Distributor

Northern Lights Distributors, LLC

17605 Wright Street

Omaha, NE 68130

Custodian & Transfer Agent

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.

50 Post Office Square

Boston, MA 02110

Legal
Counsel

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

One Logan Square, Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

Administrator

Gemini Fund Services, LLC

17605 Wright Street, Suite 2

Omaha, NE 68130

Independent

Registered
Public
Accountant

RSM US LLP

One South Wacker Dr., Suite 800

Chicago, IL 60606

 

 

Additional information about the Fund is included in the Fund’s SAI dated December 27, 2017. 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 the last fiscal year.

 

To obtain a free copy of the SAI and the Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders, or other information about the Fund, or to make shareholder inquiries about the Fund, please call 1-866-866-4848. The Fund does not have a website; however information relating to the Fund can be found on the website at RegentsParkFunds.com. You may also write to:

 

Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF

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 is available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the Public Reference Section, Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.

 

 

Investment Company Act File # 811-22718

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF

 

WLDR

 

a series of Two Roads Shared Trust

 

 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

December 27, 2017

 

Listed and traded on:

Bats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF (the "Fund"”) dated December 27, 2017. The Fund’s Prospectus is hereby incorporate by reference, which means it is legally part of this document. You can obtain copies of the Fund’s Prospectus, annual or semiannual reports without charge by contacting the Fund’s Distributor, Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, NE 68130-2095 or by calling 1-866-866-4848. You may also obtain a Prospectus by visiting the website at RegentsParkFunds.com.

 

 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

THE FUND   1  
TYPES OF INVESTMENTS   1  
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS   10  
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR DISCLOSURE OF
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
  11  
MANAGEMENT   12  
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS   17  
INVESTMENT ADVISER   18  
THE DISTRIBUTOR   20  
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS   21  
ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO BROKERAGE   22  
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER   23  
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS   23  
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES   24  
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM   24  
PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES   25  
TAX STATUS   35  
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM   39  
LEGAL COUNSEL   39  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS   39  
APPENDIX A – PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES   A-1  

 

  

 

 
 

THE FUND

 

The Fund is a diversified series of Two Roads Shared Trust, a Delaware statutory trust organized on June 8, 2012 (the "Trust"). The Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company. The Trust is governed by its Board of Trustees (the "Board" or "Trustees").

 

The 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 with other shares (i) in dividends and distributions declared by such Fund and (ii) on liquidation to its proportionate share of the assets remaining after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities. Shares of such Fund are fully paid, non-assessable and fully transferable when issued and have no pre-emptive, conversion or exchange rights. Fractional shares have proportionately the same rights, including voting rights, as are provided for a full share.

 

The Fund’s investment objective, restrictions and policies are more fully described here and in the Prospectus. The Board may start other series and offer shares of a new fund under the Trust at any time.

 

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at net asset value ("NAV") only in aggregations of 50,000 Shares (a "Creation Unit"). The Fund will issue and redeem Creation Units principally in exchange for an in-kind deposit of a basket of designated securities (the "Deposit Securities"), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (the "Cash Component"), plus a transaction fee. The Fund is expected to be approved for listing, subject to notice of issuance, on Bats Global Markets, Inc. (the "Exchange"). Shares will trade on the Exchange at market prices that may be below, at, or above NAV. In the event of the liquidation of the Fund, a share split, reverse split or the like, the Trust may revise the number of Shares in a Creation Unit.

 

The Fund reserves the right to offer creations and redemptions of Shares for cash. In addition, Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust cash equal to up to 115% of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities. In each instance of such cash creations or redemptions, transaction fees, may be imposed and may be higher than the transaction fees associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. See PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES below.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading

 

In order to provide additional information regarding the indicative value of Shares of the Fund, the Exchange or a market data vendor will disseminate every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or other widely disseminated means an updated "intraday indicative value" ("IIV") for the Fund as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Trust is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIV and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIV.

 

 

TYPES OF INVESTMENTS

 

The investment objective of the Fund and the description of the Fund’s principal investment strategies are set forth under "Investment Objective” and Principal Investment Strategies” 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 Fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy in accordance with Rule 35d-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities and depositary receipts of the Fund’s underlying index. The Fund will provide its shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior written notice of any change in such policy. For these purposes, “net assets” is measured at the time of purchase.

 

The following pages contain more detailed information about the types of instruments in which the Fund may invest directly as a principal or non-principal investment strategy. These instruments include other strategies Regents Park Funds, LLC (the “Adviser”) or Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC (the “Sub-Adviser”) employs in pursuit of the Fund’s investment objective and a summary of related risks.

 

Securities of Other Investment Companies

 

Investments in ETFs and mutual funds involve certain additional expenses and certain tax results, which would not be present in a direct investment in such funds. Due to legal limitations, 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

1  
 

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 Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“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 funds, within the limitations described above. Each investment company is subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of the Fund. ETFs and mutual funds may employ leverage, which magnifies the changes in the underlying stock or other index upon which they are based.

 

Open-End Investment Companies

 

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 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 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. 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 typically provide the investor with diversification, cost and tax efficiency, liquidity, marginability, are useful for hedging, have the ability to go long and short, and some provide quarterly dividends. Additionally, some ETFs are unit investment trusts (“UITs”). ETFs typically have two markets. The primary market is where institutions swap "creation units" in block-multiples of, for example, 50,000 shares for in-kind securities and cash in the form of dividends. The secondary market is where individual investors can trade as little as a single share during trading hours on the exchange. This is different from open-ended mutual funds that are traded after hours once the net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated. ETFs share many similar risks with open-end and closed-end funds.

 

Foreign Securities

 

Investing in securities of foreign companies and countries involves certain considerations and risks that are not typically associated with investing in U.S. government securities and securities of domestic companies. There may be less publicly available information about a foreign issuer than a domestic one, and foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. There may also be less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, brokers and listed companies than exists in the United States. Interest and dividends paid by foreign issuers may be subject to withholding and other foreign taxes, which may decrease the net return on such investments as compared to dividends and interest paid to 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 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

2  
 

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).

 

The Fund may invest a significant percentage of its assets in the securities of issuers located in geographic regions with securities markets that are highly developed, liquid and subject to extensive regulation, including Europe and Japan. The Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union (“EU”) requires compliance with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, and recessions in EU economies may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and their trading partners. The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about the rising government debt levels of several European countries, including Greece, Spain, Ireland, Italy and Portugal. Recent concerns over the level and sustainability of the sovereign debt of the United States have aggravated this volatility. A default or debt restructuring by any European country would adversely impact holders of that country’s debt and sellers of credit default swaps linked to that country’s creditworthiness, which may be located in countries other than those listed above. These events have adversely affected the value and exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect the economies of every country in Europe, including countries that do not use the euro and non-EU member countries.

 

The growth of Japan’s economy has historically lagged that of its Asian neighbors and other major developed economies. The Japanese economy is heavily dependent on international trade and has been adversely affected by trade tariffs, other protectionist measures, competition from emerging economies and the economic conditions of its trading partners. Japan’s relations with its neighbors, particularly China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, have at times been strained due to territorial disputes, historical animosities and defense concerns. Most recently, the Japanese government has shown concern over the increased nuclear and military activity by North Korea. Strained relations may cause uncertainty in the Japanese markets and adversely affect the overall Japanese economy in times of crisis. China has become an important trading partner with Japan, yet the countries’ political relationship has become strained. Should political tension increase, it could adversely affect the economy, especially the export sector, and destabilize the region as a whole. Japan is located in a part of the world that has historically been prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis and is economically sensitive to environmental events. Any such event, such as the major earthquake and tsunami which struck Japan in March 2011, could result in a significant adverse impact on the Japanese economy. Historically, Japan has been subject to unpredictable national politics and may experience frequent political turnover. Future political developments may lead to changes in policy that might adversely affect the Fund’s investments. In addition, the Japanese economy faces several concerns, including a financial system with large levels of nonperforming loans, over-leveraged corporate balance sheets, extensive cross-ownership by major corporations, a changing corporate governance structure, and large government deficits. The Japanese yen has fluctuated widely at times and any increase in its value may cause a decline in exports that could weaken the economy. Furthermore, Japan has an aging workforce. It is a labor market undergoing fundamental structural changes, as traditional lifetime employment clashes with the need for increased labor mobility, which may adversely affect Japan’s economic competitiveness. Japan also remains heavily dependent on oil imports, and higher commodity prices could therefore have a negative impact on the economy. Furthermore, Japanese corporations often engage in high levels of corporate leveraging, extensive cross-purchases of the securities of other corporations and are subject to a changing corporate governance structure.

 

Equity Securities

 

Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks and securities convertible into common stocks, such as convertible bonds, warrants, rights and options. The value of equity securities varies in response to many factors, including the activities and financial condition of individual companies, the business market in which individual companies compete and general market and economic conditions. Equity securities fluctuate in value, often based on factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities, and such fluctuations can be significant.

 

Common Stock

 

Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company, and usually possesses voting rights and earns dividends. Dividends on common stock are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer. Common stock generally represents the riskiest investment in a company. In addition, common stock generally has the greatest appreciation and depreciation potential because increases and decreases in earnings are usually reflected in a company's stock price.

 

Preferred Stock

 

3  
 

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

 

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

 

Warrants are options to purchase common stock at a specific price (usually at a premium above the market value of the optioned common stock at issuance) valid for a specific period of time. Warrants may have a life ranging from less than one year to twenty years, or they may be perpetual. However, most warrants have expiration dates after which they are worthless. In addition, a warrant is worthless if the market price of the common stock does not exceed the warrant's exercise price during the life of the warrant. Warrants have no voting rights, pay no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of the corporation issuing them. The percentage increase or decrease in the market price of the warrant may tend to be greater than the percentage increase or decrease in the market price of the optioned common stock.

 

Depositary Receipts

 

Sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), are receipts issued by an American bank or trust company evidencing ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets. Unsponsored ADRs may be created without the participation of the foreign issuer. Holders of these ADRs generally bear all the costs of the ADR facility, whereas foreign issuers typically bear certain costs in a sponsored ADR. The bank or trust company depositary of an unsponsored ADR may be under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the foreign issuer or to pass through voting rights. Many of the risks described below regarding foreign securities apply to investments in ADRs.

 

Emerging Markets Securities

 

Investing in emerging market securities imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in foreign developed countries. These risks include: smaller market capitalization of securities markets, which may suffer periods of relative illiquidity; significant price volatility; restrictions on foreign investment; possible repatriation of investment income and capital. In addition, foreign investors may be required to register the proceeds of sales; future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure, nationalization, or creation of government monopolies. The currencies of emerging market countries may experience significant declines against the U.S. dollar, and devaluation may occur subsequent to investments in these currencies by 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

4  
 

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.

 

Frontier market countries generally have smaller economies or less developed capital markets than traditional emerging markets and, as a result, the risks of investing in emerging market countries are magnified in frontier market countries. The economies of frontier market countries are less correlated to global economic cycles than those of their more developed counterparts and their markets have low trading volumes and the potential for extreme price volatility and illiquidity.

 

Certificates of Deposit and Bankers' Acceptances

 

Certificates of deposit are receipts issued by a depository institution in exchange for the deposit of funds.
The issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the receipt on the date specified on the certificate. The certificate usually can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity. Bankers' acceptances typically arise from short-term credit arrangements designed to enable businesses to obtain funds to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then "accepted" by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an earning asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of discount for a specific maturity. Although maturities for acceptances can be as long as 270 days, most acceptances have maturities of six months or less.

 

Commercial Paper

 

Commercial paper consists of short-term (usually from 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their current operations. It may be secured by letters of credit, a surety bond or other forms of collateral. Commercial paper is usually repaid at maturity by the issuer from the proceeds of the issuance of new commercial paper. As a result, investment in commercial paper is subject to the risk the issuer cannot issue enough new commercial paper to satisfy its outstanding commercial paper, also known as rollover risk. Commercial paper may become illiquid or may suffer from reduced liquidity in certain circumstances. Like all fixed income securities, commercial paper prices are susceptible to fluctuations in interest rates. If interest rates rise, commercial paper prices will decline. The short-term nature of a commercial paper investment makes it less susceptible to interest rate risk than many other fixed income securities because interest rate risk typically increases as maturity lengths increase. Commercial paper tends to yield smaller returns than longer-term corporate debt because securities with shorter maturities typically have lower effective yields than those with longer maturities. As with all fixed income securities, there is a chance that the issuer will default on its commercial paper obligation.

 

Information on Time Deposits and Variable Rate Notes

 

Time deposits are issued by a depository institution in exchange for the deposit of funds. The issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the depositor on the date specified with respect to the deposit. Time deposits do not trade in the secondary market prior to maturity. However, some time deposits may be redeemable prior to maturity and may be subject to withdrawal penalties.

 

The commercial paper obligations are typically unsecured and may include variable rate notes. The nature and terms of a variable rate note (i.e., a "Master Note") permit the Fund to invest fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement between the Fund and the issuer. It permits daily changes in the amounts invested. The Fund, typically, has the right at any time to increase, up to the full amount stated in the note agreement, or to decrease the amount outstanding under the note. The issuer may prepay at any time and without penalty any part of or the full amount of the note. The note may or may not be backed by one or more bank letters of credit. Because these notes are direct investment arrangements between 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 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 (redeemed) on demand within seven days.

 

Insured Bank Obligations

 

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") insures the deposits of federally insured banks and savings and loan associations (collectively referred to as "banks") up to $250,000. The Fund may elect to purchase bank obligations in

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small amounts so as to be fully insured as to principal by the FDIC. Currently, to remain fully insured as to principal, these investments must be limited to $250,000 per bank; if the principal amount and accrued interest together exceed $250,000, the excess principal and accrued interest will not be insured. Insured bank obligations may have limited marketability.

 

United States Government Obligations

 

These consist of various types of marketable securities issued by the United States Treasury, i.e., bills, notes and bonds. Such securities are direct obligations of the United States government and differ mainly in the length of their maturity. Treasury bills, the most frequently issued marketable government security, have a maturity of up to one year and are issued on a discount basis.

 

United States Government Agencies

 

These consist of debt securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the United States government, including the various types of instruments currently outstanding or which may be offered in the future. Agencies include, among others, the Federal Housing Administration, Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"), Farmer's Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Maritime Administration, and General Services Administration. Instrumentalities include, for example, each of the Federal Home Loan Banks, the National Bank for Cooperatives, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac"), the Farm Credit Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"), and the United States Postal Service. These securities are either: (i) backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government (e.g., United States Treasury Bills); (ii) guaranteed by the United States Treasury (e.g., Ginnie Mae mortgage-backed securities); (iii) supported by the issuing agency's or instrumentality's right to borrow from the United States Treasury (e.g., Fannie Mae Discount Notes); or (iv) supported only by the issuing agency's or instrumentality's own credit (e.g., Tennessee Valley Association).

 

Government-related guarantors (i.e. not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government) include Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie Mae is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Fannie Mae purchases conventional (i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by Fannie Mae are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by Fannie Mae but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government.

 

Freddie Mac was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a government-sponsored corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks and now owned entirely by private stockholders. Freddie Mac issues PCs, which represent interests in conventional mortgages from Freddie Mac's national portfolio. Freddie Mac guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government. Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may, in addition, be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such nongovernmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit. The insurance and guarantees are issued by governmental entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers.

 

On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Authority (the "FHFA") announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had been placed into conservatorship, a statutory process designed to stabilize a troubled institution with the objective of returning the entity to normal business operations. The U.S. Treasury Department and the FHFA at the same time established a secured lending facility and a Secured Stock Purchase Agreement with both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to ensure that each entity had the ability to fulfill its financial obligations. The FHFA announced that it does not anticipate any disruption in pattern of payments or ongoing business operations of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

 

Securities Options

 

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.

 

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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 Arca Oil and Gas Index or the Computer and Business Equipment Index. Options on stock indices are currently traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ PHLX.

 

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 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, the 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

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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 (i) an offsetting ("covered") position in securities or other options or (ii) cash or liquid securities with a value sufficient at all times to cover its potential obligations not covered as provided in (i) above. 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’ 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.

 

Regulation as a Commodity Pool Operator

 

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, will file with the National Futures Association, a notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term "commodity pool operator" under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended, and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to the Fund’s operation. Accordingly, the Fund will not be subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator.

 

When-Issued, Forward Commitments and Delayed Settlements

 

The Fund may purchase and sell securities on a when-issued, forward commitment or delayed settlement basis. In this event, the Custodian (as defined under the section entitled "Custodian") will segregate liquid assets equal to the amount of the commitment in a separate account. Normally, the Custodian will set aside portfolio securities to satisfy a purchase commitment. In such a case, 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 objectives. Because the Fund will segregate liquid assets to satisfy purchase commitments in the manner described, the Fund’s liquidity and the ability of the 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.

 

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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.

 

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 of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act")) and securities that are otherwise not readily marketable (e.g., because trading in the security is suspended or because market makers do not exist or will not entertain bids or offers). Securities that have not been registered under the Securities Act are referred to as private placements or restricted securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market. Foreign securities that are freely tradable in their principal markets are not considered to be illiquid.

 

Restricted and other illiquid securities may be subject to the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. 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 has produced enhanced liquidity for many restricted securities, and market liquidity for such securities may continue to expand as a result of this regulation and the consequent existence of the PORTAL system, which is an automated system for the trading, clearance and settlement of unregistered securities of domestic and foreign issuers sponsored by NASDAQ.

 

Under guidelines adopted by the Trust's Board, the Fund’s Adviser may determine that particular Rule 144A securities, and commercial paper issued in reliance on the private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, are liquid even though they are not registered. A determination of whether such a security is liquid or not is a question of fact. In making this determination, the Adviser will consider, as it deems appropriate under the circumstances and among other factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security; (3) the number of other potential purchasers of the security; (4) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; (5) the nature of the security (e.g., debt or equity, date of maturity, terms of dividend or interest payments, and other material terms) and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers, and the mechanics of transfer); and (6) the rating of the security and the financial condition and prospects of the issuer. In the case of commercial paper, the Adviser will also determine that the paper (1) is not traded flat or in default as to principal and interest, and (2) is rated in one of the two highest rating categories by at least two National Statistical Rating Organizations ("NRSROs") or, if only one NRSRO rates the security, by that NRSRO, or, if the security is unrated, the Adviser determines that it is of equivalent quality.

 

Rule 144A securities and Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper that have been deemed liquid as described above will continue to be monitored by the Adviser to determine if the security is no longer liquid as the result of changed conditions. Investing in Rule 144A securities or Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper could have the effect of increasing the amount of 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.

 

The Index

 

Thomson Reuters StarMine Affinity World Leaders Index (the “TRSAWL Index ” or the “Index”)

 

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NUMBER OF COMPONENTS: APPROXIMATELY 150 to 250

 

INDEX DESCRIPTION: The TRSAWL Index consists of equity securities issued and traded in the US as well as international countries. The TRSAWL Index is expected to consist of approximately 150 to 250 stocks in at least 3 countries, but may span more than 20 countries. Constituents of the TRSAWL Index are characterized by strong global footprint (measured by market capitalization), rank high on measures of earnings quality, demonstrate improving fundamentals (positive earnings revisions on earnings estimates, revenue estimates, price targets, and analyst recommendations), show stock price momentum, and are trade at relatively attractive valuations (based on a ranking from various trading multiples, which are, generally speaking, a ratio of the security's market price to financial or accounting metrics such as earnings, book value, etc., as well as a dividend discount model, which attempts to determine the current or future value of a security based in part on its dividend payments).

 

The process of constructing the TRSAWL Index begins with sorting the companies in the Thomson Reuters Global Developed Index (excluding those in Greece and South Korea) (the “Benchmark Index”) by market capitalization. The next step involves selecting those companies that comprise the top 85% of cumulative market capitalization, and splitting them into two regions: US and International. The final step involves scoring these securities on the above criteria within each region, and then narrowing this universe of companies to approximately 150 to 250 equity securities using the Sub-Adviser’s proprietary ranking system. The proprietary ranking system is known as the “Affinity Score” and is calculated by weighting the above criteria based on the Sub-Adviser’s assessment of the correlation between the score components and subsequent long-term stock performance. Stocks that rank in the top decile are candidates for purchase, while those that rank outside the top quartile are typically sold. A risk management overlay is then used to guide portfolio construction. The overlay calls for neutral business sector weights versus the Benchmark Index, approximately equal active weighting of each security within a business sector (active weight is the absolute percentage deviation of a security’s weight in the portfolio from its weight in the Benchmark Index), and limiting the deviation of the TRSAWL Index’s geographical distribution from that of the Benchmark Index.

  

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, except as otherwise permitted under the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;

2.              Borrow money, except (a) from a bank, provided that immediately after such borrowing there is an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings of the Fund; or (b) from a bank or other persons for temporary purposes only, provided that such temporary borrowings are in an amount not exceeding 5% of the Fund’s total assets at the time when the borrowing is made. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from entering into reverse repurchase transactions, provided that the Fund has an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings and repurchase commitments of the Fund pursuant to reverse repurchase transactions;

3.              Purchase securities on margin, participate on a joint or joint and several basis in any securities trading account, or underwrite securities. (Does not preclude the Fund from obtaining such short-term credit as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of its portfolio securities, and except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act, by virtue of disposing of portfolio securities);

4.              Purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate. This limitation is not applicable to investments in marketable securities that are secured by or represent interests in real estate. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from investing in mortgage-related securities or investing in companies engaged in the real estate business or that have a significant portion of their assets in real estate (including real estate investment trusts);

5.              Invest more than 25% of the market value of its assets in the securities of companies engaged in any one industry or group of industries, except that the Fund will concentrate to approximately the same extent that the TRSAWL Index concentrates in the securities of a given industry or group of industries. (Does not apply to investment in the securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.);

6.              Purchase or sell commodities (unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments) or commodity futures contracts, except that the Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts and options to the full extent permitted under the 1940 Act, sell foreign currency contracts in accordance with any rules of the Commodity Futures Trading

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Commission, invest in securities or other instruments backed by commodities, and invest in companies that are engaged in a commodities business or have a significant portion of their assets in commodities; or

7.              Make loans to others, except that the Fund may, in accordance with its investment objective and policies, (i) lend portfolio securities, (ii) purchase and hold debt securities or other debt instruments, including but not limited to loan participations and sub-participations, assignments, and structured securities, (iii) make loans secured by mortgages on real property, (iv) enter into repurchase agreements, (v) enter into transactions where each loan is represented by a note executed by the borrower, and (vi) make time deposits with financial institutions and invest in instruments issued by financial institutions. For purposes of this limitation, the term "loans" shall not include the purchase of a portion of an issue of publicly distributed bonds, debentures or other securities.

If a restriction on the Fund’s investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of Fund assets invested in certain securities or other instruments of the Fund’s investment portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of the Fund’s total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction; provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.

 

With respect to fundamental investment limitation 2 above, if the Fund’s asset coverage falls below 300%, the Fund will reduce borrowing within 3 days in order to ensure that the Fund has 300% asset coverage.

 

With respect to Fundamental Investment Restriction #5, if the Fund invests in one or more investment companies that concentrates its investments in a particular industry, the Fund will examine its other investment company holdings to ensure that the Fund is not indirectly concentrating its investments in a particular industry.

 

Although fundamental investment restriction #7 reserves for the Fund the ability to make loans, there is no present intent to loan money or portfolio securities and additional disclosure will be provided if such a strategy is implemented in the future.

 

 

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

 

The Trust has adopted 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 the Fund’s 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 Fund discloses its portfolio holdings by mailing its annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders approximately two months after the end of the fiscal year and semi-annual period. The Fund also discloses its portfolio holdings reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-Q two months after the end of each quarter/semi-annual period.

The Fund may choose to make portfolio holdings 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 SEC 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 is subject to a duty to keep the information confidential.

· The Adviser and the Sub-Adviser. Personnel of the Adviser and Sub-Adviser, including personnel responsible for managing the Fund’s portfolio, may have full daily access to portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for the Adviser to provide its management and administrative services to the Fund, and the Sub-Adviser to provide its 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 the portfolio managers in the trading of such securities, Adviser and Sub-Adviser personnel may also release and discuss certain portfolio holdings with various broker-dealers.

· Gemini Fund Services, LLC is the 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.

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· Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. 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.

·RSM US LLP 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.   

· Drinker Biddle & Reath 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.

Additions to List of Approved Recipients.  The Fund’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 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 Fund’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 (collectively, the “Governing Documents”), which have been filed with the SEC and are available upon request. The Board consists of four individuals, all of whom are not “interested persons” (as defined under the 1940 Act) of the Trust and the Adviser (“Independent Trustees”). Pursuant to the Governing Documents of the Trust, the Trustees shall elect officers including, but not limited to, a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Chief Compliance 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 Board is led by Mark Gersten, who has served as the Chairman of the Board since the Trust was first registered with the SEC in 2012. 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, and (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, the Fund and each shareholder.

 

Board Risk Oversight . The Board of Trustees is comprised entirely of Independent Trustees and has established an Audit Committee, Valuation Committee, and a Corporate Governance Committee (effective January 1, 2017), each with a separate chair. 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 the 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 Fund believe that each Trustee is competent to serve because of their individual overall merits including: (i) experience, (ii) qualifications, (iii) attributes and (iv) skills. Mark Garbin has over 30 years of experience in corporate balance sheet and income statement risk management for large asset managers. Mr. Garbin has

12  
 

extensive derivatives experience and has provided consulting services to alternative asset managers. Mr. Garbin holds both a Chartered Financial Analyst (“CFA”) and Professional Risk Manager (“PRM”) designation and has earned advanced degrees in international business, negotiation and derivatives. Mark Gersten has over 35 years of business experience in the investment management business with a focus on mutual funds and alternative funds. He serves 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 service to this board and extensive experience administering mutual funds. Mr. Gersten is a certified public accountant and holds an MBA in accounting. Neil Kaufman has over 30 years of experience as a corporate and securities attorney and possesses a deep understanding of the securities industry in general and financial statements in particular. Mr. Kaufman has previously served as the Chairman of a NASDAQ-listed technology company and the Chairman of the Banking & Securities Law committee of the Nassau County Bar Association. Anita Krug has 9 years of experience as an attorney advising investment advisory firms, particularly those managing hedge funds. She also has extensive experience as a law professor whose scholarship focuses on investment advisers, hedge funds and mutual funds. The Fund does not believe any one factor is determinative in assessing a Trustee’s qualifications, but that the collective experience of each Trustee makes them well qualified.

 

Trustees and Officers.  The Trustees and officers of the Trust, together with information as to their principal business occupations during the past five years and other information, are shown below.   Unless otherwise noted, the address of each Trustee and Officer is 17605 Wright Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska  68130.

 

 

Independent Trustees*

Name, Address,

Year of Birth

 

Position(s) Held with Registrant

 

Term and Length Served

 

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

 

Number of Funds Overseen In The Fund Complex**

 

Other Directorships Held During Past 5 Years

 

Mark Garbin

Year of Birth: 1951

 

Trustee, Valuation Committee Chairman

 

Indefinite, Since 2012

 

Managing Principal, Coherent Capital Management LLC (since 2008)

4

 

Forethought Variable Insurance Trust (since 2013); Northern Lights Fund Trust (since 2013); Northern Lights Variable Trust (since 2013); Altegris KKR Commitments Master Fund (since 2014); and Oak Hill Advisors Mortgage Strategies Fund (offshore), Ltd. (since 2014)

Mark D. Gersten

Year of Birth: 1950

 

Chairman, Trustee

Indefinite, Since 2012

 

Independent Consultant (since 2012)

4

 

Northern Lights Fund Trust (since 2013); Northern Lights Variable Trust (since 2013); Altegris KKR Commitments Master Fund (since 2014); Ramius Archview Credit and Distressed Fund (2015-2017); and Schroder Global Series Trust (2012-2017)
13  
 

 

Name, Address,

Year of Birth

 

Position(s) Held with Registrant

 

Term and Length Served

 

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

 

Number of Funds Overseen In The Fund Complex**

 

Other Directorships Held During Past 5 Years

 

Neil M. Kaufman

Year of Birth: 1960

 

Trustee, Audit Committee Chairman

 

Indefinite, Since 2012

 

 

Managing Member, Kaufman & Associates, LLC (legal services)(Since 2016); Partner, Abrams Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Wolf, LLP (legal services)(2010-2016)

4

 

Altegris KKR Commitments Master Fund (since 2014)

Anita K. Krug

Year of Birth: 1969

 

Trustee,

Corporate Governance Committee Chairman

 

Indefinite, Since 2012

 

Interim Dean (since 2017), Professor (since 2016), Associate Professor (2014-2016), and Assistant Professor (2010-2014), University of Washington School of Law

4

 

Altegris KKR Commitments Master Fund (since 2014); and Centerstone Investors Trust (since 2016)

* Information is as of October 31, 2017.

** As of October 31 , 2017 , the Trust was comprised of 18 active portfolios managed by 10 unaffiliated investment advisers. The term “Fund Complex” applies only to those funds that (i) are advised by a common investment adviser or by an investment adviser that is an affiliated person of the investment adviser of any of the other funds in the Trust or (ii) hold themselves out to investors as related companies for purposes of investment and investor services. The Fund does not hold itself out as related to any other series within the Trust, except for the Affinity Small Cap Fund and Anfield Universal Fixed Income Fund, which are advised by Anfield Capital Management, LLC, an affiliate of the Fund’s Adviser, and the Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF, which is also advised by the Fund’s Adviser.

 

 

14  
 

 

Officers of the Trust*

Name, Address,

Year of Birth

 

Position(s) Held with Registrant

 

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

 

Number of Funds Overseen In The Fund Complex**

 

Other Directorships Held During Past 5 Years

 

James Colantino

80 Arkay Drive

Hauppauge, NY  11788

Year of Birth: 1969

 

President

Since Feb. 2017

Treasurer

(2012 to 2017)

 

Senior Vice President (2012-present); Vice President (2004 to 2012); Gemini Fund Services, LLC.

N/A

 

N/A

 

Laura Szalyga

80 Arkay Drive

Hauppauge, NY  11788

Year of Birth: 1978

 

Treasurer

Since Feb. 2017

 

 

Vice President, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (since 2015); Assistant Vice President, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2011-2014).

N/A

 

N/A

 

Richard A. Malinowski

80 Arkay Drive

Hauppauge, NY  11788

Year of Birth: 1983

 

Secretary

Since 2013

 

Senior Vice President (since 2017), Vice President and Counsel (2015 - 2016) and Assistant Vice President (2012 – 2016), Gemini Fund Services, LLC; Vice President and Manager, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US), Inc., (2011-2012).

N/A

 

N/A

 

William B. Kimme

Year of Birth: 1962

 

Chief Compliance Officer

Since Inception

Senior Compliance Officer, Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (September 2011 - present)

N/A

 

N/A

 

* Information is as of October 31, 2017.

** As of October 31 , 2017 , the Trust was comprised of 18 active portfolios managed by 10 unaffiliated investment advisers. The term “Fund Complex” applies only to those funds that (i) are advised by a common investment adviser or by an investment adviser that is an affiliated person of the investment adviser of any of the other funds in the Trust or (ii) hold themselves out to investors as related companies for purposes of investment and investor services. The Fund does not hold itself out as related to any other series within the Trust, except for the Affinity Small Cap Fund and Anfield Universal Fixed Income Fund, which are advised by Anfield Capital Management, LLC, an affiliate of the Fund’s Adviser, and the Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF, which is also advised by the Fund’s Adviser.

 

Audit Committee.  The Board has an Audit Committee that consists solely of Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Trust within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include, among other things: (i) the selection, retention or termination of the Trust’s independent auditors and approval of audit and non-audit services to be provided by the 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. During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2017, the Audit Committee held eight meetings.    

15  
 

 

Valuation Committee. The Board has a Valuation Committee that consists solely of Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Valuation Committee’s responsibilities include, among other things: (i) overseeing and monitoring implementation of the Trust’s Fund Securities Valuation Procedures by Gemini Fund Services, LLC (“GFS”) and the Trust’s Fair Value Committee; (ii) reviewing any fair valuation of the Fund’s securities by the Fair Value Committee (a “Fair Value Determination”); (iii) monitoring the Board’s fulfillment of its obligations with respect to the valuation of the Trust’s assets under the 1940 Act, including the rules adopted thereunder and applicable guidance with respect to investment company valuation matters by the SEC; (iv) overseeing the Fair Value Committee’s processes and procedures in making Fair Value Determinations and reporting, or causing to be reported, such Fair Value Determinations to the Board for its consideration periodically; (v) as appropriate, ratifying the Fair Value Committee’s policies and procedures in making and reporting Fair Value Determinations; (vi) reviewing the formulation of, or amendment to, valuation policies and fair value methodologies, including factors to be considered in Fair Value Determinations and how such factors are to be weighed, the valuation proposed by the Fair Value Committee, GFS and/or the Fund’s investment adviser and its assessment of the continued appropriateness of the valuation and fair value methodologies, and making recommendations with respect thereto for the consideration, and as appropriate, the adoption of such recommendations by the Board; (vii) periodically reviewing the role of the Fair Value Committee and making recommendations to the Board with respect to any changes or modifications; (viii) reviewing the reports required under the Trust’s Fund Securities Valuation Procedures; and (ix) considering any other matters requested by the Board. The Valuation Committee operates pursuant to a Valuation Committee Charter. During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2017, the Valuation Committee met five times.   

  

Corporate Governance Committee. Effective January 1, 2017, the Board has a Corporate Governance Committee that consists solely of Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The members of the Corporate Governance Committee are Mark Gersten, Mark Garbin, Anita Krug, and Neil Kaufman. Ms. Krug is the Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee. The Corporate Governance Committee’s responsibilities include, among other things: (i) to identify and recommend individuals qualified to become Board members and members of Board committees, as well as evaluate trustee qualifications, selection criteria and Board size and composition; (2) to develop and recommend to the Board a set of corporate governance guidelines and principles applicable to the Trust, and periodically review and make recommendations with respect to the corporate governance guidelines and code of ethics; (3) to monitor data submitted to the Board by individual trustees that may impact independence and make recommendations to the Board regarding action, if any, that may be required in view of such data; (4) to review and reassess annually the adequacy of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter and recommend to the Board for approval any proposed changes to the Charter; (5) to conduct annually the 15(c) advisory contract renewal process; (6) to sponsor an annual self-assessment of the Board’s performance; and (7) to review and reassess annually trustee compensation and, if necessary, recommend changes in compensation to the Board. The Corporate Governance Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders. Recommendations should be submitted to the Committee care of the Company’s Secretary. The Corporate Governance Committee did not meet during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2017.

 

Compensation of Directors. Effective January 1, 2018, the Trust pays each Independent Trustee a fee of $55,000 per annum, as well as reimbursements for any reasonable expenses incurred attending the meetings, to be paid at the end of each calendar quarter. In addition, the Chairman of the Board receives an additional annual fee of $12,500, the Chairman of the Audit Committee receives an additional annual fee of $10,000, the Chairman of the Valuation Committee receives an additional annual fee of $5,000 and the Chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee receives an additional annual fee of $5,000. The Trust also pays each Independent Trustee a fee of $1,000 for each Board meeting (and/or Committee meeting held in connection with such a Board meeting) other than a regularly scheduled meeting (a “Special Meeting”), except that the Audit Committee will permit up to four Special Meetings a year without any additional fees.

 

Effective January 1, 2017, the Trust pays each Independent Trustee a fee of $30,000 per annum, as well as reimbursements for any reasonable expenses incurred attending the meetings, to be paid at the end of each calendar quarter. In addition, the Chairman of the Board receives an additional annual fee of $10,000, the Chairman of the Audit Committee receives an additional annual fee of $5,000, the Chairman of the Valuation Committee receives an additional annual fee of $5,000 and the Chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee receives an additional annual fee of $5,000. Effective July 1, 2016, the Trust pays each Independent Trustee a fee of $2,500 for each Board meeting other than a regularly scheduled meeting (a “Special Meeting”) and a fee of $500 for each Committee meeting other than a regularly scheduled meeting (a “Special Committee Meeting”).

 

No “interested persons” who serves as a Trustee of the Trust will receive any compensation for their services as Trustee. None of the executive officers receive compensation from the Trust. The Trust does not have a bonus, profit sharing, deferred compensation, pension or retirement plan.

 

The table below details the amount of compensation the Trustees received from the Fund during the fiscal year ending April 30, 2017. The Trust does not have a bonus, profit sharing, deferred compensation, pension or retirement plan.

16  
 

 

Name and Position

 

Aggregate Compensation From Fund*

 

Total Compensation From Fund Complex Paid to Trustees**

 

Mark Garbin

 

$ 0 $ 5,098

Mark Gersten

 

$ 0 $5,948

Neil Kaufman

 

$ 0 $ 5,098

Anita Krug

 

$ 0 $ 5,098

 

*There are currently 18 active series comprising the Trust. The term “Fund Complex” refers only to the Fund and to the Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF, Affinity Small Cap Fund and Anfield Universal Fixed Income Fund, and not to any other series of the Trust. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2017, the aggregate Independent Trustees’ fees paid by the entire Trust were $127,500.

 

Trustees’ Ownership of Shares in the Fund . As of December 31, 2016, the Trustees beneficially owned the following amounts in the Fund and the Two Roads Shared Trust.

 

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

 

 

Mark Garbin

 

 

None

 

None

 

Mark Gersten

 

 

None

 

$50,001-$100,000

 

Neil Kaufman

 

 

None

 

None

 

Anita Krug

 

 

None

 

None

 

Management Ownership

 

Because there were no shares of the Fund outstanding as of the date of this SAI, the Trustees and officers, as a group, owned 0% of the Fund’s outstanding shares. As of the date of this SAI the Trustees and officers, as a group, owned less than 1% of the Fund Complex’s outstanding shares.

 

 

 

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS

 

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of a fund. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. A control person is one who owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledged the existence of control.

 

As of the date of this SAI, no shareholder(s) of record owned 5% or more of the outstanding shares of each class of the Fund.

 

17  
 

 

INVESTMENT ADVISER

 

Investment Adviser and Advisory Agreement

 

Regents Park Funds, LLC, 4041 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 155, Newport Beach, CA 92660, serves as the Fund’s investment adviser. The Adviser is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Subject to the authority of the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is responsible for the overall management of the Fund’s investment-related 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.

 

Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser, under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, agrees to invest the assets of the Fund 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, (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, subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, provides the management and supplemental administrative services necessary for the operation of the Fund. These services include providing assisting in the supervising of relations with custodians, transfer and pricing agents, accountants, underwriters and other persons dealing with the Fund; assisting in the preparing of all general shareholder communications and conducting shareholder relations; assisting in 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; assisting in developing management and shareholder services for the Fund; and furnishing reports, evaluations and analyses on a variety of subjects to the Trustees.

 

The Fund pays an annual management fee (computed daily and payable monthly) of 0.47% of the Fund’s average daily net assets to the Adviser pursuant to the Advisory Agreement.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and/or absorb expenses of the Fund, until at least December 31, 2020 to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or reimbursement (exclusive of any front-end or contingent deferred loads, taxes, brokerage fees and commissions, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), acquired fund fees and expenses, fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example option and swap fees and expenses), or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) will not exceed 0.47% of the Fund’s average daily net assets; subject to possible recoupment from the Fund in future years within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed if such recoupment can be achieved within the foregoing expense limits or the expense limits in place at the time of the recoupment.

 

Expenses not expressly assumed by the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement are paid by the 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 and Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent, including the cost of maintaining certain required records of the Fund and of pricing the Fund’s shares, (d) the charges and expenses of legal counsel and independent accountants for the Fund, (e) brokerage commissions and any issue or transfer taxes chargeable to the Fund in connection with its securities transactions, (f) all taxes and corporate fees payable by the Fund to governmental agencies, (g) the fees of any trade association of which the

18  
 

Fund may be a member, (h) the cost of fidelity and liability insurance, (i) the fees and expenses involved in registering and maintaining registration of the Fund and of shares with the SEC, qualifying its shares under state securities laws, including the preparation and printing of the Fund’s registration statements and prospectuses for such purposes, (j) all expenses of shareholders and Trustees' meetings (including travel expenses of trustees and officers of the Trust who are not directors, officers or employees of the Adviser) and of preparing, printing and mailing reports, proxy statements and prospectuses to shareholders in the amount necessary for distribution to the shareholders and (k) litigation and indemnification expenses and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business.

 

The Advisory Agreement will continue in effect for two (2) years initially and thereafter shall continue from year to year provided such continuance is approved at least annually by (a) a vote of the majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting specifically called for the purpose of voting on such approval and by (b) the majority vote of either all of the Trustees or the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund. The Advisory Agreement may be terminated without penalty on 60 days written notice by a vote of a majority of the Trustees or by the Adviser, or by holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding shares (with respect to the Fund). The Advisory Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.

 

Sub-Adviser and Sub-Advisory Agreement

 

The Adviser has engaged Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC to serve as Sub-Adviser to the Fund. The Sub-Adviser, with respect to the portion of the Fund’s assets allocated to the Sub-Adviser, is responsible for selecting investments and assuring that investments are made in accordance with the Fund's investment objective, policies and restrictions.

 

The Sub-Advisory Agreement shall continue in effect for two (2) years initially and then from year to year, provided it is approved at least annually by a vote of the majority of the Trustees, who are not parties to the agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting specifically called for the purpose of voting on such approval. 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).

 

The Sub-Advisory Agreement provides that the Sub-Adviser will formulate and implement a continuous investment program for the Fund, in accordance with the Fund's objective, policies and limitations and any investment guidelines established by the Adviser. 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 respective Sub-Advisory Agreement. Pursuant to the relevant Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser is entitled to receive an annual sub-advisory fee on its portion of the Fund's average daily net assets. The Sub-Adviser is paid by the Adviser, not the Fund.

 

Codes of Ethics

 

The Trust, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser and the Distributor each have adopted codes of ethics under Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act that govern the personal securities transactions of their board members, officers and employees who may have access to current trading information of the Trust. Under the code of ethics adopted by the Trust (the “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 of ethics that 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 a registrant files with, or submits to, the SEC 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 Sub-Adviser, as applicable, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight. The Policies require that the Adviser or Sub-Adviser vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. The Policies also require the Adviser or Sub-Adviser to present to the Board, at least annually, the Adviser’s (and Sub-Adviser’s) Proxy Policies and a record of each proxy voted by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser on behalf of the Fund, including a report on the resolution of all proxies identified by the Adviser as involving a conflict of interest.

 

19  
 

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 Adviser’s and Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policies are attached hereto as Appendix A.

 

More information. Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at 1-855-RED-FUND (733-3863) and (2) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov and will be sent within three business days of receipt of a request.

 

 

THE DISTRIBUTOR

 

Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, located at 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 (the "Distributor") serves as the principal underwriter and national distributor for the shares of the Fund pursuant to an underwriting agreement with the Trust (the "Underwriting Agreement"). The Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and each state's securities laws and is a member of the FINRA. The offering of the Fund’s shares is continuous. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Distributor, as agent in connection with the distribution of the Fund’s shares, will use reasonable efforts to facilitate the sale of the Fund’s shares.

 

The Underwriting Agreement provides that, unless sooner terminated, it will continue in effect for two years initially and thereafter shall continue from year to year, subject to annual approval by (a) the Board or a vote of a majority of the outstanding shares, and (b) by a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust or of the Distributor by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

 

The Underwriting Agreement may be terminated by the 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.

 

The Distributor may enter into selling agreements with broker-dealers that solicit orders for the sale of shares of the Fund and may allow concessions to dealers that sell shares of the Fund.

 

Rule 12b-1 Plan

 

The Trust, with respect to the Fund, has adopted Distribution Plans pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "Plan") for Shares pursuant to which the Fund is authorized to pay the Distributor, as compensation for Distributor's account maintenance services under the Plans. The Board has approved a distribution and shareholder servicing fee at the rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Such fees are to be paid by the Fund monthly, or at such other intervals as the Board shall determine. Such fees shall be based upon the Fund’s 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 of the Trust and the Distributor. The Plans authorize payments to the Distributor as compensation for providing account maintenance services to Fund shareholders, including arranging for certain securities dealers or brokers, administrators and others ("Recipients") to provide these services and paying compensation for these services. The Fund will bear their own costs of distribution with respect to its shares. The Plan was adopted in order to permit the implementation of the Fund’s method of distribution. No fees are currently paid by the Fund under the Plan, and there are no current plans to impose such fees. In the event such fees were to be charged, over time they would increase the cost of an investment in the Fund.

 

The services to be provided by Recipients may include, but are not limited to, the following: assistance in the offering and sale of Fund shares and in other aspects of the marketing of the shares to clients or prospective clients of the respective recipients; answering routine inquiries concerning the 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.

 

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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 Rule 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 each Plan is 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 of the Trust 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 the Plan (“Rule 12b-1 Trustees”) by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on a 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 a Plan. During the term of a Plan, 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 each Plan, 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 a Plan will be in writing and provide that: (a) it may be terminated by the Trust or 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 the 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. No “interested person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund nor any Trustee had a direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the plans or related agreements.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

 

Gregory R. Lai and Pushkar V. Murthy serve as the portfolio managers of the Fund. As of September 30, 2017 the portfolio managers are responsible for the portfolio management of the following types of accounts in addition to the Fund:

 

Gregory R. Lai

 

Total Other Accounts

By Type

Total Number of Accounts by Account Type

Total Assets By Account Type

(in millions)

Number of Accounts by Type  Subject to a Performance Fee

Total Assets By Account Type Subject to a Performance Fee

(in millions)

Registered Investment Companies 2 $159.8 0 0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 0 0 0 0
Other Accounts 194 $817.2 1 $9.8

 

 

Pushkar V. Murthy

 

Total Other Accounts

By Type

Total Number of Accounts by Account Type

Total Assets By Account Type

(in millions)

Number of Accounts by Type  Subject to a Performance Fee

Total Assets By Account Type Subject to a Performance Fee

(in millions)

Registered Investment Companies 2 $159.8 0 0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 0 0 0 0
Other Accounts 194 $817.2 1 $9.8
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Conflicts of Interest

 

As a general matter, certain conflicts of interest may arise in connection with a portfolio manager's management of the Fund’s investments, on the one hand, and the investments of other accounts for which the portfolio manager is responsible, on the other. For example, it is possible that the various accounts managed could have different investment strategies that, at times, might conflict with one another to the possible detriment of the Fund. Alternatively, to the extent that the same investment opportunities might be desirable for more than one account, possible conflicts could arise in determining how to allocate them. Other potential conflicts might include conflicts created by specific portfolio manager compensation arrangements, and conflicts relating to selection of brokers or dealers to execute the Fund’s portfolio trades and/or specific uses of commissions from the Fund’s portfolio trades (for example, research, or "soft dollars", if any). The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures and has structured the portfolio managers' compensation in a manner reasonably designed to safeguard the Fund from being negatively affected as a result of any such potential conflicts.

 

Compensation

 

Messrs. Lai and Murthy are compensated through a combination of base salary, discretionary bonus and equity participation in the Sub-Adviser.

 

Ownership of Securities

 

The following table shows the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the portfolio managers in the Fund as of the date of this SAI.

 

Name of Portfolio Manager Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund
Gregory R. Lai $0
Pushkar V. Murthy $0

 

ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO BROKERAGE

 

Specific decisions to purchase or sell securities for the Fund are made by the portfolio managers who are employees of the Adviser or theSub-Adviser. The Adviser and the 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 may determine.

 

In selecting a broker or dealer to execute each particular transaction, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser will take 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.

 

 

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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

 

Gemini Fund Services, LLC, (the "Administrator"), which has its principal office at 80 Arkay Drive, Suite 110, Hauppauge, NY 11788, and is primarily in the business of providing administrative, fund accounting and transfer agent services to retail and institutional mutual funds. The Administrator is an affiliate of the Distributor.

 

Pursuant to Fund Services Agreement with the Fund, the Administrator provides administrative services to the Fund, subject to the supervision of the Board. The Administrator may provide persons to serve as officers of the Fund. Such officers may be directors, officers or employees of the Administrator or its affiliates.

 

The Fund Services Agreement is dated August 29, 2012. The Agreement will remain in effect for two years from the effective date of the agreement, and will remain in effect subject to annual approval of the Board for one-year periods thereafter. The Administration Service Agreement is terminable by the Board or the Administrator on ninety days' written notice and may be assigned provided the non-assigning party provides prior written consent. This Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Administrator or reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, the Administrator shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder.

 

Under the Fund Services Agreement, the Administrator provides facilitating administrative services, including: (i) providing services of persons competent to perform such administrative and clerical functions as are necessary to provide effective administration of the Fund; (ii) facilitating the performance of administrative and professional services to the Fund by others, including the Fund's Custodian; (iii) preparing, but not paying for, the periodic updating of the Fund's Registration Statement, Prospectuses and Statement of Additional Information in conjunction with Fund counsel, including the printing of such documents for the purpose of filings with the SEC and state securities administrators, and preparing reports to the Fund's shareholders and the SEC; (iv) preparing in conjunction with Fund counsel, but not paying for, all filings under the securities or "Blue Sky" laws of such states or countries as are designated by the Distributor, which may be required to register or qualify, or continue the registration or qualification, of the Fund and/or its shares under such laws; (v) preparing notices and agendas for meetings of the Board and minutes of such meetings in all matters required by the 1940 Act to be acted upon by the Board; and (vi) monitoring daily and periodic compliance with respect to all requirements and restrictions of the 1940 Act, the Internal Revenue Code and the Prospectuses.

 

The Administrator also provides the Fund with accounting services, including: (i) daily computation of net asset value; (ii) maintenance of security ledgers and books and records as required by the 1940 Act; (iii) production of the Fund's listing of portfolio securities and general ledger reports; (iv) reconciliation of accounting records; (v) calculation of yield and total return for the Fund; (vi) maintaining certain books and records described in Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act, and reconciling account information and balances among the Fund's custodian and Adviser; and (vii) monitoring and evaluating daily income and expense accruals, and sales and redemptions of shares of the Fund.

 

For administrative services rendered to the Fund under the Agreement, the Fund pay GFS the greater of an annual minimum fee or an asset based fee, which scales downward based upon net assets. For the fund accounting services rendered to the Fund under the Agreement, the Fund pay GFS the greater of an annual minimum fee or an asset based fee, which scales downward based upon net assets. The Fund also pay GFS for any out-of-pocket expenses.

 

Transfer Agent

 

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. acts as transfer, dividend disbursing, and shareholder servicing agent for the Fund pursuant to written agreement with Fund (the “Transfer Agent”). Under the agreement, the Transfer Agent is responsible for administering and performing transfer agent functions, dividend distribution, shareholder administration, and maintaining necessary records in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.

 

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Custodian

 

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (the "Custodian"), serves as the custodian of the Fund's assets pursuant to a Custodian and Transfer Agent Agreement by and between the Custodian and the Trust on behalf of the Fund. The Custodian's responsibilities include safeguarding and controlling the Fund's cash and securities, handling the receipt and delivery of securities, and collecting interest and dividends on the Fund's investments. Pursuant to the Custodian and Transfer Agent Agreement, the Custodian also maintains original entry documents and books of record and general ledgers; posts cash receipts and disbursements; and records purchases and sales based upon communications from the Adviser. The Fund may employ foreign sub-custodians that are approved by the Board to hold foreign assets.

 

Compliance Officer

 

Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (“NLCS”), 17605 Wright Street, Suite 2, Omaha, NE 68130, an affiliate of GFS and the Distributor, provides a Chief Compliance Officer to the Trust as well as related compliance services pursuant to a consulting agreement between NLCS and the Trust. NLCS’s compliance services consist primarily of reviewing and assessing the policies and procedures of the Trust and its service providers pertaining to compliance with applicable federal securities laws, including Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act. For the compliance services rendered to the Fund, the Fund pays NLCS a one-time fee plus an annual asset based fee, which scales downward based upon net assets. 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, per-class, dividend, distribution and liquidation rights. There are no conversion or preemptive rights applicable to any shares of the Fund. All shares issued are fully paid and non-assessable.

 

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM

 

The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”). To ensure compliance with this law, the Trust’s Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program. The Trust’s Secretary serves as its Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer.

 

Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that the Fund’s Distributor, and Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reported suspicious and/or fraudulent activity and 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.

 

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PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES

 

Calculation of Share Price

 

As indicated in the Prospectus under the heading "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.

 

The Administrator calculates the Fund’s NAV at the close of regular trading (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) every day that the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open. NAV is calculated by deducting all of the Fund’s liabilities from the total value of its assets and dividing the result by the number of Shares outstanding, rounding to the nearest cent. All valuations are subject to review by the Trust’s Board or its delegate.

 

In determining NAV, expenses are accrued and applied daily and securities and other assets for which market quotations are readily available are valued at market value. The NAV for the Fund will be calculated and disseminated daily. The value of the Fund’s portfolio securities is based on market value when market quotations are readily available.

 

Exchange-traded securities, such as common and preferred stocks, ETFs, ETPs, ETNs, closed-end funds, REITs, MLPs, REOCs and similar instruments, generally are valued by using market quotations, but may be valued on the basis of prices furnished by a pricing service when the Adviser believes such prices accurately reflect the fair market value of such securities. Securities that are traded on any stock exchange or on the Exchange are generally valued by the pricing service at the last quoted sale price. Lacking a last sale price, an equity security is generally valued by the pricing service at its last bid price. When market quotations are not readily available, when the Adviser determines that the market quotation or the price provided by the pricing service does not accurately reflect the current market value, or when restricted or illiquid securities are being valued, such securities are valued as determined in good faith by the Adviser. If a security’s market price is not readily available, the security will be valued at fair value as determined by the Trust’s Fair Value Committee in accordance with the Trust’s valuation policies and procedures approved by the Board. The values of assets denominated in foreign currencies are converted into U.S. dollars based on the mean of the current bid and asked prices by major banking institutions and currency dealers.

 

Bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments are valued by a pricing service when the Adviser believes such prices are accurate and reflect the fair market value of such securities. If the Adviser decides that a price provided by the pricing service does not accurately reflect the fair market value of the securities, when prices are not readily available from a pricing service, or when restricted or illiquid securities are being valued, securities are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser, subject to review by the Board of Trustees. Short-term investments having a maturity of 60 days or less may be amortized to maturity, provided such valuations represent par value.

 

Futures contracts listed for trading on a futures exchange or board of trade for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the last quoted sales price or, in the absence of a sale, at the mean of the last bid and ask prices.

 

Even when market quotations are available, they may be stale or unreliable because the validity of market quotations appears to be questionable; the number of quotations is such as to indicate that there is a thin market in the security; a significant event occurs after the close of a market but before the Fund's NAV calculation that may affect a security's value; or the Adviser is aware of any other data that calls into question the reliability of market quotations such as issuer-specific events, which may include a merger or insolvency, events which affect a geographical area or an industry segment, such as political events or natural disasters, or market events, such as a significant movement in the U.S. market. Where market quotations are not readily available, including where the Adviser determines that the closing price of the security is unreliable, the Adviser will value the security at fair value in good faith using procedures approved by the Board. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that a fair value determination for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security.

 

Because foreign markets may be open on different days than the days during which a shareholder may purchase Shares, the value of the Fund’s investments may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase Shares.

 

Creation Units

 

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

 

25  
 

A Creation Unit is an aggregation of 50,000 Shares. The Board may declare a split or a consolidation in the number of Shares outstanding of the Fund or Trust, and make a corresponding change in the number of Shares in a Creation Unit.

 

Authorized Participants

 

To purchase or redeem any Creation Units, you must be, or transact through, an Authorized Participant. In order to be an Authorized Participant, you must be either a broker-dealer or other participant (“Participating Party”) in the Continuous Net Settlement System (“Clearing Process”) of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or a participant in DTC with access to the DTC system (“DTC Participant”), and you must execute an agreement (“Participant Agreement”) with the Distributor that governs transactions in the Fund’s Creation Units.

 

Investors who are not Authorized Participants but want to transact in Creation Units may contact the Distributor for the names of Authorized Participants. An Authorized Participant may require investors to enter into a separate agreement to transact through it for Creation Units and may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in a particular form. Investors transacting through a broker that is not itself an Authorized Participant and therefore must still transact through an Authorized Participant may incur additional charges. There are expected to be a limited number of Authorized Participants at any one time.

 

Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor. Market disruptions and telephone or other communication failures may impede the transmission of orders.

 

Transaction Fees

 

A fixed fee payable to the Custodian is imposed on each creation and redemption transaction regardless of the number of Creation Units involved in the transaction (“Fixed Fee”). Purchases and redemptions of Creation Units for cash or involving cash-in-lieu (as defined below) are required to pay an additional variable charge to compensate the Fund and its ongoing shareholders for brokerage and market impact expenses relating to Creation Unit transactions (“Variable Charge,” and together with the Fixed Fee, the “Transaction Fees”). With the approval of the Board, the Adviser may waive or adjust the Transaction Fees, including the Fixed Fee and/or Variable Charge (shown in the table below), from time to time. In such cases, the Authorized Participant will reimburse the Fund for, among other things, any difference between the market value at which the securities and/or financial instruments were purchased by the Fund and the cash-in-lieu amount, applicable registration fees, brokerage commissions and certain taxes. In addition, purchasers of Creation Units are responsible for the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to the account of the Fund.

 

Investors who use the services of a broker, or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. The Transaction Fees for the Fund are listed in the table below.

 

Fee for In-Kind and Cash Purchases Minimum Additional Variable Charge for Cash Purchases* Maximum Additional Variable Charge for Cash Purchases*
$1,800 0.20% 2.00%

* As a percentage of the amount invested.

The Clearing Process

 

Transactions by an Authorized Participant that is a Participating Party using the NSCC system are referred to as transactions “through the Clearing Process.” Transactions by an Authorized Participant that is a DTC Participant using the DTC system are referred to as transactions “outside the Clearing Process.” The Clearing Process is an enhanced clearing process that is available only for certain securities and only to DTC participants that are also participants in the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC. In-kind (portions of) purchase orders not subject to the Clearing Process will go through a manual clearing process run by DTC. Portfolio Deposits that include government securities must be delivered through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system (“Federal Reserve System”). Fund Deposits that include cash may be delivered through the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System. In-kind deposits of securities for orders outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through the Federal Reserve System (for government securities) or through DTC (for corporate securities).

 

Foreign Securities

 

Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Fund, or to purchase or sell shares of the Fund on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.

 

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Purchasing Creation Units

 

Portfolio Deposit

 

The consideration for a Creation Unit generally consists of the Deposit Securities and a Cash Component. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Portfolio Deposit.” The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the Deposit Securities. Thus, the Cash Component is equal to the difference between (x) the net asset value per Creation Unit of the Fund and (y) the market value of the Deposit Securities. If (x) is more than (y), the Authorized Participant will pay the Cash Component to the Fund. If (x) is less than (y), the Authorized Participant will receive the Cash Component from the Fund.

 

On each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the Adviser through the Custodian makes available through NSCC the name and amount of each Deposit Security in the current Portfolio Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Fund and the (estimated) Cash Component, effective through and including the previous Business Day, per Creation Unit. The Deposit Securities announced are applicable to purchases of Creation Units until the next announcement of Deposit Securities.

 

Payment of any stamp duty or the like shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing a Creation Unit. The Authorized Participant must ensure that all Deposit Securities properly denote change in beneficial ownership.

 

Custom Orders and Cash-in-lieu

 

The Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (“cash-in-lieu”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. The Fund may permit or require cash-in-lieu when, for example, a Deposit Security may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the Clearing Process. Similarly, the Fund may permit or require cash in lieu of Deposit Securities when, for example, the Authorized Participant or its underlying investor is restricted under U.S. or local securities laws or policies from transacting in one or more Deposit Securities. The Fund will comply with the federal securities laws in accepting Deposit Securities including that the Deposit Securities are sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the Securities Act. All orders involving cash-in-lieu are considered to be “Custom Orders.”

 

Purchase Orders

 

To order a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable purchase order to the Distributor.

 

Timing of Submission of Purchase Orders

 

An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable purchase order no later than the earlier of (i) 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time or (ii) the closing time of the bond markets and/or the trading session on the Exchange, on any Business Day in order to receive that Business Day’s NAV (“Cut-off Time”). The Cut-off Time for Custom Orders is generally two hours earlier. The Business Day the order is deemed received by the Distributor is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.” An order to create Creation Units is deemed received on a Business Day if (i) such order is received by the Distributor by the Cut-off Time on such day and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. Persons placing or effectuating custom orders and/or orders involving cash should be mindful of time deadlines imposed by intermediaries, such as DTC and/or the Federal Reserve Bank wire system, which may impact the successful processing of such orders to ensure that cash and securities are transferred by the “Settlement Date,” which is generally the Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date (“T+1”) for cash and the second Business Day following the Transmittal Date for securities (“T+2”).

 

Orders Using the Clearing Process

 

If available, (portions of) orders may be settled through the Clearing Process. In connection with such orders, the Distributor transmits, on behalf of the Authorized Participant, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the creation order. Pursuant to such trade instructions, the Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the requisite Portfolio Deposit to the Fund, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. Cash Components will be delivered using either the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System.

 

Orders Outside the Clearing Process

 

If the Clearing Process is not available for (portions of) an order, Portfolio Deposits will be made outside the Clearing Process. Orders outside the Clearing Process must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the creation of Creation Units will be effected through DTC. The Portfolio Deposit transfer must be ordered by the DTC

27  
 

Participant on the Transmittal Date in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of Deposit Securities (whether standard or custom) through DTC to the Fund account by 11:00 a.m., Eastern time, on T+1. The Cash Component, along with any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee, must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve System in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on T+1. If the Custodian does not receive both the Deposit Securities and the cash by the appointed time, the order may be canceled. A canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day but must conform to that Business Day’s Portfolio Deposit. Authorized Participants that submit a canceled order will be liable to the Fund for any losses incurred by the Fund in connection therewith.

 

Orders involving foreign Deposit Securities are expected to be settled outside the Clearing Process. Thus, upon receipt of an irrevocable purchase order, the Distributor will notify the Adviser and the Custodian of such order. The Custodian , who will have caused the appropriate local sub-custodian(s) of the Fund to maintain an account into which an Authorized Participant may deliver Deposit Securities (or cash -in-lieu), with adjustments determined by the Fund, will then provide information of the order to such local sub-custodian(s). The ordering Authorized Participant will then deliver the Deposit Securities (and any cash-in-lieu) to the Fund’s account at the applicable local sub-custodian. The Authorized Participant must also make available on or before the contractual settlement date, by means satisfactory to the Fund, immediately available or same day funds in U.S. dollars estimated by the Fund to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component and Transaction Fee. When a relevant local market is closed due to local market holidays, the local market settlement process will not commence until the end of the local holiday period. Settlement must occur by 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the contractual settlement date.

 

Acceptance of Purchase Order

 

All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Fund. The Fund’s determination shall be final and binding.

 

The Fund reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke acceptance of a purchase order transmitted to it by the Distributor if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (c) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the Deposit Securities for the applicable date; (d) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (e) the acceptance of the Portfolio Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (f) the acceptance of the Portfolio Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust, Fund or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Trust, Fund or the rights of beneficial owners; or (g) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Distributor and the Adviser make it for all practical purposes impossible to process purchase orders. Examples of such circumstances include acts of God; public service or utility problems resulting in telephone, telecopy or computer failures; fires, floods or extreme weather conditions; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other informational systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC, the Adviser, the Fund’s Custodian, a sub-custodian or any other participant in the creation process; and similar extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify an Authorized Participant of its rejection of the order. The Fund, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Portfolio Deposits, and they shall not incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

 

Issuance of a Creation Unit

 

Once the Fund has accepted an order, upon next determination of the Fund’s NAV, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such NAV. The Distributor will transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.

 

Except as provided below, a Creation Unit will not be issued until the Fund obtains good title to the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component, along with any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee. Except as provided in Appendix C, the delivery of Creation Units will generally occur no later than T+2.

 

In certain cases, Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.

 

With respect to orders involving foreign Deposit Securities, when the applicable local sub-custodian(s) have confirmed to the Custodian that the Deposit Securities (or cash -in-lieu) have been delivered to the Fund’s account at the applicable local sub-custodian(s), the Distributor and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery, and the Fund will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit. While, as stated above, Creation Units are generally delivered on T+2, the Fund may settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+2 in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances.

28  
 

 

The Fund may issue a Creation Unit prior to receiving good title to the Deposit Securities, under the following circumstances. Pursuant to the applicable Participant Agreement, the Fund may issue a Creation Unit notwithstanding that (certain) Deposit Securities have not been delivered, in reliance on an undertaking by the relevant Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking is secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery to and maintenance with the Custodian of collateral having a value equal to at least 115% of the value of the missing Deposit Securities (“Collateral”), as adjusted by time to time by the Adviser. Such Collateral will have a value greater than the NAV of the Creation Unit on the date the order is placed. Such collateral must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on T+1. The only Collateral that is acceptable to the Fund is cash in U.S. Dollars.

 

While (certain) Deposit Securities remain undelivered, the Collateral shall at all times have a value equal to at least 115% (as adjusted by the Adviser) of the daily marked-to-market value of the missing Deposit Securities. At any time, the Fund may use the Collateral to purchase the missing securities, and the Authorized Participant will be liable to the Fund for any costs incurred thereby or losses resulting therefrom, whether or not they exceed the amount of the Collateral, including any Transaction Fee, any amount by which the purchase price of the missing Deposit Securities exceeds the market value of such securities on the Transmittal Date, brokerage and other transaction costs. The Trust will return any unused Collateral once all of the missing securities have been received by the Fund. More information regarding the Fund’s current procedures for collateralization is available from the Distributor.

 

Cash Purchase Method

 

When cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for the Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases In the case of a cash purchase, the investor must pay the cash equivalent of the Portfolio Deposit. In addition, cash purchases will be subject to Transaction Fees, as described above.

 

Redeeming a Creation Unit

 

Redemption Basket

 

The consideration received in connection with the redemption of a Creation Unit generally consists of an in-kind basket of designated securities (“Redemption Securities”) and a Cash Component. Together, the Redemption Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Redemption Basket.”

 

There can be no assurance that there will be sufficient liquidity in Shares in the secondary market to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. In addition, investors may incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a Creation Unit.

 

The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the Redemption Securities. Thus, the Cash Component is equal to the difference between (x) the net asset value per Creation Unit of the Fund and (y) the market value of the Redemption Securities. If (x) is more than (y), the Authorized Participant will receive the Cash Component from the Fund. If (x) is less than (y), the Authorized Participant will pay the Cash Component to the Fund.

 

If the Redemption Securities on a Business Day are different from the Deposit Securities, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the Adviser through the Custodian makes available through NSCC the name and amount of each Redemption Security in the current Redemption Basket (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Fund and the (estimated) Cash Component, effective through and including the previous Business Day, per Creation Unit. If the Redemption Securities on a Business Day are different from the Deposit Securities, all redemption requests that day will be processed outside the Clearing Process.

 

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed: (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the NYSE is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares or determination of the ETF’s NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as permitted by the SEC, including as described below.

 

Custom Redemptions and Cash-in-lieu

 

The Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit or require the substitution of cash-in-lieu to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Redemption Security. The Fund may permit or require cash-in-lieu when, for example, a Redemption Security may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the Clearing Process. Similarly, the Fund may permit or require cash-in-lieu of Redemption Securities when, for example, the

29  
 

Authorized Participant or its underlying investor is restricted under U.S. or local securities law or policies from transacting in one or more Redemption Securities. The Fund will comply with the federal securities laws in satisfying redemptions with Redemption Securities, including that the Redemption Securities are sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the Securities Act. All redemption requests involving cash-in-lieu are considered to be “Custom Redemptions.”

 

Redemption Requests

 

To redeem a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable redemption request to the Distributor.

 

An Authorized Participant submitting a redemption request is deemed to represent to the Fund that it has ascertained or has reasonable grounds to believe that as of the time of the contractual settlement date, that (i) it or its customer, as the case may be, owns, will own or have the authority and right to tender for redemption the Creation Unit to be redeemed and can receive the entire proceeds of the redemption, and (ii) all of the Shares that are in the Creation Unit to be redeemed have not been borrowed, loaned or pledged to another party nor are they the subject of a repurchase agreement, securities lending agreement or such other arrangement that would preclude the delivery of such Shares to the Fund on the contractual settlement date. The Fund reserves the absolute right, in its sole discretion, to verify these representations, but will typically require verification in connection with higher levels of redemption activity and/or short interest in the Fund. If the Authorized Participant, upon receipt of a verification request, does not provide sufficient verification of the requested representations, the redemption request will not be considered to be in proper form and may be rejected by the Fund.

 

Timing of Submission of Redemption Requests

 

An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable redemption order no later than the Cut-off Time. The Cut-off Time for Custom Orders is generally two hours earlier. The Business Day the order is deemed received by the Distributor is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.” A redemption request is deemed received if (i) such order is received by the Distributor by the Cut-off Time on such day and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. Persons placing or effectuating Custom Redemptions and/or orders involving cash should be mindful of time deadlines imposed by intermediaries, such as DTC and/or the Federal Reserve System, which may impact the successful processing of such orders to ensure that cash and securities are transferred by the Settlement Date, as defined above.

 

Requests Using the Clearing Process

 

If available, (portions of) redemption requests may be settled through the Clearing Process. In connection with such orders, the Distributor transmits on behalf of the Authorized Participant, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the redemption. Pursuant to such trade instructions, the Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the requisite Creation Unit(s) to the Fund, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. Cash Components will be delivered using either the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System, as described above.

 

Requests Outside the Clearing Process

 

If the Clearing Process is not available for (portions of) an order, Redemption Baskets will be delivered outside the Clearing Process. Orders outside the Clearing Process must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the redemption will be effected through DTC. The Authorized Participant must transfer or cause to be transferred the Creation Unit(s) of shares being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be delivered through DTC to the Custodian by 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on received T+1. In addition, the Cash Component must be received by the Custodian by 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on T+1. If the Custodian does not receive the Creation Unit(s) and Cash Component by the appointed times on T+1, the redemption will be rejected, except in the circumstances described below. A rejected redemption request may be resubmitted the following Business Day.

 

Orders involving foreign Redemption Securities are expected to be settled outside the Clearing Process. Thus, upon receipt of an irrevocable redemption request, the Distributor will notify the Adviser and the Custodian. The Custodian will then provide information of the redemption to the Fund’s local sub-custodian(s). The redeeming Authorized Participant, or the investor on whose behalf is acting, will have established appropriate arrangements with a broker-dealer, bank or other custody provider in each jurisdiction in which the Redemption Securities are customarily traded and to which such Redemption Securities (and any cash-in-lieu) can be delivered from the Fund’s accounts at the applicable local sub-custodian(s).

 

Acceptance of Redemption Requests

 

All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust. The Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.

 

30  
 

Delivery of Redemption Basket

 

Once the Fund has accepted a redemption request, upon next determination of the Fund’s NAV, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Redemption Basket, against receipt of the Creation Unit(s) at such NAV, any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee. A Creation Unit tendered for redemption and the payment of the Cash Component, any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee will be effected through DTC. The Authorized Participant, or the investor on whose behalf it is acting, will be recorded on the book-entry system of DTC.

 

The Redemption Basket will generally be delivered to the redeeming Authorized Participant within T+2. Except under the circumstances described below, however, a Redemption Basket generally will not be issued until the Creation Unit(s) are delivered to the Fund, along with the Cash Component, any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee.

 

In certain cases, Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.

 

With respect to orders involving foreign Redemption Securities, the Fund may settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+2 in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances. When a relevant local market is closed due to local market holidays, the local market settlement process will not commence until the end of the local holiday period. Listed below are the dates in calendar year 2017 in which the regular holidays in non-U.S. markets may impact Fund settlement. This list is based on information available to the Fund. The list may not be accurate or complete and is subject to change:

 

Argentina Australia Austria Bahrain Bangladesh Belgium Bermuda

January 01

February 16, 17

March 23, 24

April 02, 03

May 01, 25

July 09

August 17

October 12

November 06, 27

December 07, 08, 25

January 01, 26

March 09

April 03, 06

June 08

August 03

October 05

November 03

December 24, 25, 28, 31

January 01, 06

April 03, 06

May 01, 14, 25

June 04

October 26

December 24, 25, 31

January 01, 25

May 03

July 19

September 24, 27, 28

October 14, 15, 22, 25, 26

December 16, 17,23

January 04

March 17, 26

April 14, 28

May 03

June 03

July 01, 15, 19

September 23, 24, 25, 26, 27,

October 22

November 04

December 16, 24, 31

January 01

April 03, 06

May 01

December 25,31

January 01

April 03

May 25

June 15

July 30, 31,

September 07

November 11

December 25, 28

Bosnia-Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Bulgaria Canada Chile China

January 01, 02, 06, 07, 09

March 02

April 06, 10, 13

May 01

July 17

September 24, 25

November 25

December 25

January 01, 02

April 03, 06

May 01, 14

July 01, 20, 21

September 30

October 01

December 25

January 01

February 16,17, 18

April 03, 21,

May 01

June 04

July 09

September 07

October 12,

November 02, 20

December 24, 25, 31

January 01, 02, 24

March 02, 03

April 10, 13

May 01, 06,

September 21, 22

December 24, 25, 31

January 01

February 16

April 03

May 18

July 01

August 03,

September 07

October 12

November 11

December 25, 28

January 01

April 03

May 01, 21,

June 29

July 16

September 18

October 12

December 08, 25, 31

January 01, 02, 19

February 16, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 28

April 03, 06,

May 01, 25,

June 22

July 01

September 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 28

October 01, 02,05, 06, 07, 12, 21

November 11, 26

December 25

31  
 

 

Clearstream Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark

January 01

December 25

January 01, 12

March 23

April 02, 03

May 01, 18

June 08, 15, 29

July 20 August 07, 17

October 12

November 02,16

December 08, 25

January 01

April 02, 03

May 01

September 15

October 12

December 25

January 01, 06

April 03, 06

May 01

June 04, 22, 25

August 05

October 08

December 24, 25, 31

January 01, 06

February 23

March 25

April 01, 03, 06, 10, 13, 14

May 01

June 01

October 01, 28

December 24, 25

January 01

April 03, 06,

May 01, 08

July 06

September 28

October 28

November 17

December 24, 25, 31

January 01

April 02, 03, 06

May 01, 14, 15, 25

June 05

December 24, 25, 31

Ecuador Egypt Estonia Euroclear Finland France Germany

January 01, 02

February 16, 17

April 03

May 01

August 10

October 09

November 02, 03

December 25

January 01, 07, 25

April 12, 13,

July 01, 23,

September 23, 24, 27,

October 06, 14

December 23

January 01

February 24

April 03

May 01, 14

June 23, 24,

August 20

December 24, 25, 31

January 01

December 25

January 01, 06, 30

April 02, 03, 06

May 01, 14,

June 19

December 24, 25, 31

January 01

April 03, 06

May 01

December 25, 31

January 01

April 03, 06,

May 01, 14, 25

June 04

December 24, 25, 31

Ghana Greece Hong Kong SAR Hungary Iceland India Indonesia

January 01

March 06

April 03, 06,

May 01, 25,

July 01, 20,

September 21, 24,

December 04, 25, 28

January 01, 06

February 23

March 25

April 03, 06, 09, 10, 13

May 01

June 01, 29, 30

July 01, 02, 03, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16

October 28

December 24, 25, 31

January 01

February 16,18, 19, 20

April 03, 06, 07

May 01, 25

July 01

September 03, 28

October 01, 21

December 24, 25, 31

January 01, 02

April 03,06,

May 01, 25

August 08, 20, 21

October 23

December 24, 25, 31

January 01

April 02, 03, 06, 23

May 01, 14, 25

June 17

August 03

December 24, 25, 31

January 26

February 17, 19, 28

March 06

April 01, 02,

03, 14,

May 01, 04,

July 01

August 18

September 17, 25

October 02, 22

November 11, 12, 25,

December 24, 25

January 01

February 19

April 03

May 01, 14

June 02

July 16, 17, 20, 21

August 17

September 24

October 14

December 24, 25, 31

Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast Japan Jordan Kazakhstan

January 01

March 17

April 03, 06,

May 01, 04, 25

June 01

August 03

October 26

December 25, 28

March 05, 17

April 03, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 22, 23

May 24

July 26

September 13, 14, 15,

January 01, 06

April 03, 06

May 01

December 08, 24, 25, 31

January 01,

February 09

April 03, 06,

May 01, 14, 25

July 14

August 07

September 24

December 25

January 01, 02, 12

February 11

April 29

May 04, 05, 06

July 20

September 21, 22, 23,

October 12

October 15

January 01, 02, 07

March 09, 23, 24, 25

May 01, 07, 11

July 06

September 24

December 01, 16, 17

32  
 

 

22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30,

October 01, 04, 05

November 03, 23

December 23, 31

Kenya Kuwait Latvia Lebanon Lithuania Luxembourg Malaysia

January 01

April 03, 06,

May 01

June 01

October 20

December 25

January 01, 25

February 25, 26

May 17

July 17, 19, 20

September 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

October 14, 15

December 24

January 01, 02

April 03, 06,

May 01, 04, 14

June 22, 23, 24

November 18

December 25, 31

January 01, 06

February 09

March 25

April 03, 10, 13

May 01, 25,

July 17

September 24, 25

October 14,

23

November 23

December 25

January 01

February 16

March 11

April 06

May 01, 14,

June 24

July 06

December 24, 25, 31

January 01

April 03, 06,

May 01, 14, 25

June 23

December 24, 25, 31

January 01

February 02, 03, 18,

19, 20,

May 01, 04

July 16, 17

August 31

September 16, 24

October 14

November 10

December 24, 25

Mauritius Mexico Morocco Namibia Netherlands New Zealand Nigeria

January 01, 02

February 03, 17, 19

March 12

May 01

September 18

November 02, 11

December 25

January 01

February 02

March 16

April 02, 03,

May 01

September 16

November 02, 16

December 25

January 01

May 01

July 17, 30

August 14,

20, 21

September 24, 25

October 15

November 06, 18

January 01

March 21

April 03, 06,

May 01, 04,

14, 25

August 26

December 10, 25

January 01

April 03, 06,

May 01

December 25, 31

January 01, 02

February 06

April 03, 06,

27

June 01

October 26

December 25, 28

January 01,

05

April 03, 06

May 01, 29

July 17, 20

September 24, 25

October 01

December 25

Norway Oman Pakistan Palestine Autonomous Area Peru Philippines Poland

January 01

April 01, 02, 03, 06

May 01,14, 25

December 24, 25, 31

January 01, 04, 14, 25

May 16, 17

July 16, 19, 20, 23

September 23, 24

October 14, 15

November 18, 19

December 24

January 01, 03

February 05

March 23

May 01

June 22

July 01, 17, 18, 20, 21

August 14

September 24, 25, 26, 27

October 22, 23

November 09

December 25

January 01, 07

March 08

July 16, 19

September 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

October 14, 15

November 15

January 01, 02

April 02, 03

May 01

June 29

July 28, 29,

October 08, 09

December 08, 25

January 01, 02, 15, 16, 19

February 19

April 02,

03, 09

May 01

June 12

August 21, 31

September 25

November 18, 19, 30

December 24, 25, 30, 31

January 01, 06

April 03, 06,

May 01

June 04

November 11

December 24, 25, 31

Portugal Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia Serbia

January 01

April 03, 06,

May 01

December 25, 31

January 01

February 10

March 01

July 19, 20, 21

January 01, 02

April 13

May 01

June 01

January 01, 02, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09,

February 23

March 09

January 01

April 03, 07

May 01

July 01

January 25

July 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

January 01, 02, 07

February 16, 17

April 10, 13

33  
 

 

September 23, 24, 27, 28

November 30

December 01, 25

May 01, 04, 11

June 12

November 04

December 31

September 24

December 25

September 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

May 01

November 11

Singapore Slovakia Slovenia South Africa South Korea Spain Sri Lanka

January 01

February 18, 19, 20

April 03

May 01

June 01

July 17

August 07, 10

September 11, 24

November 10

December 25

January 01, 06

April 03, 06,

May 01, 08

September 01, 15

November 17

December 24, 25

January 01

April 03, 06, 27

May 01

June 25

December 25

January 01

April 03, 06, 27

May 01

June 16

August 10

September 24

December 16, 24, 25

January 01

February 18, 19, 20

May 01, 05, 25

August 14

September 28, 29

October 09

December 25, 31

January 01

April 03, 06,

May 01

December 24, 25, 31

January 01, 05, 08, 14, 15

February 03, 04, 17

March 05

April 03, 13, 14,

May 01, 04

June 02

July 01, 31

September 24

October 27

November 10, 25

December 24, 25

Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Tanzania, United Republic Of Thailand Trinidad & Tobago

January 01, 08

April 03, 06, 20

May 01, 14,

July 22

December 25

January 01, 05, 06

April 02, 03, 06, 30

May 01, 13, 14

June 19

October 30,

December 24, 25, 31

January 01, 02

April 03, 06,

May 01, 14,

25

December 24, 25, 31

January 01, 02

February 16,

17, 18, 19,

20, 23, 27,

April 03, 06

May 01

June 19

September 28, 29

October 09

January 01, 12

April 03, 06, 07

May 01

July 01, 07, 17

September 24

October 14

November 05

December 09, 25

January 01, 02

March 04

April 06, 13, 14, 15

May 01, 04, 05

June 01

July 01, 30

August 12

October 23

December 07, 10

January 01

March 30

April 03, 06

June 04, 19

August 31

September 24

December 25

Tunisia Turkey Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States

January 01, 14

March 20

April 09

May 01

July 17

August 13

September 24, 25

October 14, 15

January 01

April 23,

May 01, 19,

July 16, 17,

September 23, 24, 25,

October 28, 29

January 01, 26

April 03, 06,

May 01

June 03, 09,

September 24

October 09

December 25

January 01, 02, 05, 07

March 09

April 13

May 01, 04, 11

June 01, 29

August 24

January 01

February 16

May 17

July 19, 20

September 23, 24

October 14, 15

December 02, 03

January 01, 19

February 16

April 03, 06

May 01, 04,

25

August 31

December 25, 28

January 01, 19

February 16

April 03

May 25

July 03

September 07

October 12

November 11, 26

December 25

Uruguay Venezuela Vietnam Zambia Zimbabwe    

January 01, 06

January 01, 05

January 01

January 01,

02, 20

March 09, 12

January 01

April 03, 06

May 01, 25

   
34  
 

 

February 16, 17

April 02, 03,

May 01, 18

June 19

August 25

October 12

November 02

December 25

February 16, 17

March 19

April 02, 03,

May 01, 18

June 08, 24, 29

July 24

October 12

December 07, 24, 25, 31

February 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24,

April 28, 29, 30

May 01

September 02

April 03, 06,

May 01, 25

July 06, 07,

August 03

December 25

August 10, 11

December 22, 25

   

 

Cash Redemption Method

 

When cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified for the Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions. In the case of a cash redemption, the investor will receive the cash equivalent of the Redemption Basket minus any Transaction Fees, as described above.

 

 

TAX STATUS

 

The following discussion is general in nature and should not be regarded as an exhaustive presentation of all possible tax ramifications. All shareholders should consult a qualified tax advisor regarding their investment in the Fund.

 

The Fund has qualified and intends to continue to qualify and has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and intends to continue to so qualify, which requires compliance with certain requirements concerning the sources of its income, diversification of its assets, and the amount and timing of its distributions to shareholders. Such qualification does not involve supervision of management or investment practices or policies by any government agency or bureau. By so qualifying, the Fund should not be subject to federal income or excise tax on its net investment income or net capital gain, which are distributed to shareholders in accordance with the applicable timing requirements. Net investment income and net capital gain of the Fund will be computed in accordance with Section 852 of the Code.

 

Net investment income is made up of dividends and interest less expenses. Net capital gain for a fiscal year is computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund. Capital losses incurred after January 31, 2011 may now be carried forward indefinitely and retain the character of the original loss. Under pre-enacted laws, capital losses could be carried forward to offset any capital gains for eight years, and carried forward as short-term capital, irrespective of the character of the original loss. Capital loss carry forwards are available to offset future realized capital gains. To the extent that these carry forwards are used to offset future capital gains it is probable that the amount offset will not be distributed to shareholders.

 

The Fund intends to distribute all of its net investment income, any excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses, and any excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses in accordance with the timing requirements imposed by the Code and therefore should not be required to pay any federal income or excise taxes. Distributions of net investment income, if any, will be made quarterly, and net capital gain, if any, will be made annually no later than December 31 of each year. Both types of distributions will be in shares of the Fund unless a shareholder elects to receive 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 holding 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 that the Fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or the securities of certain publicly traded partnerships.

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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 net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, at the rates generally applicable to corporations. Shareholders of the Fund generally would not be liable for income tax on the Fund's net investment income or net realized capital gains in their individual capacities. Distributions to shareholders, whether from the Fund's net investment income or net realized capital gains, would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of current or accumulated earnings and profits of the Fund.

 

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 are exempt from income taxation under the Code.

 

Distributions of taxable net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.

 

Distributions of net capital gain ("capital gain dividends") generally are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain; regardless of the length of time the shares of the Trust have been held by such shareholders.

 

The Fund may be able to report a portion of its income as “qualified dividend income,” which, if certain conditions, including holding period requirements, are met by the Fund and the shareholders, is taxable to noncorporate shareholders at rates of up to 20%. In general, dividends may be reported by the Fund as qualified dividend income if they are attributable to qualified dividend income received by the Fund. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from U.S. corporations and certain foreign corporations (i.e., certain foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the U.S. or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the U.S., and certain other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the U.S.). Passive foreign investment companies are not qualified foreign corporations for this purpose, and dividends received by the Fund from REITs generally are not expected to qualify for treatment as qualified dividend income.

 

Certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals and estates and trusts, are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which should include dividends from the Fund and net gains from the disposition of shares of the Fund. U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the implications of the additional Medicare tax resulting from an investment in the Fund.

 

Redemption of Fund shares by a shareholder will result in the recognition of taxable gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and the shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares. Such gain or loss is treated as a capital gain or loss if the shares are held as capital assets. However, any loss realized upon the redemption of shares within six months from the date of their purchase will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as capital gain dividends during such six-month period. All or a portion of any loss realized upon the redemption of shares may be disallowed to the extent shares are purchased (including shares acquired by means of reinvested dividends) within 30 days before or after such redemption.

 

Distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain will be taxable as described above, whether received in additional cash or shares. Shareholders electing to receive distributions in the form of additional shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each share so received equal to the net asset value of a share on the reinvestment date.

 

All distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain, whether received in shares or in cash, must be reported by each taxable shareholder on his or her federal income tax return. Dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December as of a record date in such a month, if any, will be deemed to have been received by shareholders on December 31, if paid during January of the following year. Redemptions of shares may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder and are also subject to these reporting requirements.

 

Under the Code, the Fund will be required to report to the Internal Revenue Service all distributions of taxable income and capital gains as well as gross proceeds from the redemption or exchange of Fund shares, except in the case

36  
 

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.

 

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 regulated 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"), in which case the Fund will be required to include its share of the company's income and net capital gains annually, regardless of whether it receives any distribution from the company.

 

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

37  
 

liability, subject to certain limitations. In particular, a shareholder must hold his or her shares (without protection from risk of loss) on the ex-dividend date and for at least 15 more days during the 30-day period surrounding the ex-dividend date to be eligible to claim a foreign tax credit with respect to a gain dividend. No deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by a shareholder who does not itemize deductions. Each shareholder will be notified within 60 days after the close of the Fund's taxable year whether the foreign taxes paid by the Fund will "pass through" for that year.

 

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of the Fund's income will flow through to shareholders of the Fund. With respect to the Fund, gains from the sale of securities will be treated as derived from U.S. sources and certain currency fluctuation gains, including fluctuation gains from foreign currency-denominated debt securities, receivables and payables will be treated as ordinary income derived from U.S. sources. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. A shareholder may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of his or her proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by 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 purchased, even though the holder receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year. In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income, which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.

 

Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by 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.

 

If theFund holds the foregoing kinds of securities, it may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount that 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.

 

A brief explanation of the form and character of the distribution accompany each distribution. In January of each year the Fund issues to each shareholder a statement of the federal income tax status of all distributions.

 

Shareholders should consult their tax advisors about the application of federal, state and local and foreign tax law in light of their particular situation.

 

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INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

The Board has selected RSM US LLP, located at One South Wacker Dr., Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606, as its independent registered public accounting firm for the current fiscal period. The firm provides services including (i) audit of annual financial statements, and (ii) assistance and consultation in connection with SEC filings.

 

 

LEGAL COUNSEL

 

Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP, located at One Logan Square, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as the Trust's legal counsel.

 

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The Fund has not yet commenced operations and, therefore, have not produced financial statements. Once produced, you can obtain a copy of the financial statements contained in the Fund's Annual or Semi-Annual Report without charge by calling the Fund at 1-866-866-4848.

 

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Adviser and Sub-Adviser Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

 

REGENTS PARK FUNDS, LLC

Proxy Voting Policy

Adopted: October 10, 2016

 

Proxy Voting

The Fund exercises its proxy voting rights with regard to the companies in that Fund’s investment portfolio, with the goals of maximizing the value of the Fund’s investments, promoting accountability of a company’s management and board of directors to its shareholders, aligning the interests of management with those of shareholders, and increasing transparency of a company’s business and operations.

 

In general, Regents Park believes that the sub-adviser, which selects the individual companies that are part of the Fund’s portfolio, is the most knowledgeable and best suited to make decisions about proxy votes. Therefore, Regents Park defers to and relies on the sub-adviser, as appropriate, to make decisions on casting proxy votes.

 

Proxy Voting Policy

It is the policy of Regents Park to identify any potential conflicts of interest prior to the voting of any proxies. When reviewing proxy proposals, the CCO will monitor for conflicts of interest. If the proposal falls within our predetermined voting guidelines, we will vote according to the guidelines. If a conflict is identified, Regents Park may disclose the conflict to the applicable clients or contact a third party to advise Regents Park to determine the vote and/or provide voting recommendations.

 

It is feasible that from time to time a potential conflict of interest may arise in the voting of proxies. Such conflicts may occur if an adviser manages a pension plan, administers employee benefit plans, or provides brokerage, underwriting, insurance, or banking services to a company whose management is soliciting proxies. Failure to vote in favor of management may harm the adviser’s relationship with the company. The adviser may also have relationships with participants in proxy contests, corporate directors or candidates for directorships. For example, an executive of the adviser may have a spouse or other close relative who serves as a director or executive of a company. Another potential conflict of interest would be voting for an increase in 12b-1 fees when this is a source of compensation for advisers.

Proxy and Mirror Voting

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in the securities of other investment companies. Section 12(d)(1)(A) states that a registered investment company may not invest in the securities of another investment company if the acquiring company owns more than 3% of the total outstanding voting securities of the acquired company; the acquiring company owns securities issued by the acquired company with an aggregate value greater than 5% of its total assets; or the acquiring company owns securities issued by the acquired company and all other investment companies having an aggregate value greater than 10% of the value of its total assets.

 

Mirror Voting

 

Regents Park may invest in other investment companies in excess of the limitations in section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. In order to benefit from the safe harbor of section 12(d)(1)(F), these Funds must mirror vote proposals on proxies issued by underlying investment companies.

 

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Mirror voting means that the Fund votes its shares in the same proportion that all shares of the ETFs are voted, or in accordance with instructions received from fund shareholders, pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act.

 

In addition, the Funds may invest in underlying investment companies in excess of the limitations prescribed within the 12d-1 safe-harbor. Such Funds may participate in exemptive orders of underlying investment companies to the extent the Trust have signed the requisite participation agreements.

 

Regents Park provides quarterly certifications with respect to its adherence to its proxy voting and exemptive order policies and procedures.

 

Form N-PX

Except with respect to sub-advised Funds, the Adviser is responsible for voting proxies for all portfolio securities of the Funds and keeping certain records relating to how the proxies were voted as required by the Advisers Act. The Adviser and the Sub-Adviser shall provide a complete voting record for the Funds, as requested.

 

Annual Report of Proxy Voting Record

 

Form N-PX is used by Funds to file reports with the SEC containing the Fund’s proxy voting record for the most recent 12-month period ending June 30. The Form must be filed not later than August 31 of each year. The following information must be collected for the Trust separately for Fund in order to complete and file Form N-PX:

1. The name of the issuer of the Fund security;
2. The exchange ticker symbol of the Fund security;
3. The CUSIP number (may be omitted if not available through reasonably practicable means);
4. The shareholder meeting date;
5. A brief description of the matter voted on;
6. Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or the security holder;
7. Whether the Fund cast its vote on the matter;
8. How the Fund cast its vote (e.g., for or against proposal, or abstain; for or withhold regarding election of directors)
9. Whether the Fund cast its vote for or against management
10. The Funds may invest in other mutual funds and ETFs, which have no requirement to have an annual meeting. Therefore, proxy votes on mutual funds and ETFs are rare.

Compliance Process

1. The Fund manager shall complete a Form N-PX Report at the time the Fund manager votes proxies on behalf of the Fund.
2. The Fund manager shall keep one copy of each completed of the Form N-PX Report and deliver a copy to the Chief Compliance Officer.
3. At least 30 days prior to August 31, the Chief Compliance Officer shall review the Adviser’s corporate action records to determine whether any proxy votes were cast on behalf of the Fund for which reports were not filed. If an unreported vote is discovered, the Chief Compliance Officer shall contact the Fund manager for an explanation and documentation.
4. The Chief Compliance Officer shall compile all Form N-PX reports submitted for the 12-month period ended June 30 and complete Form N-PX.
5. Completed Form N-PX shall be sent to the Administrator who shall file Form N-PX with the SEC.

 

Recordkeeping

Regents Park will maintain the following records relating to our proxy voting procedures:

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1. Our proxy voting procedures and policies, and all amendments;
2. All proxy statements received regarding client securities (provided however, that Regents Park may rely on the proxy statement filed on EDGAR as its records);
3. A record of all votes cast on behalf of clients;
4. Records of all client requests for proxy voting information;
5. Any documents prepared by Regents Park that were material to making a decision how to vote or that memorialized the basis for the decision; and
6. All records relating to requests made to clients regarding conflicts of interest in voting the proxy.
7. Documentation to support the method selected to resolve potential or actual conflicts of interests relating to a proxy proposal.

Pre-Trade Procedures for Funds of Funds

Regents Park may invest in series of other investment companies, including, but not limited to, mutual funds, closed end funds and ETFs (each an “Underlying Fund”). Fund investments in Underlying Funds are governed by Section 12d-1 of the 1940 Act, which restricts the amount that one investment company can invest in another.

 

By adopting “mirror voting” policies, Regents Park may rely on the safe harbor of Section 12d-1F of the 1940 Act, which permits broader latitude to invest in Underlying Funds.

 

In addition, Regents Park may further exceed the restrictions on investing in Underlying Funds through exemptive relief with the SEC. Regents Park has the ability to invest in Underlying Funds beyond the Section 12d-1F safe harbor, without directly obtaining an exemptive order, by participating in the exemptive orders of Underlying Funds (ETFs, mostly).

 

Oversight/Monitoring of SEC Exemptive Order Conditions

Prior to purchasing shares in an underlying ETF, mutual fund or closed end fund (and certain other investment companies), Regents Park will (1) ascertain the AUM of the underlying fund; (2) determine if the purchase would result in the Fund owning 3% or more of the outstanding shares of the underlying fund; and if not, whether any other Fund advised by Regents Park and other investment company accounts under its investment discretion own shares in the underlying fund; (3) will all Funds advised by Regents Park and other investment company accounts under Regents Park investment discretion, in the aggregate, including the anticipated purchase, own 3% or more of the outstanding shares of the underlying fund. If not, Regents Park can make the purchase.

 

As the Adviser, Regents Park conducts post-trade portfolio compliance monitoring that includes monitoring for certain aspects of Section 12d-1 compliance, such as the three percent limit on the Fund’s ownership of the outstanding shares of an Underlying Fund. The CCO must ensure pre-trade compliance with investment restrictions under Section 12d-1, and must report compliance with said Section to the board on a quarterly basis.

 

Exchange Listing Compliance for ETFs

As long as the Fund operates in reliance on the applicable Exemptive Order, its shares must be listed on a national securities exchange.

 

Regents Park shall semi-annually review compliance of the Fund with the listing exchange’s requirements for continued listing and shall confirm payment of all listing fees. Regents Park shall promptly share any communications from the listing exchange with the Chief Compliance Officer and Trust Counsel.

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Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC Proxy Voting Procedures

 

Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC (Affinity) considers proxy voting an important responsibility in its role as an investment advisor. The guidelines set forth below are to be followed in discharging our responsibilities as a fiduciary in voting proxies for clients who choose not to vote for themselves. These procedures also ensure that plan fiduciaries have the ability to review how proxies were voted in compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”).

 

· Affinity takes steps to ensure that reasonable efforts are made inasmuch that voting should take place in a timely fashion and that the firm casts all proxy votes.
· We use reasonable efforts to do a thorough analysis of the issues and their potential impact on shareholder value in order to cast an informed vote.
· Proxy information is maintained in a file with a record of how the proxy vote was cast.
· Affinity acknowledges its responsibility to vote proxies in a manner that ensures the exclusive benefit for the clients. The firm casts such proxy votes to advance the economic interests of our clients and protect their rights as beneficial owners of the corporations in whose securities we invest.
· Affinity is not required to vote every client proxy and refraining from voting should not necessarily be construed as a violation of Affinity’s fiduciary obligations. Affinity shall at no time ignore or neglect its proxy voting responsibilities. However, there may be times when refraining from voting is in the client’s best interest, such as when an adviser’s analysis of a particular client proxy reveals that the cost of voting the proxy may exceed the expected benefit to the client (i.e., casting a vote on a foreign security may require that the adviser engage a translator or travel to a foreign country to vote in person). Such position also complies with Interpretive Bulletin 94-2 of the DOL.
· As a default, proxies are generally voted by Broadridge in accordance with Glass Lewis recommendations. However, Affinity retains ultimate decision making authority with respect to the voting of client proxies and reserves the right to override Glass Lewis recommendations.
· Affinity generally votes non-shareholder value issues in alignment with management so long as there is no conflict with shareholder value. Examples of issues which pose a conflict with shareholder value would be poison pills and other anti-takeover measures. Even if the proposal is recommended by management, Affinity would vote against the measure.
· Reasonable efforts are made to inform the portfolio management team of the proxy materials.
· The portfolio management team shall be responsible for making voting decisions with respect to all client proxies, where a proxy is not voted in accordance with Glass Lewis recommendations. Such decisions shall be in writing and provided to the Chief Compliance Officer who will then ensure that such proxy votes are
43  
 

submitted in a timely manner.

· In the event there is a potential conflict of interest in a ballot, we will obtain a third-party to vote in the best interest of our clients.
· For any client who has provided specific voting instruction, Affinity shall vote that client’s proxy in accordance with the client’s written instructions.
· Affinity will vote all proxies for the mutual fund.
· Affinity will be responsible for filing the Form NPX.
· Quarterly, the proxy committee will meet to review any issues that have occurred during the quarter and to discuss any new processes regarding proxies going forward.

 

  44
 

TWO ROADS SHARED TRUST

 

PART C

OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 28.   Financial Statements and Exhibits
     
(a) (1) Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated October 15, 2012 3
  (2) Certificate of Trust as filed with the State of Delaware on June 8, 2012 1
     
(b)   Registrant’s By–Laws 1
     
(c)   Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders – see relevant portions of Certificate of Trust and By-Laws
     
(d) (1) Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and LJM Funds Management, Ltd. with respect to the LJM Preservation and Growth Fund and LJM Income Plus Fund 17
  (2) Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Superfund Advisors, Inc. with respect to the Superfund Managed Futures Strategy Fund 17
  (3) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Satuit Capital Management, LLC with respect to the Satuit West Shore Real Return Fund (formerly called the West Shore Real Return Fund) 24
  (4) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Redwood Investment Management, LLC with respect to the Redwood Managed Volatility Fund 6
  (5) Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and IronHorse Capital, LLC with respect to the Conductor Global Equity Value Fund (formerly called the Conductor Global Fund) 16
  (6) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Anfield Capital Management, LLC, with respect to the Anfield Universal Fixed Income Fund 9
  (7) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Redwood Investment Management, LLC with respect to the Redwood Managed Volatility Portfolio 10
  (8) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Anfield Capital Management, LLC, with respect to the Affinity Small Cap Fund 14
  (9) Sub-Advisory Agreement among Registrant, Anfield Capital Management, LLC and Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC with respect to the Affinity Small Cap Fund 14
  (10) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Hanlon Investment Management, Inc., with respect to the Hanlon Managed Income Fund and Hanlon Tactical Dividend and Momentum Fund 15
  (11) Amended Exhibit A to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Redwood Investment Management, LLC with respect to the Redwood Managed Volatility Fund 14
  (12) Amended Exhibit A to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Redwood Investment Management, LLC with respect to the Redwood Managed Volatility Portfolio 14
  (13) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Holbrook Holdings, Inc. with respect to the Holbrook Income Fund 22
  (14) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and RVX Asset Management, LLC with respect to the RVX Emerging Markets Equity Opportunity Fund 25
  (15) Amended Exhibit A to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and IronHorse Capital, LLC with respect to the Conductor Global Equity Value Fund (formerly called the Conductor Global Fund) 24
  (16) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Redwood Investment Management, LLC dated February 21, 2017 27
  (17) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Recurrent Investment Advisors, LLC with respect to the Recurrent Natural Resources Fund and the Recurrent MLP & Infrastructure Fund 33 .
  (18) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Regents Park Funds, LLC with respect to the Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF and Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF is filed herewith.
  (19) Investment Sub-advisory Agreement between Registrant and Anfield Capital Management, LLC with respect to the Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF is filed herewith.
  (20) Amended Appendix A to the Investment Advisory Agreement dated February 21, 2017 between Registrant and Redwood Investment Management, LLC 34 .
     
  (21) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Affinity Investment Advisors LLC with respect to the Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF is filed herewith.
  (22) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and WFAS, LLC with respect to the Wealthfront Risk Parity Fund to be filed by amendment.
  (23) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Symmetry Partners, LLC with respect to the Symmetry Panoramic US Equity Fund, Symmetry Panoramic International Equity Fund, Symmetry Panoramic Global Equity Fund, Symmetry Panoramic Tax-Managed Global Equity Fund, Symmetry Panoramic US Fixed Income Fund, Symmetry Panoramic Municipal Fixed Income Fund, Symmetry Panoramic Global Fixed Income Fund, and Symmetry Panoramic Alternatives Fund (together, the “Symmetry Funds”) to be filed by amendment
  (24) Sub-Advisory Agreement between Registrant, Symmetry Partners, LLC and AQR Capital Management, LLC with respect to the Symmetry Panoramic US Equity Fund, Symmetry Panoramic International Equity Fund, and Symmetry Panoramic Global Equity Fund to be filed by amendment.
  (25) Novation of Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant, Anfield Capital Management, LLC and Regents Park Funds, LLC with respect to the Affinity Small Cap Fund. 35
  (26) Novation of Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Registrant, Anfield Capital Management, LLC and Regents Park Funds, LLC with respect to the Affinity Small Cap Fund. 35
     
(e) (1) Underwriting Agreement between Registrant and Northern Lights Distributors, LLC 15
  (2) ETF Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Northern Lights Distributors, LLC 31
     
(f)   Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts – None
     
(g) (1) Custodial Agreement between the Registrant and MUFG Union Bank, N.A. (formerly Union Bank, N.A.) 2
  (2) Custodial Agreement between the Registrant and Huntington Bank, N.A. 13
  (3) Custodial Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon 15
  (4) Custodian and Transfer Agent Agreement between the Registrant and Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. 31
     
(h) (1) Fund Services Agreement between the Registrant and Gemini Fund Services, LLC 2
  (2) Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and LJM Funds Management, Ltd., with respect to the LJM Preservation and Growth Fund 8
  (3) Amended Consulting Agreement between the Registrant and Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC 26
  (4) Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Satuit Capital Management, LLC with respect to the Satuit West Shore Real Return Fund (formerly called the West Shore Real Return Fund) 24
  (5) Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Redwood Investment Management, LLC with respect to the Redwood Managed Volatility Fund 6
  (6) Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and IronHorse Capital, LLC with respect to the Conductor Global Equity Value Fund (formerly called the Conductor Global Fund) 7
  (7) Fee Waiver Agreement between Registrant and Anfield Capital Management, LLC, with respect to the Anfield Universal Fixed Income Fund 8
  (8) Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and Anfield Capital Management, LLC, with respect to the Anfield Universal Fixed Income Fund 9
  (9) Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Redwood Investment Management, LLC with respect to the Redwood Managed Volatility Portfolio 10
  (10) Participation Agreement between Registrant, with respect to the Redwood Managed Volatility Portfolio and Jefferson National Life Insurance Company 11
  (11) Amended Appendix A to Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and LJM Funds Management, Ltd., with respect to the LJM Preservation and Growth Fund 13
  (12) Amended Appendix A to Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and Ironhorse Capital LLC, with respect to the Conductor Global Equity Value Fund (formerly called the Conductor Global Fund) 19
  (13) Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and Anfield Capital Management, LLC with respect to the Affinity Small Cap Fund 14
  (14) Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and Hanlon Investment Management, Inc., with respect to the Hanlon Managed Income Fund and Hanlon Tactical Dividend and Momentum Fund 15
  (15) Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and Holbrook Holdings, Inc. with respect to the Holbrook Income Fund 22
  (16) Amended Appendix A to Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and Hanlon Investment Management, Inc., with respect to the Hanlon Managed Income Fund and Hanlon Tactical Dividend and Momentum Fund 21
  (17) Interim Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Satuit Capital Management, LLC with respect to the Satuit West Shore Real Return Fund (formerly called the West Shore Real Return Fund) 24
  (18) Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and RVX Asset Management, LLC with respect to the RVX Emerging Markets Equity Opportunity Fund 25
  (19) Amended Appendix A to Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and IronHorse Capital, LLC with respect to the Conductor Global Equity Value Fund (formerly called the Conductor Global Fund) 24
  (20) Expense Limitation Agreement dated February 21, 2017 between the Registrant and Redwood Investment Management, LLC 27
  (21) Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and Recurrent Investment Advisors, LLC with respect to the Recurrent Natural Resources Fund and the Recurrent MLP & Infrastructure Fund 33 .
  (22) Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Regents Park Funds, LLC with respect to the Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF 31
  (23) Amended Appendix A to Expense Limitation Agreement dated February 21, 2017 between the Registrant and Redwood Investment Management, LLC 34 .
  (24)

ETF Services Agreement between the Registrant and Gemini Fund Services, LLC 31

 

 

(25)

 

Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Regents Park Funds, LLC with respect to Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF and Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF is filed herewith.
  (26) Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Symmetry Partners, LLC with respect to the Symmetry Funds to be filed by amendment.
  (27) Fee Waiver Agreement between Registrant and Symmetry Partners, LLC with respect to the Symmetry Funds to be filed by amendment.
  (28) Novation of Operating Expenses Limitation and Security Agreement between Registrant, Anfield Capital Management, LLC and Regents Park Funds, LLC. 35
     
(i)   Legal Opinion and Consent is filed herewith.
     
(j) (1) Consent of Independent Public Accounting Firm- None
  (2) Powers of Attorney 28
  (3) Resolution of the Board Authorizing Use of Powers of Attorney 23
     
(k)   Omitted Financial Statements – None
     
(l) (1) Subscription Agreement 2
  (2) Form of Authorized Participation Agreement 31
     
(m) (1) Class A Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 6
  (2) Class C Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 6
  (3) Class R Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 6
  (4) Class N Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 6
  (5) Amended Exhibit A to Class A Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 25
  (6) Amended Exhibit A to Class C Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 25
  (7) Amended Exhibit A to Class R Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 26
  (8) Amended Exhibit A to Class N Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 34 .
  (9) Investor Class Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 21
  (10) Amended Exhibit A to Investor Class Master Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 25
  (11) ETF 12b-1 Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 is filed herewith.
     
(n) (1) Amended Rule 18f-3 Plan 6
  (2) Amended Appendix A to Rule 18f-3 Plan is filed herewith
     
(o)   Reserved
     
(p) (1) Code of Ethics for the Trust 2
  (2) Code of Ethics for LJM Funds Management, Ltd 4
  (3) Code of Ethics for Northern Lights Distributors, LLC is filed herewith.
  (4) Code of Ethics for Anfield Capital Management, LLC 3
  (5) Code of Ethics for Superfund Advisors, Inc. 5
  (6) Code of Ethics for Satuit Capital Management 24
  (7) Code of Ethics for Redwood Investment Management, LLC is filed herewith.
  (8) Code of Ethics for IronHorse Capital, LLC 7
  (9) Code of Ethics for Affinity Investment Advisors 14
  (10) Code of Ethics for Hanlon Investment Management, Inc. 15
  (11) Code of Ethics for Holbrook Holdings, Inc. 22
  (12) Code of Ethics for RVX Asset Management LLC 25
  (13) Code of Ethics for Recurrent Investment Advisors, LLC 33
  (14) Code of Ethics for Regents Park Funds, LLC 31
  (15) Code of Ethics for WFAS, LLC to be filed by amendment.
  (16) Code of Ethics for Symmetry Partners, LLC to be filed by amendment.
  (17) Code of Ethics for AQR Capital Management, LLC to be filed by amendment.
     

 

1 Previously filed on June 28, 2012 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

2 Previously filed on October 26, 2012 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

3 Previously filed on March 14, 2013 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

4 Previously filed on May 9, 2013 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

5 Previously filed on June 5, 2013 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

6 Previously filed on October 22, 2013 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

7 Previously filed on December 20, 2013 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

8 Previously filed on February 28, 2014 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

9 Previously filed on August 11, 2014 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

10 Previously filed on August 22, 2014 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

11 Previously filed on November 21, 2014 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

12 Previously filed on November 21, 2014 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

13 Previously filed on February 27, 2015 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

14 Previously filed on July 24, 2015 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

15 Previously filed on August 12, 2015 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

16 Previously filed on October 22, 2015 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

17 Previously filed on December 23, 2015 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

18 Previously filed on February 26, 2016 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

19 Previously filed on February 29, 2016 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

20 Previously filed on April 15, 2016 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

21 Previously filed on May 31, 2016 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

22 Previously filed on June 13, 2016 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

23 Previously filed on September 16, 2016 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

24 Previously filed on October 4, 2016 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

25 Previously filed on December 2, 2016 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

26 Previously filed on February 28, 2017 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

27 Previously filed on March 8, 2017 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

28 Previously filed on August 10, 2017 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

29 Previously filed on August 17, 2017 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

30 Previously filed on August 18, 2017 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

31 Previously filed on September 26, 2017 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

32 Previously filed on October 10, 2017 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

33 Previously filed on October 24, 2017 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

34 Previously filed on November 1, 2017 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

35 Previously filed on November 29, 2017 in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A and hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

Item 29. Control Persons.

 

None.

 

Item 30. Indemnification.

 

Article VIII, Section 2(a) of the Amended 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 Amended 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) of the Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust 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, as amended, may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the provisions of Delaware law and the Amended 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.

 

Section 11 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and LJM Funds Management, Ltd. (“LJM”), incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(1), provides for the indemnification of LJM against certain losses.

 

Section 11 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Superfund Advisors, Inc. (“Superfund”), incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(2), provides for the indemnification of Superfund against certain losses.

 

Section 5 of the Investment Advisory Agreements between Registrant and Redwood Investment Management, LLC (“Redwood”), incorporated herein by reference to exhibits (d)(4), (d)(7), and (d)(16) provides for the indemnification of Redwood against certain losses.

 

Section 5 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and IronHorse Capital, LLC (“IronHorse”), incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(5), provides for the indemnification of IronHorse against certain losses.

 

Section 5 of the Investment Advisory Agreements between Registrant and Anfield Capital Management, LLC (“Anfield”), incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(6) and (d)(8), provide for the indemnification of Anfield against certain losses.

 

Section 5 of the Sub-Advisory Agreement between Registrant, Anfield and Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC (“Affinity”), incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(9), provides for the indemnification of Affinity against certain losses.

 

Section 5 of the Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Hanlon Investment Management, Inc. (“Hanlon”), incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(10), provides for the indemnification of Hanlon against certain losses.

 

Section 5 of the Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Holbrook Holdings, Inc., incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(13), provides for the indemnification of Holbrook against certain losses.

 

Section 5 of the Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Satuit Capital Management (“Satuit”), incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(3), provides for the indemnification of Satuit against certain losses.

 

Section 5 of the Advisory Agreement between Registrant and RVX Asset Management, LLC (“RVX”) incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(14), provides for the indemnification of RVX against certain losses.

 

Section 5 of the Form of Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Regents Park Funds, LLC (“Regents Park”) incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(18) provides for the indemnification of Regents Park against certain losses.

 

Section 5 of the Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Recurrent Investment Advisors, LLC (“Recurrent”) incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(17) provides for the indemnification of Recurrent against certain losses.

 

The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Registrant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (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 Fund Services Agreement with Gemini Fund Services, LLC (GFS) provides that the Registrant agrees to indemnify and hold GFS harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees, payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to the Registrant’s refusal or failure to comply with the terms of the Agreement, or which arise out of the Registrant’s lack of good faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to the Registrant’s performance under or in connection with this Agreement.

 

The Consulting Agreement with Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (NLCS) provides that the Registrant agree to indemnify and hold NLCS harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees, payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to the Trust’s refusal or failure to comply with the terms of the Agreement, or which arise out of the Trust’s lack of good faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to the Trust’s performance under or in connection with the Agreement.  NLCS shall not be liable for, and shall be entitled to rely upon, and may act upon information, records and reports generated by the Trust, advice of the Trust, or of counsel for the Trust and upon statements of the Trust’s independent accountants, and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to such records and reports.

 

The ETF Distribution Agreement with NLD provides that the Registrant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each of NLD, its managers and officers and each person, if any, who controls NLD within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act against any loss, liability, claim, damages or expense (including the reasonable cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, claim, damages, or expense and reasonable counsel fees and disbursements incurred in connection therewith), arising by reason of any person acquiring any Shares or Creation Units, based upon (i) the ground that the registration statement, prospectus, shareholder reports or other information filed or made public by the Registrant (as from time to time amended) included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated or necessary in order to make the statements made not misleading, (ii) the Registrant’s failure to maintain an effective registration statement and prospectus with respect to Shares of the Fund that are the subject of the claim or demand, (iii) the Registrant’s failure to properly register Fund Shares under applicable state laws, (iv) instructions given by the Registrant, the Registrant’s failure to perform its duties hereunder or any inaccuracy of its representations, (v) any claim brought under Section 11 of the Securities Act, or (vi) all actions taken by NLD hereunder resulting from NLD’s reliance on instructions received from an officer, agent or approved service provider of the Registrant.

 

Item 31. Activities of Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser.

 

Certain information pertaining to the business and other connections of each Adviser of each series of the Trust is hereby incorporated herein by reference to the section of the respective Prospectus captioned “Investment Adviser” and to the section of the respective Statement of Additional Information captioned “Investment Advisory and Other Services.” The information required by this Item 31 with respect to each director, officer or partner of each Adviser is incorporated by reference to the Adviser’s Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (Form ADV) on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Each Adviser’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:

 

LJM Funds Management, Ltd., the Adviser to the LJM Preservation and Growth Fund – File No. 801-76983

 

Anfield Capital Management, LLC, the Adviser to the Anfield Universal Fixed Income Fund and Sub-Adviser to the Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF– File No. 801-77714

 

Superfund Advisors, Inc., the Adviser to the Superfund Managed Futures Strategy Fund – File No. 801-77984

 

Redwood Investment Management, LLC, the Adviser to the Redwood Managed Volatility Fund, Redwood Managed Volatility Portfolio, Redwood AlphaFactor Core Equity Fund, Redwood AlphaFactor Tactical Core Fund, Redwood Managed Municipal Income Fund, Redwood Activist Leaders Fund, Redwood AlphaFactor Tactical International Fund and Redwood Systematic Macro Trend (“SMarT”) Fund – File No. 801-78563

 

IronHorse Capital, LLC, the Adviser to the Conductor Global Equity Value Fund – File No. 801-78730

 

Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC, the Sub-Adviser to the Affinity Small Cap Fund and Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF – File No. 801-42015

 

Hanlon Investment Management, Inc., the Adviser to the Hanlon Managed Income Fund and Hanlon Tactical Dividend and Momentum Fund – File No. 801-60889

 

Holbrook Holdings, Inc., the Adviser to the Holbrook Income Fund – File No. 801-107682

 

Satuit Capital Management, LLC, the Adviser to the Satuit West Shore Real Return Fund – File No. 801-57862

 

RVX Asset Management, LLC, the Adviser to the RVX Emerging Markets Equity Opportunity Fund– File No. 801-107281

 

Recurrent Investment Advisors LLC, the Adviser to the Recurrent Natural Resources Fund and the Recurrent MLP & Infrastructure Fund –File No. 801-110728

 

Regents Park Funds, LLC, the Adviser to the Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF and Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF– File No. 801-108885

 

WFAS, LLC, the Adviser to the Wealthfront Risk Parity Fund – File No. 801-111023

 

Symmetry Partners, LLC, the Adviser to the Symmetry Funds – File No. 801-61342

 

AQR Capital Management, LLC, the Sub-Adviser to the Symmetry Panoramic US Equity Fund, Symmetry Panoramic International Equity Fund, and Symmetry Panoramic Global Equity Fund – File No. 801-55543

 

Item 32. Principal Underwriter.

(a) Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (“NLD”), the principal underwriter of the Registrant, also acts as principal underwriter for the following: AdvisorOne Funds, Arrow ETF Trust, Arrow DWA Tactical ETF, Arrow QVM Equity Factor ETF, and Arrow Reserve Capital Management ETF, each a series of Arrow Investments Trust,, Centerstone Investors Trust, Copeland Trust, Equinox Funds Trust, Forethought Variable Insurance Trust, Miller Investment Trust, Multi-Strategy Growth & Income Fund, 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 Saratoga Advantage Trust, Total Income+ Real Estate Fund, Tributary Funds, Inc., and Vertical Capital Income Fund.

 

(b) Northern Lights Distributors, LLC is registered with Securities and Exchange Commission as a broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. The principal business address of Northern Lights Distributors, LLC is 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130. To the best of Registrant’s knowledge, the following are the members and officers of Northern Lights Distributors, LLC:

 

 

Name

Positions and Offices

with Underwriter

Positions and Offices

with the Trust

Brian Nielsen Manager, CEO, Secretary None
Bill Wostoupal President None
Daniel Applegarth Treasurer/FINOP None
Mike Nielsen Chief Compliance Officer and AML Compliance Officer None
Bill Strait General Counsel None

 

(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 Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, for the Registrant.  These services are provided to the Registrant for such periods prescribed by the rules and regulations of the U.S. 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.

 

  1. MUFG Union Bank, National Association, 350 California Street 6 th  Floor, San Francisco, California 94104 (records relating to its function as custodian)
  2. Gemini Fund Services, LLC, 17605 Wright Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 (records relating to its functions as administration, accounting and transfer agent and Registrant’s Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and Minutes)
  3. Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130 (records relating to its function as principal underwriter)
  4. LJM Funds Management, Ltd., One Financial Place, 440 S. La Salle Street, Suite 2301, Chicago, IL 60605 (records relating to its function as investment adviser)
  5. Superfund Advisors, Inc., Superfund Office Building, Grand Anse P.O. Box 1803 St. Georges, Grenada W.I (records relating to its function as investment adviser)
  6. Redwood Investment Management, LLC, 1117 S. Robertson Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90035 (records relating to its function as investment adviser)
  7. IronHorse Capital LLC, 3102 West End Avenue, Suite 400, Nashville, TN 37203 (records relating to its function as investment adviser)
  8. Anfield Capital Management, LLC, 4695 MacArthur Court, Suite 430, Newport Beach, CA 92660 (records relating to its function as investment adviser)
  9. Huntington Bank, N.A., 7 Easton Oval, Columbus, OH 43219 (records relating to its function as custodian)
  10. Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC, 4041 Macarthur Boulevard, Suite 150, Newport Beach, CA 92660 (records relating to its function as sub-adviser)
  11. Hanlon Investment Management, Inc., 3393 Bargaintown Road, Egg Harbor Twp., NJ 08234 (records relating to its function as investment adviser)
12. The Bank of New York Mellon, 225 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10286 (records relating to its function as custodian)

 

13. Holbrook Holdings, Inc., 2670 NW Lovejoy Street, Portland, OR 97210 (records relating to its function as investment adviser)

 

14. Satuit Capital Management, LLC, 1001 Westhaven Boulevard, Suite 125-B, Franklin, TN 37064 (records relating to its function as investment adviser)

 

15. RVX Asset Management, LLC, 20900 NE 30th Street, Suite 401, Aventura, Florida 33180 (records relating to its function as investment adviser)

 

16. Recurrent Investment Advisors LLC, 3801 Kirby Dr., Suite 654, Houston, TX 77908 (records relating to its function as investment adviser)

 

17. Regents Park Funds, LLC, 4041 Macarthur Boulevard, Suite 155, Newport Beach, CA 92660 (records relating to its function as investment adviser)

 

18. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., 50 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02110 (records relating to its function as custodian and transfer agent)

 

19. WFAS, LLC, 900 Middlefield Road, 2 nd Floor, Redwood City, CA 94063 (records relating to its function as investment adviser)

 

20. Symmetry Partners, LLC, 151 National Drive, Glastonbury, CT 06033 (records relating to its function as investment adviser)

 

21. AQR Capital Management, LLC, 2 Greenwich Plaza, 3 rd Floor, Greenwich, CT 06830 (records relating to its function as sub-adviser)

 

 

 

Item 34. Management Services. Not Applicable.

 

Item 35. Undertakings. Not Applicable.

SIGNATURES

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement under rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Hauppauge, State of New York, on the 27 th day of December, 2017.

 

Two Roads Shared Trust

 

By:                                                      

James Colantino*

President and Principal Executive Officer

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

 

Signature Title Date
     
Mark D. Gersten*

_________________________

Trustee & Chairman

December 27, 2017
Mark Garbin*

_________________________

Trustee

December 27, 2017
Neil M. Kaufman*

_________________________

Trustee

December 27, 2017
Anita K. Krug*

_________________________

Trustee

December 27, 2017
James Colantino*

_________________________

President and Principal Executive Officer

December 27, 2017
Laura Szalyga*

_________________________

Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer

December 27, 2017

 

*By: /s/ Richard A. Malinowski

Richard A. Malinowski

Attorney in fact

 

 

 

 

Exhibit Index

 

 

(d)(18) Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Regents Park Funds, LLC with respect to the Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF and Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF
(d)(19) Investment Sub-advisory Agreement between Registrant and Anfield Capital Management, LLC with respect to the Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF
(d)(21) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Affinity Investment Advisors LLC with respect to the Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF
(h)(25) Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Regents Park Funds, LLC with respect to the Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF and Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF
(i) Opinion and Consent of Counsel
(m)(11) ETF 12b-1 Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1
(n)(2) Amended Appendix A to Rule 18f-3 Plan
(p)(3) Code of Ethics for Northern Lights Distributors, LLC
(p)(7) Code of Ethics for Redwood Investment Management, LLC

 

 

 

 

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

This INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) dated September 19th, 2017, is made by and between Two Roads Shared Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and Regents Park Funds, LLC (the “Adviser”). This Agreement will confirm the agreement between the Trust and Adviser as follows:

 

1.          The Trust is an open-end investment company which has separate investment portfolios. This Agreement shall pertain to the series listed in Exhibit A of this Agreement (each referred to herein as a “Fund” or collectively as the “Funds”). The Trust engages in the business of investing and reinvesting the assets of each Fund in the manner and in accordance with the investment objective and restrictions applicable to the Fund as specified in the Trust’s registration statement, as amended from time to time (the “Registration Statement”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) and the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”). Copies of the Registration Statement have been furnished to the Adviser. Any amendments to those documents shall be furnished to the Adviser promptly. Pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), between the Trust and the Trust’s principal underwriter (the “Distributor”), the Trust has employed the Distributor to serve as principal underwriter for the shares of beneficial interest of the Trust.

 

2.       The Trust hereby appoints the Adviser to provide the investment advisory services specified in this Agreement and the Adviser hereby accepts such appointment.

 

3.     (a) The Adviser shall, at its expense, (i) employ or associate with itself such persons as it believes appropriate to assist it in performing its obligations under this Agreement and (ii) provide all services, equipment and facilities necessary to perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Adviser may from time to time seek research assistance and rely on investment management resources available to it through its affiliated companies, but in no case shall such reliance relieve the Adviser of any of its obligations hereunder, nor shall the Trust be responsible for any additional fees or expenses hereunder as a result.

 

(b) The Trust shall be responsible for all of its expenses and liabilities, including compensation of its Trustees who are not affiliated with the Adviser, the Distributor or any of their affiliates; taxes and governmental fees; interest charges; fees and expenses of the Trust’s independent accountants and legal counsel; trade association membership dues; fees and expenses of any custodian (including maintenance of books and accounts and calculation of the net asset value of shares of the Trust), transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursing agent of the Trust; expenses of issuing, redeeming, registering and qualifying for sale shares of beneficial interest in the Trust; expenses of preparing and printing share certificates, prospectuses and reports to shareholders, notices, proxy statements and reports to regulatory agencies; the cost of office supplies, including stationery; travel expenses of all officers, Trustees and employees; insurance premiums; brokerage and other expenses of executing portfolio transactions; expenses of shareholders’ meetings; organizational expenses; and extraordinary expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust may enter into a separate agreement, which shall be controlling over this Agreement, as amended, pursuant to which some or all of the foregoing expenses of this Section 3(b) shall be the responsibility of the other party or parties to that agreement.

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4.   (a) Subject to the supervision of the Trustees of the Trust, the Adviser will: (i) provide a program of continuous investment management for each Fund with regard to the Fund’s investment of its assets (the “Portfolio”) in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives, policies and limitations as stated in the Fund’s Prospectus and statement of additional information included as part of the Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as they may be amended from time to time, copies of which shall be provided to the Adviser by the Trust; (ii) make investment decisions for each Fund, including, but not limited to, the selection and management of investment sub-advisers for the Fund, in which case any of the duties of the Adviser set forth herein may be delegated to such investment sub- advisers subject to approval by the Trust’s board of trustees (“Board of Trustees”); (iii) if one or more investment sub-advisers are appointed with respect to a Fund, monitor and evaluate the performance of such investment sub-advisers under their respective sub-advisory agreements in light of the investment objectives and policies of the Fund, and render to the Trustees such periodic and special reports related to such performance monitoring as the Trustees may reasonably request, and analyze and recommend changes in investment sub-advisers as the Adviser may deem appropriate; (iv) place orders to purchase and sell investments for each Fund; and (v) provide office space, secretarial and clerical services and wire and telephone services necessary to provide the investment advisory duties set forth in this Section 4.

 

(b) In performing its investment management services to the Funds under the terms of this Agreement, the Adviser will provide the Funds with ongoing investment guidance and policy direction.

 

(c) The Adviser further agrees that, in performing its duties for each Fund hereunder, it will:

 

i.                          comply with the 1940 Act and all rules and regulations thereunder, the Advisers Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations, and with any applicable procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees;

 

ii.                         use reasonable efforts to manage the Portfolio so that the Fund will qualify, and continue to qualify, as regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Code and regulations issued thereunder;

 

iii.                         place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for the Fund in accordance with applicable policies expressed in the Fund’s Registration Statement, established through written guidelines determined by the Trust and provided to the Adviser, and in accordance with applicable legal requirements;

 

iv.                          furnish to the Trust whatever statistical information the Trust may reasonably request with respect to the Fund. In addition, the Adviser will keep the Trust and the Trustees informed of developments materially affecting the Fund and shall, on the Adviser’s own initiative, furnish to the Trust from time to time whatever information the Adviser believes appropriate for this purpose;

 

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v.                          make available to the Trust, promptly upon its request, such copies of its investment records and ledgers with respect to the Fund as may be required to assist the Trust in its compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The Adviser will furnish the Trustees with such periodic and special reports regarding the Fund as they may reasonably request;

 

vi.                          meet quarterly with the Trust’s Board of Trustees to explain its investment management activities, and any reports related to the Fund as may reasonably be requested by the Trust;

 

vii. immediately notify the Trust in the event that the Adviser or any of its affiliates:

(1) becomes aware that it is subject to a statutory disqualification that prevents the Adviser from serving as investment adviser pursuant to this Agreement; or (2) becomes aware that it is the subject of an administrative proceeding or enforcement action by the SEC or other regulatory authority. The Adviser further agrees to notify the Trust immediately of any material fact known to the Adviser respecting or relating to the Adviser that is not contained in the Registration Statement regarding the Fund, or any amendment or supplement thereto, but that is required to be disclosed therein, and of any statement contained therein that becomes untrue in any material respect;

 

viii.             in making investment decisions for the Fund, use no material non-public information that may be in its possession or in the possession of any of its affiliates, nor will the Adviser seek to obtain any such information; and

 

ix.             use its best efforts to seek to execute portfolio transactions at prices which, under the circumstances, result in total costs or proceeds being the most favorable to the Fund.

 

(d) the Adviser shall vote all proxies solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities invested in by the Fund, subject to such policies and procedures as the Board of Trustees may adopt from time to time. The Adviser shall maintain a record of how the Adviser voted and such record shall be available to the Trust upon its request. The Adviser shall use its best good faith judgment to vote such proxies in a manner which best serves the interests of the Fund’s shareholders. The Adviser may delegate proxy voting to a third-party company provided, however, that the Adviser remains liable for the proxy voting.

 

5.     (a) The Adviser shall give the Trust the benefit of the Adviser’s best judgment and efforts in rendering services under this Agreement. The Adviser may rely on information reasonably believed by it to be accurate and reliable. As an inducement for the Adviser’s undertaking to render services under this Agreement, the Trust agrees that neither the Adviser nor its members, officers, directors, or employees shall be subject to any liability for, or any damages, expenses or losses incurred in connection with, any act or omission or mistake in judgment connected with or arising out of any services rendered under this Agreement, except by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in performance of the Adviser’s duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of the Adviser’s obligations and duties under this Agreement. This provision shall govern only the liability to the Trust of the Adviser and that of its members, officers, directors, and employees, and shall in no way govern the liability to the Trust or the Adviser or provide a defense for any other person including persons that provide services for the Funds as described in this Agreement.

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(b) The terms “Two Roads Shared Trust” and “trustees” refer, respectively, to the trust created and the Trust’s trustees, as trustees but not individually or personally, acting from time to time under the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust to which reference is hereby made, such reference being inclusive of any and all amendments thereto so filed or hereafter filed. The obligations of “Two Roads Shared Trust” entered into in the name or on behalf thereof by any of the Trust’s trustees, representatives or agents are made not individually, but in such capacities and are not binding upon any of the trustees, shareholders or representatives of the Trust personally, but bind only the assets of the Trust, and all persons dealing with the Trust or a Fund must look solely to the assets of the Trust or Fund for the enforcement of any claims against the Trust or Fund.

 

6.      In consideration of the services to be rendered by the Adviser under this Agreement, each Fund shall pay the Adviser a monthly fee on the first business day of each month, based upon the average daily value (as determined on each business day at the time set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus for determining net asset value per share) of the net assets of the Fund, during the preceding month, at the annual rates provided for in Exhibit A, as such Exhibit A may be amended from time to time.

 

If the fees payable to the Adviser pursuant to this Section 6 begin to accrue before the end of any month or if this Agreement terminates before the end of any month, the fees for the period from that date to the end of that month or from the beginning of that month to the date of termination, as the case may be, shall be prorated according to the proportion which the period bears to the full month in which the effectiveness or termination occurs. For purposes of calculating the monthly fees, the value of the net assets of a Fund shall be computed in the manner specified in the Fund’s Prospectus for the computation of net asset value. For purposes of this Agreement, a “business day” is any day a Fund is open for business or as otherwise provided in the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

7.       (a) This Agreement shall become effective as of the date written above, and shall become effective with respect to each Fund as of the effective date set forth in Exhibit A for that Fund, if approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that Fund. The Agreement shall continue in effect with respect to each Fund for a period of two years and shall continue thereafter only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or by the Trust’s Board of Trustees and (ii) by the vote, cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose, of a majority of the Trust’s trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party.

 

(b) This Agreement may be terminated with respect to a Fund at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or by a vote of a majority of the Trust’s entire Board of Trustees on 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser or by the Adviser on 60 days’ written notice to the Trust. This Agreement (or any supplement hereto) shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).

 

(c) The modification of any of the non-materials terms of this Agreement may be approved by the vote, cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose, of a majority of the Trust’s trustees

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who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party.

 

8.          Except to the extent necessary to perform the Adviser’s obligations under this Agreement, nothing herein shall be deemed to limit or restrict the right of the Adviser, or any affiliate of the Adviser, or any employee of the Adviser, to engage in any other business or to devote time and attention to the management or other aspects of any other business, whether of a similar or dissimilar nature, or to render services of any kind to any other corporation, firm, individual or association.

 

9.           The investment management services of the Adviser to the Trust under this Agreement are not to be deemed exclusive as to the Adviser and the Adviser will be free to render similar services to others.

 

10.     It is understood that the names “Regents Park Funds, LLC” or “Regents Park” or any derivative thereof or logo associated with those names and other servicemarks and trademarks owned by the Adviser or its affiliates are the valuable property of the Adviser and its affiliates, and that the Trust and/or the Funds may use such names (or derivatives or logos) only as permitted by the Adviser.

 

11.      Notices of any kind to be given to the Adviser by the Trust shall be in writing and shall be duly given if mailed or delivered to the Adviser at 2670 NW Lovejoy Street Portland, OR 97210, or to such other address or to such individual as shall be specified by the Adviser. Notices of any kind to be given to the Trust by the Adviser shall be in writing and shall be duly given if mailed or delivered to 17605 Wright Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68130, or to such other address or to such individual as shall be specified by the Trust.

 

12.               This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original.

 

13.               (a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, provided that nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act.

 

(b) If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby and, to this extent, the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to be severable. To the extent that any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise with regard to any party hereunder, such provisions with respect to other parties hereto shall not be affected thereby.

 

(c)The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience only and in no way define any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

 

 

 

 

[The remainder of this page is intentionally blank.]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized officers as of the 19th day of September, 2017.

 

 

 

 

TWO ROADS SHARED TRUST,

On behalf of each of its series

 

By: /s/ James Colantino

Name: James Colantino

Title: President

 

 

 

REGENTS PARK FUNDS, LLC

 

 

 

By: /s/ David W. Ford

Name: David W. Ford

Title: President

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Investment Advisory Agreement

EXHIBIT A

Two Roads Shared Trust

Regents Park Funds, LLC

 

 

Fund Investment Advisory Fee Effective Date
Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF 0.47% September 19, 2017
Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF 0.80% September 19, 2017

 

TWO ROADS SHARED TRUST

INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

This INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT (“Agreement”), effective as of September 19th, 2017, is by and among Anfield Capital Management, LLC (the “Sub-Adviser”), Two Roads Shared Trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of the Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF, a series of the Trust (the “Fund”), and Regents Park Funds, LLC (the “Adviser”).

WHEREAS, the Trust is a Delaware statutory trust, and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end, diversified management investment company, and the Fund is a series of the Trust; and

WHEREAS, the Adviser has been retained by the Trust to provide investment advisory services to the Fund with regard to the Fund’s investments pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (“Investment Advisory Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Trustees”), including a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” as defined in the 1940 Act of any party to this Agreement, and the Fund’s shareholders to the extent required under applicable law and regulation have approved the appointment of the Sub-Adviser to perform certain investment advisory services for the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, pursuant to this Agreement and the Sub-Adviser is willing to perform such services for the Fund; and

WHEREAS, the Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”).

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed among the Adviser, the Trust and the Sub-Adviser as follows:

1.                    Appointment. The Trust and the Adviser hereby appoint the Sub-Adviser to perform advisory services for the Fund for the periods and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services herein set forth, for the compensation herein provided.

2.                    Investment Advisory Duties. Subject to the supervision of the Trustees and the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser will, in coordination with the Adviser as described below: (a) provide a program of continuous investment management for the Fund; (b) make investment decisions for the Fund; and (c) place orders to purchase and sell securities for the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives, policies and limitations as stated in the Fund’s current Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (the “Registration Statement”) as provided to the Sub- Adviser by the Adviser, as they may be amended from time to time; provided, that the Adviser shall provide the Sub-Adviser reasonable advance notice of any change to such investment objectives, policies and limitations.

The Sub-Adviser further agrees that, in performing its duties hereunder, it will:

(a)                with regard to its activities under this Agreement, use reasonable efforts to comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, and all applicable rules and regulations thereunder, the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations, and with the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information and any applicable procedures adopted by the Trustees, as they may be amended from time to time, provided that written copies of such procedures and amendments thereto are provided to the Sub-Adviser by the Adviser;

(b)               use reasonable efforts to manage the Fund’s assets in a manner that will not impair its

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qualification as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code and regulations issued thereunder; provided, however, the Sub-Adviser shall not be responsible for the tax effect of any decisions made by or any actions taken by any person other than the Sub- Adviser;

(c)                place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for the Fund, in accordance with applicable policies expressed in the Fund’s Prospectus and/or Statement of Additional Information or otherwise established through written guidelines established by the Fund and provided to the Sub-Adviser by the Adviser, including without limitation, Section 4 hereof;

(d)               furnish to the Trust and the Adviser whatever statistical information the Trust or the Adviser may reasonably request with respect to the Fund’s assets or investments. In addition, the Sub-Adviser will keep the Trust, the Adviser and the Trustees informed of developments that the Sub-Adviser reasonably believes will materially affect the Fund’s portfolio, and shall, on the Sub-Adviser’s own initiative, furnish to the Trust from time to time whatever information the Sub-Adviser believes appropriate for this purpose;

(e)                make available to the Fund’s Adviser and the Trust, promptly upon their request, such copies of its investment records and ledgers with respect to the Fund as may reasonably be required to assist the Adviser and the Trust in their compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The Sub-Adviser will furnish the Trustees, the Adviser and the Trust with such periodic and special reports regarding the Fund as they may reasonably request;

(f)                 The Sub-Adviser shall promptly respond to requests by the Adviser, the Administrator, and the Fund CCO or their delegates for copies of the pertinent books and records maintained by the Sub-Adviser relating directly to the Fund.  The Sub-Adviser shall also provide the Adviser with such other information and reports, including information and reports related to compliance matters, as may reasonably be requested by it from time to time, including without limitation all material requested by or required to be delivered to the Board.

(g)               immediately notify the Adviser, in writing, of the receipt of any notice of a class action proceeding related to the Fund or any other action or proceeding in which the Adviser or the Fund may be entitled to participate as a result of the Fund’s securities holdings. The Sub- Adviser shall have no responsibility for filing claims on behalf of the Adviser or the Trust with respect to any such actions. The Sub-Adviser’s responsibility with respect to such matters shall be to comply with the foregoing notification obligations and to cooperate with the Adviser and the Trust in making such filings, which shall include providing any relevant information regarding the Fund’s securities holdings to the Adviser;

(h)               provide assistance to the Adviser, custodian or recordkeeping agent for the Fund in determining or confirming, consistent with the procedures and policies stated in the Fund’s valuation procedures and/or Registration Statement, the value of any portfolio securities or other assets of the Fund for which the Adviser, custodian or recordkeeping agent seeks assistance from the Sub-Adviser or identifies for review by the Sub-Adviser. This assistance includes (but is not limited to): (i) designating an employee of the Sub-Adviser for consultation when the Trustees convene; (ii) notifying the Adviser in the event the Sub-Adviser determines, with respect to a security that is held both by the Fund and by another account managed by the Sub-Adviser, to price the security pursuant to such other account’s policies and procedures for determining the fair value of a security; (iii) obtaining bids and offers or quotes from broker/dealers or market- makers with respect to securities held by the Fund, upon the request of the Adviser; (iv) verifying pricing and providing fair valuations or recommendations for fair valuation in accordance with the Fund’s valuation procedures, as they may be amended from time to time; and (v) maintaining adequate records and written backup information with respect to the securities valuation services provided hereunder, and providing such information to the Adviser upon request;

(i)                 assist the Adviser, the Fund, and any of its or their trustees, directors, officers, and/or employees in complying with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to the extent such provisions relate to the services to be provided by, and obligations of, the Sub-Adviser hereunder. Specifically, and without

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limitation to the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser agrees to provide certifications to the principal executive and financial officers of the Fund that correspond to the drafting and/or filing of the Fund’s Form N-CSRs, N-Qs, N-SARs, shareholder reports, financial statements, and other disclosure documents or regulatory filings, in such form and content as the Adviser shall reasonably request or as in accordance with procedures adopted by the Trust;

(j) assist the Fund, and accordingly, the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) in complying with Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act. Specifically, the Sub-Adviser represents and warrants that it shall maintain a compliance program in accordance with the requirements of Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act, and shall provide the CCO with reasonable access to information regarding the Sub-Adviser’s compliance program, which access shall include (i) on-site visits with the Sub-Adviser as may be reasonably requested from time to time (ii)a report of any material changes to the Sub-Adviser compliance policies; (iii) a report of any compliance matter about which the Adviser or the Fund’s Board of Trustees would reasonably need to know to oversee Fund compliance, and that involves, without limitation: (A) a violation of the securities laws by the Sub-Adviser or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents; (B) a violation of the Policies or the Sub-Adviser compliance policies by the Sub-Adviser or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents; and/or (C) a weakness in the design or implementation of the Policies; and (iv) an annual (or more frequently as the CCO may request) certification regarding the Sub-Adviser’s compliance with Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act. In connection with the periodic review and annual report required to be prepared by the CCO pursuant to Rule 38a-1, the Sub-Adviser agrees to provide certifications as may be reasonably requested by the CCO related to the design and implementation of the Sub-Adviser’s compliance program;

(k)               provide assistance as may be reasonably requested by the Adviser in connection with compliance by the Fund with any current or future legal and regulatory requirements related to the services provided by the Sub-Adviser hereunder;

(l)                 immediately notify the Adviser and the Trust to the extent required by applicable law in the event that the Sub-Adviser or any of its affiliates: (1) becomes aware that it is subject to a statutory disqualification that prevents the Sub-Adviser from serving as an investment adviser pursuant to this Agreement; or (2) becomes aware that it is the subject of an administrative proceeding or enforcement action by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or other regulatory authority. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to notify the Trust and the Adviser immediately of any material fact known to the Sub-Adviser respecting or relating to the Sub- Adviser that would make any written information previously provided to the Adviser or the Trust materially inaccurate or incomplete or if any such written information becomes untrue in any material respect;

(m)              immediately notify the Adviser and the Trust if the Sub-Adviser suffers a material adverse change in its business that would materially impair its ability to perform its relevant duties for the Fund. For the purposes of this paragraph, a “material adverse change” shall include, but is not limited to, a material loss of assets or accounts under management or the departure of senior investment professionals to the extent such professionals are not replaced promptly with professionals of comparable experience and quality;

(n)                use no material non-public information that may be in its possession in making investment decisions for the Fund, nor seek to obtain any such information;

(o)                use its best judgment and efforts in rendering the advice and services contemplated by this Agreement; and

(p)                not consult with any sub-adviser of a portion of the Fund not managed by the Sub- Adviser, if applicable, or with any sub-adviser to any registered investment company or portfolio or series thereof under common control with the Fund, concerning transactions for the Fund in securities or other assets. Further, where the Sub-Adviser is one of multiple money managers managing a Fund, the Sub-Adviser’s responsibility for providing investment advice is limited to providing investment advice with respect to

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its discrete portion of the Fund’s portfolio.

3.                    Investment Authority. The Sub-Adviser’s investment authority shall include, to the extent permitted under Section 2 hereof, the authority to purchase and sell securities, and cover open positions, and generally to deal in securities, swaps (including but not limited to interest rate swaps and credit default swaps), financial and commodity futures contracts and options thereon, currency transactions, and other derivatives and investment instruments and techniques as may be permitted for use by the Fund and consistent with the Registration Statement.

With notice to the Trust and Adviser the Sub-Adviser may: (i) open and maintain brokerage accounts for financial futures and options and securities (such accounts hereinafter referred to as “Brokerage Accounts”) on behalf of and in the name of the Fund; and (ii) execute for and on behalf of the Brokerage Accounts, standard customer agreements with a broker or brokers. The Sub-Adviser may, using such of the securities and other property in the Brokerage Accounts as the Sub-Adviser deems necessary or desirable, direct the custodian to deposit on behalf of the Fund, original and maintenance brokerage deposits and otherwise direct payments of cash, cash equivalents and securities and other property into such brokerage accounts and to such brokers as the Sub-Adviser deems desirable or appropriate.

4.                    Investment Guidelines. In addition to the information to be provided to the Sub-Adviser under Section 2 hereof, the Trust or the Adviser shall supply the Sub-Adviser with such other information as the Sub-Adviser shall reasonably request concerning the Fund’s investment policies, restrictions, limitations, tax position, liquidity requirements and other information useful in managing the Fund’s investments.

5.                   Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Trust, Adviser and Sub-Adviser. The Trust represents and warrants to the Sub-Adviser that: (i) the retention of the Sub-Adviser as contemplated by this Agreement is authorized by the respective governing documents of the Fund; (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement does not violate any obligation by which either the Fund or its property is bound, whether arising by contract, operation of law or otherwise; and (iii) this Agreement has been duly authorized by appropriate action of the Fund and when executed and delivered by the Adviser, on behalf of the Fund (and assuming due execution and delivery by the Sub-Adviser), will be the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Fund, enforceable against the Fund in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or law).

The Adviser represents and warrants to the Sub-Adviser that: (i) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement does not violate any obligation by which it or its property is bound, whether arising by contract, operation of law or otherwise; and (ii) this Agreement has been duly authorized by appropriate action of the Adviser and when executed and delivered by the Adviser (and assuming due execution and delivery by the Sub-Adviser) will be the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Adviser, enforceable against the Adviser in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or law).

The Sub-Adviser represents and warrants to the Adviser and the Trust that: (i) it is authorized to perform the services hereunder; (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement does not violate any obligation by which the Sub-Adviser or its property is bound, whether arising by contract, operation of law or otherwise; (iii) this Agreement has been duly authorized by appropriate action of the Sub-Adviser and when executed and delivered by the Sub-Adviser (and assuming due execution and delivery by the Adviser and the Trust) will be the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Sub-Adviser, enforceable against the Sub-Adviser in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or law); (iv) it is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC; and (v) it is not barred by operation of law, or any rule,

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or order of the SEC or any other regulatory body from acting as an investment adviser.

6.                   Use of Securities Brokers and Dealers. In placing purchase and sale orders for the Fund with brokers or dealers, the Sub-Adviser will attempt to obtain “best execution” of such orders. “Best execution” shall mean prompt and reliable execution at the most favorable terms of execution, taking into account price, speed and efficiency of execution, other factors that may be deemed relevant by the Sub-Adviser, and the other provisions hereinafter set forth. Whenever the Sub-Adviser places orders, or directs the placement of orders, for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities on behalf of the Fund, in selecting brokers or dealers to execute such orders, the Sub-Adviser is expressly authorized to consider the fact that a broker or dealer has furnished statistical, research or other information or services that enhance the Sub-Adviser’s research and portfolio management capability generally. It is further understood in accordance with Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that the Sub-Adviser may negotiate with and assign to a broker a commission that may exceed the commission that another broker would have charged for effecting the transaction if the Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that the amount of commission charged was reasonable in relation to the value of brokerage and/or research services (as defined in Section 28(e)) provided by such broker, viewed in terms either of the Fund’s or the Sub-Adviser’s overall responsibilities to the Sub-Adviser’s discretionary accounts (the “Section 28(e) Actions”); provided, however, that Sub-Adviser’s ability to engage in Section 28(e) Actions shall be subject to review by the Trustees from time to time, and if such Trustees reasonably determine that the Fund does not benefit, directly or indirectly, from such Section 28(e) Actions, the Sub-Adviser shall be prohibited from engaging in the same.

Unless otherwise directed by the Trust or the Adviser in writing, the Sub-Adviser may utilize the service of whatever securities brokerage firm or firms it deems appropriate to the extent that such firms are competitive with respect to price of services and execution, and so long as the Sub- Adviser complies with the “best execution” practices described above and applicable law and regulation.

7.                    Compensation. For services specified in this Agreement, the Adviser agrees to pay a fee to the Sub-Adviser (the “Fee”) for the Fund assets managed by the Sub-Adviser as may be identified by the Adviser from time to time, at the annual rate provided for in Exhibit A.

The Fee shall be computed and accrued daily and paid monthly in arrears within 30 days after the end of each month, based on the average daily net asset value of the Fund as determined according to the manner provided in the then-current prospectus of the Fund.

The Adviser shall provide to the Sub-Adviser, promptly following request therefor, all information reasonably requested by the Sub-Adviser to support the calculation of the Fee and shall permit the Sub-Adviser or its agents, upon reasonable notice and at reasonable times and at Sub-Adviser’s cost, to inspect the books and records of the Fund pertaining to such calculation.

8.                    Expenses. The Sub-Adviser will not be required to pay any expenses of the Fund except as expressly set forth in this Section 8. The Sub-Adviser will pay the cost of maintaining the staff and personnel necessary for it to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the expenses of office rent, telephone, telecommunications and other facilities it is obligated to provide in order to perform the services specified in Section 2, and any other expenses incurred by the Sub- Adviser in the performance of its duties hereunder.

9.                    Books and Records. The Sub-Adviser agrees to maintain such books and records with respect to its services to the Fund as are required by Section 31 under the 1940 Act, and rules adopted thereunder, and to preserve such records for the periods and in the manner required by that Section, and those rules. The Sub-Adviser also agrees that records it maintains and preserves pursuant to Rules 31a-1 and Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act with respect to the Fund are the property of the Trust and will be surrendered promptly to the Trust upon its request, except that the Sub-Adviser may retain copies of such documents as may be required by law. The Sub-Adviser further agrees that it will furnish to regulatory authorities

5  
 

having the requisite authority any information or reports in connection with its services hereunder which may be requested in order to determine whether the operations of the Fund are being conducted in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Each party shall make available to the others, upon reasonable request, copies of any books, records, and other relevant information that enables the requesting party to comply with its obligations under applicable federal or state rules or regulations, including Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act and Rule 206(4)-7 of the Advisers Act, that arise as a result of the Agreement. Each party shall cooperate fully to assist the others with any review or audit conducted by another party or a third party designated by another party, for the limited purpose of ensuring compliance with obligations under applicable federal or state laws that the parties become subject to as a result of the Agreement.

10.                Aggregation of Orders. Provided the investment objectives, policies and restrictions of the Fund as provided to the Sub-Adviser in accordance with this Agreement are adhered to, the Fund agrees that the Sub-Adviser may aggregate sales and purchase orders of securities held in the Fund with similar orders being made simultaneously for other accounts managed by the Sub- Adviser or with accounts of the affiliates of the Sub-Adviser, if in the Sub-Adviser’s reasonable judgment such aggregation shall result in an overall economic benefit to the Fund, taking into consideration the advantageous selling or purchase price, brokerage commission and other expenses. The Fund acknowledges that the determination of such economic benefit to the Fund by the Sub-Adviser represents the Sub-Adviser’s evaluation that the Fund may be benefited by relatively better purchase or sales prices, lower commission expenses and beneficial timing of transactions or a combination of these and other factors.

11.                Liability. Neither the Sub-Adviser nor its officers, directors, employees, affiliates, agents or controlling persons shall be liable to the Trust, the Fund, its shareholders and/or any other person for the acts, omissions, errors of judgment and/or mistakes of law of any other fiduciary and/or other person with respect to the Fund.

Neither the Sub-Adviser nor its officers, directors, employees, affiliates, agents or controlling persons or assigns shall be liable for any act, omission, error of judgment or mistake of law (whether or not deemed a breach of this Agreement) and/or for any loss suffered by the Trust, the Fund, its shareholders and/or any other person in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates; provided that no provision of this Agreement shall be deemed to protect the Sub-Adviser against any liability to the Trust, the Fund and/or its shareholders to which it might otherwise be subject by reason of any willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or the reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Sub-Adviser, its directors, officers, employees, affiliates, agents and controlling persons (each and “Indemnified Party”) against any and all losses, claims damages or liabilities (including reasonable attorneys fees and expenses), joint or several, relating to the Trust or the Fund, to which any such Indemnified Party may become subject under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Advisers Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise. It is understood, however, that nothing in this paragraph 13 shall protect any Indemnified Party against, or entitle any Indemnified Party to, indemnification against any liability to the Trust, the Fund or its shareholders to which such Indemnified Party is subject, by reason of its willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of any reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

12.                Services Not Exclusive. The services of the Sub-Adviser are not exclusive, and nothing in this Agreement shall prevent the Sub-Adviser from providing similar services to other investment advisory clients, including but not by way of limitation, investment companies or to other series of investment companies, including the Trust, or from engaging in other activities, provided such other services and activities do not, during the term of this Agreement, interfere in a material manner with the Sub-Adviser’s ability to meet its obligations to the Fund hereunder. When the Sub-Adviser recommends the purchase or

6  
 

sale of a security for other investment companies and other clients, and at the same time the Sub-Adviser recommends the purchase or sale of the same security for the Fund, it is understood that in light of its fiduciary duty to the Fund, such transactions will be executed on a basis that is fair and equitable to the Fund. In connection with purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the account of the Fund, neither the Sub-Adviser nor any of its directors, officers or employees shall act as a principal. If the Sub- Adviser provides any advice to its clients concerning the shares of the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall act solely as investment counsel for such clients and not in any way on behalf of the Trust or the Fund.

The Sub-Adviser provides investment advisory services to numerous other investment advisory clients, including but not limited to other funds, and may give advice and take action which may differ from the timing or nature of action taken by the Sub-Adviser with respect to the Fund. Nothing in this Agreement shall impose upon the Sub-Adviser any obligations other than those imposed by law to purchase, sell or recommend for purchase or sale, with respect to the Fund, any security which the Sub-Adviser, or the shareholders, officers, directors, employees or affiliates may purchase or sell for their own account or for the account of any client.

13.                Materials. Each of the Adviser, the Trust and the Fund shall not make any representations regarding the Sub-Adviser or any of its affiliates in any disclosure document, advertisement, sales literature or other promotional materials without prior written consent of the Sub-Adviser, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. If the Sub-Adviser has not notified the Adviser of its disapproval of sample materials within twenty (20) days after its receipt thereof, such materials shall be deemed approved. The Sub-Adviser will be provided with any Registration Statements containing references or information with respect to the Sub- Adviser prior to the filing of same with any regulatory authority and shall be afforded the opportunity to comment thereon.

14.                          Duration and Termination. This Agreement shall become effective with respect to the Fund on the date the Fund commences operations (and, with respect to any amendment, the date of the amendment) and shall continue in effect with respect to the Fund for a period of more than two years from that date and shall continue thereafter only so long as the continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Board of Trustees or (ii) a vote of a “majority” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act), provided that in either event the continuance is also approved by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or “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.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated: (a) at any time without penalty by the Fund upon the vote of a majority of the Trustees or by vote of the majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities, upon sixty days’ written notice to the Sub-Adviser; (b) by the Adviser at any time without penalty, upon sixty days’ written notice to the Sub-Adviser; or

(c) by the Sub-Adviser at any time without penalty, upon sixty days’ written notice to the Trust. This Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).

The Agreement will terminate immediately upon written notification from the Adviser or the Trust if the Investment Advisory Agreement terminates with respect to the Fund.

15. Amendments. This Agreement may be amended at any time, but only by the mutual written agreement of the parties, provided that, if required by law, such amendment shall also have been approved by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund and by vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Fund, the Adviser, or the Sub-Adviser, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

16.                Proxies. Unless the Adviser gives written instructions to the contrary that the right to vote proxies has been expressly reserved to the Sub-Adviser or the Trust or otherwise delegated to another party, the

7  
 

Adviser shall vote all proxies solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities invested in by the Fund. If the Sub-Adviser has been engaged to vote proxies by the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser shall maintain a record of how the Sub-Adviser voted and such record shall be available to the Trust upon its request. The Sub-Adviser shall use its best good faith judgment to vote such proxies in a manner which best serves the interests of the Fund’s shareholders. The Sub-Adviser may delegate proxy voting to a third-party company provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser remains liable for the proxy voting.

17.                Notices. Any written notice required by or pertaining to this Agreement shall be personally delivered to the party for whom it is intended or shall be sent to such party by prepaid first class mail or facsimile, at the address or number stated below.

 

If to the Trust:

Two Roads Shared Trust

c/o Gemini Fund Services, LLC

17605 Wright Street, Suite 2

Omaha, Nebraska 68130

Attention: Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF

Email: Richard.malinowski@thegeminicompanies.com

 

If to the Sub-Adviser:

 

Anfield Capital Management, LLC

4041 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 155

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Email:

 

If to the Adviser:

 

Regents Park Funds, LLC

4041 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 155

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Email:

 

18.                Confidential Information. Any information supplied by the Trust, the Fund or the Adviser, which is not otherwise in the public domain, in connection with the Fund or the Adviser is to be regarded as confidential and for use only by the Sub-Adviser and/or its agents, and only in connection with the Sub-Adviser’s services under this Agreement. Any information supplied by the Sub-Adviser, which is not otherwise in the public domain, in connection with the performance of its duties hereunder is to be regarded as confidential and for use only by the Fund and/or its agents, and only in connection with the Fund and its investments. Any party in receipt of confidential information shall use reasonable precautions (substantially identical to those used in safeguarding of its own confidential information) that its directors, officers, employees and advisers abide by these confidentiality provisions.

19. Miscellaneous.

(a)                Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York, provided that nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, or rules or orders of the SEC thereunder.

(b)                Delivery of Form ADV. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Sub- Adviser is delivering to the Adviser and the Trust a copy of Part 2 of its Form ADV, as revised. The Adviser and the

8  
 

Trust hereby acknowledge receipt of such copy.

(c)                Captions. The captions of this Agreement are included for convenience only and in no way define or limit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

(d)                Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby and, to this extent, the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to be severable.

(e)                Agency Relationship. Nothing herein shall be construed as constituting the Sub-Adviser as an agent of the Trust or the Fund, except as otherwise contemplated herein.

(f)                 Prior Agreement. This Agreement supersedes any prior agreement relating to the subject matter hereof among the parties.

(g)                Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts and by the different parties hereto on separate counterparts and by facsimile signature, each of which when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed an original and all of which counterparts shall constitute but one and the same agreement.

(h)                Limited Liability of the Trust. The Sub-Adviser agrees that the Trust’s obligations under this Agreement shall be limited to the Fund and its assets, and that the Sub-Adviser shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the shareholders of the Fund nor from any Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be executed by their officers designated below as of the effective date above written.

 

TWO ROADS SHARED TRUST

 

 

By: /s/ James Colantino

Name: James Colantino

Title: President

 

ANFIELD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC

 

 

By: /s/ David Young

Name: David Young

Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

REGENTS PARK FUNDS, LLC

 

 

By: /s/ David W. Ford

Name: David W. Ford

Title: President

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Amended and Restated

Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement EXHIBIT A

Two Roads Shared Trust

(as of September 19, 2017)

Fund Sub-Advisory Fee Effective Date
Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF 0.70% September 19, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

TWO ROADS SHARED TRUST

INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

This INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT (“Agreement”), effective as of September 19th, 2017, is by and among Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC (the “Sub-Adviser”), Two Roads Shared Trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of the Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF, a series of the Trust (the “Fund”), and Regents Park Funds, LLC (the “Adviser”).

WHEREAS, the Trust is a Delaware statutory trust, and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end, diversified management investment company, and the Fund is a series of the Trust; and

WHEREAS, the Adviser has been retained by the Trust to provide investment advisory services to the Fund with regard to the Fund’s investments pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (“Investment Advisory Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Trustees”), including a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” as defined in the 1940 Act of any party to this Agreement, and the Fund’s shareholders to the extent required under applicable law and regulation have approved the appointment of the Sub-Adviser to perform certain investment advisory services for the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, pursuant to this Agreement and the Sub-Adviser is willing to perform such services for the Fund; and

WHEREAS, the Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”).

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed among the Adviser, the Trust and the Sub-Adviser as follows:

1.                    Appointment. The Trust and the Adviser hereby appoint the Sub-Adviser to perform advisory services for the Fund for the periods and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services herein set forth, for the compensation herein provided.

2.                    Investment Advisory Duties. Subject to the supervision of the Trustees and the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser will, in coordination with the Adviser as described below: (a) provide a program of continuous investment management for the Fund; (b) make investment decisions for the Fund; and (c) place orders to purchase and sell securities for the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives, policies and limitations as stated in the Fund’s current Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (the “Registration Statement”) as provided to the Sub- Adviser by the Adviser, as they may be amended from time to time; provided, that the Adviser shall provide the Sub-Adviser reasonable advance notice of any change to such investment objectives, policies and limitations.

The Sub-Adviser further agrees that, in performing its duties hereunder, it will:

(a)                with regard to its activities under this Agreement, use reasonable efforts to comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, and all applicable rules and regulations thereunder, the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations, and with the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information and any applicable procedures adopted by the Trustees, as they may be amended from time to time, provided that written copies of such procedures and amendments thereto are provided to the Sub-Adviser by the Adviser;

(b)               use reasonable efforts to manage the Fund’s assets in a manner that will not impair its

1  
 

qualification as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code and regulations issued thereunder; provided, however, the Sub-Adviser shall not be responsible for the tax effect of any decisions made by or any actions taken by any person other than the Sub- Adviser;

(c)                place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for the Fund, in accordance with applicable policies expressed in the Fund’s Prospectus and/or Statement of Additional Information or otherwise established through written guidelines established by the Fund and provided to the Sub-Adviser by the Adviser, including without limitation, Section 4 hereof;

(d)               furnish to the Trust and the Adviser whatever statistical information the Trust or the Adviser may reasonably request with respect to the Fund’s assets or investments. In addition, the Sub-Adviser will keep the Trust, the Adviser and the Trustees informed of developments that the Sub-Adviser reasonably believes will materially affect the Fund’s portfolio, and shall, on the Sub-Adviser’s own initiative, furnish to the Trust from time to time whatever information the Sub-Adviser believes appropriate for this purpose;

(e)                make available to the Fund’s Adviser and the Trust, promptly upon their request, such copies of its investment records and ledgers with respect to the Fund as may reasonably be required to assist the Adviser and the Trust in their compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The Sub-Adviser will furnish the Trustees, the Adviser and the Trust with such periodic and special reports regarding the Fund as they may reasonably request;

(f)                 The Sub-Adviser shall promptly respond to requests by the Adviser, the Administrator, and the Fund CCO or their delegates for copies of the pertinent books and records maintained by the Sub-Adviser relating directly to the Fund.  The Sub-Adviser shall also provide the Adviser with such other information and reports, including information and reports related to compliance matters, as may reasonably be requested by it from time to time, including without limitation all material requested by or required to be delivered to the Board.

(g)               immediately notify the Adviser, in writing, of the receipt of any notice of a class action proceeding related to the Fund or any other action or proceeding in which the Adviser or the Fund may be entitled to participate as a result of the Fund’s securities holdings. The Sub- Adviser shall have no responsibility for filing claims on behalf of the Adviser or the Trust with respect to any such actions. The Sub-Adviser’s responsibility with respect to such matters shall be to comply with the foregoing notification obligations and to cooperate with the Adviser and the Trust in making such filings, which shall include providing any relevant information regarding the Fund’s securities holdings to the Adviser;

(h)               provide assistance to the Adviser, custodian or recordkeeping agent for the Fund in determining or confirming, consistent with the procedures and policies stated in the Fund’s valuation procedures and/or Registration Statement, the value of any portfolio securities or other assets of the Fund for which the Adviser, custodian or recordkeeping agent seeks assistance from the Sub-Adviser or identifies for review by the Sub-Adviser. This assistance includes (but is not limited to): (i) designating an employee of the Sub-Adviser for consultation when the Trustees convene; (ii) notifying the Adviser in the event the Sub-Adviser determines, with respect to a security that is held both by the Fund and by another account managed by the Sub-Adviser, to price the security pursuant to such other account’s policies and procedures for determining the fair value of a security; (iii) obtaining bids and offers or quotes from broker/dealers or market- makers with respect to securities held by the Fund, upon the request of the Adviser; (iv) verifying pricing and providing fair valuations or recommendations for fair valuation in accordance with the Fund’s valuation procedures, as they may be amended from time to time; and (v) maintaining adequate records and written backup information with respect to the securities valuation services provided hereunder, and providing such information to the Adviser upon request;

(i)                 assist the Adviser, the Fund, and any of its or their trustees, directors, officers, and/or employees in complying with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to the extent such provisions relate to the services to be provided by, and obligations of, the Sub-Adviser hereunder. Specifically, and without

2  
 

limitation to the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser agrees to provide certifications to the principal executive and financial officers of the Fund that correspond to the drafting and/or filing of the Fund’s Form N-CSRs, N-Qs, N-SARs, shareholder reports, financial statements, and other disclosure documents or regulatory filings, in such form and content as the Adviser shall reasonably request or as in accordance with procedures adopted by the Trust;

(j) assist the Fund, and accordingly, the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) in complying with Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act. Specifically, the Sub-Adviser represents and warrants that it shall maintain a compliance program in accordance with the requirements of Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act, and shall provide the CCO with reasonable access to information regarding the Sub-Adviser’s compliance program, which access shall include (i) on-site visits with the Sub-Adviser as may be reasonably requested from time to time (ii)a report of any material changes to the Sub-Adviser compliance policies; (iii) a report of any compliance matter about which the Adviser or the Fund’s Board of Trustees would reasonably need to know to oversee Fund compliance, and that involves, without limitation: (A) a violation of the securities laws by the Sub-Adviser or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents; (B) a violation of the Policies or the Sub-Adviser compliance policies by the Sub-Adviser or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents; and/or (C) a weakness in the design or implementation of the Policies; and (iv) an annual (or more frequently as the CCO may request) certification regarding the Sub-Adviser’s compliance with Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act. In connection with the periodic review and annual report required to be prepared by the CCO pursuant to Rule 38a-1, the Sub-Adviser agrees to provide certifications as may be reasonably requested by the CCO related to the design and implementation of the Sub-Adviser’s compliance program;

(k)               provide assistance as may be reasonably requested by the Adviser in connection with compliance by the Fund with any current or future legal and regulatory requirements related to the services provided by the Sub-Adviser hereunder;

(l)                 immediately notify the Adviser and the Trust to the extent required by applicable law in the event that the Sub-Adviser or any of its affiliates: (1) becomes aware that it is subject to a statutory disqualification that prevents the Sub-Adviser from serving as an investment adviser pursuant to this Agreement; or (2) becomes aware that it is the subject of an administrative proceeding or enforcement action by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or other regulatory authority. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to notify the Trust and the Adviser immediately of any material fact known to the Sub-Adviser respecting or relating to the Sub- Adviser that would make any written information previously provided to the Adviser or the Trust materially inaccurate or incomplete or if any such written information becomes untrue in any material respect;

(m)              immediately notify the Adviser and the Trust if the Sub-Adviser suffers a material adverse change in its business that would materially impair its ability to perform its relevant duties for the Fund. For the purposes of this paragraph, a “material adverse change” shall include, but is not limited to, a material loss of assets or accounts under management or the departure of senior investment professionals to the extent such professionals are not replaced promptly with professionals of comparable experience and quality;

(n)                use no material non-public information that may be in its possession in making investment decisions for the Fund, nor seek to obtain any such information;

(o)                use its best judgment and efforts in rendering the advice and services contemplated by this Agreement; and

(p)                not consult with any sub-adviser of a portion of the Fund not managed by the Sub- Adviser, if applicable, or with any sub-adviser to any registered investment company or portfolio or series thereof under common control with the Fund, concerning transactions for the Fund in securities or other assets. Further, where the Sub-Adviser is one of multiple money managers managing a Fund, the Sub-Adviser’s responsibility for providing investment advice is limited to providing investment advice with respect to

3  
 

its discrete portion of the Fund’s portfolio.

3.                    Investment Authority. The Sub-Adviser’s investment authority shall include, to the extent permitted under Section 2 hereof, the authority to purchase and sell securities, and cover open positions, and generally to deal in securities, swaps (including but not limited to interest rate swaps and credit default swaps), financial and commodity futures contracts and options thereon, currency transactions, and other derivatives and investment instruments and techniques as may be permitted for use by the Fund and consistent with the Registration Statement.

With notice to the Trust and Adviser the Sub-Adviser may: (i) open and maintain brokerage accounts for financial futures and options and securities (such accounts hereinafter referred to as “Brokerage Accounts”) on behalf of and in the name of the Fund; and (ii) execute for and on behalf of the Brokerage Accounts, standard customer agreements with a broker or brokers. The Sub-Adviser may, using such of the securities and other property in the Brokerage Accounts as the Sub-Adviser deems necessary or desirable, direct the custodian to deposit on behalf of the Fund, original and maintenance brokerage deposits and otherwise direct payments of cash, cash equivalents and securities and other property into such brokerage accounts and to such brokers as the Sub-Adviser deems desirable or appropriate.

4.                    Investment Guidelines. In addition to the information to be provided to the Sub-Adviser under Section 2 hereof, the Trust or the Adviser shall supply the Sub-Adviser with such other information as the Sub-Adviser shall reasonably request concerning the Fund’s investment policies, restrictions, limitations, tax position, liquidity requirements and other information useful in managing the Fund’s investments.

5.                   Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Trust, Adviser and Sub-Adviser. The Trust represents and warrants to the Sub-Adviser that: (i) the retention of the Sub-Adviser as contemplated by this Agreement is authorized by the respective governing documents of the Fund; (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement does not violate any obligation by which either the Fund or its property is bound, whether arising by contract, operation of law or otherwise; and (iii) this Agreement has been duly authorized by appropriate action of the Fund and when executed and delivered by the Adviser, on behalf of the Fund (and assuming due execution and delivery by the Sub-Adviser), will be the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Fund, enforceable against the Fund in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or law).

The Adviser represents and warrants to the Sub-Adviser that: (i) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement does not violate any obligation by which it or its property is bound, whether arising by contract, operation of law or otherwise; and (ii) this Agreement has been duly authorized by appropriate action of the Adviser and when executed and delivered by the Adviser (and assuming due execution and delivery by the Sub-Adviser) will be the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Adviser, enforceable against the Adviser in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or law).

The Sub-Adviser represents and warrants to the Adviser and the Trust that: (i) it is authorized to perform the services hereunder; (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement does not violate any obligation by which the Sub-Adviser or its property is bound, whether arising by contract, operation of law or otherwise; (iii) this Agreement has been duly authorized by appropriate action of the Sub-Adviser and when executed and delivered by the Sub-Adviser (and assuming due execution and delivery by the Adviser and the Trust) will be the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Sub-Adviser, enforceable against the Sub-Adviser in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or law); (iv) it is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC; and (v) it is not barred by operation of law, or any rule,

4  
 

or order of the SEC or any other regulatory body from acting as an investment adviser.

6.                   Use of Securities Brokers and Dealers. In placing purchase and sale orders for the Fund with brokers or dealers, the Sub-Adviser will attempt to obtain “best execution” of such orders. “Best execution” shall mean prompt and reliable execution at the most favorable terms of execution, taking into account price, speed and efficiency of execution, other factors that may be deemed relevant by the Sub-Adviser, and the other provisions hereinafter set forth. Whenever the Sub-Adviser places orders, or directs the placement of orders, for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities on behalf of the Fund, in selecting brokers or dealers to execute such orders, the Sub-Adviser is expressly authorized to consider the fact that a broker or dealer has furnished statistical, research or other information or services that enhance the Sub-Adviser’s research and portfolio management capability generally. It is further understood in accordance with Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that the Sub-Adviser may negotiate with and assign to a broker a commission that may exceed the commission that another broker would have charged for effecting the transaction if the Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that the amount of commission charged was reasonable in relation to the value of brokerage and/or research services (as defined in Section 28(e)) provided by such broker, viewed in terms either of the Fund’s or the Sub-Adviser’s overall responsibilities to the Sub-Adviser’s discretionary accounts (the “Section 28(e) Actions”); provided, however, that Sub-Adviser’s ability to engage in Section 28(e) Actions shall be subject to review by the Trustees from time to time, and if such Trustees reasonably determine that the Fund does not benefit, directly or indirectly, from such Section 28(e) Actions, the Sub-Adviser shall be prohibited from engaging in the same.

Unless otherwise directed by the Trust or the Adviser in writing, the Sub-Adviser may utilize the service of whatever securities brokerage firm or firms it deems appropriate to the extent that such firms are competitive with respect to price of services and execution, and so long as the Sub- Adviser complies with the “best execution” practices described above and applicable law and regulation.

7.                    Compensation. For services specified in this Agreement, the Adviser agrees to pay a fee to the Sub-Adviser (the “Fee”) for the Fund assets managed by the Sub-Adviser as may be identified by the Adviser from time to time, at the annual rate provided for in Exhibit A.

The Fee shall be computed and accrued daily and paid monthly in arrears within 30 days after the end of each month, based on the average daily net asset value of the Fund as determined according to the manner provided in the then-current prospectus of the Fund.

The Adviser shall provide to the Sub-Adviser, promptly following request therefor, all information reasonably requested by the Sub-Adviser to support the calculation of the Fee and shall permit the Sub-Adviser or its agents, upon reasonable notice and at reasonable times and at Sub-Adviser’s cost, to inspect the books and records of the Fund pertaining to such calculation.

8.                    Expenses. The Sub-Adviser will not be required to pay any expenses of the Fund except as expressly set forth in this Section 8. The Sub-Adviser will pay the cost of maintaining the staff and personnel necessary for it to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the expenses of office rent, telephone, telecommunications and other facilities it is obligated to provide in order to perform the services specified in Section 2, and any other expenses incurred by the Sub- Adviser in the performance of its duties hereunder.

9.                    Books and Records. The Sub-Adviser agrees to maintain such books and records with respect to its services to the Fund as are required by Section 31 under the 1940 Act, and rules adopted thereunder, and to preserve such records for the periods and in the manner required by that Section, and those rules. The Sub-Adviser also agrees that records it maintains and preserves pursuant to Rules 31a-1 and Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act with respect to the Fund are the property of the Trust and will be surrendered promptly to the Trust upon its request, except that the Sub-Adviser may retain copies of such documents as may be required by law. The Sub-Adviser further agrees that it will furnish to regulatory authorities

5  
 

having the requisite authority any information or reports in connection with its services hereunder which may be requested in order to determine whether the operations of the Fund are being conducted in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Each party shall make available to the others, upon reasonable request, copies of any books, records, and other relevant information that enables the requesting party to comply with its obligations under applicable federal or state rules or regulations, including Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act and Rule 206(4)-7 of the Advisers Act, that arise as a result of the Agreement. Each party shall cooperate fully to assist the others with any review or audit conducted by another party or a third party designated by another party, for the limited purpose of ensuring compliance with obligations under applicable federal or state laws that the parties become subject to as a result of the Agreement.

10.                Aggregation of Orders. Provided the investment objectives, policies and restrictions of the Fund as provided to the Sub-Adviser in accordance with this Agreement are adhered to, the Fund agrees that the Sub-Adviser may aggregate sales and purchase orders of securities held in the Fund with similar orders being made simultaneously for other accounts managed by the Sub- Adviser or with accounts of the affiliates of the Sub-Adviser, if in the Sub-Adviser’s reasonable judgment such aggregation shall result in an overall economic benefit to the Fund, taking into consideration the advantageous selling or purchase price, brokerage commission and other expenses. The Fund acknowledges that the determination of such economic benefit to the Fund by the Sub-Adviser represents the Sub-Adviser’s evaluation that the Fund may be benefited by relatively better purchase or sales prices, lower commission expenses and beneficial timing of transactions or a combination of these and other factors.

11.                Liability. Neither the Sub-Adviser nor its officers, directors, employees, affiliates, agents or controlling persons shall be liable to the Trust, the Fund, its shareholders and/or any other person for the acts, omissions, errors of judgment and/or mistakes of law of any other fiduciary and/or other person with respect to the Fund.

Neither the Sub-Adviser nor its officers, directors, employees, affiliates, agents or controlling persons or assigns shall be liable for any act, omission, error of judgment or mistake of law (whether or not deemed a breach of this Agreement) and/or for any loss suffered by the Trust, the Fund, its shareholders and/or any other person in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates; provided that no provision of this Agreement shall be deemed to protect the Sub-Adviser against any liability to the Trust, the Fund and/or its shareholders to which it might otherwise be subject by reason of any willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or the reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Sub-Adviser, its directors, officers, employees, affiliates, agents and controlling persons (each and “Indemnified Party”) against any and all losses, claims damages or liabilities (including reasonable attorneys fees and expenses), joint or several, relating to the Trust or the Fund, to which any such Indemnified Party may become subject under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Advisers Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise. It is understood, however, that nothing in this paragraph 13 shall protect any Indemnified Party against, or entitle any Indemnified Party to, indemnification against any liability to the Trust, the Fund or its shareholders to which such Indemnified Party is subject, by reason of its willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of any reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

12.                Services Not Exclusive. The services of the Sub-Adviser are not exclusive, and nothing in this Agreement shall prevent the Sub-Adviser from providing similar services to other investment advisory clients, including but not by way of limitation, investment companies or to other series of investment companies, including the Trust, or from engaging in other activities, provided such other services and activities do not, during the term of this Agreement, interfere in a material manner with the Sub-Adviser’s ability to meet its obligations to the Fund hereunder. When the Sub-Adviser recommends the purchase or

6  
 

sale of a security for other investment companies and other clients, and at the same time the Sub-Adviser recommends the purchase or sale of the same security for the Fund, it is understood that in light of its fiduciary duty to the Fund, such transactions will be executed on a basis that is fair and equitable to the Fund. In connection with purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the account of the Fund, neither the Sub-Adviser nor any of its directors, officers or employees shall act as a principal. If the Sub- Adviser provides any advice to its clients concerning the shares of the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall act solely as investment counsel for such clients and not in any way on behalf of the Trust or the Fund.

The Sub-Adviser provides investment advisory services to numerous other investment advisory clients, including but not limited to other funds, and may give advice and take action which may differ from the timing or nature of action taken by the Sub-Adviser with respect to the Fund. Nothing in this Agreement shall impose upon the Sub-Adviser any obligations other than those imposed by law to purchase, sell or recommend for purchase or sale, with respect to the Fund, any security which the Sub-Adviser, or the shareholders, officers, directors, employees or affiliates may purchase or sell for their own account or for the account of any client.

13.                Materials. Each of the Adviser, the Trust and the Fund shall not make any representations regarding the Sub-Adviser or any of its affiliates in any disclosure document, advertisement, sales literature or other promotional materials without prior written consent of the Sub-Adviser, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. If the Sub-Adviser has not notified the Adviser of its disapproval of sample materials within twenty (20) days after its receipt thereof, such materials shall be deemed approved. The Sub-Adviser will be provided with any Registration Statements containing references or information with respect to the Sub- Adviser prior to the filing of same with any regulatory authority and shall be afforded the opportunity to comment thereon.

14.                          Duration and Termination. This Agreement shall become effective with respect to the Fund on the date the Fund commences operations (and, with respect to any amendment, the date of the amendment) and shall continue in effect with respect to the Fund for a period of more than two years from that date and shall continue thereafter only so long as the continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Board of Trustees or (ii) a vote of a “majority” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act), provided that in either event the continuance is also approved by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or “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.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated: (a) at any time without penalty by the Fund upon the vote of a majority of the Trustees or by vote of the majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities, upon sixty days’ written notice to the Sub-Adviser; (b) by the Adviser at any time without penalty, upon sixty days’ written notice to the Sub-Adviser; or

(c) by the Sub-Adviser at any time without penalty, upon sixty days’ written notice to the Trust. This Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).

The Agreement will terminate immediately upon written notification from the Adviser or the Trust if the Investment Advisory Agreement terminates with respect to the Fund.

15.                Amendments. This Agreement may be amended at any time, but only by the mutual written agreement of the parties, provided that, if required by law, such amendment shall also have been approved by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund and by vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Fund, the Adviser, or the Sub-Adviser, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

16.                Proxies. Unless the Adviser gives written instructions to the contrary that the right to vote proxies has been expressly reserved to the Sub-Adviser or the Trust or otherwise delegated to another party, the

7  
 

Adviser shall vote all proxies solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities invested in by the Fund. If the Sub-Adviser has been engaged to vote proxies by the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser shall maintain a record of how the Sub-Adviser voted and such record shall be available to the Trust upon its request. The Sub-Adviser shall use its best good faith judgment to vote such proxies in a manner which best serves the interests of the Fund’s shareholders. The Sub-Adviser may delegate proxy voting to a third-party company provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser remains liable for the proxy voting.

17.                Notices. Any written notice required by or pertaining to this Agreement shall be personally delivered to the party for whom it is intended or shall be sent to such party by prepaid first class mail or facsimile, at the address or number stated below.

 

If to the Trust:

Two Roads Shared Trust

c/o Gemini Fund Services, LLC

17605 Wright Street, Suite 2

Omaha, Nebraska 68130

Attention: Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF

Email: Richard.malinowski@thegeminicompanies.com

 

If to the Sub-Adviser:

 

Affinity Investment Advisors, LLC

4041 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 150

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Email:

 

If to the Adviser:

 

Regents Park Funds, LLC

4041 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 155

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Email:

 

18.                Confidential Information. Any information supplied by the Trust, the Fund or the Adviser, which is not otherwise in the public domain, in connection with the Fund or the Adviser is to be regarded as confidential and for use only by the Sub-Adviser and/or its agents, and only in connection with the Sub-Adviser’s services under this Agreement. Any information supplied by the Sub-Adviser, which is not otherwise in the public domain, in connection with the performance of its duties hereunder is to be regarded as confidential and for use only by the Fund and/or its agents, and only in connection with the Fund and its investments. Any party in receipt of confidential information shall use reasonable precautions (substantially identical to those used in safeguarding of its own confidential information) that its directors, officers, employees and advisers abide by these confidentiality provisions.

19. Miscellaneous.

(a)                Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York, provided that nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, or rules or orders of the SEC thereunder.

(b)                Delivery of Form ADV. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Sub- Adviser is delivering to the Adviser and the Trust a copy of Part 2 of its Form ADV, as revised. The Adviser and the

8  
 

Trust hereby acknowledge receipt of such copy.

(c)                Captions. The captions of this Agreement are included for convenience only and in no way define or limit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

(d)                Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby and, to this extent, the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to be severable.

(e)                Agency Relationship. Nothing herein shall be construed as constituting the Sub-Adviser as an agent of the Trust or the Fund, except as otherwise contemplated herein.

(f)                 Prior Agreement. This Agreement supersedes any prior agreement relating to the subject matter hereof among the parties.

(g)                Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts and by the different parties hereto on separate counterparts and by facsimile signature, each of which when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed an original and all of which counterparts shall constitute but one and the same agreement.

(h)                Limited Liability of the Trust. The Sub-Adviser agrees that the Trust’s obligations under this Agreement shall be limited to the Fund and its assets, and that the Sub-Adviser shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the shareholders of the Fund nor from any Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be executed by their officers designated below as of the effective date above written.

 

TWO ROADS SHARED TRUST

 

 

By: /s/ James Colantino

Name: James Colantino

Title: President

 

AFFINITY INVESTMENT ADVISORS, LLC

 

 

By: /s/ Gregory R. Lai

Name: Gregory R. Lai

Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

REGENTS PARK FUNDS, LLC

 

 

By: /s/ David W. Ford

Name: David W. Ford

Title: President

9  
 

 

Amended and Restated

Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement EXHIBIT A

Two Roads Shared Trust

(as of September 19, 2017)

Fund Sub-Advisory Fee Effective Date
Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF 0.43% September 19, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

TWO ROADS SHARED TRUST


OPERATING EXPENSES LIMITATION

AND SECURITY AGREEMENT

 

Regents Park Funds, LLC

THIS OPERATING EXPENSES LIMITATION AND SECURITY AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made as of the 19 th day of September, 2017, by and between TWO ROADS SHARED TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of the Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF and Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF (each a “Fund”, collectively the “Funds”) a series of the Trust, and the advisor of the Funds, Regents Park Funds, LLC (the “Advisor”).

 

RECITALS:


WHEREAS , the Advisor renders advice and services to the Funds pursuant to the terms and provisions of an Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and the Advisor dated as of the 18 th day of September, 2017 (the “Advisory Agreement”); and


WHEREAS , the Funds are responsible for, and has assumed the obligation for, payment of certain expenses pursuant to the Advisory Agreement that have not been assumed by the Advisor; and


WHEREAS , the Advisor desires to limit the Funds’ Operating Expenses (as that term is defined in Paragraph 2 of this Agreement) pursuant to the terms and provisions of this Agreement, and the Trust (on behalf of the Funds) desires to allow the Advisor to implement those limits; and

 

WHEREAS , as a condition to the continuation of its contractual relationship with the Advisor, the Trust has required that Advisor grant to the Trust a continuing security interest in and to a designated account of the Advisor established with Gemini Fund Services, LLC, Transfer Agent to the Funds, or its successor and assigns (the “Securities Intermediary”), for so long as Fund’s assets remain below $15 million;


NOW THEREFORE , in consideration of the covenants and the mutual promises hereinafter set forth, the parties, intending to be legally bound hereby, mutually agree as follows:


1. Limit on Operating Expenses . The Advisor hereby agrees to limit the Funds’ current Operating Expenses to an annual rate, expressed as a percentage of the Funds’ average daily net assets for the month, to the amounts listed in Appendix A (the “Annual Limit”). In the event that the current Operating Expenses of the Funds, as accrued each month, exceed its Annual Limit, the Advisor will pay to the Funds, on a monthly basis, the excess expense within the first ten days of the month following the month in which such Operating Expenses were incurred (each payment, a “Fund Reimbursement Payment”).

1  
 

2. Definition . For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Operating Expenses” with respect to the Funds are defined to include all expenses necessary or appropriate for the operation of the Funds and including the Advisor’s investment advisory or management fee detailed in the Advisory Agreement, any Rule 12b-l fees and other expenses described in the Advisory Agreement, but does not include: (i) any front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions, (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example option and swap fees and expenses); (v) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (vi) taxes; and (vii) extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees, contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the Adviser)).

 

3. Reimbursement of Fees and Expenses . The Advisor retains its right to receive in future years on a rolling three year basis, reimbursement of any Fund Reimbursement Payments paid by the Advisor pursuant to this Agreement, if such reimbursement can be achieved within the lesser of the Annual Limit in place at the time of waiver or those in place at the time of recapture.

 

4. Collateral Account and Security Interest . At any time when Funds’ assets are below $15 million, the Advisor, for value received, hereby pledges, assigns, sets over and grants to the Trust a continuing security interest in and to an account to be established and maintained by the Advisor with the Securities Intermediary and designated as a collateral account (the “Collateral Account”), including any replacement account established with any successor, together with all dividends, interest, stock-splits, distributions, profits and all cash and non-cash proceeds thereof and any and all other rights as may now or hereafter derive or accrue therefrom (collectively, the “Collateral”) to secure the payment of any required Fund Reimbursement Payment or Liquidation Expenses (as defined in Paragraph 5 of this Agreement). For so long as this Agreement is in effect, any transfers or conveyances of Collateral to any party shall require the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”), except as specified in Section 7(a)(ii) of this Agreement, below. In addition, the Trust will not issue entitlement orders, redeem or otherwise take any action with respect to the Collateral or Collateral Account unless a Collateral Event (defined below under Section 5 of this Agreement) has occurred or is continuing.

 

5. Collateral Event . In the event that either (a) the Advisor does not make the Fund Reimbursement Payment due in connection with a particular calendar month by the tenth day of the following calendar month or (b) the Board enacts a resolution calling for the liquidation of the Funds (either (a) or (b), a “Collateral Event”), then, in either event, the Board shall have absolute discretion to redeem any shares or other Collateral held in the Collateral Account and utilize the proceeds from such redemptions or such other Collateral to make any required Fund Reimbursement Payment, or to cover any costs or expenses which the Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, estimates will be required in connection with the liquidation of the Funds (the “Liquidation Expenses”). Pursuant to the terms of Paragraph 6 of this Agreement, upon authorization from the Board, but subject to the provisions of the Control Agreement, no further instructions shall be required from the Advisor for the Securities Intermediary to transfer any

2  
 

Collateral from the Collateral Account to the Funds. The Advisor acknowledges that in the event the Collateral available in the Collateral Account is insufficient to cover the full cost of any Fund Reimbursement Payment or Liquidation Expenses, the Funds shall retain the right to receive from the Advisor any costs in excess of the value of the Collateral.

 

6. Control Agreement; Appointment of Attorney-in-Fact . The Advisor agrees to execute and deliver to the Board, in form and substance satisfactory to the Board, a Control Agreement by, between and among the Trust, the Advisor and the Securities Intermediary (the “Control Agreement”) pursuant to and consistent with Section 8-106(c) of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, which shall terminate when the Collateral Account is no longer required under this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, for so long as the Collateral Account in required under the Agreement, the Advisor hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Trust, through any officer thereof, with full power of substitution, as Advisor's true and lawful Attorney-in-Fact, with full irrevocable power and authority in place and stead of the Advisor and in the name of the Advisor or in the Trust's own name, from time to time, for the purpose of carrying out the terms of this Agreement, to take any and all appropriate actions and to execute and deliver any and all documents and instruments which the Board deems necessary to accomplish the purpose of this Agreement, which power of attorney is coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Trust shall have the right and power following any Collateral Event to receive, endorse and collect all checks and other orders for the payment of money made payable to the Advisor representing any interest payment, dividend, or other distribution payable in respect of or to the Collateral, or any part thereof, and to give full discharge for the same. So long as a Collateral Event has occurred and is continuing, the Board, in its discretion, may direct the Advisor or Advisor's agent to transfer the Collateral in certificated or uncertificated form into the name and account of the Trust or its designee.

 

7. Covenants . So long as this Agreement shall remain in effect, the Advisor represents and covenants as follows:

 

(a) No later than 120 days after the Funds become operational, the Advisor shall invest at least $30,000 in the Collateral Account, unless the Fund’s assets have reached $15 million by that time (in which case no Collateral Account is required until the Fund’s assets fall below $15 million for more than 30 days). Once the Collateral Account is established: (i) the Advisor will maintain at least $30,000 in said account, such that additional amounts will be deposited by the Advisor where Fund outflows or negative Funds performance reduce the Collateral Account below $30,000 for a period of more than thirty days; (ii) when the Funds reach $15 million or more in net assets, the Advisor may withdraw all assets from said account, less the minimum amount required to maintain the account open; and (iii) the Advisor hereby agrees to deposit and maintain $30,000 in the Collateral Account within 30 days of Fund’s assets falling below $15 million, where assets have not risen above $15 million at the end of that 30-day period. The Collateral Account may be closed completely upon Fund’s assets reaching $25 million.
3  
 

 

(b) To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Advisor agrees not to challenge any action taken by the Board or the Trust in executing the terms of this Agreement; provided that the action does not constitute willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties of the Board under this Agreement, the Advisory Agreement, or to the Funds shareholders.

 

(c) The Trust will not issue entitlement orders, redeem or otherwise take any action with respect to the Collateral or Collateral Account unless a Collateral Event (defined above under Section 5 of this Agreement) has occurred or is continuing.

 

8. Term . This Agreement shall become effective on the Funds’ effective date and shall remain in effect until at least September 30, 2018, unless sooner terminated as provided in Paragraph 9 of this Agreement, and shall continue in effect for successive twelve-month periods provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust.


9. Termination . This Agreement may be terminated at any time, and without payment of any penalty, by the Board, on behalf of the Funds, upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Advisor. This Agreement may not be terminated by the Advisor without the consent of the Board. This Agreement and the Control Agreement will automatically terminate, with respect to the Fund listed in Appendix A if the Advisory Agreement for the Funds are terminated and the Funds continue to operate under the management of a new investment adviser, with such termination effective upon the effective date of the Advisory Agreement’s termination for the Funds.


10. Assignment . This Agreement and all rights and obligations hereunder may not be assigned without the written consent of the other party.


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


12. Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York without giving effect to the conflict of laws principles thereof; provided that nothing herein shall be construed to preempt, or to be inconsistent with, any federal law, regulation or rule, including the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

 

 

 

(Signature Page follows)

4  
 

 

 

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.

 

 

TWO ROADS SHARED TRUST Regents Park Funds, LLC
on behalf of Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF and Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF  
   

 

By: /s/ James Colantino By: /s/ David Young
Name: James Colantino Name: David Young
Title: President Title:   CEO



5  
 


Appendix A

 

Fund Operating Expense Limit
Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF 1.30%
Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF 0.47%

 

 



 

 

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

One Logan Square

Suite 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

(215) 988-2700 (Phone)

(215) 988-2757 (Facsimile)

www.drinkerbiddle.com

December 27, 2017

 

Two Roads Shared Trust

17605 Wright Street, Suite 2

Omaha, NE 68130

 

 

Re: Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to Two Roads Shared Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), in connection with the filing on the date of this opinion of a post-effective amendment to the registration statement (“Registration Statement”) of the Trust to register under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) shares of beneficial interest representing interests in the following new series, or fund, of the Trust: Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF (the “Fund”).

 

We have reviewed the Registration Statement, the Trust’s Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust, its By-Laws, and certain resolutions adopted by its Board of Trustees, and have considered such other legal and factual matters as we have considered appropriate.

 

This opinion is based exclusively on the laws of the State of Delaware and the federal law of the United States of America.

 

We have assumed the following for this opinion:

 

1.       The Shares will be issued in accordance with the Trust’s Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust, its By-Laws and resolutions of the Trust’s Board of Trustees relating to the creation, authorization and issuance of the Shares.

 

2.       The Shares will be issued against consideration therefor as described in the Trust’s prospectus relating thereto, and that such consideration will have been at least equal to the applicable net asset value.

 

Based on the foregoing, it is our opinion that:

 

 

 
 

Two Roads Shared Trust

December 27, 2017

Page 2

 

1.       The Shares to be issued pursuant to the Registration Statement have been duly authorized for issuance by the Trust.

 

2.       When issued and paid for on the terms provided in the Registration Statement and in accordance with the Fund’s Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-laws, the Shares to be issued pursuant to the Registration Statement will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Trust; and the holders of the Shares will be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to stockholders of private corporations for profit organized under the general corporation law of the State of Delaware (except that we express no opinion as to such holders who are also Trustees of the Trust).

 

With respect to the opinion expressed in paragraph 2 above, we note that, pursuant to Section 6 of Article IV of the Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the trustees have the power to cause any shareholder of the Trust, or any shareholder of any particular series, to pay directly, in advance or arrears, for charges of the Trust’s custodian or transfer, dividend disbursing, shareholder servicing or similar agent, an amount fixed from time to time by the trustees, by setting off such charges due from such shareholder from declared but unpaid dividends or distributions owed such shareholder and/or by reducing the number of shares in the account of such shareholder by that number of full and/or fractional shares which represents the outstanding amount of such charges due from such shareholder.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to the Registration Statement. Except as provided in this paragraph, the opinion set forth above is expressed solely for the benefit of the addressee hereof in connection with the matters contemplated hereby and may not be relied upon by, or filed with, any other person or entity or for any other purpose without our prior written consent.

 

We hereby consent to the use of our name and to the references to our Firm under the caption “Legal Counsel” in the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information included in Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A under the 1933 Act of Two Roads Shared Trust (File Nos. 333-182417 and 811-22718). This consent does not constitute a consent under Section 7 of the 1933 Act, and in consenting to the use of our name and the references to our Firm under such caption we have not certified any part of the Registration Statement and do not otherwise come within the categories of persons whose consent is required under said Section 7 or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

 

 

 

 
 

Two Roads Shared Trust

December 27, 2017

Page 3

 

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP

 

ETF DISTRIBUTION PLAN PURSUANT TO RULE 12B-1

UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 TWO ROADS SHARED TRUST

 

Adopted September 19, 2017

 

WHEREAS, Two Roads Shared Trust (the “Trust”) is an open-end management investment company registered as such under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and organized as a series trust; and

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Trust (“Trustees”) desires to adopt a plan of distribution pursuant to rule l2b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to the shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”) of the series listed on Schedule A (each a “Fund”, collectively, the “Funds”), and the Trustees have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that adoption of this ETF Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) will benefit each Fund and holders of such Fund’s Shares.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, on behalf of each Fund, the Trust hereby adopts this Plan in accordance with rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act on the following terms and conditions (capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned thereto in the Trust’s registration statement under the 1940 Act and under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as such registration statement is amended by any amendments thereto at the time in effect).

 

SECTION 1. The Trust has adopted this Plan to enable the Trust to directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of the Shares of the Trust.

 

SECTION 2. With respect to each Fund, the Trust may pay a monthly fee up to the amount set forth in Schedule A (“Limit”) to finance any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Shares as described in the Trust’s registration statement (“Creation Units”) of each Fund or the provision of investor services, including but not limited to (a) compensation paid to registered representatives of the Funds’ distributor (“the “Distributor”) and other persons that have entered into agreements with the Distributor, (b) salaries and other expenses of the Distributor or other parties relating to selling or servicing efforts, including travel, communications and the provision of sales personnel, (c) expenses of organizing and conducting sales seminars, printing of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports for other than existing shareholders,

(d) preparation and distribution of advertising materials and sales literature and other marketing and sales promotion expenses, (e) distribution and/or shareholder service assistance through financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations, insurance companies and investment counselors, broker-dealers, and the affiliates and subsidiaries of the Trust’s service providers, (f) delivering any notices of shareholder meetings and proxy statements accompanying such notices in connection with general and special meetings of interest holders of the Trust, and/or (g) ongoing services to shareholders which facilitate the continued retention of investors as shareholders of a Fund.

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The Distributor may use all or any portion of the amount received pursuant to this Plan to compensate securities dealers or other persons that are Authorized Participants (“third parties”) for providing distribution assistance, including broker-dealer and shareholder support and educational and promotional services, pursuant to agreements with the Distributor, or to pay any of the expenses associated with other activities authorized under this paragraph. All expenses covered by this Plan shall be deemed incurred whether paid directly by the Distributor or by a third party to the extent reimbursed therefor by the Distributor.

 

Fees shall be payable by the Trust on behalf of any Fund regardless of whether such fees are greater or less than the actual expenses incurred by the Distributor or third party with respect to such Fund during the relevant period. Although the Fund is not permitted to pay any expenses in excess of the relevant Limit, such excess expenses may be reimbursed during any of the Fund’s subsequent three fiscal years, provided and to the extent that the current expenses plus the excess expenses do not exceed the Limit for that subsequent year and are approved in the manner provided in Section 3 herein.

 

SECTION 3. Nothing in this Plan shall operate or be construed to prohibit or limit additional compensation derived from sales charges or other sources that may be paid to the Distributor pursuant to the aforementioned Distribution Agreement. In addition, nothing in this Plan shall operate or be construed to limit the extent to which the Trust’s investment adviser or any other person, other than the Trust, may incur costs and bear expenses associated with the distribution of Shares of a Fund. It is recognized that the Trust’s investment adviser and other persons may use its advisory revenues, past profits and other resources to make payments to the Distributor with respect to any expenses incurred in connection with the distribution of Shares. Accordingly, the Trust’s investment adviser and other persons, directly or indirectly, may from time to time make payments to third parties who engage in the sale of Shares or render shareholder support or transfer agency services. If such payments are deemed to be indirect financing of an activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares issued by a Fund within the context of rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, such payments shall be deemed to be authorized by this Plan.

 

SECTION 4. This Plan shall not take effect with respect to any Fund until it has been approved, together with any related agreements, by votes of the majority of both (a) the Trustees and (b) the Qualified Trustees (as defined in Section 10 herein), cast in person at a meeting of the Trustees called for the purpose of voting on this Plan or such agreement.

 

SECTION 5. This Plan shall continue in effect for a period of more than one year after it takes effect, only for so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually in the manner provided in Section 4 herein for the approval of this Plan.

 

SECTION 6. Any person authorized to direct the disposition of monies paid or payable by the Trust pursuant to this Plan or any related agreement shall provide to the Trustees, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts so expended and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.

 

SECTION 7. This Plan may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by the vote of a majority of the Qualified Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Shares of the Funds.

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SECTION 8. All agreements with any person relating to implementation of this Plan shall be in writing, and any agreement related to this Plan shall provide (a) that such agreement may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by the vote of a majority of the Qualified Trustees or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Shares of the Funds, on not more than 60 days’ written notice to any other party to the agreement; and (b) that such agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.

 

SECTION 9. This Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of distribution expenses permitted with respect to any Fund pursuant to Section 2 hereof without the approval of Shareholders holding a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Shares of the Fund, and all material amendments to this Plan shall be approved in the manner provided in Part (b) of Section 4 herein for the approval of this Plan.

 

SECTION 10. As used in this Plan, the term “Qualified Trustees” shall mean those Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust, and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of this Plan or any agreements related to it. The terms “assignment,” “interested person,” and “majority of the outstanding voting securities” shall have the respective meanings specified in the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, subject to such exemptions as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

SECTION 11. While this Plan is in effect, the selection and nomination of those Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust within the meaning of section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act shall be committed to the discretion of the Trustees then in office who are not interested persons of the Trust.

 

SECTION 12. This Plan shall not obligate the Trust or any other party to enter into an agreement with any particular person.

 

SECTION 13. If any provision of the Plan shall be held or made invalid, the remainder of the Plan shall not be affected thereby.

 

SECTION 14. The Trust shall preserve copies of this Plan, each agreement related hereto and each report referred to in Section 6 hereof for a period of at least six years, the first two years in an easily accessible place.

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SCHEDULE A

 

TWO ROADS SHARED TRUST

 

 

 

The following series of Two Roads Shared Trust are subject to this Plan, at the fee rates specified:

 

Fund   Fee (as a Percentage of Average Daily Net Assets of the Fund)*
   
Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF     0.00 %
Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF     0.00 %

 

 

 

 

 

 

* The determination of daily net assets shall be made at the close of business each day throughout the month and computed in the manner specified in the then current Prospectus for the determination of the net asset value of Creation Units. Plan payments shall be made within ten (10) days of the end of each calendar month unless otherwise agreed by the parties and approved or ratified by the Trustees.

 

Adopted: September 19, 2017

 

APPENDIX A

 

Funds and Classes as of: November 30, 2017

 

Fund Classes

 

Affinity Small Cap Fund

Class A

Class C

Class I

 

Anfield Universal Fixed Income Fund

Class A

Class C

Class I

 

Anfield Capital Diversified Alternatives ETF

 

[no class designation]
Conductor Global Equity Value Fund

Class A

Class C

Class I

Class Y

 

Hanlon Managed Income Fund

 

Class A

Class C

Class I

Class R

Investor Class

 

Hanlon Tactical Dividend Momentum Fund

 

Class A

Class C

Class I

Class R

Investor Class

 

Holbrook Income Fund

Class I

Investor Class

 

LJM Preservation and Growth Fund

Class A

Class C

Class I

 

Recurrent Natural Resources Fund Class I
Recurrent MLP & Infrastructure Fund Class I
Redwood Managed Volatility Fund

Class I

Class N

Class Y

 

 

Redwood Managed Volatility Portfolio

 

Class I

Class N

 

 
 

 

Redwood AlphaFactor Core Equity Fund

Class I

Class N

 

Redwood AlphaFactor Tactical Core Fund

Class I

Class N

 

Redwood Managed Municipal Income Fund

Class I

Class N

 

 Redwood Activist Leaders Fund

Class I

Class N

Redwood AlphaFactor Tactical International Fund

Class I

Class N

Redwood Systematic Macro Trend Fund

Class I

Class N

RVX Emerging Markets Equity Opportunity Fund

Class A

Class I

Investor Class

 

Superfund Managed Futures Strategy Fund

Class A

Class C

Class I

 

Satuit West Shore Real Return Fund

 

Class A

Class I

Class N

Class R

 

Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF [no class designation]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NorthStar Financial Services Group, LLC

 

Code of Ethics

 

 

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NorthStar Financial Services Group, LLC Code of Ethics

November 1, 2016 to Current

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

I. Introduction
II. Definitions
III. General Principles
IV. Standards of Business Conduct
V. Prohibition Against Insider Trading
VI. Personal Securities Transactions
VII. Interested Transactions
VIII. Gifts and Entertainment
IX. Protecting the Confidentiality of Client Information
X. Service as a Director
XI. Certification
XII. Records
XIII. Reporting Violations and Sanctions
XIV. Ethics Training

 

Schedule A – Schedule of Affiliated Companies

Schedule B – Designated Custodians

Schedule C – Frequently Asked Questions about Code of Ethics

Schedule D – Summary of Reporting Requirements

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I. Introduction

 

This Code of Ethics (this “Code”) has been adopted by NorthStar Financial Services Group, LLC and its affiliated companies (refer to the attached Schedule A, “Schedule of Affiliated Companies” for a list of affiliated companies (each, an “Affiliated Company”) to which this Code applies, collectively, “NorthStar”), including, specifically CLS Investments, LLC, a registered investment adviser(“CLS”), Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, a registered broker-dealer (“NLD”), and Gemini Alternative Funds, LLC, a registered commodity pool operator/commodity trading adviser (“GAF”) and is designed to comply with Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) and Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Additionally, registered personnel are subject to further requirements as mandated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and persons associated with GAF may be subject to further requirements as mandated by the National Futures Association (“NFA”). Certain policies and procedures discussed in this document have been designed to help meet those obligations.

 

This Code establishes rules of conduct for all “Supervised Persons” of NorthStar. As explained further in the “Definitions” included with this Code, “Supervised Persons” include our employees and officers, as well as certain independent contractors and certain registered representatives. The general ethical principles and personal securities reporting provisions of this Code apply to all employees and other “Access Persons” of NorthStar, although many provisions of this Code are written to specifically address the duties and obligations of employees of CLS and NLD under the Advisers Act and the Investment Company Act, respectively. This Code is based upon the principle that NorthStar and its Supervised Persons owe a fiduciary duty to their clients to conduct their affairs, including their personal securities transactions, in such a manner as to avoid (i) serving their own personal interests ahead of clients, (ii) taking inappropriate advantage of their position with their respective company, and (iii) any actual or potential conflicts of interest or any abuse of their position of trust and responsibility.

 

This Code is designed to ensure that the high ethical standards long maintained by NorthStar continue to be applied. The purpose of this Code is to preclude activities which may lead to or give the appearance of conflicts of interest, insider trading and other forms of prohibited or unethical business conduct.

 

In meeting any fiduciary responsibilities to its clients, NorthStar expects every employee to demonstrate the highest standards of ethical conduct for continued employment with NorthStar. Strict compliance with the provisions of the Code shall be considered a basic condition of employment. NorthStar's reputation for fair and honest dealing with its clients has taken considerable time to build. This standing could be seriously damaged as the result of even a single Securities transaction being considered questionable in light of the fiduciary duty owed to our clients. Employees should also understand that a material breach of the provisions of this Code may constitute grounds for disciplinary action, including termination of employment with NorthStar.

 

This Code and other NorthStar policies and procedures (including those of CLS, NLD, and GAF, as relevant) address certain specific elements of NorthStar’s fiduciary obligations. However, they cannot, and are not intended to, address all circumstances in which a consideration of NorthStar’s fiduciary obligations will arise. Accordingly, NorthStar expects all Supervised Persons to adhere strictly to the specific requirements of this Code and other firm policies and procedures, but to also think beyond them and to conduct themselves with honesty and integrity in accordance with NorthStar’s fiduciary obligations.

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Each Affiliated Company, through its compliance officers, legal counsel, and/or other designated personnel, is responsible for the day-to-day administration of this Code with respect to those Access Persons under the direct supervision and control of such Affiliated Company. Note that some Affiliated Companies may impose greater restrictions than those described in this Code, and those restrictions have been noted where possible within this Code. All questions regarding specific restrictions should be directed to the Affiliated Company’s chief compliance officer, as available, or to such Affiliated Company’s designated legal counsel.

 

To the extent a Supervised Person is registered as a representative of NLD, as an investment adviser representative of CLS, or as an associated person or principal of GAF, such persons are encouraged to seek the guidance from such Affiliated Company’s respective chief compliance officer (as applicable, each such individual is referred to herein as the “Chief Compliance Officer”) for all questions regarding the application of specific restrictions to their activities. It is each Supervised Person’s responsibility to understand this Code as well as its requirements and application as they relate to both personal and work related activities.

 

The Chief Compliance Officer will periodically report to senior management of NorthStar to document compliance with this Code.

 

NorthStar has engaged Schwab Compliance Technologies, Inc. (“Schwab CT”, f/k/a Compliance11) which provides an automated system for administration of the Code. The Schwab CT system provides a means of making all reports and certifications required under the Code in an electronic format. The Schwab CT system will send automatic reminders via email to all persons covered by the Code in order to ensure deadlines are not missed. Should you have any questions about the Code or the Schwab CT system, please contact the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee.

 

For answers to commonly asked questions about your obligations under this Code, please refer to Schedule C for a list of “Frequently Asked Questions” and the applicable responses. You may also find it helpful to refer to Schedule D, which includes a summary of your Reporting Requirements under the Code.

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II. Definitions

 

For the purposes of this Code, the following definitions shall apply:

 

· “Access Person” means any Supervised Person who: has access to nonpublic information regarding any clients’ purchase or sale of Securities, or nonpublic information regarding the portfolio holdings of any Restricted Fund; or is involved in making Securities recommendations to clients; provided, that individuals who are Supervised Persons solely as a result of their service as a non-employee director, manager, or officer or their engagement as an independent contractor shall not be considered “Access Persons” for purposes of this Code.

 

· “Account” means accounts of any Access Person and includes accounts of the Access Person’s Family Members and any account in which he or she has a direct beneficial interest, such as trusts and custodial accounts subject to control by the Access Person or other accounts in which the Access Person exercises influence or control or has investment discretion; provided, that an employee’s NorthStar 401(k) account shall be excluded from “Account” covered under this Code.

 

· “Automatic Investment Plan” means a program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation. An Automatic Investment Plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan.

 

· “Beneficial Ownership” shall be interpreted in the same manner as it would be under Rule 16a- 1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in determining whether a person is the beneficial owner of a Security for purposes of Section 16 of such Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. Generally, “Beneficial Ownership” means ownership of Securities or Securities accounts by or for the benefit of a person, or such person’s “Family Member,” including any account in which the person or family member of that person holds a direct or indirect beneficial interest, retains discretionary investment authority or exercises a power of attorney.

 

· “Control” means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of NorthStar. See Section 2(a)(9) of the Investment Company Act.

 

· “Designated Custodian” refers to the custodial firms listed on Schedule B where Access Persons must maintain their covered Accounts.

 

· “Family Member” means any person’s spouse, child or other relative, whether related by blood, marriage, or otherwise, who either resides with, is financially dependent upon, or whose investments are controlled or partially controlled by that person. The term also includes any unrelated individual whose investments are controlled or partially controlled by that person, such as a “significant other.”

 

· “Fund” means an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act, including open-end and closed-end investment companies.
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· “Initial Public Offering” means an offering of Securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the issuer of which, immediately before the registration, was not subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

· “Investment Personnel” means (1) any employee of NorthStar (or of any company in a Control relationship to NorthStar) who, in connection with his or her regular functions or duties, makes or participates in making recommendations regarding the purchase or sale of Securities, and (2) any natural person who Controls NorthStar and who obtains information concerning recommendations made regarding the purchase or sale of Securities.

 

· “Limited Offering” means an offering that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to Section 4(2) or Section 4(6) or pursuant to Rule 504, 505 or 506 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

· “Reportable Security” means any Security, except that it does not include: (i) transactions and holdings in direct obligations of the Government of the United States; (ii) bankers’ acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and other high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements; (iii) shares issued by money market funds; (iv) transactions and holdings in shares of other types of open-end registered mutual funds, other than exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) or Restricted Funds; (v) transactions in units of a unit investment trust if the unit investment trust is invested exclusively in mutual funds, unless NorthStar or a Control affiliate acts as the investment adviser or principal underwriter for the Fund; and (vi) transactions and holdings in a spouse’s retirement plan controlled by the spouse’s employer, provided the employee does not participate in the investment decisions or provide any advice with respect to the allocation of such Account.

 

· “Restricted Fund” means any Fund or private fund that NorthStar or an Affiliated Company acts as the investment adviser, principal underwriter, fund accountant, or fund underwriter for the Fund or provides compliance services to the Fund (these Funds are flagged in the Schwab CT system).

 

· “Security” means any note, stock, treasury stock, security future, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement, collateral-trust certificate, pre-organization certificate or subscription, transferable share, investment contract, voting-trust certificate, certificate of deposit for a security, fractional undivided interest in oil, gas, or other mineral rights, any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on any security (including a certificate of deposit) or on any group or index of securities (including any interest therein or based on the value thereof), or any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege entered into on a national securities exchange relating to foreign currency, or, in general, any interest or instrument commonly known as a “security”, or any certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, guaranty of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase any of the foregoing. See Section 202(a)(18) of the Advisers Act.

 

· “Supervised Person” means managers, officers and partners of NorthStar (or other persons occupying a similar status or performing similar functions); employees of NorthStar; independent contractors accessing non-public information regarding NorthStar’s clients during such contractor’s engagement with NorthStar; and any other person who provides advice on behalf of NorthStar and is subject to NorthStar's supervision and control.
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· “Third Party Managed Account” refers to an Account where a third party has investment management discretion regarding Securities transactions pursuant to a written, executed investment management agreement or advisory agreement addressing the Account or otherwise. Whether an Account is considered a Third Party Managed Account rests in the discretion of the Chief Compliance Officer or his or her designee, in consultation with the legal department, based on its assessment of the risks presented by such arrangement. No Access Person shall consider an Account to be a Third Party Managed Account until he or she has received approval from the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee. The Chief Compliance Officer reserves the right to revoke approval of a Third Party Managed Account at any time, for any reason.
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III. General Principles

 

This Code is designed to promote the following general principles:

 

· NorthStar and its Supervised Persons have a duty at all times to place the interests of clients first.

 

· NorthStar and its Supervised Persons have a duty of loyalty to clients.

 

· Access persons must conduct their personal securities transactions in a manner that avoids an actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of trust and responsibility.

 

· Access persons may not use knowledge about current or pending client or portfolio transactions for the purpose of personal profit.

 

· Information concerning clients (including former clients) must be kept confidential, including the client’s identity, holdings, and other non-public information.

 

· Independence in the investment decision-making process is paramount.

 

· Supervised Persons may not give or receive gifts or participate in entertainment beyond the parameters set forth in this Code to avoid even the appearance of favoritism or impropriety.

 

· Where NorthStar is in a position to direct brokerage transactions for the client, NorthStar has a duty to obtain best execution for such client’s transactions.

 

· NorthStar will ensure that investment advice is suitable to meeting the client’s individual objectives, needs, and circumstances.

 

The Chief Compliance Officer may grant exceptions to certain provisions contained in the Code only in those situations when it is clear beyond dispute that the interests of our clients will not be adversely affected or compromised. All questions arising in connection with personal securities trading should be resolved in favor of the client even at the expense of the interests of employees.

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IV. Standards of Business Conduct

 

NorthStar places the highest priority on maintaining its reputation for integrity and professionalism. That reputation is a vital business asset. The confidence and trust placed in NorthStar and its employees by our clients is something we value and endeavor to protect. The following Standards of Business Conduct set forth policies and procedures to achieve these goals.

 

A. Compliance with Laws and Regulations

 

In addition to adhering strictly to the specific requirements of this Code and all other NorthStar policies and procedures, NorthStar expects all Supervised Persons to respect and comply with applicable federal and state securities laws and regulations. This includes prohibiting any activity which directly or indirectly:

 

· Defrauds a client in any manner;
· Misleads a client, including any statement that omits material facts;
· Operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit on a client;
· Functions as a manipulative practice with respect to a client; or
· Functions as a manipulative practice with respect to securities.

 

Pursuant to Section 206 of the Advisers Act, both NorthStar and its employees are prohibited from engaging in fraudulent, deceptive or manipulative conduct. Compliance with this section involves more than acting with honesty and good faith alone. It means, where applicable, that NorthStar has an affirmative duty of utmost good faith to act solely in the best interest of its clients.

 

Section 204A of the Advisers Act requires the establishment and enforcement of policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the misuse of material, nonpublic information by investment advisers. Such policies and procedures are contained in this Code. This Code also contains policies and procedures with respect to personal securities transactions of all Access Persons as defined herein. These procedures cover transactions in a Reportable Security in which an Access Person has Beneficial Ownership in or Accounts over which the Access Person exercises control as well as transactions by the Access Person’s Family Members.

 

B. Conflicts of Interest

 

Conflicts of interest may come about any time there may be an incentive to favor one party over another. Given the nature of NorthStar’s business and business relationships between Affiliated Companies, conflicts can arise in various contexts. Where possible, our objective is to avoid any conflict between NorthStar, Supervised Persons, and the client. For example, a conflict may arise when there is an opportunity to give preferential treatment to one client or portfolio relative to other clients for a number of reasons. A conflict can also come into play when there is an opportunity to take advantage of information, particularly regarding current or pending client or portfolio trades, for personal profit. Other conflicts may not always be clear-cut.

 

As an integral part of NorthStar’s fiduciary obligation, Supervised Persons are obligated to avoid conflicts of interest wherever possible and to fully disclose all facts concerning any conflict that may arise. Questions

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regarding a potential conflict should be fully vetted with the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee and appropriate legal counsel before any further action is taken.

 

C. Confidentiality

 

NorthStar and its Supervised Persons share a duty to ensure the confidentiality of client information, including account numbers, client holdings, transactions, and securities recommendations. Supervised Persons may not misuse or disclose such information, whether within or outside of NorthStar, except to authorized persons who require the information for legitimate business purposes or to fulfill their responsibilities. To ensure this duty is fulfilled, NorthStar has adopted this Code as well as its Employee Policies and Procedures and information securities policies, and each Affiliated Company has adopted its own Privacy Policy. All Supervised Persons are required to adhere to each of these policies, as relevant. As explained further in Section IX, all Supervised Persons are prohibited from disclosing confidential information concerning NorthStar, including any trade secrets or other proprietary information, including materials marked for internal use only.

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V. Prohibition Against Insider Trading

 

A. Introduction

 

Trading Securities while in possession of material, nonpublic information, or improperly communicating that information to others may expose Supervised Persons and NorthStar to stringent penalties. Criminal sanctions may include significant fines and/or imprisonment. The SEC can recover the profits gained or losses avoided through the illegal trading, impose a penalty of up to three times the illicit windfall, and/or issue an order permanently barring you from the securities industry. Finally, Supervised Persons and NorthStar may be sued by investors seeking to recover damages for insider trading violations.

 

The rules contained in this Code apply to Securities trading and information handling by Supervised Persons and their Family Members.

 

The law of insider trading is unsettled and continuously developing. An individual legitimately may be uncertain about the application of the rules contained in this Code in a particular circumstance. Often, a single question can avoid disciplinary action or complex legal problems. You must notify the Chief Compliance Officer immediately if you have any reason to believe that a violation of this Code has occurred or is about to occur.

 

B. General Policy

 

No Supervised Person may trade, either personally or on behalf of others (such as investment funds and private accounts managed by NorthStar) (“Client Accounts”), while in the possession of material, nonpublic information, nor may any personnel of NorthStar communicate material, nonpublic information to others in violation of the law.

 

1. What is Material Information ?

 

Information is material where there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider it important in making his or her investment decisions. Generally, this includes any information the disclosure of which will have a substantial effect on the price of a company’s Securities. No simple test exists to determine when information is material; assessments of materiality involve a highly fact-specific inquiry. For this reason, you should direct any questions about whether information is material to the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee.

 

Material information often relates to a company’s results and operations, including, for example, dividend changes, earnings results, changes in previously released earnings estimates, significant merger or acquisition proposals or agreements, major litigation, liquidation problems, and extraordinary management developments.

 

Material information also may relate to the market for a company’s Securities. Information about a significant order to purchase or sell Securities may, in some contexts, be material. Prepublication information regarding reports in the financial press also may be material. For example, the United States Supreme Court upheld the criminal convictions of insider trading defendants who capitalized on prepublication information about The Wall Street Journal’s “Heard on the Street” column.

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You should also be aware of the SEC’s position that the term “material nonpublic information” relates not only to issuers but also to NorthStar's Securities recommendations and client Securities holdings and transactions.

 

2. What is Nonpublic Information ?

 

Information is “public” when it has been disseminated broadly to investors in the marketplace. For example, information is public after it has become available to the general public through a public filing with the SEC or some other government agency, the Dow Jones “tape” or The Wall Street Journal or some other publication of general circulation and after sufficient time has passed so that the information has been disseminated widely.

 

3. Identifying Inside Information

 

Before executing any trade for yourself or others, including Client Accounts, you must determine whether you have access to material, nonpublic information. If you think that you might have access to material, nonpublic information, you should take the following steps:

 

· Report the information and proposed trade immediately to the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

· Do not purchase or sell the Securities on behalf of yourself or others, including Client Accounts.

 

· Do not communicate the information inside or outside NorthStar, other than to the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

· After the Chief Compliance Officer has reviewed the issue and consulted with legal counsel as necessary, NorthStar will determine whether the information is material and nonpublic and, if so, what action NorthStar will take.

 

You should consult with the Chief Compliance Officer before taking any action. This degree of caution will protect you, our clients, and NorthStar.

 

4. Contacts with Public Companies

 

Contacts with public companies may represent an important part of our research efforts. NorthStar may make investment decisions on the basis of conclusions formed through such contacts and analysis of publicly available information. Difficult legal issues arise, however, when, in the course of these contacts, a Supervised Person of NorthStar or other person subject to this Code becomes aware of material, nonpublic information. This could happen, for example, if a company’s Chief Financial Officer prematurely discloses quarterly results to an analyst, or an investor relations representative makes selective disclosure of adverse news to a handful of investors. In such situations, NorthStar must make a judgment as to its further conduct. To protect yourself, your clients and NorthStar, you should contact the Chief Compliance Officer immediately if you believe that you may have received material, nonpublic information.

 

5. Tender Offers

 

Tender offers represent a particular concern in the law of insider trading for two reasons: First, tender offer activity often produces extraordinary gyrations in the price of the target company’s Securities. Trading

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during this time period is more likely to attract regulatory attention (and produces a disproportionate percentage of insider trading cases). Second, the SEC has adopted a rule which expressly forbids trading and “tipping” while in the possession of material, nonpublic information regarding a tender offer received from the tender offeror, the target company or anyone acting on behalf of either. Supervised Persons of NorthStar and others subject to this Code should exercise extreme caution any time they become aware of nonpublic information relating to a tender offer.

 

6. Restricted/Watch Lists

 

Although NorthStar does not typically receive confidential information from portfolio companies, it may, if it receives such information take appropriate procedures to establish restricted or watch lists in certain Securities.

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VI. Personal Securities Transactions

 

A. General Policy

 

The following principles governing personal investment activities by Access Persons have been adopted:

 

· The interests of client accounts will at all times be placed first;

 

· All personal Securities transactions will be conducted in such manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of an individual’s position of trust and responsibility; and

 

· Access Persons must not take inappropriate advantage of their positions.

 

B. Covered Accounts

 

The specific procedures relating to maintaining Accounts that can transact business in Reportable Securities are set forth below and apply not only to Access Persons themselves, but also to their Family Members. It is the responsibility of the Access Person to adhere to the “Reporting Requirements” set forth in Section

VI.E    below. Additionally, Schedule D contains a list of the typical account types that would need to be reported through Schwab CT.

 

1. Designated Custodians

 

Except as set forth below, Access Persons must maintain personal brokerage and trading accounts with a “Designated Custodian” included on the list set forth in Schedule B. Accounts trading in shares of open- end investment companies (i.e., mutual funds) (excluding ETFs) may also be custodied directly with the respective fund company. If you are a new Access Person, you must transfer your Account to a Designated Custodian within thirty (30) days from becoming an Access Person unless otherwise approved by the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee. You are responsible for costs associated with transferring your personal Account. All new brokerage and trading Accounts must be established with a Designated Custodian.

 

The Chief Compliance Officer, at his/her discretion, may approve the maintenance of a personal brokerage or trading account through a custodian that is not a “Designated Custodian”; provided, that any Access Person who receives such approval shall be assessed a maintenance fee or such other fee, as assessed by ByAllAccounts (the “Maintenance Fee”) per registration maintained at any such non-Designated Custodian and such Access Person shall be responsible for authenticating such Account in the Schwab CT system to ensure that transaction information on any such Accounts are electronically downloaded into the Schwab CT system for review and monitoring purposes. The Maintenance Fee is a fee charged by ByAllAccounts to NorthStar for maintaining such accounts (the fee is currently $100 per year, subject to change at any time in the discretion of ByAllAccounts). To the extent an electronic feed cannot be established for any such Account, the Access Person will need to follow an alternative reporting process specified by the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

2. Third Party Managed Accounts
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The establishment of Third Party Managed Accounts requires pre-approval by the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee. To request approval, an Access Person must follow the instructions to “Add a New Account” in the Schwab CT system. Approval or rejection of the Account will typically be sent via email through the Schwab CT system back to the requester.

 

C. Trading Rules

 

The specific procedures relating to trading in Accounts are set forth below and require, among other things, the reporting of securities transactions and holdings, as well as the pre-approval of certain types of transactions. These procedures apply to transactions for Access Persons themselves, as well as transactions for Family Members.

 

· General Pre-Clearance Requirements

 

An Access Person may not, directly or indirectly, acquire or dispose of Beneficial Ownership of a Reportable Security in an Account unless: (i) such purchase or sale has been approved by the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee; (ii) the approved transaction is completed within two business days in accordance with this Code after approval is received unless otherwise approved by the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee; and (iii) the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee has not rescinded such approval prior to execution of the transaction. Post-approval is not permitted. Schedule D contains a list of the types of securities that are typically subject to pre-clearance if traded in a covered Account.

 

Clearance must be obtained by entering the request in the Schwab CT system or as otherwise designated by the Chief Compliance Officer. The Schwab CT system will generate an automatic approval for trades that do not pose any conflicts and certain other trades may be subject to manual review by the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee. Clearance will be obtained by receiving approval in the Schwab CT system or other process designated by the Chief Compliance Officer. The Chief Compliance Officer, or his/her designee, monitors all transactions by all Access Persons in order to ascertain any pattern of conduct which may evidence conflicts or potential conflicts with the principles and objectives of this Code, including a pattern of front-running.

 

Advance trade clearance in no way waives or absolves any Access Persons of the obligation to abide by the provisions, principles and objectives of this Code.

 

· Exemptions from Pre-Clearance Requirements

 

Certain types of transactions in Reportable Securities do not present the sort of risks that require pre- clearance at this time; however, Accounts holding such Reportable Securities are still subject to the reporting requirements set forth in the “Covered Accounts” section above and may be subject to certain reporting obligations described in Section IV.E below. In connection with its review and evaluation of information reported for such exempted transactions, the Chief Compliance Officer reserves the right to change this policy generally or with respect to any individual Access Person at any time. The following transactions generally do not require pre-clearance unless otherwise specified by the Chief Compliance Officer:

 

· Transactions in Reportable Securities in pre-approved Third Party Managed Accounts;
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· Transactions in Reportable Securities that result solely from Automatic Investment Plans; provided, that the initial establishment of an Automatic Investment Plan and any transaction that overrides the pre-set schedule or allocations of the Automatic Investment Plan must be pre-cleared; and
· Transactions in shares of open-end registered investment companies (i.e., mutual funds) but excluding ETFs, Restricted Funds, unit investment trusts, and variable and fixed annuities.

 

· Pre-Clearance Rules and Trade Activity Review

 

The following rules provide the basis for approval or denial decisions granted by the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee of personal securities transactions in Reportable Securities in covered Accounts. Pre-clearance approval is effective for up to two business days after approval depending on the timing of submission. For purposes of calculating the two business day requirement, Schwab CT considers the first business day to be the day of approval if that approval is received during business hours. For example, if you pre-clear a trade at market open on a Monday, you’d have until market close on Tuesday to complete. If you pre-clear a trade over the weekend, you would also have until market close on Tuesday to complete; however, if you pre-clear a trade immediately prior to market close on a Monday, you’d still only have until market close on Tuesday to complete. If you pre-clear a trade after market hours on Monday, you’d then have until market close on Wednesday to complete. Pre-clearance is granted via Schwab CT, or if Schwab CT is unavailable, by email from the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee.

 

·                      Black-out Period —No Investment Personnel shall purchase or sell, directly or indirectly, any Security in which he or she has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial interest within three (3) calendar days of the purchase or sale of the same Security by a NorthStar client under such Investment Personnel’s supervision or a NorthStar client for whom such Investment Personnel otherwise participates in decision making or obtains information in connection with the purchase or sale of Securities. (For example, if a NorthStar client trades in a Security on day one, day four is the first day the Investment Personnel may trade in such Security for an Account he or she has Beneficial Ownership.) In the event a Securities transaction is executed in a NorthStar client account within three (3) calendar days after an Investment Personnel executed a transaction in the same Security, the Chief Compliance Officer, or his/her designee, will review such Investment Personnel’s and the client’s transactions to determine whether any fiduciary duties to the client have been violated. If the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee is not satisfied that the Investment Personnel effected his or her trade without knowledge of the impending client transaction, the Investment Personnel may be required to submit a trade to reverse the transaction, forfeit any resulting gains, and absorb any resulting financial and/or tax consequences based on the investigation and decision of the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

· Pre-Clearance Required for Participation in IPOs

 

No Supervised Person shall acquire any Beneficial Ownership in any Securities in an Initial Public Offering for his or her Account, as defined herein without the prior written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee after being provided with full details of the proposed transaction (including written certification that the investment opportunity did not arise by virtue of the Supervised Person’s activities on behalf of a client) and, if approved, will be subject to continuous monitoring for possible future conflicts.

 

·          Pre-Clearance Required for Private or Limited Offerings

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No Supervised Person shall acquire Beneficial Ownership of any Securities in a Limited Offering or private placement without the prior written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee who has been provided with full details of the proposed transaction (including written certification that the investment opportunity did not arise by virtue of the Supervised Person’s activities on behalf of a client) and, if approved, will be subject to continuous monitoring for possible future conflicts.

 

D. Holding Period Requirements

 

Access Persons cannot sell a Reportable Security within less than 30 days of its purchase or purchase a Reportable Security within less than 30 days of its sale. Approved Securities purchased in an Initial Public Offering also must be held for at least 30 days. Hardship exceptions to this 30-day holding period requirement may be granted at the discretion of the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee.

 

E. Reporting Requirements

 

Every Access Person shall provide initial and annual holdings reports and quarterly transaction reports relating to their Account(s) to the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee that must contain the information described below. Access Persons are responsible for reporting on any new Account(s) within thirty (30) days of the assignment of an account number to such Account from the brokerage firm/custodian and the availability of an account statement. No transactions may occur in any new Account prior to its approval by the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee.

 

1. Initial Holdings Report

 

Every Access Person shall, no later than ten (10) days after the person becomes an Access Person, file an initial holdings report through Schwab CT containing the following information:

 

· The title and exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, type of Security, number of shares and principal amount (if applicable) of each Security in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership when the person becomes an Access Person;

 

· The name of any broker, dealer or bank, account name, account number and location with whom the Access Person maintained an Account in which any Securities were held; and

 

· The date that the report is submitted by the Access Person.

 

The information submitted must be current as of a date no more than forty-five (45) days before the person became an Access Person.

 

2. Annual Holdings Report

 

Every Access Person shall, no later than January 30th each year, file an annual holdings report containing the same information required in the initial holdings report as described above. The information submitted must be current as of a date no more than forty-five (45) days before the annual report is submitted.

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3. Quarterly Transaction Reports

 

Every Access Person must, no later than thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar quarter, file a quarterly transaction report containing the following information:

 

· With respect to any transaction during the quarter in a Reportable Security in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership:

 

o The date of the transaction, the title and exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, the interest rate and maturity date (if applicable), the number of shares and the principal amount (if applicable) of each Reportable Security;
o The nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition);
o The price of the Reportable Security at which the transaction was effected;
o The name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected; and
o The date the report is submitted by the Access Person.

 

The quarterly transaction report must also contain the name of the broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person established any account during the period in which Securities are held and the date the Account was established.

 

4.   Exempt Transactions

 

A Supervised Person may not need to submit an initial holdings report, an annual holdings report, or a quarterly transaction report, and may be exempted from the above pre-clearance or holding period requirements, with respect to transactions effected for Securities held in any account over which the Supervised Person has no direct or indirect influence or control; provided, however, that in determining that a Supervised Person has no direct or indirect influence or control over a trust or Third Party Managed Account, the following shall be certified each quarter by the Supervised Person:

 

· That the Supervised Person does not suggest or direct and did not in the most recent quarter suggest or direct that a third-party discretionary manager or trustee serving the Account make any particular purchases or sales of securities for the Account; and

 

· That the Supervised Person did not in the most recent quarter consult with the trustee or third-party discretionary manager serving the Account as to the particular allocation of investments to be made in the Account.

 

In determining that a Supervised Person has no direct or indirect influence or control over a trust or Third Party Managed Account and in addition to the quarterly certifications, NorthStar may:

 

· Require the Supervised Person to provide information about a trustee or third-party discretionary manager’s relationship with such Supervised Person (i.e., independent professional versus friend or relative; unaffiliated versus affiliated firm); and
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· On a periodic or sample basis, request reports on holdings and/or transactions made in the trust or discretionary account; provided, that annual holdings reports will be required for all Third Party Managed Accounts in which Reportable Securities may be held.

 

Unless otherwise required by the Chief Compliance Officer, a Supervised Person need not submit quarterly transaction reports with respect to transactions effected pursuant to (i) an Automatic Investment Plan, or

(ii) with respect to transactions that would duplicate information contained in Securities transaction confirmations or brokerage account statements that NorthStar holds in its records so long as NorthStar receives the confirmations or statements no later than 30 days after the end of the applicable calendar quarter.

 

5. Monitoring and Review of Personal Securities Transactions

 

The Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee will monitor and review all reports required under this Code for compliance with NorthStar's policies regarding personal Securities transactions and applicable SEC rules and regulations. The Chief Compliance Officer may also initiate inquiries of Supervised Persons regarding personal Securities trading. Supervised Persons are required to cooperate with such inquiries and any monitoring or review procedures employed by NorthStar. Any transactions for any accounts of the Chief Compliance Officer will be reviewed and approved by other compliance or legal personnel responsible for oversight of this Code. The Chief Compliance Officer shall routinely, via the Schwab CT system, identify all Supervised Persons who are required to file reports pursuant to this Code and will inform such Supervised Persons of their reporting obligations. The Chief Compliance Officer may exempt temporary or part time NorthStar employees or independent contractors from certain reporting requirements of this Code if they are determined not to be an Access Person.

 

· Employee Transactions in NorthStar 401(k) Account— While an employee participating in NorthStar’s 401(k) plan ordinarily is not required to report transactions occurring in such employee’s respective 401(k) account, the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee reserves the right to monitor such accounts for any abusive trading practices that would violate this Code, including an employee’s investment allocation changes within his/her NorthStar 401(k) account as they relate to investments in Restricted Funds. For the avoidance of doubt, it is a violation of this Code for an employee to change an allocation to Restricted Funds within his/her NorthStar 401(k) account on the basis of non-public information such employee may have regarding Restricted Funds.
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VII. Interested Transactions

 

No Supervised Person shall recommend any Securities transactions for a client without having disclosed his or her interest, if any, in such Securities or the issuer thereof, including without limitation:

 

· any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership of any Securities of such issuer;

 

· any contemplated transaction by such person in such Securities;

 

· any position with such issuer or its affiliates; and

 

· any present or proposed business relationship between such issuer or its affiliates and such person or any party in which such person has a significant interest.
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VIII. Gifts and Entertainment

 

Giving, receiving or soliciting gifts or entertainment in a business setting may create an appearance of impropriety or may raise a potential conflict of interest. NorthStar has adopted the policies set forth below to guide Supervised Persons in this area.

 

A. General Policy

 

NorthStar's policy with respect to gifts and entertainment is as follows:

 

· Supervised Persons should not accept or provide any gifts, entertainment or favors that might influence the decisions the Supervised Persons or the recipients must make in business transactions involving NorthStar, or that others might reasonably believe would influence those decisions. Entertainment that satisfies these requirements and conforms to generally accepted business practices is permissible.

 

· Modest gifts and favors (e.g., those valued at under $100), which would not be regarded by others as improper, may be accepted or given on an occasional basis.

 

· Where there is a law or rule that applies to the conduct of a particular business or the acceptance of gifts or entertainment of even nominal value, the law or rule must be followed.

 

B. Reporting Requirements

 

· Any Supervised Person who accepts, directly or indirectly, anything of value (other than attendance fees or travel related reimbursements in connection with the participation at an industry related conference or seminar) from any person or entity that does business with or on behalf of NorthStar, including gifts and gratuities, must obtain consent from the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee before accepting such gift. Such consent must be requested and tracked through the Schwab CT reporting system. In the event the circumstances do not permit you to obtain consent prior to accepting such gift, you must notify the Chief Compliance Officer as promptly as possible.

 

· This reporting requirement applies to all entertainment, regardless of whether you are accompanied by the person or representative of the entity that does business with NorthStar; however, this reporting requirement does not apply to bona fide dining if, during such dining, you are accompanied by the person or representative of the entity that does business with NorthStar.

 

· This gift reporting requirement is for the purpose of helping NorthStar monitor the activities of its employees. However, the reporting of a gift does not relieve any Supervised Person from the obligations and policies set forth in this Section or anywhere else in this Code. If you have any questions or concerns about the appropriateness of any gift, please consult the Chief Compliance Officer.
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IX. Protecting the Confidentiality of Client Information

 

A. Confidential Client Information

 

In the course of providing its services, NorthStar gains access to non-public information about its clients. Such information may include a person's status as a client, personal financial and account information, the allocation of assets in a client portfolio, the composition of investments in any client portfolio, information relating to services performed for or transactions entered into on behalf of clients, advice provided by NorthStar to clients, and data or analyses derived from such non-public personal information (collectively referred to as “Confidential Client Information”). All Confidential Client Information, whether relating to NorthStar's current or former clients, is subject to this Code's policies and procedures. Any doubts about the confidentiality of information must be resolved in favor of confidentiality.

 

B. Non-Disclosure of Confidential Client Information

 

All information regarding NorthStar's clients is confidential. Information may only be disclosed when the disclosure is consistent with NorthStar's policies and the client's direction. NorthStar does not share Confidential Client Information with any third parties, except in the following circumstances:

 

· As necessary to provide service that the client requested or authorized, or to maintain and service the client's account. NorthStar will require that any financial intermediary, agent or other service provider utilized by NorthStar (such as broker-dealers or sub-advisers) comply with substantially similar standards for non-disclosure and protection of Confidential Client Information and use the information provided by NorthStar only for the performance of the specific service requested by NorthStar;

 

· As required by regulatory authorities or law enforcement officials who have jurisdiction over NorthStar, or as otherwise required by any applicable law. In the event NorthStar is compelled to disclose Confidential Client Information, NorthStar shall provide prompt notice to the clients affected, so that the clients may seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy. If no protective order or other appropriate remedy is obtained, NorthStar shall disclose only such information, and only in such detail, as is legally required; or

 

· To the extent reasonably necessary to prevent fraud, unauthorized transactions or liability.

 

C. Employee Responsibilities

 

All employees are prohibited, either during or after the termination of their employment from disclosing Confidential Client Information to any person or entity outside NorthStar, including Family Members, except under the circumstances described above. A Supervised Person is permitted to disclose Confidential Client Information only to such other Supervised Persons who need to have access to such information to deliver services to the client.

 

Supervised Persons are also prohibited from making unauthorized copies of any documents or files containing Confidential Client Information and, upon termination of their employment with NorthStar, must return any and all such documents to NorthStar.

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Any Supervised Person who violates the non-disclosure policy described above will be subject to disciplinary action, including possible termination, whether or not he or she benefited from the disclosed information.

 

D. Security of Confidential Personal Information

 

NorthStar enforces the following policies and procedures to protect the security of Confidential Client Information:

 

· NorthStar restricts access to Confidential Client Information to those Supervised Persons who need to know such information to provide NorthStar's services to clients.

 

· Any Supervised Person who is authorized to have access to Confidential Client Information in connection with the performance of such person's duties and responsibilities is required to keep such information in a secure compartment, file or receptacle on a daily basis as of the close of each business day.

 

· All electronic or computer files containing any Confidential Client Information shall be password secured and firewall protected from access by unauthorized persons.

 

· Any conversations involving Confidential Client Information, if appropriate at all, must be conducted by Supervised Persons in private, and care must be taken to avoid any unauthorized persons overhearing or intercepting such conversations.

 

E. Privacy Policy

 

NorthStar has adopted a privacy policy to comply with SEC Regulation S-P, which requires the adoption of policies and procedures to protect the “nonpublic personal information” of natural person clients. “Nonpublic personal information,” under Regulation S-P includes personally identifiable financial information and any list, description, or grouping that is derived from personally identifiable financial information. Personally identifiable financial information is defined to include information supplied by individual clients, information resulting from transactions and information obtained in providing products or services. The policies and procedures adopted by NorthStar serve to safeguard the information of natural person clients.

 

F. Enforcement and Review of Confidentiality and Privacy Policies

 

The legal department of NorthStar is responsible for reviewing, maintaining and enforcing NorthStar's confidentiality and privacy policies and is also responsible for conducting appropriate employee training to ensure adherence to these policies. Any exceptions to this policy require the written approval of the legal department.

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X. Service as a Director

 

Except with respect to Supervised Persons solely as a result of their service as a non-employee director, manager, or officer, or their engagement as an independent contractor, no Supervised Person shall serve on the board of directors of any publicly traded company without prior authorization by the Chief Compliance Officer or a designated supervisory person based upon a determination that such board service would be consistent with the interest of NorthStar's clients. Where board service is approved NorthStar shall implement a “Chinese Wall” or other appropriate procedure to isolate such person from making decisions relating to the company’s securities.

 

XI. Certification

 

A. Initial Certification

 

All Supervised Persons will be provided with a copy of this Code and must initially certify in writing to the Chief Compliance Officer that they have: (i) received a copy of this Code; (ii) read and understand all provisions of this Code; (iii) agreed to abide by this Code; and (iv), reported all account holdings as required by this Code.

 

B. Amendments

 

All Supervised Persons shall receive any amendments to this Code and agree to abide by this Code as amended.

 

C.       Annual Certification

 

All Supervised Persons must annually certify in writing to the Chief Compliance Officer that they have: (i) read and understood all provisions of this Code, as amended; (ii) complied with all requirements of this Code; and (iii) submitted all holdings and transaction reports as required by this Code.

 

D. Further Information

 

Supervised Persons should contact the Chief Compliance Officer regarding any inquiries pertaining to this Code or the policies established herein.

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XII. Records

 

The Chief Compliance Officer, in conjunction with the NorthStar legal department, shall maintain and cause to be maintained in a readily accessible place the following records:

 

· A copy of any code of ethics adopted by NorthStar which is or has been in effect during the past five years;

 

· A record of any violation of any code of ethics adopted by NorthStar and any action that was taken as a result of such violation for a period of five years from the end of the fiscal year in which the violation occurred;

 

· A record of all written acknowledgements of receipt of the Code and amendments thereto for each person who is currently, or within the past five years was, a Supervised Person which shall be retained for five years after the individual ceases to be a Supervised Person;

 

· A copy of each report made pursuant to Advisers Act Rule 204A-1 and Investment Company Act Rule 17j-1, including any brokerage confirmations, account statements or data feeds made in lieu of these reports;

 

· A list of all persons who are, or within the preceding five years have been, Access Persons; and

 

· A record of any decision and reasons supporting such decision to approve a Supervised Persons' acquisition of Securities in Initial Public Offerings and Limited Offerings within the past five years after the end of the fiscal year in which such approval is granted.
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XIII. Reporting Violations and Sanctions

 

All Supervised Persons shall promptly report to the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee all apparent violations of this Code. Any retaliation for the reporting of a violation under this Code will constitute a violation of this Code.

 

The Chief Compliance Officer shall promptly report to senior management all apparent material violations of this Code. When the Chief Compliance Officer finds that a violation otherwise reportable to senior management could not be reasonably found to have resulted in a fraud, deceit, or a manipulative practice in violation of the securities laws or rules, he/she may, in his/her discretion, submit a written memorandum of such finding and the reasons therefore to a reporting file created for this purpose in lieu of reporting the matter to senior management.

 

Senior management shall consider reports made to it hereunder and shall determine whether or not this Code has been violated and what sanctions, if any, should be imposed. Possible sanctions may include reprimands, monetary fine or assessment, or suspension or termination of the employee’s employment. In accordance with the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 and other applicable law, nothing in this Code restricts disclosure of trade secrets to the government in relation to the investigation of a known or reasonably suspected violation of applicable law.

 

If a Supervised Person does not wish to report an apparent violation or unethical behavior to the Chief Compliance Officer, such Supervised Person can utilize the NorthStar Whistleblower/AlertLine (“AlertLine”).

 

Unethical behavior can include violations of federal, state or local laws; any material violation of this Code; billing for services not performed or for goods not delivered; and other fraudulent financial reporting. Illegal or dishonest activities may be related to: diversity, equal opportunity and respect in the workplace; employee relations (inappropriate behavior/unfair employment practices); health and safety; misuse or misappropriation of assets or information; violations of SEC and FINRA rules and policies; and/or policy and process integrity.

 

The AlertLine is not a substitute for meaningful communication between the Supervised Person and their manager. The Chief Compliance Officer or the Supervised Person’s manager is often the best and safest option for discussing concerns of an ethical nature. If, however, a Supervised Person believes that to be inappropriate in their case, they can report ethical misconduct or simply get more information by logging on to https://northstar.alertline.com or by calling the AlertLine at 1-855-343-6082 .

 

The AlertLine is confidential, easy to use, and is operated by a third-party provider, which specializes in this type of service. Supervised Persons will have two options for reporting concerns: 1.) Online by logging on to the website at https://northstar.alertline.com and filling in important information fields regarding the nature of the report, or 2.) Call the AlertLine number at 1-855-343-6082 to speak with a live operator, who will ask relevant questions. Calls are toll-free and both methods are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Regardless of which method an employee chooses, the AlertLine system will prepare a report and forward it to the appropriate person for review and, if necessary, investigation.

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XIV. Ethics Training

 

The Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee will provide training to all Supervised Persons on at least an annual basis regarding the topics included in this Code. It shall be the responsibility of the Chief Compliance Officer to ensure that evidence of any communication and training conducted, including specified dates and attendees. Such training can be provided in-person or electronically, at the Chief Compliance Officer’s discretion.

 

With respect to employees and associated persons of GAF, the ethics training shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

 

· An explanation of the applicable laws and regulations and rules of self-regulatory organizations or contract markets and registered derivatives transaction execution facilities;

 

· GAF’s obligation to the public to observe just and equitable principles of trade;

 

· How to act honestly and fairly and with due skill, care, and diligence in the best interest of customers and the integrity of the markets;

 

· How to establish effective supervisory systems and internal controls;

 

· Obtaining and assessing the financial situation and investment experience of customers;

 

· Disclosure of material information to customers; and

 

· Avoidance, proper disclosure, and handling of conflicts of interest.
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Schedule A

Schedule of Affiliated Companies

 

NorthStar Financial Services Group, LLC (subsidiaries and affiliates)

Blu Giant, LLC CLS Investments, LLC

Constellation Trust Company Gemini Alternative Funds, LLC Gemini Fund Services, LLC Gemini Hedge Fund Services, LLC

Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC Northern Lights Distributors, LLC NorthStar CTC Holdings, Inc.

Orion Advisor Services, LLC

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Schedule B Designated Custodians*

 

TD Ameritrade, Inc. E*Trade

Scottrade Fidelity

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

 

*Please note that this list may be amended at the Chief Compliance Officer’s discretion.

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Schedule C Frequently Asked Questions

About Code of Ethics

 

Persons Subject to Code:

 

1. Why are some Code requirements applicable to “Supervised Persons” while others refer to “Access Persons”? As a NorthStar employee, what applies to me?

 

Under applicable regulatory requirements, certain provisions of the Code are required to be applicable to “Supervised Persons” while others are focused on “Access Persons”. You are a “Supervised Person” if you are an employee or officer of NorthStar, an independent contractor working with NorthStar who obtains confidential information regarding NorthStar’s clients as part of your engagement, or you provide advice on behalf of NorthStar and you’re subject to NorthStar’s supervision and control. “Access Persons” are a subset of this group who are given access to nonpublic information regarding any client’s purchase or sale of Securities, nonpublic information regarding the portfolio holdings of any Restricted Fund, or you’re involved in making Securities recommendations to clients. In reality, because of the close affiliation of our Affiliated Companies, almost every “Supervised Person” will also be considered an “Access Person”. Non-employee NorthStar directors/managers and registered representatives of NLD who do not make Securities recommendations to NLD clients are the primary examples of individuals who would be considered “Supervised Persons” but not “Access Persons”.

 

Bottom Line: If you are an employee of NorthStar or any of its Affiliated Companies, all provisions of the Code apply to you with very limited exception.

 

Accounts Covered by Code:

 

1. What accounts do I need to disclose on Schwab CT?

 

Any Account of an employee or their Family Members and any Account in which he or she has Beneficial Ownership, such as trust and custodial accounts or other accounts in which you exercise investment discretion should be disclosed. Please note that for this purpose, “Family Member” includes not only relatives by blood, marriage, or otherwise, but also an unrelated individual who either resides with, is financially dependent upon, or whose investments are controlled by you, such as a “significant other”. Any questions regarding the coverage of non-Family Members will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

 

There are limited exceptions to this definition that include your NorthStar 401(k) account and any account that you do not exercise control over, as further explained in Section VI.E.5 of the Code. For example, if you are the beneficiary of a trust but have no knowledge of the specific management actions taken by the trustee and no right to intervene in the trustee’s management, such “blind trust” account would be excluded from the disclosure requirement.

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NorthStar does not need information about your checking and savings accounts maintained at a bank, credit union or trust company, unless these accounts maintain Security holdings.

 

2. What if I am a beneficiary on an account?

 

If you are named as a beneficiary on an account or trust but have no knowledge or control of the specific actions taken by the trustee and no right to intervene in the trustee’s management, you would not have to disclose the trust account. If you have more contact with the account or trust, you may need to disclose the account on Schwab CT, but you may not have to pre-clear transactions until you become in control of the assets. These situations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

 

3. How do I disclose an account in Schwab CT?

 

On your first day of employment, you will receive an email from Schwab CT prompting you to login and complete the required attestations as a new employee. One of your attestations will require you to disclose any accounts you or any Family Member have. For any non-brokerage accounts, you are required to upload a copy of the most recent quarterly or monthly statement. (Non-brokerage accounts would include accounts held directly at a mutual fund, college savings plan account, etc.)

 

4. Are there restrictions on the custodians that can hold my trading Account?

 

Yes, please refer to Section VI.B.1 which contains NorthStar’s policy on Designated Custodians. You can find the list of current Designated Custodians on Schedule B; however, please note that the Chief Compliance Officer has discretion to amend this list as necessary in his or her sole discretion.

 

5. Why do my personal brokerage and trading Accounts have to be held at a Designated Custodian?

 

By using a Designated Custodian, NorthStar is able to obtain daily feeds of trade activities in Accounts, which assists us in administering the Code effectively and efficiently.

 

6. If my Family Member or I have Accounts at firms not listed on Schedule B, will they have to be moved?

 

Yes, unless the Account is a non-brokerage account holding Securities such as accounts held directly at a mutual fund, college savings plan account, etc., the Account must be transferred within 30 days from initial commencement of employment unless otherwise authorized by the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee. With non-brokerage accounts, you will need to upload a copy of a recent statement for each Account.

 

7. If my current brokerage firm charges me a fee to move my Account, will NorthStar pay that fee?

 

No, you will have to pay any fees associated with transferring your Account.

 

8. What if I have a Third Party Managed Account?
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The establishment of a Third Party Managed Account requires pre-approval by the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee. To request approval, please follow the instructions to “Add a New Account” in the Schwab CT System.

 

Pre-Clearance:

 

1. How do I submit a pre-clearance request for a trade?

 

Pre-clearance requests must be approved by the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee prior to executing and can be submitted through the Schwab CT system by clicking on “Create a pre-clearance” on the home screen under “Quick Links”.

 

2. How long do I have to complete my trade after it has been pre-cleared?

 

Pre-clearance approval is effective for up to two business days after approval depending on the timing of submission. For purposes of calculating the two business day requirement, Schwab CT considers the first business day to be the day of approval if that approval is received during business hours. For example, if you pre-clear a trade at market open on a Monday, you’d have until market close on Tuesday to complete. If you pre-clear a trade over the weekend, you would also have until market close on Tuesday to complete; however, if you pre-clear a trade immediately prior to market close on a Monday, you’d still only have until market close on Tuesday to complete. If you pre-clear a trade after market hours on Monday, you’d then have until market close on Wednesday to complete.

3. If I want to purchase a mutual fund, do I have to get permission/approval first?

 

No, unless the fund is an ETF or a Restricted Fund.

 

4. If I want to sell a security (or close out an option position) I purchased before I started working here, does this trade require pre-clearance?

 

Yes, all trades (buy or sell orders) made while you are an Access Person of NorthStar must be pre-cleared.

 

5. If I place a trade while I am out of the office (on vacation for example), do I need to seek a pre-clearance approval request?

 

Yes, all trades (buy or sell orders) made while you are an Access Person of NorthStar must be pre-cleared, regardless of your location.

 

6. If my spouse places a trade, not me, do I still need a pre-clearance approval request?

 

Yes, regardless of who places the trade, pre-clearance for trades in Reportable Securities in your Accounts or the Accounts of your Family Members must always be received.

 

7. I executed a trade in my Account yesterday and entered in a pre-clearance request this morning, is that okay?

 

No. You must always seek pre-clearance approval before placing any trades in your Account.

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8. I want to place a limit order, stop order, or stop-limit order but I only have up to two business days to execute my trade, does this mean I have to seek pre-clearance approval every day?

 

The initial establishment of such an order would require pre-clearance; however, if the terms of such order remain unchanged and the order remains active, it is not necessary to withdraw and re-submit the same order if it is not executed within two business days, unless required by the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee. Such orders will be held open for twenty-five business days if no changes are made. After the conclusion of the twenty-five business days, you will need to withdraw and resubmit the order for pre-clearance again. Any changes to an outstanding limit order, stop order, or stop-limit order would need to be submitted for pre-clearance approval.

 

9. How long does it take for a pre-clearance request to be approved or denied?

 

Pre-clearance requests are reviewed and approved or denied within 24 hours; however, such requests are generally approved or denied much sooner than 24 hours.

 

10. Do I need pre-clearance if trades occur in my Third Party Managed Account?

 

If your Third Party Managed Account has been pre-approved by the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee, it is not necessary to pre-clear trades if all activity in the Account occurs at the discretion of the third party manager only. However, you will need to comply with the reporting requirements for such a Third-Party Managed Account and ensure that your most recent statement is uploaded on an at least an annual basis for such Account (or more frequently if deemed necessary by the Chief Compliance Officer).

 

11. Can I buy shares of an Initial Public Offering (IPO)?

 

You may not acquire shares of an IPO unless you receive prior written approval from the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee through the Schwab CT system. You are required to provide full details of the proposed transaction and certify that this opportunity did not arise through activities on behalf of a client. Please note, this restriction applies to spouses, children, and other Family Members and their Accounts. This also applies to private or Limited Offerings.

 

Holding Requirements:

 

1. How long must I hold a Reportable Security or wait before purchasing a Reportable Security?

 

You cannot sell a Reportable Security within 30 days of its purchase or purchase a Reportable Security within less than 30 days following its sale. This requirement also applies to Reportable Securities transactions in an Account for one of your Family Members.

 

Reporting Requirements:

 

1. What are my quarterly and annual reporting obligations?

 

On an ongoing basis, you will be prompted to certify your understanding and compliance with the reporting requirements of the Code on a quarterly basis. Reporting through Schwab CT to confirm your covered Accounts and investments/transactions is also completed on a quarterly basis.

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In addition, you are subject to an annual requirement to update your current holdings in your Accounts and provide your most recent Account statement. This requirement applies even to Third-Party Managed Accounts and other Accounts you are required to disclose but for which transactions are excluded from the pre-clearance requirement.

 

Further, with respect to Third-Party Managed Accounts or other Accounts for which you have no direct control or influence, you must also confirm your lack of control over such Accounts on a quarterly basis.

 

Gifts and Entertainment:

 

1. May I accept gifts?

 

You should not accept or provide any gifts that may influence, or be motivated by, certain employee decisions. Modest gifts and favors, which would not be regarded by others as improper, may be accepted or given on an occasional basis; provided that all gifts should be logged into Schwab CT, regardless of value.

 

2. Are there any exceptions to the reporting of gifts?

 

There are limited exceptions to the Code’s requirement to provide information on any gifts received/given in Schwab CT for approval and you should generally report all gifts in Schwab CT, regardless of the circumstances. Please note, however, that personal gifts such as a wedding gift or a congratulatory gift for the birth of a child would generally not be considered a reportable gift unless the gift is in relation to your business with the third party.

 

3. What is my reporting obligation with respect to entertainment?

 

All entertainment that is received in connection with a business relationship must be reported, regardless of value and regardless of whether you are accompanied by the person or representative of the entity that does business with NorthStar. For example, if a business contact provides you tickets to a concert, you must disclose the concert tickets in Schwab CT. This requirement applies regardless of whether the business contact attends the entertainment with you. Note that there is an exception for meals with business contacts. Industry conferences also are typically excluded from being considered entertainment even if entertainment (e.g., golf) is included as part of the conference agenda as long as the entertainment is generally offered to all conference participants.

 

4. Schwab CT asks me to include a value of the gift/entertainment I’m reporting. What if I don’t know the value?

 

In general, gifts and entertainment should be valued at the higher of the cost or market value, exclusive of tax and delivery charges. When valuing tickets, you should use the higher of cost or face value and include not only the value of your ticket but also any other tickets given for your use. For example, if you are given two tickets to the College World Series from a business contact and you take your spouse, you should include the value of both tickets in your Schwab CT report.

 

Schwab CT Administration:

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1. What is my Schwab CT password?

 

If you have forgotten your Schwab CT password, please click on the “forgot password” link on the Schwab CT login page and a new password will be emailed to you. Your compliance department will not have your password.

 

2. How do I know if I’ve completed all of my compliance affirmations in Schwab CT?

 

The Home page of Schwab CT will show you any outstanding items. Should an item be listed, you must click on that item and complete any required actions.

 

Code Violations:

 

1. What are the repercussions of a violation of the Code of Ethics?

 

Each violation of the Code is considered in relation to the facts and circumstances to determine the materiality of a particular violation. The Chief Compliance Officer will report to senior management all apparent material violations of the Code. Senior management shall consider any Code violations and determine what sanctions, if any, should be imposed. Possible sanctions include reprimands, monetary fines or assessments, or suspension or termination of an employee’s employment with NorthStar.

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Schedule D

Summary of Reporting Requirements

 

I. Account Reporting Requirements

 

This list is not all inclusive and may be updated from time to time. Accounts are required to be reported in Schwab CT initially and within 30 days of opening.

 

Account Type Reporting Required?*
Brokerage at Designated Custodian Yes
Brokerage at non-Designated Custodian (requires specific approval) Yes
Non-Brokerage Yes
Mutual Fund (non-ETF and non-Restricted Fund) Yes
ETF Yes
DRIP (Dividend Reinvestment Program) Yes
ESOP (Employee Stock Option Plan) Yes
401(k) (excluding NorthStar 401(k)) Yes
Family Member’s 401(k) or Other Employer- Sponsored Retirement Plan Account Yes
Third Party Managed Account Yes
Qualified Tuition Programs (such as 529 Plan) Yes
Variable Annuities Yes
Certificates of Deposit No
Currency No
Checking or Other Non-Securities Bank Account No

 

* If “Yes”, then reporting is required for your Accounts, your Family Members’ Accounts, and any other person’s Accounts where you may have Beneficial Ownership.

 

II. Pre-Clearance and Reporting by Security Type

 

This list may not be all inclusive and may be updated from time to time.

 

Security Type Pre-Clearance Required? Quarterly Transaction Report Required? Annual Holdings Report Required?
Equity Securities (Common, Preferred, Convertible) Yes Yes Yes
Fund (excluding ETF and Restricted Fund) No No Yes
ETF Yes Yes Yes
Restricted Fund Yes Yes Yes
Warrants Yes Yes Yes
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Rights Yes Yes Yes
Municipal Bond Securities Yes Yes Yes
Corporate Bond Securities Yes Yes Yes
High Yield Securities Yes Yes Yes
U.S. Treasury Securities No No No
Non-Government Debt Securities Yes Yes Yes
Foreign Government Issued Securities Yes Yes Yes
Money Market Instruments No No No
Limited Offerings (e.g., private placements) Yes Yes Yes
Security Futures Yes Yes Yes
Options, Forwards, and Futures on Commodities No No No
Options on Securities Yes Yes Yes
Options on Securities Indexes No No No
Futures on Securities Indexes No No No
Interests in Variable Annuity Products No Yes Yes
American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) Yes Yes Yes
Certificates of Deposit No No No
Commercial Paper No No No
Currency No No No

 

EXHIBIT C

 

REDWOOD INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC CODE OF ETHICS

DATED August, 2017

 

This Code of Ethics (the “Code”) applies to all Access Persons, as defined in Section 1(a) below, of Redwood Investment Management, LLC (“RIM” or the “Firm”). This Code supersedes all previous versions of RIM’s Code.

1. Definitions

 

(a) Access Person ” means, for the purposes of the Code, all officers, directors and employees of the Firm and any other person(s) that the Firm may deem from time to time to be an access person.

 

(b) Beneficial Ownership” means any interest in a security for which an Access Person can directly or indirectly receive a monetary benefit, which may include the right to buy or sell a security, to direct the purchase or sale of a security, or to vote or direct the voting of a security ( see Appendix 1 of this section for Examples of Beneficial Ownership ). Note: This broad definition of “beneficial ownership” does not necessarily apply for purposes of other securities laws or for purposes of estate or income tax reporting or liability. An employee may declare that the reporting or recording of any securities transaction should not be construed as an admission that he or she has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security for other purposes.

 

(c) “Exchange Traded Funds” (“ETFs”) are shares of ownership in either a fund, unit investment trusts or depository receipts that hold assets such as stocks, commodities, or bonds, and trades close to its net asset value over the course of the trading day. Most ETFs track an index, such as a stock index or bond index.

 

(d) “Exempt Transactions” means any transaction exempt from the pre-clearance, holding and/or reporting requirements under the Code. Such transactions are still subject to the Code of Ethics, and may still be reviewed by the CCO.

 

(e) “Federal Securities Laws” means the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as it applies to fund and investment advisers, Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, any rules adopted by the SEC under any of these statutes and any rules adopted thereunder by the SEC, Department of Labor or the Department of Treasury.

 

(f) Initial Public Offering ” means an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the issuer of which, immediately before the registration, was not subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

(g) “Limited Offering” means an offering that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to section 4(2) or section 4(6) (15 U.S.C. 77d(2) or 77(d)(6)) or pursuant to 230.504, 230.505, or 230.506 of this chapter.
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(h) Personal Account” means every account for which an Access Person may directly or indirectly influence or control the investment decisions of the account and otherwise be deemed to have Beneficial Ownership. This typically includes, but may not be limited to, accounts of (a) any Access Person, (b) the spouse of such Access Person, (c) any children living in the same household of such Access Person, and/or (d) any other person residing in the same household of such Access Person, if such Access person has a beneficial interest in such account(s). Each of the above accounts is considered a personal account of the Access Person.

 

(i) “Prohibited Transactions” means a personal securities transaction prohibited by this Code.

 

(j) Purchase or sale of a security ” means the buying or selling of any stock and includes, among other things, the writing of an option to purchase or sell a security or the purchase or sale of a security that is exchangeable for or convertible into a security.

 

(k) Reportable Fund” means (i) any fund for which the Firm serves as an investment adviser as defined in section 2(a)(2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940; or (ii) any fund whose investment adviser or principal underwriter controls the Firm, is controlled by the Firm, or is under common control with the Firm. For purposes of this section, control has the same meaning as it does in section 2(a)(9) of the Investment Company Act.

 

(l) “Restricted Securities” means Covered Securities that have been identified by the CCO as securities that are under consideration for either purchase or sale in client portfolios or being actively traded in client portfolios.

 

(m) “Secondary Offering” means an offering of securities of a publicly traded company that prior to the offering were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

(n) “Securities” or “Covered Securities” means securities that are covered by the Code. Such covered securities include, but are not necessarily limited to:
· Equity securities including common and preferred stock, which do not fall within the Exempted Transactions listed in section 4(b)(1) below;
· Restricted Securities;
· Corporate and Municipal bonds;
· Exchange Trade Funds;
· Reportable Funds;
· Investments convertible into, or exchangeable for, stock or debt securities;

·          Any derivative instrument relating to any of the above securities, including options, warrants and futures; and

· Any interest in a partnership investment in any of the foregoing.

 

2. Fiduciary Obligations and Ethical Principles

 

The Firm and its Access Persons have an ongoing fiduciary responsibility to the Firm’s clients and must ensure that the needs of the clients always come first. The Firm holds its Access Persons to a very high standard of integrity and business practices. In serving its clients, the Firm and its Access Persons must at all times deal with clients in an honest and ethical manner and comply with all the Federal and State Securities Laws.

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While affirming its confidence in the integrity and good faith of its Access Persons, the Firm understands that the knowledge of present or future client portfolio transactions and the power to influence client portfolio transactions, if held by such individuals, places them in a position where their personal interests might become conflicted with the interests of the Firm’s clients. Such conflicts of interest could arise, for example, if securities are bought or sold for personal accounts in a manner that either competes with the purchase or sale of securities for clients or results in an advantageous position for personal accounts.

 

Because the Firm is a fiduciary to its clients, Access Persons must avoid actual and potential conflicts of interest with the Firm’s clients. Therefore, in view of the foregoing and in accordance with the provisions of Rule 204a-1 under the Investment Advisers Act and Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Firm has adopted this Code to outline and prohibit certain types of activities that are deemed to create conflicts of interest (or at least the potential for or the appearance of such a conflict) and to outline reporting requirements and enforcement procedures.

 

In addition, Access Persons must adhere to the following general principles as well as to the Code’s specific provisions:

 

(a) At all times, the interests of the Firm’s clients must come first;
(b) Personal securities transactions must be conducted consistent with the Code in a manner that avoids any actual or potential conflict of interest; and
(c) No inappropriate advantage should ever be taken that is contrary to the Firm’s responsibilities and duties to its clients.

 

3. Unlawful Actions

 

It is unlawful for any Access Person:

 

(a) To employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud a client;
(b) To make any untrue statement of a material fact to any of the Firm’s clients or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made to a client, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading;
(c) To engage in any act, practice or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit on a client; or
(d) To engage in any manipulative practice with respect to a client.

 

4. Procedures regarding trading by Access Persons in Personal Accounts

 

(a) Preclearance Approval:
i. No Access Person may purchase or sell any IPO or Limited Offering without written pre-approval (via paper or email) by the CCO. This includes secondary offerings and offerings made on the Internet, and any private placements.

 

ii. Any registered investment company (mutual fund) where RIM serves as the Advisor or a Sub-Advisor. Current mutual funds advised by Redwood (“Redwood Mutual Funds”):
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1. Redwood Managed Volatility Fund, Redwood Managed Volatility Portfolio, Redwood Managed Municipal Income Fund, Redwood AlphaFactorTM Core Equity Fund, Redwood

AlphaFactor TM Tactical Core Fund.

 

iii. ETFs and closed end funds that could reasonably be included in any Redwood, or affiliate (such as Mulholland) strategy:

 

1. Example: High-yield bond ETF and high-yield bond closed end funds.
2. Example: ETF’s utilized in any Redwood ETF based strategy.

 

iv. At the discretion of the CCO and in accordance with the Firm’s written policy and procedures regarding aggregated block trades, Access Person transactions may be included in an aggregated block trade for clients, so long as it is in the same direction ( i.e., all buys or all sells), for the same security and requested on the same day the aggregated block trade takes place.

 

(b) Exempt Securities:

 

No Access Person shall be required to pre-clear or report transactions in the following securities :

 

·          Open-end mutual funds (this excludes closed-end mutual funds and ETFs which must be reported) except Redwood Mutual Funds or any other registered investment company where RIM serves as the Advisor or a Sub- Advisor.

·          U.S. treasury bonds, treasury notes, treasury bills, U.S. Savings Bonds, and other instruments issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities

·          Debt instruments issued by a banking institution, such as bankers’ acceptances and bank certificates of deposit (this excludes corporate or high yield bonds which must be reported)

· Commercial Paper
· Repurchase agreements

 

(c) Exempt Transactions:

 

No Access Person shall be required to pre-clear the following transactions:

 

· Transactions that take place in any Exempt Security (see 5b above);

·          Transactions that take place in an account where the Access Person has no direct or indirect influence or control ( e.g. discretionary managed accounts)

· Purchases that are part of an Automatic Reinvestment Plan

 

(d) Market Timing Prohibited : No Access Person shall engage in aggressive trading or market timing activities. For the purposes of the Code, "market timing" shall be defined as two round trips (2 purchase and 2 redemptions), regardless of size, of any Reportable Fund within a 30 day period, unless doing so would result in a substantial loss. Under this circumstance, the Access Person must obtain approval from the CCO
6  
 

or designee (or Managing Member in the case of the CCO) in advance of the sale of the Reportable Fund and provide a written detailed explanation of the hardship.

Monthly, RIM will monitor the flow of shareholder money in and out of the Fund, watching for market timing.

 

(e) Window Dressing Prohibited : “Window Dressing” or “Portfolio Pumping” is a form of portfolio manipulation in which a portfolio manager routinely buys and sells securities around reporting dates in order to conceal non-conforming trading strategies and mistakes, mislead shareholders regarding portfolio makeup, or exaggerate investing expertise. The Adviser is prohibited from engaging in window dressing.

 

(f) Misuse of Non-Public Information : No Access Person shall divulge or act upon any material, non-public information as such activity is defined hereto in Appendix 2: Redwood Investment Management, LLC Insider Trading Policies and Procedures , which are incorporated herein. Upon initial execution of this Code and annually thereafter, all Access Persons are required to read the Insider Trading Policies and Procedures, sign and date the acknowledgment of receipt and understanding form contained at the end of the section and send the executed form to the CCO within 15 days of receipt. See Appendix 3 for the Insider Trading Acknowledgement Form .

 

5. Conflicts of Interest Issues

 

(a) Charitable Donations : In order to avoid any potential or real conflicts of interests with clients, the Firm and its Access Persons are prohibited from making any type of charitable donation either directly or indirectly, to any non-affiliated charitable organization:

 

i.       That is a client or potential client of the Firm;

 

Where a donation has been requested by a client, potential client or consultant it must be pre-cleared by RIM’s CCO to determine that it is not for the purpose of obtaining business, directly or indirectly.

 

Access Persons must report all charitable donations to the CCO within 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the contribution was made. Access Persons must disclose the following information about each contribution:

 

i. Name of charitable organization receiving the donation.
ii. Amount and type of donation.
iii. Date donation was made.

 

(b) Gifts: No Access Person shall accept or give any gift or other item (for the purpose of this Code “gifts” include but are not limited to cash, merchandise, prizes, travel expenses, entertainment tickets) of more than $500 in value from any person or entity that does business with or on behalf of the Firm. All gifts above a de minimis amount of $50 given and received must be reported to the CCO at the time the gift was given and/or received. Meals, entertainment and travel in the presence of the person or entity that does or seeks to do business with RIM are permitted outside the $500 limit, so long as reasonable, but must be reported to the CCO above $500 per person. See Appendix 4 for Gift Reporting Form.
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(c) Service on Boards : No Access Person shall serve on the board of directors of a company, institution, endowment, charity, or any other organization without prior written authorization by the CCO. If board service is authorized, such Access Person shall at all times ensure that they have no role in making any type of investment decisions with respect to the company, unless otherwise approved by the CCO. To receive pre-clearance authorization for board service, please complete the Redwood Investment Management, LLC Outside Business Activities Form found in Appendix 5 .

 

(d) Outside Business Activities : While associated with RIM, no Access Person will accept outside employment or receive outside compensation for employment services, without completing Redwood Investment Management, LLC Outside Business Activities Form ( Appendix 5 ) and obtaining written pre-approval by the CCO. (Please note: This procedure must be followed even if the outside activity is performed without receiving compensation.) This does not apply to work being performed at Redwood on behalf of an affiliate such as Mulholland.

 

(e) Volunteer Work : While associated with RIM, no Access Person may be involved with any type of activity which may bring negative publicity to RIM or its affiliates.

 

(f) Political Contributions and Activities (Pay-to-Play): Rule 206(4)-5 of the Advisers Act provides that an adviser who makes political contributions to an elected official who is in a position to influence the selection of the adviser to provide advisory services to a government entity will be barred for two years from providing advisory services for compensation to that government entity. The rule applies to the adviser as well as certain executives and employees of the adviser.

 

Rule 206(4)-5 also prohibits an adviser from paying a third party, such as a solicitor or placement agent, to solicit a government client on behalf of the adviser, unless the solicitor or placement agent is a “regulated person” subject to prohibitions against engaging in pay-to-play practices. Further, the rule prevents an adviser from coordinating or asking another person or political action committee (“PAC”) to make contributions to an elected official, candidate, or political party for purposes of influencing the selection of the adviser. Finally, the rule prohibits an adviser and certain of its executive officers and employees from engaging in pay-to-play conduct indirectly, such as by directing or funding contributions through third parties such as spouses, lawyers, or companies affiliated with the adviser, if that conduct would violate the rule if the adviser engaged in it directly.

 

Rule 206(4)-5 applies to any adviser registered or required to register with the SEC, as well as any adviser not registered in reliance on Section 203(b)(3) of the Advisers Act.

 

Restrictions on Political Contributions. Rule 206(4)-5 makes it unlawful for an adviser to receive compensation for providing advisory services to a government entity for a two-year period after the adviser or any of its covered associates makes a political contribution to an elected official or candidate of a government entity that is in a position to directly or indirectly influence the hiring of the adviser or has the authority to appoint an person who could directly or indirectly influence the hiring of the adviser.

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Ban on Solicitation or Coordination of Contributions. Rule 206(4)-5(a)(2)(ii) makes it unlawful for an adviser subject to the rule and its covered associates to coordinate or solicit any person or PAC to make contributions to an official of a government entity to which the adviser is providing or seeking to provide investment advisory services, or to make payments to a political party of a state or locality where the adviser is providing or seeking to provide investment advisory services to a government entity.

 

Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act requires an adviser who is registered or required to be registered with the SEC to make and keep records of contributions made by the adviser and covered associates to government officials and candidates, payments to state or local political parties and PACs, and the names of regulated persons the adviser pays for solicitation services. The amendments only require advisers to make and keep records of their covered associates, and their own and their covered associates’ contributions, if they provide advisory services to a government client.

However, an adviser who does not maintain these records because it currently does not have any government entity clients risks violating Rule 206(4)-5 and subjecting itself to the two-year time-out if it ultimately obtains a government entity client.

 

All covered associates must obtain pre-clearance before contributing the following to an elected official or candidate for office:

 

· Gifts;
· Subscriptions;
· Loans, advances, or deposits of money;
· Payment of debt incurred in connection with an election;
· Transition or inaugural expenses; or

·          Anything of value made for the purpose of influencing an election for federal, state, or local office.

 

6. Reporting and Compliance Procedures

 

(a) Brokerage Statements : All Access Persons shall complete the Outside Brokerage Account Form ( see Appendix 6 ) and otherwise provide all necessary information to the CCO so that the Firm may direct such broker(s) to send the CCO a copy of each brokerage account statement generated for each of the Access Person’s Personal Brokerage Account(s) in which he/she has a beneficial interest.

 

(b) Submission of Quarterly Reports : In order for the Firm to monitor compliance with the Code, every Access Person shall be required to report to the CCO the information described below, or in the alternative, cause the Firm to receive or be provided with monthly and/or quarterly statements that contain the following information:

 

i. The date of the transaction (either trade date or settlement date), the name of the Security, the symbol, the number of shares, the maturity date and/or the interest rate, if applicable, and the principal amount of each Security involved;
ii. The nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale, or any other type of acquisition or disposition);
iii. The price of the Security at which the transaction was effected;
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iv. The name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected; and
v. The name and account number of the Personal Account.

 

For transactions in personal brokerage accounts for which RIM has not timely received a quarterly transaction report or statement, the Access Person is required to complete and submit Redwood Investment Management, LLC Personal Securities Transaction Report ( see Appendix 7 ) within 30 days following quarter-end.

 

(c) Initial and Annual Holdings Reports: No later than 10 days after becoming an Access Person, and annually thereafter, each Access Person must submit to the CCO a report of his or her personal securities holdings in Redwood Investment Management, LLC Initial/Annual Holdings Report ; ( see Appendix 8 ). The report must include the following information, which must be as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the report was submitted:

 

i. The title and type of security, and as applicable the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, number of shares, and principal amount of each reportable security in which the Access Person has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership;
ii. The name of the broker, dealer or bank with which the Access Person maintains an account in which the securities are held; and
iii. The date the Access Person submits the report.

 

7. Administration of the Code

 

(a) The CCO will review all reports and other information submitted under this Code. This review will include, but not be limited to: 1) an assessment of whether the Access Person followed the required procedures, 2) an assessment of whether the Access Person has traded in the same securities as the Firm’s clients and if so, determining whether the client terms for the transactions were more favorable, 3) an assessment of any trading patterns that may indicate abuse, and 4) performing any other assessment that may be necessary to determine whether there have been any violations of the Code.

 

(b) Access Persons are required to immediately report any potential violation or violation of this Code of which he or she becomes aware, to the CCO. No Access Person will be sanctioned for reporting a potential violation or violation.

 

(c) Each Access Person shall receive a copy of the Code annually and anytime the Code is materially amended. Upon receipt, each Access Person is required to read and understand the requirements of the Code and then submit to the CCO, the Code of Ethics Acknowledgment Form ( Appendix 9 ), which states that the Access Person has read, understands and agrees to abide by the Code. The Acknowledgment Form must be submitted no later than 30 days from the date of receipt of the Code and any amendments thereto.

 

8. Violations of the Code

 

The CCO will assess whether any violation has occurred. If it is determined that a violation has occurred, the CCO and the Owner may impose such sanctions as deemed appropriate,