Form 485APOS Nomura ETF Trust II
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
File No. 033-11235
File No. 811-04973
File No. 811-04973
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REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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Pre-Effective Amendment No.
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Post-Effective Amendment No.
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74
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and/or
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REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
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Amendment No.
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74
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(Check appropriate box or boxes)
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Nomura ETF Trust II
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(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
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100 Independence, 610 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
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Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code:
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(800) 523-1918
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David F. Connor, Esq., 100 Independence, 610 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
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(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
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Please send copies of all communications to:
Mark R. Greer, Esq.
Stradley, Ronon, Stevens & Young, LLP
191 North Wacker Drive, Suite 1601, Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 964-3505
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Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
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As soon as possible after effectiveness.
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It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):
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immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
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60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
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75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.
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If appropriate, check the following box:
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this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
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The Registrant is filing this Amendment for the purpose of adding three new series of shares, designated as Nomura Diversified Income ETF, Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Tax-Free California ETF. The prospectus and statement of additional information relating to the other series of the Registrant are not amended or superseded hereby.
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--- C O N T E N T S ---
This Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to Registration File No. 033-11235 includes the following:
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1.
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Facing Page
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2.
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Contents Page
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3.
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Part A – Prospectus
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4.
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Part B - Statement of Additional Information
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5.
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Part C - Other Information
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6.
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Signatures
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7.
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Exhibits
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Subject to Completion – dated August 12, 2026
The information in this Prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Nomura ETF Trust II
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Fund Name
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Ticker Symbol
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Exchange
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Nomura Diversified Income ETF
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DFIX
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NYSE Arca
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Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF
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[ ]
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NYSE Arca
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Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
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TFCA
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NYSE Arca
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[
], 2026
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus.
Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Get shareholder reports and prospectuses online instead of in the mail.
Visit global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf.
Visit global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf.
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Fund summaries
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1
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Nomura Diversified Income ETF
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1
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Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF
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7
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Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
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13
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How we manage the Funds
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18
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Our principal investment strategies
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Other investment strategies
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26
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The risks of investing in the Fund
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26
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Disclosure of portfolio holdings information
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38
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Who manages the Fund
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39
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Investment manager
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39
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Portfolio managers
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39
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Manager of managers structure
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41
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Who’s who
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41
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About your account
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43
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Investing in the Funds
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43
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Fair valuation
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45
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Retirement plans
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46
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Document delivery
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46
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Investor services
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46
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Dividends, distributions, and taxes
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47
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Tax considerations
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47
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Financial highlights
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51
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Additional information
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52
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Fund Summaries
Nomura Diversified Income ETF
Ticker: DFIX
Stock Exchange: NYSE Arca
What is the Fund’s investment objective?
Nomura Diversified Income ETF seeks maximum long-term total return, consistent with reasonable risk.
What are the Fund’s fees and expenses?
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may also incur other fees, such as usual and customary brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.
Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
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Management fees
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Other expenses
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Total annual fund operating expenses
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Fee waivers and expense reimbursement
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Total annual fund operating expenses after fee
waivers and expense reimbursements |
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1
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Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
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2
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[The Fund’s investment manager, Delaware Management Company (Manager), has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its investment advisory fees and/or pay/reimburse expenses (excluding any 12b-1 fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest, short sale dividend and interest expenses, brokerage fees, certain insurance costs, and nonroutine expenses or costs, including, but not limited to, those relating to reorganizations, litigation, conducting shareholder meetings, and liquidations) in order to prevent total annual fund operating expenses from exceeding [ %] of the Fund’s average daily net assets from [ ] to [ ]. These waivers and reimbursements may only be terminated by agreement of the Manager and the Fund.]
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Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and reflects the Manager’s expense waivers and reimbursements for the contractual period and the total operating expenses without waivers for the periods thereafter. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1 year
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$[xx]
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3 years
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$[xx]
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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 the annual fund operating expenses
1
or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund has not yet commenced operations and portfolio turnover data therefore is not available.
What are the Fund’s principal investment strategies?
The Fund allocates its investments principally among the following four sectors of the fixed income securities markets: the US investment grade sector, the US high yield sector, the international developed markets sector, and the emerging markets sector. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in fixed income securities (80% policy). The Manager will determine how much of the Fund’s assets to allocate to each of the four sectors, based on its evaluation of economic and market conditions, and its assessment of the returns and potential for appreciation that can be achieved from investments in each of the four sectors. Allocations of the Fund’s assets among these four sectors will vary over time and the Fund may not be invested in all of these sectors at all times.
Under normal circumstances, between 5% and 35% of the Fund’s net assets will be allocated to the US high yield sector. The Fund’s investments in emerging markets will, in the aggregate, be limited to no more than 20% of the Fund’s net assets. The Fund will limit its investments in foreign securities to between 5% and 40% of its net assets and will seek to hedge its foreign currency exposure, which will be limited to 20% of the Fund’s net assets, by entering into forward foreign currency contracts.
The Fund may hold a substantial portion of its assets in cash or short-term fixed income obligations in unusual market conditions to meet redemption requests, for temporary defensive purposes, and pending investment. The Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities and other asset-backed securities. The Fund may invest in collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) and real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs).
The Fund may also use a wide range of derivatives instruments, typically including options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and swaps. The Fund will use derivatives for both hedging and nonhedging purposes. For example, the Fund may invest in: futures and options to manage duration and for defensive purposes, such as to protect gains or hedge against potential losses in the portfolio without actually selling a security, or to stay fully invested; forward foreign currency contracts to manage foreign currency exposure; interest rate swaps to neutralize the impact of interest rate changes; credit default swaps to hedge against a credit event, to gain exposure to certain securities or markets, or to enhance total return; and index swaps to enhance return or to effect diversification. The Fund will not use derivatives for reasons inconsistent with its investment objective.
The Manager has appointed Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc. (NCRAM) to serve as a sub-advisor for the Fund. NCRAM is responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the portion of the Fund that invests in high-yield, fixed income securities. The Manager may change this allocation at any time. NCRAM selects investments for its portion of the Fund based on NCRAM’s own investment style and strategy.
The Fund’s 80% policy is nonfundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval. However, Fund shareholders would be given at least 60 days’ notice prior to any such change.
What are the principal risks of investing in the Fund?
Investing in any exchange-traded fund involves the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest. Over time, the value of your investment in the Fund will increase and decrease according to changes in the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio. An investment in the Fund may not be appropriate for all investors. Unlike many ETFs, the Fund is actively managed and does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. The Fund’s principal risks include:
Market risk - The risk that all or a majority of the securities in a certain market - such as the stock or bond market - will decline in value because of factors such as adverse political or economic conditions, future expectations, investor confidence, or heavy institutional selling.
Credit risk - The risk that an issuer of a debt security, including a governmental issuer or an entity that insures a bond, may be unable to make interest payments and/or repay principal in a timely manner.
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High yield (junk) bond risk - The risk that high yield securities, commonly known as “junk bonds,” are subject to reduced creditworthiness of issuers, increased risk of default, and a more limited and less liquid secondary market. High yield securities may also be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss of income and principal than are higher-rated securities.
Interest rate risk - The risk that the prices of bonds and other fixed income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Interest rate changes are influenced by a number of factors, such as government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, and the supply and demand of bonds. Bonds and other fixed income securities with longer maturities or duration generally are more sensitive to interest rate changes. A fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates when interest rates are low or inflation rates are high or rising.
Loans and other direct indebtedness risk - The risk that a fund will not receive payment of principal, interest, and other amounts due in connection with these investments and will depend primarily on the financial condition of the borrower and the lending institution. A fund’s ability to sell its loans or to realize their full value upon sale may also be impaired due to the lack of an active trading market, irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, contractual restrictions, and extended trade settlement periods. In addition, certain loans in which a fund invests may not be considered securities. A fund therefore may not be able to rely upon the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws with respect to these investments.
Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risk - Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, like other fixed income securities, are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk, and may also be subject to prepayment risk and extension risk. Prepayment risk is the risk that the principal on mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities may be prepaid at any time, which will reduce the yield and market value of the securities and may cause the fund to reinvest the proceeds in lower yielding securities. Extension risk is the risk that principal on mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities will be repaid more slowly than expected, which may reduce the proceeds available for reinvestment in higher yielding securities. In addition, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may decline in value, become more volatile, face difficulties in valuation, or experience reduced liquidity due to changes in interest rates or general economic conditions. Certain mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities, such as collateralized mortgage obligations, real estate mortgage investment conduits, and stripped mortgage-backed securities, may be more susceptible to these risks than other mortgage-backed, asset-backed, or fixed-income securities.
Foreign and emerging markets risk - The risk that investments in foreign securities (particularly those of issuers in emerging markets) may be adversely affected by political instability; changes in currency exchange rates; inefficient markets and higher transaction costs; foreign economic conditions; the imposition of economic or trade sanctions; or inadequate or different regulatory and accounting standards. Securities of issuers in emerging markets may be subject to greater risks than securities of issuers in more developed foreign markets because, among other things, emerging markets may have less stable political and economic environments. In addition, there often is substantially less publicly available information about issuers and such information tends to be of a lesser quality. Economic markets and structures tend to be less mature and diverse and the securities markets may also be smaller, less liquid, and subject to greater price volatility. In addition, where all or a portion of a fund’s underlying securities trade in a market that is closed when the market in which the fund’s shares are listed and trading is open, there may be differences between the last quote from the security’s closed foreign market and the value of the security during the fund’s domestic trading day. This in turn could lead to differences between the market price of a fund’s shares and the underlying value of those shares.
Prepayment risk - The risk that the principal on a bond that is held by a fund will be prepaid prior to maturity at a time when interest rates are lower than what that bond was paying. A fund may then have to reinvest that money at a lower interest rate.
US government securities risk - The risk that certain US government securities, such as securities issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Bank system (FHLB), are not backed by the “faith and credit” of the US government and, instead, may be supported only by the credit of the issuer or by the right of the issuer to borrow from the US Treasury.
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Derivatives risk - Derivatives contracts, such as futures, forward foreign currency contracts, options, and swaps, may involve additional expenses (such as the payment of premiums) and are subject to significant loss if a security, index, reference rate, or other asset or market factor to which a derivatives contract is associated, moves in an unanticipated direction. When used for hedging, the change in value of the derivatives instrument may also not correlate specifically with the currency, rate, or other risk being hedged, in which case a fund may not realize the intended benefits. Derivatives contracts are also subject to the risk that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations under the contract due to, among other reasons, financial difficulties (such as a bankruptcy or reorganization).
Leveraging risk - The risk that certain fund transactions, such as reverse repurchase agreements, short sales, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, or derivatives instruments, may give rise to leverage, causing a fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged, which may result in increased losses to the fund.
Liquidity risk - The possibility that investments cannot be readily sold within seven calendar days at approximately the price at which a fund has valued them.
Valuation risk - The risk that a less liquid secondary market may make it more difficult for a fund to obtain precise valuations of certain securities in its portfolio.
Portfolio turnover risk - High portfolio turnover rates may increase a fund’s transaction costs and lower returns.
Government and regulatory risk - The risk that governments or regulatory authorities may take actions that could adversely affect various sectors of the securities markets and affect fund performance.
Active management and selection risk - The risk that the securities selected by a fund’s management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices, or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. The securities and sectors selected may vary from the securities and sectors included in the relevant index.
ETF risk — The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the following risks: “Authorized participants, market makers and liquidity providers concentration risk,” “Cash transaction risk,” “Secondary market trading risk” and “Shares may trade at prices other than NAV risk.”
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Authorized participants, market makers and liquidity providers concentration risk — Only authorized participants (APs) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with a fund. A fund has a limited number of financial institutions that are institutional investors and may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace, and they have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders. To the extent either of the following events occur, a fund’s shares may trade at a material discount to net asset value (NAV) and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions. These events, among others, may lead to a fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. A diminished market for an ETF’s shares substantially increases the risk that a shareholder may pay considerably more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold.
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Cash transactions risk — A fund may effect some or all of its creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. As a result, a fund may have to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times in order to obtain the cash needed to meet redemption orders. This may cause a fund to sell a security and recognize a capital gain or loss that might not have been incurred if it had made a redemption in-kind. The use of cash creations and redemptions may also cause a fund’s shares to trade in the market at wider bid-ask spreads or greater premiums or discounts to the fund’s NAV.
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Secondary market trading risk — Although a fund’s shares are listed on a national securities exchange, NYSE Arca, Inc. (Exchange), and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active or liquid trading market for them will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in a fund’s shares on the Exchange may be halted. An exchange or market may also issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt fund’s creation/redemption process or affect the price at which shares trade in the secondary market.
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Shares may trade at prices other than NAV risk — As with all ETFs, shares of a fund may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. A fund’s NAV is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the fund’s holdings, while the trading price of the shares fluctuates continuously throughout trading hours on the Exchange, based on both the relative market supply of, and demand for, the shares and the underlying value of the fund’s holdings. As a result, although it is expected that the market price of a fund’s shares will approximate the fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of the fund’s shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
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How has Nomura Diversified Income ETF performed?
Because the Fund is new, it has no performance history. Once the Fund has commenced operations, you can obtain updated performance information at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf or by calling 844-469-9911. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Who manages the Fund?
Investment manager
Delaware Management Company, a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust (a Delaware statutory trust)
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Portfolio managers
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Title with Delaware Management Company
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Start date on the
Fund
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Janaki Rao
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Managing Director, Head of US Multisector
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[ ] 2026
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Kashif Ishaq
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Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager
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[ ] 2026
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Mansur Rasul
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Executive Director, Head of Emerging Markets Debt
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[ ] 2026
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Employees of the Manager’s affiliates outside the US participate in the management of certain funds as “associated persons” of the Manager under the Manager’s oversight, in accordance with SEC guidance as to “participating affiliate” arrangements. These associated persons may, on behalf of the Manager, provide discretionary investment management services, trading, research and related services directly or indirectly to the Fund.
Sub-Advisor
Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc. (NCRAM)
Purchase and redemption of Fund shares
The Fund is an ETF. As an ETF, only APs may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund issues or redeems shares that have been aggregated into blocks of [25,000] shares or multiples thereof (Creation Units) to APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor, Foreside Financial Services, LLC. The Fund will generally issue or redeem Creation Units in exchange for a basket of securities (and/or an amount of cash) that the Fund specifies each day. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on a national securities exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Fund shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount).
An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information, including information
5
on the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available on the Fund’s website at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf.
Tax information
The Fund’s distributions generally are taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in which case your distributions may be taxed as ordinary income when withdrawn from the tax-advantaged account.
Payments to broker/dealers and other financial intermediaries
If you purchase shares of 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 certain Fund-related activities, including those that are designed to make the intermediary more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, such as the Fund, as well as for marketing, education or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Fund shares. 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.
6
Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF
Ticker: [ ]
Stock Exchange: NYSE Arca
What is the Fund’s investment objective?
Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF seeks maximum total return, consistent with reasonable risk.
What are the Fund’s fees and expenses?
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may also incur other fees, such as usual and customary brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.
Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
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Management fees.............................................
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Other expenses ..............................................
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Total annual fund operating expenses ..............................
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Fee waivers and expense reimbursement ..............................
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Total annual fund operating expenses after fee
waivers and expense reimbursements .............................. |
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1
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Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
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2
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[The Fund’s investment manager, Delaware Management Company (Manager), has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its investment advisory fees and/or pay/reimburse expenses (excluding any 12b-1 fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest, short sale dividend and interest expenses, brokerage fees, certain insurance costs, and nonroutine expenses or costs, including, but not limited to, those relating to reorganizations, litigation, conducting shareholder meetings, and liquidations) in order to prevent total annual fund operating expenses from exceeding [ ]% of the Fund’s average daily net assets from [ ] to [ ]. These waivers and reimbursements may only be terminated by agreement of the Manager and the Fund.]
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Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and reflects the Manager’s expense waivers and reimbursements for the contractual period and the total operating expenses without waivers for the periods thereafter. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1 year
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$[xx]
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3 years
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$[xx]
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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 the annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund has not yet commenced operations and portfolio turnover data therefore is not available.
7
What are the Fund’s principal investment strategies?
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in investment grade fixed income securities, including, but not limited to, fixed income securities issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and by US corporations (80% policy). Investment grade fixed income securities are securities rated BBB- or higher by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (S&P) and Baa3 or higher by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Moody’s), or similarly rated by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or those that are deemed to be of comparable quality. The Fund will maintain an average effective duration from one to three years. The Manager will determine how much of the Fund’s assets to allocate among the different types of fixed income securities in which the Fund may invest based on the Manager’s evaluation of economic and market conditions and its assessment of the returns and potential for appreciation that can be achieved from various sectors of the fixed income market.
The corporate debt obligations in which the Fund may invest include bonds, notes, debentures, and commercial paper of US companies and, subject to the limitations described below, non-US companies. The Fund may also invest in a variety of securities that are issued or guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest by the US government, and by various agencies or instrumentalities, which have been established or are sponsored by the US government, and, subject to the limitations described below, securities issued by foreign governments.
Additionally, the Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities, government-sponsored corporations, and mortgage-backed securities issued by certain private, nongovernment entities. The Fund may also invest in securities that are backed by assets such as receivables on home equity and credit card loans, automobile, mobile home, recreational vehicle and other loans, wholesale dealer floor plans, and leases.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in below-investment-grade securities (also known as high yield or “junk” bonds).
The Fund may also invest up to 30% of its net assets in foreign securities, including up to 10% of its net assets in securities of issuers located in emerging markets. The Fund’s total non-US dollar currency exposure will be limited, in the aggregate, to no more than 10% of its net assets.
The Fund may use a wide range of derivatives instruments, typically including options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward foreign currency contracts, and swaps. The Fund will use derivatives for both hedging and nonhedging purposes. For example, the Fund may invest in: futures and options to manage duration and for defensive purposes, such as to protect gains or hedge against potential losses in the portfolio without actually selling a security, or to stay fully invested; forward foreign currency contracts to manage foreign currency exposure; interest rate swaps to neutralize the impact of interest rate changes; credit default swaps to hedge against a credit event, to gain exposure to certain securities or markets, or to enhance total return; and index swaps to enhance return or to effect diversification. The Fund will not use derivatives for reasons inconsistent with its investment objective and will limit its investments in derivatives instruments to 20% of its net assets.
The Manager has appointed Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc. (NCRAM) to serve as a sub-advisor for the Fund. NCRAM is responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the portion of the Fund that invests in high-yield, fixed income securities. The Manager may change this allocation at any time. NCRAM selects investments for its portion of the Fund based on NCRAM’s own investment style and strategy.
The Fund’s 80% policy is nonfundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval. Fund shareholders would be given at least 60 days’ notice prior to any such change.
What are the principal risks of investing in the Fund?
Investing in any exchange-traded fund involves the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest. Over time, the value of your investment in the Fund will increase and decrease according to changes in the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio. An investment in the Fund may not be appropriate for all investors. Unlike many
8
ETFs, the Fund is actively managed and does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. The Fund’s principal risks include:
Market risk - The risk that all or a majority of the securities in a certain market - such as the stock or bond market - will decline in value because of factors such as adverse political or economic conditions, future expectations, investor confidence, or heavy institutional selling.
Interest rate risk - The risk that the prices of bonds and other fixed income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Interest rate changes are influenced by a number of factors, such as government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, and the supply and demand of bonds. Bonds and other fixed income securities with longer maturities or duration generally are more sensitive to interest rate changes. A fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates when interest rates are low or inflation rates are high or rising.
Credit risk - The risk that an issuer of a debt security, including a governmental issuer or an entity that insures a bond, may be unable to make interest payments and/or repay principal in a timely manner.
High yield (junk) bond risk - The risk that high yield securities, commonly known as “junk bonds,” are subject to reduced creditworthiness of issuers, increased risk of default, and a more limited and less liquid secondary market. High yield securities may also be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss of income and principal than are higher-rated securities.
Prepayment risk - The risk that the principal on a bond that is held by a fund will be prepaid prior to maturity at a time when interest rates are lower than what that bond was paying. A fund may then have to reinvest that money at a lower interest rate.
Liquidity risk - The possibility that investments cannot be readily sold within seven calendar days at approximately the price at which a fund has valued them.
Derivatives risk - Derivatives contracts, such as futures, forward foreign currency contracts, options, and swaps, may involve additional expenses (such as the payment of premiums) and are subject to significant loss if a security, index, reference rate, or other asset or market factor to which a derivatives contract is associated, moves in an unanticipated direction. When used for hedging, the change in value of the derivatives instrument may also not correlate specifically with the currency, rate, or other risk being hedged, in which case a fund may not realize the intended benefits. Derivatives contracts are also subject to the risk that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations under the contract due to, among other reasons, financial difficulties (such as a bankruptcy or reorganization).
Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risk - Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, like other fixed income securities, are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk, and may also be subject to prepayment risk and extension risk. Prepayment risk is the risk that the principal on mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities may be prepaid at any time, which will reduce the yield and market value of the securities and may cause the fund to reinvest the proceeds in lower yielding securities. Extension risk is the risk that principal on mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities will be repaid more slowly than expected, which may reduce the proceeds available for reinvestment in higher yielding securities. In addition, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may decline in value, become more volatile, face difficulties in valuation, or experience reduced liquidity due to changes in interest rates or general economic conditions. Certain mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities, such as collateralized mortgage obligations, real estate mortgage investment conduits, and stripped mortgage-backed securities, may be more susceptible to these risks than other mortgage-backed, asset-backed, or fixed-income securities.
Leveraging risk - The risk that certain portfolio transactions, such as reverse repurchase agreements, short sales, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, or derivatives instruments, may give rise to leverage, causing a fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged, which may result in increased losses to the fund.
9
Foreign risk - The risk that investments in foreign securities (particularly those of issuers in emerging markets) may be adversely affected by political instability, changes in currency exchange rates, inefficient markets and higher transaction costs, foreign economic conditions, the imposition of economic or trade sanctions, or inadequate or different regulatory and accounting standards. Where all or a portion of a fund’s underlying securities trade in a market that is closed when the market in which the fund’s shares are listed and trading is open, there may be differences between the last quote from the security’s closed foreign market and the value of the security during the fund’s domestic trading day. This in turn could lead to differences between the market price of a fund’s shares and the underlying value of those shares.
Valuation risk - The risk that a less liquid secondary market may make it more difficult for a fund to obtain precise valuations of certain securities in its portfolio.
Government and regulatory risk - The risk that governments or regulatory authorities may take actions that could adversely affect various sectors of the securities markets and affect fund performance.
Portfolio turnover risk - High portfolio turnover rates may increase a fund’s transaction costs and lower returns.
Active management and selection risk - The risk that the securities selected by a fund’s management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices, or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. The securities and sectors selected may vary from the securities and sectors included in the relevant index.
ETF risk — The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the following risks: “Authorized participants, market makers and liquidity providers concentration risk,” “Cash transaction risk,” “Secondary market trading risk” and “Shares may trade at prices other than NAV risk.”
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Authorized participants, market makers and liquidity providers concentration risk — Only authorized participants (APs) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with a fund. A fund has a limited number of financial institutions that are institutional investors and may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace, and they have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders. To the extent either of the following events occur, a fund’s shares may trade at a material discount to net asset value (NAV) and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions. These events, among others, may lead to a fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. A diminished market for an ETF’s shares substantially increases the risk that a shareholder may pay considerably more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold.
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Cash transactions risk — A fund may effect some or all of its creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. As a result, a fund may have to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times in order to obtain the cash needed to meet redemption orders. This may cause a fund to sell a security and recognize a capital gain or loss that might not have been incurred if it had made a redemption in-kind. The use of cash creations and redemptions may also cause a fund’s shares to trade in the market at wider bid-ask spreads or greater premiums or discounts to the fund’s NAV.
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Secondary market trading risk — Although a fund’s shares are listed on a national securities exchange, NYSE Arca, Inc. (Exchange), and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active or liquid trading market for them will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in a fund’s shares on the Exchange may be halted. An exchange or market may also issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt a fund’s creation/redemption process or affect the price at which shares trade in the secondary market.
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Shares may trade at prices other than NAV risk — As with all ETFs, shares of a fund may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. A fund’s NAV is calculated at the end of each business day and
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fluctuates with changes in the market value of the fund’s holdings, while the trading price of the shares fluctuates with changes in the market value of the fund’s holdings, while the trading price of the shares fluctuates continuously throughout trading hours on the Exchange, based on both the relative market supply of, and demand for, the shares and the underlying value of the fund’s holdings. As a result, although it is expected that the market price of a fund’s shares will approximate the fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of the fund’s shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
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How has Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF performed?
Because the Fund is new, it has no performance history. Once the Fund has commenced operations, you can obtain updated performance information at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf or by calling 844-469-9911. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Who manages the Fund?
Investment manager
Delaware Management Company, a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust (a Delaware statutory trust)
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Portfolio managers
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Title with Delaware Management Company
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Start date on the
Fund
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Janaki Rao
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Managing Director, Head of US Multisector
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[ ] 2026
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Kashif Ishaq
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Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager
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[ ] 2026
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Mansur Rasul
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Executive Director, Head of Emerging Markets Debt
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[ ] 2026
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Employees of the Manager’s affiliates outside the US participate in the management of certain funds as “associated persons” of the Manager under the Manager’s oversight, in accordance with SEC guidance as to “participating affiliate” arrangements. These associated persons may, on behalf of the Manager, provide discretionary investment management services, trading, research and related services directly or indirectly to the Fund.
Sub-Advisor
Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc. (NCRAM)
Purchase and redemption of Fund shares
The Fund is an ETF. As an ETF, only APs may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund issues or redeems shares that have been aggregated into blocks of [25,000] shares or multiples thereof (Creation Units) to APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor, Foreside Financial Services, LLC. The Fund will generally issue or redeem Creation Units in exchange for a basket of securities (and/or an amount of cash) that the Fund specifies each day. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on a national securities exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Fund shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount).
An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information, including information on the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available on the Fund’s website at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf.
Tax information
The Fund’s distributions generally are taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in which case your distributions may be taxed as ordinary income when withdrawn from the tax-advantaged account.
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Payments to broker/dealers and other financial intermediaries
If you purchase shares of 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 certain Fund-related activities, including those that are designed to make the intermediary more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, such as the Fund, as well as for marketing, education or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
Ticker: TFCA
Stock Exchange: NYSE Arca
What is the Fund’s investment objective?
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF seeks as high a level of current income exempt from federal income tax and from the California state personal income tax as is consistent with preservation of capital.
What are the Fund’s fees and expenses?
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may also incur other fees, such as usual and customary brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.
Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
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Management fees
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Other expenses
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Total annual fund operating expenses
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Fee waivers and expense reimbursement
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Total annual fund operating expenses after fee
waivers and expense reimbursements |
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1
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Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
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2
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[The Fund’s investment manager, Delaware Management Company (Manager), has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its investment advisory fees and/or pay/reimburse expenses (excluding any 12b-1 fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest, inverse floater program expenses, short sale dividend and interest expenses, brokerage fees, certain insurance costs, and nonroutine expenses or costs, including, but not limited to, those relating to reorganizations, litigation, conducting shareholder meetings, and liquidations) in order to prevent total annual fund operating expenses from exceeding [ %] of the Fund’s average daily net assets from [ ] to [ ]. These waivers and reimbursements may only be terminated by agreement of the Manager and the Fund.]
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Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and reflects the Manager’s expense waivers and reimbursements for the contractual period and the total operating expenses without waivers for the periods thereafter. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1 year
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$[xx]
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3 years
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$[xx]
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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 the annual fund operating expenses
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or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund has not yet commenced operations and portfolio turnover data therefore is not available.
What are the Fund’s principal investment strategies?
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in municipal securities the income from which is exempt from federal income tax, including the federal alternative minimum tax, and from California state personal income taxes (80% policy). This 80% policy is a fundamental investment policy that may not be changed without prior shareholder approval.
Municipal debt obligations are issued by state and local governments to raise funds for various public purposes such as hospitals, schools, and general capital expenses. Municipal debt obligations in which the Fund may invest may also include securities issued by US territories and possessions (such as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands) to the extent that these securities are also exempt from federal income tax and California state personal income taxes. The types of municipal debt obligations in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, advance refunded bonds, revenue bonds, general obligation bonds, insured municipal bonds, private activity bonds, municipal leases, and certificates of participation. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield (junk) bonds. The Fund will invest its assets in securities with maturities of various lengths, depending on market conditions. The Manager will adjust the average maturity of the bonds in the portfolio to attempt to provide a high level of tax-exempt income consistent with preservation of capital. The Fund’s income level will vary depending on current interest rates and the specific securities in the portfolio. The Fund may concentrate its investments in certain types of bonds or in a certain segment of the municipal bond market when the supply of bonds in other sectors does not suit its investment needs. The Fund may invest in insured municipal bonds. The Fund will generally have a dollar-weighted average effective maturity of between 5 and 30 years.
What are the principal risks of investing in the Fund?
Investing in any exchange-traded fund involves the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest. Over time, the value of your investment in the Fund will increase and decrease according to changes in the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio. An investment in the Fund may not be appropriate for all investors. Unlike many ETFs, the Fund is actively managed and does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. The Fund’s principal risks include:
Market risk - The risk that all or a majority of the securities in a certain market - such as the stock or bond market - will decline in value because of factors such as adverse political or economic conditions, future expectations, investor confidence, or heavy institutional selling.
Interest rate risk - The risk that the prices of bonds and other fixed income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Interest rate changes are influenced by a number of factors, such as government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, and the supply and demand of bonds. Bonds and other fixed income securities with longer maturities or duration generally are more sensitive to interest rate changes. A fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates when interest rates are low or inflation rates are high or rising.
Credit risk - The risk that an issuer of a debt security, including a governmental issuer or an entity that insures a bond, may be unable to make interest payments and/or repay principal in a timely manner.
High yield (junk) bond risk - The risk that high yield securities, commonly known as “junk bonds,” are subject to reduced creditworthiness of issuers, increased risk of default, and a more limited and less liquid secondary market. High yield securities may also be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss of income and principal than are higher-rated securities. High yield bonds are sometimes issued by municipalities that have less financial strength and therefore have less ability to make projected debt payments on the bonds.
Call risk - The risk that a bond issuer will prepay the bond during periods of low interest rates, forcing a fund to reinvest that money at interest rates that might be lower than rates on the called bond.
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Liquidity risk - The possibility that investments cannot be readily sold within seven calendar days at approximately the price at which a fund has valued them.
Geographic concentration risk - The risk that heightened sensitivity to regional, state, US territories or possessions (such as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, or the US Virgin Islands), and local political and economic conditions could adversely affect the holdings in and performance of a fund. There is also the risk that there could be an inadequate supply of municipal bonds in a particular state or US territory or possession.
Alternative minimum tax risk - If a fund invests in bonds whose income is subject to the alternative minimum tax, that portion of the fund’s distributions would be taxable for shareholders who are subject to this tax.
Government and regulatory risk - The risk that governments or regulatory authorities may take actions that could adversely affect various sectors of the securities markets and affect fund performance. For example, a tax-exempt security may be reclassified by the Internal Revenue Service or a state tax authority as taxable, and/or future legislative, administrative, or court actions could cause interest from a tax-exempt security to become taxable, possibly retroactively.
Industry and sector risk - The risk that the value of securities in a particular industry or sector (such as financial services or manufacturing) will decline because of changing expectations for the performance of that industry or sector.
Active management and selection risk - The risk that the securities selected by a fund’s management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices, or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. The securities and sectors selected may vary from the securities and sectors included in the relevant index.
ETF risk — The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the following risks: “Authorized participants, market makers and liquidity providers concentration risk,” “Cash transactions risk,” “Secondary market trading risk” and “Shares may trade at prices other than NAV risk.”
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Authorized participants, market makers and liquidity providers concentration risk — Only authorized participants (APs) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with a fund. A fund has a limited number of financial institutions that are institutional investors and may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace, and they have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders. To the extent either of the following events occur, a fund’s shares may trade at a material discount to net asset value (NAV) and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions. These events, among others, may lead to a fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. A diminished market for an ETF’s shares substantially increases the risk that a shareholder may pay considerably more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold.
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Cash transactions risk — A fund may effect some or all of its creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. As a result, a fund may have to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times in order to obtain the cash needed to meet redemption orders. This may cause a fund to sell a security and recognize a capital gain or loss that might not have been incurred if it had made a redemption in-kind. The use of cash creations and redemptions may also cause a fund’s shares to trade in the market at wider bid-ask spreads or greater premiums or discounts to the fund’s NAV.
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Secondary market trading risk — Although a fund’s shares are listed on a national securities exchange, NYSE Arca, Inc. (Exchange), and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active or liquid trading market for them will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in a fund’s shares on the Exchange may be halted. An exchange or market may also issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be
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restricted, which may disrupt fund’s creation/redemption process or affect the price at which shares trade in the secondary market.
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Shares may trade at prices other than NAV risk — As with all ETFs, shares of a fund may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. A fund’s NAV is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the fund’s holdings, while the trading price of the shares fluctuates continuously throughout trading hours on the Exchange, based on both the relative market supply of, and demand for, the shares and the underlying value of the fund’s holdings. As a result, although it is expected that the market price of a fund’s shares will approximate the fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of the fund’s shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
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How has Tax-Free California ETF performed?
Because the Fund is new, it has no performance history. Once the Fund has commenced operations, you can obtain updated performance information at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf or by calling 844-469-9911. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Who manages the Fund?
Investment manager
Delaware Management Company, a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust (a Delaware statutory trust)
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Portfolio managers
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Title with Delaware Management Company
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Start date on the
Fund
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Gregory Gizzi
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Managing Director, Head of Fixed Income and Municipal Bonds
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[ ] 2026
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Stephen Czepiel
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Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager
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[ ] 2026
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William Roach, CFA, CMT
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Executive Director, Senior Portfolio Manager
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[ ] 2026
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Employees of the Manager’s affiliates outside the US participate in the management of certain funds as “associated persons” of the Manager under the Manager’s oversight, in accordance with SEC guidance as to “participating affiliate” arrangements. These associated persons may, on behalf of the Manager, provide discretionary investment management services, trading, research and related services directly or indirectly to the Fund.
Purchase and redemption of Fund shares
The Fund is an ETF. As an ETF, only APs may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund issues or redeems shares that have been aggregated into blocks of [25,000] shares or multiples thereof (Creation Units) to APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor, Foreside Financial Services, LLC. The Fund will generally issue or redeem Creation Units in exchange for a basket of securities (and/or an amount of cash) that the Fund specifies each day. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold on a national securities exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Fund shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount).
An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information, including information on the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available on the Fund’s website at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf.
Tax information
The Fund’s distributions generally are taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in which case your distributions may be taxed as ordinary income when withdrawn from the tax-advantaged account.
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Payments to broker/dealers and other financial intermediaries
If you purchase shares of 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 certain Fund-related activities, including those that are designed to make the intermediary more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, such as the Fund, as well as for marketing, education or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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How we manage the Funds
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The Manager takes a disciplined approach to investing, combining investment strategies and risk-management techniques that it believes can help shareholders meet their goals.
Our principal investment strategies
Nomura Diversified Income ETF
The Manager researches individual companies and analyzes economic and market conditions, seeking to identify the securities or market sectors that it believes are the best investments for the Fund. The following are descriptions of how the portfolio management team pursues the Fund’s investment objective.
The Manager has appointed NCRAM to serve as a sub-advisor for the Fund. NCRAM is responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the portion of the Fund that invests in high-yield, fixed income securities. The Manager may change this allocation at any time. NCRAM selects investments for its portion of the Fund based on NCRAM’s own investment style and strategy.
In selecting high-yield, fixed income securities, NCRAM uses a “Strong Horse” investment philosophy where the goal is to find companies that can carry their debt loads through the economic cycle, generating strong, sustainable cash flows that enables them to de-lever their balance sheets and improve their ratings. NCRAM follows an investment decision making process that follows three basic steps: (1) idea generation where NCRAM seeks to identify trends in the market or situations where bond prices differ from fundamental risks; (2) credit research where NCRAM analyzes business risk, financial risk, bond deal structure, and sustainability risk; and (3) portfolio construction, where NCRAM considers the top-down attributes of the portfolios, especially the ratings, industry and duration posture, while choosing investments driven by bottom-up fundamental research.
The Fund allocates its investments principally among the US investment grade, US high yield, international developed markets, and emerging markets sectors. The relative proportion of the Fund’s assets to be allocated among these sectors is described below. Allocations of the Fund’s assets among these four sectors will vary over time and the Fund may not be invested in all of these sectors at all times.
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US investment grade sector
Under normal circumstances, there is no limit to the amount of the Fund’s total assets that will be invested in the US investment grade sector. In managing the Fund’s assets allocated to the investment grade sector, the Manager will invest principally in debt obligations issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and by US corporations. The corporate debt obligations in which the Fund may invest include bonds, notes, debentures, and commercial paper of US companies. The US government securities in which the Fund may invest include a variety of securities which are issued or guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest by the US government, and by various agencies or instrumentalities which have been established or sponsored by the US government.
The investment grade sector of the Fund’s assets may also be invested in mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or by government-sponsored corporations. Other mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest are issued by certain private, nongovernment entities. The Fund may also invest in securities that are backed by assets such as receivables on home equity and credit card loans, automobile, mobile home, recreational vehicle, and other loans, wholesale dealer floor plans, and leases.
Securities purchased by the Fund within this sector will be rated in one of the four highest rating categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO) (e.g., rated BBB- or higher by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (S&P) or Baa3 or higher by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Moody’s)), or will be unrated securities that the Manager determines are of comparable quality.
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●
US high yield sector
Under normal circumstances, between 5% and 35% of the Fund’s net assets will be allocated to the US high yield sector. The Manager will invest the Fund’s assets that are allocated to the high yield sector primarily in those securities having a liberal and consistent yield and those tending to reduce the risk of market fluctuations. The Fund may invest in domestic corporate debt obligations, including notes, which may be convertible or nonconvertible, commercial paper, units consisting of bonds with stock or warrants to buy stock, attached debentures, convertible debentures, zero coupon bonds, and payment-in-kind securities. The Fund also may invest in mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities in the US high yield sector.
The Fund will invest in both rated and unrated high yield bonds. The rated high yield bonds that the Fund may purchase in this sector will generally be rated lower than BBB- by S&P and lower than Baa3 by Moody’s, or similarly rated by another NRSRO. The Fund may invest in unrated bonds if the Manager believes their credit quality is comparable to the rated bonds in which the Fund is permitted to invest. Unrated high yield bonds may be more speculative in nature than rated high yield bonds.
●
International developed markets sector
Under normal circumstances, up to 40% of the Fund’s net assets may be invested, in the aggregate, in the international developed markets and emerging markets sectors. The international developed markets sector invests primarily in fixed income securities of issuers organized or having a majority of their assets or deriving a majority of their operating income in international developed markets. These fixed income securities may include foreign government securities, debt obligations of foreign companies, and securities issued by supranational entities. A supranational entity is an entity established or financially supported by the national governments of one or more countries to promote reconstruction or development. Examples of supranational entities include, among others, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (more commonly known as the World Bank), the European Economic Community, the European Investment Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Asian Development Bank.
The Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored American depositary receipts (ADRs), European depositary receipts (EDRs), or global depositary receipts (GDRs). The Fund will typically invest in ADRs that are actively traded in the United States. The Fund may also invest in zero coupon bonds and may purchase shares of other investment companies.
The Fund will invest in both rated and unrated foreign securities.
The Fund may invest in securities issued in any currency and may hold foreign currencies. Securities of issuers within a given country may be denominated in the currency of another country or in multinational currency units, such as the euro. The Fund may, from time to time, purchase or sell foreign currencies and/or engage in forward foreign currency contracts, which will be limited to 20% of the Fund’s net assets, in order to facilitate or expedite settlement of Fund transactions and to minimize currency value fluctuations. Currency considerations carry a special risk for a portfolio that allocates a significant portion of its assets to foreign securities.
●
Emerging markets sector
The Fund’s investments in emerging markets will, in the aggregate, be limited to no more than 20% of the Fund’s net assets. The Fund may purchase securities of issuers in any foreign country, developed and underdeveloped. These investments may include direct obligations of issuers located in emerging markets countries. As with the international sector, the fixed income securities in the emerging markets sector may include foreign government securities, debt obligations of foreign companies, and securities issued by supranational entities. In addition to the risks associated with investing in all foreign securities, emerging markets debt is subject to specific risks, particularly those that result from emerging markets generally being less stable, politically and economically, than developed markets. There is substantially less publicly available information about issuers in emerging markets than there is about issuers in developed markets, and the information that is available tends to be of a lesser quality. Also, emerging markets are typically less mature, less liquid, and subject to greater price volatility than are developed markets.
19
The Fund may use a wide range of derivatives instruments, typically including options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and swaps.
The Fund may invest in futures, options, and closing transactions related thereto. These activities will be entered into for hedging and/or speculative purposes and to facilitate the ability to quickly deploy into the market the Fund’s cash, short-term debt securities, and other money market instruments at times when its assets are not fully invested. The Fund may enter into these transactions for hedging and/or speculative purposes if they are consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies. The Fund may not engage in such transactions to the extent that obligations resulting from these activities, in the aggregate, exceed 25% of the Fund’s total assets. In addition, the Fund may enter into futures contracts, purchase or sell options on futures contracts, trade in options on futures related to foreign currencies, and enter into closing transactions with respect to such activities to hedge or “cross hedge” the currency risks associated with the Fund’s investments. The Fund may purchase and write call and put options and may engage in option strategies for hedging and/or speculative purposes. Use of these strategies can increase the operating costs of the Fund and can lead to loss of principal.
Although the Manager values the Fund’s assets daily in terms of US dollars, the Manager does not intend to convert the Fund’s holdings of foreign currencies into US dollars on a daily basis. The Fund is permitted to, however, from time to time, purchase or sell foreign currencies and/or engage in forward foreign currency contracts in order to facilitate or expedite settlement of Fund transactions and to minimize currency value fluctuations.
The Fund may use interest rate swaps to adjust its sensitivity to interest rates or to hedge against changes in interest rates. Index swaps may be used to gain exposure to markets that the Fund invests in, such as the corporate bond market. The Fund may also use index swaps as a substitute for futures or options contracts if such contracts are not directly available to the Fund on favorable terms. The Fund may enter into credit default swaps in order to hedge against a credit event, to enhance total return, or to gain exposure to certain securities or markets. The Manager may use swaps to seek to neutralize the effect of any price declines without selling a bond or bonds.
The Fund may invest in short-term debt instruments and repurchase agreements either as a means to achieve its investment objective or, more commonly, for cash management or temporary defensive purposes.
Subject to certain quality and collateral limitations, the Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in CMOs and REMICs issued by private entities that are not collateralized by securities issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities, so called “nonagency” mortgage-backed securities.
The Fund may invest without restriction in bank loans that meet the credit standards established by the Manager in order to enhance total return, to effect diversification, or to earn additional income. It might take longer than 7 days for investments in leveraged loans to settle. The Fund intends to meet short-term liquidity needs if certain bank loans need longer settlement through regular monitoring in conjunction with its Liquidity Risk Management Program.
The Fund may invest in restricted or privately placed securities, including those that are eligible for resale only among certain institutional buyers without registration, which are commonly known as “Rule 144A Securities.” The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments as determined pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (1940 Act) and applicable rules and regulations thereunder.
The Manager may establish short positions in exchange traded funds in an attempt to isolate, manage, or reduce the risk of individual securities positions held by the Fund, of a decline in a particular market sector to which the Fund has significant exposure, or of the exposure to securities owned by the Fund in the aggregate. Such short sales may also be implemented in an attempt to manage the duration of the Fund’s holdings. There is no assurance that any such short sales will achieve their intended objective(s). The Manager will not engage in short sales for speculative purposes.
The Fund’s investment objective and 80% policy are nonfundamental. This means that the Fund’s Board of Trustees (Board) may change the objective and 80% policy without obtaining shareholder approval. If the objective or 80% policy were changed, the Fund would notify shareholders at least 60 days before the change became effective.
20
The SAI also describes non-principal investment strategies that the Fund may use, including investing in other types of investments that are not described in this Prospectus.
Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF
The Manager analyzes economic and market conditions, seeking to identify the securities or market sectors that the Manager believes are the best investments for the Fund. Securities in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, the following:
●
securities issued or guaranteed by the US government, such as US Treasurys;
●
securities issued by US government agencies or instrumentalities, such as securities of Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae);
●
investment grade and below-investment-grade corporate bonds; nonagency mortgage-backed securities (MBS), asset-backed securities (ABS), commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS), collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs), and stripped MBS;
●
securities of foreign issuers in both developed and emerging markets, denominated in foreign currencies and US dollars;
●
bank loans and other direct indebtedness; and
●
short-term investments.
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in investment grade fixed income securities. The Fund may invest in debt obligations issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and by US corporations. The corporate debt obligations in which the Fund may invest include bonds, notes, debentures, and commercial paper of US companies. The US government securities in which the Fund may invest include a variety of securities that are issued or guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest by the US government, and by various agencies or instrumentalities, which have been established or are sponsored by the US government.
The Manager has appointed NCRAM to serve as a sub-advisor for the Fund. NCRAM is responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the portion of the Fund that invests in high-yield, fixed income securities. The Manager may change this allocation at any time. NCRAM selects investments for its portion of the Fund based on NCRAM’s own investment style and strategy.
In selecting high-yield, fixed income securities, NCRAM uses a “Strong Horse” investment philosophy where the goal is to find companies that can carry their debt loads through the economic cycle, generating strong, sustainable cash flows that enables them to de-lever their balance sheets and improve their ratings. NCRAM follows an investment decision making process that follows three basic steps: (1) idea generation where NCRAM seeks to identify trends in the market or situations where bond prices differ from fundamental risks; (2) credit research where NCRAM analyzes business risk, financial risk, bond deal structure, and sustainability risk; and (3) portfolio construction, where NCRAM considers the top-down attributes of the portfolios, especially the ratings, industry and duration posture, while choosing investments driven by bottom-up fundamental research.
The Fund may also invest in MBS issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or by government-sponsored corporations. There is no limit on government-related MBS the Fund may hold. Other MBS in which the Fund may invest are issued by certain private, nongovernment entities. MBS issued by private, nongovernment
entities, or that are secured by the underlying collateral of the private
issuer, are not government securities and are not directly guaranteed by
the US government in any way. These types of securities include, among others,
CMOs, REMICs, and CMBS.
The Fund may also invest in securities that are backed by assets such as receivables on home equity and credit card loans, automobile, mobile home, recreational vehicle and other loans, wholesale dealer floor plans, and leases.
The Fund maintains an average effective duration from one to three years.
The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in below-investment-grade securities (commonly known as high yield or “junk bonds”). The Fund may invest in domestic corporate debt obligations, including notes, which
21
may be convertible or nonconvertible, commercial paper, units consisting of bonds with stock or warrants to buy stock attached, debentures and convertible debentures. The Fund will invest in both rated and unrated bonds. Unrated bonds may be more speculative in nature than rated bonds.
The Fund may also invest up to 30% of its net assets in foreign securities, including up to 10% of its net assets in securities of issuers located in emerging markets. The Manager will limit the Fund’s investments in total non-US dollar currency to no more than 10% of its net assets. The Fund will hedge its total foreign currency exposure. These fixed income securities may include foreign government securities, debt obligations of foreign companies, and securities issued by supranational entities. A supranational entity is an entity established or financially supported by the national governments of one or more countries to promote reconstruction or development. Examples of supranational entities include, among others, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (more commonly known as the World Bank), the European Economic Community, the European Investment Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Asian Development Bank.
The Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored American depositary receipts (ADRs), European depositary receipts (EDRs), or global depositary receipts (GDRs). The Fund may also invest in zero coupon bonds, and may purchase shares of other investment companies.
The Fund may invest in both rated and unrated foreign securities.
The Fund may invest in securities issued in any currency and may hold foreign currencies. Securities of issuers within a given country may be denominated in the currency of another country or in multinational currency units, such as the euro. The Fund may, from time to time, purchase or sell foreign currencies and/or engage in forward foreign currency contracts in order to facilitate or expedite settlement of Fund transactions and to minimize currency value fluctuations.
In addition to the investments discussed above, the Fund may use a wide range of derivatives instruments, typically including options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward foreign currency contracts, and swaps. The Fund will use derivatives for both hedging and nonhedging purposes. The Fund will not use derivatives for reasons inconsistent with its investment objective and will limit its investments in derivatives instruments to 20% of its net assets. The Fund will
not invest in swaps with maturities of more than 10 years.
The Fund may invest in various types of
short-term debt instruments, including time deposits, certificates of deposit,
commercial paper, US government securities, repurchase agreements, and
others, either as a means of achieving its investment objective, as temporary
defensive investments, or pending investment in the Fund’s principal
investment securities.
The
Fund may invest in restricted or privately placed securities, including those
that are eligible for resale only among certain institutional
buyers without registration, which are commonly known as “Rule 144A
Securities.” The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid
investments as determined pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940
and applicable rules and regulations thereunder.
The Fund may invest without restriction in bank loans that meet
the credit standards established by the Manager in order to enhance total
return, to effect diversification, or to earn additional income. It might
take longer than 7 days for investments in leveraged loans to settle. The Fund
intends to meet short-term liquidity needs if certain bank loans need
longer settlement through regular monitoring in conjunction with its Liquidity
Risk Management Program.
The Manager may establish short positions in exchange traded funds
in an attempt to isolate, manage, or reduce the risk of individual
securities positions held by the Fund, of a decline in a particular market
sector to which the Fund has significant exposure, or of the exposure to
securities owned by the Fund in the aggregate. Such short sales may also
be implemented in an attempt to manage the duration of the Fund’s holdings.
There is no assurance that any such short sales will achieve their
intended objective(s). The Manager will not engage in short sales for
speculative purposes.
The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements, restricted securities, illiquid investments, time deposits, and short sales.
The Fund’s investment objective is nonfundamental. This means that the Fund’s Board may change the objective without obtaining shareholder approval. If the objective were changed, the Fund would notify shareholders at least 60 days before the change became effective.
The SAI also describes non-principal investment strategies that the Fund may use, including investing in other types of investments that are not described in this Prospectus.
Fixed income securities offer the potential for greater income payments than stocks, and also may provide capital appreciation. Please see the Fund’s SAI for additional information about certain of the securities described above as well as other securities in which the Fund may invest.
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
The Manager analyzes economic and market conditions, seeking to identify the securities or market sectors that it thinks are the best investments for a particular Fund.
The Fund will invest primarily in tax-exempt obligations of issuers in California.
The Fund may also invest in securities issued by US territories and possessions (such as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands) to the extent that these securities are exempt from federal income tax and the applicable state’s personal income taxes.
22
The Fund will generally invest in securities for income rather than seeking capital appreciation through active trading. However, the Manager may sell securities for a variety of reasons such as: to reinvest the proceeds in higher yielding securities; to eliminate investments not consistent with the preservation of capital; to honor redemption requests; or to address a weakening credit situation. As a result, the Fund may realize capital gains that could be taxable to shareholders or they may realize losses.
The Fund generally will have a dollar-weighted average effective maturity of between 5 and 30 years.
The Fund’s investment objective is nonfundamental. This means that the Fund’s Board may change the objective without obtaining shareholder approval. If the objective were changed, the Fund would notify shareholders at least 60 days before the change became effective.
Additional Investment Strategies
Fixed income securities offer the potential for greater income payments than stocks, and also may provide capital appreciation. Municipal bond securities typically pay income free of federal income tax and may also be free of state income taxes in the state where they are issued.
Please see the Fund’s SAI for additional information about certain of the securities described below as well as other securities in which the Fund may invest.
Tax-exempt obligations
Tax-exempt obligations are commonly known as municipal bonds. These are debt obligations issued by or for a state, territory, or possession, its agencies or instrumentalities, municipalities, or other political subdivisions. The interest on these debt obligations can generally be excluded from federal income tax as well as personal income taxes in the state, territory, or possession where the bond is issued. Determination of a bond’s tax-exempt status is based on the opinion of the bond issuer’s legal counsel. Tax-exempt obligations may include securities subject to the alternative minimum tax.
High yield, high-risk municipal bonds (junk bonds)
High yield, high-risk municipal bonds are municipal debt obligations rated lower than BBB- by S&P or Baa3 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Moody’s), or similarly rated by another NRSRO or, if unrated, of comparable quality. High yield bonds, also known as “junk bonds,” are issued by issuers that have lower credit quality and may have difficulty repaying principal and interest.
General obligation bonds
General obligation bonds are municipal bonds on which the payment of principal and interest is secured by the issuer’s pledge of its full faith, credit, and taxing power.
Revenue bonds
Revenue bonds are municipal bonds on which principal and interest payments are made from revenues derived from a particular facility, from the proceeds of a special excise tax, or from revenue generated by an operating project. Principal and interest are not secured by the general taxing power. Tax-exempt industrial development bonds, in most cases, are a type of revenue bond that is not backed by the credit of the issuing municipality and may therefore involve more risk.
Insured municipal bonds
Various municipal issuers may obtain insurance for their obligations. In the event of a default, the insurer is required to make payments of interest and principal when due to the bondholders. However, there is no assurance that the insurance company will meet its obligations. Insured obligations are typically rated in the top quality grades by an NRSRO.
Private activity or private placement bonds
Private activity bonds are municipal bonds whose proceeds are used to finance certain nongovernment activities, including some types of industrial revenue bonds and privately owned sports facilities. Interest on certain private activity bonds, while exempt from regular federal income tax, is a tax preference item for taxpayers when
23
determining their alternative minimum tax, if applicable, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (Internal Revenue Code).
Private placement bonds are bonds sold directly to qualified institutional investors or accredited investors, such as banks, mutual funds, insurance companies, pension funds, and foundations. Private placement bonds do not require registration with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, provided the securities are bought for investment purposes rather than resale. Privately placed bonds encompass a wide variety of fixed income investments including corporate obligations and real estate-related, project finance, and asset-backed loans.
Inverse floaters
Inverse floaters are instruments with floating or variable interest rates that move in the opposite direction of short-term interest rates. Consequently, the market values of inverse floaters will generally be more volatile than other tax-exempt investments. Certain inverse floater programs may be considered a form of borrowing.
Advance refunded bonds
Escrow secured bonds or defeased bonds are created when an issuer refunds in advance of maturity (or pre-refunds) an outstanding bond issue that is not immediately callable, and it becomes necessary or desirable to set aside funds for redemption of the bonds at a future date. In an advance refunding, the issuer will use the proceeds of a new bond issue to purchase high grade interest-bearing debt securities, which are then deposited in an irrevocable escrow account held by a trustee bank to secure all future payments of principal and interest on pre-existing bonds, which are then considered to be “advance refunded bonds.” Escrow-secured bonds will often receive a rating of AAA from S&P and Aaa from Moody’s.
Short-term tax-free instruments
Short-term tax-free instruments include instruments such as tax-exempt commercial paper and general obligation, revenue, and project notes, as well as variable floating-rate demand obligations.
Futures and options
Futures contracts are agreements for the purchase or sale of a security or a group of securities at a specified price, on a specified date. Unlike purchasing an option, a futures contract must be executed unless it is sold before the settlement date.
Options represent a right to buy or sell a swap agreement, a futures contract, or a security or a group of securities at an agreed-upon price at a future date. The purchaser of an option may or may not choose to go through with the transaction. The seller of an option, however, must go through with the transaction if the purchaser exercises the option.
Certain futures and options may be considered illiquid.
Repurchase agreements
A repurchase agreement is an agreement between a buyer of securities, such as a fund, and a seller of securities, in which the seller agrees to buy the securities back within a specified time at the same price the buyer paid for them, plus an amount equal to an agreed-upon interest rate. Repurchase agreements are often viewed as equivalent to cash.
Restricted securities
Restricted securities are privately placed securities whose resale is restricted under US securities laws.
Illiquid investments
Illiquid investments are any investment that a fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment, as determined pursuant to the 1940 Act and applicable rules and regulations thereunder.
Interest rate swap, index swap, and credit default swap agreements
In an interest rate swap, a fund receives payments from another party based on a variable or floating interest rate, in return for making payments based on a fixed interest rate. An interest rate swap can also work in reverse with a fund receiving payments based on a fixed interest rate and making payments based on a variable or floating interest rate.
24
In an index swap, a fund receives gains or incurs losses based on the total return of a specified index, in exchange for making interest payments to another party. An index swap can also work in reverse with a fund receiving interest payments from another party in exchange for movements in the total return of a specified index.
In a credit default swap, a fund may transfer the financial risk of a credit event occurring (a bond default, bankruptcy, or restructuring, for example) on a particular security or basket of securities to another party by paying that party a periodic premium; likewise, a fund may assume the financial risk of a credit event occurring on a particular security or basket of securities in exchange for receiving premium payments from another party.
Interest rate swaps, index swaps, and credit default swaps may be considered illiquid.
Municipal leases and certificates of participation
Certificates of participation (COPs) are widely used by state and local governments to finance the purchase of property and facilities. COPs are like installment purchase agreements. A governmental corporation may create a COP when it issues long-term bonds to pay for the acquisition of property or facilities. The property or facilities are then leased to a municipality, which makes lease payments to repay interest and principal to the holders of the bonds. Once the lease payments are completed, the municipality gains ownership of the property for a nominal sum.
Zero coupon bonds
Zero coupon bonds are debt obligations that do not entitle the holder to any periodic payments of interest prior to maturity or a specified date when the securities begin paying current interest. Therefore, they are issued and traded at a discount from their respective face amount or par value.
Additional Investment Considerations for the Funds
The objective(s) and investment policies of each Fund may be changed by the Board without a vote of the Fund’s shareholders, unless a policy or restriction is otherwise described as a fundamental policy in this prospectus or in the Funds’ SAI. Shareholders, however, will be given prior written notice, typically at least 60 days in advance, of any material change in a Fund’s objective(s).
Because the Funds own different types of investments, their performance will be affected by a variety of factors. The value of a Fund’s investments and the income it generates will vary from day to day, generally reflecting changes in interest rates, market conditions, and other company and economic news. From time to time, based on market or economic conditions, a Fund may have significant positions in one or more sectors of the market and may be overweight or underweight sectors as compared to its benchmark index.
To the extent a Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Alternatively, the lack of exposure to one or more sectors may adversely affect performance. Performance also will depend on the Manager’s (and sub-advisor’s, as applicable) skill in selecting investments. As with any investment fund, you could lose money on your investment. There is no guarantee that a Fund will achieve its objective(s).
Each Fund also may invest in and use certain other types of securities and instruments in seeking to achieve its objective(s). For example, certain types of each Fund’s authorized investments and strategies, such as foreign and emerging markets securities and junk bonds, involve special risks. Depending on how much a Fund invests or uses these strategies, these special risks may become significant and thus affect the performance of a Fund.
Each Fund may actively trade securities in seeking to achieve its objective(s). Factors that can lead to active trading include market volatility, a significant positive or negative development concerning a security, an attempt to maintain a Fund’s market capitalization target of the securities in each such Fund’s holdings and the need to sell a security to meet redemption activity. Actively trading securities may increase transaction costs (which may reduce performance) and increase net realized gains that a Fund must distribute for federal tax purposes, the distribution of which would increase your taxable income.
Each Fund generally seeks to be fully invested, except to the extent that it takes a temporary defensive position. In addition, at times, the Manager may invest a portion of a Fund’s assets in cash or cash equivalents if the Manager is
25
unable to identify and acquire a sufficient number of securities that meet its selection criteria for implementing the Fund’s investment objective(s), strategies and policies, or for other reasons.
Please see the SAI for additional information about other securities in which the Funds may invest.
Other investment strategies
Below are additional investment strategies that are not part of the Funds’ principal investment strategies. The Funds may utilize or engage in some or all of these additional investment strategies from time to time, in the discretion of the Manager, as part of the Funds’ non-principal investment strategies.
Lending securities
A Fund may lend up to 25% of its assets to qualified broker/dealers or institutional investors for their use in securities transactions. Borrowers of a Fund’s securities must provide collateral to the Fund and adjust the amount of collateral each day to reflect changes in the value of the loaned securities. These transactions, if any, may generate additional income for a Fund.
Borrowing from banks
A Fund may borrow money from banks as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes or to facilitate redemptions. A Fund will not borrow money in excess of one-third of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed).
Purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis
Each Fund may buy or sell securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis (i.e., paying for securities before delivery or taking delivery at a later date).
Temporary defensive positions
In response to unfavorable market conditions, a Fund may make temporary investments in cash or cash equivalents or other high-quality, short-term instruments. These investments may not be consistent with a Fund’s investment objective(s). To the extent that a Fund holds such instruments, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective(s).
The risks of investing in the Funds
Investing in any exchange-traded fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment, and the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest. Before you invest in the Funds, you should carefully evaluate the risks. Because of the nature of the Funds, you should consider your investment to be a long-term investment that typically provides the best results when held for a number of years. Unlike many ETFs, the Funds are actively managed, rather than index-based ETFs, which means that they do not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. The table below identifies the principal risks (P) and non-principal risks (NP) you assume when investing in a Fund. These risks are described in more detail below. Please see the SAI for a further discussion of these risks and other risks not discussed here.
|
Risk
|
Nomura Diversified Income ETF
|
Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF
|
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
|
|
Market risk
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
Credit risk
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
High yield (junk) bond risk
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
Call risk
|
|
|
P
|
|
Interest rate risk
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
26
|
Loans and other direct indebtedness risk
|
P
|
NP
|
|
|
Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risk
|
P
|
P
|
|
|
Foreign risk
|
P
|
P
|
|
|
Emerging markets risk
|
P
|
NP
|
|
|
Foreign government securities risk
|
NP
|
NP
|
|
|
Currency risk
|
NP
|
NP
|
|
|
Prepayment risk
|
P
|
P
|
|
|
US government securities risk
|
P
|
NP
|
|
|
Geographic concentration risk
|
|
|
P
|
|
Derivatives risk
|
P
|
P
|
NP
|
|
Counterparty risk
|
NP
|
NP
|
NP
|
|
Leveraging risk
|
P
|
P
|
NP
|
|
Liquidity risk
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
Valuation risk
|
P
|
P
|
|
|
Portfolio turnover risk
|
P
|
P
|
|
|
Government and regulatory risk
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
Zero coupon and payment-in-kind (PIK) bonds risk
|
NP
|
NP
|
|
|
Industry and sector risk
|
NP
|
NP
|
P
|
|
Alternative minimum tax risk
|
|
|
P
|
|
Taxability risk
|
|
|
NP
|
|
Short sales risk
|
NP
|
NP
|
|
|
IBOR risk
|
NP
|
NP
|
NP
|
|
Natural disaster and epidemic risk
|
NP
|
NP
|
NP
|
|
Active management and selection risk
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
ETF risks
|
|
|
|
27
|
-
Authorized participants, market makers and liquidity providers concentration risk
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
-
Cash transactions risk
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
-
Secondary market trading risk
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
-
Shares may trade at prices other than NAV risk
|
P
|
P
|
P
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Market risk
Markets can be volatile, and stock, bond, and other asset prices can change daily, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. As a result, a fund’s holdings can decline in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market or economic developments or conditions that may cause a broad market decline. Different parts of the market, including different sectors and different types of securities, can react differently to these developments. Markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. During a general downturn in the financial markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value. When markets perform well, there can be no assurance that specific investments held by a fund will rise in value. Market risk may affect a single issuer or the market as a whole. At times, a fund may hold a relatively high percentage of its assets in investments linked to a particular market sector, which would subject the fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Securities are subject to price movements due to changes in general economic conditions (which may not be specifically related to the particular issuer), such as the level of prevailing interest or currency rates, changes in the general outlook for revenues or corporate earnings, investor sentiment and perceptions of the market generally. The value of securities also may go up or down due to factors that affect an individual issuer or a particular industry or sector, such as changes in production costs and competitive conditions within the industry. Volatility in the price of a security may cause a security to be worth less than the price originally paid for it, or less than it was worth at an earlier time.
Global economies and financial markets have become increasingly interconnected, meaning that conditions in one country or region may adversely affect issuers in another country or region, which in turn may adversely affect securities held by a fund. In addition, certain events, such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, war, regional or global instability and other geopolitical events, have led, and may in the future lead, to increased short-term market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economies and markets generally.
Financial markets at times may experience heightened volatility due to various factors, including, but not limited to, government regulations and central bank policy changes. Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on a fund.
The value of assets or income from a fund’s investments may be adversely affected by inflation or changes in the market’s expectations regarding inflation. Furthermore, there is a risk that the prices of goods and services in the US and many foreign economies may decline over time, known as deflation (the opposite of inflation). Deflation may have an adverse effect on stock prices and creditworthiness and may make defaults on debt more likely. If a country’s economy slips into a deflationary pattern, it could last for a prolonged period and may be difficult to reverse.
Credit risk
An issuer of a fixed-income obligation (including a mortgage-backed security) or a REIT may not make payments on the obligation when due, or the other party to a contract may default on its obligation. There also is the risk that an issuer could suffer adverse changes in its financial condition that could lower the credit quality of a security. This could lead to greater volatility in the price of the security, could affect the security’s liquidity, and could make it
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more difficult to sell. A downgrade or default affecting any of a fund’s securities could affect the fund’s performance. In general, the longer the maturity and the lower the credit quality of a bond, the more sensitive it is to credit risk. If a fund purchases unrated securities and obligations, it will depend on the Manager’s analysis of credit risk more heavily than usual.
High yield (junk) bond risk
In general, low-rated debt securities (commonly referred to as “high-yield” or “junk” bonds) offer higher yields due to the increased risk that the issuer will be unable to meet its obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by the debt instrument. For this reason, these securities are considered speculative and could significantly weaken a fund’s returns. In adverse economic or other circumstances, issuers of these low-rated securities and obligations are more likely to have difficulty making principal and interest payments than issuers of higher-rated securities and obligations.
In addition, these low-rated securities and obligations may fluctuate more widely in price and yield than higher-rated securities and obligations and may fall in price during times when the economy is weak or is expected to become weak. Low-rated securities and obligations also may require a greater degree of judgment to establish a price, may be difficult to sell at the time and price a fund desires, and may carry higher transaction costs. Issuers of securities that are in default or have defaulted may fail to resume principal or interest payments, in which case a fund may lose its entire investment. In addition, a defaulted obligation or other restructuring of an obligation could involve an exchange of such obligation for other debt or equity securities of the issuer or its affiliates, which may in turn be illiquid, speculative or unregistered. Low-rated securities and obligations are susceptible to such a default or decline in market value due to real or perceived adverse economic and business developments relating to the issuer, the industry in general, market interest rates and market liquidity. The market value of these securities can be volatile. Ratings of a security or obligation may not accurately reflect the actual credit risk associated with such a security. The creditworthiness of issuers of low-rated securities may be more complex to analyze than that of issuers of investment-grade debt securities.
Call risk
Income from a fund’s debt securities may decline if such fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded, prepaid or called securities in securities with interest rates lower than the current earnings rate of the fund’s portfolio. For example, debt securities with high relative interest rates may be paid by the issuer prior to maturity, particularly during periods of falling interest rates. During periods of falling interest rates, there is the possibility that an issuer will call its securities if they can be refinanced by issuing new securities with a lower interest rate (commonly referred to as optional call risk).
Interest rate risk
The value of a debt security, mortgage-backed security or other fixed-income obligation, as well as of shares of mortgage REITs, may decline due to changes in market interest rates. Small- and medium-sized companies may also be adversely affected by rising interest rates because they often borrow money to finance their operations.
Generally, when interest rates rise, the value of such a security or obligation generally decreases. Conversely, when interest rates decline, the value of such a security generally increases. Long-term debt securities, mortgage-backed securities and other fixed-income obligations generally are more sensitive to interest rate changes than short-term debt securities. The Fund may experience a decline in its income due to falling interest rates. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates when interest rates are low or inflation rates are high or rising. Where permitted by its investment strategies, a fund may use derivatives to hedge its exposure to interest rate risk.
Changes to monetary policy by the Federal Reserve or other regulatory actions may affect interest rates. It is difficult to predict the impact of these rate changes and any future rate changes on various markets.
Market developments and other factors, including a general rise in interest rates, have the potential to cause investors to move out of fixed-income securities on a large scale, which may increase redemptions from mutual funds that hold large amounts of fixed-income securities. Such a move, coupled with a reduction in the ability or willingness of dealers and other institutional investors to buy or hold fixed-income securities may result in decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed-income markets, which could cause a fund’s NAV to fluctuate more and adversely affect the fund’s return.
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In general, a portfolio of debt, mortgage-related and asset-backed securities and other fixed-income obligations experiences a decrease in principal value with an increase in interest rates. The extent of the decrease in principal value may be affected by a fund’s duration of its portfolio of debt, mortgage-related and asset-backed securities and other fixed-income obligations. Duration measures the relative price sensitivity of a security to changes in interest rates. “Effective” duration takes into consideration the likelihood that a security will be called, or prepaid, prior to maturity given current market interest rates. Typically, a security with a longer duration is more price sensitive than a security with a shorter duration. In general, a portfolio of debt, mortgage-related and asset-backed securities experiences a percentage decrease in principal value equal to its effective duration for each 1% increase in interest rates. For example, if a fund holds a portfolio of securities with an effective duration of five years and interest rates rise 1%, the principal value of such securities could be expected to decrease by approximately 5%.
Loans and other direct indebtedness risk
In addition to the risks typically associated with fixed-income securities, loans (including loan assignments, loan participations and other loan instruments) carry other risks, including the risk of insolvency of the lending bank or other intermediary. The risks associated with loans are similar to the risks of low-rated debt securities or “junk” bonds since loans typically are below investment-grade. Loans may be unsecured or not fully collateralized, may be subject to restrictions on resale, may be difficult to value, sometimes trade infrequently on the secondary market and generally are subject to extended settlement periods. Any of these factors may impair a fund’s ability to sell or realize promptly the full value of its loans in the event of a need to liquidate such loans. Difficulty in selling a loan can result in a loss. Accordingly, loans that have been sold may not be immediately available to meet redemptions. Extended trade settlement periods may result in cash not being immediately available to a fund. As a result, a fund may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions to raise cash to meet its obligations. Interests in secured loans have the benefit of collateral and, typically, of restrictive covenants limiting the ability of the borrower to further encumber its assets. There is a risk that the value of the collateral securing the loan may decline after a fund invests and that the collateral may not be sufficient to cover the amount owed to such fund. In the event the borrower defaults, a fund’s access to the collateral may be limited or delayed by bankruptcy or other insolvency laws. These risks could cause a fund to lose income or principal on a particular investment, which could affect the fund’s returns. In addition, loans also are subject to the risk that a court could subordinate the loan to presently existing or future indebtedness or take other action detrimental to the holders of the loan. Further, in the event of a default, second or lower lien secured loans will generally be paid only if the value of the collateral exceeds the amount of the borrower’s obligations to the senior secured lenders, and the remaining collateral may not be sufficient to cover the full amount owed on the loan in which a fund has an interest. If the loan is unsecured, there is no specific collateral on which a fund can foreclose. In addition, if a secured loan is foreclosed, a fund may bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral, including the risk that collateral may be difficult to sell. The restructuring of a loan, either in a negotiated work-out or in the context of bankruptcy, could involve an exchange of such loan for other debt or equity securities of the issuer or its affiliates, which may in turn be illiquid, speculative or unregistered.
Loans made to finance highly leveraged corporate acquisitions may be especially vulnerable to adverse changes in economic or market conditions. Certain loans may not be considered “securities,” and purchasers, such as a fund, therefore may not be entitled to rely on the strong anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws. With loan assignments, as an assignee, a fund normally will succeed to all rights and obligations of its assignor with respect to the portion of the loan that is being assigned. However, the rights and obligations acquired by the purchaser of a loan assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the original lenders or the assignor. With loan participations, a fund may not be able to control the exercise of any remedies that the lender would have under the loan and likely would not have any rights against the borrower directly, so that delays and expense may be greater than those that would be involved if a fund could enforce its rights directly against the borrower.
Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risk
Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, like other fixed income securities, are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk, and may also be subject to prepayment risk and extension risk. Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities can be highly sensitive to interest rate changes. As a result, small movements in interest rates can substantially impact the value and liquidity of these securities. Prepayment risk is the risk that the principal on mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities may be prepaid at any time, which will reduce the yield and market value of the securities and may cause the fund to reinvest the proceeds in lower yielding securities. Extension risk is
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the risk that principal on mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities will be repaid more slowly than expected, which may reduce the proceeds available for reinvestment in higher yielding securities and may cause the security to experience greater volatility due to the extended maturity of the security. When interest rates rise, the value of mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities can be expected to decline. When interest rates go down, however, the value of these securities may not increase as much as other fixed income securities due to borrowers refinancing their loans at lower interest rates or prepaying their loans. In addition, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may decline in value, become more volatile, face difficulties in valuation, or experience reduced liquidity due to changes in general economic conditions. During periods of economic downturn, for example, underlying borrowers may not make timely payments on their loans and the value of property that secures the loans may decline in value such that it is worth less than the amount of the associated loans. If the collateral securing a mortgage-backed or asset-backed security is insufficient to repay the loan, a fund could sustain a loss. Such risks generally will be heightened where a mortgage-backed or asset-backed security includes “subprime” loans. Although mortgage-backed securities are often supported by government guarantees or private insurance, there can be no guarantee that those obligations will be met. Furthermore, in certain economic conditions, loan servicers, loan originators and other participants in the market for mortgage-backed and other asset-backed securities may be unable to receive sufficient funding, impairing their ability to perform their obligations on the loans. Certain mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities may be more susceptible to these risks than other mortgage-backed, asset-backed, or fixed-income securities. For example, a fund’s investments in collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs), and stripped mortgage-backed securities are generally highly susceptible to interest rate risk, prepayment risk, and extension risk. At times, these investments may be difficult to value and/or illiquid. Some classes of CMOs and REMICs may have preference in receiving principal or interest payments relative to more junior classes. The market prices and yields of these junior classes will generally be more volatile than more senior classes and will be more susceptible to interest rate risk, prepayment risk, and extension risk than more senior classes. Classes that receive payments of interest only (IOs) will generally decrease in value if interest rates decline or prepayment rates increase. Classes that receive payment of principal only (POs) will generally decrease in value if interest rates increase or prepayment rates decrease. These changes in value can be substantial and could cause a fund to lose the entire value of its investment in CMOs, REMICs, and stripped mortgage-backed securities.
Foreign risk
Investing in foreign securities involves a number of economic, financial, legal, and political considerations that are not associated with the US markets and that could affect a fund’s performance unfavorably, depending upon prevailing conditions at any given time. For example, the securities markets of many foreign countries may be smaller, less liquid and subject to greater price volatility than those in the US. The costs of buying, selling, and holding foreign securities, including brokerage, tax, and custody costs, may be higher than those involved in domestic transactions. Foreign investing also may involve tax considerations that usually are not present in the US markets.
Other factors that can affect the value of a fund’s foreign investments include the comparatively weak supervision and regulation by some foreign governments of securities exchanges, brokers and issuers; the fact that many foreign companies may not be subject to uniform and/or stringent accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and related conversion costs or currency redenomination; nationalization or expropriation of assets; and custodial or other operational delays. It also may be difficult to obtain reliable information about the securities and business operations of certain foreign issuers. Settlement of portfolio transactions also may be delayed due to local restrictions or communication problems, which can cause a fund to miss attractive investment opportunities or impair its ability to dispose of securities in a timely fashion (resulting in a loss if the value of the securities subsequently declines). World markets, or those in a particular region, all may react in similar fashion to important economic or political developments. In addition, foreign markets may perform differently than the US market. Over a given period of time, foreign securities may underperform US securities - sometimes for years.
Securities of issuers traded on exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange or by governmental authorities. The likelihood of such suspensions may be higher for securities of issuers in emerging markets than in more developed markets. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. Suspensions may last for significant periods of time, during which trading in the securities and in instruments that reference the securities, such as derivatives instruments, may be halted. In
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the event that a fund holds material positions in such suspended securities, the fund’s ability to liquidate its positions or provide liquidity to investors may be compromised and the fund could incur significant losses.
To the extent that a fund invests in sovereign debt instruments, the fund is subject to the risk that a government or agency issuing the debt may be unable to pay interest and/or repay principal due to cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves or political concerns. In such instance, a fund may have limited recourse against the issuing government or agency. Financial markets have experienced, and may continue to experience, increased volatility due to the uncertainty surrounding the sovereign debt of certain countries.
Moreover, in pursuing its investment objective, a fund, at times, may concentrate its investment in securities of companies located in a specific geographical region. To the extent a fund does so, it may face more risks than mutual funds with investments that are diversified around the globe. The economies and financial markets of certain regions can be interdependent and all may decline at the same time, and certain regions may face risks unique to that area. In particular:
Asia Pacific Investments. The level of development of the economies of countries in the Asia Pacific region varies greatly. Certain economies in the region may be adversely affected by increased competition, high inflation rates, undeveloped financial services sectors, currency fluctuations or restrictions, political and social instability and increased economic volatility. Natural disasters frequently occur in the region, which could drastically impact particular business operations of companies in the region or its overall economy. In addition, certain countries in the Asia Pacific region are large debtors to commercial banks and to foreign governments. It is possible that certain lenders at times may be unwilling to extend credit to Asia Pacific countries, which could make it more difficult for such borrowers to obtain financing on attractive terms, or at all. Due to heavy reliance on international trade, a decrease in demand would adversely affect economic performance in the region. In addition, ongoing political issues and heightened trade tensions between the US and China, including the possibility of a reduction in spending on Chinese products or services, the institution of additional tariffs or other trade barriers may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy and potentially other economies in the region. Investments in companies located or operating in the Asia Pacific region may involve risks and considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. and other Western nations, including the use of variable interest equity (VIE) organizational structures; political, legal and regulatory uncertainty; and differing shareholder rights based on company structure and/or location of operations.
Central and South American Investments. The economies in Latin America, including in some Central and South American countries, have experienced high interest rates, high inflation rates, volatility, regime changes and government defaults. Currency devaluations in any such country may have a significant effect on the entire region. Because commodities such as oil and gas, minerals and metals represent a significant percentage of the region’s exports, the economies of these countries are particularly sensitive to fluctuations in commodity prices. As a result, the economies in many Central and South American countries can experience significant volatility. The economies of countries in these regions tend to be heavily dependent on trading relationships with key trading partners, including the United States, Europe, Asia and other Latin American countries, and as such adverse economic events in one country may have a significant adverse effect on other countries of this region. In addition, recent trade tensions and the imposition of tariffs may disrupt Latin American economies or lead to heightened market volatility.
Additionally, in the past, certain Central and South American economies have been influenced by changing supply and demand for a particular currency, monetary policies of governments (including exchange control programs and currency devaluations and revaluations). Certain countries in this region also historically have experienced political and social risk, including periods of instability and social unrest, local insurrections, social upheavals and high unemployment and underemployment, any of which could adversely impact the economies of these countries.
European Investments. The Economic and Monetary Union (eurozone) of the European Union (EU) requires members of the eurozone to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates and debt levels, as well as fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect EU member countries, as well as other countries in Europe, including non-members. 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 state on its sovereign debt and/or an economic recession in an EU member state may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of other EU member states and their trading partners.
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The European financial markets have historically experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns or rising government debt levels in several European countries, including, but not limited to, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Ukraine. These events have adversely affected, and in the future may adversely affect, the exchange rate of the euro and may significantly affect European countries, including those that do not use the euro as their currency. Additionally, newer EU and eurozone member states, particularly in eastern Europe, remain burdened to various extents by certain infrastructural, bureaucratic and business inefficiencies, and their markets remain relatively undeveloped and may be particularly sensitive to political and economic developments. Responses to financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not produce the desired results, may result in social unrest, may limit future growth and economic recovery or may have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and other entities of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world. Moreover, recent global trade tensions and the imposition of tariffs, including by the United States, could further exacerbate volatility and such adverse effects.
The national politics of countries in Europe have been unpredictable and subject to influence by disruptive political groups and ideologies, including, for example, secessionist movements. The governments of European countries may be subject to change and such countries may experience social and political unrest. Unanticipated or sudden political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. EU continues to face major issues involving its membership, structure, procedures and policies, including the successful political, economic and social integration of new member states. The current and future status of the EU continues to be the subject of political controversy, and the growth of nationalist and populist parties in national legislatures may further threaten enlargement. It is possible that one or more countries may abandon the euro and/or withdraw from the EU, as the United Kingdom (UK) did in 2020 (commonly referred to as “Brexit”). Following Brexit, certain trading matters between the UK and the EU remain unresolved, including with respect to financial services. The continuing uncertainty could have an adverse impact on the UK economy.
The occurrence of terrorist incidents throughout Europe or war in the region could also impact financial markets, in particular, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that began in 2022. As a result of that military action, the US and many other countries have imposed sanctions on Russia and certain Russian individuals, banks and corporations, and the ongoing hostilities and resulting sanctions may have a severe adverse effect on the region’s economies and more globally.
North American Investments. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations or an economic recession in any North American country can have a significant economic effect on the entire region. Since the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994 among Canada, the US and Mexico, total merchandise trade among the three countries has increased. However, political developments in the US resulting in recent global trade tensions and the imposition of reciprocal tariffs by all three countries, may have implications for trade among the US, Mexico and Canada, any of which may result in additional volatility in the region. Moreover, the likelihood of further policy or legislative changes in one or more countries may have a significant effect on North American markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities held by a fund when investing in this region.
Emerging markets risk
Investments in countries with emerging economies or securities markets may carry greater risk than investments in more developed countries or markets. Emerging markets may experience political instability. Political and economic structures in many such countries may be undergoing significant evolution and rapid development, and such countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristics of more developed countries. Certain of those countries may have failed in the past to recognize private property rights and have nationalized or expropriated the assets of private companies. As a result, the risks described above, including the risks of nationalization or expropriation of assets, may be heightened. In addition, unanticipated political or social developments may affect the value of a fund’s investments in those countries and the availability of additional investments in those countries. The costs of buying, selling, and holding securities in emerging markets, including brokerage, tax, and custody costs, may be higher. The small size and inexperience of the securities markets in such countries and the limited volume of trading in securities in those countries may make a fund’s investments in such countries more volatile and less liquid than investments in more developed countries, and a fund may be required to
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establish special custodial or other arrangements before making certain investments in those countries. Economic markets and structures in emerging markets tend to be less mature and diverse than more developed markets. Regulatory oversight of issuers in emerging markets may be less stringent or inconsistently applied, and securities markets may be subject to less government regulation or supervision. The economies of emerging market countries may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates. The repatriation of capital with regard to investments made in certain securities or countries may be restricted during certain times or even indefinitely. There may be substantially less financial or accounting information available about issuers in emerging markets than in more developed markets than domestic issuers. Information that is available may be of a lesser quality as issuers may be subject to different accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards than issuers in more developed markets. As a result, it may be difficult to assess the value or prospects of an investment in such issuers. In times of market stress, regulatory authorities of different emerging market countries may apply varying techniques and degrees of intervention, which can have an effect on prices and may require that a fund fair value its holdings in those countries. Emerging market securities may also be subject to greater fluctuations in value and liquidity due to changes in currency exchange rates.
Foreign government securities risk
Investing in foreign government obligations creates exposure to the direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities or in which the issuers are located. Such investments are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay payment, restructure its debt, or refuse to pay interest or repay principal. Factors which may influence the ability or willingness of a foreign government or country to service debt include a country’s cash flow situation, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of its debt service burden to the economy as a whole and its government’s policy towards the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other international agencies, the obligor’s balance of payments, including export performance, its access to international credits and investments, fluctuations in interest rates and the extent of its foreign reserves. There may be no legal or bankruptcy process for collecting sovereign debt.
Currency risk
Foreign securities may be denominated in foreign currencies. The value of a fund’s investments, as measured in US dollars, may be unfavorably affected by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations. Domestic issuers that hold substantial foreign assets may be similarly affected. The value of an investment denominated in a foreign currency could change significantly as foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the US dollar. Currency exchange rates can be affected unpredictably by intervention, or failure to intervene, by US or foreign governments or central banks or by currency controls or political developments in the US or abroad. Devaluations of a currency by a government or banking authority also may have significant impact on the value of any investments denominated in that currency. Risks related to foreign currencies also include those related to economic or political developments, market inefficiencies or a higher risk that essential investment information may be incomplete, unavailable or inaccurate. A US dollar investment in an investment denominated in a foreign currency is subject to currency risk. Foreign currency losses could offset or exceed any potential gains, or add to losses, in the related investments. Currency markets also are generally not as regulated as securities markets. In addition, in order to transact in foreign investments, a fund may exchange and hold foreign currencies. Regulatory fees or higher custody fees may be imposed on foreign currency holdings. The Fund may use derivatives to manage its foreign currency risk. Derivatives on non-US currencies involve a risk of loss if currency exchange rates move against a fund, unless the derivative is a currency forward to hedge against the non-US currency movement.
Prepayment risk
Income from a fund’s debt securities may decline if the fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded, prepaid or called securities in securities with interest rates lower than the current earnings rate of the fund’s portfolio. For example, debt securities with high relative interest rates may be paid by the issuer prior to maturity, particularly during periods of falling interest rates. During periods of falling interest rates, there is the possibility that an issuer will call its securities if they can be refinanced by issuing new securities with a lower interest rate (commonly referred to as optional call risk). Moreover, falling interest rates could cause prepayments of mortgage loans to occur more quickly than expected. This may occur because, as interest rates fall, more property owners refinance the mortgages underlying mortgage-backed securities (including shares of mortgage REITs). As a result, a fund may have to reinvest the proceeds in other securities with generally lower interest rates, resulting in a decline in the fund’s investment income.
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US government securities risk
Certain US government securities, such as US Treasury securities and securities issued by Ginnie Mae, are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the US government. Other securities that are issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or authorities or by US government-sponsored instrumentalities or enterprises may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the US government. For example, securities issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the FHLB are not backed by the full faith and credit of the US government and, instead, may be supported only by the right of the issuer to borrow from the US Treasury or by the credit of the issuer. As a result, such securities are subject to greater credit risk than securities backed by the full faith and credit of the US government.
Geographic concentration risk
From time to time, a fund may have a significant position in the municipal securities of a particular state, territory, or possession such as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and may be subject to geographic concentration risk. Geographic concentration risk is the risk that a fund that concentrates on investments from a particular state, region, or US territory or possession could be adversely affected by political and economic conditions in that state, region, or US territory or possession. There is also the risk that an inadequate supply of municipal bonds exists in a particular state or US territory or possession.
Derivatives risk
Derivatives risk is the possibility that a fund may experience a significant loss if it employs a derivatives strategy (including a strategy involving equity-linked securities, futures, options, forward foreign currency contracts, or swaps such as interest rate swaps, index swaps, or credit default swaps) related to a security, index, reference rate, or other asset or market factor (collectively, a “reference instrument”) and that reference instrument moves in an unanticipated direction. If a market or markets, or prices of particular classes of investments, move in an unexpected manner, a fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the transaction and it may realize losses. Derivatives also involve additional expenses, which could reduce any benefit or increase any loss to a fund from using the strategy. In addition, changes in government regulation of derivatives could affect the character, timing, and amount of a fund’s taxable income or gains. A Fund’s transactions in derivatives may be subject to one or more special tax rules. These rules may: (i) affect whether gains and losses recognized by a fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, (ii) accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the fund, (iii) defer losses to the fund, and (iv) cause adjustments in the holding periods of the fund’s securities. A Fund’s use of derivatives may be limited by the requirements for taxation of the fund as a regulated investment company.
Investing in derivatives may subject a fund to counterparty risk. Please refer to “Counterparty risk” for more information. Other risks include illiquidity, mispricing or improper valuation of the derivatives contract, and imperfect correlation between the value of the derivatives instrument and the underlying reference instrument so that a fund may not realize the intended benefits. In addition, since there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any derivatives instrument purchased or sold, a fund may be required to hold a derivatives instrument to maturity and take or make delivery of an underlying reference instrument that the Manager would have otherwise attempted to avoid, which could result in losses. When used for hedging, the change in value of the derivatives instrument may also not correlate specifically with the currency, rate, or other risk being hedged, in which case a fund may not realize the intended benefits.
Counterparty risk
Counterparty risk is the risk that if a fund enters into a derivatives contract (such as a futures, options, or swap contract) or a repurchase agreement, the counterparty to such a contract or agreement may fail to perform its obligations under the contract or agreement due to, among other reasons, financial difficulties (such as a bankruptcy or reorganization). As a result, a fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery, may obtain only a limited recovery, or may obtain no recovery at all.
Leveraging risk
Leveraging risk is the risk that certain Fund transactions, such as reverse repurchase agreements, short sales, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, or derivatives instruments, may give rise to leverage, causing a fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. While it is anticipated that leverage may increase profitability, it may also accentuate the consequences of adverse price movements, resulting in increased losses.
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Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the possibility that investments cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments, and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The Fund also may not be able to dispose of illiquid investments at a favorable time or price during periods of infrequent trading of an illiquid investment.
There is generally no established retail secondary market for high yield securities. As a result, the secondary market for high yield securities is more limited and less liquid than other secondary securities markets. The high yield secondary market is particularly susceptible to liquidity problems when institutional investors, such as mutual funds, and certain other financial institutions, temporarily stop buying bonds for regulatory, financial, or other reasons. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions may also disrupt the secondary market for high yield securities.
Valuation risk
A less liquid secondary market can make it more difficult to obtain precise valuations of certain securities. During periods of reduced liquidity, judgment plays a greater role in valuing less liquid investments. As a result, a fund may incorrectly or inaccurately value certain positions, which could impact the NAV and performance of a fund.
Portfolio turnover risk
High portfolio turnover rates may increase a fund’s transaction costs, which may lower returns. Higher portfolio turnover rates could result in corresponding increases in brokerage commissions or other transaction costs, may generate short-term capital gains taxable as ordinary income, and cause dividends received on portfolio securities to not be qualified dividends eligible for reduced federal income tax rates under the Internal Revenue Code.
Government and regulatory risk
Governments or regulatory authorities may take actions that could adversely affect various sectors of the securities markets and affect Fund performance. Government involvement in the private sector may, in some cases, include government investment in, or ownership of, companies in certain commercial business sectors; wage and price controls; or imposition of trade barriers and other protectionist measures. For example, an economic or political crisis may lead to price controls, forced mergers of companies, expropriation, the creation of government monopolies, foreign exchange controls, the introduction of new currencies (and the redenomination of financial obligations into those currencies), or other measures that could be detrimental to the investments of a fund.
Zero coupon and payment-in-kind (PIK) bonds risk
Zero coupon and PIK bonds involve certain risks. They are generally considered more interest sensitive than income-bearing bonds, more speculative than interest-bearing bonds, and have certain tax consequences that could, under certain circumstances, be adverse to a fund. For example, a fund accrues, and is required to distribute to shareholders, income on its zero coupon bonds. However, a fund may not receive the cash associated with this income until the bonds are sold or mature. If a fund does not have sufficient cash to make the required distribution of accrued income, the fund could be required to sell other securities in its portfolio or to borrow to generate the cash required.
Industry and sector risk
At times, a fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group of industries within an economic sector. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. Companies in the same economic sector may be similarly affected by economic or market events, making a fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly.
Alternative minimum tax risk
If a fund invests in bonds whose income is subject to the alternative minimum tax, that portion of the fund’s distributions would be taxable for shareholders who are subject to this tax.
Taxability risk
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In purchasing municipal securities, a fund and the Manager will rely on the opinion of an issuer’s bond counsel that the interest paid in the issuer’s securities will not be subject to federal income tax. A tax opinion generally is provided at the time a municipal security is initially issued. However, after a fund buys a security backed by such an opinion, distributions by a fund may become taxable to shareholders due to noncompliant conduct by a bond issuer, unfavorable changes in federal or state tax laws, or adverse interpretations of tax laws by the IRS or other authorities or because of other factors. Such adverse interpretations or actions could cause interest from a security to become taxable, possibly retroactively, subjecting shareholders to increased tax liability. In addition, such adverse interpretations or actions could cause the value of a security, and therefore, the value of a fund’s shares, to decline. In the case of derivative securities, a fund and the Manager will rely on the opinion of the sponsor’s counsel on the tax-exempt status of interest on municipal bond obligations and payments under tax-exempt derivative securities. Neither a fund nor the Manager will independently review the bases for those tax opinions, which may ultimately be determined to be incorrect and subject a fund and its shareholders to substantial tax liabilities.
Short sales risk
Short positions in securities may be more risky than long positions (purchases). If a fund has a short position in a security issued by an exchange traded fund or otherwise and the price of such security increases, a fund will lose money on its short position. Furthermore, during the time when a fund has a short position in such security, a fund must borrow that security in order to make delivery on the short sale, which raises the cost to a fund of entering into the transaction. A Fund is therefore subject to the risk that a third party may fail to honor the terms of its contract with the fund related to the securities borrowing. Short sales also involve the risk of an unlimited increase in the market price of the security sold short, which would result in a theoretically unlimited loss. Moreover, although the trading price of a share of an exchange traded fund normally tracks the net asset value of such a share, in times of market stress, this value relationship will not necessarily prevail. Any deviation between the net asset value per share of such exchange traded fund and its trading price could create other risks for a fund if it held a short position in the securities of such an exchange traded fund. Such other risks include the possibility of a larger loss on the short position than would otherwise be the case, the reduced likelihood that the intended benefit of the short position will achieve its objective(s), and the increased likelihood of a demand to replace the borrowed security at a time when obtaining such replacement security may be difficult or impossible at a reasonable price.
Short sale strategies are often categorized as a form of leveraging and are therefore subject to leveraging risk.
IBOR risk
The risk that changes related to the use of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or similar interbank offered rates (IBORs, such as the Euro Overnight Index Average (EONIA)) could have adverse impacts on financial instruments that reference such rates. While some instruments may contemplate a scenario where LIBOR or a similar rate is no longer available by providing for an alternative rate setting methodology, not all instruments have such fallback provisions and the effectiveness of replacement rates is uncertain. The abandonment of LIBOR and similar rates could affect the value and liquidity of instruments that reference such rates, especially those that do not have fallback provisions. The use of alternative reference rate products may impact investment strategy performance.
Natural disaster and epidemic risk
Natural disaster and epidemic risk is the risk that the value of a fund’s investments may be negatively affected by natural disasters, epidemics, or similar events. Natural or environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, and other severe weather-related phenomena generally, and widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, have been and can be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of a fund’s investments. Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region are increasingly likely to adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries. These disruptions could prevent a fund from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner and could negatively impact a fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.
Active management and selection risk
The Manager applies a fund’s investment strategies and selects securities for the fund in seeking to achieve the fund’s investment objective(s). There can be no guarantee that its decisions will produce the desired results, and
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securities selected by a fund may not perform as well as the securities held by other mutual funds with investment objectives that are similar to the investment objective(s) of the fund. In general, investment decisions made by the Manager may not produce the anticipated returns, may cause a fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the fund to perform less favorably than other mutual funds with similar investment objectives.
ETF risks
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Authorized participants, market makers and liquidity providers concentration risk — Only authorized participants (APs) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with a fund. A fund has a limited number of financial institutions that are institutional investors and may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace, and they have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders. To the extent either of the following events occur, a fund’s shares may trade at a material discount to net asset value (NAV) and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions. These events, among others, may lead to a fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. A diminished market for an ETF’s shares substantially increases the risk that a shareholder may pay considerably more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold.
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Cash transactions risk — A fund may effect some or all of its creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. As a result, a fund may have to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times in order to obtain the cash needed to meet redemption orders. This may cause a fund to sell a security and recognize a capital gain or loss that might not have been incurred if it had made a redemption in-kind. The use of cash creations and redemptions may also cause a fund’s shares to trade in the market at wider bid-ask spreads or greater premiums or discounts to the fund’s NAV.
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Secondary market trading risk — Although a fund’s shares are listed on a national securities exchange, NYSE Arca, Inc. (Exchange), and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active or liquid trading market for them will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in a fund’s shares on the Exchange may be halted. An exchange or market may also issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt fund’s creation/redemption process or affect the price at which shares trade in the secondary market.
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Shares may trade at prices other than NAV risk — As with all ETFs, shares of a fund may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. A fund’s NAV is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the fund’s holdings, while the trading price of the shares fluctuates continuously throughout trading hours on the Exchange, based on both the relative market supply of, and demand for, the shares and the underlying value of the fund’s holdings. As a result, although it is expected that the market price of a fund’s shares will approximate the fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of the fund’s shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
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Disclosure of portfolio holdings information
A description of the Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of their portfolio securities is available in the SAI. The Funds disclose their portfolio holdings daily at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf.
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Who manages the Funds
Investment manager
The Manager, located at 100 Independence, 610 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354, is the Funds’ investment manager. The Manager is a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust (NIMBT), which is a Delaware statutory trust and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registered investment adviser. Nomura Asset Management is part of the Investment Management Division of the Nomura Group, providing integrated public and private market asset management services across equities, fixed income, private credit and multi-asset solutions to intermediary and institutional clients. Nomura Asset Management primarily operates through several distinct investment managers, which includes NIMBT and its Delaware Management Company series. The Manager makes investment decisions for the Funds, manages the Funds’ business affairs, and provides daily administrative services.
Employees of the Manager’s affiliates outside the US participate in the management of certain funds as “associated persons” of the Manager under the Manager’s oversight, in accordance with SEC guidance as to “participating affiliate” arrangements. These associated persons may, on behalf of the Manager, provide discretionary investment management services, trading, research and related services directly or indirectly to a Fund.
As compensation for the services rendered under the Investment Management Agreement, each Fund shall pay the Manager a management fee that is accrued daily and paid monthly as a percentage of average daily net assets equal to the amount set forth in the table below.
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Fund
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Management Fee
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Nomura Diversified Income ETF
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[xxx%]
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Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF
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[xxx%]
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Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
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[xxx%]
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Except for those expenses borne by the Manager under the Investment Management Agreement or the Distribution Services Agreement, each Fund is responsible for all of its own expenses. Among others, such expenses include each Fund’s proportionate share of certain administrative expenses; investment management fees; brokerage fees; certain insurance costs; and nonroutine expenses or costs.
A discussion of the basis for the Board’s approval of the Funds’ investment advisory contract is available on the Funds’ website and will be available in each Fund’s first reports filed with the SEC on the Funds’ Form N-CSR following the commencement of operations.
Sub-advisor
Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc. (NCRAM), located at located at 309 West 49th Street, New York, NY, 10019, serves as the sub-advisor for Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF.
A discussion of the basis for the Board’s approval of these Funds’ investment sub-advisory contract with NCRAM is available on the Funds’ website and will be available in the Funds’ first report filed with the SEC on Form N-CSR following the commencement of operations.
Portfolio managers
Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF
Janaki Rao, Kashif Ishaq, and Mansur Rasul are the lead portfolio managers primarily responsible for the overall day-to-day management of the Funds. When making decisions for the Fund, Messrs. Rao, Ishaq, and Rasul regularly consult with other investment professionals.
Janaki Rao, Kashif Ishaq, and Mansur Rasul are the lead portfolio managers primarily responsible for the overall day-to-day management of the Funds. When making decisions for the Fund, Messrs. Rao, Ishaq, and Rasul regularly consult with other investment professionals.
Janaki Rao
Managing Director, Head of US Multisector
Managing Director, Head of US Multisector
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Janaki is Head of the US Multisector Team at Nomura Asset Management International, a role he assumed in May 2024 at Macquarie Asset Management. He joined Nomura Asset Management as part of Nomura’s acquisition of Macquarie Asset Management’s US and European public investments business in 2025. He has overall responsibility for US multisector capabilities, including the portfolios, the team, and client and business management. Prior to Macquarie, Janaki was Director of US Multisector Fixed Income at AllianceBernstein from November 2019 to February 2023, responsible for managing multisector fixed income portfolios, including Treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPS) and agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS) portfolios. Before that, he was AllianceBernstein’s Head of Agency MBS from March 2013 to November 2019, and prior to that spent seven years at Morgan Stanley as Vice President of Agency MBS Research. Janaki earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in economics from the University of Delhi, a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in marketing from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, and a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in finance from the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College.
Kashif Ishaq
Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager
Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager
Kashif is a Senior Portfolio Manager for Fixed Income at Nomura Asset Management International, a role he assumed in September 2020 at Macquarie Asset Management. He joined Nomura Asset Management as part of Nomura’s acquisition of Macquarie Asset Management’s US and European public investments business in 2025. Kashif manages corporate bond exposures within fixed income portfolios and oversees corporate credit traders. He began his career in 2003 as a fixed income Portfolio Analyst with Delaware Investments (which was acquired by Macquarie in 2010) on the Insurance Portfolio Management Team and was later promoted to Investment Grade Trader. Before that, Kashif had participated in Lincoln Financial Group’s Rotational Professional Development Program. He earned a Bachelor of Science in corporate finance and accounting from Bentley College.
Mansur Rasul
Executive Director, Head of Emerging Markets Debt
Executive Director, Head of Emerging Markets Debt
Mansur is Head of Emerging Markets Debt at Nomura Asset Management International, a role he assumed in December 2025. He joined Nomura Asset Management as part of Nomura’s acquisition of Macquarie Asset Management’s US and European public investments business in 2025. Previously, he was a Senior Portfolio Manager on the Emerging Markets Debt Team at Macquarie Asset Management since July 2016. Prior to his role managing emerging markets credit portfolios, he was responsible for emerging markets trading. Before joining Macquarie in 2012, he worked at ING Financial Markets, where he was responsible for emerging markets credit trading and structuring. Prior to that, he worked for Daiwa Capital Markets America as Director of the firm’s fixed income syndicate, responsible for the placement of all fixed income products to US-based accounts. He also worked with Merrill Lynch as an associate responsible for Asian credit trading and worked at Delaware Investments as an Analyst. Mansur earned a Bachelor of Science in economics with a minor in political science from Northwestern University.
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
Gregory Gizzi, Stephen Czepiel, and William Roach have an equal role in the management of the Fund.
Gregory Gizzi
Managing Director, Head of Fixed Income and Municipal Bonds
Managing Director, Head of Fixed Income and Municipal Bonds
Greg is Head of Fixed Income and Municipal Bonds of Nomura Asset Management International, a role he assumed in July 2022 at Macquarie Asset Management. He joined Nomura Asset Management as part of Nomura’s acquisition of Macquarie Asset Management’s US and European public investments business in 2025. Greg oversees the US fixed income business, leads the firm’s municipal business, and is team lead on several of the firm’s tax-exempt strategies. Greg also leads the firm’s taxable municipal business, and he is a member of the Nomura Asset Management International Executive Committee. Previously, he was a Co-Portfolio Manager of Macquarie Asset Management’s municipal bond funds and several client accounts, a role he assumed in November 2011. Before that, he was Head of Municipal Bond Trading at Delaware Investments (which was acquired by Macquarie in 2010). Greg has more than 20 years of trading experience in the municipal securities industry at firms including Lehman Brothers, UBS, Dillon Read, and Kidder Peabody. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in economics from Harvard University.
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Stephen Czepiel
Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager
Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager
Stephen is a Senior Portfolio Manager for municipal bond funds and accounts at Nomura Asset Management International. He joined Nomura Asset Management as part of Nomura’s acquisition of Macquarie Asset Management’s US and European public investments business in 2025. Previously, he held the same role at Macquarie Asset Management, and he first assumed portfolio management responsibilities with Delaware Investments (which was acquired by Macquarie in 2010) in 2007. Before that, he was a Senior Bond Trader at Delaware Investments and a Vice President at both Mesirow Financial and Loop Capital Markets. He began his career in the securities industry in 1982 as a Municipal Bond Trader at Kidder Peabody and has more than 40 years of experience in the municipal securities industry. Stephen earned a Bachelor of Science in finance and economics from Duquesne University.
William Roach
Executive Director, Senior Portfolio Manager
Executive Director, Senior Portfolio Manager
Bill is a Senior Portfolio Manager for municipal bond funds and client accounts at Nomura Asset Management International, a role he assumed in May 2023 at Macquarie Asset Management. He joined Nomura Asset Management as part of Nomura’s acquisition of Macquarie Asset Management’s US and European public investments business in 2025. Bill joined Macquarie’s Municipal Bond Team in April 2015, and before that, he spent three years as an Internal Sales Consultant in Macquarie’s Client Solutions Group, where he managed relationships across the country and across asset classes. Previously, he worked at Merrill Lynch as an Investment Consultant and Analyst and Creative Financial Group as a Financial Advisor. He earned a Bachelor of Science with dual concentrations in business administration and political science from Albright College and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance from Villanova University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® and Chartered Market Technician® designations.
Manager of managers structure
The Funds and the Manager have received an exemptive order from the SEC to operate under a manager of managers structure that permits the Manager, with the approval of the Board, to appoint and replace both affiliated and unaffiliated sub-advisors, and to enter into and make material amendments to the related sub-advisory contracts on behalf of the Funds without shareholder approval (Manager of Managers Structure). Under the Manager of Managers Structure, the Manager has ultimate responsibility, subject to oversight by the Board, for overseeing the Funds’ sub-advisors and recommending to the Board their hiring, termination, or replacement.
The Manager of Managers Structure enables the Funds to operate with greater efficiency and without incurring the expense and delays associated with obtaining shareholder approvals for matters relating to sub-advisors or sub-advisory agreements. The Manager of Managers Structure does not permit an increase in the overall management and advisory fees payable by the Funds without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be notified of the hiring of any new sub-advisor within 90 days of the hiring.
The Funds and the Manager also have an exemptive order from the SEC that allows the approval of a new sub-advisor or a material amendment to an existing sub-advisory agreement to be taken at a Board of Trustees meeting held via any means of communication that allows the Trustees to hear each other simultaneously during the meeting. If a new unaffiliated sub-advisor is hired for a Fund, shareholders will receive information about the new sub-advisor within 90 days of the change.
Who’s who
Board of trustees: Exchange-traded funds are governed by a board of trustees, which has oversight responsibility for the management of the fund’s business affairs. Trustees establish procedures and oversee and review the performance of the Funds’ service providers.
Investment manager: An investment manager is a company responsible for selecting portfolio investments consistent with the objective and policies stated in the fund’s prospectus. A written contract between a fund and its investment manager specifies the services the investment manager performs and the fee the manager is entitled to receive.
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Portfolio managers: Portfolio managers make investment decisions for individual portfolios.
Distributor: Exchange-traded fund distributors interact with authorized participants during the creation and redemption process of the Funds’ creation units and approve orders for creation units bought by Fund shareholders. Distributors are regulated as broker/dealers and are subject to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) rules governing fund sales practices.
Authorized Participant: Exchange-traded funds interact directly with certain broker-dealers, also called authorized participants, to sell and redeem shares of the Funds. The Funds’ authorized participants then sell the Funds’ shares to investors on the secondary market.
Service agent: Registered fund companies employ service agents (sometimes called transfer agents) to maintain records of shareholder accounts, calculate and disburse dividends and capital gains, and prepare and mail shareholder statements and tax information, among other functions. Many service agents also provide administrative services to a fund and oversight of other fund service providers. Accounting services agents provide services such as calculating a fund’s net asset value (NAV) and providing financial reporting information for the Funds.
Custodian: Registered funds are legally required to protect their portfolio securities, and most funds place them with a qualified bank custodian that segregates fund securities from other bank assets.
Financial intermediary: Financial professionals provide advice to their clients. They are associated with securities broker/dealers who have entered into selling and/or service arrangements with the distributor. Selling broker/dealers and financial professionals are compensated for their services generally through sales commissions, and through 12b-1 fees and/or service fees deducted from a fund’s assets.
Shareholders: Fund shareholders have specific voting rights on matters such as material changes in the terms of a fund’s management contract and changes to fundamental investment policies.
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About your account
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Investing in the Funds
Buying and Selling Shares
Shares of the Funds may be acquired or redeemed directly from the Funds only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the Creations and Redemptions section of this prospectus. Only an AP may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Funds. Once created, shares of the Funds generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.
Shares of the Funds will be listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (previously defined as the “Exchange”), a national securities exchange, for trading during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. The Trust does not impose any minimum investment for shares of the Funds purchased on an exchange. Shares of the Funds trade under the following ticker symbols:
Nomura Diversified Income ETF – DFIX
Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF – [ ]
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF – TFCA
Buying or selling Fund shares on an exchange involves two types of costs that may apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of the Funds through a broker, you will likely incur a brokerage commission or other charges determined by your broker. The commission is frequently a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares. In addition, you may incur the cost of the “spread,” that is, any difference between the bid price and the ask price. The spread varies over time for shares of the Funds based on a Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if a Fund has a lot of trading volume and market liquidity, and higher if a Fund has little trading volume and market liquidity.
The Board has not adopted a policy of monitoring for frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (frequent trading) that appear to attempt to take advantage of a potential arbitrage opportunity presented by a lag between a change in the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities after the close of the primary markets for the Funds’ portfolio securities and the reflection of that change in a Fund’s NAV (market timing), because the Funds generally sell and redeem their shares directly through transactions that are in-kind and/or for cash, subject to the conditions described below under Creations and Redemptions. The Board has not adopted a policy of monitoring for frequent trading activity because shares of the Funds are listed for trading on a national securities exchange.
The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Funds beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules or in other exemptive relief as applicable. In order for an unaffiliated registered investment company to invest in shares of the Funds beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1), the registered investment company must generally enter into an agreement with each Fund.
Book Entry
Shares of the Funds are held in book-entry form, which means that no share certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (DTC) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Funds and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.
Investors owning shares of the Funds are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the Funds. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial
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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.
Share Prices
The trading prices of the Funds’ shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Funds’ daily NAV and are affected by market forces such as supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors.
The NAV of each Fund is determined by deducting a Fund’s liabilities from the total assets of the portfolio. The NAV per share is determined by dividing the total NAV of a Fund by the number of shares outstanding.
The Funds calculate the NAV per share as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The Funds do not calculate the NAV on days the NYSE is closed for trading, which include New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. If the NYSE has an unscheduled early close, a Fund’s closing share price would still be determined as of that day’s regularly scheduled close of the NYSE. Each Fund’s NAV per share is readily available online at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf.
In calculating its NAV, a Fund generally values its assets on the basis of market quotations, last sale prices, or estimates of value furnished by a pricing service or brokers who make markets in such instruments. The value of foreign securities may change on days when a shareholder will not be able to purchase or redeem fund shares because foreign markets are open at times and on days when US markets are not. The Funds price fixed income securities on the basis of valuations provided by an independent pricing service that uses methods approved by the Board. If such information is not available for a security held by a Fund or is determined to be unreliable, the security will be valued at fair value estimates under guidelines approved by the Board.
Creations and Redemptions
Prior to trading in the secondary market, shares of the Funds are “created” at NAV by market makers, large investors and institutions only in block-size Creation Units of [25,000] shares, or multiples thereof. An AP is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Funds or one of their service providers (AP Agreement) that allows such member or participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units. All orders for the creation or redemption of Creation Units for the Funds must be placed by or through an AP that has entered into an AP Agreement with the Distributor.
A creation transaction, which is subject to acceptance by the Distributor, generally takes place when an AP deposits into a Fund a designated portfolio of securities, assets or other positions and/or an amount of cash (which may include cash in lieu of certain securities, assets or other positions) in exchange for a specified number of Creation Units.
Similarly, shares can be redeemed only in Creation Units by APs, generally for a designated portfolio of securities, assets or other positions and/or cash (which may include cash in lieu of certain securities, assets or other positions).
The prices at which creations and redemptions occur are based on the next calculation of NAV after a creation or redemption order is received in an acceptable form under the AP Agreement.
Creation and redemption baskets may differ and the Funds will accept “custom baskets.” More information regarding custom baskets is contained in the SAI. As a result of any system failure or other interruption, creation or redemption orders either may not be executed according to a Fund’s instructions or may not be executed at all, or a Fund may not be able to place or change such orders. Information about the procedures regarding creations and redemptions of Creation Units (including the cut-off times for receipt of creation and redemption orders) is included in the SAI.
Premium/Discount Information
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Information regarding how often the shares of the Funds traded on the Exchange at a price above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) the NAV of a Fund for the most recently completed calendar year, and the most recently completed calendar quarters since that year, can be found at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf.
Distribution
The Distributor, Foreside Financial Services, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (dba ACA Group), is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Funds on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in Fund shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Funds or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Funds. The Distributor’s principal address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101.
Payments to intermediaries
The Manager and its affiliates may pay additional compensation at their own expense and not as an expense of a Fund to certain affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries (Financial Intermediaries) in connection with the sale or retention of Fund shares and/or shareholder servicing, including providing the Fund with “shelf space” or a higher profile with the Financial Intermediaries’ consultants, salespersons, and customers (distribution assistance). For example, the Manager or its affiliates may pay additional compensation to Financial Intermediaries for various purposes, including, but not limited to, promoting the sale of Fund shares, maintaining share balances and/or for subaccounting, administrative, or shareholder processing services, marketing, educational support, data, and ticket charges. Such payments are in addition to any distribution fees, service fees, subaccounting fees, and/or transfer agency fees that may be payable by a Fund. The additional payments may be based on factors, including level of sales (based on gross or net sales or some specified minimum sales or some other similar criteria related to sales of a Fund and/or some or all other Funds advised by the Manager), amount of assets invested by the Financial Intermediary’s customers (which could include current or aged assets of a Fund and/or some or all other Funds advised by the Manager), a Fund’s advisory fees, some other agreed-upon amount, or other measures as determined from time to time by the Manager. The level of payments made to a qualifying Financial Intermediary in any given year may vary. To the extent permitted by SEC and FINRA rules and other applicable laws and regulations, the Manager may pay, or allow its affiliates to pay, other promotional incentives or payments to Financial Intermediaries.
Sub-transfer agent/recordkeeping payments may be made to third parties (including affiliates of the Manager) that provide sub-transfer agent, recordkeeping, and/or shareholder services with respect to certain shareholder accounts (including omnibus accounts), or to the shareholder account directly to offset the costs of these services, in lieu of the transfer agent providing such services.
If a fund sponsor or distributor makes greater payments for distribution assistance to your Financial Intermediary with respect to distribution of shares of that particular fund than sponsors or distributors of other funds make to your Financial Intermediary with respect to the distribution of the shares of their funds, your Financial Intermediary and its salespersons may have a financial incentive to favor sales of shares of the fund making the higher payments over shares of other funds or over other investment options. You should consult with your Financial Intermediary and review carefully any disclosure provided by such Financial Intermediary as to compensation it receives in connection with investment products it recommends or sells to you. A significant purpose of these payments is to increase sales of a Fund’s shares. The Manager or its affiliates may benefit from the Distributor’s payment of compensation to Financial Intermediaries through increased fees resulting from additional assets acquired through the sale of Fund shares through Financial Intermediaries. In certain instances, the payments could be significant and may cause a conflict of interest for your Financial Intermediary. Any such payments will not change the NAV or the price of a Fund’s shares.
Fair valuation
When the Funds use fair value pricing, they may take into account any factors they deem appropriate. The Funds may determine fair value based upon developments related to a specific security, current valuations of foreign stock indices (as reflected in US futures markets), and/or US sector or broad stock market indices. In determining whether market quotations are readily available or fair valuation will be used, various factors will be taken into consideration, such as market closures or suspension of trading in a security. The prices of securities used by the Funds to calculate their NAVs may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value pricing
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may involve subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security could be materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security.
The Funds anticipate using fair value pricing for securities primarily traded on US exchanges only under very limited circumstances, such as the early closing of the exchange on which a security is traded or suspension of trading in the security. The Funds may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities traded primarily in non-US markets because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Funds value their securities, normally at 4:00 pm ET or the close of the NYSE. The earlier close of these foreign markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, may have occurred in the interim. To account for this, the Funds may frequently value many foreign equity securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools to the extent available.
The Board has designated the Manager as the valuation designee, and delegated responsibility for valuing each Fund’s assets to the Manager and its Pricing Committee, which operates under the policies and procedures approved by the Board and is subject to the Board’s oversight. The Manager, as the valuation designee, is responsible for periodically assessing any material risks associated with the determination of the fair value of each Fund’s investments; establishing and applying fair value methodologies; testing the appropriateness of fair value methodologies; and overseeing and evaluating third-party pricing vendors and services. The Manager has a Pricing Committee to assist with its designated responsibilities as valuation designee.
Retirement plans
In addition to being an appropriate investment for your IRA, Roth IRA, and Coverdell Education Savings Account, the Funds may be suitable for group retirement plans. You may establish your IRA account even if you are already a participant in an employer-sponsored retirement plan. For more information on how the Funds can play an important role in your retirement planning or for details about group plans, please consult your financial intermediary, or call 844-469-9911.
Document delivery
You will receive the Funds’ financial reports every six months as well as an annual updated prospectus. Householding for the Funds is available through certain broker-dealers. Householding is a process in which related shareholders in a household will be sent only one copy of the financial reports and prospectus. You may contact your broker-dealer to enroll in householding. Once enrolled, this process will continue indefinitely unless you instruct your broker-dealer otherwise. If you prefer not to have these documents householded, please contact your broker-dealer. At any time you may view current prospectuses and financial reports on our website.
Investor services
To help make investing with us as easy as possible, and to help you build your investments, we offer the investor services described below. Information about the investor services we offer is available free of charge on the Funds’ website at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf, including hyperlinks to relevant information in fund offering documents. Availability of these services may be limited by the way your account is registered with the Funds.
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Electronic delivery
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With eDelivery, you can receive your fund documents electronically instead of via US mail. When you sign up for eDelivery, you can access your account statements, shareholder reports, and other fund materials online, in a secure Internet environment at any time.
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Dividend reinvestment services
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The Funds will not make the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service available for use by beneficial owners for reinvestment of their cash proceeds, but certain individual broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of the Funds through DTC Participants for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Investors should contact their brokers to ascertain the availability and description of these services. Beneficial owners should be aware that each broker may require investors to adhere to specific procedures and timetables in order to participate in the dividend reinvestment service and investors should ascertain from their brokers such necessary details. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of a Fund purchased in
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the secondary market. Distributions reinvested in additional shares of each Fund will nevertheless be taxable to beneficial owners acquiring such additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.
Dividends, distributions, and taxes
Each Fund intends to elect and to qualify each year as a regulated investment company (RIC) under the Internal Revenue Code. As a RIC, each Fund generally pays no federal income tax on the income and gains it timely distributes to you. Each Fund expects to declare dividends daily and distribute all of its net investment income, if any, to shareholders as dividends monthly. Capital gains, if any, may be paid at least annually. The Funds may distribute income dividends and capital gains more frequently, if necessary, in order to reduce or eliminate federal excise or income taxes on a Fund. The amount of any distribution will vary, and there is no guarantee a Fund will pay either income dividends or capital gain distributions. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Fund shares only if the broker through whom you purchased the shares makes such option available.
Annual statements. After the close of each calendar year, you will receive tax information from the broker with respect to the federal income tax treatment of each Fund’s distributions and any taxable sales of Fund shares occurring during the prior calendar year. You may receive revised tax information if a Fund must reclassify its distributions or the broker must adjust the cost basis of any covered shares sold after you receive your tax information. Your statement will show the exempt-interest dividends you received, if any, and the separately-identified portion that constitutes an item of tax preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax (tax-exempt AMT interest). Distributions declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record in such month and paid in January are taxable as if they were paid in December. Additional tax information about the Funds’ distributions is available at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf.
Avoid “buying a dividend.” At the time you purchase your Fund shares, the price of each Fund’s shares may reflect undistributed income, undistributed capital gains, or net unrealized appreciation in the value of the portfolio securities held by a Fund. For taxable investors, a subsequent distribution to you of such amounts, although constituting a return of your investment, would be taxable. Buying shares in a Fund just before it declares an income dividend or capital gain distribution is sometimes known as “buying a dividend” and generally should be avoided by taxable investors.
Tax Considerations
If you are a taxable investor, Fund distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains or some combination of both. This is the case whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash.
Income Distributions. Each Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and its net realized capital gains, if any, at least annually. The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions you receive from a Fund may be taxable whether you receive them in cash or you reinvest them. Income distributions are generally taxable at ordinary income tax rates, except to the extent they are reported as qualified dividend income. Dividends that are reported by a Fund as qualified dividend income are eligible for the reduced current maximum rate for individuals of 20% (lower rates apply to individuals in lower tax brackets) to the extent that the Fund receives qualified dividend income and certain holding period requirements are met by you and by the Fund. Distributions that a Fund receives from an underlying fund taxable as a RIC or from a real estate investment trust (REIT) will be treated as qualified dividend income only to the extent so designated by such underlying fund or REIT. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividends from domestic corporations and from certain foreign corporations (e.g., foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, or the stock of which is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States). The investment strategies of a Fund may limit the Fund’s ability to make distributions eligible for treatment as qualified dividend income. Distributions reported by the Funds as long-term capital gains distributions are generally taxable at the rates applicable to long-term capital gains regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Long-term capital gains are taxable at a current maximum rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders. As set forth below, certain distributions may be treated as exempt-interest dividends. Once a year, the Funds (or their administrative
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agent) will send you a statement showing the types and total amount of distributions you received during the previous year.
Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from a Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. A Fund’s investment strategies may limit the Fund’s ability to distribute dividends eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporations.
A RIC that receives business interest income may pass through its net business interest income for purposes of the tax rules applicable to the interest expense limitations under Section 163(j) of the Code. A RIC’s total “Section 163(j) Interest Dividend” for a tax year is limited to the excess of the RIC’s business interest income over the sum of its business interest expense and its other deductions properly allocable to its business interest income. A RIC may, in its discretion, designate all or a portion of ordinary dividends as Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, which would allow the recipient shareholder to treat the designated portion of such dividends as interest income for purposes of determining such shareholder’s interest expense deduction limitation under Section 163(j). This can potentially increase the amount of a shareholder’s interest expense deductible under Section 163(j). In general, to be eligible to treat a Section 163(j) Interest Dividend as interest income, you must have held your shares in a Fund for more than 180 days during the 361-day period beginning on the date that is 180 days before the date on which the share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend. Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, if so designated by a Fund, will be reported to your financial intermediary or otherwise in accordance with the requirements specified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Exempt-interest dividends. Dividends from Nomura Tax-Free California ETF will consist primarily of exempt-interest dividends from interest earned on municipal securities. In general, exempt-interest dividends are exempt from regular federal income tax. Exempt-interest dividends from interest earned on municipal securities of a state, or its political subdivisions, generally are exempt from that state’s personal income tax. Most states, however, do not grant tax-free treatment to interest from municipal securities of other states.
While the Fund endeavors to purchase only bona fide tax-exempt securities, there are risks that: (i) a security issued as tax-exempt may be reclassified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or a state tax authority as taxable and/or (ii) future legislative, administrative, or court actions could adversely impact the qualification of income from a tax-exempt security as tax-free. Such reclassifications or actions could cause interest from a security to become taxable, possibly retroactively, subjecting you to increased tax liability. In addition, such reclassifications or actions could cause the value of a security, and therefore, the value of the Fund’s shares, to decline.
Sales of exchange-listed shares. Each sale or exchange of Fund shares may be a taxable event and will ordinarily result in a taxable capital gain or loss assuming you hold your shares as a capital asset. For tax purposes, an exchange of your Fund shares for shares of a different Fund is treated the same as a sale. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale or exchange of Fund shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than twelve months. Capital gain or loss realized upon a sale or exchange of Fund shares held for twelve months or less is generally treated as short-term capital gain or loss, except that any capital loss on the sale of Fund shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid with respect to such Fund shares and disallowed to the extent that exempt interest dividends were paid with respect to such Fund shares. Any loss realized on a sale or exchange of shares of a Fund will be disallowed to the extent those shares of such Fund are replaced by other substantially identical shares of such Fund or other substantially identical stock or securities (including through reinvestment of dividends) within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition of the original shares. In that event, the basis of the replacement shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.
Cost basis reporting. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your Fund shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.
Taxes on creation and redemption of creation units. An AP that exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of purchase and the exchanging AP’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus
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any cash paid for the Creation Units. An AP that exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanging AP’s basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities and the amount of cash received. The IRS, 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 on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. APs exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor(s) with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
APs that create or redeem Creation Units will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many shares they purchased or sold and at what price.
If a Fund issues Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining a Fund’s shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund, the purchaser (or group of purchasers) will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units. The Trust, on behalf of a Fund, has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining a Fund’s shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, a Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of the securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. In such case, it is solely incumbent upon the purchaser to provide adequate advance notification to the Trust of its intention to not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.
Under current federal tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon a 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 a short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less.
If a Fund redeems Creation Units in part or entirely in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.
Net Investment Income tax. An additional 3.8% tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from each Fund and net gains from the sales of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount. Any liability for this additional tax is reported on, and paid with, your federal income tax return.
Backup withholding. A shareholder may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income capital gains or proceeds from the sale of Fund shares if the shareholder has provided either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends, has failed to certify that the shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or has not certified that the shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 24%.
State, local and foreign taxes. Distributions of ordinary income and capital gains, and gains from the sale of your Fund shares, are generally subject to state and local taxes. If a Fund qualifies, it may elect to pass through to you as a foreign tax credit or deduction any foreign taxes that it pays on its investments. Except as otherwise provided in the section below entitled “State tax considerations,” for Nomura Tax-Free California ETF, Fund distributions and gains from the sale or exchange of your Fund shares generally are subject to state and local taxes.
Non-U.S. investors. Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at 30% or a lower treaty rate on Fund dividends of ordinary income. Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. estate tax on the value of their shares. They are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding, claim any exemptions from withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Exemptions from U.S. withholding tax are generally provided for capital gains realized on the sale of Fund shares, capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from net long-term capital gains, short-term capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from net short-term capital gains and interest-related dividends paid by the Fund from its qualified net interest income from U.S. sources. However, notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding tax at source, any such dividends and distributions of
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income and capital gains will be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 24% if you fail to properly certify that you are not a U.S. person.
Other reporting and withholding requirements. Payments to a shareholder that is either a foreign financial institution or a non-financial foreign entity within the meaning of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) may be subject to a 30% withholding tax on income dividends paid by a Fund. The FATCA withholding tax generally can be avoided by such foreign entity if it provides the broker, and in some cases, the IRS, information concerning the ownership of certain foreign financial accounts or other appropriate certifications or documentation concerning its status under FATCA. The Funds may be required to report certain shareholder account information to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties to comply with FATCA.
Other tax information. This discussion of “Dividends, distributions and taxes” is for general information only and is not tax advice. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding your particular circumstances, and about any federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences before making an investment in the Funds. Additional information about the tax consequences of investing in the Funds may be found in the SAI.
State tax considerations. The following sections address certain state income tax aspects of distributions from Nomura Tax-Free California ETF. However, it is for general information only and should not be construed as tax advice. You should consult your tax advisor before making an investment in the Fund. Unless otherwise noted, the discussion is limited to state income taxes applicable to individual shareholders. In addition, many states require that the portion of a fund’s income that is exempt from taxation be specifically designated.
Exempt-interest dividends paid by Nomura Tax-Free California ETF are excluded from California taxable income for purposes of the California personal income tax if:
● the dividends are derived from interest on obligations of the State of California and its political subdivisions, or qualifying obligations of US territories and possessions that are exempt from state taxation under federal law;
● the dividends paid do not exceed the amount of interest (minus certain nondeductible expenses) the Fund receives, during its taxable year, on obligations that, when held by an individual, pay interest exempt from taxation by California; and
● the Fund properly identifies and designates the dividends as California exempt-interest dividends in a written notice mailed to shareholders.
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF may designate dividends as exempt-interest dividends (and therefore exempt from California income tax), only if:
● it qualifies as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code; and
● at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of its total assets consists of obligations the interest on which is exempt from taxation by the State of California when held by an individual.
Tax-exempt interest is not an item of preference (and not taken into account) for purposes of the California alternative minimum tax on individuals.
Distributions from Nomura Tax-Free California ETF, including exempt-interest dividends, may be taxable to shareholders that are subject to the California Corporation Tax Law.
Continuous Offering
The method by which Creation Units are purchased and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Funds on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the
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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 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 individual Fund shares, and sells such shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Fund shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for a Fund’s 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 categorization as an underwriter.
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in the Funds’ shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of the Funds’ shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available with respect to 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 ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the Funds’ shares that are part of an over-allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(a) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to shares of a Fund are reminded that under Rule 153 of the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the Prospectus is available on the SEC’s electronic filing system. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 of the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.
Additional Information
The Funds enter into contractual arrangements with various parties, including among others the Funds’ investment adviser, who provide services to the Funds. Shareholders are not parties to, or intended (or “third party”) beneficiaries of, those contractual arrangements.
The Prospectus and the SAI provide information concerning the Funds that you should consider in determining whether to purchase shares of a Fund. The Funds may make changes to this information from time to time. Neither this Prospectus nor the SAI is intended to give rise to any contract rights or other rights in any shareholder, other than any rights conferred explicitly by federal or state securities laws that may not be waived.
Financial highlights
There is no financial highlights information for the Funds because they are new funds and have no performance history as of the date of this prospectus.
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Additional information
Contact information
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Website: global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf
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Service Center information: 844-469-9911 (representatives are normally available weekdays from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm ET)
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Written correspondence: Nomura ETF Trust II, c/o the Distributor, c/o Foreside Financial Services, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 .
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Additional information about each Fund’s investments will be available in its respective annual and semiannual shareholder reports and in Form N-CSR filed with the SEC, when available. In each Fund’s annual shareholder report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during the period covered by the report. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Funds’ annual and semi-annual financial statements. You can find more information about the Funds in their current SAI, which is filed electronically with the SEC, and which is legally a part of this Prospectus (it is incorporated by reference). To receive a free copy of the SAI, the annual or semiannual reports (when available), or the Form N-CSR, or if you have any questions about investing in the Funds, write to us at Nomura ETF Trust II, c/o the Distributor, or call toll-free 844-469-9911]. The SAI, shareholder reports and the Form N-CSR will be available, free of charge, through the Funds’ website at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf. You may also obtain additional information about the Funds from your financial advisor.
You can find reports and other information about the Funds on the EDGAR database on the SEC website at sec.gov. You may obtain copies of this information, after paying a duplication fee, by emailing the SEC at [email protected].
Investment Company Act number: 811-04973
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Subject to Completion – dated August 12, 2026
The information in this Statement of Additional Information is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Statement of Additional Information is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Statement of Additional Information
NOMURA ETF TRUST II
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Fund Name
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Ticker Symbol
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Exchange
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Nomura Diversified Income ETF
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DFIX
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NYSE Arca
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Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF
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[ ]
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NYSE Arca
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Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
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TFCA
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NYSE Arca
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[
], 2026
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 (regular mail)
For a Prospectus, Performance, and Information on Existing Accounts: 844-469-9911
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) supplements the
information contained in the current prospectus (the “Prospectus”) for the
Nomura Diversified Income ETF, Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF and
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”),
dated [ ], 2026, as
it may be amended from time to time.
This SAI should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus. This SAI is not itself a prospectus but is, in its entirety, incorporated by reference into the Prospectus.
The Prospectus may be obtained through our website at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf; by writing or calling your financial advisor; or by contacting the Funds’ distributor, Foreside Financial Services, LLC (the “Distributor”), at the above address, or by calling the above phone number. An Annual Report, when available, can be obtained, without charge, by calling 844-469-9911. Copies of the Annual and/or Semiannual Reports (when available) also are available at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf.
| Table of Contents | |
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Page
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Organization and Classification
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Exchange Listing and Trading
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Investment Objectives, Restrictions, and Policies
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Investment Strategies and Risks
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3 |
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Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
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Management of the Trust
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Codes of Ethics
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64 |
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Proxy Voting Policies
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64 |
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Investment Manager and Other Service Providers
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65 |
| Securities Lending | 67 |
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Portfolio Managers
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67 |
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Trading Practices and Brokerage
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71 |
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Capital Structure
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72 |
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Creation and Redemption of Creation Units
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Distributions and Taxes
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Performance Information
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90 |
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Financial Statements
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Principal Holders
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90 |
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Appendix A - Description of Ratings
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92 |
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Appendix B – Special Factors Affecting Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
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Organization and Classification
Nomura ETF Trust II (the “Trust”) is an open-end management investment company registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that currently consisting of two separate portfolios (each a “Fund” and collectively the “Funds”).
Organization
The Trust was originally organized as a Minnesota corporation in 1987 and reorganized as a Delaware statutory trust on November 1, 1999. Effective May 20, 2026, the Trust was renamed from Voyageur Insured Funds to Nomura ETF Trust II.
Classification
Each Fund is “diversified” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and therefore, is required to meet certain diversification requirements under the 1940 Act that may limit its investments. Such requirements are set forth under “Nonfundamental Investment Restrictions – Diversification” below. A Fund may not change from “diversified” to “nondiversified” without shareholder approval (as defined below).
The Funds’ investment manager is Delaware Management Company (the “Manager”), a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust (“NIMBT”) (a Delaware statutory trust). Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc. (“NCRAM”) serves as sub-advisor for Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF. References to the Manager with respect to these Funds include NCRAM, as applicable.
Each Fund issues and redeems its shares at their net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (“Creation Unit”), generally in exchange for a designated portfolio of securities, assets or other positions (including any or all portions of such securities, assets or other positions for which cash may be substituted) (“Deposit Securities”), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (“Cash Component”). Shares of each Fund will be listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), a national securities exchange.
Shares of each Fund are traded in the secondary market and elsewhere at market prices that may be at, above or below a Fund’s NAV. Shares of each Fund are redeemable only in Creation Units and generally in exchange for portfolio securities, assets or other positions and a Cash Component, although they may also, at times, be redeemed for cash. Creation Units typically are a specified number of shares, generally [25,000] shares or multiples thereof.
The Trust reserves the right to permit or require that creations and redemptions of shares are effected fully or partially in cash. Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities, subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain with the Trust a cash deposit equal to at least 102% and up to 105% with respect to each Fund, which percentages the Trust may change from time to time, of the market value of the omitted Deposit Securities. See the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of this SAI. Transaction fees and other costs associated with creations or redemptions that include a cash portion may be higher than the transaction fees and other costs associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. In all cases, transaction fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of SEC rules and regulations applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities.
Exchange Listing and Trading
A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in the Funds is contained in the “Shareholder Information” section of the Prospectus. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, that section of the Prospectus.
Shares of each Fund are listed for trading, and trade throughout the day, on the Exchange and in other secondary markets. Shares of the Funds may also be listed on certain non-U.S. exchanges. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of shares of the Funds will continue to be met. The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of a Fund from listing if (i) following the initial twelve-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of Fund shares, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of shares of the Fund, (ii) the Fund is no longer eligible to operate in reliance on Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act, (iii) the Fund fails to meet certain continued listing standards of the Exchange, or (iv) any other event shall
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occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will also remove shares of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.
As in the case of other publicly traded securities, when you buy or sell shares through a broker, you will incur a brokerage commission determined by that broker.
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the share prices of the Funds in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Funds or an investor’s equity interest in the Funds.
Investment Objectives, Restrictions, and Policies
Investment Objectives
Each Fund’s investment objective is described in the Prospectus. Each Fund’s investment objective is nonfundamental, and may be changed without shareholder approval. However, the Trust’s Board of Trustees (“Board”) must approve any changes to nonfundamental investment objectives, and a Fund will notify shareholders at least 60 days prior to a material change in the Fund’s investment objective.
Fundamental Investment Restrictions
Each Fund has adopted the following restrictions that cannot be changed without approval by the holders of a “majority” of the Fund’s outstanding shares, which is a vote by the holders of the lesser of: (i) 67% or more of the voting securities present in person or by proxy at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy; or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities. Except for the limitation on borrowing, the percentage limitations contained in the restrictions and policies set forth herein apply at the time of purchase of securities. Subsequent changes in value that result from market fluctuations generally will not require a Fund to sell any security to comply with these limitations.
Each Fund (except as otherwise specified) shall not:
1. Make investments that will result in the concentration (as that term may be defined in the 1940 Act, any rule or order thereunder, or SEC staff interpretation thereof) of its investments in the securities of issuers primarily engaged in the same industry, provided that this restriction does not limit the Fund from investing in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies, or instrumentalities; or tax-exempt obligations.
2. Borrow money or issue senior securities, except as the 1940 Act, any rule or order thereunder, or SEC staff interpretation thereof, may permit.
3. Underwrite the securities of other issuers, except that the Fund may engage in transactions involving the acquisition, disposition, or resale of its portfolio securities, under circumstances where it may be considered an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).
4. Purchase or sell real estate, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, and provided that this restriction does not prevent the Fund from investing in issuers which invest, deal, or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate or interests therein, or investing in securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein.
5. Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments and provided that this restriction does not prevent the Fund from engaging in transactions involving futures contracts and options thereon or investing in securities that are secured by physical commodities.
6. Make personal loans or loans of its assets to persons who control or are under common control with the Fund, except as the 1940 Act, any rule or order thereunder, or SEC staff interpretation thereof, may permit. This restriction does not prevent the Fund from, among other things, purchasing debt obligations, entering into repurchase agreements, loaning its assets to broker/dealers or institutional investors, or investing in loans, including assignments and participation interests.
Nonfundamental Investment Restrictions
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In addition to the fundamental investment policies and investment restrictions described above, and the various general investment policies described in the Prospectus, each Fund will be subject to the following investment restriction, which is considered nonfundamental and may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval: The Fund may not invest more than 15% of its net assets in securities that it cannot sell or dispose of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value that the Fund has valued the investment.
Except for a Fund’s policy with respect to borrowing, any investment restriction or limitation that involves a maximum percentage of securities or assets shall not be considered to be violated unless an excess over the percentage occurs immediately after an acquisition of securities or a utilization of assets and such excess results therefrom.
For purposes of a Fund’s concentration policy, the Fund intends to comply with the SEC staff position that securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by any single foreign government are considered to be securities of issuers in the same industry or group of industries. In applying a Fund’s policy on concentration (i.e., investing more than 25% of its net assets in the securities of issuers primarily engaged in the same industry or group of industries), as applicable: (i) utility companies will be divided according to their services, for example, gas, gas transmission, electric, and telephone will each be considered a separate industry; (ii) financial service companies will be classified according to the end users of their services; for example, automobile finance, bank finance, and diversified finance will each be considered a separate industry; (iii) asset-backed securities will be classified according to the underlying assets securing such securities; and (iv) the information technology sector will be divided into various sub-categories (e.g., commercial services, computers, diversified financial services, Internet, semiconductors, software, and telecommunications).
Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio trading will be undertaken principally to accomplish each Fund’s investment objective. Each Fund is free to dispose of portfolio securities at any time, subject to complying with the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Internal Revenue Code”), and the 1940 Act, when changes in circumstances or conditions make such a move desirable in light of the Fund’s investment objective. A Fund will not attempt to achieve or be limited to a predetermined rate of portfolio turnover. Such turnover always will be incidental to transactions undertaken with a view to achieving the Fund’s investment objective.
The portfolio turnover rate tells you the amount of trading activity in a Fund’s portfolio. A turnover rate of 100% would occur, for example, if all of a Fund’s investments held at the beginning of a year were replaced by the end of the year, or if a single investment was frequently traded. The turnover rate also may be affected by cash requirements from redemptions and repurchases of a Fund’s shares. A high rate of portfolio turnover in any year may increase brokerage commissions paid and could generate taxes for shareholders on realized investment gains. In investing to achieve its investment objective, a Fund may hold securities for any period of time.
Investment Strategies and Risks
The Funds’ investment objectives, strategies, and risks are described in the Prospectus. Certain additional information is provided below. The following discussion supplements the description of the Funds’ investment strategies and risks that are included in the Prospectus. Each Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. The Funds’ investment strategies are nonfundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval.
Asset-Backed Securities (“ABS”)
Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest in ABS. The Funds may invest in securities that are backed by assets such as receivables on home equity and credit loans; receivables regarding automobile, mobile home and recreational vehicle loans; wholesale dealer floor plans, and leases; or other loans or financial receivables currently available or that may be developed in the future.
Asset-backed receivables are securitized in either a pass-through or a pay-through structure. Pass-through securities provide investors with an income stream consisting of both principal and interest payments in respect of the receivables in the underlying pool. Pay-through ABS are debt obligations issued usually by a special purpose entity.
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The securities are collateralized by the various receivables and the payments on the underlying receivables provide the proceeds to pay the debt service on the debt obligations issued.
The rate of principal payment on ABS generally depends on the rate of principal payments received on the underlying assets. Such rate of payments may be affected by economic and various other factors such as changes in interest rates or the concentration of collateral in a particular geographic area. Therefore, the yield may be difficult to predict and actual yield to maturity may be more or less than the anticipated yield to maturity. The credit quality of most ABS depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entities issuing the securities are insulated from the credit risk of the originator or affiliated entities, and the amount of credit support provided to the securities. Due to the shorter maturity of the collateral backing such securities, there tends to be less of a risk of substantial prepayment than with mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) but the risk of such a prepayment does exist. Such ABS do, however, involve certain risks not associated with MBS, including the risk that security interests cannot be adequately, or in many cases ever, established, and other risks that may be peculiar to particular classes of collateral. For example, with respect to credit card receivables, a number of state and federal consumer credit laws give debtors the right to set off certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby reducing the outstanding balance. In the case of automobile receivables, there is a risk that the holders may not have either a proper or first security interest in all of the obligations backing such receivables due to the large number of vehicles involved in a typical issuance and technical requirements under state laws; therefore, recoveries on repossessed collateral may not always be available to support payments on the securities.
ABS are often backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties. To lessen the effect of failures by obligors on underlying assets to make payments, such securities may contain elements of credit support. Such credit support falls into two categories: (i) liquidity protection, and (ii) protection against losses resulting from ultimate default by an obligor on the underlying assets. Liquidity protection refers to the provision of advances, generally by the entity administering the pool of assets, to ensure that the receipt of payments due on the underlying pool is timely. Protection against losses resulting from ultimate default enhances the likelihood of payments of the obligations on at least some of the assets in the pool. Such protection may be provided through guarantees, insurance policies, or letters of credit obtained by the issuer or sponsor from third parties, through various means of structuring the transaction, or through a combination of such approaches. A Fund will not pay any additional fees for such credit support, although the existence of credit support may increase the price of a security.
Examples of credit support arising out of the structure of the transaction include “senior-subordinated securities” (multiple-class securities with one or more classes subordinate to other classes as to the payment of principal thereof and interest thereon, with the result that defaults on the underlying assets are borne first by the holders of the subordinated class), creation of “reserve funds” (where cash or investments, sometimes funded from a portion of the payments on the underlying assets, are held in reserve against future losses), and “over collateralization” (where the scheduled payments on, or the principal amount of, the underlying assets exceed that required to make payments of the securities and pay any servicing or other fees). The degree of credit support provided for each issue is generally based on historical information respecting the level of credit risk associated with the underlying assets. Delinquencies or losses in excess of those anticipated could adversely affect the return on an investment in such issue.
Borrowing
Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF may borrow money from banks, including its custodian, as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes to facilitate redemptions. A Fund may also obtain such short-term borrowing from banks as may be necessary from time to time due, but not limited, to such events as: large dividend payments, failed trades, the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities, and securities on loan. A Fund will be required to pay interest to the lending banks on amounts borrowed. As a result, borrowing money could result in a Fund being unable to meet its investment objective. Nomura Diversified Income ETF will not pledge more than 10% of its net assets, or issue senior securities as defined in the 1940 Act, except for notes to banks.
The 1940 Act and the SEC’s current rules, exemptions, and interpretations thereunder, permit a Fund to borrow up to one-third of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed, but less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities) from banks. A Fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage of at least 300% with respect to such borrowings and to reduce the amount of its borrowings (within three days excluding
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Sundays and holidays) to restore such coverage if it should decline to less than 300% due to market fluctuations or otherwise. In the event that a Fund is required to reduce its borrowings, it may have to sell portfolio holdings, even if such sale of the Fund’s holdings would be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint.
In addition to borrowings that are subject to 300% asset coverage and are considered by the SEC to be permitted “senior securities,” a Fund is also permitted under the 1940 Act to borrow for temporary purposes an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of its total assets at the time when the loan is made. A loan will be presumed to be for temporary purposes if it is repaid within 60 days and is not extended or renewed.
Combined Transactions
Nomura Diversified Income ETF may enter into combined transactions.
Combined transactions may include multiple options transactions; multiple futures transactions; multiple currency transactions (including forward foreign currency contracts) and multiple interest rate transactions; and any combination of futures, options, currency, and interest rate transactions (“component” transactions) instead of a single transaction, as part of a single or combined strategy when, in the opinion of the Manager, it is in the best interests of the Fund to do so. A combined transaction will usually contain elements of risk that are present in each of its component transactions. Although combined transactions are normally entered into based on the Manager’s judgment that the combined strategies will reduce risk or otherwise more effectively achieve the desired portfolio management goal, it is possible that the combination will instead increase such risks or hinder achievement of the portfolio management objective.
Convertible Securities
Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest in securities that have either warrants or rights attached or are otherwise convertible into other or additional securities. The Fund may also invest in convertible securities.
A convertible security is generally a debt obligation, preferred stock, or other security that may be converted within a specified period of time into a certain amount of common stock of the same or of a different issuer. The conversion may occur at the option of the investor in or issuer of the security, or upon a predetermined event. A convertible security typically provides a fixed income stream and the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation resulting from a market price advance in its underlying common stock. As with a straight fixed income security, a convertible security tends to increase in market value when interest rates decline and decrease in value when interest rates rise. Like common stock, the value of a convertible security also tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock rises, and it tends to decrease as the market value of the underlying stock declines. Because both interest rate and market movements can influence its value, a convertible security is usually not as sensitive to interest rate changes as a similar fixed income security, nor is it as sensitive to changes in share price as its underlying stock. Convertible securities are also subject to risks that affect debt securities in general.
Although less than an investment in the underlying stock, the potential for gain on an investment in a convertible security is greater than for similar nonconvertible securities. As a result, a lower yield is generally offered on convertible securities than on otherwise equivalent nonconvertible securities. There is no guarantee that the Fund will realize gains on a convertible security in excess of the foregone yield it accepts to invest in such convertible security.
A convertible security is usually issued either by an operating company or by an investment bank. When issued by an operating company, a convertible security tends to be senior to the company’s common stock, but may be subordinate to other types of fixed income securities issued by that company. When a convertible security issued by an operating company is “converted,” the operating company often issues new stock to the holder of the convertible security. However, if the convertible security is redeemable and the parity price of the convertible security is less than the call price, the operating company may pay out cash instead of common stock.
If the convertible security is issued by an investment bank or other sponsor, the security is an obligation of and is convertible through the issuing investment bank. However, the common stock received upon conversion is that of a company other than the investment bank or sponsor. The issuer of a convertible security may be important in
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determining the security’s true value. This is because the holder of a convertible security will have recourse only to the issuer.
Convertible preferred stock. A convertible preferred stock is usually treated like a preferred stock for the Fund’s financial reporting, credit rating, investment policies, and limitations purposes. A preferred stock is subordinated to all debt obligations in the event of insolvency, and an issuer’s failure to make a dividend payment is generally not an event of default entitling the preferred shareholder to take action. A preferred stock generally has no maturity date, so its market value is dependent on the issuer’s business prospects for an indefinite period of time. Distributions from preferred stock are dividends, rather than interest payments, and are usually treated as such for tax purposes. Investments in convertible preferred stock, as compared to the debt obligations of an issuer, generally increase the Fund’s exposure to the credit risk of the issuer and market risk generally, because convertible preferred stock will fare more poorly if the issuer defaults or markets suffer.
Risks. An investment in a convertible security may involve risks. The Fund may have difficulty disposing of such securities because there may be a thin trading market for a particular security at any given time. Reduced liquidity may have an adverse impact on market price and the Fund’s ability to dispose of a security when necessary to meet the Fund’s liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event, such as the deterioration in the creditworthiness of an issuer. Reduced liquidity in the secondary market for certain securities may also make it more difficult for the Fund to obtain market quotations based on actual trades for purposes of valuing the Fund’s portfolio. Although the Fund intends to acquire convertible securities that the Manager considers to be liquid (i.e., those securities that the Manager determines may be sold on an exchange, or an institutional or other substantial market), there can be no assurances that this will be achieved. Certain securities and markets can become illiquid quickly, resulting in liquidity risk for the Fund. The Fund may also encounter difficulty valuing convertible securities due to illiquidity or other circumstances that make it difficult for the Fund to obtain timely market quotations based on actual trades for convertible securities.
Depositary Receipts
Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF may invest in foreign companies by purchasing sponsored and unsponsored American depositary receipts (“ADRs”), European depositary receipts (“EDRs”), or global depositary receipts (“GDRs”).
Many securities of foreign issuers are represented by ADRs, GDRs, and EDRs (collectively, “depositary receipts”). Generally, depositary receipts in registered form are designed for use in the US securities market and depositary receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the US. ADRs evidence ownership of, and represent the right to receive, securities of foreign issuers deposited in a domestic bank or trust company or a foreign correspondent bank. Prices of ADRs are quoted in US dollars, and ADRs are traded in the US on exchanges or over-the-counter. While ADRs do not eliminate all the risks associated with foreign investments, by investing in ADRs rather than directly in the stock of foreign issuers, a fund will avoid currency and certain foreign market trading risks during the settlement period for either purchases or sales. In general, there is a large, liquid market in the US for ADRs quoted on a national securities exchange. The information available for ADRs is subject to the accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards of the US market or exchange on which they are traded, which standards are generally more uniform and more exacting than those to which many foreign issuers may be subject.
EDRs and GDRs are typically issued by foreign banks or trust companies and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by either a foreign or a US corporation. EDRs and GDRs may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution in the issuer’s home country. If the issuer’s home country does not have developed financial markets, a Fund could be exposed to the credit risk of the custodian or financial institution and greater market risk. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends and interest and corporate actions. A Fund would be expected to pay a share of the additional fees, which it would not pay if investing directly in the foreign securities. A Fund may experience delays in receiving its dividend and interest payments or exercising rights as a shareholder.
Depositary receipts may reduce some but not eliminate all the risks inherent in investing in the securities of foreign issuers. Depositary receipts are still subject to the political and economic risks of the underlying issuer’s country and
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are still subject to foreign currency exchange risk. Depositary receipts will be issued under sponsored or unsponsored programs. In sponsored programs, an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities traded in the form of depositary receipts. In unsponsored programs, the issuer may not be directly involved in the creation of the program. Although regulatory requirements with respect to sponsored and unsponsored programs are generally similar, in some cases it may be easier to obtain financial information about an issuer that has participated in the creation of a sponsored program. There may be an increased possibility of untimely responses to certain corporate actions of the issuer, such as stock splits and rights offerings, in an unsponsored program. Accordingly, there may be less information available regarding issuers of securities underlying unsponsored programs and there may not be a correlation between this information and the market value of the depositary receipts. If a Fund’s investment depends on obligations being met by the arranger as well as the issuer of an unsponsored program, the Fund will be exposed to additional credit risk.
Derivatives Instruments
The Funds may invest in some or all of various types of derivatives instruments, which are described in more detail in this section of the SAI. Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF may invest in forward foreign currency contracts, futures, options, options on futures contracts, and swaps. Nomura Tax-Free California ETF may invest in credit-linked securities, inverse floaters, swaps, options, futures and options on futures contracts.
Generally, derivatives are financial instruments whose values depend on or are derived from the value of one or more underlying assets, reference rates, indices, or other market factors (a “reference instrument”) and may relate to stocks, bonds, interest rates, currencies, commodities, or related indices. Derivatives instruments allow a fund to gain or reduce exposure to the value of a reference instrument without actually owning or selling the instrument.
A Fund may value derivatives instruments at market value, notional value, or full exposure value (i.e., the sum of the notional amount for the contract plus the market value). The manner in which certain securities or other instruments are valued by a Fund may differ from the manner in which those investments are valued by other types of investors.
Exclusion from commodity pool operator definition. The Manager has claimed an exclusion from the definition of “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) with respect to each Fund under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and, therefore, is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO. In addition, the Manager is exempt from registration as a commodity trading advisor and provides commodity interest trading advice to the Funds in reliance upon applicable exemptions from registration under the Commodity Exchange Act.
The terms of the CPO exclusion require each Fund, among other things, to adhere to certain limits on its investments in “commodity interests.” Commodity interests include commodity futures, commodity options, and certain swaps, which in turn include nondeliverable currency forwards, as further described below. Because the Manager intends to comply with the terms of the CPO exclusion with respect to each Fund, a Fund may, in the future, need to adjust its investment strategies, consistent with its investment goal, to limit its investments in these types of instruments. Each Fund is not intended as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options, or swaps markets. The CFTC has neither reviewed nor approved the Manager’s reliance on the CPO exclusion, the Manager’s provision of services as an exempt CTA, or a Fund, its investment strategies, or this SAI.
Generally, the exclusion from CPO definition and regulation on which the Manager relies requires a Fund to meet one of the following tests for its commodity interest positions, other than positions entered into for bona fide hedging purposes (as defined in the rules of the CFTC): either (1) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish the Fund’s positions in commodity interests may not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions); or (2) the aggregate net notional value of the Fund’s commodity interest positions, determined at the time the most recent such position was established, may not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). In addition to meeting one of these trading limitations, a Fund may not be marketed as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options, or swaps markets. If, in the future, a Fund can no longer satisfy these requirements, the Manager would withdraw the notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of a CPO for the Fund, and the
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Manager would be subject to registration and regulation as a CPO with respect to the Fund, in accordance with CFTC rules that apply to CPOs of registered investment companies. Generally, these rules allow for substituted compliance with CFTC disclosure and shareholder reporting requirements, based on the Manager’s compliance with comparable SEC requirements. However, as a result of CFTC regulation, a Fund may incur additional compliance and other expenses.
Developing government regulation of derivatives. The regulation of cleared and uncleared swaps, as well as other derivatives, is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to modification by government and judicial action. In addition, the SEC, CFTC, and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits, and the suspension of trading.
It is not possible to predict fully the effects of current or future regulation. However, it is possible that developments in government regulation of various types of derivatives instruments may prevent a Fund from using or limit the Fund’s use of these instruments effectively as a part of its investment strategy, and could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The Manager will continue to monitor developments in this area. New requirements, even if not directly applicable to a Fund, may increase the cost of the Fund’s investments and cost of doing business.
Municipal Market Data Rate Locks. Nomura Tax-Free California ETF may purchase and sell Municipal Market Data Rate Locks (“MMD Rate Locks”). An MMD Rate Lock permits the Fund to lock in a specified municipal interest rate for a portion of its portfolio to preserve a return on a particular investment or a portion of its portfolio as a duration management technique or to protect against any increase in the price of securities to be purchased at a later date. MMD Rate Locks may be used for hedging purposes. An MMD Rate Lock is an agreement between two parties - the Fund and an MMD Rate Lock provider - pursuant to which the parties agree to make payments to each other on a notional amount, contingent upon whether the Municipal Market Data AAA General Obligation Scale is above or below a specified level on the expiration date of the contract. For example, if the Fund buys an MMD Rate Lock and the Municipal Market Data AAA General Obligation Scale is below the specified level on the expiration date, the counterparty to the contract will make a payment to the Fund equal to the specified level minus the actual level, multiplied by the notional amount of the contract. If the Municipal Market Data AAA General Obligation Scale is above the specified level on the expiration date, the Fund will make a payment to the counterparty equal to the actual level minus the specified level, multiplied by the notional amount of the contract. There is no payment made or received at inception. If both parties consent, an MMD Rate Lock can be unwound prior to settlement, provided that a termination payment can be agreed upon to settle the contract.
In entering into MMD Rate Locks, there is a risk that municipal yields will move in the direction opposite the direction anticipated by the Fund. As with interest rate swaps, the use of MMD Rate Locks is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different than those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions.
The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each MMD Rate Lock will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of liquid assets that have an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in a separate account by the Fund.
Because separate accounts will be established with respect to such transactions on the books and records of the Fund or with its custodian, the Fund does not treat MMD Rate Locks as constituting senior securities. Accordingly, the Fund will not treat them as being subject to the Fund’s borrowing restrictions.
The Fund will enter into MMD Rate Locks only with banks and recognized security dealers or their respective affiliates believed to present minimal credit risk in accordance with guidelines established by the Fund’s Board. MMD Rate Locks do not involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to MMD Rate Locks is limited to the amount of payments the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to an MMD Rate Lock defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the amount of payments that the Fund contractually is entitled to receive. If there is a default by the counter-party, the Fund may have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction, but they could be difficult to enforce.
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To the extent that other types of rate locks are available or developed in the future, the Fund may enter into them on the same basis and for the same purposes as set forth above.
Duration
Most debt obligations provide interest (coupon) payments in addition to a final (par) payment at maturity. Some obligations also have call provisions. Depending on the relative magnitude of these payments and the nature of the call provisions, the market values of debt obligations may respond differently to changes in the level and structure of interest rates. Traditionally, a debt security’s term-to-maturity has been used as a proxy for the sensitivity of the security’s price to changes in interest rates (which is the interest rate risk or volatility of the security). However, term-to-maturity measures only the time until a debt security provides its final payment, taking no account of the pattern of the security’s payments prior to maturity.
Duration is a measure of the expected life of a fixed income security on a present value basis that was developed as a more precise alternative to the concept of term-to-maturity. Duration incorporates a bond’s yield, coupon interest payments, final maturity, and call features into one measure. Duration is one of the fundamental tools used by the Manager in the selection of fixed income securities. Duration takes the length of the time intervals between the present time and the time that the interest and principal payments are scheduled or, in the case of a callable bond, expected to be received, and weights them by the present values of the cash to be received at each future point in time. For any fixed income security with interest payments occurring prior to the payment of principal, duration is always less than maturity. In general, all other factors being the same, the lower the stated or coupon rate of interest of a fixed income security, the longer the duration of the security; conversely, the higher the stated or coupon rate of interest of a fixed income security, the shorter the duration of the security.
There are some situations where even the standard duration calculation does not properly reflect the interest rate exposure of a security. For example, floating and variable rate securities often have final maturities of 10 or more years; however, their interest rate exposure corresponds to the frequency of the coupon reset. Another example where the interest rate exposure is not properly captured by duration is the case of mortgage pass-through securities. The stated final maturity of such securities is generally 30 years, but current prepayment rates are more critical in determining the securities’ interest rate exposure. In these and other similar situations, the Manager will use sophisticated analytical techniques that incorporate the economic life of a security into the determination of its interest rate exposure.
The average effective duration of Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF will typically be between one and three years. This is considered a short- to intermediate-range duration. Some of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may have periodic interest rate adjustments based upon an index such as the 91-day Treasury bill rate. This periodic interest rate adjustment tends to lessen the volatility of the security’s price. With respect to securities with an interest rate adjustment period of one year or less, the Fund will, when determining average weighted maturity, treat such a security’s maturity as the amount of time remaining until the next interest rate adjustment. Instruments such as Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac securities, and similar securities backed by amortizing loans generally have shorter effective maturities than their stated maturities. This is due to changes in amortization caused by demographic and economic forces such as interest rate movements. These effective maturities are calculated based upon historical payment patterns. For purposes of determining the Fund’s average effective duration, the maturities of such securities will be calculated based upon the issuing agency’s payment factors using industry-accepted valuation models.
Foreign and Emerging Market Securities
Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest up to 40% of its net assets in foreign securities. The foreign short-term fixed income securities in which the Fund may invest may be foreign currency denominated, including the euro. Such securities may include those issued by supranational entities. Such fixed income securities will be typically rated, at the time of purchase, AA or higher by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”) or Aa or higher by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or of comparable quality as determined by the Manager.
Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF may invest up to 30% of its net assets in foreign securities, including up to 10% of its net assets in securities of issuers located in emerging markets. Foreign investments can involve significant risks in addition to the risks inherent in US investments. The Fund may hold foreign currency
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deposits from time to time and may convert dollars and foreign currencies in the foreign exchange markets. The Manager will limit the Fund’s investments in total non-US dollar currency to no more than 10% of the Fund’s net assets. The Fund may be subject to foreign withholding taxes on income from certain foreign securities. This, in turn, could reduce the Fund’s distributions paid to shareholders. It is also expected that the expenses for custodial arrangements of the Fund’s foreign securities will be somewhat greater than the expenses for the custodial arrangements for US securities of equal value.
Overview. Investors should consider carefully the substantial risks associated with investing in the securities of certain governments and companies located in, or having substantial operations in, foreign countries, which are in addition to the usual risks inherent in domestic investments. As with US securities, the value of foreign securities is affected by general economic conditions and individual issuer and industry earnings prospects. Investments in depositary receipts also involve some or all of the risks described below.
There is the possibility of cessation of trading on foreign exchanges, expropriation, nationalization of assets, confiscatory or punitive taxation, withholding and other foreign taxes on income or other amounts, foreign exchange controls (which may include suspension of the ability to transfer currency from a given country), restrictions on removal of assets, political or social instability, military action or unrest, or diplomatic developments that could affect investments in securities of issuers in foreign nations. There is no assurance that the Manager will be able to anticipate these potential events. In addition, the value of securities denominated in foreign currencies and of dividends and interest paid with respect to such securities will fluctuate based on the relative strength of the US dollar compared to such foreign currencies.
There may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers that is comparable to the reports and ratings published about issuers in the US. Foreign issuers generally are not subject to uniform accounting or financial reporting standards. Auditing practices and requirements may not be comparable to those applicable to US issuers. Certain countries’ legal institutions, financial markets, and services are less developed than those in the US or other major economies. A Fund may have greater difficulty voting proxies, exercising shareholder rights, securing dividends and obtaining information regarding corporate actions on a timely basis, pursuing legal remedies, and obtaining judgments with respect to foreign investments in foreign courts than with respect to domestic issuers in US courts. The costs associated with foreign investments, including withholding taxes, brokerage commissions, and custodial costs, are generally higher than with US investments.
Certain countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons, or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company. Some countries limit the investment of foreign persons to only a specific class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous terms than securities of the issuer available for purchase by nationals. Although securities subject to such restrictions may be marketable abroad, they may be less liquid than foreign securities of the same class that are not subject to such restrictions. In some countries the repatriation of investment income, capital, and proceeds of sales by foreign investors may require governmental registration and/or approval. A Fund could be adversely affected by delays in or a refusal to grant any required governmental registration or approval for repatriation.
From time to time, trading in a foreign market may be interrupted. Foreign markets also have substantially less volume than the US markets and securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable US issuers. A Fund, therefore, may encounter difficulty in obtaining market quotations for purposes of valuing its portfolio and calculating its NAV.
In many foreign countries, there is less government supervision and regulation of stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in the US, which may result in greater potential for fraud or market manipulation. Foreign over-the-counter markets tend to be less regulated than foreign stock exchange markets and, in certain countries, may be totally unregulated. Brokerage commission rates in foreign countries, which generally are fixed rather than subject to negotiation as in the US, are likely to be higher. Foreign security trading, settlement, and custodial practices (including those involving securities settlement where assets may be released prior to receipt of payment) are often less developed than those in US markets, may be cumbersome, and may result in increased risk or substantial delays. This could occur in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of, or breach of duty by, a foreign broker/dealer, securities depository, or foreign subcustodian.
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To the extent that a Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a specific geographic region or country, the Fund will have more exposure to economic risks related to such region or country than a fund whose investments are more geographically diversified. Adverse conditions or changes in policies in a certain region or country can affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated but are otherwise connected. In the event of economic or political turmoil, armed conflict, a deterioration of diplomatic relations or a natural or man-made disaster in a region or country where a substantial portion of a Fund’s assets are invested, the Fund may have difficulty meeting a large number of shareholder redemption requests.
The holding of foreign securities may be limited by a Fund to avoid investment in certain passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”).
Developing markets or emerging markets. Investments in companies domiciled or with significant operations in developing market or emerging market countries may be subject to potentially higher risks than investments in developed countries. These risks include, among others (i) less social, political, and economic stability; (ii) smaller securities markets with low or nonexistent trading volume, which result in greater illiquidity and greater price volatility; (iii) certain national policies which may restrict a Fund’s investment opportunities, including restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests; (iv) foreign taxation, including less transparent and established taxation policies; (v) less developed regulatory or legal structures governing private or foreign investment or allowing for judicial redress for injury to private property; (vi) the absence, until recently in many developing market countries, of a capital market structure or market-oriented economy; (vii) more widespread corruption and fraud; (viii) the financial institutions with which a Fund may trade may not possess the same degree of financial sophistication, creditworthiness, or resources as those in developed markets; and (ix) the possibility that recent favorable economic developments in some developing market countries may be slowed or reversed by unanticipated economic, political, or social events in such countries.
In addition, many developing market countries have experienced substantial and, during some periods, extremely high rates of inflation, for many years. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain countries. Moreover, the economies of some developing market countries may differ unfavorably from the US economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, currency depreciation, debt burden, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, and balance of payments position. The economies of some developing market countries may be based on only a few industries, and may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions.
Settlement systems in developing market countries may be less organized than in developed countries. Supervisory authorities may also be unable to apply standards that are comparable to those in more developed countries. There may be risks that settlement may be delayed and that cash or securities belonging to a Fund may be in jeopardy because of failures of or defects in the settlement systems. Market practice may require that payment be made prior to receipt of the security that is being purchased or that delivery of a security must be made before payment is received. In such cases, default by a broker or bank (the “counterparty”) through whom the relevant transaction is effected might result in a loss being suffered by a Fund. A Fund seeks, where possible, to use counterparties whose financial status reduces this risk. However, there can be no certainty that a Fund will be successful in eliminating or reducing this risk, particularly as counterparties operating in developing market countries frequently lack the substance, capitalization, and/or financial resources of those in developed countries. Uncertainties in the operation of settlement systems in individual markets may increase the risk of competing claims to securities held by or to be transferred to a Fund. Legal compensation schemes may be nonexistent, limited, or inadequate to meet a Fund’s claims in any of these events.
Securities trading in developing markets presents additional credit and financial risks. A Fund may have limited access to, or there may be a limited number of, potential counterparties that trade in the securities of developing market issuers. Governmental regulations may restrict potential counterparties to certain financial institutions located or operating in the particular developing market. Potential counterparties may not possess, adopt, or implement creditworthiness standards, financial reporting standards, or legal and contractual protections similar to those in developed markets. Currency and other hedging techniques may not be available or may be limited.
The local taxation of income and capital gains accruing to nonresidents varies among developing market countries and may be comparatively high. Developing market countries typically have less well-defined tax laws and
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procedures and such laws may permit retroactive taxation so that a Fund could in the future become subject to local tax liabilities that had not been anticipated in conducting its investment activities or valuing its assets.
Many developing market countries suffer from uncertainty and corruption in their legal frameworks. Legislation may be difficult to interpret and laws may be too new to provide any precedential value. Laws regarding foreign investment and private property may be weak or nonexistent. Investments in developing market countries may involve risks of nationalization, expropriation, and confiscatory taxation. For example, the Communist governments of a number of Eastern European countries expropriated large amounts of private property in the past, in many cases without adequate compensation, and there can be no assurance that similar expropriation will not occur in the future. In the event of expropriation, a Fund could lose all or a substantial portion of any investments it has made in the affected countries. Accounting, auditing, and reporting standards in certain countries in which a Fund may invest may not provide the same degree of investor protection or information to investors as would generally apply in major securities markets. In addition, it is possible that purported securities in which a Fund invested may subsequently be found to be fraudulent and as a consequence the Fund could suffer losses.
Finally, currencies of developing market countries are subject to significantly greater risks than currencies of developed countries. Some developing market currencies may not be internationally traded or may be subject to strict controls by local governments, resulting in undervalued or overvalued currencies and associated difficulties with the valuation of assets, including a Fund’s securities, denominated in that currency. Some developing market countries have experienced balance of payment deficits and shortages in foreign exchange reserves. Governments have responded by restricting currency conversions. Future restrictive exchange controls could prevent or restrict a company’s ability to make dividend or interest payments in the original currency of the obligation (usually US dollars). In addition, even though the currencies of some developing market countries, such as certain Eastern European countries, may be convertible into US dollars, the conversion rates may be artificial to the actual market values and may be adverse to a Fund’s shareholders.
Foreign governmental and supranational debt securities. Investments in debt securities of foreign governmental or supranational issuers are subject to all the risks associated with investments in US and foreign securities and certain additional risks.
Foreign government debt securities, sometimes known as sovereign debt securities, include debt securities issued, sponsored, or guaranteed by: governments or governmental agencies, instrumentalities, or political subdivisions located in emerging or developed market countries; government owned, controlled, or sponsored entities located in emerging or developed market countries; and entities organized and operated for the purpose of restructuring the investment characteristics of instruments issued by any of the above issuers.
A supranational entity is a bank, commission, or company established or financially supported by the national governments of one or more countries to promote reconstruction, trade, harmonization of standards or laws; economic development; and humanitarian, political, or environmental initiatives. Supranational debt obligations include: Brady Bonds (which are debt securities issued under the framework of the Brady Plan as a means for debtor nations to restructure their outstanding external indebtedness); participations in loans between emerging market governments and financial institutions; and debt securities issued by supranational entities such as the World Bank, Asia Development Bank, European Investment Bank, and the European Economic Community.
Foreign government debt securities are subject to risks in addition to those relating to debt securities generally. Governmental issuers of foreign debt securities may be unwilling or unable to pay interest and repay principal, or otherwise meet obligations, when due and may require that the conditions for payment be renegotiated. As a sovereign entity, the issuing government may be immune from lawsuits in the event of its failure or refusal to pay the obligations when due. The debtor’s willingness or ability to repay in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its non-US reserves, the availability of sufficient non-US currency on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the issuing country’s economy as a whole, the sovereign debtor’s policy toward principal international lenders, such as the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank, and the political considerations or constraints to which the sovereign debtor may be subject. Governmental debtors also will be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments or multinational agencies and the country’s access to, or balance of, trade. Some governmental debtors have in the past been able to reschedule or restructure their debt payments without the approval of debt holders or declare moratoria on payments,
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and similar occurrences may happen in the future. There is no bankruptcy proceeding by which a Fund may collect in whole or in part on debt subject to default by a government.
Foreign currency exchange rates. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates will affect the US dollar market value of securities denominated in such foreign currencies and any income received or expenses paid by a Fund in that foreign currency. This may affect a Fund’s share price, income, and distributions to shareholders. Some countries may have fixed or managed currencies that are not free-floating against the US dollar. It will be more difficult for the Manager to value securities denominated in currencies that are fixed or managed. Certain currencies may not be internationally traded, which could cause illiquidity with respect to a Fund’s investments in that currency and any securities denominated in that currency. Currency markets generally are not as regulated as securities markets. The Funds endeavor to buy and sell foreign currencies on as favorable a basis as practicable. Some price spread in currency exchanges (to cover service charges) may be incurred, particularly when a Fund changes investments from one country to another or when proceeds of the sale of securities in US dollars are used for the purchase of securities denominated in foreign currencies. Some countries may adopt policies that would prevent a Fund from transferring cash out of the country or withhold portions of interest and dividends at the source.
Certain currencies have experienced a steady devaluation relative to the US dollar. Any devaluations in the currencies in which a Fund’s portfolio securities are denominated may have a detrimental impact on the Fund. Where the exchange rate for a currency declines materially after a Fund’s income has been accrued and translated into US dollars, the Fund may need to redeem portfolio securities to make required distributions. Similarly, if an exchange rate declines between the time a Fund incurs expenses in US dollars and the time such expenses are paid, the Fund will have to convert a greater amount of the currency into US dollars in order to pay the expenses.
Investing in foreign currencies for purposes of gaining from projected changes in exchange rates further increases a Fund’s exposure to foreign securities losses.
The Funds do not consider currencies or other financial commodities or contracts and financial instruments to be physical commodities (which include, for example, oil, precious metals, and grains). Accordingly, each Fund interprets the fundamental restriction related to commodities to permit it (subject to its investment objective and general investment policies) to invest directly in foreign currencies and other financial commodities and to purchase, sell, or enter into foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon, forward foreign currency contracts, foreign currency options, currency, commodity- and financial instrument-related swap agreements, hybrid instruments, interest rate, securities-related or foreign currency-related futures contracts or other currency-, commodity- or financial instrument-related derivatives, subject to compliance with any applicable provisions of the federal securities or commodities laws. Each Fund also interprets its fundamental restriction regarding purchasing and selling physical commodities to permit the Fund to invest in ETFs or other entities that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.
Foreign Securities Traded in the U.S. Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest directly in foreign equity or debt securities that are traded in the U.S. Such securities are generally denominated in U.S. dollars. They also may be issued originally in the U.S. For example, some foreign companies raise capital by selling dollar-denominated bonds to institutional investors in the U.S. (“Yankee Bonds”). Such bonds have all of the risks associated with foreign securities traded in foreign markets, except for the risks of foreign securities markets. There may be a thin trading market for foreign securities that are traded in the U.S., and in some cases such securities may be illiquid, since such securities may be restricted and traded principally among institutional investors. See “Illiquid and Restricted Investments” for the risks of illiquid securities. To the extent that dollar-denominated foreign stocks and bonds are traded in the U.S. securities markets, the Fund does not consider them to be foreign securities for purposes of investment policies restricting investments on such securities. The Fund may invest in securities that are traded in foreign markets through participatory notes. Participatory notes (commonly known as P-notes) are derivatives instruments used by foreign funds or investors that would like to invest in securities of a foreign issuer traded in its local market. Foreign funds or investors buy P-notes from brokers who are registered in a foreign issuer’s local market. Such brokers buy shares of an issuer on the local market and create the P-notes to represent interests in the shares. Thus, investments in P-notes present similarrisks to investing directly in an issuer’s shares. Normally, P-notes can only be sold back to the broker that issued them. As a result, P-notes also expose investors to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the entity issuing the note may not be able to honor its financial commitment to the purchaser.
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Forward Foreign Currency Contracts
Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF may engage in forward foreign currency contracts. The Funds may use forward foreign currency contracts to hedge currency risks, to facilitate transactions in foreign securities, and to hedge against a decline in the value of existing investments denominated in foreign currency. When dealing in forward foreign currency contracts, a Fund will be limited to hedging involving either specific transactions or portfolio positions. A Fund may not position hedge with respect to a particular currency for an amount greater than the aggregate market value (determined at the time of making any sale of a forward foreign currency contract) of securities held in its portfolio denominated or quoted in, or currently convertible into, such currency. A Fund may also enter into forward foreign currency contracts to purchase or sell a foreign currency in anticipation of future purchases or sales of securities denominated in foreign currencies, even if the specific investments have not yet been selected by the Manager.
Each Fund values its assets daily in US dollars, but it does not intend to convert the value of its foreign holdings into US dollars on a daily basis. Each Fund will, however, from time to time, purchase or sell foreign currencies and/or engage in forward foreign currency contracts in order to facilitate or expedite settlement of Fund transactions and to minimize currency value fluctuations. A Fund may conduct its forward foreign currency contracts on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market or through entering into contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies at a future date (i.e., a “forward foreign currency” contract or “forward” contract), and investors should be aware of the costs of currency conversion.
When a Fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency, or when the Fund anticipates the receipt in a foreign currency of dividends or interest payments on a security that it holds, the Fund may desire to “lock in” the US dollar price of the security or the US dollar equivalent of such dividend or interest payment as the case may be. By entering into a forward foreign currency contract for a fixed amount of dollars for the purchase or sale of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying transactions, a Fund will be able to protect itself against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the US dollar and the subject foreign currency during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold, or on which the dividend or interest payment is declared, and the date on which such payments are made or received.
Additionally, when the Manager believes that the currency of a particular foreign country may suffer a substantial decline against the US dollar, a Fund may enter into a forward foreign currency contract for a fixed amount of dollars, to sell the amount of foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of the securities of the Fund denominated in such foreign currency.
A Fund may use forward foreign currency contracts to manage currency risks and to facilitate transactions in foreign securities. The following discussion summarizes the principal currency management strategies involving forward foreign currency contracts that could be used by the Funds.
In connection with purchases and sales of securities denominated in foreign currencies, a Fund may enter into forward foreign currency contracts to fix a definite price for the purchase or sale in advance of the trade’s settlement date. This technique is sometimes referred to as a “settlement hedge” or “transaction hedge.” The Manager expects to enter into settlement hedges in the normal course of managing a Fund’s foreign investments. A Fund could also enter into forward foreign currency contracts to purchase or sell a foreign currency in anticipation of future purchases or sales of securities denominated in a foreign currency, even if the specific investments have not yet been selected by the Manager.
A Fund may also use forward foreign currency contracts to hedge against a decline in the value of existing investments denominated in a foreign currency. For example, if a Fund owned securities denominated in pounds sterling, it could enter into a forward foreign currency contract to sell pounds sterling in return for US dollars to hedge against possible declines in the pound’s value. Such a hedge (sometimes referred to as a “position hedge”) would tend to offset both positive and negative currency fluctuations, but would not offset changes in security values caused by other factors. A Fund could also hedge the position by selling another currency expected to perform similarly to the pound sterling - for example, by entering into a forward foreign currency contract to sell euros in return for US dollars. This type of hedge, sometimes referred to as a “proxy hedge,” could offer advantages
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in terms of cost, yield, or efficiency, but generally will not hedge currency exposure as effectively as a simple hedge into US dollars. Proxy hedges may result in losses if the currency used to hedge does not perform similarly to the currency in which the hedged securities are denominated.
Under definitions adopted by the CFTC and the SEC, nondeliverable forwards are considered swaps, and therefore are included in the definition of “commodity interests.” A nondeliverable forward is a cash-settled, short-term forward foreign currency contract on a thinly traded or nonconvertible foreign currency, where the profit or loss at the time of the settlement date is calculated by taking the difference between the agreed upon exchange rate and the spot rate at the time of settlement, for an agreed upon notional amount of funds. Although nondeliverable forwards have historically been traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market, as swaps they may in the future be required to be centrally cleared and traded on public facilities. Currency and cross currency forwards that qualify as deliverable forwards are not regulated as swaps for most purposes, and are not included in the definition of “commodity interests.” However these forwards are subject to some requirements applicable to swaps, including reporting to swap data repositories, documentation requirements, and business conduct rules applicable to swap dealers.
Risks of forward foreign currency contracts. The successful use of these transactions will usually depend on the Manager’s ability to accurately forecast currency exchange rate movements. Should exchange rates move in an unexpected manner, a Fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the transaction, or it may realize losses. In addition, these techniques could result in a loss if the counterparty to the transaction does not perform as promised, for example, due to bankruptcy or insolvency of the counterparty. While a Fund uses only counterparties that meet its credit quality standards, in unusual or extreme market conditions, a counterparty’s creditworthiness and ability to perform may deteriorate rapidly, and the availability of suitable replacement counterparties may become limited. Moreover, investors should bear in mind that a Fund is not obligated to actively engage in hedging or other currency transactions. For example, a Fund may not attempt to hedge its exposure to a particular foreign currency at a time when doing so might avoid a loss.
Forward foreign currency contracts may limit potential gain from a positive change in the relationship between the US dollar and foreign currencies. Unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in poorer overall performance for a Fund than if it had not engaged in such contracts. Moreover, there may be an imperfect correlation between a Fund’s portfolio holdings of securities denominated in a particular currency and the currencies bought or sold in the forward foreign currency contracts entered into by the Fund. This imperfect correlation may cause a Fund to sustain losses that will prevent the Fund from achieving a complete hedge or expose the Fund to risk of foreign exchange loss.
Futures and Options on Futures
Each Fund may enter into contracts for the purchase or sale for future delivery of securities or contracts based on securities indices, including any index of securities to which the Fund may seek exposure (“futures contracts”), and may purchase and write put and call options to buy or sell futures contracts (“options on futures contracts”). These transactions may be entered into for bona fide hedging and other permissible risk-management purposes. Futures and options on futures will be used to facilitate allocation of a Fund’s investments among asset classes, or to hedge against changes in interest rates or declines in securities prices or increases in prices of securities proposed to be purchased. Different uses of futures and options have different risk and return characteristics. Generally, selling futures contracts, purchasing put options, and writing (i.e., selling) call options are strategies designed to protect against falling securities prices and can limit potential gains if prices rise. Purchasing futures contracts, purchasing call options, and writing put options are strategies whose returns tend to rise and fall together with securities prices and can cause losses if prices fall. If securities prices remain unchanged over time, option writing strategies tend to be profitable, while option buying strategies tend to decline in value.
Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF also may make investments in Eurodollar instruments. Eurodollar instruments are US dollar denominated futures contracts or options thereon, although foreign currency denominated instruments are available from time to time. Eurodollar futures contracts enable purchasers to obtain a fixed rate for the lending of funds and sellers to obtain a fixed rate for borrowings. A Fund might use Eurodollar futures contracts and options thereon to hedge against changes to the rates to which many interest rate swaps and fixed income instruments are linked.
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Although not a fundamental policy, Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF currently intends to limit its investments in futures contracts and options thereon to the extent that not more than 5% of the Fund’s assets are required as futures contract margin deposits and premiums on options, and only to the extent that obligations relating to such transactions represent not more than 20% of the Fund’s assets.
Futures contracts. Generally, a futures contract is a standard binding agreement to buy or sell a specified quantity of an underlying reference instrument, such as a specific security, currency or commodity, at a specified price at a specified later date. A “sale” of a futures contract means the acquisition of a contractual obligation to deliver the underlying reference instrument called for by the contract at a specified price on a specified date. A “purchase” of a futures contract means the acquisition of a contractual obligation to acquire the underlying reference instrument called for by the contract at a specified price on a specified date. The purchase or sale of a futures contract will allow a Fund to increase or decrease its exposure to the underlying reference instrument without having to buy the actual instrument.
The underlying reference instruments to which futures contracts may relate include non-US currencies, interest rates, stock and bond indices, and debt securities, including US government debt obligations. In most cases the contractual obligation under a futures contract may be offset, or “closed out,” before the settlement date so that the parties do not have to make or take delivery. The closing out of a contractual obligation is usually accomplished by buying or selling, as the case may be, an identical, offsetting futures contract. This transaction, which is effected through a member of an exchange, cancels the obligation to make or take delivery of the underlying instrument or asset. Although some futures contracts by their terms require the actual delivery or acquisition of the underlying instrument or asset, some require cash settlement.
Futures contracts may be bought and sold on US and non-US exchanges. Futures contracts in the US have been designed by exchanges that have been designated “contract markets” by the CFTC and must be executed through a futures commission merchant (“FCM”), which is a brokerage firm that is a member of the relevant contract market. Each exchange guarantees performance of the contracts as between the clearing members of the exchange, thereby reducing the risk of counterparty default. Futures contracts may also be entered into on certain exempt markets, including exempt boards of trade and electronic trading facilities, available to certain market participants. Because all transactions in the futures market are made, offset, or fulfilled by an FCM through a clearinghouse associated with the exchange on which the contracts are traded, a Fund will incur brokerage fees when it buys or sells futures contracts.
A Fund generally buys and sells futures contracts only on contract markets (including exchanges or boards of trade) where there appears to be an active market for the futures contracts, but there is no assurance that an active market will exist for any particular contract or at any particular time. An active market makes it more likely that futures contracts will be liquid and bought and sold at competitive market prices. In addition, many of the futures contracts available may be relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active market will develop or continue to exist.
When a Fund enters into a futures contract, it must deliver to an account controlled by the FCM (that has been selected by the Fund), an amount referred to as “initial margin” that is typically calculated as an amount equal to the volatility in the market value of a contract over a fixed period. Initial margin requirements are determined by the respective exchanges on which the futures contracts are traded and the FCM. Thereafter, a “variation margin” amount may be required to be paid by a Fund or received by the Fund in accordance with margin controls set for such accounts, depending upon changes in the marked-to-market value of the futures contract. The account is marked-to-market daily and the variation margin is monitored by the Manager and the Funds’ custodian on a daily basis. When the futures contract is closed out, if a Fund has a loss equal to or greater than the margin amount, the margin amount is paid to the FCM along with any loss in excess of the margin amount. If a Fund has a loss of less than the margin amount, the excess margin is returned to the Fund. If a Fund has a gain, the full margin amount and the amount of the gain are paid to the Fund.
Some futures contracts provide for the delivery of securities that are different than those that are specified in the contract. For a futures contract for delivery of debt securities, on the settlement date of the contract, adjustments to the contract can be made to recognize differences in value arising from the delivery of debt securities with a
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different interest rate from that of the particular debt securities that were specified in the contract. In some cases, securities called for by a futures contract may not have been issued when the contract was written.
Risks of futures contracts. A Fund’s use of futures contracts is subject to the risks associated with derivatives instruments generally. In addition, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses to a Fund in excess of the amount that the Fund delivered as initial margin. Because of the relatively low margin deposits required, futures trading involves a high degree of leverage; as a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss, or gain, to a Fund. In addition, if a Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily variation margin requirements or close out a futures position, it may have to sell securities from its portfolio at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. Adverse market movements could cause a Fund to experience substantial losses on an investment in a futures contract.
There is a risk of loss by a Fund of the initial and variation margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of the FCM with which the Fund has an open position in a futures contract. The assets of a Fund may not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the FCM or central counterparty because the Fund might be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds and margin segregated on behalf of an FCM’s customers. If the FCM does not provide accurate reporting, a Fund is also subject to the risk that the FCM could use the Fund’s assets, which are held in an omnibus account with assets belonging to the FCM’s other customers, to satisfy its own financial obligations or the payment obligations of another customer to the central counterparty.
A Fund may not be able to properly hedge or effect its strategy when a liquid market is unavailable for the futures contract the Fund wishes to close, which may at times occur. In addition, when futures contracts are used for hedging, there may be an imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the underlying reference instrument on which the futures contract is based and movements in the prices of the assets sought to be hedged.
If the Manager’s investment judgment about the general direction of market prices or interest or currency exchange rates is incorrect, a Fund’s overall performance will be poorer than if it had not entered into a futures contract. For example, if the Fund has purchased futures to hedge against the possibility of an increase in interest rates that would adversely affect the price of bonds held in its portfolio and interest rates instead decrease, the Fund will lose part or all of the benefit of the increased value of the bonds which it has hedged. This is because its losses in its futures positions will offset some or all of its gains from the increased value of the bonds.
The difference (called the “spread”) between prices in the cash market for the purchase and sale of the underlying reference instrument and the prices in the futures market is subject to fluctuations and distortions due to differences in the nature of those two markets. First, all participants in the futures market are subject to initial deposit and variation margin requirements. Rather than meeting additional variation margin requirements, investors may close futures contracts through offsetting transactions that could distort the normal pricing spread between the cash and futures markets. Second, the liquidity of the futures markets depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery of the underlying instrument. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, resulting in pricing distortion. Third, from the point of view of speculators, the margin deposit requirements that apply in the futures market are less onerous than similar margin requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures market may cause temporary price distortions. When such distortions occur, a correct forecast of general trends in the price of an underlying reference instrument by the Manager may still not necessarily result in a profitable transaction.
Futures contracts that are traded on non-US exchanges may not be as liquid as those purchased on CFTC-designated contract markets. In addition, non-US futures contracts may be subject to varied regulatory oversight. The price of any non-US futures contract and, therefore, the potential profit and loss thereon, may be affected by any change in the non-US exchange rate between the time a particular order is placed and the time it is liquidated, offset or exercised.
The CFTC and the various exchanges have established limits referred to as “speculative position limits” on the maximum net long or net short position that any person, such as the Funds, may hold or control in a particular futures contract. Trading limits are also imposed on the maximum number of contracts that any person may trade on a particular trading day. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of these limits
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and it may impose other sanctions or restrictions. The regulation of futures, as well as other derivatives, is a rapidly changing area of law.
Futures exchanges may also limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. This daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and does not limit potential losses because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.
Options on futures contracts. Options on futures contracts trade on the same contract markets as the underlying futures contract. When a Fund buys an option, it pays a premium for the right, but does not have the obligation, to purchase (call) or sell (put) a futures contract at a set price (called the exercise price). The purchase of a call or put option on a futures contract, whereby a Fund has the right to purchase or sell, respectively, a particular futures contract, is similar in some respects to the purchase of a call or put option on an individual security or currency. Depending on the premium paid for the option compared to either the price of the futures contract upon which it is based or the price of the underlying reference instrument, the option may be less risky than direct ownership of the futures contract or the underlying reference instrument. For example, a Fund could purchase a call option on a long futures contract when seeking to hedge against an increase in the market value of the underlying reference instrument, such as appreciation in the value of a non-US currency against the US dollar.
The seller (writer) of an option becomes contractually obligated to take the opposite futures position if the buyer of the option exercises its rights to the futures position specified in the option. In return for the premium paid by the buyer, the seller assumes the risk of taking a possibly adverse futures position. In addition, the seller will be required to post and maintain initial and variation margin with the FCM. One goal of selling (writing) options on futures may be to receive the premium paid by the option buyer.
For more general information about the mechanics of purchasing and writing options, see “Options” below.
Risks of options on futures contracts. A Fund’s use of options on futures contracts is subject to the risks related to derivatives instruments generally. In addition, the amount of risk a Fund assumes when it purchases an option on a futures contract is the premium paid for the option plus related transaction costs. The purchase of an option also entails the risk that changes in the value of the underlying futures contract will not be fully reflected in the value of the option purchased. The seller (writer) of an option on a futures contract is subject to the risk of having to take a possibly adverse futures position if the purchaser of the option exercises its rights. If the seller were required to take such a position, it could bear substantial losses. An option writer has potentially unlimited economic risk because its potential loss, except to the extent offset by the premium received, is equal to the amount the option is “in-the-money” at the expiration date. A call option is in-the-money if the value of the underlying futures contract exceeds the exercise price of the option. A put option is in-the-money if the exercise price of the option exceeds the value of the underlying futures contract.
Use of these strategies can increase the operating costs of a Fund and can lead to loss of principal. It is anticipated that a Fund’s investments in futures may generate qualifying income under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code.
High Yield Securities (“Junk bonds”)
Each Fund may invest in high yield, high-risk securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) rated lower than BBB- by S&P or lower than Baa3 by Moody’s, or similarly rated by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”), or if unrated, considered to be of equivalent quality.
Junk bonds are often considered to be speculative and involve significantly higher risk of default on the payment of principal and interest or are more likely to experience significant price fluctuation due to changes in the issuer’s creditworthiness. Market prices of these securities may fluctuate more than higher-rated debt securities and may decline significantly in periods of general economic difficulty which may follow periods of rising interest rates.
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Although the market for high yield corporate debt securities has been in existence for many years and has weathered previous economic downturns, the market in recent years has experienced a dramatic increase in the large-scale use of such securities to fund highly leveraged corporate acquisitions and restructurings. Accordingly, past experience may not provide an accurate indication of future performance of the high yield bond market, especially during periods of economic recession. See “Appendix A – Description of Ratings.”
The market for lower-rated securities and debt securities of distressed companies may be less active than that for higher-rated securities, which can adversely affect the prices at which these securities can be sold. If market quotations are not available, these securities will be valued in accordance with procedures established by the Board, including the use of outside pricing services. Judgment plays a greater role in valuing high yield corporate debt securities than is the case for securities for which more external sources for quotations and last-sale information are available. Adverse publicity and changing investor perceptions may affect the ability of outside pricing services used by a Fund to value its portfolio securities and the Fund’s ability to dispose of these lower-rated debt securities.
Since the risk of default is higher for lower-quality securities, the Manager’s research and credit analysis are an integral part of managing any securities of this type. In considering junk bond investments, the Manager will attempt to identify those issuers of high yielding securities whose financial conditions are adequate to meet future obligations, have improved, or are expected to improve in the future. The Manager’s analysis focuses on relative values based on such factors as interest or dividend coverage, asset coverage, earnings prospects, and the experience and managerial strength of the issuer. There can be no assurance that such analysis will prove accurate.
A Fund may choose, at its expense or in conjunction with others, to pursue litigation or otherwise exercise its rights as security holder to seek to protect the interests of security holders if it determines this to be in the best interest of shareholders.
Illiquid and Restricted Investments
Each Fund is permitted to invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. For purposes of a Fund’s 15% limitation, illiquid investment means any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment, as determined pursuant to the 1940 Act and applicable rules and regulations thereunder. Illiquid investments, for purposes of this policy, include repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven calendar days.
A Fund may purchase privately placed debt and other securities whose resale is restricted under applicable securities laws. A Fund may invest in restricted securities, including securities eligible for resale without registration pursuant to Rule 144A (“Rule 144A Securities”) under the 1933 Act. Rule 144A exempts many privately placed and legally restricted securities from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act and permits such securities to be freely traded among certain institutional buyers, such as the Funds. Restricted securities may involve some additional risk since they can be resold only in privately negotiated transactions or after registration under applicable securities laws. The registration process may involve delays which would result in a Fund obtaining a less favorable price on a resale.
The Manager is responsible for the day-to-day functions of determining whether or not individual Rule 144A Securities are liquid for purposes of a Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid investments. The Manager considers the following factors in determining the liquidity of a Rule 144A Security: (i) the frequency of trades and trading volume for the security; (ii) whether at least three dealers are willing to purchase or sell the security and the number of potential purchasers; (iii) whether at least two dealers are making a market in the security; and (iv) the nature of the security 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).
If the Manager determines that a Rule 144A Security which was previously determined to be liquid is no longer liquid and, as a result, a Fund’s holdings of illiquid investments exceed its limit on investment in such investments, the Manager will determine what action shall be taken to ensure that the Fund continues to adhere to such limitation.
Inverse Floaters
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF may invest in inverse floaters. Inverse floaters are instruments with floating or variable interest rates that move in the opposite direction to short-term interest rates or interest rate indices. Certain
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expenses of an inverse floater program will be deemed to be expenses of the Fund where the Fund has transferred its own municipal bonds to the trust that issues the inverse floater. To the extent that income from the inverse floater offsets these expenses, the additional income will have a positive effect on the Fund’s performance. Conversely, to the extent that these expenses exceed income earned from the trust collateral, the shortfall will have a negative effect on performance. Typically, the Fund invests in inverse floaters that permit the holder of the inverse floater to terminate the program in the event the fees and interest expense exceed income earned by the municipal bonds held by the trust. Inverse floaters may be more volatile than other tax-exempt investments.
Investment Companies
Each Fund may invest in other investment companies, including other ETFs, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, SEC rules thereunder and exemptions thereto.
Specifically, Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act requires that, as determined immediately after a purchase is made, (i) not more than 5% of the value of a fund’s total assets will be invested in the securities of any one investment company, (ii) not more than 10% of the value of a fund’s total assets will be invested in securities of investment companies as a group, and (iii) not more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company will be owned by a fund. A Fund will limit its investments in other investment companies in accordance with the Section 12(d)(1) limitations set forth above, except to the extent that any statutes, rules, regulations or no-action or exemptive relief under the 1940 Act permit the Fund’s investments to exceed such limits. For example, a Fund may rely on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act to invest in other investment companies, including ETFs, beyond these limits. Rule 12d1-4 allows a fund to acquire the securities of another investment company in excess of the limitations imposed by Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act without first obtaining an exemptive order from the SEC, provided that certain conditions are met. Among those conditions, for example, are the requirements that that a fund and its advisory group will not control an acquired fund (as defined in the rule) and the acquired fund does not, in turn, itself invest in underlying funds and ETFs beyond certain limits.
Because investment companies generally pay advisory, administrative and other fees that are borne indirectly by investors, a fund will generally bear a proportionate share of these expenses when it invests in another investment company. In addition, to the extent a fund invests in an ETF, it may also incur brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of the ETF’s shares.
Each Fund may invest in securities issued by closed-end funds, subject to any of the Fund’s investment policies. If a Fund invests in shares issued by leveraged closed-end funds, it will face certain risks associated with leveraged investments. Investments in closed-end funds are subject to additional risks. For example, the price of the closed-end fund’s shares quoted on an exchange may not reflect the NAV of the securities held by the closed-end fund, and the premium or discount the share prices represent versus NAV may change over time based on a variety of factors, including supply of and demand for the closed-end fund’s shares, that are outside the closed-end fund’s control or unrelated to the value of the underlying portfolio securities. If the Fund invests in the closed-end fund to gain exposure to the closed-end fund’s investments, the lack of correlation between the performance of the closed-end fund’s investments and the closed-end fund’s share price may compromise or eliminate any such exposure.
To the extent that a Fund invests in an ETF, the market value of the ETF shares may differ from its NAV because the supply and demand in the market for ETF shares at any point in time is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the underlying securities. Also, ETFs that track particular indices typically will be unable to match the performance of the index exactly due to the ETFs’ operating expenses and transaction costs.
Loans and Other Indebtedness
Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF may purchase loans and other indebtedness.
In purchasing a loan, a Fund acquires some or all of the interest of a bank or other lending institution in a loan to a corporate, governmental or other borrower. Many such loans are secured, although some may be unsecured. Such loans may be in default at the time of purchase. Loans that are fully secured offer a Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of nonpayment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower’s obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated. These loans are made generally to finance internal growth, mergers, acquisitions, stock
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repurchases, leveraged buy-outs, and other corporate activities. Such loans are typically made by a syndicate of lending institutions, represented by an agent lending institution that has negotiated and structured the loan and is responsible for collecting interest, principal, and other amounts due on its own behalf and on behalf of the others in the syndicate, and for enforcing its and their other rights against the borrower. Alternatively, such loans may be structured as a novation, pursuant to which a Fund would assume all of the rights of the lending institution in a loan or as an assignment, pursuant to which the Fund would purchase an assignment of a portion of a lender’s interest in a loan either directly from the lender or through an intermediary.
A Fund may also purchase trade or other claims against companies, which generally represent money owed by the company to a supplier of goods or services. These claims may also be purchased at a time when the company is in default.
Certain of the loans and the other indebtedness acquired by a Fund may involve revolving credit facilities or other standby financing commitments which obligate the Fund to pay additional cash on a certain date or on demand. These commitments may require a Fund to increase its investment in a company at a time when the Fund might not otherwise decide to do so (including at a time when the company’s financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid). A Fund’s ability to receive payment of principal, interest, and other amounts due in connection with these investments will depend primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. In selecting the loans and other indebtedness that a Fund will purchase, the Manager will rely upon its own (and not the original lending institution’s) credit analysis of the borrower. As a Fund may be required to rely upon another lending institution to collect and pass onto the Fund amounts payable with respect to the loan and to enforce the Fund’s rights under the loan and other indebtedness, an insolvency, bankruptcy, or reorganization of the lending institution may delay or prevent the Fund from receiving such amounts. In such cases, a Fund will evaluate as well the creditworthiness of the lending institution and will treat both the borrower and the lending institution as an “issuer” of the loan for purposes of compliance with applicable law pertaining to the diversification of the Fund’s portfolio investments. The highly leveraged nature of many such loans and other indebtedness may make such loans and other indebtedness especially vulnerable to adverse changes in economic or market conditions. Investments in such loans and other indebtedness may involve additional risk to the Funds.
Indexed Securities. Nomura Diversified Income ETF may purchase various fixed-income and debt securities whose principal value or rate of return is linked or indexed to relative exchange rates among two or more currencies or linked to commodities prices or other financial indicators. Such securities may be more volatile than the underlying instruments, resulting in a leveraging effect on the Fund. The value of such securities may fluctuate in response to changes in the index, market conditions and the creditworthiness of the issuer. These securities may vary directly or inversely with the underlying instruments. The value of such securities may change significantly if their principal value or rate of return is linked or indexed to relative exchange rates involving a foreign currency for which there is not a readily available market.
Inflation-Indexed Securities. Nomura Diversified Income ETF may purchase inflation-indexed securities. Inflation-indexed bonds are fixed-income securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. The values of inflation-indexed fixed-income securities generally fluctuate in response to changes in real interest rates (approximately nominal interest rates minus the inflation rate). Therefore, if inflation rates were to rise faster than nominal interest rates, the value of inflation-indexed securities would likely increase. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increased faster than the inflation rate, the value of inflation-indexed securities would likely decrease. Although the principal value of many inflation-indexed securities declines in periods of deflation, holders at maturity receive no less than the par value of the security. However, if the Fund purchases inflation-indexed securities in the secondary market whose principal values have been adjusted upward due to inflation since issuance, the Fund may experience a loss if there is a subsequent period of deflation. If inflation is lower than expected during the period the Fund holds an inflation-indexed security, the Fund may earn less on the security than on a conventional bond. The Fund may invest in inflation-related bonds which do not provide a guarantee of principal. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.
Syndicated Bank Loans. Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest in syndicated bank loans. Syndicated bank loans may be considered high-yield securities, which are discussed in “High Yield Securities (“Junk Bonds”),” and/or senior loans, which are discussed in “Senior Loans.” See “Variable Rate and Floating Rate Securities” for a
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description of floating rate securities. An investment in a syndicated bank loan does not violate the Fund’s fundamental investment policy against making loans. The Fund may invest in syndicated bank loans by purchasing an assignment directly from a lender and, thereby, the Fund would assume the same rights, obligations and risks as the assigning lender. The Fund would have the right to receive payment of principal and interest from the borrower under the terms of the loan. Additional rights may include the right to vote along with other lenders to enforce certain terms of the loan agreement, such as declaring the loan in default and initiating collections. The Fund would be subject to the same risks of default by the borrower as discussed below for syndicated bank loan participations. The assignments the Fund would purchase are generally based on senior obligations and are secured by collateral. However, it is possible that if the borrower files for bankruptcy, the Fund may not be deemed a secured creditor. If the loan is foreclosed, the Fund could potentially become an owner of the collateral and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning or disposing of the collateral. Banks, financial institutions or lending syndicates generally offer these types of direct assignments, which are typically administered by a third-party, such as a bank or financial institution, that serves as an agent for the holder of the loan. The agent also is responsible for monitoring collateral and for exercising remedies available to the lenders such as foreclosure upon collateral. The Fund may have to rely on the agent or other financial intermediaries to apply appropriate credit remedies against a borrower.
Although syndicated bank loans in which the Fund may invest through assignments would generally be secured by collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower’s obligation in the event of a default or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of bankruptcy of a borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations in its ability to realize the benefits of any collateral securing a syndicated bank loan. Certain loans may be subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other laws, could subordinate the loan to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower or take other action detrimental to the holder of the loan; including, in certain circumstances, invalidating the loan or causing interest previously paid to be refunded. Such events could negatively affect the Fund’s performance.
Investments in syndicated bank loans present the possibility that the Fund could be held liable as co-lender under emerging legal theories of lender liability. In addition, if the loan is foreclosed, the Fund could be part owner of any collateral and could bear the costs and liabilities of owning and disposing of the collateral. The Fund anticipates that syndicated bank loans could be sold only to a limited number of institutional investors. In addition, some syndicated bank loans may not be rated by major rating agencies and may not be protected by the securities laws. Investments in syndicated bank loans also involve risk of loss in case of default or insolvency of the borrower. Syndicated bank loans may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale.
The Fund may also invest in syndicated bank loans by purchasing participations. Syndicated bank loan participations are interests in amounts owed by a corporate, governmental or other borrower to another party. They may represent amounts owed to lenders or lending syndicates to suppliers of goods or services, or to other parties. The Fund will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest, and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender selling the participation and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the borrower. In connection with the purchase of participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund will be subject to credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the participation. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling a participation, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any set-off between the lender and the borrower.
Syndicated bank loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to certain restrictions on resale. The settlement process may take longer than seven days. Although syndicated bank loans can be sold during the settlement period, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of within seven days at what the Manager believes to be a fair price and in those instances, where the loans can be neither sold nor settled, they will be treated as illiquid for purposes of the Fund’s limitation on illiquid investments. In addition, syndicated bank loans may require the consent of the borrower and/or the agent prior to sale or assignment. These consent requirements can delay or impede the Fund’s ability to sell syndicated bank loans and can adversely affect a loan’s liquidity and the price that can be obtained. Long settlement periods for transactions in bank loans may impede the ability to timely honor redemptions. Some syndicated bank loans are traded among certain financial institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid.
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Bank loans may not be considered “securities” for certain purposes of the federal securities laws and purchasers, such as the Fund, therefore may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws. The amount of public information with respect to loans is generally less extensive than that available for other securities.
Refunded Securities. Nomura Diversified Income ETF may purchase municipal securities that are subsequently refunded by the issuance and delivery of a new issue of bonds prior to the date on which the outstanding issue of bonds can be redeemed or paid (also called pre-refunded bonds). The proceeds from the new issue of bonds are typically collateralized by direct obligations of the US Government, or in some cases obligations guaranteed by the US Government, placed in an escrow account maintained by an independent trustee until maturity or a predetermined redemption date. These collateralized obligations are normally regarded as having the credit characteristics of the underlying US Government or US Government agency security. The Fund also may purchase municipal securities that have been refunded prior to purchase. Refunded municipal securities are subject to interest rate risk. In addition, some refunded municipal securities may have limited liquidity.
Senior Loans. Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest in senior loans. Senior loans are loans that are typically made to business borrowers to finance leveraged buy-outs, recapitalizations, mergers, stock repurchases, and internal growth. Senior loans generally hold the most senior position in the capital structure of a borrower and are usually secured by liens on the assets of the borrowers; including tangible assets such as cash, accounts receivable, inventory, property, plant and equipment, and common and/or preferred stocks of subsidiaries; and intangible assets including trademarks, copyrights, patent rights, and franchise value. The Fund may also receive guarantees as a form of collateral. Senior loans may be structured to include two or more types of loans within a single credit agreement. The most common structure is to have a revolving loan and a term loan. A revolving loan is a loan that can be drawn upon, repaid fully or partially, and then the repaid portions can be drawn upon again. A term loan is a loan that is fully drawn upon immediately and once repaid, it cannot be drawn upon again.
Sometimes there may be two or more term loans and they may be secured by different collateral, and/or have different repayment schedules and maturity dates. In addition to revolving loans and term loans, senior loan structures can also contain facilities for the issuance of letters of credit and may contain mechanisms for lenders to pre-fund letters of credit through credit-linked deposits. The Fund would typically invest only in the term loan portions of senior loan structures, although it could invest in the revolving loan portions and the pre-funded letters of credit portions.
By virtue of their senior position and collateral, senior loans typically provide lenders with the first right to cash flows or proceeds from the sale of a borrower’s collateral if the borrower becomes insolvent (subject to the limitations of bankruptcy law, which may provide higher priority to certain claims such as employee salaries, employee pensions, and taxes). This means senior loans are generally repaid before unsecured bank loans, corporate bonds, subordinated debt, trade creditors, and preferred or common stockholders. Nevertheless, senior loans may still be subordinated to other obligations of a borrower.
Senior loans typically pay interest at least quarterly at rates which equal a fixed percentage spread over a base rate. For example, if a base rate were 3% and the borrower was paying a fixed spread of 2.50%, the total interest rate paid by the borrower would be 5.50%. Base rates, and therefore the total rates paid on senior loans, float (i.e., they change as market rates of interest change).
Although a base rate can change every day, loan agreements for senior loans typically allow the borrower the ability to choose how often the total interest rate for its loan is permitted to change or reset. A single loan may have multiple reset periods at the same time, with each reset period applicable to a designated portion of the loan. Such periods can range from one day to one year, with most borrowers choosing monthly or quarterly reset periods. In addition, some loans have a floor that prevents interest rates for the loan from falling below the contractual floor rate even when the market rate falls below the contractual floor rate. During periods of rising interest rates, borrowers will tend to choose longer reset periods, and during periods of declining interest rates, borrowers will tend to choose shorter reset periods. The fixed spread over the base rate on a senior loan typically does not change.
Senior loans generally are arranged through private negotiations between a borrower and several financial institutions represented by an agent who is usually one of the originating lenders. In larger transactions, it is
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common to have several agents; however, generally only one such agent has primary responsibility for ongoing administration of a senior loan. Agents are typically paid fees by the borrower for their services.
The agent is primarily responsible for negotiating the loan agreement which establishes the terms and conditions of the senior loan and the rights of the borrower and the lenders. The agent also is responsible for monitoring collateral and for exercising remedies available to the lenders such as foreclosure upon collateral.
Loan agreements may provide for the termination of the agent’s agency status in the event that it fails to act as required under the relevant loan agreement, becomes insolvent, enters Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) receivership or, if not FDIC insured, enters into bankruptcy. Should such an agent, lender or assignor with respect to an assignment interpositioned between the Fund and the borrower become insolvent or enter FDIC receivership or bankruptcy, any interest in the senior loan of such person and any loan payment held by such person for the benefit of the Fund should not be included in such person’s or entity’s bankruptcy estate. If, however, any such amount were included in such person’s or entity’s bankruptcy estate, the Fund would incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment or could suffer a loss of principal or interest. In this event, the Fund could experience a decrease in its NAV.
The Fund may invest in both primary and secondary markets with established broker-dealers in the OTC market.
Mortgage-Backed Securities (“MBS”)
Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest in MBS issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or by government sponsored corporations. The Fund may also invest in two principal types of MBS: collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) and real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”).
Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF may invest in MBS issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities. The Fund may also invest in securities issued by certain private, nongovernment corporations, such as financial institutions, if the securities are fully collateralized at the time of issuance by securities or certificates issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities. The Fund may also invest in CMOs, REMICs and commercial MBS (“CMBS”) that are not issued or guaranteed by, or fully collateralized by securities issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities (“nonagency MBS”). These securities are secured by the underlying collateral of the private issuer.
Overview. MBS, also referred to as mortgage securities or mortgage-related securities, represent an ownership interest in a pool of mortgage loans, usually originated by mortgage bankers, commercial banks, savings and loan associations, savings banks, and credit unions to finance purchases of homes, commercial buildings, or other real estate. The individual mortgage loans are packaged or “pooled” together for sale to investors. These mortgage loans may have either fixed or adjustable interest rates. A guarantee or other form of credit support may be attached to an MBS to protect against default on obligations.
As the underlying mortgage loans are paid off, investors receive principal and interest payments, which “pass-through” when received from individual borrowers, net of any fees owed to the administrator, guarantor, or other service providers. Some MBS make payments of both principal and interest at a range of specified intervals; others make semiannual interest payments at a predetermined rate and repay principal at maturity (like a typical bond).
MBS are based on different types of mortgages, including those on commercial real estate or residential properties. The primary issuers or guarantors of MBS have historically been Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac. Other issuers of MBS include commercial banks and other private lenders.
Ginnie Mae is a wholly owned US government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Ginnie Mae guarantees the principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by Ginnie Mae (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers). Ginnie Mae also guarantees the principal and interest on securities backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the “FHA”), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the “VA”). Ginnie Mae’s guarantees are backed by the full faith and credit of the US government. Guarantees as to the timely payment of principal and interest do not extend to the value or yield of MBS nor do they extend to the value of a Fund’s shares, which will fluctuate daily with market conditions.
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Fannie Mae is a government-sponsored corporation, but its common stock is owned by private stockholders. 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 US 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 12 Federal Home Loan Banks but now its common stock is owned entirely by private stockholders. Freddie Mac issues Participation Certificates (“PCs”), which are pass-through securities, each representing an undivided interest in a pool of residential mortgages. 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 US government.
Although the MBS of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not backed by the full faith and credit of the US government, the Secretary of the Treasury has the authority to support Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by purchasing limited amounts of their respective obligations. The yields on these MBS have historically exceeded the yields on other types of US government securities with comparable maturities due largely to their prepayment risk. The US government, in the past, provided financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but no assurance can be given that the US government will continue to do so.
On September 6, 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”) placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorship. As the conservator, FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles, powers, and privileges of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and of any stockholder, officer, or director of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. FHFA selected a new chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors for each of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Also, the US Treasury entered into a Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement imposing various covenants that severely limit each enterprise’s operations.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac continue to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its obligations, including its guaranty obligations associated with its MBS. The FHFA has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac prior to FHFA’s appointment as conservator or receiver, including the guaranty obligations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Accordingly, securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will involve a risk of nonpayment of principal and interest.
MBS that are issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to a Fund’s industry concentration restrictions, set forth under “Fundamental Investment Policies,” by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to securities issued or guaranteed by the US government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities. In the case of privately issued MBS, a Fund categorizes, where possible, the securities by the issuer’s industry for purposes of the Fund’s industry concentration restrictions.
Private MBS. Issuers of private MBS, such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers, and other secondary market issuers, are not US government agencies and may be both the originators of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the MBS, or they may partner with a government entity by issuing mortgage loans guaranteed or sponsored by the US government or a US government agency or sponsored enterprise. Pools of mortgage loans created by private issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or government agency guarantees of payment. The risk of loss due to default on private MBS is historically higher because neither the US government nor an agency or instrumentality has guaranteed them. Timely payment of interest and principal is, however, generally supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool, and hazard insurance. Government entities, private insurance companies or the private mortgage poolers issue the insurance and guarantees. The insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of their issuers will be considered when determining whether an MBS meets a Fund’s quality standards. A Fund may buy MBS without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the poolers, the Manager determines that the securities meet the Fund’s quality standards. Private MBS whose underlying assets are neither US government securities nor US government-insured mortgages, to the
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extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, may also be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political, or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of property owners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages. Nongovernment MBS are generally subject to greater price volatility than those issued, guaranteed or sponsored by government entities because of the greater risk of default in adverse market conditions. Where a guarantee is provided by a private guarantor, a Fund is subject to the credit risk of such guarantor, especially when the guarantor doubles as the originator.
CMOs and REMICs. CMOs are a type of MBS that issue debt obligations collateralized by residential or commercial mortgage loans or pass-through securities. CMOs are typically issued in multiple classes. Each class, often referred to as a “tranche,” is issued at a specified coupon rate or adjustable rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date. Each of the classes is allocated a different share of the principal and/or interest payments received from the pool according to a different payment schedule depending on, among other factors, the seniority of a class relative to their classes. Other MBS such as REMICs are also divided into multiple classes with different rights to the interest and/or principal payments received on the pool of mortgages. Multi-class pass-through securities are equity interests in a trust composed of mortgage loans or other MBS. Unless the context indicates otherwise, the discussion of CMOs below also applies to REMICs and multi-class pass-through securities.
Payments of principal and interest on the underlying collateral provide the resources to pay the debt service on CMOs or REMICs or to make scheduled distributions on the multi-class pass-through securities. The principal and interest on the underlying collateral may be allocated among a CMO’s various classes in many ways. In a common structure, payments of principal on the underlying mortgages, including any principal prepayments, are applied to the classes of a series of a CMO in the order of their respective stated maturities or final distribution dates rather than on a pro rata basis across all classes simultaneously, so that no payment of principal will be made on any class until all other classes having an earlier stated maturity or final distribution date have been paid in full. This sequential retirement structure allows the CMO to use the cash flows from the underlying collateral to create classes with short-, intermediate- and long-term maturities with corresponding risk characteristics. Principal prepayments on collateral underlying CMOs may cause the CMOs to be retired substantially earlier than their stated maturities or final distribution dates.
A CMO may designate the most junior class it issues as a “residual” class (sometimes referred to as a Z Bond). Shareholders of this class will be entitled only to any amounts remaining after shareholders of all other classes (and any fees or expenses) have been paid in full. The amount of residual cash flow will depend on various factors including the characteristics of the underlying assets, interest rates, prepayment rates, the allocation of payments to more senior classes, and the amount of administrative expenses. Residual classes tend to have market prices and yields that are much more volatile than other mortgage-backed securities and will often be subject to greater credit risk, liquidity risk, market risk, and interest rate risk than other mortgage-backed securities. The yield to maturity on a residual class can also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. The residual class of a CMO may be subject to restrictions on transferability and, in certain circumstances, can be difficult to value.
Some CMOs may have classes that have a right to receive interest only (“IOs”) or principal only (“POs”). IOs and POs can be extremely sensitive to changes in interest rates and rates of payment on principal on the underlying collateral. IOs tend to decrease in value substantially if interest rates decline and collateral prepayment rates become more rapid. POs tend to decrease in value substantially if interest rates increase and the rate of collateral prepayment decreases. In each case, as applicable, the liquidity of IOs or POs could be significantly impaired and challenges could arise with valuing these securities. See “Stripped mortgage securities” below.
One or more classes of a CMO may have interest rates that reset periodically as adjustable-rate mortgage loans (“ARMs”) do. These adjustable rate classes are known as “floating-rate CMOs”. Floating-rate CMOs are typically issued with lifetime “caps” on the interest rate. These caps, similar to the caps on ARMs, limit a Fund’s potential to gain from rising interest rates and increase the sensitivity of the CMO’s price to interest rate changes while rates remain above the cap.
CMOs may also have classes that have a right to receive amounts that remain only after Floating Rate CMOs are paid (an “inverse floater”). Like IOs and POs, inverse floaters can be extremely sensitive to changes in interest rates.
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Interest rates on inverse floaters generally decrease when short-term interest rates increase, and generally increase when short-term interest rates decline. When interest rates change or other market conditions occur, the value of an inverse floater may increase or decrease at a multiple of the increase or decrease in the value of the underlying securities, which could cause a Fund to lose the entire value of its investment in an inverse floater.
A Fund may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class (“PAC”) CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates typically provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches - known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds - that lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk.
All the risks applicable to a traditional MBS also apply to CMOs taken as a whole, even though certain classes of the CMO may be protected to a certain degree against a particular risk by subordinated classes. The risks associated with an investment in a particular CMO class vary substantially depending on the combination of rights associated with that class. In general, investments in subordinated classes of a CMO bear greater risks associated with MBS generally than more senior classes, be it credit risk, prepayment or extension risk (the risk of a security’s expected maturity being reduced or lengthened in duration due to a change of the timing of payment), interest rate risk, income risk, market risk, liquidity risk or any other risk associated with a debt or equity instrument with similar features to the relevant class. The more subordinated the class of CMO, the greater these risks tend to be. As a result, an investment in the most subordinated class of a CMO is often riskier than an investment in other types of MBS.
CMOs are generally required to maintain more collateral than REMICs to collateralize the CMOs being issued. Most REMICs are not subject to the same minimum collateralization requirements and may be permitted to issue the full value of their assets as securities, without reserving any amount as collateral. As a result, an investment in the subordinated classes of a REMIC may be riskier than an investment in equivalent classes of a CMO.
CMOs may be issued, guaranteed or sponsored by governmental entities or by private entities. Consequently, they involve risks similar to those of traditional MBS that have been issued, guaranteed, or sponsored by such government and/or private entities. For example, a Fund is generally exposed to a greater risk of loss due to default when investing in CMOs that have not been issued, guaranteed, or sponsored by a government entity.
Timely payment of interest and principal (but not the market value and yield) of some of these pools is supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees issued by private issuers, those who pool the mortgage assets and, in some cases, by US government agencies. There can be no assurance, however, that any such insurance or guarantee will be effective, and investors in these pools may still experience losses.
CMOs involve risks including the uncertainty of the timing of cash flows that results from the rate of prepayments on the underlying mortgages serving as collateral, and risks resulting from the structure of the particular CMO transaction and the priority of the individual tranches. The prices of some CMOs, depending on their structure and the rate of prepayments, can be volatile. Some CMOs may be less liquid than other types of MBS. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible to sell the securities at an advantageous price or time under certain circumstances. Yields on privately issued CMOs have been historically higher than the yields on CMOs issued and guaranteed by US government agencies or instrumentalities. The risk of loss due to default on privately issued CMOs, however, is historically higher since the US government has not guaranteed them.
To the extent any privately issued CMOs in which a Fund invests are considered by the SEC to be an investment company, the Fund will limit its investments in such securities in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act, SEC rules thereunder and exemptions thereto.
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Commercial mortgage-backed securities. CMBS are issued by special purpose entities that represent an undivided interest in a portfolio of mortgage loans backed by commercial properties. The loans are collateralized by various types of commercial property, which include, but are not limited to, multifamily housing, retail shopping centers, office space, hotels, and healthcare facilities. Private lenders, such as banks or insurance companies, originate these loans and then sell the loans directly into a CMBS trust or other entity. CMBS are subject to credit risk, prepayment risk, and extension risk. The Manager, through its careful credit analysis, attempts to address the risk of an issuer being unable to make timely payments of interest and principal. Although prepayment risk is present, it is of a lesser degree in CMBS than in the residential mortgage market.
Stripped mortgage securities. Some MBS referred to as stripped MBS are divided into classes which receive different proportions of the principal and interest payments or, in some cases, only payments of principal or interest (but not both). Other MBS referred to as net interest margin (“NIM”) securities give the investor the right to receive any excess interest earned on a pool of mortgage loans remaining after all classes and service providers have been paid in full. Stripped MBS may be issued by government or private entities. Stripped MBS issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the US government are typically more liquid than privately issued stripped MBS.
Stripped MBS are usually structured with two classes, each receiving different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. In most cases, one class receives all of the interest (the interest-only or “IO” class), while the other class receives all of the principal (the principal-only or “PO” class). The return on an IO class is extremely sensitive not only to changes in prevailing interest rates but also to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying mortgage assets. A rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on any IO class held by a Fund. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, a Fund may fail to recoup its initial investment fully, even if the securities are rated in the highest rating categories, AAA or Aaa, by S&P or Moody’s, respectively.
NIM securities represent a right to receive any “excess” interest computed after paying coupon costs, servicing costs and fees and any credit losses associated with the underlying pool of home equity loans. Like traditional stripped MBS, the return on a NIM security is sensitive not only to changes in prevailing interest rates but also to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying home equity loans. NIM securities are highly sensitive to credit losses on the underlying collateral and the timing in which those losses are taken.
Stripped MBS and NIM securities tend to exhibit greater market volatility in response to changes in interest rates than other types of MBS and are purchased and sold by institutional investors, such as a Fund, through investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. Some of these securities may be deemed “illiquid” and therefore subject to a Fund’s limitation on investment in illiquid investments and the risks associated with illiquidity.
Mortgage loan and home equity loan pools offering pass-through investments in addition to those described above may be created in the future. The mortgages underlying these securities may be alternative mortgage instruments, that is, mortgage instruments whose principal or interest payments may vary or whose terms to maturity may differ from customary long-term, fixed-rate mortgages. As new types of mortgage and home equity loan securities are developed and offered to investors, a Fund may invest in them if they are consistent with such Fund’s objective, policies and quality standards.
Additional risks. In addition to the special risks described below, MBS are subject to many of the same risks as other types of debt securities. The market value of MBS, like other debt securities, will generally vary inversely with changes in market interest rates, declining when interest rates rise and rising when interest rates decline. MBS differ from conventional debt securities in that most MBS are pass-through securities. This means that they typically provide investors with periodic payments (typically monthly) consisting of a pro rata share of both regular interest and principal payments, as well as unscheduled early prepayments, on the underlying mortgage pool (net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities and any applicable loan servicing fees). As a result, the holder of the MBS (i.e., a Fund) receives scheduled payments of principal and interest and may receive unscheduled principal payments representing prepayments on the underlying mortgages. The rate of prepayments on the underlying mortgages generally increases as interest rates decline, and when a Fund reinvests the payments and any unscheduled prepayments of principal it receives, it may receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the existing MBS. For this reason, pass-through MBS may have less potential for capital appreciation as interest rates
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decline and may be less effective than other types of US government or other debt securities as a means of “locking in” long-term interest rates. In general, fixed rate MBS have greater exposure to this “prepayment risk” than variable rate securities.
An unexpected rise in interest rates could extend the average life of an MBS because of a lower than expected level of prepayments or higher than expected amounts of late payments or defaults. In addition, to the extent MBS are purchased at a premium, mortgage foreclosures and unscheduled principal prepayments may result in some loss of the holder’s principal investment to the extent of the premium paid. On the other hand, if MBS are purchased at a discount, both a scheduled payment of principal and an unscheduled prepayment of principal will increase current and total returns and will accelerate the recognition of income that, when distributed to shareholders, will generally be treated as ordinary income. Regulatory or tax changes may also adversely affect the MBS market as a whole.
Guarantees. The existence of a guarantee or other form of credit support on an MBS usually increases the price that a Fund pays for the security. There is always the risk that the guarantor will default on its obligations. When the guarantor is the US government, there is minimal risk of guarantor default. However, the risk remains if the credit support or guarantee is provided by a private party or a US government agency or sponsored enterprise. Even if the guarantor meets its obligations, there can be no assurance that the type of guarantee or credit support provided will be effective at reducing losses or delays to investors, given the nature of the default. A guarantee only assures timely payment of interest and principal, not a particular rate of return on a Fund’s investment or protection against prepayment or other risks. The market price and yield of the MBS at any given time are not guaranteed and are likely to fluctuate.
Municipal Bonds
Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest in municipal bonds. Municipal bonds are generally understood to include debt obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes, including the construction of a wide range of public facilities such as airports, bridges, highways, housing, hospitals, mass transportation, schools, streets, and water and sewer works. Other public purposes for which municipal bonds may be issued include the refunding of outstanding obligations, obtaining funds for general capital expenses, and the obtaining of funds to lend to other public institutions and facilities. In addition, certain types of industrial development bonds are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to obtain funds to provide privately operated housing facilities, sports facilities, convention or trade show facilities, airport, mass transit, port or parking facilities, air or water pollution control facilities, and certain local facilities for water supply, gas, electricity, or sewage or solid waste disposals. Such obligations are included within the term “municipal bonds” provided that the interest paid thereon qualifies as exempt from federal income tax in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer. In addition, the interest paid on industrial development bonds, the proceeds from which are used for the construction, equipment, repair, or improvement of privately operated industrial or commercial facilities, may be exempt from federal income tax, although current federal tax laws place substantial limitations on the size of such issues.
The two principal classifications of municipal bonds are “general obligation” and “revenue” bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer’s pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific revenue source, but not from the general taxing power. Tax exempt industrial development bonds are, in most cases, revenue bonds and do not generally carry the pledge of the credit of the issuer of such bonds. There are, of course, variations in the security of municipal bonds, both within a particular classification and between classifications.
The yields on municipal bonds are dependent on a variety of factors, including general money market conditions, general conditions of the municipal bond market, size of a particular offering, maturity of the obligations, and rating of the issue. The imposition of the Fund’s management fee, as well as other operating expenses, will have the effect of reducing the yield to investors.
Municipal Lease Obligations
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF may invest in municipal lease obligations, primarily through certificates of participation, which represent a proportionate interest in the payments under a specified lease or leases.
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Municipal lease obligations generally are issued to support a government’s infrastructure by financing or refinancing equipment or property acquisitions or the construction, expansion, or rehabilitation of public facilities. In such transactions, equipment or property is leased to a state or local government, which, in turn, pays lease payments to the lessor consisting of interest and principal payments on the obligations. Municipal lease obligations differ from other municipal securities because each year the lessee’s governing body must appropriate (set aside) the money to make the lease payments. If the money is not appropriated, the issuer or the lessee typically can end the lease without penalty. If the lease is cancelled, investors who own the municipal lease obligations may not be paid.
Because annual appropriations are required to make lease payments, municipal lease obligations generally are not subject to constitutional limitations on the issuance of debt, and may allow an issuer to increase government liabilities beyond constitutional debt limits. When faced with increasingly tight budgets, local governments have more discretion to curtail lease payments under a municipal lease obligation than they do to curtail payments on other municipal securities. If not enough money is appropriated to make the lease payments, the leased property may be repossessed as security for holders of the municipal lease obligations. If this happens, there is no assurance that the property’s private sector or releasing value will be enough to make all outstanding payments on the municipal lease obligations or that the payments will continue to be tax-free.
While cancellation risk is inherent to municipal lease obligations, the Manager believes that this risk may be reduced, although not eliminated, by its policies on the credit quality of municipal securities in which it may invest.
Options
Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF may purchase and write call and put options and may engage in option strategies for hedging and/or speculative purposes.
In addition, Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF may invest in options that are either exchange listed or traded over-the-counter. Certain over-the-counter options may be illiquid. Thus, it may not be possible to close option positions and this may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to effectively hedge its securities. The Fund will not, however, invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. The Fund may write covered call options from time to time on such portion of its portfolio, without limit, as the Manager determines is appropriate. The Fund may purchase call options to the extent that premiums paid by the Fund do not aggregate more than 2% of the Fund’s total assets. The Fund will purchase put options only to the extent that the premiums on all outstanding put options do not exceed 2% of the Fund’s total assets. The Fund may purchase put options in order to protect against a decline in the market value of the underlying security below the exercise price less the premium paid for the option (“protective puts”). The ability to purchase put options will allow the Fund to protect an unrealized gain in an appreciated security in its portfolio without actually selling the security. The Fund may sell a put option purchased on individual portfolio securities. The Fund may also write put options on a secured basis, which means that the Fund will maintain, in a segregated account with its custodian, cash or US government securities in an amount not less than the exercise price of the option at all times during the option period. Secured put options will generally be written in circumstances where the Manager wishes to purchase the underlying security for the Fund’s portfolio at a price lower than the current market price of the security. In such event, the Fund would write a secured put option at an exercise price that, reduced by the premium received on the option, reflects the lower price it is willing to pay. The Fund may purchase US exchange listed call and put options on foreign currencies.
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF may purchase and write put and call options on the securities in which it invests and on securities indices. The Fund may use put and call transactions to hedge against market risk and facilitate portfolio management. Options may be used to attempt to protect against possible declines in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio resulting from downward trends in the debt securities markets (generally due to a rise in interest rates), to protect the Fund’s unrealized gains in the value of its portfolio securities, to facilitate the sale of such securities for investment purposes, to manage the effective maturity or duration of the Fund’s portfolio or to establish a position in the securities markets as a temporary substitute for purchasing particular securities. Other transactions may be used by the Fund in the future for hedging purposes as they are developed to the extent deemed appropriate by the Board.
Overview. An option is a contract that gives the purchaser of the option, in return for the premium paid, the right to buy an underlying reference instrument, such as a specified security, currency, index, or other instrument, from the
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writer of the option (in the case of a call option), or to sell a specified reference instrument to the writer of the option (in the case of a put option) at a designated price during the term of the option. The premium paid by the buyer of an option will reflect, among other things, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price and the volatility of the underlying reference instrument; the remaining term of the option, supply, demand, or interest rates; and/or currency exchange rates. An American style put or call option may be exercised at any time during the option period while a European style put or call option may be exercised only upon expiration or during a fixed period prior thereto. Put and call options are traded on national securities exchanges and in the OTC market.
Options traded on national securities exchanges are within the jurisdiction of the SEC or other appropriate national securities regulator, as are securities traded on such exchanges. As a result, many of the protections provided to traders on organized exchanges will be available with respect to such transactions. In particular, all option positions entered into on a national securities exchange in the US are cleared and guaranteed by the Options Clearing Corporation, thereby reducing the risk of counterparty default. Furthermore, a liquid secondary market in options traded on a national securities exchange may be more readily available than in the OTC market, potentially permitting a Fund to liquidate open positions at a profit prior to exercise or expiration, or to limit losses in the event of adverse market movements. There is no assurance, however, that higher than anticipated trading activity or other unforeseen events might not temporarily render the capabilities of the Options Clearing Corporation inadequate, and thereby result in the exchange instituting special procedures which may interfere with the timely execution of a Fund’s orders to close out open options positions.
Purchasing call and put options. As the buyer of a call option, a Fund has a right to buy the underlying reference instrument (e.g., a currency or security) at the exercise price at any time during the option period (for American style options). A Fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to call options, exercise them, or permit them to expire. For example, a Fund may buy call options on underlying reference instruments that it intends to buy with the goal of limiting the risk of a substantial increase in their market price before the purchase is effected. Unless the price of the underlying reference instrument changes sufficiently, a call option purchased by a Fund may expire without any value to the Fund, in which case the Fund would experience a loss to the extent of the premium paid for the option plus related transaction costs.
As the buyer of a put option, a Fund has the right to sell the underlying reference instrument at the exercise price at any time during the option period (for American style options). As with a call option, a Fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to put options, exercise them or permit them to expire. A Fund may buy a put option on an underlying reference instrument owned by the Fund (a protective put) as a hedging technique in an attempt to protect against an anticipated decline in the market value of the underlying reference instrument. Such hedge protection is provided only during the life of the put option when a Fund, as the buyer of the put option, is able to sell the underlying reference instrument at the put exercise price, regardless of any decline in the underlying instrument’s market price. A Fund may also seek to offset a decline in the value of the underlying reference instrument through appreciation in the value of the put option. A put option may also be purchased with the intent of protecting unrealized appreciation of an instrument when the Manager deems it desirable to continue to hold the instrument because of tax or other considerations. The premium paid for the put option and any transaction costs would reduce any short-term capital gain that may be available for distribution when the instrument is eventually sold. Buying put options at a time when the buyer does not own the underlying reference instrument allows the buyer to benefit from a decline in the market price of the underlying reference instrument, which generally increases the value of the put option.
If a put option were not terminated in a closing sale transaction when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying reference instrument remains equal to or greater than the exercise price during the life of the put option, the buyer would not make any gain upon exercise of the option and would experience a loss to the extent of the premium paid for the option plus related transaction costs. In order for the purchase of a put option to be profitable, the market price of the underlying reference instrument must decline sufficiently below the exercise price to cover the premium and transaction costs.
Writing call and put options. Writing options may permit the writer to generate additional income in the form of the premium received for writing the option. The writer of an option may have no control over when the underlying reference instruments must be sold (in the case of a call option) or purchased (in the case of a put option) because the writer may be notified of exercise at any time prior to the expiration of the option (for American style options).
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Whether or not an option expires unexercised, the writer retains the amount of the premium. Writing “covered” call options means that the writer owns the underlying reference instrument that is subject to the call option. Nomura Tax-Free California ETF will write call options on a covered basis only.
If a Fund writes a covered call option, any underlying reference instruments that are held by the Fund and subject to the call option will be earmarked on the books of the Fund as segregated to satisfy its obligations under the option. A Fund will be unable to sell the underlying reference instruments that are subject to the written call option until the Fund either effects a closing transaction with respect to the written call, or otherwise satisfies the conditions for release of the underlying reference instruments from segregation. As the writer of a covered call option, a Fund gives up the potential for capital appreciation above the exercise price of the option should the underlying reference instrument rise in value. If the value of the underlying reference instrument rises above the exercise price of the call option, the reference instrument will likely be “called away,” requiring a Fund to sell the underlying instrument at the exercise price. In that case, a Fund will sell the underlying reference instrument to the option buyer for less than its market value, and the Fund will experience a loss (which will be offset by the premium received by the Fund as the writer of such option). If a call option expires unexercised, a Fund will realize a gain in the amount of the premium received. If the market price of the underlying reference instrument decreases, the call option will not be exercised and a Fund will be able to use the amount of the premium received to hedge against the loss in value of the underlying reference instrument. The exercise price of a call option will be chosen based upon the expected price movement of the underlying reference instrument. The exercise price of a call option may be below, equal to (at-the-money), or above the current value of the underlying reference instrument at the time the option is written.
As the writer of a put option, a Fund has a risk of loss should the underlying reference instrument decline in value. If the value of the underlying reference instrument declines below the exercise price of the put option and the put option is exercised, a Fund, as the writer of the put option, will be required to buy the instrument at the exercise price, which will exceed the market value of the underlying reference instrument at that time. A Fund will incur a loss to the extent that the current market value of the underlying reference instrument is less than the exercise price of the put option. However, the loss will be offset in part by the premium received from the buyer of the put. If a put option written by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund will realize a gain in the amount of the premium received.
Closing out options (exchange-traded options). As the writer of an option, if a Fund wants to terminate its obligation, the Fund may effect a “closing purchase transaction” by buying an option of the same series as the option previously written. The effect of the purchase is that the clearing corporation will cancel the Fund’s position. However, a writer may not effect a closing purchase transaction after being notified of the exercise of an option. Likewise, the buyer of an option may recover all or a portion of the premium that it paid by effecting a “closing sale transaction” by selling an option of the same series as the option previously purchased and receiving a premium on the sale. There is no guarantee that either a closing purchase or a closing sale transaction may be made at a time desired by a Fund. Closing transactions allow a Fund to terminate its positions in written and purchased options. A Fund will realize a profit from a closing transaction if the price of the transaction is less than the premium received from writing the original option (in the case of written options) or is more than the premium paid by the Fund to buy the option (in the case of purchased options). For example, increases in the market price of a call option sold by a Fund will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying reference instrument. As a result, any loss resulting from a closing transaction on a written call option is likely to be offset in whole or in part by appreciation of the underlying instrument owned by a Fund.
Over-the-counter options. Like exchange-traded options, OTC options give the holder the right to buy from the writer, in the case of OTC call options, or sell to the writer, in the case of OTC put options, an underlying reference instrument at a stated exercise price. OTC options, however, differ from exchange-traded options in certain material respects.
OTC options are arranged directly with dealers and not with a clearing corporation or exchange. Consequently, there is a risk of nonperformance by the dealer, including because of the dealer’s bankruptcy or insolvency. While a Fund uses only counterparties, such as dealers, that meet its credit quality standards, in unusual or extreme market conditions, a counterparty’s creditworthiness and ability to perform may deteriorate rapidly, and the availability of suitable replacement counterparties may become limited. Because there is no exchange, pricing is typically done based on information from market makers or other dealers. OTC options are available for a greater variety of
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underlying reference instruments and in a wider range of expiration dates and exercise prices than exchange-traded options.
There can be no assurance that a continuous liquid secondary market will exist for any particular OTC option at any specific time. A Fund may be able to realize the value of an OTC option it has purchased only by exercising it or entering into a closing sale transaction with the dealer that issued it. When a Fund writes an OTC option, it generally can close out that option prior to its expiration only by entering into a closing purchase transaction with the dealer with which the Fund originally wrote the option. A Fund may suffer a loss if it is not able to exercise the option (in the case of a purchased option) or enter into a closing sale transaction on a timely basis.
Risks of options. A Fund’s options investments involve certain risks, including general risks related to derivatives instruments. There can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular option, or at any particular time, and a Fund may have difficulty effecting closing transactions in particular options. Therefore, a Fund would have to exercise the options it purchased in order to realize any profit, thus taking or making delivery of the underlying reference instrument when not desired. A Fund could then incur transaction costs upon the sale of the underlying reference instruments. Similarly, when a Fund cannot effect a closing transaction with respect to a put option it wrote, and the buyer exercises, the Fund would be required to take delivery and would incur transaction costs upon the sale of the underlying reference instruments purchased. If a Fund, as a covered call option writer, is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying reference instrument until the option expires, it delivers the underlying instrument upon exercise, or it segregates enough liquid assets to purchase the underlying reference instrument at the marked-to-market price during the term of the option. When trading options on non-US exchanges or in the OTC market, many of the protections afforded to exchange participants will not be available. For example, there may be no daily price fluctuation limits, and adverse market movements could therefore continue to an unlimited extent over an indefinite period of time.
The effectiveness of an options strategy for hedging depends on the degree to which price movements in the underlying reference instruments correlate with price movements in the relevant portion of a Fund’s portfolio that is being hedged. In addition, a Fund bears the risk that the prices of its portfolio investments will not move in the same amount as the option it has purchased or sold for hedging purposes, or that there may be a negative correlation that would result in a loss on both the investments and the option. If the Manager is not successful in using options in managing a Fund’s investments, the Fund’s performance will be worse than if the Manager did not employ such strategies.
Preferred Securities
Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest in preferred securities. Unlike debt securities, the obligations of an issuer of preferred stock, including dividend and other payment obligations, may not typically be accelerated by the holders of preferred stock on the occurrence of an event of default (such as a covenant default or filing of a bankruptcy petition) or other noncompliance by the issuer with the terms of the preferred stock. Often, however, on the occurrence of any such event of default or noncompliance by the issuer, preferred stockholders will be entitled to gain representation on the issuer’s board of directors or increase their existing board representation. In addition, preferred stockholders may be granted voting rights with respect to certain issues on the occurrence of any event of default.
Private Activity Bonds
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF may invest without limit in private activity bonds, except that the Fund’s investments in these bonds will be limited if such investments, in the aggregate, would cause the Fund to have less than 80% of its net assets invested in municipal securities the income from which is exempt from federal income tax, including the alternative minimum tax, and applicable state personal income taxes. If the Fund invests in private activity bonds, a portion of the Fund’s distributions may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax.
Private activity bonds are bonds whose proceeds are used to finance certain nongovernmental activities, and could include some types of industrial revenue bonds such as privately owned sports and convention facilities. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 (the “Tax Act”) limits the amount of new “private purpose” bonds that each state may issue and subjects interest income from these bonds to the federal alternative minimum tax. The Tax Act also makes the tax-
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exempt status of certain bonds depend upon the issuer’s compliance with specific requirements after the bonds are issued.
Private activity bonds are a type of municipal bond issued when funds are to be used for a nonessential purpose. Private activities for which tax-exempt bonds may be issued include airports, electric and gas distribution systems, government mass transportation systems, housing bonds, privately owned sports facilities, hazardous waste disposal facilities, solid waste disposal facilities, and student loans. Small issues of industrial development revenue bonds and nonprofit college and hospital bonds are also permitted. The Internal Revenue Code limits the amount of new private activity bonds that each state can issue. The interest on certain private activity bonds, while exempt from regular federal income tax, is a tax preference item for taxpayers when determining their alternative minimum tax under the Internal Revenue Code.
Repurchase Agreements
Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF may invest in repurchase agreements, although they normally do not do so, except to invest cash balances or for temporary defensive purposes. Nomura Tax-Free California ETF may, from time to time, enter into repurchase agreement transactions which are at least 102% collateralized by US government securities
Under a repurchase agreement, a fund agrees to buy securities guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by the US government or its agencies or instrumentalities from a qualified bank or broker/dealer and then to sell the securities back to the bank or broker/dealer on an agreed upon date (generally less than seven days) at a higher price, which reflects currently prevailing short-term interest rates. Entering into repurchase agreements allows a fund to earn a return on cash in the fund’s portfolio that would otherwise remain uninvested. The bank or broker/dealer must transfer to the fund’s custodian, as collateral, securities with an initial market value of at least 102% of the dollar amount paid by the fund to the counterparty. The Manager will monitor the value of such collateral daily to determine that the value of the collateral equals or exceeds the repurchase price.
Repurchase agreements may involve risks in the event of default or insolvency of the bank or broker/dealer, including possible delays or restrictions upon a Fund’s ability to sell the underlying securities and additional expenses in seeking to enforce the Fund’s rights and recover any losses. A Fund will enter into repurchase agreements only with parties who meet certain creditworthiness standards, i.e., banks or broker/dealers that the Manager has determined, based on the information available at the time, present no serious risk of becoming involved in bankruptcy proceedings within the time frame contemplated by the repurchase agreement. Although each Fund seeks to limit the credit risk under a repurchase agreement by carefully selecting counterparties and accepting only high-quality collateral, some credit risk remains. The counterparty could default, which may make it necessary for a Fund to incur expenses to liquidate the collateral. In addition, the collateral may decline in value before it can be liquidated by a Fund. A repurchase agreement with more than seven days to maturity may be considered an illiquid investment and may be subject to a Fund’s investment restriction on illiquid investments.
The Nomura Funds have obtained an exemption (the “Order”) from the joint-transaction prohibitions of Section 17(d) of the 1940 Act to allow Nomura Funds jointly to invest cash balances. As part of the Nomura Funds, the Funds may invest cash balances in a joint repurchase agreement in accordance with the terms of the Order and subject generally to the conditions described above.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with banks and securities dealers with respect to not more than 10% of the Fund’s total assets.
A reverse repurchase agreement is the sale of a security by the Fund and its agreement to repurchase the security at a specified time and price. Under the 1940 Act, reverse repurchase agreements may be considered borrowings by the Fund; accordingly, the Fund will limit its investments in reverse repurchase agreements, together with any other borrowings, to no more than one-third of its total assets. The use of reverse repurchase agreements by the Fund creates leverage which increases the Fund’s investment risk. If the income and gains on securities purchased with the proceeds of reverse repurchase agreements exceed the costs of the agreements, the Fund’s earnings or NAV will increase faster than otherwise would be the case; conversely, if the income and gains fail to exceed the costs, earnings or NAV would decline faster than otherwise would be the case.
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“Roll” Transactions
Nomura Diversified Income ETF may engage in “roll” transactions.
A “roll” transaction is the sale of securities together with a commitment, for which the Fund may receive a fee, to purchase similar, but not identical, securities at a future date. Although these transactions will not be entered into for leveraging purposes, to the extent the Fund’s aggregate commitments under these transactions exceed its holdings of cash and securities that do not fluctuate in value (such as short-term money market instruments), the Fund temporarily will be in a leveraged position (i.e., it will have an amount greater than its net assets subject to market risk). Should the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities decline while it is in a leveraged position, greater depreciation of its net assets would likely occur than were it not in such a position. As the Fund’s aggregate commitments under these transactions increase, its leverage risk similarly increases.
Securities from Corporate Actions
From time to time, a Fund may receive securities as a result of a corporate action, bankruptcy proceeding, or other event impacting the issuer (or an affiliate of the issuer) of securities held by such Fund. These securities may include equity securities, preferred securities, convertible securities, or other types of instruments not typically held by a Fund, such as partnership interests, limited liability company interests, or trust units. These securities may be issued by newly formed entities or entities spun out of an existing entity. To the extent a Fund receives securities under these circumstances, the Fund will be subject to the risks generally associated with those types of securities, which may not be risks typical for the Fund. A Fund may also be subject to additional risks as a result of receiving these securities, including liquidity risks and valuation risks, as these securities may be subject to restrictions on transfer and may be difficult to value. Any interest paid by these securities may not be exempt from federal income tax, including the federal alternative income tax, or any applicable state income tax.
Securities Lending
Certain Funds may loan up to 25% of its assets to qualified broker/dealers or institutional investors for their use relating to short sales or other security transactions.
Each Fund, along with other funds in the Nomura Funds, may lend its securities pursuant to a security lending agreement (“Lending Agreement”) with The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNY”). At the time a security is loaned, the borrower must post collateral equal to the required percentage of the market value of the loaned security, including any accrued interest. The required percentage is: (i) 102% with respect to US securities and foreign securities that are denominated and payable in US dollars; and (ii) 105% with respect to foreign securities. With respect to each loan if, on any business day, the aggregate market value of securities collateral plus cash collateral held is less than the aggregate market value of the securities which are the subject of such loan, the borrower will be notified to provide additional collateral by the end of the following business day which, together with the collateral already held, will be not less than the applicable initial collateral requirements for such security loan. If the aggregate market value of securities collateral and cash collateral held with respect to a security loan exceeds the applicable initial collateral requirement, upon the request of the borrower, BNY must return enough collateral to the borrower by the end of the following business day to reduce the value of the remaining collateral to the applicable initial collateral requirement for such security loan. As a result of the foregoing, the value of the collateral held with respect to a loaned security on any particular day may be more or less than the value of the security on loan.
The investment guidelines permit each separate account to hold certain securities that would be considered eligible securities for a money market fund. Cash collateral received is generally invested in government securities; certain obligations issued by government sponsored enterprises; repurchase agreements collateralized by US Treasury securities; certain obligations issued by the central government of any Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) country or its agencies, instrumentalities or establishments; certain obligations of supranational organizations, commercial paper, notes, bonds and other debt obligations; certificates of deposit, time deposits and other bank obligations; and asset-backed securities.
A Fund can also accept US government securities and letters of credit (non-cash collateral) in connection with securities loans. In the event of default or bankruptcy by the lending agent, realization and/or retention of the collateral may be subject to legal proceedings. In the event the borrower fails to return the loaned securities and the collateral received is insufficient to cover the value of the loaned securities and provided such collateral shortfall is
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not the result of investment losses, the lending agent has agreed to pay the amount of the shortfall to a Fund or, at the discretion of the lending agent, replace the loaned securities. A Fund continues to record dividends or interest, as applicable, on the securities loaned and is subject to changes in value of the securities loaned that may occur during the term of the loan. A Fund has the right under the Lending Agreement to recover the securities from the borrower on demand. With respect to security loans collateralized by non-cash collateral, a Fund receives loan premiums paid by the borrower. With respect to security loans collateralized by cash collateral, the earnings from the collateral investments are shared among a Fund, the security lending agent, and the borrower. A Fund records security lending income net of allocations to the security lending agent and the borrower.
Short Sales
Each of Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF may make short sales on ETFs in an attempt to isolate, manage, or reduce the risk of individual securities positions held by the Fund, of a decline in a particular market sector to which the Fund has significant exposure, or of the exposure to securities owned by the Fund in the aggregate. Such short sales may also be implemented in an attempt to manage the duration of the Fund’s holdings. There is no assurance that any such short sales will achieve their intended objective(s). The Manager will not engage in short sales for speculative purposes. A Fund’s total investments in ETFs will not exceed 5% of net assets in any one ETF and 10% in all positions in investment companies, including ETFs, in the aggregate.
Typically, short sales are transactions in which a Fund sells a security that the Fund has borrowed, but that it does not own and, at the time a short sale is effected, the Fund incurs an obligation to replace the security borrowed. The price at the time of replacement may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by the Fund. When a short sale transaction is closed out by delivery of the security, any gain or loss on the transaction generally is taxable as short-term capital gain or loss. Until the security is replaced, a Fund is required to pay to the lender amounts equal to any dividends or interest that accrue during the period of the loan. To borrow the security, a Fund also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. The proceeds of the short sale, and potentially additional margin, will be retained by the broker from whom the security is borrowed, to the extent necessary to meet margin requirements, until the short position is closed out.
A Fund will incur a loss as a result of a short sale if the price of the security sold short increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed security; conversely, a Fund will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. This result is the opposite of what one would expect from a cash purchase of a long position in a security. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of any premium or amounts in lieu of interest that the Fund may be required to pay in connection with a short sale.
The ability of a Fund to effect short sales may be limited because of certain requirements the Fund must satisfy to maintain its status as a regulated investment company.
Short-Term Debt Instruments and Temporary Investments
Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF may invest in money market securities (the types of which are discussed below) for liquidity and cash management purposes or if the Manager determines that securities meeting a Fund’s investment objective and policies are not otherwise readily available for purchase. A Fund may invest its cash balance in US government securities and other short-term instruments. For temporary defensive purposes during periods when the Manager determines that conditions warrant, a Fund may increase this percentage up to 100%. For purposes of these policies, money market securities include: (i) short-term US government securities, including custodial receipts evidencing separately traded interest and principal components of securities issued by the US Treasury; (ii) commercial paper rated in the highest short-term rating category by an NRSRO, such as S&P or Moody’s, or determined by the Manager to be of comparable quality at the time of purchase; (iii) short-term bank obligations (certificates of deposit, time deposits, and bankers’ acceptances) of US domestic banks, foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks, and commercial banks with assets of at least $1 billion as of the end of their most recent fiscal year; and (iv) repurchase agreements involving such securities. Each of these types of money market securities is discussed in more detail in this SAI.
US Government Securities. Examples of types of US government obligations in which a Fund may invest include US Treasury obligations and the obligations of US government agencies such as Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal
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Farm Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the US, Small Business Administration, Fannie Mae, Ginnie Mae, General Services Administration, Student Loan Marketing Association, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Freddie Mac, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Maritime Administration, and other similar agencies. Whether backed by the full faith and credit of the US Treasury or not, US government securities are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.
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US Treasury Obligations. US Treasury obligations consist of bills, notes, and bonds issued by the US Treasury and separately traded interest and principal component parts of such obligations that are transferable through the federal book-entry system known as Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities (“STRIPS”) and Treasury Receipts (“TRs”).
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Receipts. Interests in separately traded interest and principal component parts of US government obligations that are issued by banks or brokerage firms and are created by depositing US government obligations into a special account at a custodian bank. The custodian holds the interest and principal payments for the benefit of the registered owners of the certificates or receipts. The custodian arranges for the issuance of the certificates or receipts evidencing ownership and maintains the register. TRs and STRIPS are interests in accounts sponsored by the US Treasury. Receipts are sold as zero coupon securities.
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US Government Zero Coupon Securities. STRIPS and receipts are sold as zero coupon securities, that is, fixed income securities that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons. Zero coupon securities are sold at a (usually substantial) discount and redeemed at face value at their maturity date without interim cash payments of interest or principal. The amount of this discount is accreted over the life of the security, and the accretion constitutes the income earned on the security for both accounting and tax purposes. Because of these features, the market prices of zero coupon securities are generally more volatile than the market prices of securities that have similar maturity but that pay interest periodically. Zero coupon securities are likely to respond to a greater degree to interest rate changes than are non-zero coupon securities with similar maturity and credit qualities.
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US Government Agencies. Some obligations issued or guaranteed by agencies of the US government are supported by the full faith and credit of the US Treasury, others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury, while still others are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. Guarantees of principal by agencies or instrumentalities of the US government may be a guarantee of payment at the maturity of the obligation so that in the event of a default prior to maturity there might not be a market and thus no means of realizing on the obligation prior to maturity. Guarantees as to the timely payment of principal and interest do not extend to the value or yield of these securities or to the value of the Fund’s shares.
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Commercial Paper. Commercial paper is the term used to designate unsecured short-term promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities. Maturities on these issues vary from a few to 270 days. A Fund may invest in short-term promissory notes issued by corporations that, at the time of purchase, are rated P-1 and/or A-1. Commercial paper ratings P-1 by Moody’s and A-1 by S&P are the highest investment grade category. See “Appendix A — Description of Ratings” for a description of the rating symbols of S&P and Moody’s.
Obligations of Domestic Banks, Foreign Banks and Foreign Branches of US Banks. A Fund may invest in obligations issued by banks and other savings institutions. Investments in bank obligations include obligations of domestic branches of foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks. Such investments in domestic branches of foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks are not covered by the FDIC and may involve risks that are different from investments in securities of domestic branches of US banks. These risks may include future unfavorable political and economic developments, possible withholding taxes on interest income, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations, or other governmental restrictions that might affect the payment of principal or interest on the securities held by a Fund. Additionally, these institutions may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements and to different accounting, auditing, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements than those applicable to domestic branches of US banks. Bank obligations include the following:
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Bankers’ Acceptances. Bankers’ acceptances are bills of exchange or time drafts drawn on, and accepted by, a commercial bank. Corporations use bankers’ acceptances to finance the shipment and storage of goods and to furnish dollar exchange. Maturities are generally six months or less.
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Certificates of Deposit. Certificates of deposit are interest-bearing instruments with a specific maturity. They are issued by banks and savings and loan institutions in exchange for the deposit of funds and normally can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity. Unless they can be traded on a secondary market, certificates of deposit with penalties for early withdrawal may be considered illiquid.
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Time Deposits. Time deposits are nonnegotiable receipts issued by a bank in exchange for the deposit of funds. Like a certificate of deposit, they earn a specified rate of interest over a definite period of time; however, they cannot be traded in the secondary market. Time deposits with a withdrawal penalty or that mature in more than seven calendar days may be considered to be illiquid investments.
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Small to Medium-Sized Companies
Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest in equity securities of small to medium-sized companies. These stocks have historically been more volatile in price than larger capitalization stocks, such as those included in the S&P 500® Index. This is because, among other things, smaller companies have a lower degree of liquidity and tend to have a greater sensitivity to changing economic conditions. These companies may have narrow product lines, markets or financial resources, or may depend on a limited management group. In addition, these companies are typically subject to a greater degree of change in their earnings and prospects. The companies’ securities may trade less frequently and have a smaller trading volume. The securities may be traded only in the over-the-counter markets or on a regional securities exchange. In addition to exhibiting greater volatility, smaller capitalization securities may, to some degree, fluctuate independently of the stocks of larger capitalization companies. For example, the stocks of smaller capitalization companies may decline in price as the price of larger company stocks rise, or vice versa.
Swaps, Caps, Floors, and Collars
The Funds may utilize different swaps for different purposes.
Nomura Diversified Income ETF may enter into interest rate, currency, inflation, and total return swaps, as well as caps, collars and floors. The aggregate notional amount (typically, the principal amount of the reference security or securities) of investments in credit default swap (“CDS”) contracts will be limited to 15% of the Fund’s net assets. The Fund expects to enter into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio, to protect against currency fluctuations, as a duration management technique or to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date. The Fund may also use swaps to gain exposure to specific markets. The Fund intends to use these transactions as hedges and/or speculative instruments. Inasmuch as these swaps, caps, floors, and collars are entered into for good faith hedging purposes, the investment manager and the Fund do not believe such obligations constitute senior securities under the 1940 Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to its borrowing restrictions.
Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF may enter into CDS contracts, as well as interest rate and index swaps. The aggregate notional amount of the Fund’s investments in the CDS contracts will be limited to 15% of its total net assets. With respect to interest rate and index swaps, the Fund will engage in a swap transaction only if all of the reference rates used in the swap are related to or derived from securities, instruments, or markets that are otherwise eligible investments for the Fund, and subject to the investment limitations on the instruments to which the purchased reference rate relates. Similarly, the extent to which the Fund may invest in a swap, as measured by the notional amount, will be subject to the same limitations as the eligible investments to which the purchased reference rate relates. Interest rate swaps may be used as a duration management tool. The Fund may also use swaps to gain exposure to specific markets. Other uses of swaps could help permit the Fund to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio or to protect against an increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date. Interest rate swaps may also be considered substitutes for interest rate futures in many cases where the hedging horizon is longer than the maturity of the typical futures contract, and may be considered to provide more liquidity than similar forward contracts, particularly long-term forward contracts. The Fund will engage in swap transactions only to the extent consistent with its investment objective and strategies.
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF may enter into CDS contracts to the extent consistent with its investment objectives and strategies, so long as the aggregate notional amount of its investments in such CDS contracts is limited to 15% of the Fund’s total net assets. The Fund also may invest in inflation, interest rate, and total return swaps to the extent consistent with its investment objectives and strategies. The Fund will only invest in these types of swap transactions when all the reference rates are related to or derived from instruments or markets in which the
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Fund is otherwise eligible to invest, and subject to the investment limitations on the instruments to which the purchased reference rate relates.
The Manager will monitor the ongoing creditworthiness of swap counterparties in order to seek to minimize the risk of swaps for each Fund. In seeking to reduce counterparty risk (as discussed below), no Fund will be permitted to enter into any swaps transaction unless, at the time of entering into such transaction, the unsecured long-term debt of the actual counterparty, combined with any credit enhancements, is rated at least BBB- by S&P or Baa3 by Moody’s or is determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the Manager.
For each Fund, swaps may be priced using fair value pricing. The income provided by a swap should be qualifying income for purposes of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. Swaps should not otherwise result in any significant diversification or valuation issues under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code.
Caps, Floors, and Collars. Nomura Diversified Income ETF may purchase caps, floors and collars. The purchase of a cap entitles the purchaser to receive payments on a notional principal amount from the party selling such cap to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined interest rate or amount. The purchase of a floor entitles the purchaser to receive payments on a notional principal amount from the party selling such floor to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate or amount. A collar is a combination of a cap and a floor that preserves a certain return within a predetermined range of interest rates or values. The Manager will usually enter into swaps on a net basis, i.e., the two payment streams are netted out in a cash settlement on the payment date or dates specified in the instrument, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Inasmuch as these swaps, caps, floors, and collars are entered into for good faith hedging purposes, the Manager believes such obligations constitute senior securities under the 1940 Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to its borrowing restrictions. If there is a default by the counterparty, the Fund may have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. Caps, floors, and collars are more recent innovations for which standardized documentation has not yet been fully developed and, accordingly, they are less liquid than swaps.
Comprehensive swaps regulation. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) and related regulatory developments have imposed comprehensive regulatory requirements on swaps and swap market participants. This regulatory framework includes: (1) registration and regulation of swap dealers and major swap participants; (2) requiring central clearing and execution of standardized swaps; (3) imposing margin requirements on swap transactions; (4) regulating and monitoring swap transactions through position limits and large trader reporting requirements; and (5) imposing record keeping and centralized and public reporting requirements, on an anonymous basis. The CFTC is responsible for the regulation of most swaps. The SEC has jurisdiction over a small segment of the market referred to as “security-based swaps,” which includes swaps on single securities or credits, or narrow-based indices of securities or credits.
Uncleared swaps. In an uncleared swap, the swap counterparty is typically a brokerage firm, bank, or other financial institution. A Fund customarily enters into uncleared swaps based on the standard terms and conditions of an International Swaps and Derivatives Association (“ISDA”) Master Agreement. ISDA is a voluntary industry association of participants in the over-the-counter derivatives markets that has developed standardized contracts used by such participants that have agreed to be bound by such standardized contracts.
In the event that one party to a swap transaction defaults and the transaction is terminated prior to its scheduled termination date, one of the parties may be required to make an early termination payment to the other. An early termination payment may be payable by either the defaulting or nondefaulting party, depending upon which of them is “in-the-money” with respect to the swap at the time of its termination. Early termination payments may be calculated in various ways, but are intended to approximate the amount the “in-the-money” party would have to pay to replace the swap as of the date of its termination.
During the term of an uncleared swap, a Fund is required to pledge to the swap counterparty, from time to time, an amount of cash and/or other assets, referred to as “variation margin,” that is equal to the total net amount (if any) that would be payable by the Fund to the counterparty if all outstanding swaps between the parties were terminated on the date in question, including any early termination payments. Periodically, changes in the variation margin amount are made to recognize changes in value of the contract resulting from, among other things, interest on the
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notional value of the contract, market value changes in the underlying investment, and/or dividends paid by the issuer of the underlying instrument. Likewise, the counterparty will be required to pledge cash or other assets to cover its obligations to a Fund. However, the amount pledged may not always be equal to or more than the amount due to the other party. Therefore, if a counterparty defaults on its obligations to a Fund, the amount pledged by the counterparty and available to the Fund may not be sufficient to cover all the amounts due to the Fund and the Fund may sustain a loss.
Under applicable uncleared swap margin regulations, a Fund that is deemed to have material swaps exposure may be required to post initial margin in addition to variation margin with respect to uncleared swaps.
Cleared swaps. Certain standardized swaps are subject to mandatory central clearing and exchange trading. The Dodd-Frank Act and implementing rules will ultimately require the clearing and exchange-trading of many swaps. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing will occur on a phased-in basis based on the type of market participant, CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing, and public trading facilities making such cleared swaps available to trade. To date, the CFTC has designated only certain of the most common types of credit default index swaps and interest rate swaps as subject to mandatory clearing and certain public trading facilities have made certain of those cleared swaps available to trade, but it is expected that additional categories of swaps will in the future be designated as subject to mandatory clearing and trade execution requirements. Central clearing is intended to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity, but central clearing does not eliminate these risks and may involve additional costs and risks not involved with uncleared swaps. For more information, see “Risks of cleared swaps” below.
In a cleared swap, a Fund’s ultimate counterparty is a central clearinghouse rather than a brokerage firm, bank, or other financial institution. Cleared swaps are submitted for clearing through each party’s FCM, which must be a member of the clearinghouse that serves as the central counterparty.
When a Fund enters into a cleared swap, it must deliver to the central counterparty (via the FCM) an amount referred to as “initial margin.” Initial margin requirements are determined by the central counterparty, but an FCM may require additional initial margin above the amount required by the central counterparty. During the term of the swap agreement, a “variation margin” amount may also be required to be paid by a Fund or may be received by the Fund in accordance with margin controls set for such accounts, depending upon changes in the marked-to-market value of the swap agreement. At the conclusion of the term of the swap agreement, if a Fund has a loss equal to or greater than the margin amount, the margin amount is paid to the FCM along with any loss in excess of the margin amount. If a Fund has a loss of less than the margin amount, the excess margin is returned to the Fund. If a Fund has a gain, the full margin amount and the amount of the gain are paid to the Fund.
Recently adopted CFTC rules require the trading and execution of certain cleared swaps on public trading facilities. Trading on an exchange-type system may increase market transparency and liquidity but may require a Fund to incur increased expenses to access the same types of swaps that it has used in the past.
Credit default swaps. The “buyer” of protection in a credit default swap agreement is obligated to pay the “seller” a periodic stream of payments over the term of the agreement in return for a payment by the “seller” that is contingent upon the occurrence of a credit event with respect to a specific underlying reference debt obligation (whether as a single debt instrument or as part of an index of debt instruments). The contingent payment by the seller generally is the face amount of the debt obligation, in return for the buyer’s obligation to make periodic cash payments and deliver in physical form the reference debt obligation or a cash payment equal to the then-current market value of that debt obligation at the time of the credit event. If no credit event occurs, the seller would receive a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the contract, while the buyer would lose the amount of its payments and recover nothing. The buyer is also subject to the risk that the seller will not satisfy its contingent payment obligation, if and when due.
Purchasing protection through a credit default swap may be used to attempt to hedge against a decline in the value of debt security or securities due to a credit event. The seller of protection under a credit default swap receives periodic payments from the buyer but is exposed to the risk that the value of the reference debt obligation declines due to a credit event and that it will have to pay the face amount of the reference obligation to the buyer. Selling protection under a credit default swap may also permit the seller to gain exposure that is similar to owning the reference debt
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obligation directly. As the seller of protection, a Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total assets, the Fund would be subject to the risk that there would be a credit event and the Fund would have to make a substantial payment in the future.
Generally, a credit event means bankruptcy, failure to timely pay interest or principal, obligation acceleration default, or repudiation or restructuring of the reference debt obligation. There may be disputes between the buyer or seller of a credit default swap agreement or within the swaps market as a whole as to whether or not a credit event has occurred or what the payout should be which could result in litigation. In some instances where there is a dispute in the credit default swap market, a regional Determinations Committee set up by ISDA may make an official binding determination regarding the existence of credit events with respect to the reference debt obligation of a credit default swap agreement or, in the case of a credit default swap on an index, with respect to a component of the index underlying the credit default swap agreement. In the case of a credit default swap on an index, the existence of a credit event is determined according to the index methodology, which may in turn refer to determinations made by ISDA’s Determinations Committees with respect to particular components of the index.
ISDA’s Determinations Committees are comprised principally of dealers in the OTC derivatives markets which may have a conflicting interest in the determination regarding the existence of a particular credit event. In addition, in the sovereign debt market, a credit default swap agreement may not provide the protection generally anticipated because the government issuer of the sovereign debt instruments may be able to restructure or renegotiate the debt in such a manner as to avoid triggering a credit event. Moreover, (1) sovereign debt obligations may not incorporate common, commercially acceptable provisions, such as collective action clauses, or (2) the negotiated restructuring of the sovereign debt may be deemed non-mandatory on all holders. As a result, the Determinations Committees might then not be able to determine, or may be able to avoid having to determine, that a credit event under the credit default agreement has occurred. For these and other reasons, the buyer of protection in a credit default swap agreement is subject to the risk that certain occurrences, such as particular restructuring events affecting the value of the underlying reference debt obligation, or the restructuring of sovereign debt, may not be deemed credit events under the credit default swap agreement. Therefore, if the credit default swap was purchased as a hedge or to take advantage of an anticipated increase in the value of credit protection for the underlying reference obligation, it may not provide any hedging benefit or otherwise increase in value as anticipated. Similarly, the seller of protection in a credit default swap agreement is subject to the risk that certain occurrences may be deemed to be credit events under the credit default swap agreement, even if these occurrences do not adversely impact the value or creditworthiness of the underlying reference debt obligation.
Currency swaps. Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest in currency swaps. A currency swap is an agreement between two parties to exchange periodic cash flows on a notional amount of two or more currencies based on the relative value differential between them. For example, a currency swap may involve the exchange of payments in a non-US currency for payments in US dollars. Currency swaps typically involve the delivery of the entire notional values of the two designated currencies. In such a situation, the full notional value of a currency swap is subject to the risk that the other party to the swap will default on its contractual delivery obligations. The Fund may also enter into currency swaps on a net basis, which means the two different currency payment streams under the swap agreement are converted and netted out to a single cash payment in just one of the currencies. For example, a currency swap may be used to hedge the interest payments and principal amount of a debt obligation that is denominated in a non-US currency by entering into a cross currency swap whereby one party would make payments in the non-US currency and receive payments in US dollars. Or, a currency swap may be used to gain exposure to non-US currencies and non-US interest rates by making payments in US dollars and receiving payments in non-US currencies.
Because currency control is of great importance to the issuing governments and influences economic planning and policy, purchases and sales of currency and related instruments can be negatively affected by government exchange controls, blockages, and manipulations or exchange restrictions imposed by governments. These actions could result in losses to the Fund if it is unable to deliver or receive a specified currency or funds in settlement of obligations, including swap transaction obligations. These actions could also have an adverse effect on the Fund’s swap transactions or cause the Fund’s hedging positions to be rendered useless, resulting in full currency exposure as well as incurring unnecessary transaction costs.
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Interest rate swaps. An interest rate swap is an agreement between two parties to exchange interest rate payment obligations. Each party’s payment obligation under an interest rate swap is determined by reference to a specified “notional” amount of money. Therefore, interest rate swaps generally do not involve the delivery of securities, other underlying instruments, or principal amounts; rather they entail the exchange of cash payments based on the application of the designated interest rates to the notional amount. Accordingly, barring swap counterparty or FCM default, the risk of loss in an interest rate swap is limited to the net amount of interest payments that a Fund is obligated to make or receive (as applicable), as well as any early termination payment payable by or to the Fund upon early termination of the swap.
By swapping fixed interest rate payments for floating interest rate payments, an interest rate swap can be used to increase or decrease a Fund’s exposure to various interest rates, including to hedge interest rate risk. Interest rate swaps are generally used to permit the party seeking a floating-rate obligation the opportunity to acquire such obligation at a rate lower than is directly available in the credit markets, while permitting the party desiring a fixed-rate obligation the opportunity to acquire such a fixed-rate obligation, also frequently at a rate lower than is directly available in the credit markets. The success of such a transaction depends in large part on the availability of fixed-rate obligations at interest (or coupon) rates low enough to cover the costs involved. An interest rate swap transaction is affected by changes in interest rates, which, in turn, may affect the prepayment rate of any underlying debt obligations upon which the interest rate swap is based.
Index swaps. An index swap, also called a total return swap, is an agreement between two parties in which a party typically exchanges a cash flow based on a notional amount of a reference index for a cash flow based on a different index or on another specified instrument or reference rate. Index swaps are generally entered into on a net basis. In an index swap, a Fund receives gains or incurs losses based on the total return of a specified index, in exchange for making interest payments to another party. An index swap can also work in reverse with a Fund receiving interest payments from another party in exchange for movements in the total return of a specified index.
Inflation index swaps. Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest in inflation index swaps. An inflation index swap is a contract between two parties, whereby one party makes payments based on the cumulative percentage increase in an index that serves as a measure of inflation (typically, the Consumer Price Index) and the other party makes a regular payment based on a compounded fixed rate. Each party’s payment obligation under the swap is determined by reference to a specified “notional” amount of money. Typically, an inflation index swap has payment obligations netted and exchanged upon maturity. The value of an inflation index swap is expected to change in response to changes in the rate of inflation. If inflation increases at a faster rate than anticipated at the time the swap is entered into, the swap will increase in value. Similarly, if inflation increases at a rate slower than anticipated at the time the swap is entered into, the swap will decrease in value.
Risks of swaps generally. The use of swap transactions is a highly specialized activity, which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. Whether a Fund will be successful in using swap agreements to achieve its investment goal depends on the ability of the Manager to predict correctly which types of investments are likely to produce greater returns. If the Manager, in using swap agreements, is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates, inflation, currency exchange rates or other applicable factors, the investment performance of a Fund will be less than its performance would have been if it had not used the swap agreements.
The risk of loss to a Fund for swap transactions that are entered into on a net basis depends on which party is obligated to pay the net amount to the other party. If the counterparty is obligated to pay the net amount to a Fund, the risk of loss to the Fund is loss of the entire amount that the Fund is entitled to receive. If a Fund is obligated to pay the net amount, the Fund’s risk of loss is generally limited to that net amount. If the swap agreement involves the exchange of the entire principal value of a security, the entire principal value of that security is subject to the risk that the other party to the swap will default on its contractual delivery obligations. In addition, a Fund’s risk of loss also includes any margin at risk in the event of default by the counterparty (in an uncleared swap) or the central counterparty or FCM (in a cleared swap), plus any transaction costs.
Because bilateral swap agreements are structured as two-party contracts and may have terms of greater than seven days, these swaps may be considered to be illiquid and, therefore, subject to a Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid investments. If a swap transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid, a Fund may not be
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able to establish or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses. Participants in the swap markets are not required to make continuous markets in the swap contracts they trade. Participants could refuse to quote prices for swap contracts or quote prices with an unusually wide spread between the price at which they are prepared to buy and the price at which they are prepared to sell. Some swap agreements entail complex terms and may require a greater degree of subjectivity in their valuation. However, the swap markets have grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of financial institutions acting both as principals and agents, utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap markets have become increasingly liquid. In addition, central clearing and the trading of cleared swaps on public facilities are intended to increase liquidity. The Manager, under the supervision of the Board, is responsible for determining and monitoring the liquidity of a Fund’s swap transactions.
Rules adopted under the Dodd-Frank Act require centralized reporting of detailed information about many swaps, whether cleared or uncleared. This information is available to regulators and also, to a more limited extent and on an anonymous basis, to the public. Reporting of swap data is intended to result in greater market transparency. This may be beneficial to funds that use swaps in their trading strategies. However, public reporting imposes additional recordkeeping burdens on these funds, and the safeguards established to protect anonymity are not yet tested and may not provide protection of funds’ identities as intended.
Certain Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) positions may limit a Fund’s ability to use swap agreements in a desired tax strategy. It is possible that developments in the swap markets and/or the laws relating to swap agreements, including potential government regulation, could adversely affect a Fund’s ability to benefit from using swap agreements, or could have adverse tax consequences. For more information about potentially changing regulation, see “Developing government regulation of derivatives” above.
Swaps may be priced using fair value pricing.
Risks of uncleared swaps. Uncleared swaps are not traded on exchanges. As a result, swap participants may not be as protected as participants on organized exchanges. Performance of a swap agreement is the responsibility only of the swap counterparty and not of any exchange or clearinghouse. As a result, a Fund is subject to the risk that a counterparty will be unable or will refuse to perform under such agreement, including because of the counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency. A Fund risks the loss of the accrued but unpaid amounts under a swap agreement, which could be substantial, in the event of a default, insolvency, or bankruptcy by a swap counterparty. In such an event, a Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the swap agreements, but bankruptcy and insolvency laws could affect the Fund’s rights as a creditor. If the counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of a swap agreement would likely decline, potentially resulting in losses. The Manager will only approve a swap agreement counterparty for a Fund if the Manager deems the counterparty to be creditworthy under the Fund’s counterparty review process. However, in unusual or extreme market conditions, a counterparty’s creditworthiness and ability to perform may deteriorate rapidly, and the availability of suitable replacement counterparties may become limited.
Risks of cleared swaps. As noted above, under recent financial reforms, certain types of swaps are, and others eventually are expected to be, required to be cleared through a central counterparty, which may affect counterparty risk and other risks faced by a Fund.
Central clearing is designed to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity compared to uncleared swaps because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each participant’s swap, but it does not eliminate those risks completely. There is also a risk of loss by a Fund of the initial and variation margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of the FCM with which the Fund has an open position in a swap contract. The assets of a Fund may not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the FCM or central counterparty because the Fund might be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds and margin segregated on behalf of an FCM’s customers. If the FCM does not provide accurate reporting, a Fund is also subject to the risk that the FCM could use the Fund’s assets, which are held in an omnibus account with assets belonging to the FCM’s other customers, to satisfy its own financial obligations or the payment obligations of another customer to the central counterparty. Credit risk of cleared swap participants is concentrated in a few clearinghouses, and the consequences of insolvency of a clearinghouse are not clear.
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With cleared swaps, a Fund may not be able to obtain as favorable terms as it would be able to negotiate for a bilateral, uncleared swap. In addition, an FCM may unilaterally amend the terms of its agreement with a Fund, which may include the imposition of position limits or additional margin requirements with respect to the Fund’s investment in certain types of swaps. Central counterparties and FCMs can require termination of existing cleared swap transactions upon the occurrence of certain events, and can also require increases in margin above the margin that is required at the initiation of the swap agreement. Depending on a number of factors, the margin required under the rules of a clearinghouse and FCM may in some cases exceed the collateral required to be posted by a Fund to support its obligations under a similar uncleared swap. In addition, regulators have adopted margin requirements for uncleared swaps, which apply to various market participants and are intended to reduce counterparty credit risk in the market for uncleared swaps.
Finally, a Fund is subject to the risk that, after entering into a cleared swap, no FCM or central counterparty is willing or able to clear the transaction. In such an event, the Fund may be required to break the trade and make an early termination payment.
Tax-Exempt Obligations
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF invests primarily in tax-exempt obligations, often referred to as municipal bonds. The term “Tax-Exempt Obligations” refers to debt obligations issued by or on behalf of a state or that state’s counties, municipalities, authorities, agencies, or other subdivisions, as well as by the District of Columbia and United States territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam, or the US Virgin Islands. These securities generally pay interest free from federal income tax (except, in certain instances, the alternative minimum tax, which will depend on a shareholder’s tax status) and from state personal income taxes, if any, for residents of that state. Generally for all Tax-Exempt Obligations, the issuer pays a fixed, floating or variable rate of interest, and must repay the amount borrowed (the “principal”) at maturity. Tax-Exempt Obligations are issued to raise money for a variety of public or private purposes, including financing state or local government, specific projects, or public facilities. Tax-Exempt Obligations are classified as general or revenue obligations.
The value of the Tax-Exempt Obligations may be highly sensitive to events affecting the fiscal stability of the municipalities, agencies, authorities and other instrumentalities that issue securities. In particular, economic, legislative, regulatory, or political developments affecting the ability of the issuers to pay interest or repay principal may significantly affect the value of the Fund’s investments. These developments can include or arise from, for example, insolvency of an issuer, uncertainties related to the tax status of municipal securities, tax base erosion, state or federal constitutional limits on tax increases or other actions, budget deficits and other financial difficulties, or changes in the credit ratings assigned to municipal issuers.
Securities in which the Fund may invest, including Tax-Exempt Obligations, are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the federal Bankruptcy Code, and laws, if any, which may be enacted by the US Congress or a state’s legislature extending the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations within constitutional limitations. There is also the possibility that, as a result of litigation or other conditions, the power or ability of issuers to meet their obligations for the payment of interest on, and principal of, their Tax-Exempt Obligations may be materially affected.
The Fund also concentrates its investments in a particular state. Therefore, there are risks associated with the Fund that would not be present if the Fund were diversified nationally. These risks include any new legislation that would adversely affect Tax-Exempt Obligations, regional or local economic conditions that could adversely affect such obligations, and differing levels of supply and demand for municipal bonds particular to the state in which the Fund focuses its investments.
From time to time, legislation, some of which became law, has been introduced in the US Congress for the purpose of restricting the availability of, or eliminating the federal income tax exemption for, interest on Tax-Exempt Obligations. Additional proposals may be introduced in the future which, if enacted, could affect the availability of Tax-Exempt Obligations for investment by the Fund and the value of the Fund’s portfolio. In such event, management of the Fund may discontinue the issuance of shares to new investors and may reevaluate the Fund’s investment objective and policies and submit possible changes in the structure of the Fund for shareholder approval.
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To the extent that the ratings given by Moody’s, S&P, or Fitch Ratings, Inc. (“Fitch”) for Tax-Exempt Obligations may change as a result of changes in such organizations or their rating systems, the Fund will attempt to use comparable ratings as standards for its investments in accordance with the investment policies contained in the Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI. The ratings of Moody’s, S&P, and Fitch represent their opinions as to the quality of the Tax-Exempt Obligations, which they undertake to rate. It should be emphasized, however, that ratings are relative and subjective and are not absolute standards of quality. Although these ratings provide an initial criterion for selection of portfolio investments, the Manager will subject these securities to other evaluative criteria prior to investing in such securities.
General obligation bonds. Issuers of general obligation bonds include states, counties, cities, towns, and regional districts. The proceeds of these obligations are used to fund a wide range of public projects, including construction or improvement of schools, highways, and roads. The basic security behind general obligation bonds is the issuer’s pledge of its full faith, credit, and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. The taxes that can be levied for the payment of debt service may be limited or unlimited as to the rate or amount of special assessments.
Revenue bonds. The full faith, credit, and taxing power of the issuer do not secure revenue bonds. Instead, the principal security for a revenue bond generally is the net revenue derived from a particular facility, group of facilities, or, in some cases, the proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific revenue source. Revenue bonds are issued to finance a wide variety of capital projects, including: electric, gas, water, and sewer systems; highways, bridges, and tunnels; port and airport facilities; colleges and universities; and hospitals. The principal security behind these bonds may vary. For example, housing finance authorities have a wide range of security, including partially or fully insured mortgages, rent subsidized and/or collateralized mortgages, and/or the net revenues from housing or other public projects. Many bonds provide additional security in the form of a debt service reserve fund that may be used to make principal and interest payments. Some authorities have further security in the form of state assurances (although without obligation) to make up deficiencies in the debt service reserve fund. As a result, an investment in revenue obligations is subject to greater risk of delay or non-payment if revenue does not accrue as expected or if other conditions are not met for reasons outside the control of the Fund. Conversely, if revenue accrues more quickly than anticipated, the Fund may receive payment before expected and have difficulty reinvesting the proceeds on equally favorable terms.
Taxable Obligations
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF may invest to a limited extent in obligations and instruments, the interest on which is includable in gross income for purposes of federal and state income (or property) taxation. The Fund also may invest in certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, and other time deposits.
Obligations of Domestic Banks, Foreign Banks and Foreign Branches of US Banks. The Fund may invest in obligations issued by banks and other savings institutions. Investments in bank obligations include obligations of domestic branches of foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks. Such investments in domestic branches of foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks are not covered by the FDIC and may involve risks that are different from investments in securities of domestic branches of US banks. These risks may include future unfavorable political and economic developments, possible withholding taxes on interest income, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations, or other governmental restrictions that might affect the payment of principal or interest on the securities held by the Fund. Additionally, these institutions may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements and to different accounting, auditing, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements than those applicable to domestic branches of US banks. Bank obligations include the following:
● Bankers’ Acceptances. Bankers’ acceptances are bills of exchange or time drafts drawn on and accepted by a commercial bank. Corporations use bankers’ acceptances to finance the shipment and storage of goods and to furnish dollar exchange. Maturities are generally six months or less.
● Certificates of Deposit. Certificates of deposit are interest-bearing instruments with a specific maturity. They are issued by banks and savings and loan institutions in exchange for the deposit of funds and normally can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity. Unless they can be traded on a secondary market, certificates of deposit with penalties for early withdrawal may be considered illiquid.
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● Time Deposits. Time deposits are nonnegotiable receipts issued by a bank in exchange for the deposit of funds. Like a certificate of deposit, they earn a specified rate of interest over a definite period of time; however, they cannot be traded in the secondary market. Time deposits with a withdrawal penalty or that mature in more than seven days may be considered to be illiquid investments.
US Government Securities
The Funds may invest in US government securities.
US government securities include obligations of, or guaranteed by, the US federal government, its agencies, instrumentalities, or sponsored enterprises. Some US government securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the US government. These include US Treasury obligations and securities issued by Ginnie Mae. A second category of US government securities is those supported by the right of the agency, instrumentality or sponsored enterprise to borrow from the US government to meet its obligations. These include securities issued by Federal Home Loan Banks.
A third category of US government securities is those supported by only the credit of the issuing agency, instrumentality, or sponsored enterprise. These include securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In the event of a default, an investor like a Fund would only have legal recourse to the issuer, not the US government. Although the US government has provided support for these securities in the past, there can be no assurance that it will do so in the future. The US government has also made available additional guarantees for limited periods to stabilize or restore a market in the wake of an economic, political, or natural crisis. Such guarantees, and the economic opportunities they present, are likely to be temporary and cannot be relied upon by a Fund. Any downgrade of the credit rating of the securities issued by the US government may result in a downgrade of securities issued by its agencies or instrumentalities, including government-sponsored entities.
Variable and Floating Rate Notes
Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest in variable and floating rate notes. The Fund will not invest over 5% of its assets in variable rate master demand notes. Nomura Tax-Free California ETF may invest in variable- and floating-rate demand notes.
Variable rate master demand notes, in which the Fund may invest, are unsecured demand notes that permit the indebtedness thereunder to vary and provide for periodic adjustments in the interest rate according to the terms of the instrument. Because master demand notes are direct lending arrangements between a fund and the issuer, they are not normally traded. Although there is no secondary market in the notes, the Fund may demand payment of principal and accrued interest at any time. Although the notes are not typically rated by credit rating agencies, issuers of variable amount master demand notes (which are normally manufacturing, retail, financial, and other business concerns) must satisfy the same criteria as set forth above for commercial paper. In determining average weighted portfolio maturity, a variable amount master demand note will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period of time remaining until the principal amount can be recovered from the issuer through demand.
A variable rate note is one whose terms provide for the adjustment of its interest rate on set dates and which, upon such adjustment, can reasonably be expected to have a market value that approximates its par value. A floating rate note is one whose terms provide for the adjustment of its interest rate whenever a specified interest rate changes and which, at any time, can reasonably be expected to have a market value that approximates its par value. Such notes are frequently not rated by credit rating agencies; however, unrated variable and floating rate notes purchased by the Fund will be determined by the Manager under guidelines established by the Board to be of comparable quality at the time of purchase to rated instruments eligible for purchase under the Fund’s investment policies. In making such determinations, the Manager will consider the earning power, cash flow, and other liquidity ratios of the issuers of such notes (such issuers include financial, merchandising, bank holding, and other companies) and will continuously monitor their financial condition. Although there may be no active secondary market with respect to a particular variable or floating rate note purchased by the Fund, the Fund may resell the note at any time to a third party. The absence of such an active secondary market, however, could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of the variable or floating rate note involved in the event the issuer of the note defaulted on its payment obligations, and the Fund could, for this or other reasons, suffer a loss to the extent of the default. Variable or floating rate notes may be secured by bank letters of credit.
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If not rated, such instruments must be found by the Manager under guidelines established by the Board, to be of comparable quality to instruments that are rated high quality. A rating may be relied upon only if it is provided by an NRSRO that is not affiliated with the issuer or guarantor of the instruments. See “Appendix A — Description of Ratings” for a description of NRSRO rating symbols.
Warrants
Nomura Diversified Income ETF may invest in warrants and similar rights.
Warrants and similar rights are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time. The purchase of warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the warrant’s expiration. Also, the purchase of warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security’s market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security.
When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Securities
The Funds may purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis. In such transactions, instruments are purchased with payment and delivery taking place in the future in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous yield or price at the time of the transaction. Delivery of and payment for these securities may take up to a month after the date of the purchase commitment, although in some cases it may take longer.
The payment obligation and the interest rates that will be received are each fixed at the time a fund enters into the commitment and no interest accrues to the fund until settlement. Thus, it is possible that the market value at the time of settlement could be higher or lower than the purchase price if the general level of interest rates has changed.
For Nomura Tax-Free California ETF, new issues of Tax-Exempt Obligations and other securities are often purchased on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis, with delivery and payment for the securities normally taking place 15 to 45 days after the date of the transaction.
Zero Coupon and Payment-In-Kind Bonds
Each Fund may invest in zero coupon bonds and payment-in-kind bonds.
The credit risk factors pertaining to lower-rated securities also apply to lower-rated zero coupon, deferred interest, and payment-in-kind bonds. These bonds carry an additional risk in that, unlike bonds that pay interest throughout the period to maturity, a fund will realize no cash until the cash payment date and, if the issuer defaults, the fund may obtain no return at all on its investment.
Zero coupon, deferred interest, and payment-in-kind bonds involve additional special considerations. Zero coupon or deferred interest securities are debt obligations that do not entitle the holder to any periodic payments of interest prior to maturity or a specified date when the securities begin paying current interest (the “cash payment date”) and therefore are generally issued and traded at a discount from their face amounts or par values. The discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity or cash payment date, prevailing interest rates, liquidity of the security, and the perceived credit quality of the issuer. The discount, in the absence of financial difficulties of the issuer, typically decreases as the final maturity or cash payment date of the security approaches. The market prices of zero coupon securities are generally more volatile than the market prices of securities that pay interest periodically and are likely to respond to changes in interest rates to a greater degree than do non-zero coupon or deferred interest securities having similar maturities and credit quality. Current federal income tax law requires that a holder of a zero coupon security report as income each year the portion of the original issue discount on the security that accrues that year, even though the holder receives no cash payments of interest during the year.
Payment-in-kind bonds are securities that pay interest through the issuance of additional bonds. A fund will be deemed to receive interest over the life of these bonds and be treated as if interest were paid on a current basis for federal income tax purposes, although no cash interest payments are received by the fund until the cash payment date or until the bonds mature. Accordingly, during periods when the Fund receives no cash interest payments on its zero coupon securities or deferred interest or payment-in-kind bonds, it may be required to dispose of portfolio
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securities to meet the distribution requirements and these sales may be subject to the risk factors discussed above. Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF are not limited in the amount of its assets that may be invested in these types of securities.
Cybersecurity Risk
With the increased use of technologies such as artificial intelligence (“AI”), the internet and the dependence on computer systems to perform necessary business functions, the Funds and their service providers may have become more susceptible to operational and related risks through breaches in cybersecurity. A cybersecurity incident may refer to intentional or unintentional events that allow an unauthorized party to gain access (e.g., through “hacking,” “phishing” or malicious software coding) to Fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause a Fund or Fund service providers (including, but not limited to, the Manager, distributor, fund accountants, custodian, transfer agent, and financial intermediaries) to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. A cybersecurity incident could, among other things, result in the loss or theft of customer data or funds, customers or employees being unable to access electronic systems (denial of services), loss or theft of proprietary information or corporate data, physical damage to a computer or network system, or remediation costs associated with system repairs.
Any of these results could have a substantial adverse impact on a Fund and its shareholders. For example, if a cybersecurity incident results in a denial of service, Fund shareholders could lose access to their electronic accounts, and employees could be unable to access electronic systems to perform critical duties for the Funds, such as trading and NAV calculation. Cybersecurity incidents could cause the Funds or Fund service provider to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures, or financial loss of a significant magnitude and could result in allegations that a Fund or Fund service provider violated privacy and other laws.
Similar adverse consequences could result from cybersecurity incidents affecting issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, counterparties with which a Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, and other financial institutions and other parties. Risk management systems and business continuity plans seek to reduce the risks associated with cybersecurity in the event there is a cybersecurity breach, but there are inherent limitations in these systems and plans, including the possibility that certain risks may not have been identified, in large part because different or unknown threats may emerge in the future. Furthermore, the Funds do not control the cybersecurity systems and plans of the issuers of securities in which the Funds invest or the Funds’ third party service providers or trading counterparties or any other service providers whose operations may affect the Funds or their shareholders.
As an open-end management investment company, the Trust has delegated its operational activities to third-party service providers, subject to the oversight of the Board. Because the Trust operates its business through third-party service providers, it does not itself have any operational or security systems or infrastructure that are potentially subject to cyber attacks. The third-party service providers that facilitate the Trust’s business activities, including, but not limited to, fund management, custody of Trust assets, fund accounting and financial administration, and transfer agent services, could be sources of operational and informational security risk to the Trust and its shareholders, including from breakdowns or failures of the third-party service providers’ own systems or capacity constraints. A failure or breach of the operational or security systems or infrastructure of the Trust’s third-party service providers could disrupt the Trust’s operations, result in the disclosure or misuse of confidential or proprietary information, and cause losses. Although the Trust and its third-party service providers have business continuity plans and other safeguards in place, the operations of the Trust’s third-party service providers may be adversely affected by significant disruption of the service providers’ operating systems or physical infrastructure that support the Trust and its shareholders.
The proliferation of new technologies, the use of the Internet and telecommunications technologies to conduct business, as well as the increased sophistication and activities of organized crime, hackers, terrorists, activists, and others, have significantly increased the information security risks to which the Trust’s third-party service providers are subject. Geopolitical tensions can contribute to an increase in the scale and sophistication of cybersecurity attacks, including those carried out by nation-states or by malicious actors with access to nation-state resources or support. The rapid development and increasingly widespread use of AI technologies may increase the effectiveness
48
of cyberattacks and exacerbate these risks. The third-party service providers rely on digital technologies, computer and email systems, software, web-based applications, AI and cloud-based technology, and networks to conduct their business and the business of the Trust. The Trust’s third-party service providers have robust information security procedures; however, their technologies may become the target of cyber attacks or information security breaches that could result in the unauthorized release, gathering, monitoring, misuse, loss, or destruction of the Trust’s or its shareholders’ confidential and other information, or otherwise disrupt the business operations of the Trust or its third-party service providers. Although to date the Trust has not experienced any material losses relating to cyber attacks or other information security breaches, there can be no assurance that the Trust or its third-party service providers will not suffer such losses in the future.
Disruptions or failures in the physical infrastructure or operating systems that support the Trust’s third-party service providers, or cyber attacks or security breaches of the networks, systems, or devices that the Trust’s third-party service providers use to service the Trust’s operations, could result in financial losses, the inability of Trust shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and/or additional compliance costs. The business continuity policies and procedures that the Trust and its third-party service providers have established seek to identify and mitigate the types of risk to which the Trust and its third-party service providers are subject. As with any risk-management system, there are inherent limitations to these business continuity policies and procedures as there may exist, or develop in the future, risks that have not been anticipated or identified.
IBOR Transition Risk
The London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) was a common benchmark interest rate index used to make adjustments to variable-rate loans and historically was used throughout global banking and financial industries to determine interest rates for a variety of borrowing arrangements and financial instruments (such as debt instruments and derivatives).
The majority of LIBOR rates were phased out at the end of 2021. The most common tenors of USD LIBOR (overnight and 1-, 3-, 6- and 12- month) ceased publication as of June 30, 2023. In addition, global regulators have announced that, with limited exceptions, no new LIBOR-based contracts should be entered into after 2021.
Over the past several years, various regulators and industry bodies identified alternative reference rates (“ARRs”) to replace LIBOR and assist with the transition to the new ARRs. While the transition process away from LIBOR has become increasingly well-defined, there remains uncertainty and risks related to converting certain longer-term securities and transactions to a new ARR. For example, there can be no assurance that the composition or characteristics of any ARRs or financial instruments in which a fund invests that utilize ARRs will be similar to or produce the same value or economic equivalence as LIBOR or that these instruments will have the same volume or liquidity. Additionally, while some instruments tied to LIBOR or a similar rate may include a replacement rate, not all instruments have such fallback provisions, and the effectiveness of such replacement rates remains uncertain. The cessation of LIBOR or similar rates could affect the value and liquidity of investments tied to these rates, especially those that do not include fallback provisions. While it is expected that market participants will amend legacy financial instruments referencing LIBOR to include such fallback provisions to ARRs, there remains uncertainty regarding the willingness and ability of parties to add or amend such fallback provisions in legacy instruments.
Any effects of the transition away from LIBOR and the adoption of ARRs, as well as other unforeseen effects, could result in losses. Furthermore, the risks associated with the discontinuation of LIBOR and transition to replacement rates may be exacerbated if an orderly transition to an ARR is not completed in a timely manner.
Natural Disaster/Epidemic Risk
Natural or environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, and other severe weather-related phenomena generally, and widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, have been and can be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of a fund’s investments. Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region are increasingly likely to adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries. These disruptions could prevent a fund from executing advantageous
49
investment decisions in a timely manner and could negatively impact the fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of a fund.
Insurance
Financial health of municipal bond insurance companies
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF (for purposes of this section, the “Fund”) may invest in municipal bonds that are “wrapped” with a municipal bond insurance policy from one of several “monoline” financial guarantors.
During the period of the mid 1990s through mid 2000s, several financial guarantors expanded their business lines to include the writing of insurance policies and credit default swap contracts for structured finance, which includes residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”) and collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”) that contain both sub-prime and prime mortgages and home equity lines of credit (“HELOCs”). The structured finance portion of the financial guarantors accounted for about one third of the $2.5 trillion in insured par values.
The national housing slowdown and the widespread decline of home prices that began in 2006 triggered a significant increase in mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures, especially in the sub-prime mortgage sector. The rate of delinquencies and foreclosures greatly exceeded historical averages, especially for sub-prime mortgages and HELOCs that were underwritten in 2006 and 2007 as underwriting standards declined. During the summer and fall of 2007, all but two of the seven “first tier” or AAA-rated financial guarantors began to report sharp increases in their mark-to-market losses associated with the credit default swap contracts for insured RMBS and CDO exposure. The monoline insurers also began to set aside case loss reserves for future expected monetary losses associated with the payment of future claims in their structured finance portfolios. With the rise in delinquencies and weaker performance in mortgage pools, and CDOs with sub-prime exposure, the three rating agencies developed updates of their capital adequacy models for the financial guarantors. Extensive revisions to the capital models were completed in the second half of 2007. The revised capital models projected that future cumulative losses from sub-prime mortgages, HELOCs, and CDOs with sub-prime exposure would eat into the excess capital reserves that are necessary for the monoline insurers to maintain their AAA insurer financial strength rating. All three rating agencies disclosed that several of the monoline insurers would experience capital shortfalls that would require new capital infusions and risk reduction measures or else the insurer financial strength rating for the monoline insurers would be downgraded to below AAA.
In response to the higher loss expectations in structured finance, several of the monoline insurers announced or completed plans to raise additional capital and claims-paying resources. Starting in January 2008, the three rating agencies began to take negative actions against a number of the municipal bond insurers. These actions included actual rating downgrades, assigning negative outlooks, and/or placing the insurer financial strength rating on credit watch for possible downgrade.
During 2008, the rating agencies continued to revise their capital adequacy models to incorporate higher loss assumptions in the insured structured finance portfolios of RMBS and CDOs with mortgage-backed securities exposure. These more severe stress case loss scenarios resulted in additional downgrades for the monoline firms in 2008, with additional downgrades continuing through 2013.
In 2013, several of the monoline firms reached settlements related to insured RMBS, resulting in cash payments. Following the announcement of such settlements, the ratings for each of the firms was upgraded, and their outlook was deemed to be positive.
In 2014, insurers were impacted by the enactment by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico of a law, the Puerto Rico Public Corporation Debt Enforcement and Recovery Act (Recovery Act), that allowed public corporations to defer or restructure their debt obligations. Subsequently in 2014, the ratings agencies adjusted their outlooks on account of exposure to Puerto Rico insurers.
Total municipal bond issuance year-to-date as of June 30, 2026, was $299.3 billion. The amount of bonds sold as insured was $18.0 billion or 6.0% of total sales.
50
The Manager anticipates that substantially all of the insured municipal obligations in the Fund’s investment portfolio will be covered by either primary insurance or secondary market insurance. Primary insurance is a municipal bond insurance policy that is attached to a municipal bond at the time the bond is first sold in the primary market (“Primary Insurance”). Secondary market insurance is a municipal bond insurance policy that is underwritten for a bond that has been previously issued and sold (“Secondary Market Insurance”). Both Primary Insurance and Secondary Market Insurance are non-cancelable and continue in force so long as the insured security is outstanding and the respective insurer remains in business. Premiums for Secondary Market Insurance, if any, would be paid from the Fund’s assets and would reduce the current yield on its investment portfolio by the amount of such premiums.
Insurer financial strength ratings continue to be provided by Moody’s and S&P. A Moody’s insurer financial strength rating is an opinion of the ability of an insurance company to repay punctually senior policyholder obligations and claims. An insurer with an insured financial strength rating of Aaa is adjudged by Moody’s to be of the best quality. In the opinion of Moody’s, the policy obligations of an insurance company with an insured financial strength rating of Aaa carry the smallest degree of credit risk and, while the financial strength of these companies is likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the company’s fundamentally strong position. An S&P insurer financial strength, financial enhancement rating is an assessment of an operating insurance company’s financial capacity to meet obligations under an insurance policy in accordance with its terms. An insurer with an insurer financial strength, financial enhancement rating of AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The capacity of an insurer so rated to honor insurance contracts is adjudged by S&P to be extremely strong and highly likely to remain so over a long period of time.
An insurer financial strength rating by Moody’s or S&P does not constitute an opinion on any specific insurance contract in that such an opinion can only be rendered upon the review of the specific insurance contract.
Furthermore, an insurer financial strength rating does not take into account deductibles, surrender, or cancellation penalties or the timeliness of payment; nor does it address the ability of a company to meet non-policy obligations (i.e., debt contracts).
The assignment of ratings by Moody’s or S&P to debt issues that are fully or partially supported by insurance policies, contracts or guarantees is a separate process from the determination of insurer financial strength ratings. The likelihood of a timely flow of funds from the insurer to the trustee for the bondholders is a likely element in the rating determination for such debt issues.
The following table is a summary snapshot of the insurer financial strength ratings of certain municipal bond insurers that may insure bonds held by the Fund available as of June 30, 2026:
|
Insurer
|
Moody’s
|
S&P
|
Fitch
|
|
Assured Guaranty Corp.
|
A1 (Stable Outlook)
|
AA (Stable Outlook)
|
WD
|
|
Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp.
|
WR
|
NR
|
WD
|
|
Build America Mutual
|
Not Rated
|
AA (Stable Outlook)
|
Not Rated
|
|
Berkshire Hathaway Assurance Co.
|
Aa1 (Stable Outlook)
|
AA+ (Stable Outlook)
|
Not Rated
|
|
National Public Finance Guaranty
|
Baa3 (Negative Outlook)
|
NR
|
WD
|
Source: Moody’s, S&P, Fitch
Insurer financial strength ratings for the municipal bond insurers may continue to change. None of Assured Guaranty Corp., Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp., Build America Mutual, Berkshire Hathaway Assurance Co., or National Public Finance Guaranty has any material business relationship with the Fund.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
On each business day of the Funds, before the opening of regular trading on the Exchange, each Fund will disclose on its website (global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf) certain information relating to the portfolio holdings that will form the basis for a Fund’s next calculation of NAV per share. Consistent with current law, the
51
Funds also release complete portfolio holdings information each fiscal quarter through regulatory filings with no more than a 60-day lag.
Each business day, each Fund’s portfolio holdings information will be provided to the Distributor or other agents for dissemination through the facilities of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC) and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee-based subscription services, including large institutional investors (known as “Authorized Participants”) that have been authorized by the Distributor to purchase and redeem large blocks of shares pursuant to legal requirements, and to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Funds in the secondary market.
Portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Funds in the ordinary course of business after it has been disseminated to the NSCC. From time to time, information concerning portfolio holdings other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Funds in the ordinary course of business. The eligible third parties to whom portfolio holdings information may be released in advance of general release fall into the following categories: data consolidators (including rating agencies), fund rating/ranking services and other data providers and service providers to the Funds, including Authorized Participants and pricing services.
52
Management of the Trust
Trustees and officers
The business and affairs of the Trust are managed under the direction of its Board of Trustees. Information on the Trust’s Trustees and principal officers is provided below. The Trustees serve for indefinite terms until their mandatory retirement, resignation, death, or removal. Trustees who are not “interested persons” as defined by the 1940 Act are referred to as the “Independent Trustees”.
As of the date of this SAI, the Funds have not yet commenced operations and therefore the officers and Trustees of the Trust did not own any of the outstanding shares of each Fund.
|
Name, Address,
and Birth Year |
Position(s) Held
with the Trust
|
Length of Time
Served1 |
Number of
Funds in Fund Complex
Overseen
by Trustee
|
Principal
Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years |
Other Directorships Held
by Trustee During
the Past Five Years
|
|
Interested Trustee
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shawn K. Lytle2
100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1970
|
President, Chief Executive
Officer, and Trustee |
President and Chief Executive Officer since August 2015
Trustee since
September 2015 |
[ ]
|
Nomura Asset Management
International3—Chief Executive Officer (2025-Present); Macquarie Asset Management4 (2015–2025)—Head of Equities & Multi-Asset (2023–2025); Head of Americas of Macquarie Group (2017–2025); Global Head of Public Investments (2019–2023) |
None
|
|
Independent Trustees
|
|||||
|
Jerome D. Abernathy
100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1959
|
Trustee
|
Since January 2019
|
[ ]
|
Stonebrook Capital Management, LLC (financial technology: macro factors and databases)—
Managing Member
(1993–Present) |
Computers for People, 2023-Present
Hoboken Community Center 2026-Present
|
|
Ann D. Borowiec
100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1958
|
Trustee
|
Since March 2015
|
[ ]
|
J.P. Morgan Chase
& Co. (1987–2013)—
Chief Executive Officer,
Private Wealth Management (2011–2013) |
Nomura ETF Trust (2026-present)
|
53
|
Joseph W. Chow
100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1953
|
Trustee
|
Since January 2013
|
[ ]
|
Private Investor (2011–Present); State Street Bank and
Trust Company (1996–2011)—Executive Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management and Emerging Economies Strategy; and Chief Risk and Corporate Administration Officer |
None
|
|
John A. Fry
100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1960
|
Trustee
|
Since January 2001
|
[ ]
|
Temple University—President
(2024–Present)
Drexel University—President
(2010-2024) |
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
(2020–Present)
Kresge Foundation
(2018–Present)
FS Credit Real Estate
Income Trust, Inc. (2018–Present)
vTv Therapeutics Inc.
(2017–2024)
Community Health
Systems (2004–Present) |
|
Joseph Harroz, Jr.
100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1967
|
Trustee
|
Since November 19985
|
[ ]
|
University of Oklahoma—President (2020–Present); Interim President (2019–2020); Vice President and Dean, College of Law (2010–2019)
Brookhaven Investments LLC (commercial enterprises) — Managing Member (2019–Present)
St. Clair, LLC (commercial enterprises)—Managing Member (2019–Present)
|
OU Health, Inc.
(2020–Present)
Big 12 Athletic Conference (2019–July 1, 2024)
Valliance Bank
(2007–Present)
Southeastern Athletic Conference
(July 1, 2024–Present) |
54
|
Sandra A.J. Lawrence
100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1957
|
Trustee
|
Since April 20195
|
[ ]
|
Children’s Mercy Hospitals and
Clinics (2005–2019)—Chief Administrative Officer (2016–2019) |
Brixmor Property Group
Inc. (2021–Present)
Sera Prognostics Inc.
(biotechnology) (2021–Present)
Recology (resource
recovery) (2021–2023)
Evergy, Inc., Kansas City Power & Light Company,
KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company, Westar Energy, Inc. and Kansas Gas and Electric Company (related utility companies) (2018–Present)
National Association of Corporate Directors (2017–Present)
American Shared Hospital
Services (medical device) (2017–2021)
Hall (Hallmark) Family Foundation & Chinquapin Trusts (1993-Present)
|
|
Frances A.
Sevilla-Sacasa 100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1956
|
Trustee
|
Since September 2011
|
[ ]
|
Banco Itaú International—Chief Executive Officer (2012–2016); US Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management—President (2007-2008); U.S. Trust Corp.—President & CEO (2005-2007)
|
Invitation Homes Inc.
(2023-Present)
Florida Chapter of National
Association of Corporate Directors (2021–Present)
Callon Petroleum
Company (2019–2024)
Camden Property Trust
(2011–Present)
New Senior Investment
Group Inc. (REIT) (2021) |
55
|
Thomas K. Whitford
100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1956
|
Chair and
Trustee
|
Trustee since January 2013
Chair since January 2023
|
[ ]
|
PNC Financial Services Group (1983–2013)—Vice Chairman (2009–2013)
|
HSBC USA Inc.
(2014–2022)
HSBC North America
Holdings Inc. (2013–2022) |
|
Christianna Wood
100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1959
|
Trustee
|
Since January 2019
|
[ ]
|
Gore Creek Capital, Ltd.—Chief Executive Officer and President (2009–Present); Capital
Z Asset Management—Chief Executive Officer (2008-2009); California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS)—Senior Investment Officer of Global Equity (2002–2008) |
The Merger Fund
(2013–2021), The Merger Fund VL (2013–2021), WCM Alternatives: Event-Driven Fund (2013–2021), and WCM Alternatives: Credit Event Fund (2017–2021)
Grange Insurance
(2013–Present)
H&R Block Corporation
(2008–2022) |
|
Brian A.
Swain
100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1969
|
Trustee
|
Since August 2026
|
[ ]
|
Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Howard
University (February 2018–Present) |
Director, Montgomery County, Maryland Employee Retirement Plan’s Investment Trust
Nomura ETF Trust (2023-Present)
|
|
Name,
Address, and
Birth Year
|
Position(s) Held
with the Trust
|
Length of Time
Served1
|
Principal Occupation(s) During
the Past Five Years |
|
Officers
|
|
|
|
|
Aaron C. Buser
100 Independence 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1970
|
Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary
|
Vice President since August 2022;
General Counsel and Secretary since May 2025 |
Aaron C. Buser has served in various capacities at Nomura Asset Management since December 2025; previously, he served in various capacities at MAM since June 2022; prior to that, he served as Vice President and Assistant Secretary at SEI Investments Management Corporation and SEI Funds
|
56
|
David F. Connor6
100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1963
|
Senior Vice President and
Assistant Secretary |
Senior Vice President since May 2013; Assistant Secretary
since May 2025 |
David F. Connor has served in various capacities at Nomura Asset Management since December 2025; previously, he served in various capacities at different times at MAM.
|
|
Daniel V. Geatens6
100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1972
|
Senior Vice President and Treasurer
|
Senior Vice President since December 2020; Treasurer
since October 2007 |
Daniel V. Geatens has served in various capacities at Nomura Asset Management since December 2025; previously, he served in various capacities at different times at MAM.
|
|
Richard Salus6
100 Independence, 610 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354
1963
|
Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer |
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since
November 2006 |
Richard Salus has served in various capacities at Nomura Asset Management since December 2025; previously, he served in various capacities at different times at MAM.
|
|
1
|
“Length of Time Served” refers to the time since the Trustee or officer began serving one or more of the Trusts in the Nomura Funds complex.
|
|
2
|
Shawn K. Lytle is considered to be an “Interested Trustee” because he is an executive officer of the Manager.
|
|
3
|
Nomura Asset Management is part of the Investment Management Division of the Nomura Group, including the Funds’ Manager, principal underwriter, and transfer agent.
|
|
4
|
Macquarie Asset Management (“MAM”) is the marketing name for certain companies comprising the asset management division of Macquarie Group.
|
|
5
|
Includes time served on the Board of the Ivy Funds complex prior to the date when the Ivy Funds joined the Nomura Funds complex.
|
|
6
|
David F. Connor and Daniel V. Geatens serve in similar capacities for the portfolios of Optimum Fund Trust, which have the same investment manager, principal underwriter, and transfer agent as the Funds. Mr. Geatens also serves as the Chief Financial Officer of the Optimum Fund Trust.
|
The following table shows each Trustee’s ownership of shares of the Funds and of shares of all Nomura Funds as of December 31, 2025.
|
Name
|
Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in the Funds |
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities1 in All Registered Investment
Companies Overseen by Trustee in
Family of Investment Companies
|
|
Interested Trustee
|
|
|
|
Shawn K. Lytle
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
|
Independent Trustees
|
|
|
|
Jerome D. Abernathy
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
57
|
Ann D. Borowiec
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
|
|
Joseph W. Chow
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
|
|
John A. Fry
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
|
|
Joseph Harroz, Jr.
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
|
|
Sandra A.J. Lawrence
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
|
|
Frances A. Sevilla-Sacasa
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
|
|
Thomas K. Whitford
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
|
|
Christianna Wood
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
|
|
Brian Swain2
|
None
|
None
|
|
|
1
|
The ranges for equity securities ownership by each Trustee are: none; $1-$10,000; $10,001-$50,000; $50,001-$100,000; or over $100,000.
|
||
|
2
|
Mr. Swain became a Trustee effective August 1, 2026.
|
||
58
The following table describes the estimated compensation received by each Trustee entitled to receive compensation for the Trust’s fiscal year ended March 31, 2026. Only the Independent Trustees of the Trust receive compensation from the Trust.
|
Trustee
|
Aggregate
Compensation from
the Trust
|
Pension or Retirement
Benefits Accrued as
Part of Fund Expenses
|
Total Compensation from
the Investment Companies in
the Nomura Funds Complex1
|
|
|
Jerome D. Abernathy
|
None
|
None
|
$427,500
|
|
|
Ann D. Borowiec
|
None
|
None
|
$420,000
|
|
|
Joseph W. Chow
|
None
|
None
|
$397,500
|
|
|
John A. Fry
|
None
|
None
|
$405,000
|
|
|
Joseph Harroz, Jr.
|
None
|
None
|
$427,500
|
|
|
Sandra A.J. Lawrence
|
None
|
None
|
$397,500
|
|
|
Frances A. Sevilla-Sacasa
|
None
|
None
|
$433,750
|
|
|
Thomas K. Whitford (Chair)
|
None
|
None
|
$523,750
|
|
|
Christianna Wood
|
None
|
None
|
$427,500
|
|
|
Brian Swain2
|
None
|
None
|
None
|
|
|
1
|
Each Independent Trustee receives an annual retainer fee for serving as a Trustee for the investment companies in the Nomura Funds family of funds ([ ] funds in the complex) for which they serve, plus certain meeting fees. The committee chairs and Board Chair also receive retainers for serving as committee chair or serving as Board Chair, respectively. An Independent Trustee may receive additional fees based on determination by the Board Chair and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
|
|||
|
2
|
Mr. Swain became a Trustee effective August 1, 2026.
|
|||
59
Common Board of Trustees: The business of the Trust is managed under the direction of its Board. The Trustees also serve on the Boards of all the other investment companies that comprise the Nomura Funds. The Trustees believe that having a common Board for all funds in the complex is efficient and enhances the ability of the Board to address its responsibilities to each fund in the complex. The Trustees believe that the common board structure allows the Trustees to leverage their individual expertise and that their judgment is enhanced by being Trustees of all of the funds in the complex.
Size and Composition of Board: The Board is currently composed of eleven Trustees. Ten of the eleven are Independent Trustees. The Board is composed of Trustees with a variety of professional backgrounds and experiences. The Board believes that the skill sets of its members are complementary and add to the overall effectiveness of the Board. The Trustees regard diversity as an important consideration in the present composition of the Board and the selection of qualified candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. In order to ensure that Board membership will be refreshed from time to time, the Board has adopted a mandatory retirement age of 75 for Trustees. As a result, a Trustee may serve until December 31 of the calendar year in which such Trustee reaches the age of 75. At the discretion of the other Trustees, active service for a particular Trustee may be extended for a limited period of time beyond a Trustee’s normal retirement date.
Qualifications of the Trustees: The Board has concluded that, based on each Trustee’s experience, qualifications, attributes or skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees, each Trustee should serve as a Trustee. In reaching its determination the Board, at the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, considers, in light of the Trust’s business and structure, the individual’s experience, qualifications, attributes, and skills. No one such factor is determinative, but some of the relevant factors that have been considered include: (i) the Trustee’s educational background; business, professional training or practice; public service or academic positions; experience from service as a board member (including the Board) or as an executive of investment funds, public companies or significant private or not-for-profit entities or other organizations, and/or other life experiences; (ii) the ability to work effectively and collegially with other people; (iii) how the Trustee’s background and attributes contribute to the overall mix of skills and experience on the Board as a whole; and (iv) the Trustee’s willingness and ability to contribute to the Board’s oversight and decision-making functions and provide the necessary skills to allow the Board to carry out its responsibilities. In addition to the table above, set forth below is a brief discussion of the specific experience, qualifications and skills of each Trustee that led the Board to conclude that he or she should serve as a Trustee.
Jerome D. Abernathy — Mr. Abernathy has extensive experience in the investment management industry. He has been the Managing Member of Stonebrook Capital Management, LLC (financial technology: macro factors and databases) since 1993 and has served in various roles including Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner. Prior to that, Mr. Abernathy served as a Managing Director at Guggenheim Investments, Director of Research at Moore Capital Management, and as a trader and researcher at Morgan Stanley. He also has experience as a director of other corporate and not-for-profit boards. Mr. Abernathy received a B.S. in electrical engineering from Howard University and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has served on the Board since January 2019.
Ann D. Borowiec — Ms. Borowiec has extensive experience in the banking, and wealth management industry. She is currently a private investor. She was previously the Chief Executive Officer of Private Wealth Management at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. from 2011 to 2013. During her 25 year career at J.P. Morgan, she served in a variety of senior roles including running the U.S. Private Bank, leading the global marketing team for Private Banking, and running Investor relations for J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. Ms. Borowiec began her career in public accounting. She also has experience as a director of other corporate and not-for-profit boards, including, among others, Santander Bank N.A., Banco Santander International and the New Jersey Symphony. Ms. Borowiec holds a B.B.A. from Texas Christian University and an M.B.A. from Harvard University. She has served on the Board since March 2015.
Joseph W. Chow — Mr. Chow has extensive experience in the banking and financial services industry, including investments, risk management and business strategy. Mr. Chow is currently a private investor. He was previously at
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State Street Bank and Trust Company where he held a number of positions between 1990 and 2011, including Executive Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management, Executive Vice President of Emerging Economies Strategy, and Chief Risk and Corporate Administration Officer. He also has experience as a director of other corporate and not-for-profit boards, including Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. Mr. Chow holds a B.A. degree from Brandeis University and a M.C.P. (city planning) and a M.S in Management (finance) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has served on the Board since January 2013.
John A. Fry — Mr. Fry has extensive experience in higher education. Having served in senior management for four major institutions of higher learning, he has extensive experience overseeing areas such as finance, investments, risk-management, internal audit, and information technology. He has been the President of Temple University since 2024. Prior to that he served as President of Drexel University from 2010 to 2024; President of Franklin & Marshall College from 2002 to 2010; Executive Vice President of the University of Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2002, and as a management consultant for the higher education and non-profit sectors at Coopers & Lybrand’s National Higher Education Consulting Practice from 1990 to 1995 and KPMG Peat Marwick from 1982 to 1990. He also has extensive experience as a director of other corporate and not-for-profit boards, including, among others, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, the Kresge Foundation and FS Credit Real Estate Income Trust Inc. Mr. Fry holds a B.A. degree in American Civilization from Lafayette College and an M.B.A. from New York University. He has served on the Board since January 2001.
Joseph Harroz, Jr. — Mr. Harroz has extensive experience in higher education. He has been the President of the University of Oklahoma since 2020. Prior to that he served as the Interim President from 2019 to 2020, Dean of the College of Law from 2010 to 2019, General Counsel from 1997 to 2019 and Vice President of Executive Affairs from 1994 to 1997. Mr. Harroz is a Managing Member of Brookhaven Investments LLC and St. Clair, LLC, each commercial enterprises, since 2019. He also has experience as a director of other corporate and not-for-profit boards, including OU Health, Inc., Southeastern Athletic Conference, Big 12 Athletic Conference and Valliance Bank. Mr. Harroz holds a B.A. degree from the University of Oklahoma and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. He has been on the Board since April 2021 and prior to that on the Board of Trustees of the Ivy Funds from November 1998 to April 2021, serving as chair of that board for more than a decade.
Sandra A.J. Lawrence — Ms. Lawrence has extensive experience in the healthcare and financial services sectors. She is currently a private investor. Ms. Lawrence was Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Vice President of Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics from 2016 to 2019 and Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President from 2005 to 2016. Prior to that, she was Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Midwest Research Institute (MRI) from 2004 to 2005, Vice President and Administrator of Gateway, Inc. from 1998 to 2000, General Manager of Gateway’s Kansas City operation from 1997 to 1998, Director of MRI’s Statistics & Economics Center from 1995 to 1997, and President of Stern Brothers (investment bank) from 1992 to 1995. Ms. Lawrence also previously served as interim Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Medical Research, President and Chief Executive Officer of Global Packaging Solutions, Inc., and in various roles in commercial real estate development. She also has extensive experience as a director of other corporate, private, and not-for-profit boards. Ms. Lawrence holds a B.A. from Vassar College, an M.Arch from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. She has served on the Board since April 2021. Prior to that, she served on the Board of Trustees of the Ivy Funds from April 2019 to April 2021.
Frances A. Sevilla-Sacasa — Ms. Sevilla-Sacasa has extensive experience in banking and wealth management. She is currently a private investor and was CEO of Banco Itaú International, Miami, Florida, from April 2012 to December 2016. She served as Executive Advisor to the Dean of the University of Miami School of Business from August 2011 to March 2012, Interim Dean of the University of Miami School of Business from January 2011 to July 2011, President of US Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management from July 2007 to December 2008, President and CEO of US Trust Company from early 2007 until June 2007, and President of US Trust Company from November 2005 until June 2007. She previously served in a variety of roles with Citigroup’s private banking business, including President of Latin America Private Banking, President of Europe Private Banking, and Head of International Trust Business. She also has experience as a director of other corporate and not-for-profit boards. Ms. Sevilla-Sacasa holds a B.A. from the University of Miami and an M.B.A from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. She has served on the Board since September 2011.
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Thomas K. Whitford — Mr. Whitford has extensive experience in the banking and financial services industry. He is currently a private investor. He was the Vice Chairman of PNC Financial Services Group from 2009 to 2013. Prior to that, he held a number of other leadership positions at PNC, including Chairman of National City Bank (responsible for PNC’s integration of National City Corporation) from 2008 to 2009, Chief Administrative Officer from 2007 to 2008, Chief Risk Officer from 2002 to 2007, Chief Executive Officer of PNC’s Wealth Management business from 1997 to 2001 and other positions from 1983 to 1997. He also has previous experience as a director of other corporate and not-for-profit boards, including among others, HSBC North America Holdings Inc., HSBC Finance Corporation, Longwood Gardens and The Barnes Foundation. Mr. Whitford holds a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Whitford has served on the Board since January 2013 and chair since January 2023.
Christianna Wood — Ms. Wood has extensive portfolio management experience in the institutional investment management industry. She has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Gore Creek Capital, Ltd. since 2009. Prior to that she served as the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Z Asset Management (one of the largest independent sponsors of hedge funds) from 2008 to 2009 and as the Senior Investment Officer of Global Equity of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) (the largest public pension plan in the United States) from 2002 to 2008. At CalPERS, in addition to the responsibility for their $150 billion global equity portfolio, Ms. Wood also had oversight responsibilities for CalPERS corporate governance program and ESG strategies. She has extensive experience as a non-executive director of numerous corporate and not-for-profit boards. Ms. Wood received a B.A. in economics from Vassar College and an M.B.A. in finance from New York University. Ms. Wood was a 2018 Harvard University Advanced Leadership Fellow. She has served on the Board since January 2019.
Brian A. Swain — Mr. Swain has extensive experience in the investment management industry. Mr. Swain joined Howard University in February 2018 and is currently the Deputy Chief Investment Officer for Howard University’s investment office responsible for the management of the Endowment and Retirement Trust. He is also currently an appointed board member of Montgomery County Employee Retirement Plan’s Investment Trust in Maryland and has served since October 2021. Prior to joining Howard University, Mr. Swain worked for 28 years in various roles including Senior Managing Director and portfolio manager of Tiburon Capital Management LLC, co-founder and Chief Investment Officer for Quattro Global Capital LLC, analyst, head of research and portfolio manager for the Palladin Group LLC, and received credit and analytical training at Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. Mr. Swain received a Bachelor of Science, Finance in 1990 from The Pennsylvania State University, is a chartered financial analyst (CFA), member of the CFA Institute and CFA Washington.
Shawn K. Lytle — Mr. Lytle is Chief Executive Officer of Nomura Asset Management International, where he is responsible for overseeing the business, investment teams, and strategies for clients. He joined Nomura Asset Management as part of Nomura’s acquisition of Macquarie Asset Management’s US and European public investments business in 2025. He also serves as the President of Nomura Funds (formerly, Macquarie Funds) and oversees registered vehicle governance in the US and Europe. Mr. Lytle is a member of the Nomura Asset Management International Executive Committee. He has more than 30 years of asset management experience. Before joining Macquarie in 2015, he held several management and equity investment roles at UBS Asset Management and various roles at J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Mr. Lytle is a member of the Investment Company Institute (ICI) Executive Committee. He is also a board member of OppNet and Philadelphia Financial Scholars, in addition to being the former Chairman of the National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP). He earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing from The McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.
Board Leadership Structure: The Board has overall responsibility for the oversight of the Funds. The Chair of the Board is an Independent Trustee and the Chair of each Committee of the Board is an Independent Trustee. The Board has seven standing Committees: Audit Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, Compliance Committee, ETF Committee, Equity Investments Committee, Fixed Income, Multi-Asset and Sub-advised Fund Investments Committee, and Committee of Independent Trustees. The role of the Chair of the Board is to preside at all meetings of the Board, to act as a liaison with service providers, fund officers, legal counsel and other Trustees generally between meetings and to actively develop meeting agendas. The Chair of each Committee performs a similar role with respect to the Committee. The Chair of the Board or the Chair of a Committee may also perform such other functions as may be delegated by the Board or the Committee, respectively, from time to time.
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The Board has regular meetings five times a year, and may hold special meetings if required before its next regular meeting. Each Committee meets regularly to conduct the oversight functions delegated to that Committee by the Board and reports its findings to the Board. The Board and each standing Committee conduct annual assessments of their oversight function and structure. The Board has determined that the Board’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to exercise independent judgment over management and to allocate areas of responsibility among Committees and the full Board to enhance effective oversight.
Audit Committee: This committee monitors accounting and financial reporting policies, practices, and internal controls, as well as valuation matters for the Trust. It also oversees the quality and objectivity of the Trust’s financial statements and the independent audit thereof, and acts as a liaison between the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm and the full Board. The committee currently consists of the following Independent Trustees: Frances A. Sevilla-Sacasa, Chair; Christianna Wood; and Joseph W. Chow. The Audit Committee did not meet during the Trust’s last fiscal year
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee: This committee is responsible for nominating Trustees and making recommendations to the Board concerning Board composition, committee structure and governance, director education, and governance practices. The committee currently consists of the following Independent Trustees: Ann D. Borowiec, Chair; John A. Fry; and Sandra A.J. Lawrence. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee did not meet during the Trust’s last fiscal year.
The committee will consider shareholder recommendations for nomination to the Board only in the event that there is a vacancy on the Board. Shareholders who wish to submit recommendations for nominations to the Board to fill a vacancy must submit their recommendations in writing to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, c/o Nomura Funds at 100 Independence, 610 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354. At a minimum, the recommendation should include: the name, address and business, educational and/or other pertinent background of the person being recommended; a statement concerning whether the person is an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act; any other information that the Funds would be required to include in a proxy statement concerning the person if he or she was nominated; and the name and address of the person submitting the recommendation, together with the number of Fund shares held by such person and the period for which the shares have been held. The recommendation also can include any additional information which the person submitting it believes would assist the committee in evaluating the recommendation.
In evaluating nominees, the committee considers, among other things, an individual’s background, skills, and experience; whether the individual is an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act; and whether the individual would be deemed an “audit committee financial expert” within the meaning of applicable SEC rules. The committee also considers whether the individual’s background, skills, and experience will complement the background, skills, and experience of other nominees and will contribute to the diversity of the Board.
ETF Committee: This committee is responsible for assisting the Board with the oversight, monitoring, and evaluation of the ETFs within the Nomura Funds complex managed by Nomura Asset Management International and the Manager. The committee currently consists of the following Independent Trustees: Brian A. Swain, Chair; Ann D. Borowiec; Jerome D. Abernathy; and Frances A. Sevilla-Sacasa. The ETF Committee did not meet during the Trust’s last fiscal year.
Compliance Committee: This committee assists the Board’s oversight of the Funds’ compliance program and the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer and also provides assistance to the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to policies and procedures related to compliance, regulatory, legal and operational risk mitigation measures and controls involving the Fund and their service providers (other than matters primarily involving the Funds’ auditors or related to valuation or investment related risk). The committee currently consists of the following Independent Trustees: Joseph Harroz, Jr., Chair; Jerome D. Abernathy; Ann D. Borowiec; and Sandra A.J. Lawrence. The Compliance Committee did not meet during the Trust’s last fiscal year.
Investments Committees: Each of the Investments Committees works to assist the Board in the oversight, monitoring, and evaluation of Fund performance, investment-related risks and other related matters. The Committees meet with the investment management team representatives of the Funds from time to time to discuss
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investment performance and investment process and perform such other functions as may be delegated to it from time to time by the Board.
The Equity Investments Committee currently consists of the following Independent Trustees: Christianna Wood, Chair; Ann D. Borowiec; and Joseph Harroz, Jr. The Equity Investments Committee did not meet during the Trust’s last fiscal year.
The Fixed Income, Multi-Asset and Sub-advised Fund Investments Committee consists of the following Independent Trustees: Jerome D. Abernathy, Chair; Joseph W. Chow; John A. Fry; Sandra A.J. Lawrence; and Frances A. Sevilla-Sacasa. The Fixed Income, Multi-Asset and Sub-advised Fund Investments Committee did not meet during the Trust’s last fiscal year.
Committee of Independent Trustees: This committee oversees the approval process of the Funds’ advisory and distribution agreements and arrangements, serves as a liaison between the Board and the Manager and the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer and undertakes other responsibilities. The committee is comprised of all of the Trust’s Independent Trustees. The Committee of Independent Trustees did not meet during the Trust’s last fiscal year.
Board Role in Risk Oversight: Investing in general and the operation of a Fund involve a variety of risks, such as investment risk, illiquidity risk, compliance risk, and operational risk, among others. The Board oversees risk as part of its oversight of the Funds. Risk oversight is addressed as part of various regular Board and committee activities. The Board, directly or through its committees, reviews reports from among others, the Manager, sub-advisers, the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, counsel, and other parties, as appropriate, regarding risks faced by the Funds and the risk management programs of the Manager and certain service providers. The actual day-to-day risk management with respect to the Funds resides with the Manager and other service providers to the Funds. Although the risk management policies of the Manager and the service providers are designed to be effective, those policies and their implementation vary among service providers and over time, and there is no guarantee that they will be effective. Not all risks that may affect the Funds can be identified or processes and controls developed to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects, and some risks are simply beyond any control of the Funds or the Manager, its affiliates or other service providers.
Code of Ethics
The Trust, the Manager, NCRAM, and the Distributor have adopted Codes of Ethics in compliance with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, which govern personal securities transactions. Under the Codes of Ethics, persons subject to the Codes are permitted to engage in personal securities transactions, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds, subject to the requirements set forth in Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and certain other procedures set forth in the applicable Code of Ethics. The Codes of Ethics are on public file with, and are available from, the SEC.
Proxy Voting Policies
The Trust has formally delegated to the Manager the responsibility for making all proxy voting decisions in relation to portfolio securities held by the Funds. If and when proxies need to be voted on behalf of the Funds, the Manager and any Nomura affiliates advising the Funds (collectively, the “Nomura Advisers”) will vote such proxies pursuant to proxy voting policies and procedures adopted by the Nomura Advisers (the “Procedures”). The Nomura Advisers have established a Proxy Voting Committee (the “Committee”), which is responsible for overseeing the Nomura Advisers’ proxy voting process for the Funds. One of the main responsibilities of the Committee is to review and approve the Procedures to ensure that the Procedures are designed to allow the Nomura Advisers to vote proxies in a manner consistent with the goal of voting in the best interests of the Funds.
In order to facilitate the actual process of voting proxies, the Nomura Advisers have contracted with proxy advisory firms to analyze proxy statements on behalf of the Funds and the Nomura Advisers’ other clients and provide the Nomura Advisers with research recommendations on upcoming proxy votes in accordance with the Procedures. The Committee is responsible for overseeing the proxy advisory firms’ services. If a proxy has been voted for the Funds, the proxy advisory firm will create a record of the vote. By no later than August 31 of each year, information (if any) regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recently disclosed 12-
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month period ended June 30 is available without charge (i) through the Funds’ website at nomuraassetmanagement.com/proxy; and (ii) on the Commission’s website at www.sec.gov.
When determining whether to invest in a particular company, one of the factors the Nomura Advisers may consider is the quality and depth of the company’s management. As a result, the Nomura Advisers believe that recommendations of management on any issue (particularly routine issues) should be given a fair amount of weight in determining how proxy issues should be voted. Thus, on many issues, the Nomura Advisers’ votes are cast in accordance with the recommendations of the company’s management. However, the Nomura Advisers may vote against management’s position when it runs counter to the Nomura Advisers’ specific Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”), and the Nomura Advisers will also vote against management’s recommendation when the Nomura Advisers believe such position is not in the best interests of the Funds.
As stated above, the Procedures also list specific Guidelines on how to vote proxies on behalf of the Funds. Some examples of the Guidelines are as follows: (i) generally vote for shareholder proposals asking that a majority or more of directors be independent; (ii) generally vote for management or shareholder proposals to reduce supermajority vote requirements, taking into account: ownership structure; quorum requirements; and vote requirements; (iii) votes on mergers and acquisitions should be considered on a case-by-case basis; (iv) votes with respect to equity-based compensation plans are generally determined on a case-by-case basis; (v) generally vote for proposals requesting a report on greenhouse gas emissions from company operations unless the company already discloses such information and there are no material issues associated with the company’s greenhouse gas emissions; and (vi) generally vote for management proposals to institute open-market share repurchase plans in which all shareholders may participate on equal terms.
Because the Trust has delegated proxy voting to the Manager, the Funds are not expected to encounter any conflict of interest issues regarding proxy voting and therefore does not have procedures regarding this matter. However, there is a section in the Procedures that addresses the possibility of conflicts of interest. Most of the proxies which the Nomura Advisers receive on behalf of their clients are voted in accordance with the Procedures. Since the Procedures are pre-determined by the Committee, application of the Procedures by the Nomura Advisers’ portfolio management teams when voting proxies after reviewing the proxy and research provided by the proxy advisory firms should in most instances adequately address any potential conflicts of interest. If the Nomura Advisers become aware of a conflict of interest in an upcoming proxy vote, the proxy vote will generally be referred to the Committee or the Committee’s delegates for review. If the portfolio management team for such proxy intends to vote in accordance with the proxy advisory firm’s recommendation pursuant to the Procedures, then no further action is needed to be taken by the Committee. If the portfolio management team is considering voting a proxy contrary to the proxy advisory firm’s research recommendation under the Procedures, the Committee or its delegates will assess the proposed vote to determine if it is reasonable. The Committee or its delegates will also assess whether any business or other material relationships between the Nomura Advisers and a portfolio company (unrelated to the ownership of the portfolio company’s securities) could have influenced an inconsistent vote on that company’s proxy. If the Committee or its delegates determines that the proposed proxy vote is unreasonable or unduly influenced by a conflict, the portfolio management team will be required to vote the proxy in accordance with the proxy advisory firm’s research recommendation or abstain from voting.
Investment Manager and Other Service Providers
Investment Manager
The Manager, located at 100 Independence, 610 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354, furnishes investment management services to the Funds, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board. The Manager also provides investment management services to all of the other Nomura Funds. Affiliates of the Manager also manage other investment accounts. While investment decisions for the Funds are made independently from those of the other funds and accounts, investment decisions for such other funds and accounts may be made at the same time as investment decisions for the Funds. The Manager pays the salaries of all Trustees, officers, and employees who are affiliated with both the Manager and the Trust.
Employees of the Manager’s affiliates outside the US participate in the management of certain funds as “associated persons” of the Manager under the Manager’s oversight, in accordance with SEC guidance as to “participating
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affiliate” arrangements. These associated persons may, on behalf of the Manager, provide discretionary investment management services, trading, research and related services directly or indirectly to the Funds.
The Manager is a series of NIMBT (a Delaware statutory trust), which is a subsidiary of, and subject to the ultimate control of, Nomura Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded Japanese company. The Manager is part of Nomura Asset Management. Nomura Asset Management is part of the Investment Management Division of the Nomura Group, providing integrated public and private market asset management services across equities, fixed income, private credit and multi-asset solutions to intermediary and institutional clients.
As of December 1, 2025, Nomura Holding America, Inc. has completed the acquisition of Macquarie Asset Management’s US and European public investments business.
After an initial two-year period, the Funds’ Investment Management Agreement may be renewed each year only so long as such renewal and continuance are specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Fund, and only if the terms of, and the renewal thereof, have been approved by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees of the Trust who are not parties thereto or interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Investment Management Agreement is terminable without penalty on 60 days’ notice by the Trustees of the Trust or by the Manager. The Investment Management Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
As compensation for the services rendered under the Investment Management Agreement, the Funds shall pay the Manager an annual management fee as a percentage of average daily net assets equal to:
|
Fund
|
Management Fee
|
|
Nomura Diversified Income ETF
|
[xxx%]
|
|
Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF
|
[xxx%]
|
|
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
|
[xxx%]
|
Management fees are accrued daily and paid monthly.
Except for those expenses borne by the Manager under the Investment Management Agreement or the Distribution Services Agreement, each Fund is responsible for all of its own expenses. Among others, such expenses include each Fund’s proportionate share of certain administrative expenses; investment management fees; brokerage fees; certain insurance costs; and nonroutine expenses or costs.
As of the date of this SAI, the Funds have not made any payments to the Manager for investment advisory services because the Funds have not yet commenced operations.
Sub-advisor
NCRAM, an SEC-registered investment adviser located at 309 West 49th Street, New York, NY, 10019, serves as a sub-advisor for the Nomura Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF.
Distributor
Foreside Financial Services, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (dba ACA Group) (the “Distributor”), acts as the principal underwriter in the continuous public offering of the Funds’ shares pursuant to a distribution agreement dated July 13, 2026 (the “Distribution Agreement”). The Distributor is located at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101.
Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Fund through the Distributor or its agent only in Creation Units, as described in the Prospectus and below in the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of this SAI. Fund shares in amounts less than Creation Units are generally not distributed by the Distributor or its agent. The Distributor or its agent will arrange for the delivery of the Prospectus and, upon request, this SAI to persons purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of both orders placed with it or its agents and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it or its agents.
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The Distributor may enter into agreements with securities dealers (Soliciting Dealers) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of Fund shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants, DTC participants and/or investor services organizations.
Except as noted, the Distributor receives no other compensation from the Funds for acting as underwriter.
The Distribution Agreement for each Fund provides that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on at least 60 days’ prior written notice to the other party following (i) the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees, or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the relevant Fund. The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
[
], located at [ ], is the independent registered public accounting firm for each Fund. The independent registered public accounting firm audits the financial statements included in the respective Fund’s annual reports to shareholders.
Transfer Agent
BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. serves as the Funds’ transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”).
Fund Accountants
BNY, 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286-0001, provides fund accounting and financial administration services to the Funds. Those services include performing functions related to calculating the Funds’ NAVs and providing financial reporting information, regulatory compliance testing, and other related accounting services.
Custodian
BNY is the custodian of each Fund’s securities and cash. As custodian for the Funds, BNY maintains a separate account or accounts for each Fund; receives, holds, and releases portfolio securities on account of each Fund; receives and disburses money on behalf of each Fund; and collects and receives income and other payments and distributions on account of each Fund’s portfolio securities. BNY also serves as the Funds’ custodian for their investments in foreign securities.
Legal Counsel
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP serves as the Trust’s legal counsel.
Securities Lending
[The Board has approved each Fund's participation in a securities lending program. Under the securities lending program, BNY serves as the Funds' securities lending agent. The Funds have not commenced operations as of the date of this SAI and therefore did not engage in securities lending activities during their most recent fiscal year.]
Portfolio Managers
Other Accounts Managed
The following chart lists certain information about types of other accounts for which each portfolio manager is primarily responsible as of [
], 2026 unless otherwise noted. Any accounts managed in a personal capacity appear under “Other Accounts” along with the other accounts managed on a professional basis.
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|
No. of Accounts
|
Total Assets
Managed |
No. of Accounts
with Performance- Based Fees |
Total Assets in Accounts with
Performance- Based Fees |
|
Janaki Rao
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
|
|
|
|
67
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kashif Ishaq
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mansur Rasul
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Accounts
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gregory Gizzi
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stephen Czepiel
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Accounts
|
|
|
|
|
|
William Roach
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Accounts
|
|
|
|
|
Description of Material Conflicts of Interest
The Manager
Individual portfolio managers may perform investment management services for other funds or accounts similar to those provided to the Funds and the investment action for each such other fund or account and the Funds may differ. For example, an account or fund may be selling a security, while another account or fund may be purchasing or holding the same security. As a result, transactions executed for one fund or account may adversely affect the value of securities held by another fund, account, or a Fund. Additionally, the management of multiple funds or accounts and a Fund may give rise to potential conflicts of interest, as a portfolio manager must allocate time and effort to multiple funds or accounts and the Funds. A portfolio manager may discover an investment opportunity that may be suitable for more than one account or fund. The investment opportunity may be limited, however, so that all funds or accounts for which the investment would be suitable may not be able to participate. The Manager has established proprietary accounts and initial seed accounts, and also manages accounts for affiliated entities. A portfolio manager also may have invested in certain funds or accounts managed by the Manager. Accordingly, portfolio managers have an incentive to favor these accounts or funds over other client accounts or funds. The Manager has adopted procedures designed to allocate investments fairly across multiple funds and accounts including, unless prohibited by applicable law, proprietary and affiliated accounts.
Some of the accounts managed by the portfolio managers as set forth in the table above may have performance-based fees. This compensation structure presents a potential conflict of interest because a portfolio manager has an incentive to manage these accounts so as to enhance their performance, to the possible detriment of other accounts for which the Manager does not receive a performance-based fee.
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A portfolio manager’s management of personal accounts also may present certain conflicts of interest. While the Manager’s Code of Ethics is designed to address these potential conflicts, there is no guarantee that it will do so.
When the Manager and its affiliates establish proprietary accounts, provide the initial seed capital in connection with the creation of a new investment product or style, and manage affiliate accounts, these accounts may not exhibit the same performance results as a similarly managed Fund for a variety of reasons, including regulatory restrictions on the type and amount of securities in which the proprietary capital invests, differential credit and financing terms, and the use of hedging transactions that differ from those used to implement investment strategies for advisory clients.
NCRAM
Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise where a portfolio manager has day-to-day responsibilities with respect to more than one account. These conflicts include but are not limited to: (i) the process for allocation of investments among multiple accounts for which a particular investment may be appropriate, (ii) allocation of a portfolio manager’s time and attention among relevant accounts, (iii) execution of portfolio transactions, (iv) personal interests and related party interests, (v) compensation conflicts such as where NCRAM has an incentive fee arrangement or other interest with respect to one account that does not exist with respect to other accounts, and (vi) other investment and operational conflicts of interest. NCRAM’s compliance policies and procedures, including the Code of Ethics, are designed to address these conflicts and to provide reasonable assurance that no client or group of clients is advantaged at the expense of any other client and that client accounts are treated equitably over time. However, there is no guarantee that such policies and procedures will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.
Compensation Structure
The Manager
Each portfolio manager’s compensation consists of the following:
Base Salary - Each named portfolio manager receives a fixed base salary. Salaries are determined by a comparison to industry data prepared by third parties to ensure that portfolio manager salaries are in line with salaries paid at peer investment advisory firms.
Profit Share – Rao, Ishaq, Rasul. Investment professionals are eligible to receive a profit share allocation, which is based on quantitative and qualitative factors. Profit share allocations to individuals consider individual remuneration levels in the market in which the Nomura Asset Management business operates and are primarily based on business profits and individual contribution to profits for Nomura Asset Management revenue generating employees. Individual contribution is assessed on a range of factors including the successful completion of key fund and portfolio investment initiatives, and the long-term performance of the investments for which an individual is responsible. The total amount available for profit share allocations to individual investment professionals is determined by assets managed (including investment companies, insurance product-related accounts and other separate accounts), management fees and related expenses (including fund waiver expenses) for registered investment companies, pooled vehicles, and managed separate accounts. For investment companies, each manager is compensated according to the Fund’s Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (formerly, Lipper Inc.) (“Broadridge”) or Morningstar, Inc. peer group percentile ranking on a 1-, 3-, and 5-year basis, with longer term performance more heavily weighted. For managed separate accounts, the portfolio managers are compensated according to the composite percentile ranking against the eVestment Alliance database (or similar sources of relative performance data) on a one-, three-, and five-year basis, with longer term performance more heavily weighted; composite performance relative to the benchmark is also evaluated for the same time periods. Incentives reach maximum potential at the top 25th-30th percentile. The remaining portion of the profit allocation is discretionary as determined by Nomura Asset Management and takes into account subjective factors.
For new and recently transitioned portfolio managers, the compensation may be weighted more heavily towards a portfolio manager’s actual contribution and ability to influence performance, rather than longer-term performance. Management intends to move the compensation structure towards longer-term performance for these portfolio managers over time.
Profit Share – Gizzi, Czepiel, and Roach. Investment professionals are eligible to receive a profit share allocation, which is based on quantitative and qualitative factors. Profit share allocations to individuals consider individual
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remuneration levels in the market in which the Nomura Asset Management business operates and are primarily based on business profits and individual contribution to profits for Nomura Asset Management revenue generating employees. Individual contribution is assessed on a range of factors including the successful completion of key fund and portfolio investment initiatives, and the long-term performance of the investments for which an individual is responsible. The total amount available for profit share allocations to individual investment professionals is determined by assets managed (including investment companies, insurance product-related accounts and other separate accounts), management fees and related expenses (including fund waiver expenses) for registered investment companies, pooled vehicles, and managed separate accounts. For investment companies, each manager is compensated according to the Fund’s Broadridge or Morningstar, Inc. peer group percentile ranking on a 1-, 3-, and 5-year basis, with longer term performance more heavily weighted. For managed separate accounts, the portfolio managers are compensated according to the composite percentile ranking against the eVestment Alliance database (or similar sources of relative performance data) on a one-, three-, and five-year basis, with longer term performance more heavily weighted; composite performance relative to the benchmark is also evaluated for the same time periods. Incentives reach maximum potential at the top 25th-30th percentile. The remaining portion of the profit allocation is discretionary as determined by Nomura Asset Management and takes into account subjective factors.
For new and recently transitioned portfolio managers, the compensation may be weighted more heavily towards a portfolio manager’s actual contribution and ability to influence performance, rather than longer-term performance. Management intends to move the compensation structure towards longer-term performance for these portfolio managers over time.
Nomura Notional Fund Unit (NFU) - A portion of a portfolio manager’s discretionary bonus may be notionally aligned with the performance of certain funds pursuant to the terms and vesting conditions of the Nomura Notional Fund Unit Award Agreement. In general, the award will vest in equal tranches over a period of 3 years with longer vesting periods as necessary to comply with regulatory requirements.
Nomura Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) - A portion of a portfolio manager’s discretionary bonus may be granted in RSUs pursuant to the terms and vesting conditions of the Nomura Global Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement, which is used to deliver remuneration in the form of Nomura equity. In general, vesting and delivery of shares will be in equal tranches over a period of 3 years with longer vesting periods as necessary to comply with regulatory requirements.
Other Compensation - Portfolio managers may also participate in benefit plans and programs available generally to all similarly situated employees.
NCRAM
Compensation within NCRAM consists of a fixed amount which includes base salary and benefits together with a variable performance-related amount. The CEO will determine the bonus for investment professionals, consulting with the PMs with regard to the analysts. The variable performance-related remuneration is based upon an individual's performance as compared to agreed objectives which may include financial and non-financial performance measures, risk management, and other relevant factors. Determination of variable performance-related compensation is sufficiently flexible to reward short- and long-term individual performance.
When an employee's total compensation (fixed plus variable remuneration) exceeds certain limits, the employee must participate in the Nomura Holdings, Inc. remuneration deferral scheme which links the employee's deferred compensation award to the performance of NHI shares. Also, in the case of certain portfolio managers, a portion of their deferred compensation may be linked to the performance of certain strategies managed by NCRAM, and we believe this further ties portfolio managers to the long-term performance of NCRAM’s clients. Therefore, total compensation may consist of three elements: base salary, cash bonus and deferred bonus (via deferral vehicles, typically vesting over three years and linked to various instruments as described above).
Ownership of Securities
Because the Funds are new, as of the date of this SAI, the portfolio managers did not beneficially own shares of the Funds.
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Trading Practices and Brokerage
The Manager selects broker/dealers to execute transactions on behalf of the Funds for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities on the basis of its judgment of their professional capability to provide the service. The primary consideration in selecting broker/dealers is to seek those broker/dealers who will provide best execution for the Funds. Best execution refers to many factors, including the price paid or received for a security, the commission charged, the promptness and reliability of execution, the confidentiality and placement accorded the order, and other factors affecting the overall benefit obtained by the account on the transaction. Some trades are made on a net basis where the Funds either buy securities directly from the dealer or sell them to the dealer. In these instances, there is no direct commission charged but there is a spread (the difference between the buy and sell price), which is the economic equivalent of a commission. When a commission is paid, the Funds pay reasonable brokerage commission rates based upon the professional knowledge of the Manager’s trading department as to rates paid and charged for similar transactions throughout the securities industry. In some instances, a Fund pays a minimal share transaction cost when the transaction presents no difficulty.
As of the date of this SAI, the Funds have not paid any brokerage commissions because the Funds have not yet commenced operations.
Subject to applicable requirements, such as seeking best execution and Rule 12b-1(h) under the 1940 Act, the Manager may allocate out of all commission business generated by all of the funds and accounts under its management, brokerage business to broker/dealers who provide brokerage and research services. These services may include providing advice, either directly or through publications or writings, as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing, or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; furnishing of analyses and reports concerning issuers, securities, or industries; providing information on economic factors and trends; assisting in determining portfolio strategy; providing computer software used in security analysis; and providing portfolio performance evaluation and technical market analyses. Such services are used by the Manager in connection with its investment decision-making process with respect to one or more mutual funds and separate accounts managed by it, and may not be used, or used exclusively, with respect to the mutual fund or separate account generating the brokerage.
Securities transactions for a Fund may be effected in foreign markets that may not allow negotiation of commissions or where it is customary to pay fixed rates.
As provided in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Funds’ Investment Management Agreement, higher commissions are permitted to be paid to broker/dealers who provide brokerage and research services than to broker/dealers who do not provide such services, if such higher commissions are deemed reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided. Although transactions directed to broker/dealers who provide such brokerage and research services may result in the Funds paying higher commissions, the Manager believes that such commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided. In some instances, services may be provided to the Manager that constitute in some part brokerage and research services used by the Manager in connection with its investment decision-making process and constitute in some part services used by the Manager in connection with administrative or other functions not related to its investment decision-making process. In such cases, the Manager will make a good faith allocation of brokerage and research services and will pay out of its own resources for services used by the Manager in connection with administrative or other functions not related to its investment decision-making process. In addition, so long as a Fund is not disadvantaged, other than the potential for additional commissions/equivalents, portfolio transactions that generate commissions or their equivalent can be allocated to broker/dealers that provide services directly or indirectly to a Fund and/or to other Macquarie Funds. Subject to best execution, commissions/equivalents allocated to brokers providing such services may or may not be generated by the funds receiving the service. In such instances, the commissions/equivalents would be used for the advantage of a Fund or other funds and not for the advantage of the Manager.
As of the date of this SAI, the Funds have not held any securities of their regular broker-dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or such broker/dealers' parents because the Funds have not yet commenced operations.
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The Manager may place a combined order for two or more accounts or funds engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security if, in its judgment, joint execution is in the best interest of each participant and will meet the requirement to seek best execution. Transactions involving commingled orders are allocated in a manner deemed equitable to each account or fund. When a combined order is executed in a series of transactions at different prices, each account participating in the order may be allocated an average price obtained from the executing broker. It is believed that the ability of the accounts to participate in volume transactions will generally be beneficial to the accounts and funds. Although it is recognized that, in some cases, the joint execution of orders could adversely affect the price or volume of the security that a particular account or fund may obtain, it is the opinion of the Manager and the Board that the advantages of combined orders outweigh the possible disadvantages of separate transactions.
From time to time, the Manager may recommend or execute trades in certain instruments between a Fund and other accounts managed by the Manager or its affiliates (including proprietary, seed, and affiliate accounts). These trades are known as cross trades. Cross trades can provide a benefit to a Fund in the form of reduced market impact, increased execution efficiency and reduced transaction costs, and the ability to fill sell and purchase orders at more advantageous prices. Cross trades create actual or potential conflicts of interest between a Fund and other accounts managed by the Manager or its affiliates, and for the Manager and its affiliates, including the possibility that the Manager, for example, will effect a cross trade at a price that is disadvantageous to a participating client account, will transfer an undesirable security from a client paying higher fees to one paying lower fees, will transfer an illiquid security held by a client account in need of liquidity to another client account, or use one client account to “park” desirable securities for other client accounts until cash becomes available. To address these potential conflicts, the Funds have adopted a policy requiring all cross trades for a Fund to comply with Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act and applicable SEC guidance. This policy requires, among other things, that cross trades for a Fund must only involve a security for which market quotations are readily available and must be effected at the independent current market price of the security.
Consistent with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) rules, and subject to seeking best execution, the Manager may place orders with broker/dealers that have agreed to defray certain Fund expenses, such as custodian fees.
The Funds have the authority to participate in a commission recapture program. Under the program and subject to seeking best execution (as described in the first paragraph of this section), the Funds may direct certain security trades to brokers who have agreed to rebate a portion of the related brokerage commission to the Funds in cash. Any such commission rebates will be included as a realized gain on securities in the appropriate financial statements of the Funds. The Manager and its affiliates have previously acted, and may in the future act, as an investment manager to mutual funds or separate accounts affiliated with the administrator of the commission recapture program. In addition, affiliates of the administrator act as consultants in helping institutional clients choose investment managers and may also participate in other types of businesses and provide other services in the investment management industry.
Capital Structure
Capitalization
The Trust currently has authorized, and allocated to each Fund, an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest with no par value. All shares are, when issued in accordance with the Trust’s registration statement (as amended from time to time), governing instruments and applicable law, fully paid, and nonassessable. Shareholders do not have preemptive rights. All shares of a Fund represent an undivided proportionate interest in the assets of the Fund.
Noncumulative Voting
The Trust’s shares have noncumulative voting rights, meaning that the holders of more than 50% of the shares of the Trust voting for the election of Trustees can elect all of the Trustees if they choose to do so, and, in such event, the holders of the remaining shares will not be able to elect any Trustees.
Creation and Redemption of Creation Units
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General. The Trust issues and redeems shares of the Funds only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor or its agent, without a sales load, at a price based on each Fund’s NAV next determined after receipt, on any Business Day (as defined below), of an order received by the Distributor or its agent in proper form. On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, a Fund may require orders to be placed earlier in the day. The number of shares of a Fund that constitute a Creation Unit is [25,000] shares.
In its discretion, the Manager reserves the right to increase or decrease the number of a Fund’s shares that constitute a Creation Unit. The Board reserves the right to declare a split or a consolidation in the number of shares outstanding of a Fund, and to make a corresponding change in the number of shares constituting a Creation Unit, in the event that the per share price in the secondary market rises (or declines) to an amount that falls outside the range deemed desirable by the Board.
A “Business Day” with respect to the Funds is any day a Fund is open for business, including any day when it satisfies redemption requests as required by Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act. The Funds are open for business any day on which the Exchange is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the Exchange observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
To the extent a Fund engages in in-kind transactions, the Fund intends to comply with the U.S. federal securities laws in accepting securities for deposit and satisfying redemptions with redemption securities by, among other means, assuring that any securities accepted for deposit and any securities used to satisfy redemption requests will be sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act, will not be able to receive securities that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A.
Fund Deposit. The consideration for purchase of Creation Units of the Funds generally consists of the Deposit Securities (i.e., the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities, assets or other positions (including any portion of such securities, assets or other positions for which cash may be substituted)) and the Cash Component computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to creation requests received in proper form. The Fund Deposit represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of a Fund.
The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the “Deposit Amount,” which is an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities, and serves to compensate for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the Deposit Amount. Payment of any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities are the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing the Creation Unit. Please see the Cash purchase method section below and the following discussion summarizing the in-kind method for further information on purchasing Creation Units of a Fund.
The Manager makes available through the NSCC on each Business Day prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchanges, the list of names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security and the amount of the Cash Component (if any) to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information as of the end of the previous Business Day for each Fund). Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, to purchases of Creation Units of shares of a Fund until such time as the next-announced Fund Deposit is made available.
The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities and the amount of the Cash Component changes pursuant to changes in the composition of a Fund’s portfolio and as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the investment manager with a view to the investment goal of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities and the amount of the Cash Component may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities constituting the portfolio.
Each Fund reserves the right to accept a nonconforming (i.e., custom) Fund Deposit. All questions as to the composition of the in-kind creation basket to be included in the Fund Deposit and the validity, form, eligibility, and
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acceptance for deposit of any instrument shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
The Trust may require the substitution of an amount of cash (i.e., a “cash-in-lieu” amount) to replace any Deposit Security of a Fund that is a non-deliverable instrument. The amount of cash contributed will be equivalent to the value of the instrument listed as a Deposit Security, as determined by the Trust. Each Fund reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security that is a to-be-announced (“TBA”) transaction, that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through the facilities of DTC (“DTC Facilities”) or the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (“NSCC Clearing Process”), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC (as discussed below), or that the Authorized Participant is not able to trade due to a trading restriction. A transaction fee may be charged on the cash amount contributed in lieu of the TBA transaction or mortgage pass-through security.
Each Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in other circumstances, including circumstances in which: (i) the delivery of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; (ii) the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; or (iii) in certain other situations.
Cash purchase method. When partial or full cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases thereof. In the case of a partial or full cash purchase, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser.
Creation Units. An “Authorized Participant” is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with each Fund or one of its service providers (Authorized Participant Agreement) that allows such member or participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units. To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create a Creation Unit of the Fund, an entity must be: (i) a “Participating Party,” i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the NSCC Clearing Process, or (ii) a DTC Participant, and, in either case, must have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Units. All shares of a Fund, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.
Role of the Authorized Participant. Creation Units may be purchased only by or through an Authorized Participant that has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor. Such Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of such Authorized Participant Agreement and on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that such Authorized Participant will make available in advance of each purchase of shares an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component, once the net asset value of a Creation Unit is next determined after receipt of the purchase order in proper form, together with the transaction fees described below. An Authorized Participant, acting on behalf of an investor, may require the investor to enter into an agreement with such Authorized Participant with respect to certain matters, including payment of the Cash Component. Investors who are not Authorized Participants must make appropriate arrangements with an Authorized Participant. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not be an Authorized Participant or may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that orders to purchase Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant. As a result, purchase orders placed through an Authorized Participant may result in additional charges to such investor. The Trust does not expect to enter into an Authorized Participant Agreement with more than a small number of Authorized Participants.
Placement of creation orders. An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable order to purchase shares of a Fund, in proper form, generally before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time on any Business Day in order to receive that day’s NAV. Orders for Creation Units must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor or its agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement and Authorized Participant Handbook (as may be amended or supplemented from time to
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time), as described below. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or its agent or an Authorized Participant. Orders to create shares of a Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) when the equity markets in the relevant non-U.S. market are closed may not be accepted. Each Fund’s deadline described above for the submission of purchase orders and each Fund’s deadline for the submission of redemption orders is referred to as the Fund’s “Cutoff Time.” Please see the Authorized Participant Agreement and Authorized Participant Handbook for information regarding the Fund’s Cutoff Times. The Distributor or its agent, in their discretion, may permit the submission of such orders and requests by or through an Authorized Participant at any time (including on days on which a Listing Exchange is not open for business) via communication through the facilities of the Distributor’s or its agent’s proprietary website maintained for this purpose.
Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a creation request to be made through an Authorized Participant. Those placing orders to purchase Creation Units through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor or its agent by the Cutoff Time on such Business Day.
Upon receiving an order for a Creation Unit, the Distributor or its agent will notify the investment manager and the custodian of such order. The custodian will then provide such information to any appropriate sub-custodian.
The Authorized Participant must make available on or before the prescribed settlement date, by means satisfactory to a Fund, immediately available or same day funds estimated by the Fund to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the purchase order, together with the applicable purchase transaction fees. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit. Those placing orders should ascertain the applicable deadline for cash transfers by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effectuating the transfer of the Cash Component. This deadline is likely to be significantly earlier than the Cutoff Time of a Fund. Investors should be aware that an Authorized Participant may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in the particular form required by the individual Authorized Participant.
The Authorized Participant is responsible for all transaction-related fees, expenses and other costs (as described below), as well as any applicable cash amounts, in connection with any purchase order.
Once a purchase order has been accepted, it will be processed based on the NAV next determined after such acceptance in accordance with a Fund’s Cutoff Times as provided in the Authorized Participant Agreement and Authorized Participant Handbook (as may be amended or supplemented from time to time) and disclosed in this SAI.
Acceptance of orders for Creation Units. Subject to the conditions that (i) an irrevocable purchase order has been submitted by the Authorized Participant (either on its own or another investor’s behalf) and (ii) arrangements satisfactory to the Funds are in place for payment of the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due, an order will be accepted, subject to each Fund’s right (and the right of the Distributor and the Manager) to reject any order until acceptance, as set forth below.
Once an order has been accepted, upon the next determination of the net asset value of the shares, the Funds will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such net asset value. The Distributor or its agent will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.
The SEC has expressed the view that a suspension of creations that impairs the arbitrage mechanism applicable to the trading of ETF shares in the secondary market is inconsistent with Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act. The SEC’s position does not prohibit the suspension or rejection of creations in all instances. Each Fund reserves the right, to the extent consistent with the provisions of Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act and the SEC’s position, to reject or revoke a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor or its agent, including, for example, if: (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the identity and number of shares specified, as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of the Fund, be unlawful; or (v) circumstances outside the control of the Fund make it impossible to process purchase orders for all
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practical purposes. The Distributor or its agent shall notify a prospective purchaser of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such purchaser of its rejection of such order. Each Fund, the Funds’ custodian, the sub-custodian and the Distributor or its agent are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for failure to give such notification.
Issuance of a Creation Unit. Except as provided herein, a Creation Unit will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Funds of the Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the sub-custodian has confirmed to the custodian that the securities included in the Fund Deposit (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant sub-custodian or sub-custodians, the Distributor or its agent and the investment manager shall be notified of such delivery and a Fund will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit. Typically, Creation Units will be settled on a “T+1” basis (i.e., one Business Day after trade date), unless the Fund and Authorized Participant agree to a different settlement date. The Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1 if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances.
To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor, each Fund will issue Creation Units to an Authorized Participant, notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Fund Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral having a value at least equal to 105%, which percentage the Trust may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing Deposit Securities in accordance with the Funds’ then-effective procedures. The Trust may use such cash deposit at any time to buy Deposit Securities for a Fund. The only collateral that is acceptable to the Funds is cash in U.S. dollars. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 1:00 p.m., Eastern time on the prescribed settlement date or such other time as designated by the Funds’ custodian. Information concerning a Fund’s current procedures for collateralization of missing Deposit Securities is available from the Distributor or its agent. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit a Fund to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Fund of purchasing such securities and the value of the cash collateral including, without limitation, liability for related brokerage, borrowings and other charges.
In certain cases, Authorized Participants may create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date and in these instances, each Fund reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis or require a representation from the Authorized Participants that the creation and redemption transactions are for separate beneficial owners. All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by a Fund and the Fund’s determination shall be final and binding.
Costs associated with creation transactions. A standard creation transaction fee is imposed to offset the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the issuance of Creation Units. The standard creation transaction fee is charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant creates a Creation Unit, and is the same, regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased by the Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The Authorized Participant may also be required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction (up to the maximum amount shown below). Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to the Funds. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary to acquire Fund shares may be charged a fee for such services.
The following table sets forth each Fund’s standard creation transaction fees and maximum additional charge (as described above):
|
Fund
|
Standard Creation
Transaction Fee |
Maximum Additional
Charge for Creations1 |
|
|
Nomura Diversified Income ETF
|
$[ ]
|
[ ]%
|
|
|
Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF
|
$[ ]
|
[ ]%
|
|
|
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
|
$[ ]
|
[ ]%
|
|
| 1 |
As a percentage of the net asset value per Creation Unit.
|
||
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Redemption of Creation Units. Shares of a Fund may be redeemed by Authorized Participants only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Distributor or its agent and only on a Business Day. A Fund will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the secondary market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of shares to constitute a Creation Unit that could be redeemed by an Authorized Participant. Beneficial owners also may sell shares in the secondary market. A Fund generally redeems Creation Units for Fund Securities (as defined below) and the Cash Amount (as defined below). Please see the Cash redemption method section below and the following discussion summarizing the in-kind method for further information on redeeming Creation Units of the Fund.
The Manager makes available through the NSCC, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange on each Business Day, the designated portfolio of securities, assets or other positions (including any portion of such securities, assets or other positions for which cash may be substituted) that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”), and an amount of cash as described below (“Cash Amount”) (if any). Such Fund Securities and the corresponding Cash Amount (each subject to possible amendment or correction) are applicable in order to effect redemptions of Creation Units of a Fund until such time as the next announced composition of the Fund Securities and Cash Amount is made available. Together, the Fund Securities and the Cash Amount constitute the “Fund Redemption.” Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Units.
Unless cash redemptions are available or specified for a Fund, the redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit generally consist of Fund Securities, plus the Cash Amount, which is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the shares being redeemed, as next determined after the receipt of a redemption request in proper form, and the value of Fund Securities, less a redemption transaction fee (as described below).
Each Fund reserves the right to deliver a nonconforming (i.e., custom) Fund Redemption. All questions as to the composition of the in-kind redemption basket to be included in the Fund Redemption shall be determined by the Trust, in accordance with applicable law, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
Each Fund may, in its sole discretion, substitute a “cash in lieu” amount to replace any Fund Security that may not be eligible for transfer through DTC Facilities or the NSCC Clearing Process or that the Authorized Participant is not able to trade due to a trading restriction. Each Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in other circumstances, including circumstances in which: (i) the delivery of a Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; (ii) the delivery of a Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Fund Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; or (iii) in certain other situations. The amount of cash paid out in such cases will be equivalent to the value of the substituted security listed as a Fund Security. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder.
Each Fund generally redeems Creation Units for Fund Securities and the Cash Amount, but a Fund reserves the right to utilize a cash option for redemption of Creation Units.
Cash redemption method. When partial or full cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the case of partial or full cash redemption, the Authorized Participant receives the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer.
Costs associated with redemption transactions. A standard redemption transaction fee is imposed to offset transfer and other transaction costs that may be incurred by the Funds. The standard redemption transaction fee is charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant redeems a Creation Unit, and is the same regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed by an Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The Authorized Participant may also be required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution,
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market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction (up to the maximum amount shown below). Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Fund Securities from a Fund to their account on their order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary to dispose of Fund shares may be charged a fee for such services.
The following table sets forth each Fund’s standard redemption transaction fees and maximum additional charge (as described above):
|
Fund
|
Standard Redemption
Transaction Fee |
Maximum Additional Charge
for Redemptions1 |
|
|
Nomura Diversified Income ETF
|
$[ ]
|
[2.00]%
|
|
|
Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF
|
$[ ]
|
[2.00]%
|
|
|
Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
|
$[ ]
|
[2.00]%
|
|
| 1 |
As a percentage of the net asset value per Creation Unit, inclusive of the standard redemption transaction fee.
|
||
Placement of redemption orders. Redemption requests for Creation Units of a Fund must be submitted to the Distributor or its agent by or through an Authorized Participant. An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable request to redeem shares of the Fund, in proper form, generally before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time on any Business Day, in order to receive that day’s NAV. On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier that day. Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be made through an Authorized Participant. Please see the Authorized Participant Agreement and Authorized Participant Handbook for information regarding a Fund’s Cutoff Times.
The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption in the form required by a Fund to the Distributor or its agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement and Authorized Participant Handbook (as may be amended or supplemented from time to time). Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. At any time, only a limited number of broker-dealers will have an Authorized Participant Agreement in effect. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the shares to the Funds’ transfer agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.
A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if: (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to a Fund’s transfer agent the Creation Unit redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by a Listing Exchange closing time on any Business Day; (ii) a request in form satisfactory to a Fund is received by the Distributor or its agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified above; and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement and Authorized Participant Handbook (as may be amended or supplemented from time to time) are properly followed. If the transfer agent does not receive the investor’s shares through DTC Facilities by 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the prescribed settlement date, the redemption request may be deemed rejected. Investors should be aware that the deadline for such transfers of shares through the DTC Facilities may be significantly earlier than the close of business on a Listing Exchange. Those making redemption requests should ascertain the deadline applicable to transfers of shares through the DTC Facilities by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effecting the transfer of the shares.
Upon receiving a redemption request, the Distributor or its agent shall notify a Fund and the Fund’s transfer agent of such redemption request. The tender of an investor’s shares for redemption and the distribution of the securities and/or cash included in the redemption payment made in respect of Creation Units redeemed will be made through DTC and the relevant Authorized Participant to the Beneficial Owner thereof as recorded on the book-entry system of DTC or the DTC Participant through which such investor holds, as the case may be, or by such other means specified by the Authorized Participant submitting the redemption request. Once a redemption request has been
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accepted, it will be processed based on the NAV next determined after such acceptance in accordance with a Fund’s Cutoff Times as provided in the Authorized Participant Agreement and Authorized Participant Handbook (as may be amended or supplemented from time to time) and disclosed in this SAI.
A redeeming Beneficial Owner or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the portfolio securities are customarily traded, to which account such portfolio securities will be delivered.
Deliveries of redemption proceeds by a Fund generally will be made within one Business Day (i.e., “T+1”), unless the Fund and Authorized Participant agree to a different settlement date. Each Fund reserves the right to settle redemption transactions later than T+1 if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances and compliant with applicable law. Delayed settlement may occur due to a number of different reasons, including, without limitation, settlement cycles for the underlying securities, unscheduled market closings, an effort to link distribution to dividend record dates and ex-dates and newly announced holidays. For example, the redemption settlement process may be extended beyond T+1 because of the occurrence of a holiday in a non-U.S. market or in the U.S. bond market that is not a holiday observed in the U.S. equity market.
If a Fund includes a foreign investment in its basket, and if a local market holiday, or series of consecutive holidays, or the extended delivery cycles for transferring foreign investments to redeeming Authorized Participants prevents timely delivery of the foreign investment in response to a redemption request, the Fund may delay delivery of the foreign investment more than seven days if the Fund delivers the foreign investment as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 days.
If neither the redeeming Beneficial Owner nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Beneficial Owner has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of Fund Securities in the applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, a Fund may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In such case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the net asset value of its shares based on the NAV of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charges specified above, to offset the Fund’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Fund cannot lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or cannot do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. When partial or full cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified for the Fund, proceeds will be paid to the Authorized Participant redeeming shares as soon as practicable after the date of redemption (within seven calendar days thereafter).
To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor, in the event an Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit to be redeemed to a Fund, at or prior to 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the prescribed settlement date, the Distributor or its agent will accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash, in U.S. dollars in immediately available funds, having a value at least equal to 102% and up to 105% with respect to each Fund, which percentages the Trust may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing shares. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the prescribed settlement date and shall be held by the Fund’s custodian and marked-to-market daily. The fees of the Fund’s custodian and any sub-custodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit the Fund to purchase missing Fund shares or acquire the Deposit Securities and the Cash Amount underlying such shares, and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost of a Fund acquiring such shares, the Deposit Securities or Cash Amount and the value of the cash collateral including, without limitation, liability for related brokerage and other charges.
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Because the portfolio securities of the Funds may trade on exchange(s) on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for a Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of a Fund, or purchase or sell shares of the Fund on the Listing Exchange on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant non-U.S. markets.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to a Fund: (i) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of the Fund’s portfolio securities or determination of its net asset value is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as is permitted by the SEC.
Custom baskets. Each Fund may utilize custom creation or redemption baskets consistent with Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act. A custom order may be placed when, for example, an Authorized Participant cannot transact in an instrument in the in-kind creation or in-kind redemption basket and therefore has additional cash included in lieu of such instrument. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that govern the construction and acceptance of baskets, including heightened requirements for certain types of custom baskets. These policies and procedures provide detailed parameters for the construction and acceptance of custom baskets that are in the best interests of each Fund and its shareholders, including the process for any revisions to, or deviations from, those parameters, and specify the titles or roles of the employees of the investment manager who are required to review each custom basket for compliance with the parameters.
Distributions and Taxes
General
Each Fund is treated as a separate corporation for federal tax purposes. Each Fund intends to elect and qualify for treatment as a RIC under the Internal Revenue Code. Each Fund intends to qualify for that treatment so that it is relieved of federal income tax on that part of its investment company taxable income (consisting generally of net taxable investment income, the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss, and net gains and losses from certain foreign currency transactions, all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid) and net capital gain (that is, the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) that it timely distributes to its shareholders. To qualify for treatment as a RIC, a Fund must distribute to its shareholders for each taxable year at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income and 90% of its net tax-exempt income, if any, including, for purposes of satisfying this distribution requirement, certain distributions made by the Fund after the close of its taxable year that are treated as made during such taxable year (“Distribution Requirement”) and must meet several additional requirements. For each Fund, these requirements include the following:
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•
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the Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income each taxable year from (a) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including gains from options, futures contracts, or forward currency contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such securities or
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|
|
those currencies (collectively, “Qualifying Income”) and (b) net income from an interest in a QPTP (“Income Requirement”); and
|
||
|
|
•
|
at the close of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, (a) at least 50% of the value of its total assets must be represented by cash and cash items, US government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities that are limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the issuer’s outstanding voting securities (equity securities of QPTPs being considered voting securities for these purposes) (“50% Diversification Requirement”), and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets may be invested in (i) the securities (other than US government securities or the securities of other RICs) of any one issuer, (ii) the securities (other than securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers the Fund controls that are determined to be engaged in the same, similar, or related trades or businesses, or (iii) the securities of one or more QPTPs (collectively, “RIC Diversification Requirements”).
|
80
Direct investments by a Fund in precious metals, structured notes linked to precious metals or options or futures contracts on precious metals would have adverse tax consequences for the Fund and its shareholders if it either (1) derived more than 10% of its gross income in any taxable year from the disposition of such metals, notes, options, and futures contracts and from other non-Qualifying Income and thus failed to satisfy the Income Requirement or (2) held such metals, notes, options, and futures contracts in such quantities that it failed to satisfy the 50% Diversification Requirement. A fund that invests in such metals, notes, options or futures contracts intends to manage or continue to manage its holdings thereof so as to avoid failing to satisfy those requirements for these reasons.
If any Fund failed to qualify for treatment as a RIC for any taxable year, such Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures of the diversification requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period. If a Fund fails to maintain qualification as a RIC for a tax year, and the relief provisions are not available, such Fund would be taxed as an ordinary corporation on the full amount of its taxable income for that year (even if it distributed that income to its shareholders). In addition, the shareholders would treat all those distributions, including distributions of net capital gain and distributions that otherwise would be “exempt interest dividends” as described below, as taxable dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, taxable as ordinary income, although corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends received deduction (subject to certain limitations) and individuals may be able to benefit from the lower tax rates available to qualified dividend income. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest, and make substantial distributions before requalifying for RIC treatment.
Dividends and other distributions a Fund declares in October, November, and/or December of any year that are payable to its shareholders of record on a date in such a month are deemed to have been paid by the Fund and received by the shareholders on December 31 if the Fund pays them during the following January. Accordingly, those dividends and other distributions (except for exempt-interest dividends, as described below) will be taxed to the shareholders for the year in which that December 31 falls.
Notwithstanding the Distribution Requirement described above, which generally requires a Fund to distribute at least 90% of its annual investment company taxable income and the excess of its exempt interest income (but does not require any minimum distribution of net capital gain), a Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax to the extent it fails to distribute by the end of the calendar year at least 98% of its ordinary income and 98.2% of its capital gain net income (the excess of short- and long-term capital gains over short- and long-term capital losses) for the one-year period ending on October 31 of such year (including any retained amount from the prior calendar year on which a Fund paid no federal income tax). The Funds intend to make sufficient distributions to avoid liability for federal excise tax but can make no assurances that such tax will be completely eliminated. For example, a Fund may receive delayed or corrected tax reporting statements from its investments that cause such Fund to accrue additional income and gains after such Fund has already made its excise tax distributions for the year. In such a situation, a Fund may incur an excise tax liability resulting from such delayed receipt of such tax information statements. In addition, the Funds may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate Fund investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid federal excise tax liability at a time when the advisers might not otherwise have chosen to do so, and liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of a Fund to satisfy the requirement for qualification as a RIC.
When a Fund engages in securities lending, while securities are loaned out by such Fund, the Fund generally will receive from the borrower amounts equal to any dividends or interest paid on the borrowed securities. For federal income tax purposes, payments made “in lieu of” dividends are not considered dividend income. These distributions will neither qualify for the reduced rate of taxation for individuals on qualified dividends nor the 50% dividends-received deduction for corporations. Additionally, in the case of a fund with a strategy of investing in tax-exempt securities, any payments made “in lieu of” tax-exempt interest will be considered taxable income to the fund, and thus, to the investors, even though such interest may be tax-exempt when paid to the borrower.
Investments in Partnerships and QPTPs
A QPTP is defined as a publicly traded partnership (generally, a partnership the interests in which are “traded on an established securities market” or are “readily tradable on a secondary market (or the substantial equivalent thereof)”)
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other than a partnership at least 90% of the gross income of which consists of Qualifying Income. All of the net income derived by a fund from an interest in a QPTP will be treated as Qualifying Income but the fund may not invest more than 25% of its total assets in one or more QPTPs. However, there can be no assurance that a partnership classified as a QPTP in one year will qualify as a QPTP in the next year. Any such failure to annually qualify as a QPTP might, in turn, cause a fund to fail to qualify as a RIC. Although, in general, the passive loss rules of the Internal Revenue Code do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a fund with respect to items attributable to an interest in a QPTP. Fund investments in partnerships, including in QPTPs, may result in the fund being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.
If an MLP is treated as a partnership for US federal income tax purposes (whether or not a QPTP), all or a portion of the dividends received by a fund from the MLP may be treated as a return of capital for US federal income tax purposes because of accelerated deductions available with respect to the activities of such MLPs. Further, because of these accelerated deductions, on the disposition of interests in such an MLP, a fund likely will realize taxable income in excess of economic gain with respect to those MLP interests (or if the fund does not dispose of the MLP, the fund could realize taxable income in excess of cash flow with respect to the MLP in a later period), and the fund must take such income into account in determining whether the fund has satisfied its Distribution Requirement. A fund may have to borrow or liquidate securities to satisfy its Distribution Requirement and to meet its redemption requests, even though investment considerations might otherwise make it undesirable for the fund to sell securities or borrow money at such time. In addition, any gain recognized, either upon the sale of a fund’s MLP interest or sale by the MLP of property held by it, including in excess of economic gain thereon, treated as so-called “recapture income,” will be treated as ordinary income. Therefore, to the extent a fund invests in MLPs, fund shareholders might receive greater amounts of distributions from the fund taxable as ordinary income than they otherwise would in the absence of such MLP investments.
Although MLPs generally are expected to be treated as partnerships for US federal income tax purposes, some MLPs may be treated as passive foreign investment companies or “regular” corporations for US federal income tax purposes. The treatment of particular MLPs for US federal income tax purposes will affect the extent to which a fund can invest in MLPs and will impact the amount, character, and timing of income recognized by the Fund.
“Qualified publicly traded partnership income” within the meaning of Section 199A(e)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code is eligible for a 20% deduction by non-corporate taxpayers. “Qualified publicly traded partnership income” is generally income of a “publicly traded partnership” (within the meaning of Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code) that is not treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes (pursuant to Section 7704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code) with respect to such entity’s qualified trade or business, but does not include certain investment income. A “publicly traded partnership” for purposes of this deduction is not necessarily the same as a QPTP, as defined above. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). RICs, such as the Funds, are not permitted to pass the special character of this income through to their shareholders. Direct investors in entities that generate “qualified publicly traded partnership income” will enjoy the lower rate, but investors in RICs that invest in such entities will not.
Income from Foreign Securities
Dividends and interest a Fund receives, and gains it realizes, on foreign securities may be subject to income, withholding, or other taxes imposed by foreign countries and US possessions (collectively, “foreign taxes”) that would reduce the yield and/or total return on its securities. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate foreign taxes, however, and many foreign countries do not impose taxes on capital gains in respect of investments by foreign investors. Under certain circumstances, a Fund may elect to pass-through foreign taxes paid by the Fund to shareholders, although it reserves the right not to do so. If a Fund makes such an election and obtains a refund of foreign taxes paid by the Fund in a prior year, the Fund may be eligible to reduce the amount of foreign taxes reported by the Fund to its shareholders, generally by the amount of the foreign taxes refunded, for the year in which the refund is received.
Subject to its investment policies and restrictions, a Fund may invest in the stock of a PFIC. A PFIC is any foreign corporation (with certain exceptions) that, in general, meets either of the following tests for a taxable year: (1) at least 75% of its gross income is passive or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, passive income. Whether a foreign corporation is a PFIC is a fact-intensive determination that is based on various facts and circumstances that may change from time to time, and the principles and methodology
82
used in determining whether a foreign corporation is a PFIC are subject to interpretation. It is possible that a Fund could invest in a foreign corporation that becomes, or is determined to be, a PFIC after the Fund makes the investment.
Under certain circumstances, a Fund will be subject to federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” it receives on the stock of a PFIC or of any gain on disposition of the stock (collectively, “PFIC income”), plus interest thereon, even if the Fund distributes the PFIC income as a dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in the Fund’s investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. To avoid the foregoing tax and interest obligation, a Fund might make a “qualified electing fund” (“QEF”) or “marked-to-market” election. If a Fund invests in a PFIC and elects to treat the PFIC as a QEF, then in lieu of the foregoing tax and interest obligation, the Fund will be required to include in income each taxable year its pro rata share of the QEF’s annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain - which the Fund probably would have to distribute to satisfy the Distribution Requirement and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax - even if the QEF does not distribute those earnings and gain to the Fund. In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements thereof.
A Fund may elect to mark-to-market its stock in any PFIC. Marking-to-market, in this context, means including in gross income each taxable year (and treating as ordinary income) the excess, if any, of the fair market value of a PFIC’s stock over a Fund’s adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, a Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not a capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock the Fund included in income for prior taxable years under the election. A Fund’s adjusted basis in each PFIC’s stock with respect to which it makes this election will be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken under the election.
Income from Financial Instruments and Foreign Currencies
The use of hedging and option income strategies, such as writing (selling) and purchasing options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses a Fund realizes in connection therewith. Gains from the disposition of foreign currencies (except certain gains that may be excluded by future regulations), and gains from options, futures contracts and forward currency contracts a Fund derives with respect to its business of investing in securities or foreign currencies, will be treated as Qualifying Income. Each Fund will monitor its transactions, make appropriate tax elections, and make appropriate entries in its books and records when it acquires any Financial Instrument to mitigate the effect of these rules, prevent its disqualification as a RIC, and minimize the imposition of federal income tax.
A Fund’s need to satisfy the Income Requirement and the RIC Diversification Requirements to qualify for treatment as a RIC may limit its ability to engage in certain swap agreements and derivatives transactions. Moreover, the rules governing the tax treatment of swap agreements are not entirely clear in certain respects. For example, the tax treatment of a payment made or received under a swap agreement in particular, whether such a payment is, wholly or partially, ordinary income or capital gain will vary depending on the terms of the particular agreement. The tax treatment of swap agreements and other derivatives also may be affected by future legislation, regulations, and/or guidance issued by the IRS. While each Fund intends to account for swap agreements in a manner it considers to be appropriate under applicable tax rules, the IRS might not accept that treatment. If it did not, a Fund’s status as a RIC might be affected. The Funds intend to monitor developments in this area.
Any income a Fund earns from writing options is treated as short-term capital gain. If a Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will have a short-term capital gain or loss based on the difference between the premium it received for the option it wrote and the premium it paid for the option it bought. If an option written by a Fund lapses without being exercised, the premium it received also will be a short-term capital gain. If such an option is exercised and the Fund thus sells the securities subject to the option, the premium the Fund received will be added to the exercise price to determine the gain or loss on the sale.
Certain futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and “non-equity” options (that is, certain listed options, such as those on a “broad-based” securities index) - but excluding (1) any “securities futures contract” that is not a “dealer securities futures contract” (both as defined in the Internal Revenue Code) or (2) any interest rate cap or floor,
83
interest rate or certain other swap, or similar agreement - in which a Fund may invest will be “Section 1256 contracts.” Section 1256 contracts a Fund holds at the end of its taxable year, other than contracts subject to a “mixed straddle” election the Fund may make, are marked to market (that is, treated as sold at that time for their fair market value) for federal income tax purposes, with the result that unrealized gains or losses are treated as though they were realized. Sixty percent of any net gains or losses recognized on these deemed sales, and 60% of any net realized gains or losses from any actual sales of Section 1256 contracts, are treated as long-term capital gains or losses, and the balance is treated as short-term capital gains or losses. Section 1256 contracts also are marked-to-market at the end of October of each year for purposes of the Excise Tax. A Fund may need to distribute any net marked-to-market gains as of the end of its taxable year to its shareholders to satisfy the Distribution Requirement (i.e., with respect to the portion treated as short-term capital gain, which will be includible in its investment company taxable income, and thus taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income when distributed to them). These rules also may operate to increase the net capital gain a Fund recognizes, even though it may not have closed the transactions and received cash to pay distributions of that gain.
Under Code Section 988, a gain or loss (1) from the disposition of foreign currencies, (2) except in certain circumstances, from options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currencies (and on financial instruments involving foreign currencies) and from notional principal contracts (e.g., swaps, caps, floors, and collars) involving payments denominated in foreign currencies, (3) on the disposition of each foreign-currency-denominated debt security that are attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the dates of acquisition and disposition of the security, and (4) that is attributable to exchange rate fluctuations between the time a Fund accrues interest, dividends, or other receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time it actually collects the receivables or pays the liabilities generally will be treated as ordinary income or loss. These gains or losses will increase or decrease the amount of a Fund’s investment company taxable income, rather than affecting the amount of its net capital gain. (Note, however, that under certain circumstances, a Fund may
make an election to treat foreign currency gain or loss on certain forward contracts, futures contracts and options as capital gain or loss). If a Fund’s Section 988 losses (other than those to which such an election applies) exceed its other investment company taxable income for a taxable year, the Fund would not be able to distribute any dividends.
Offsetting positions a Fund enters into or holds in any actively traded security, option, futures, or forward currency contract may constitute a “straddle” for federal income tax purposes. Straddles are subject to certain rules that may affect the amount, character, and timing of recognition of a Fund’s gains and losses with respect to positions of the straddle by requiring, among other things, that (1) loss realized on disposition of one position of a straddle be deferred to the extent of any unrealized gain in an offsetting position until the latter position is disposed of, (2) the Fund’s holding period for certain straddle positions not begin until the straddle is terminated (possibly resulting in gain being treated as short-term rather than long-term capital gain), and (3) losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions, that otherwise would constitute short-term capital losses, be treated as long-term capital losses. Applicable regulations also provide certain “wash sale” rules, which apply to transactions where a position is sold at a loss and a new offsetting position is acquired within a prescribed period, and “short sale” rules applicable to straddles. Different elections are available to the Funds, which may mitigate the effects of the straddle rules, particularly with respect to “mixed straddles” (i.e., a straddle of which at least one, but not all, positions are section 1256 contracts).
The premium a Fund receives for writing (selling) a put or call option is not included in income at the time of receipt. When a covered call option written (sold) by a Fund expires, it will realize a short-term capital gain equal to the amount of the premium it received for writing the option. When a Fund terminates its obligations under such an option by entering into a closing transaction, it will realize a short-term capital gain (or loss), depending on whether the cost of the closing transaction is less (or more) than the premium it received when it wrote the option. When a covered call option written by a Fund is exercised, it will be treated as having sold the underlying security, producing long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending on the holding period of the underlying security and whether the sum of the option price it receives on the exercise plus the premium it received when it wrote the option is more or less than the underlying security’s basis.
Income from REITs
A Fund may invest in U.S. REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require a Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, a Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would
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have continued to hold. A Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in a Fund’s receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings; if a Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to such Fund’s shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends paid by a REIT, other than capital gain distributions, will be taxable as ordinary income up to the amount of the REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Capital gain dividends paid by a REIT to a Fund will be treated as long-term capital gains by the Fund and, in turn, may be distributed by the Fund to its shareholders as a capital gain distribution. Dividends received by a Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income or qualify for the dividends received deduction. If a REIT is operated in a manner such that it fails to qualify as a REIT, an investment in the REIT would become subject to double taxation, meaning the taxable income of the REIT would be subject to federal income tax at the regular corporate rate without any deduction for dividends paid to shareholders and the dividends would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income (or possibly as qualified dividend income) to the extent of the REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.
U.S. REITs in which a Fund invests often do not provide complete and final tax information to the Fund until after the time that the Fund issues a tax reporting statement. As a result, a Fund may at times find it necessary to reclassify the amount and character of its distributions to you after it issues your tax reporting statement. When such reclassification is necessary, a Fund (or its administrative agent) will send you a corrected, final Form 1099-DIV to reflect the reclassified information. If you receive a corrected Form 1099-DIV, use the information on this corrected form, and not the information on the previously issued tax reporting statement, in completing your tax returns.
“Qualified REIT dividends” (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income eligible for capital gain tax rates) are eligible for a 20% deduction by non-corporate taxpayers. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). Distributions by a Fund to its shareholders that are attributable to qualified REIT dividends received by the Fund and which the Fund properly reports as “Section 199A Dividends,” are treated as “qualified REIT dividends” in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. A Section 199A Dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. A Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as Section 199A Dividends as are eligible but is not required to do so.
Income from OID Securities
Subject to its investment policies and restrictions, a Fund may invest in taxable or municipal zero coupon bonds or other securities issued with OID. As a holder of those securities, a Fund must include in its gross income (or take into account, in the case of OID on tax-exempt securities) the OID that accrues on them during the taxable year, even if it receives no corresponding payment on the securities during the year. Similarly, a Fund must include in its gross income each taxable year, securities it receives as “interest” on PIK securities. Because a Fund annually must distribute (1) substantially all of its investment company taxable income, including any accrued OID and other non-cash income, to avoid imposition of the excise tax, and (2) substantially all of the sum of that income and its net tax-exempt income (including any tax-exempt OID), to satisfy the Distribution Requirement, it may be required in a particular taxable year to distribute as a dividend an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash it actually receives. Those distributions will be made from a Fund’s cash assets or from the proceeds of sales of its portfolio securities, if necessary. A Fund may realize capital gains or losses from those sales, which would increase or decrease its investment company taxable income and/or net capital gain.
Investments in Convertible Securities
Convertible debt is ordinarily treated as a “single property” consisting of a pure debt interest until conversion, after which the investment becomes an equity interest. If the security is issued at a premium (i.e., for cash in excess of the face amount payable on retirement), the creditor-holder may amortize the premium over the life of the bond. If the security is issued for cash at a price below its face amount, the creditor-holder must accrue original issue discount in income over the life of the debt. The creditor-holder’s exercise of the conversion privilege is treated as a nontaxable event. Mandatorily convertible debt (e.g., an exchange traded note or ETN issued in the form of an unsecured obligation that pays a return based on the performance of a specified market index, exchange currency, or commodity) is often, but not always, treated as a contract to buy or sell the reference property rather than debt. Similarly, convertible preferred stock with a mandatory conversion feature is ordinarily, but not always, treated as
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equity rather than debt. Dividends received generally are qualified dividend income and eligible for the corporate dividends-received deduction. In general, conversion of preferred stock for common stock of the same corporation is tax-free. Conversion of preferred stock for cash is a taxable redemption. Any redemption premium for preferred stock that is redeemable by the issuing company might be required to be amortized under original issue discount principles.
Special Consideration for Taxation of Fund Distributions for Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
Tax Exempt Interest. The Fund intends to qualify each year to pay exempt-interest dividends by satisfying the requirement that at the close of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year at least 50% of the Fund’s total assets consists of municipal securities, which are exempt from federal income tax.
Exempt-interest dividends. Distributions from the Fund will constitute exempt-interest dividends to the extent of the Fund’s tax-exempt interest income (net of allocable expenses and amortized bond premium). Exempt-interest dividends distributed to shareholders of the Fund are excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes. However, shareholders required to file a federal income tax return will be required to report the receipt of exempt-interest dividends on their returns. Moreover, while exempt-interest dividends are excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes, they may be subject to alternative minimum tax (“AMT”) in certain circumstances and may have other collateral tax consequences as discussed below.
Distributions of ordinary income and capital gains. Any gain or loss from the sale or other disposition of a tax-exempt security generally is treated as either long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon its holding period, and is fully taxable. However, gain recognized from the sale or other disposition of a tax-exempt security purchased after April 30, 1993, will be treated as ordinary income to the extent of the accrued market discount on such security. Distributions by the Fund of ordinary income and capital gains will be taxable to shareholders as discussed above under “Taxation of Fund Distributions.”
Alternative minimum tax – private activity bonds. AMT is imposed in addition to, but only to the extent it exceeds, the regular tax and is computed at a maximum rate of 28% for non-corporate taxpayers on the excess of the taxpayer’s alternative minimum taxable income (“AMTI”) over an exemption amount. Exempt-interest dividends derived from certain “private activity” municipal securities issued after August 7, 1986 generally will constitute an item of tax preference includable in AMTI for non-corporate taxpayers. However, tax-exempt interest on private activity bonds issued in 2009 and 2010 is not an item of tax preference for purposes of the AMT. Consistent with its stated investment objective, the Fund intends to limit its investments in private activity bonds subject to the AMT to no more than 20% of its total assets in any given year.
Effect on taxation of social security benefits; denial of interest deduction; “substantial users.” Exempt-interest dividends must be taken into account in computing the portion, if any, of social security or railroad retirement benefits that must be included in an individual shareholder’s gross income subject to federal income tax. Further, a shareholder of the Fund is denied a deduction for interest on indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or carry shares of the Fund. Moreover, a shareholder who is (or is related to) a “substantial user” of a facility financed by industrial development bonds held by the Fund will likely be subject to tax on dividends paid by the Fund which are derived from interest on such bonds. Receipt of exempt-interest dividends may result in other collateral federal income tax consequences to certain taxpayers, including financial institutions, property and casualty insurance companies and foreign corporations engaged in a trade or business in the United States.
Exemption from state tax. To the extent that exempt-interest dividends are derived from interest on obligations of a state or its political subdivisions, or from interest on qualifying US territorial obligations (including qualifying obligations of Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and Guam), they also may be exempt from that state’s personal income taxes. Most states do not grant tax-free treatment to interest on state and municipal securities of other states.
Failure of a municipal security to qualify to pay exempt-interest. Failure of the issuer of a tax-exempt security to comply with certain legal or contractual requirements relating to a municipal security could cause interest on the municipal security, as well as Fund distributions derived from this interest, to become taxable, perhaps retroactively to the date the municipal security was issued. In such a case, the Fund may be required to report to the IRS and send to shareholders amended Forms 1099 for a prior taxable year in order to report additional taxable income. This, in
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turn, could require shareholders to file amended federal and state income tax returns for such prior year to report and pay tax and interest on their pro rata share of the additional amount of taxable income.
Shareholder Tax Considerations
Dividends a Fund pays to you from its investment company taxable income will be taxable as ordinary income, except that a 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) generally will be subject to federal income tax for noncorporate shareholders who satisfy those restrictions with respect to their Fund shares at the federal income tax rates for net capital gain - a maximum of 20% (lower rates apply to individuals in lower tax brackets). The investment strategies of a Fund may limit the Fund’s ability to make distributions eligible for treatment as qualified dividend income.
Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from a Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. A Fund’s investment strategies may limit the Fund’s ability to distribute dividends eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporations.
A RIC that receives business interest income may pass through its net business interest income for purposes of the tax rules applicable to the interest expense limitations under Section 163(j) of the Internal Revenue Code. A RIC’s total “Section 163(j) Interest Dividend” for a tax year is limited to the excess of the RIC’s business interest income over the sum of its business interest expense and its other deductions properly allocable to its business interest income. A RIC may, in its discretion, designate all or a portion of ordinary dividends as Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, which would allow the recipient shareholder to treat the designated portion of such dividends as interest income for purposes of determining such shareholder’s interest expense deduction limitation under Section 163(j). This can potentially increase the amount of a shareholder’s interest expense deductible under Section 163(j). In general, to be eligible to treat a Section 163(j) Interest Dividend as interest income, you must have held your shares in a Fund for more than 180 days during the 361-day period beginning on the date that is 180 days before the date on which the share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend. Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, if so designated by a Fund, will be reported to your financial intermediary or otherwise in accordance with the requirements specified by the IRS.
Distributions to you of a Fund’s net capital gain (net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) will be taxable as long-term capital gain, at the maximum rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders, regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Shareholders other than Qualified Plans, IRAs and other tax-exempt investors will be subject to federal income tax on dividends and capital gain distributions received from a Fund, regardless of whether they are received in cash or additional Fund shares.
Distributions by a Fund that are not paid from earnings and profits will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of (and in reduction of) the shareholder’s tax basis in his shares; any excess will be treated as gain from the sale of his shares. Thus, the portion of a distribution that constitutes a return of capital will decrease the shareholder’s tax basis in his Fund share (but not below zero), and will result in an increase in the amount of gain (or decrease in the amount of loss) that will be recognized by the shareholder for tax purposes on the later sale of such Fund shares.
A shareholder’s cost basis information will be provided on the redemption of any of the shareholder’s shares, subject to certain exceptions for exempt recipients. The Funds will calculate the shareholder’s cost basis using its default method, unless the shareholder instructs a Fund to use a different calculation method. Please contact the broker (or other nominee) that holds your shares with respect to reporting of cost basis and available elections for your account.
Sales, exchanges, or redemptions of a Fund’s shares may be taxable transactions for federal and state income tax purposes. Any gain or loss recognized on a sale, exchange, or redemption of shares of a Fund by a shareholder who holds a Fund’s shares as capital assets will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than twelve months and otherwise will be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss. However, if shares on which a shareholder has received a long-term capital gain distribution are subsequently sold, exchanged, or redeemed and such shares have been held for six months or less, any loss recognized will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the long-term capital gain distribution and disallowed to the extent that exempt
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interest dividends were paid with respect to such Fund shares. In addition, the loss realized on a sale or other disposition of shares will be disallowed to the extent a shareholder repurchases (or enters into a contract to or option to repurchase) shares within a period of 61 days (beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the shares). This loss disallowance rule will apply to shares received through the reinvestment of dividends during the 61-day period. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an upward adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired. For tax purposes, an exchange of your Fund shares for shares of a different fund is the same as a sale.
An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize gain or loss from the exchange. The gain or loss will be 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 the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. The ability of Authorized Participants to receive a full or partial cash redemption of Creation Units of a Fund may limit the tax efficiency of the Fund. An Authorized Participant who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units and the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units. The IRS, however, may assert that an Authorized Participant may not be permitted to currently deduct losses realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units under the rules governing “wash sales” (for an Authorized Participant which does not mark-to-market its holdings) or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
Any gain or loss realized upon a creation or redemption of Creation Units will be treated as capital or ordinary gain or loss, depending on the circumstances. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year and were held as capital assets in the hands of the exchanging Authorized Participant. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses will be treated as short-term capital gains or losses. Any capital loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six months or less should be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable Authorized Participant of long-term capital gains with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the Authorized Participant as undistributed capital gains).
The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has the right to reject an order for a purchase of shares of a Fund if the purchaser (or group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If a Fund does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund, the purchaser (or group of purchasers) may not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.
Authorized Participants purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction and whether the wash sales rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
Certain tax-exempt shareholders, including qualified pension plans, individual retirement plans, salary deferral arrangements, 401(k)s, and other tax-exempt entities, generally are exempt from federal income taxation except with respect to their unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”). Tax-exempt entities are not permitted to offset losses from one trade or business against the income or gain of another trade or business. Certain net losses incurred prior to January 1, 2018, are permitted to offset gain and income created by an unrelated trade or business, if otherwise available. Under current law, the Funds generally serve to block UBTI from being realized by their tax-exempt shareholders. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, the tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of an investment in a Fund where, for example: (i) the Fund invests in residual interests of REMICs, (ii) the Fund invests in a REIT that is a taxable mortgage pool (“TMP”) or that has a subsidiary that is a TMP or that invests in the residual interest of a REMIC, or (iii) shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Section 514(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. Charitable remainder trusts are subject to special rules and should consult their tax advisor. The IRS has issued guidance with respect to these
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issues and prospective shareholders, especially charitable remainder trusts, are strongly encouraged to consult their tax advisors regarding these issues.
A Fund’s shares held in a tax-qualified retirement account will generally not be subject to federal taxation on income and capital gains distributions from the Fund until a shareholder begins receiving payments from their retirement account. Because each shareholder’s tax situation is different, shareholders should consult their tax advisor about the tax implications of an investment in the Funds.
Income dividends a Fund pays to a nonresident alien individual, foreign corporation or partnership, or foreign trust or estate (each, a “foreign shareholder”), other than (1) dividends paid to a foreign shareholder whose ownership of shares is effectively connected with a trade or business within the United States the shareholder conducts and (2) capital gain distributions paid to a nonresident alien individual who is physically present in the United States for no more than 182 days during the taxable year, generally will be subject to a federal withholding tax of 30% (or lower treaty rate) and US estate tax. Income from a Fund that is effectively connected with a US trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder will subject ordinary income dividends, capital gain dividends and any gains realized upon the sale or redemption of shares of the Fund to US federal income tax at the rates applicable to US citizens or domestic corporations and require the filing of a nonresident US income tax return.
Generally, dividends reported by a Fund to shareholders as interest-related dividends and paid from its qualified net interest income from US sources are not subject to US withholding tax. “Qualified interest income” includes, in general, US source (1) bank deposit interest; (2) short-term original discount; (3) interest (including original issue discount, market discount or acquisition discount) on an obligation that is in registered form, unless it is earned on an obligation issued by a corporation or partnership in which the Fund is a 10% shareholder or is contingent interest; and (4) any interest-related dividend from another RIC. Similarly, short-term capital gain dividends reported by a Fund to shareholders as paid from its net short-term capital gains, other than short-term capital gains realized on disposition of US real property interests (see the discussion below), are not subject to US withholding tax unless you were a nonresident alien individual present in the US for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the calendar year. The Funds reserve the right to not report interest-related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends. Additionally, the Funds’ reporting of interest-related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends may not be passed through to shareholders by intermediaries who have assumed tax reporting responsibilities for this income in managed or omnibus accounts due to systems limitations or operational constraints.
Special US tax certification requirements may apply to non-US shareholders both to avoid US backup withholding imposed at a rate of 24% and to obtain the benefits of any treaty between the US and the shareholder’s country of residence. In general, if you are a non-US shareholder, you must provide a Form W-8 BEN-E (or other applicable Form W-8) to establish that you are not a US person, to claim that you are the beneficial owner of the income and, if applicable, to claim a reduced rate of, or exemption from, withholding as a resident of a country with which the US has an income tax treaty. A Form W-8 BEN-E provided without a US taxpayer identification number will remain in effect for a period beginning on the last day of the third succeeding calendar year, unless an earlier change of circumstances makes the information on the form incorrect. Certain payees and payments are exempt from backup withholding.
The tax consequences to a non-US shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may be different from those described herein. Non-US shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Funds, including the applicability of foreign tax.
Foreign shareholders may be subject to US estate tax and are subject to special US tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Exemptions from US withholding tax are provided for certain capital gain dividends paid by the Funds from net long-term capital gains, exempt-interest dividends, interest-related dividends and short- term capital gain dividends, if such amounts are reported by the Funds. However, notwithstanding such exemptions from US withholding at the source, any such dividends and distributions of income and capital gains will be subject to back-up withholding at a rate of 24% if such shareholder fails to properly certify that he or she is not a US person.
Under legislation generally known as “FATCA” (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), a Fund is required to withhold 30% of certain ordinary dividends it pays to shareholders that fail to meet prescribed information reporting
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or certification requirements. In general, no such withholding will be required with respect to a U.S. person or non-U.S. person that timely provides the certifications required by a Fund or its agent on a valid IRS Form W-9 or applicable series of IRS Form W-8, respectively. Shareholders potentially subject to withholding include foreign financial institutions (“FFIs”), such as non-U.S. investment funds, and non-financial foreign entities (“NFFEs”). To avoid withholding under FATCA, an FFI generally must enter into an information sharing agreement with the IRS in which it agrees to report certain identifying information (including name, address, and taxpayer identification number) with respect to its U.S. account holders (which, in the case of an entity shareholder, may include its direct and indirect U.S. owners), and an NFFE generally must identify and provide other required information to a Fund or other withholding agent regarding its U.S. owners, if any. Such non-U.S. shareholders also may fall into certain exempt, excepted or deemed compliant categories as established by regulations and other guidance. A non-U.S. shareholder resident or doing business in a country that has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the U.S. to implement FATCA will be exempt from FATCA withholding provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of the agreement. Each Fund will not pay any additional amounts with respect to any amount withhold under FATCA.
Under U.S. Treasury regulations, generally, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC such as a Fund are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all RICs. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
The foregoing is an abbreviated summary of certain federal income tax considerations affecting each Fund and its shareholders. The discussion does not purport to be complete or to deal with all aspects of federal income taxation that may be relevant to shareholders in light of their particular circumstances. It is based on current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, the regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial decisions, and administrative pronouncements, all of which are subject to change (which has occurred frequently in recent years), some of which may be retroactive. Prospective investors are urged to consult their own tax advisor for more detailed information and for information regarding other federal tax considerations and any state, local or foreign taxes that may apply to them.
Performance Information
Because the Funds are new, they have no performance history. Once a Fund has commenced operations, you can obtain such Fund’s most current performance information by calling 844-469-9911 or by visiting our website at global.nomuraassetmanagement.com/investments/etf.
Performance quotations represent the Funds’ past performance and should not be considered as representative of future results. The Funds calculate their performance in accordance with the requirements of the rules and regulations under the 1940 Act, or any other applicable US securities laws, as they may be revised from time to time by the SEC.
Financial Statements
Because the Funds have not yet commenced operations, financial statements for the Funds are not yet available.
[
] serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds. [
], in its capacity as independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds, will audit the annual financial statements of the respective Fund contained in such Fund’s Annual Report once the Fund commences operations.
Principal Holders
Following the creation of the initial Creation Unit(s) of shares of a Fund and immediately prior to the commencement of trading in the Fund’s shares, a holder of shares may be a “control person” of the Fund, as defined
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in the 1940 Act. A Fund cannot predict the length of time for which one or more shareholders may remain a control person of the Fund.
Because the Funds have not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI, no Depository Trust Company (DTC) participant owned of record 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Funds.
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Appendix A — Description of Ratings
Corporate Obligation Ratings
Moody’s
Investment Grade
Aaa: Bonds rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.
Aa: Bonds rated Aa are judged to be high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
A: Bonds rated A are considered upper medium-grade obligations and are subject to low credit risk.
Baa: Bonds rated Baa are subject to moderate credit risk and are considered medium-grade obligations. As such they may have certain speculative characteristics.
Below Investment Grade
Ba: Bonds rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.
B: Bonds rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
Caa: Bonds rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
Ca: Bonds rated Ca are considered highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
C: Bonds rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default. They have little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.
Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2 and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.
S&P®
The issue rating definitions are expressions in terms of default risk. As such, they pertain to senior obligations of an entity. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy. (Such differentiation applies when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.) Accordingly, in the case of junior debt, the rating may not conform exactly with the category definition.
Investment Grade
AAA: This is the highest rating assigned by S&P to a debt obligation. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
AA: Obligations rated AA differ from AAA issues only in a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
A: Obligations rated A are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in the higher ratings categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.
BBB: Obligations rated BBB exhibit adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
Below Investment Grade
BB, B, CCC, CC, C: Obligations rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest degree of speculation. While these obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
BB: An obligation rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B: An obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
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CCC: An obligation rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CC: An obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.
C: A subordinated debt or preferred stock obligation rated C is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The C rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued. The C rating is also assigned to a preferred stock issue in arrears on dividends or sinking fund payments, but that is still making payments.
D: Obligations rated D are in payment default. The D rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating is also used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.
Plus (+) or minus (-): The ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
r: This symbol is attached to the ratings of instruments with significant noncredit risks and highlights risks to principal or volatility of expected returns that are not addressed in the credit rating.
Municipal Bond Ratings
Moody’s
The following describe characteristics of the global long-term (original maturity of 1 year or more) bond ratings provided by Moody’s:
Aaa: Judged to be obligations of the highest quality, they are subject to the lowest level of credit risk.
Aa: Judged to be obligations of high quality, they are subject to very low credit risk. Together with the Aaa group, they make up what are generally known as high-grade bonds.
A: Judged to be upper-medium-grade obligations, they are subject to low credit risk.
Baa: Judged to be medium-grade obligations, subject to moderate credit risk, they may possess certain speculative characteristics.
Ba: Judged to be speculative obligations, they are subject to substantial credit risk.
B: Considered to be speculative obligations, they are subject to high credit risk.
Caa: Judged to be speculative obligations of poor standing, they are subject to very high credit risk.
Ca: Viewed as highly speculative obligations, they are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
C: Viewed as the lowest rated obligations, they are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.
For all categories from Aa through Caa, Moody’s also supplies numerical indicators (1, 2, and 3) to rating categories. The modifier 1 indicates that the security is in the higher end of its rating category, the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking, and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking toward the lower end of the category.
Standard and Poor’s
The following describe characteristics of the long-term (original maturity of 1 year or more) bond ratings provided by Standard and Poor’s:
AAA: These are the highest rated obligations. The capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA: These also qualify as high-grade obligations. They have a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal, and they differ from AAA issues only in small degree.
A: These are regarded as upper-medium-grade obligations. They have a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal although they are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher-rated categories.
BBB: These are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity in this regard. This group is the lowest that qualifies for commercial bank investment.
BB, B, CCC, CC, and C: These obligations range from speculative to significantly speculative with respect to the capacity to pay interest and repay principal. BB indicates the lowest degree of speculation and C the highest.
93
D: These obligations are in default, and payment of principal and/or interest is likely in arrears.
The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (–) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
Fitch
AAA: Judged to be highest credit quality; obligor has exceptionally strong ability to pay interest and repay principal, which is unlikely to be affected by reasonably foreseeable events.
AA: Judged to be very high credit quality; obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal is very strong. Because bonds rated in the AAA and AA categories are not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable future developments, short-term debt of these issuers is generally rated F-1+.
A: Judged to be high credit quality; obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances than higher-rated bonds.
BBB: Judged to be satisfactory credit quality; obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered adequate. Unfavorable changes in economic conditions and circumstances are more likely to adversely affect these bonds and impair timely payment. The likelihood that the ratings of these bonds will fall below investment grade is higher than for higher-rated bonds.
BB, B, CCC, CC, C: These are not investment grade; predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to repay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation for bond issues not in default. BB is the least speculative. C is the most speculative.
Short-Term Debt/Commercial Paper Ratings
Moody’s
Moody’s short-term debt ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs and to individual short-term debt instruments. These obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding 13 months, unless explicitly noted. Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment capacity of rated issuers:
P-1 (Prime-1): Issuers (or supporting institutions) so rated have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
P-2 (Prime-2): Issuers (or supporting institutions) so rated have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
P-3 (Prime-3): Issuers (or supporting institutions) so rated have an acceptable ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
NP: Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
S&P®
S&P’s ratings are a current opinion of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the US, for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days — including commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. The result is a dual rating, in which the short-term rating addresses the put feature, in addition to the usual long-term rating.
A-1: This designation indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
A-2: Issues carrying this designation are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations carrying the higher designations. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.
A-3: Issues carrying this designation exhibit adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B: These obligations are vulnerable to nonpayment and are significantly speculative, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments.
C: These obligations are vulnerable to nonpayment, but the obligor must rely on favorable economic conditions to meet its financial commitment.
94
D: These obligations are in default, and payment of principal and/or interest is likely in arrears.
Fitch
F-1+: Exceptionally strong quality
F-1: Very strong quality
F-2: Good credit quality
F-3: Fair quality
F-S: Weak credit quality
State and Municipal Notes Ratings
Moody’s
Moody’s ratings for state and municipal notes and other short-term (up to 3 years) obligations are designated Municipal Investment Grade (MIG).
MIG 1: Indicates superior quality, enjoying the excellent protection of established cash flows, liquidity support, and broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG 2: Indicates strong credit quality with ample margins of protection, although not as large as in the preceding group.
MIG 3: Indicates acceptable credit quality, with narrow liquidity and cash-flow protection and less well-established market access for refinancing.
SG: Indicates speculative credit quality with questionable margins of protection.
Standard and Poor’s
The following describe characteristics of U.S. municipal short-term (original maturity of 3 years or less) note ratings provided by Standard and Poor’s:
SP-1: Indicates a strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2: Indicates a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest.
SP-3: Indicates a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
Fitch
F-1+: Exceptionally strong quality
F-1: Very strong quality
F-2: Good credit quality
F-3: Fair quality
F-S: Weak credit quality
95
Appendix B — Special Factors Affecting Nomura Tax-Free California ETF
The following information is a brief summary of certain state factors affecting the Fund and does not purport to be a complete description of such factors. The financial condition of a state, its public authorities and local governments could affect the market values and marketability of, and therefore the NAV per share and the interest income of the Fund, or result in the default of existing obligations, including obligations which may be held by the Fund. Further, California faces numerous forms of litigation seeking significant damages that, if awarded, may adversely affect the financial situation of the state or issuers located in the state. It should be noted that the creditworthiness of obligations issued by local issuers may be unrelated to the creditworthiness of a state, and there is no obligation on the part of a state to make payment on such local obligations in the event of default in the absence of a specific guarantee or pledge provided by a state.
Bond ratings received on a state’s general obligation bonds, if any, may be discussed below. Moody’s, S&P and/or Fitch provide an assessment/rating of the creditworthiness of an obligor. The debt rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold a security, inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for a particular investor. The ratings are based on information furnished by the issuer or obtained by the rating service from other sources it considers reliable. Each rating service does not perform an audit in connection with any rating and may, on occasion, rely on unaudited financial information. The ratings may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn as a result of changes in, or unavailability of, such information, or based on other circumstances. There is no assurance that such ratings will continue for any given period of time or that they will not be revised or withdrawn entirely by any such rating agencies, if in their respective judgments, circumstances so warrant.
A revision or withdrawal of any such credit rating could have an effect on the market price of the related debt obligations. An explanation of the significance and status of such credit ratings may be obtained from the rating agencies furnishing the same. In addition, a description of Moody’s, S&P’s and Fitch’s bond ratings is set forth in Appendix A.
The information contained below is based primarily upon information derived from state official statements, Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports, state and industry trade publications, newspaper articles, other public documents relating to securities offerings of issuers of such states, and other historically reliable sources. It is only a brief summary of the complex factors affecting the financial situation in such state. It has not been independently verified by the Fund. The Fund makes no representation or warranty regarding the completeness or accuracy of such information. The market value of shares of the Fund may fluctuate due to factors such as changes in interest rates, matters affecting the state, or for other reasons.
Economic condition and outlook. California’s civilian labor force consists of approximately 19.9 million individuals. As of August 2025, California had an unemployment rate of approximately 5.5%, which was higher than the 5.4% rate in August 2024. California’s unemployment rate was above the national average of 4.3% in August 2025. From August 2024 to August 2025, California’s total nonfarm employment increased by approximately 55,400 jobs or 0.3%.
Year-over-year gains were reported in August 2025 for four of the eleven sectors. The industry sectors with gains were education and health services (approximately 162,300 jobs); government (approximately 37,800 jobs); and leisure and hospitality (approximately 5,100 jobs).
Revenues and expenditures. The expenses of the primary government totaled $478.6 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. Of this amount, $245.0 billion (51.2%) was funded with program revenues (charges for services or program-specific grants and contributions), leaving $233.6 billion to be funded with general revenues (mainly taxes). The primary government’s general revenues of $238.6 billion were greater than the unfunded expenses. As a result, the total net position, as restated, increased by $5.0 billion.
The two main State pension funds each continue to face unfunded future liabilities in the tens of billions of dollars. For fiscal year 2024-25, the actuarially determined General Fund pension contributions to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (“CalPERS”) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (“CalSTRS”) were approximately $3.5 billion and $4.3 billion, respectively. For fiscal year 2025-26, the actuarially determined
96
General Fund pension contributions to CalPERS and CalSTRS are approximately $4.9 billion and $4.6 billion, respectively.
The State also provides retiree health care and dental benefits to retired State employees and their eligible dependents and almost exclusively utilizes a “pay-as-you-go” funding policy. The State’s total other postemployment benefits (“OPEB”) liability is estimated to be $100.5 billion as of June 30, 2024, of which $91.5 billion is unfunded, as compared to a total OPEB liability of $91.0 billion estimated as of June 30, 2023.
Debt administration. As of July 1, 2025, the State had approximately $80.8 billion of outstanding general obligation bonds and lease revenue bonds payable principally from the State’s General Fund or from lease payments paid from the operating budget of the respective lessees, which operating budgets are primarily, but not exclusively, derived from the General Fund. As of July 1, 2025, there were approximately $43.3 billion of authorized and unissued long-term voter-approved general obligation bonds which, when issued, will be payable principally from the General Fund and approximately $6.1 billion of authorized and unissued lease revenue bonds.
97
PART C
(Nomura ETF Trust II)
File Nos. 033-11235/811-04973
Post-Effective Amendment No. 74
(Nomura ETF Trust II)
File Nos. 033-11235/811-04973
Post-Effective Amendment No. 74
OTHER INFORMATION
|
Item 28.
|
Exhibits. The following exhibits are incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s previously filed documents indicated below, except as noted:
|
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(a)
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Articles of Incorporation.
|
|||||
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(1)
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Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust (May 20, 2026) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 filed July 13, 2026.
|
|||||
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(2)
|
Certificate of Trust (December 17, 1998) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 filed August 16, 1999.
|
|||||
|
(i)
|
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust (May 18, 2026) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 filed July 13, 2026
|
|||||
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(b)
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By-Laws. Amended and Restated By-Laws (May 20, 2026) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 filed July 13, 2026.
|
|||||
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(c)
|
Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders. None other than those contained in Exhibits (a) and (b).
|
|||||
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(d)
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Investment Advisory Contracts.
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|||||
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(1)
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Investment Management Agreement (July 13, 2026) between Delaware Management Company (a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust) and the Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 filed July 13, 2026.
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|||||
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(2)
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Investment Advisory Expense Limitation Letter. To be filed by amendment.
|
|||||
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(3)
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Sub-Advisory Agreement (April 30, 2026) between Delaware Management Company (a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust) and Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc. incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 213 filed on July 29, 2026 by Ivy Funds (File No. 033-06569).
|
|||||
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(i)
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Amendment No. 1 to the Sub-Advisory Agreement (April 30, 2026) between Delaware Management Company (a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust) and Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc. attached as Exhibit No. EX-99.d.3.i.
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||||
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(ii)
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Amendment No. 2 (July 13, 2026) to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between Delaware Management Company (a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust) and Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc. incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 213 filed on July 29, 2026 by Ivy Funds (File No. 033-06569).
|
|||||
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(e)
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Underwriting Contracts.
|
|||
|
(1)
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ETF Distribution Agreement (July 13, 2026) between the Registrant and Foreside Financial Services, LLC incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 filed July 13, 2026.
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|||
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(2)
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ETF Distribution Services Agreement (July 13, 2026) between Delaware Management Company, a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust, and Foreside Financial Services, LLC incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 filed July 13, 2026.
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(3)
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Form of Authorized Participant Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 filed July 13, 2026.
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(f)
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Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts. Not applicable.
|
|||
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(g)
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Custodian Agreements.
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|||
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(1)
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Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement (July 20, 2007) between The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly, Mellon Bank, N.A.) and the Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 filed on April 28, 2023 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
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(i)
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Amendment No. 2 (July 1, 2017) to Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 filed April 28, 2023 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
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|||
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(ii)
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Amendment No. 4 (July 19, 2019) to Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 filed April 28, 2023 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
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(iii)
|
Amendment No. 5 (December 31, 2021) to Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 filed April 28, 2023 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
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(iv)
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Amendment No. 6 (December 31, 2021) to Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 filed April 28, 2023 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
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(v)
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Amendment No. 7 (June 30, 2024) to Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 104 filed April 29, 2025.
|
|||
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(vi)
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Amendment No. 8 (April 1, 2025) to Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 filed on February 26, 2026 by Delaware Pooled Trust (File No. 033-40991).
|
|||
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(vii)
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Amendment No. 9 (April 25, 2025) to Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 filed on February 26, 2026 by Delaware Pooled Trust (File No. 033-40991).
|
|||
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(viii)
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Amendment No. 10 (December 1, 2025) to Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 filed on February 26, 2026 by Delaware Pooled Trust (File No. 033-40991).
|
|||
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(ix)
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Amendment No. 11 (July 8, 2026) to Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 filed July 13, 2026.
|
|||
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(2)
|
Securities Lending Authorization Agreement (July 20, 2007) between The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly, Mellon Bank, N.A.) and the Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 filed on December 28, 2007 by Delaware Group Tax-Free Fund (File No. 002-86606).
|
|||
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(i)
|
Amendment (September 22, 2009) to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Delaware Group Tax-Free Fund (File No. 002-86606) Post-Effective Amendment No. 40 filed October 29, 2010 (Accession No. 0001137439-10-000194.)
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(ii)
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Amendment No. 2 (January 1, 2010) to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Delaware Group Tax-Free Fund (File No. 002-86606) Post-Effective Amendment No. 40 filed October 29, 2010 (Accession No. 0001137439-10-000194).
|
|||
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(iii)
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Amendment No. 3 (October 12, 2010) to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 filed on January 28, 2026 by Delaware Group Equity Funds IV (File No. 033-00442).
|
|||
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(iv)
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Amendment No. 4 (December 17, 2015) to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 filed on January 28, 2026 by Delaware Group Equity Funds IV (File No. 033-00442).
|
|||
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(v)
|
Amendment No. 5 (August 10, 2016) to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 filed on January 28, 2026 by Delaware Group Equity Funds IV (File No. 033-00442).
|
|||
|
(vi)
|
Amendment No. 6 (November 14, 2019) to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 filed on January 28, 2026 by Delaware Group Equity Funds IV (File No. 033-00442).
|
|||
|
(vii)
|
Amendment (December 3, 2020) to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 filed on January 28, 2026 by Delaware Group Equity Funds IV (File No. 033-00442).
|
|||
|
(viii)
|
Amendment No. 8 (December 1, 2025) to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 filed on January 28, 2026 by Delaware Group Equity Funds IV (File No. 033-00442).
|
|||
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(ix)
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Amendment No. 9 to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement to be filed by amendment.
|
|||
|
(h)
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Other Material Contracts.
|
|||
|
(1)
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Transfer Agency and Service Agreement (July 8, 2026) between The Bank of New York Mellon and the Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 filed July 13, 2026.
|
|||
|
(2)
|
Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement (January 1, 2014) between The Bank of New York Mellon and the Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 filed April 28, 2023 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
|
(i)
|
Amendment No. 1 (July 1, 2017) to Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 filed April 28, 2023 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
|
(ii)
|
Amendment No. 2 (October 11, 2021) to Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 filed April 28, 2023 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
|
(iii)
|
Amendment No. 3 (December 31, 2021) to Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 filed April 28, 2023 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
|
(iv)
|
Amendment No. 4 (January 31, 2022) to Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 filed April 28, 2023 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
|
(v)
|
Amendment No. 5 (effective May 31, 2024) to Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 104 filed April 29, 2025 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
|
(vi)
|
Amendment No. 6 (July 30, 2024) to Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 104 filed April 29, 2025 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
|
(vii)
|
Amendment No. 7 (April 1, 2025) to Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 104 filed April 29, 2025 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
|
(viii)
|
Amendment No. 8 (April 25, 2025) to Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 filed April 29, 2026 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
|
(ix)
|
Amendment No. 9 (December 1, 2025) to Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 filed April 29, 2026 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
|
(x)
|
Amendment No. 10 (July 8, 2026) to Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 filed July 13, 2026.
|
|||
|
(3)
|
Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Oversight Agreement (December 1, 2025) between Delaware Investments Fund Services Company and the Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. No. 105 filed on April 29, 2026 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
|
(i)
|
Amendment No. 1 (July 2026) to Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Oversight Agreement (December 1, 2025) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 filed July 13, 2026.
|
|||
|
(i)
|
Legal Opinion.
|
|||
|
(1)
|
To be filed by amendment.
|
|||
|
(j)
|
Other Opinions. Not applicable.
|
|||
|
(k)
|
Omitted Financial Statements. Not applicable.
|
|||
|
(l)
|
Initial Capital Agreements. Not applicable.
|
|||
|
(m)
|
Rule 12b-1 Plan. To be filed by amendment.
|
|||
|
(n)
|
Rule 18f-3 Plan. Not applicable.
|
|||
|
(o)
|
Reserved.
|
|||
|
(p)
|
Codes of Ethics.
|
|||
|
(1)
|
Code of Ethics for Nomura Investment Management Business Trust, Nomura Funds, Optimum Fund Trust and Nomura ETF Trust (December 1, 2025) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. No. 97 filed on January 28, 2026 by Delaware Group Equity Funds IV (File No. 033-00442).
|
|||
|
(2)
|
Code of Ethics for Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc. (May 31, 2025) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 filed on April 30, 2026 by Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios (File No. 033-11466).
|
|||
|
(q)
|
Other.
|
|||
|
(1)
|
Powers of Attorney
|
|||
|
(i)
|
Powers of Attorney (January 20, 2022) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 filed December 28, 2022.
|
|||
|
(ii)
|
Power of Attorney (August 2026) for Brian A. Swain attached as Exhibit No. EX-99.q.1.ii.
|
|||
|
Item 29.
|
Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Registrant. None.
|
|||
|
Item 30.
|
Indemnification. Article VII, Section 2 (May 20, 2026) to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 filed July 13, 2026. Article VI of the Amended and Restated By-Laws (May 20, 2026) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73.
|
|||
|
Item 31.
|
Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser.
|
|
|
Delaware Management Company (the “Manager”), a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust (NIMBT), serves as investment manager to the Registrant and also serves as investment manager to other funds in the Nomura Funds (Delaware Group Adviser Funds, Delaware Group Cash Reserve, Delaware Group Equity Funds II, Delaware Group Equity Funds IV, Delaware Group Equity Funds V, Delaware Group Global & International Funds, Delaware Group Government Fund, Delaware Group Income Funds, Delaware Group State Tax-Free Income Trust, Delaware Group Tax-Free Fund, Delaware Pooled Trust, Delaware VIP Trust, Ivy Funds, Ivy Variable Insurance Portfolios, Voyageur Mutual Funds, Voyageur Mutual Funds II and Voyageur Tax Free Funds), Nomura ETF Trust and Optimum Fund Trust. In addition, certain officers of the Manager also serve as trustees and/or officers of other Nomura Funds, Nomura ETF Trust and Optimum Fund Trust. A company indirectly owned by the Manager’s parent company acts as principal underwriter to the mutual funds in the Nomura Funds and another such company acts as the shareholder services, dividend disbursing, accounting servicing and transfer agent for all of the Nomura Funds.
®®®
|
||
|
The Manager, located at 100 Independence, 610 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354, is a series of NIMBT, a Delaware statutory trust. Nomura Asset Management is part of the Investment Management Division of the Nomura Group. Nomura Asset Management primarily operates through several distinct investment managers, which includes NIMBT and its Delaware Management Company series. Information on the trustees and officers of the Manager set forth in its Form ADV filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 801-32108) is incorporated into this filing by reference.
|
||
|
Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc. (NCRAM), located at Worldwide Plaza, 309 West 49th Street, New York, NY 10019, serves as subadvisor to Nomura Diversified Income ETF, Nomura Limited-Term Diversified Income ETF and Nomura Strategic Income ETF and to certain other funds in the Nomura Funds. NCRAM is primarily engaged in the investment management business. Information about the officers and directors of NCRAM are included in its Form ADV filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 801-38965) and is incorporated herein by reference.
|
||
|
Item 32.
|
Principal Underwriters.
|
|
|
(a)
|
Foreside Financial Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:
1.
13D Activist Fund, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust
2.
2 Vote Funds
3.
AAMA Equity Fund, Series of Asset Management Fund
4.
AAMA Income Fund, Series of Asset Management Fund
5.
Adams Street Private Equity Navigator Fund LLC
6.
Adams Street Venture & Growth Fund
7.
Advisers Investment Trust
8.
AG Twin Brook Capital Income Fund
9.
Align Alternative Access Fund
10.
AltShares Trust
11.
American Beacon Aberdeen Municipal High Income ETF, Series of American Beacon Select Funds
12.
American Beacon AHL Trend ETF, Series of American Beacon Select Funds
13.
American Beacon GLG Natural Resources ETF, American Beacon Select Funds
14.
American Beacon Ionic Inflation Protection ETF, American Beacon Select Funds
15.
Aristotle Funds Series Trust
|
|
|
16.
Aristotle Pacific Enhanced CLO Income Fund
17.
Boston Trust Walden Funds (f/k/a The Boston Trust & Walden Funds)
18.
Bow River Capital Evergreen Fund
19.
Connetic Venture Capital Access Fund
20.
Constitution Capital Access Fund, LLC
21.
Datum One Series Trust
22.
Diamond Hill Funds
23.
Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund
24.
Driehaus Mutual Funds
25.
EntrepreneurShares Series Trust
26.
FMI Funds, Inc.
27.
Impax Funds Series Trust I (f/k/a Pax World Funds Series Trust I)
28.
Impax Funds Series Trust III (f/k/a Pax World Funds Series Trust III)
29.
Inspire 100 ETF, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
30.
Inspire 500 ETF, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
31.
Inspire Corporate Bond ETF, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
32.
Inspire Fidelis Multi Factor ETF, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
33.
Inspire Global Hope ETF, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
34.
Inspire International ETF, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
35.
Inspire Growth ETF, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
36.
Inspire Small/Mid Cap ETF, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
37.
Inspire Capital Appreciation ETF, Series of the Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
38.
LifeX 2035 Income Bucket ETF, Series of Stone Ridge Trust
39.
LifeX 2050 Inflation-Protected Longevity Income ETF, Series of Stone Ridge Trust
40.
LifeX 2050 Longevity Income ETF, Series of Stone Ridge Trust
41.
LifeX 2055 Inflation-Protected Longevity Income ETF, Series of Stone Ridge Trust
42.
LifeX 2055 Longevity Income ETF, Series of Stone Ridge Trust
43.
LifeX 2060 Inflation-Protected Longevity Income ETF, Series of Stone Ridge Trust
44.
LifeX 2060 Longevity Income ETF, Series of Stone Ridge Trust
45.
LifeX 2065 Inflation-Protected Longevity Income ETF, Series of Stone Ridge Trust
46.
LifeX 2065 Longevity Income ETF, Series of Stone Ridge Trust
47.
LifeX Durable Income ETF, Series of Stone Ridge Trust
48.
Nomura Energy Transition ETF, Series of Nomura ETF Trust
49.
Nomura Focused Emerging Markets Equity ETF, Series of Nomura ETF Trust
50.
Nomura Focused International Core ETF, Series of Nomura ETF Trust
51.
Nomura Focused Large Growth ETF, Series of Nomura ETF Trust
52.
Nomura Global Listed Infrastructure ETF, Series of Nomura ETF Trust
53.
Nomura National High-Yield Municipal Bond ETF, Series of Nomura ETF Trust
54.
Nomura Tax-Free USA ETF, Series of Nomura ETF Trust
55.
Nomura Tax-Free USA Short Term ETF, Series of Nomura ETF Trust
56.
Nomura Transformational Technologies ETF, Series of Nomura ETF Trust
57.
Man ETF Series Trust
58.
Meketa Infrastructure Fund
59.
Nomura Alternative Income Fund
60.
Praxis Funds
61.
Primark Meketa Private Equity Investments Fund
62.
SA Funds – Investment Trust
63.
Sequoia Fund, Inc.
64.
Simplify Exchange Traded Funds
65.
Siren ETF Trust
66.
Stone Ridge Alternative Lending Risk Premium Fund, Series of Stone Ridge Trust V
67.
Stone Ridge Art Risk Premium Fund, Series of Stone Ridge Trust VIII
68.
Stone Ridge Reinsurance Risk Premium Interval Fund, Series of Stone Ridge Trust II
69.
Tactical Dividend and Momentum Fund, Series of Two Roads Shared Trust
70.
TCG Strategic Income Fund
71.
TCW ETF Trust
|
|
72.
VegaShares ETF Trust
|
|||||
|
(b)
|
The following are the Officers and Manager of the Distributor, the Registrant’s underwriter. The Distributor’s main business address is 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101.
|
||||
|
Name
|
Address
|
Position with Underwriter
|
Position with Registrant
|
||
|
Teresa Cowan
|
190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101
|
President/Manager
|
None
|
||
|
Chris Lanza
|
190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101
|
Vice President
|
None
|
||
|
Kate Macchia
|
190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101
|
Vice President
|
None
|
||
|
Jennifer A. Brunner
|
190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101
|
Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer
|
None
|
||
|
Gabriel E. Edelman
|
190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101
|
Secretary
|
None
|
||
|
Susan L. LaFond
|
190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101
|
Treasurer
|
None
|
||
|
Weston Sommers
|
190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101
|
Financial and Operations Principal and Chief Financial Officer
|
None
|
||
|
(c)
|
Not applicable.
|
||||
|
Item 33.
|
Location of Accounts and Records. All accounts and records required to be maintained by Section 31 (a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules under that section are maintained by the following entities: Delaware Management Company (100 Independence, 610 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2354); Foreside Financial Services, LLC (Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101); Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc. (Worldwide Plaza, 309 West 49th Street, New York, New York 10019); BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262); and The Bank of New York Mellon (240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286-0001).
|
||||
|
Item 34.
|
Management Services. None.
|
||||
|
Item 35.
|
Undertakings. Not applicable.
|
||||
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Philadelphia and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on this 12th day of August, 2026.
|
NOMURA ETF TRUST II
|
||
|
By:
|
/s/ Shawn K. Lytle
|
|
|
Shawn K. Lytle
President/Chief Executive Officer |
||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
|
Signature
|
Title
|
Date
|
||
|
/s/ Shawn K. Lytle
|
President/Chief Executive Officer
|
August 12, 2026
|
||
|
Shawn K. Lytle
|
(Principal Executive Officer) and Trustee
|
|||
|
Jerome D. Abernathy
|
*
|
Trustee
|
August 12, 2026
|
|
|
Jerome D. Abernathy
|
||||
|
Ann D. Borowiec
|
*
|
Trustee
|
August 12, 2026
|
|
|
Ann D. Borowiec
|
||||
|
Joseph W. Chow
|
*
|
Trustee
|
August 12, 2026
|
|
|
Joseph W. Chow
|
||||
|
John A. Fry
|
*
|
Trustee
|
August 12, 2026
|
|
|
John A. Fry
|
||||
|
Joseph Harroz, Jr.
|
*
|
Trustee
|
August 12, 2026
|
|
|
Joseph Harroz, Jr.
|
||||
|
Sandra A.J. Lawrence
|
*
|
Trustee
|
August 12, 2026
|
|
|
Sandra A.J. Lawrence
|
||||
|
Frances A. Sevilla-Sacasa
|
*
|
Trustee
|
August 12, 2026
|
|
|
Frances A. Sevilla-Sacasa
|
||||
|
Brian A. Swain
|
*
|
Trustee
|
August 12, 2026
|
|
|
Brian A. Swain
|
||||
|
Thomas K. Whitford
|
*
|
Chair and Trustee
|
August 12, 2026
|
|
|
Thomas K. Whitford
|
||||
|
Christianna Wood
|
*
|
Trustee
|
August 12, 2026
|
|
|
Christianna Wood
|
||||
|
Richard Salus
|
*
|
Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer
|
August 12, 2026
|
|
|
Richard Salus
|
(Principal Financial Officer/Chief Accounting Officer/Controller)
|
*By: /s/ Shawn K. Lytle
Shawn K. Lytle
as Attorney-in-Fact for each of the persons indicated
(Pursuant to Powers of Attorney previously filed and filed herewith)
Shawn K. Lytle
as Attorney-in-Fact for each of the persons indicated
(Pursuant to Powers of Attorney previously filed and filed herewith)
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
Washington, DC 20549
Exhibits
to
Form N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
to
Form N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
(Nomura ETF Trust II N-1A)
(Nomura ETF Trust II N-1A)
|
Exhibit No.
|
Exhibit
|
|
Amendment No. 1 to the Sub-Advisory Agreement (April 30, 2026) between Delaware Management Company (a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust) and Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc.
|
|
|
Power of Attorney (August 2026) for Brian A. Swain
|
|
ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS
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