Form 485APOS SSGA Active Trust
Table of Contents
Investment Company Act of 1940 File No. 811-22542
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
| UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 |
☒ |
| Pre-Effective Amendment No. Post-Effective Amendment No. 216 |
☒ |
| UNDER
THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 |
☒ |
| Amendment No. 222 |
☒ |
Boston, Massachusetts 02210
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
c/o SSGA Funds Management, Inc.
One Iron Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02210
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
| ☐ |
immediately upon filing pursuant to Rule 485, paragraph (b) |
| ☐ |
on ____________ pursuant to Rule 485, paragraph
(b) |
| ☐ |
60 days after filing pursuant to Rule 485, paragraph (a)(1) |
| ☐ |
on ________________ pursuant to Rule 485, paragraph (a)(1) |
| ☒ |
75 days after filing pursuant to Rule 485, paragraph (a)(2) |
| ☐ |
on _________________ pursuant to Rule 485, paragraph (a)(2) |
| ☐ |
This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment. |
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SUBJECT TO COMPLETION. THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IT IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.
Prospectus
[ ], 2024
SSGA Active Trust
SPDR SSGA My2026 Corporate Bond ETF ([ ])
SPDR SSGA My2027 Corporate Bond ETF ([ ])
SPDR SSGA My2028 Corporate Bond ETF ([ ])
SPDR SSGA My2029 Corporate Bond ETF ([ ])
SPDR SSGA My2030 Corporate Bond ETF ([ ])
SPDR SSGA My2031 Corporate Bond ETF ([ ])
SPDR SSGA My2032 Corporate Bond ETF ([ ])
SPDR SSGA My2033 Corporate Bond ETF ([ ])
SPDR SSGA My2034 Corporate Bond ETF ([ ])
Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. Shares in the Funds are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other agency of the U.S. Government, nor are shares deposits or obligations of any bank. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Funds.
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SPDR® SSGA My2026 Corporate Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2026 Corporate Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to maximize current income while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in corporate bonds. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least sixty (60) days notice prior to any change in its 80% investment policy. The Fund primarily invests in corporate bonds maturing in the year 2026, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2026, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated corporate bonds rated investment grade at the time of purchase. Investment grade is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in corporate bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in corporate bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year. [As of [ ], 2024, it is expected that a significant portion of the Fund will comprise securities of companies in the financial sector, although this may change from time to time.]
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The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from corporate bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase.
The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
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Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Financial Sector Risk: Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the financial sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers and financial losses associated with investment activities can negatively impact the sector. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. Adverse economic, business or political developments could adversely affect financial institutions engaged in mortgage finance or other lending or investing activities directly or indirectly connected to the value of real estate.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
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Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Sprague Rient and John Mele.
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Sprague Rient, is a [ ] for the Fundamental Active Fixed Income Team. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
John Mele is a Vice President of the Adviser and a Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental Active Investment Grade Credit Team. He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA.
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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SPDR® SSGA My2027 Corporate Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2027 Corporate Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to maximize current income while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in corporate bonds. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least sixty (60) days notice prior to any change in its 80% investment policy. The Fund primarily invests in corporate bonds maturing in the year 2027, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2027, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated corporate bonds rated investment grade at the time of purchase. Investment grade is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in corporate bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in corporate bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year. [As of [ ], 2024, it is expected that a significant portion of the Fund will comprise securities of companies in the financial sector, although this may change from time to time.]
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The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from corporate bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase.
The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
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Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Financial Sector Risk: Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the financial sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers and financial losses associated with investment activities can negatively impact the sector. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. Adverse economic, business or political developments could adversely affect financial institutions engaged in mortgage finance or other lending or investing activities directly or indirectly connected to the value of real estate.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
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Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Sprague Rient and John Mele.
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Sprague Rient, is a [ ] for the Fundamental Active Fixed Income Team. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
John Mele is a Vice President of the Adviser and a Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental Active Investment Grade Credit Team. He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA.
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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SPDR® SSGA My2028 Corporate Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2028 Corporate Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to maximize current income while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in corporate bonds. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least sixty (60) days notice prior to any change in its 80% investment policy. The Fund primarily invests in corporate bonds maturing in the year 2028, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2028, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated corporate bonds rated investment grade at the time of purchase. Investment grade is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in corporate bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in corporate bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year. [As of [ ], 2024, it is expected that a significant portion of the Fund will comprise securities of companies in the financial sector, although this may change from time to time.]
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The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from corporate bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase.
The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
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Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Financial Sector Risk: Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the financial sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers and financial losses associated with investment activities can negatively impact the sector. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. Adverse economic, business or political developments could adversely affect financial institutions engaged in mortgage finance or other lending or investing activities directly or indirectly connected to the value of real estate.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
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Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Sprague Rient and John Mele.
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Sprague Rient, is a [ ] for the Fundamental Active Fixed Income Team. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
John Mele is a Vice President of the Adviser and a Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental Active Investment Grade Credit Team. He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA.
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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SPDR® SSGA My2029 Corporate Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2029 Corporate Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to maximize current income while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in corporate bonds. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least sixty (60) days notice prior to any change in its 80% investment policy. The Fund primarily invests in corporate bonds maturing in the year 2029, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2029, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated corporate bonds rated investment grade at the time of purchase. Investment grade is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in corporate bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in corporate bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year. [As of [ ], 2024, it is expected that a significant portion of the Fund will comprise securities of companies in the financial sector, although this may change from time to time.]
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The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from corporate bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase.
The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
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Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Financial Sector Risk: Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the financial sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers and financial losses associated with investment activities can negatively impact the sector. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. Adverse economic, business or political developments could adversely affect financial institutions engaged in mortgage finance or other lending or investing activities directly or indirectly connected to the value of real estate.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
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Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Sprague Rient and John Mele.
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Sprague Rient, is a [ ] for the Fundamental Active Fixed Income Team. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
John Mele is a Vice President of the Adviser and a Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental Active Investment Grade Credit Team. He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA.
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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SPDR® SSGA My2030 Corporate Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2030 Corporate Bond ETF(the Fund) seeks to maximize current income while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in corporate bonds. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least sixty (60) days notice prior to any change in its 80% investment policy. The Fund primarily invests in corporate bonds maturing in the year 2030, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2030, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated corporate bonds rated investment grade at the time of purchase. Investment grade is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in corporate bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in corporate bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year. [As of [ ], 2024, it is expected that a significant portion of the Fund will comprise securities of companies in the financial sector, although this may change from time to time.]
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The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from corporate bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase.
The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
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Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Financial Sector Risk: Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the financial sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers and financial losses associated with investment activities can negatively impact the sector. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. Adverse economic, business or political developments could adversely affect financial institutions engaged in mortgage finance or other lending or investing activities directly or indirectly connected to the value of real estate.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
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Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Sprague Rient and John Mele.
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Sprague Rient, is a [ ] for the Fundamental Active Fixed Income Team. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
John Mele is a Vice President of the Adviser and a Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental Active Investment Grade Credit Team. He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA.
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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SPDR® SSGA My2031 Corporate Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2031 Corporate Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to maximize current income while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in corporate bonds. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least sixty (60) days notice prior to any change in its 80% investment policy. The Fund primarily invests in corporate bonds maturing in the year 2031, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2031, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated corporate bonds rated investment grade at the time of purchase. Investment grade is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in corporate bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in corporate bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year. [As of [ ], 2024, it is expected that a significant portion of the Fund will comprise securities of companies in the financial sector, although this may change from time to time.]
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The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from corporate bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase.
The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
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Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Financial Sector Risk: Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the financial sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers and financial losses associated with investment activities can negatively impact the sector. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. Adverse economic, business or political developments could adversely affect financial institutions engaged in mortgage finance or other lending or investing activities directly or indirectly connected to the value of real estate.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
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Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Sprague Rient and John Mele.
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Sprague Rient, is a [ ] for the Fundamental Active Fixed Income Team. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
John Mele is a Vice President of the Adviser and a Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental Active Investment Grade Credit Team. He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA.
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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SPDR® SSGA My2032 Corporate Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2032 Corporate Bond ETF(the Fund) seeks to maximize current income while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in corporate bonds. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least sixty (60) days notice prior to any change in its 80% investment policy. The Fund primarily invests in corporate bonds maturing in the year 2032, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2032, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated corporate bonds rated investment grade at the time of purchase. Investment grade is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in corporate bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in corporate bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year. [As of [ ], 2024, it is expected that a significant portion of the Fund will comprise securities of companies in the financial sector, although this may change from time to time.]
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The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from corporate bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase.
The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
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Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Financial Sector Risk: Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the financial sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers and financial losses associated with investment activities can negatively impact the sector. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. Adverse economic, business or political developments could adversely affect financial institutions engaged in mortgage finance or other lending or investing activities directly or indirectly connected to the value of real estate.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
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Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Sprague Rient and John Mele.
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Sprague Rient, is a [ ] for the Fundamental Active Fixed Income Team. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
John Mele is a Vice President of the Adviser and a Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental Active Investment Grade Credit Team. He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA.
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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SPDR® SSGA My2033 Corporate Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2033 Corporate Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to maximize current income while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in corporate bonds. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least sixty (60) days notice prior to any change in its 80% investment policy. The Fund primarily invests in corporate bonds maturing in the year 2033, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2033, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated corporate bonds rated investment grade at the time of purchase. Investment grade is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in corporate bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in corporate bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year. [As of [ ], 2024, it is expected that a significant portion of the Fund will comprise securities of companies in the financial sector, although this may change from time to time.]
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The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from corporate bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase.
The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
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Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Financial Sector Risk: Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the financial sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers and financial losses associated with investment activities can negatively impact the sector. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. Adverse economic, business or political developments could adversely affect financial institutions engaged in mortgage finance or other lending or investing activities directly or indirectly connected to the value of real estate.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
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Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Sprague Rient and John Mele.
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Sprague Rient, is a [ ] for the Fundamental Active Fixed Income Team. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
John Mele is a Vice President of the Adviser and a Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental Active Investment Grade Credit Team. He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA.
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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SPDR® SSGA My2034 Corporate Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2034 Corporate Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to maximize current income while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in corporate bonds. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least sixty (60) days notice prior to any change in its 80% investment policy. The Fund primarily invests in corporate bonds maturing in the year 2034, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2034, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated corporate bonds rated investment grade at the time of purchase. Investment grade is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in corporate bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in corporate bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year. [As of [ ], 2024, it is expected that a significant portion of the Fund will comprise securities of companies in the financial sector, although this may change from time to time.]
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The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from corporate bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase.
The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
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Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Financial Sector Risk: Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the financial sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers and financial losses associated with investment activities can negatively impact the sector. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. Adverse economic, business or political developments could adversely affect financial institutions engaged in mortgage finance or other lending or investing activities directly or indirectly connected to the value of real estate.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
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Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Sprague Rient and John Mele.
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Sprague Rient, is a [ ] for the Fundamental Active Fixed Income Team. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
John Mele is a Vice President of the Adviser and a Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental Active Investment Grade Credit Team. He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA.
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES INFORMATION
PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES
Please see each Funds respective The Funds Principal Investment Strategy section under Fund Summaries above for a discussion of its principal investment strategies. The Funds may invest in various types of securities and engage in various investment techniques which are not the principal focus of the Funds and therefore are not described in this Prospectus. These securities, techniques and practices, together with their risks, are described in the Statement of Additional Information (the SAI) which you may obtain free of charge by contacting shareholder services (see the back cover of this Prospectus for the address and phone number).
Bond Ladders. The fixed-income investment technique of building exposure to a portfolio of bonds with various maturities, through investment in the Funds, is called a bond ladder. Ladders may help create predictable streams of income, may reduce exposure to volatile stocks, and manage some potential risks from changing interest rates; however, such outcomes are not guaranteed.
Each Fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy to invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of borrowings for investment purposes, in corporate bonds. A Fund will provide shareholders with at least 60 days notice prior to any change in this non-fundamental 80% investment policy. The Board of Trustees of SSGA Active Trust (the Board) may change a Funds investment objective, investment strategy and other policies without shareholder approval, except as otherwise noted in this Prospectus or in the SAI.
NON-PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES
Temporary Defensive Positions. In response to actual or perceived adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, a Fund may (but will not necessarily), without notice, depart from its principal investment strategies by temporarily investing for defensive purposes. Temporary defensive positions may include, but are not limited to, cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities, repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities, money market funds, and high-quality debt investments. If a Fund invests for defensive purposes, it may not achieve its investment objective. In addition, the defensive strategy may not work as intended.
Borrowing Money. Each Fund may borrow money from a bank as permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act) or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund, but only for temporary or emergency purposes.
The 1940 Act presently allows a fund to borrow from any bank (including pledging, mortgaging or hypothecating assets) in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (not including temporary borrowings not in excess of 5% of its total assets). Each Fund may also invest in reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions. Consistent with a rule under the 1940 Act, each Fund may treat such investments as either borrowings or derivatives transactions. To the extent a Fund treats reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions as borrowings, such investments will also be included in the 33 1/3% limit.
Lending of Securities. Each Fund may lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 40% of the value of its net assets via a securities lending program through its securities lending agent, State Street Bank and Trust Company (State Street or the Lending Agent), to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions desiring to borrow securities to complete transactions and for other purposes. A securities lending program allows a Fund to receive a portion of the income generated by lending its securities and investing the respective collateral. A Fund will receive collateral for each loaned security which is at least equal to the market value of that security, marked to market each trading day. To the extent a Fund receives cash collateral, as of the date of this Prospectus, the Adviser expects to invest such cash collateral in a fund managed by the Adviser that invests in: a broad range of money market instruments; certificates of deposit and time deposits of U.S. and foreign banks; commercial paper and other high quality obligations of U.S. or foreign companies; asset-backed securities; mortgage-related securities; repurchase agreements; and shares of money market funds. With respect to loans that are collateralized by cash, the borrower may be entitled to receive a fee based on the amount of cash collateral. A Fund is compensated by the difference between the amount earned on the reinvestment of cash collateral and the fee paid to the borrower. In the case of collateral other than cash, a Fund is compensated by a fee paid by the borrower equal to a percentage of the market value of the loaned securities. In the securities lending program, the borrower generally has the right to vote the loaned securities; however, a Fund may call loans to vote proxies if a material issue affecting the Funds economic interest in the investment is to be voted upon. Security loans may be terminated at any time by a Fund.
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The following section provides information regarding the principal risks identified under Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund in each Fund Summary along with additional risk information. Risk information is applicable to all Funds unless otherwise noted.
PRINCIPAL RISKS
Debt Securities Risk. The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of a Funds fixed income securities to decrease, a decline in a Funds income and yield, an adverse impact on the liquidity of a Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, a Funds yield can be low, and a Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by a Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities. The U.S. Federal Reserve has been engaged in an aggressive campaign to raise interest rates in an effort to combat high levels of inflation. Interest rate increases may continue. High levels of inflation and/or a significantly changing interest rate environment can lead to heightened levels of volatility and reduced liquidity.
Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk. Securities rated below investment-grade and unrated securities of comparable credit quality (commonly known as high-yield or junk bonds) lack strong investment-grade characteristics, are considered predominantly speculative with respect to the issuers continuing ability to make principal and interest payments, and are subject to greater levels of credit, liquidity and market risk than higher-rated securities. They can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher-rated securities, and their values can decline significantly over short periods of time. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have
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substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. In the event the issuer of a debt security held by a Fund defaults on its payments or becomes insolvent or bankrupt, the Fund may not receive the return it was promised on the investment and could lose its entire investment. The lower ratings of junk bonds reflect a greater possibility that actual or perceived adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer or in general economic conditions, or an unanticipated rise in interest rates, may impair the ability of the issuer to make payments of interest and principal. If this were to occur, the values of such securities held by a Fund may fall substantially and a Fund could lose some or all of the value of its investment. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general, than higher quality debt securities. The market for lower quality debt securities can be less liquid than for higher quality debt securities, especially during periods of recession or general market decline, which could make it difficult at times for a Fund to sell certain securities at prices used in calculating a Funds net asset value. These securities may have significant volatility.
Call/Prepayment Risk. Call/prepayment risk is the risk that an issuer will exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by a Fund earlier than expected or required. This may occur, for example, when there is a decline in interest rates, and an issuer of bonds or preferred stock redeems the bonds or stock in order to replace them with obligations on which it is required to pay a lower interest or dividend rate. It may also occur when there is an unanticipated increase in the rate at which mortgages or other receivables underlying mortgage- or asset-backed securities held by a Fund are prepaid. In any such case, a Fund may be forced to invest the prepaid amounts in lower-yielding investments, resulting in a decline in the Funds income.
Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer, guarantor or liquidity provider of a fixed-income security held by a Fund may be unable or unwilling, or may be perceived (whether by market participants, ratings agencies, pricing services or otherwise) as unable or unwilling, to make timely principal and/or interest payments, or to otherwise honor its obligations. It includes the risk that the security will be downgraded by a credit rating agency; generally, lower credit quality issuers present higher credit risks. An actual or perceived decline in creditworthiness of an issuer of a fixed-income security held by a Fund may result in a decrease in the value of the security. It is possible that the ability of an issuer to meet its obligations will decline substantially during the period when a Fund owns securities of the issuer or that the issuer will default on its obligations or that the obligations of the issuer will be limited or restructured.
The credit rating assigned to any particular investment does not necessarily reflect the issuers current financial condition and does not reflect an assessment of an investments volatility or liquidity. Securities rated in the lowest category of investment-grade are considered to have speculative characteristics. If a security held by a Fund loses its rating or its rating is downgraded, the Fund may nonetheless continue to hold the security in the discretion of the Adviser. In the case of asset-backed or mortgage-related securities, changes in the actual or perceived ability of the obligors on the underlying assets or mortgages to make payments of interest and/or principal may affect the values of those securities.
Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that a Fund may not be able to dispose of investments readily at a favorable time or prices (or at all) or at prices approximating those at which a Fund currently values them. For example, certain investments may be subject to restrictions on resale, may trade in the over-the-counter market or in limited volume, or may not have an active trading market. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. It may be difficult for a Fund to value illiquid investments accurately. The market for certain investments may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. If the liquidity of a Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Disposal of illiquid investments may entail registration expenses and other transaction costs that are higher than those for liquid investments. A Fund may seek to borrow money to meet its obligations (including among other things redemption obligations) if it is unable to dispose of illiquid investments, resulting in borrowing expenses and possible leveraging of the Fund.
Furthermore, if a Funds principal investment strategies involve investing in municipal securities or high yield securities, the Funds portfolio may have greater exposure to liquidity risk since the markets for such securities may be less liquid than the traditional bond markets. There may also be less information available on the financial condition of issuers of these types of securities than for public corporations. This means that it may be harder to buy and sell such securities, especially on short notice, and these securities may be more difficult for the Fund to value accurately than securities of public corporations.
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Declining Yield Risk. Leading up to a Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Derivatives Risk. A derivative is a financial contract the value of which depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, interest rate, or index. Derivative transactions typically involve leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a derivative transaction will result in a loss greater than the principal amount invested, and a Fund may not be able to close out a derivative transaction at a favorable time or price. Risks associated with derivative instruments include potential changes in value in response to interest rate changes or other market developments or as a result of the counterpartys credit quality; the potential for the derivative transaction not to have the effect the Adviser anticipated or a different or less favorable effect than the Adviser anticipated; the failure of the counterparty to the derivative transaction to perform its obligations under the transaction or to settle a trade; possible mispricing or improper valuation of the derivative instrument; imperfect correlation in the value of a derivative with the asset, rate, or index underlying the derivative; the risk that a Fund may be required to post collateral or margin with its counterparty, and will not be able to recover the collateral or margin in the event of the counterpartys insolvency or bankruptcy; the risk that a Fund will experience losses on its derivatives investments and on its other portfolio investments, even when the derivatives investments may be intended in part or entirely to hedge those portfolio investments; the risks specific to the asset underlying the derivative instrument; lack of liquidity for the derivative instrument, including, without limitation, absence of a secondary trading market; the potential for reduced returns to a Fund due to losses on the transaction and an increase in volatility; the potential for the derivative transaction to have the effect of accelerating the recognition of gain; and legal risks arising from the documentation relating to the derivative transaction.
Futures Contract Risk. The risk of loss relating to the use of futures contracts is potentially unlimited. The ability to establish and close out positions in futures contracts will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid secondary market. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract or at any particular time. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and a Fund will be unable to terminate the futures contract. In using futures contracts, a Fund will be reliant on the ability of the Adviser to predict market and price movements correctly; the skills needed to use such futures contracts successfully are different from those needed for traditional portfolio management. If a Fund uses futures contracts for hedging purposes, there is a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contracts and movements in the securities or index underlying the futures contracts or movements in the prices of the Funds investments that are the subject of such hedge. The prices of futures contracts, for a number of reasons, may not correlate perfectly with movements in the securities or index underlying them. For example, participants in the futures markets are subject to margin deposit requirements. Such requirements may cause investors to take actions with respect to their futures positions that they would not otherwise take. The margin requirements in the futures markets may be less onerous than margin requirements in the securities markets in general, and as a result those markets may attract more speculators than the securities markets do. Increased participation by speculators in those markets may cause temporary price distortions. Due to the possibility of price distortion, even a correct forecast of general market trends by the Adviser still may not result in a successful futures activity over a very short time period. The risk of a position in a futures contract may be very large compared to the relatively low level of margin a Fund is required to deposit. A Fund will typically be required to post margin with its futures commission merchant in connection with its transactions in futures contracts. In many cases, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss or gain to the investor relative to the size of a required margin deposit. A Fund will incur brokerage fees in connection with its futures transactions. In the event of an insolvency of the futures commission merchant or a clearing house, a Fund may not be able to recover all (or any) of the margin it has posted with the futures commission merchant, or to realize the value of any increase in the price of its positions, or it may experience a significant delay in doing so. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the CFTC) and the various exchanges have established limits referred to as speculative position limits on the maximum net long or net short positions that any person and certain affiliated entities may hold or control in a particular futures contract. In addition, federal position limits apply to swaps that are economically equivalent to futures contracts that are subject to CFTC-set speculative limits. All positions owned or controlled by the same person or entity, even if in different accounts, must be aggregated for purposes of complying with position limits. It is possible that the positions of different clients managed by the Adviser may be aggregated for this purpose. Therefore, the trading decisions of the Adviser may have to be modified and positions held by a Fund liquidated in order to avoid exceeding such limits. The modification of investment decisions or the elimination of open positions, if it occurs, may adversely affect the performance of a Fund. A violation of position limits could also lead to regulatory action materially adverse to a Funds investment strategy. In addition, exchanges may establish accountability levels applicable to a futures contract instead of position limits, provided that the futures contract is not subject to federal position limits. An exchange may order a person who holds or controls a position in excess of a position accountability
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level not to further increase its position, to comply with any prospective limit that exceeds the size of the position owned or controlled, or to reduce any open position that exceeds the position accountability level if the exchange determines that such action is necessary to maintain an orderly market. Position accountability levels could adversely affect a Funds ability to establish and maintain positions in commodity futures contracts to which such levels apply, if the Fund were to trade in such contracts, and a Funds ability to achieve its investment objective.
Futures contracts traded on markets outside the U.S. are not generally subject to the same level of regulation by the CFTC or other U.S. regulatory entities as contracts traded in the U.S., including without limitation as to the execution, delivery, and clearing of transactions. U.S. regulators neither regulate the activities of a foreign exchange, nor have the power to compel enforcement of the rules of the foreign exchange or the laws of the foreign country in question. Margin and other payments made by a Fund may not be afforded the same protections as are afforded those payments in the U.S., including in connection with the insolvency of an executing or clearing broker or a clearinghouse or exchange. Certain foreign futures contracts may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. contracts.
Options Risk. The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. For example, if a Fund were to write a call option on a security based on the Advisers expectation that the price of the security would fall, but the price were to rise instead, the Fund could be required to sell the security upon exercise at a price below the current market price. Similarly, if a Fund were to write a put option based on the Advisers expectation that the price of the underlying security would rise, but the price were to fall instead, the Fund could be required to purchase the security upon exercise at a price higher than the current market price. When a Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, a Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. This contrasts with an investment by a Fund in the underlying security, since the Fund will not realize a loss if the securitys price does not change over a relatively short time period. The effective use of options also depends on a Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that a Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by a Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk. A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). Swaps may also be considered illiquid. It may not be possible for a Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Counterparty Risk. A Fund will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties with which the Fund enters into derivatives contracts and other transactions such as repurchase agreements or reverse repurchase agreements. A Funds ability to profit from these types of investments and transactions will depend on the willingness and ability of its counterparty to perform its obligations. If a counterparty fails to meet its contractual obligations, a Fund may be unable to terminate or realize any gain on the investment or transaction, resulting in a loss to the Fund. A Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery in an insolvency, bankruptcy, or other reorganization proceeding involving its counterparty (including recovery of any collateral posted by it) and may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances. If a Fund holds collateral posted by its counterparty, it may be delayed or prevented from realizing on the collateral in the event of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding relating to the counterparty. Under applicable law or contractual provisions, including if a Fund enters into an investment or transaction with a financial institution and such financial institution (or an affiliate of the financial institution) experiences financial difficulties, then the Fund may in certain situations be prevented or delayed from exercising its rights to terminate the investment or transaction, or to realize on any collateral and may result in the suspension of payment and delivery obligations of the parties under such investment or transactions or in another institution being substituted for that financial institution without the consent of the Fund. Further, a Fund may be subject to bail-in risk under applicable law whereby, if required by the financial institutions authority, the financial institutions liabilities could be written down, eliminated or converted into equity or an alternative instrument of ownership. A bail-in of a financial institution may result in a reduction in value of some or all of its securities and, if a Fund holds such securities or has entered into a transaction with such a financial security when a bail-in occurs, such Fund may also be similarly impacted.
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Leveraging Risk. Borrowing transactions, reverse repurchase agreements, certain derivatives transactions, securities lending transactions and other investment transactions such as when-issued, delayed-delivery, or forward commitment transactions may create investment leverage. If a Fund engages in transactions that have a leveraging effect on the Funds investment portfolio, the value of the Fund will be potentially more volatile and all other risks will tend to be compounded. This is because leverage generally creates investment risk with respect to a larger base of assets than a Fund would otherwise have and so magnifies the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Funds underlying assets. The use of leverage is considered to be a speculative investment practice and may result in losses to a Fund. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. The use of leverage may cause a Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy repayment, interest payment, or margin obligations or to meet asset coverage requirements.
Financial Sector Risk. Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the financial sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers and financial losses associated with investment activities can negatively impact the sector. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. Adverse economic, business or political developments could adversely affect financial institutions engaged in mortgage finance or other lending or investing activities directly or indirectly connected to the value of real estate.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk. The net asset value of Fund Shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of a Funds securities holdings. The market prices of Fund Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in a Funds net asset value and supply and demand of Fund Shares on the Exchange. It cannot be predicted whether Fund Shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value. Each Fund and its holdings in ETFs are subject to the same market forces. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Fund Shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the securities trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. The market prices of Fund Shares may deviate significantly from the net asset value of Fund Shares during periods of market volatility. However, given that Fund Shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of Fund Shares should not be sustained over long periods. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that Fund Shares normally will trade close to a Funds net asset value, disruptions to creations and redemptions or market volatility may result in trading prices that differ significantly from such Funds net asset value. If an investor purchases Fund Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the net asset value of Fund Shares or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the net asset value of Fund Shares, then the investor may sustain losses.
Income Risk. A Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by a Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by a Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates. A reduction in the income earned by a Fund may limit the Funds ability to achieve its objective.
Extension Risk. During periods of rising interest rates, the average life of certain types of securities may be extended because of slower-than-expected principal payments. This may increase the period of time during which an investment earns a below-market interest rate, increase the securitys duration and reduce the value of the security. Extension risk may be heightened during periods of adverse economic conditions generally, as payment rates decline due to higher unemployment levels and other factors.
Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the risk that the securities held by a Fund will decline in value because of increases in market interest rates. Duration is a measure used to determine the sensitivity of a securitys price to changes in interest rates. Debt securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates, usually making them more volatile than debt securities with shorter durations. For example, the value of a security with a duration of five years would be expected to decrease by 5% for every 1% increase in interest rates. Falling interest rates also create the potential for a decline in a Funds income and yield. Interest-only and principal-only securities are especially sensitive to interest rate changes, which can affect not only their prices but can also change the income flows and repayment assumptions about those investments. Variable and floating rate securities also generally increase or decrease in value in response to changes in interest rates, although generally to a lesser degree than fixed-rate securities. A substantial increase in interest rates may also have an adverse impact on the liquidity of a security, especially those with longer durations. Interest rate changes can be sudden and unpredictable, and are influenced by a number of factors, including government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, perceptions of risk, and supply and demand for
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bonds. Changes in government or central bank policy, including changes in tax policy or changes in a central banks implementation of specific policy goals, may have a substantial impact on interest rates. This could lead to heightened levels of interest rate, volatility and liquidity risks for the fixed income markets generally and could have a substantial and immediate effect on the values of a Funds investments. There can be no guarantee that any particular government or central bank policy will be continued, discontinued or changed, nor that any such policy will have the desired effect on interest rates.
Because affiliates of, or persons related to, the Adviser may hold equity or other interests in obligors of a Fund, the Fund could be exposed to claims for equitable subordination or lender liability or both based on such equity or other holdings.
Reinvestment Risk. Income from a Fund may decline when the Fund invests the proceeds from investment income, sales of portfolio securities or matured, traded or called debt obligations. For instance, during periods of declining interest rates, an issuer of debt obligations may exercise an option to redeem securities prior to maturity, forcing a Fund to reinvest the proceeds in lower-yielding securities. A decline in income received by a Fund from its investments is likely to have a negative effect on the yield and total return of the Fund Shares.
Management Risk. Each Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause a Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
Market Risk. Market prices of investments held by a Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. A Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile, and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors, including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers and general market liquidity. Even if general economic conditions do not change, the value of an investment in a Fund could decline if the particular industries, sectors or companies in which the Fund invests do not perform well or are adversely affected by events. Further, legal, political, regulatory and tax changes also may cause fluctuations in markets and securities prices. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on a Fund and its investments. Due to the interconnectedness of economies and financial markets throughout the world, whether or not a Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic and financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Funds investments may be negatively affected. A widespread outbreak of an infectious illness, such as COVID-19, and efforts to contain its spread, may result in market volatility, inflation, reduced liquidity of certain instruments, disruption in the trading of certain instruments, and systemic economic weakness. The foregoing could impact a Fund and its investments and result in disruptions to the services provided to a Fund by its service providers.
Additionally, in March 2023, the shutdown of certain financial institutions raised economic concerns over disruption in the U.S. banking system. There can be no certainty that the actions taken by the U.S. government to strengthen public confidence in the U.S. banking system will be effective in mitigating the effects of financial institution failures on the economy and restoring public confidence in the U.S. banking system.
Money Market Risk. An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. It is possible that such a money market fund will issue and redeem shares at $1.00 per share at times when the fair value of the money market funds portfolio per share is more or less than $1.00. None of State Street Corporation, State Street Bank and Trust Company, State Street Global Advisors (SSGA), SSGA FM or their affiliates (State Street Entities) guarantee the value of an investment in a money market fund at $1.00 per share. Investors should have no expectation of capital support to a money market fund from State Street Entities. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds. A money market fund may be permitted or required to impose redemption fees during times of market stress.
Non-Diversification Risk. As a non-diversified fund, a Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent a Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
Repurchase Agreement Risk. A repurchase agreement is an agreement to buy a security from a seller at one price and a simultaneous agreement to sell it back to the original seller at an agreed-upon price, typically representing the purchase price plus interest. Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by a Fund which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. A Funds investment return on such transactions will depend on the counterpartys willingness and ability to perform its obligations under a repurchase agreement. If a Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and a Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, a Fund may realize a loss.
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Valuation Risk. Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of a Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. Technological issues or other service disruption issues involving third-party service providers may cause a Fund to value its investments incorrectly. In addition, there is no assurance that a Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that a Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by a Fund at that time.
NON-PRINCIPAL RISKS
Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. A Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (APs), which are responsible for the creation and redemption activity for a Fund. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Fund Shares may trade at a material discount to 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.
Cash Transaction Risk. To the extent a Fund sells portfolio securities to meet some or all of a redemption request with cash, the Fund may incur taxable gains or losses that it might not have incurred had it made redemptions entirely in-kind. As a result, a Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.
Conflicts of Interest Risk. An investment in a Fund may be subject to a number of actual or potential conflicts of interest. For example, the Adviser or its affiliates may provide services to the Fund, such as securities lending agency services, custodial, administrative, bookkeeping, and accounting services, transfer agency and shareholder servicing, securities brokerage services, and other services for which the Fund would compensate the Adviser and/or such affiliates. Each Fund may invest in other pooled investment vehicles sponsored, managed, or otherwise affiliated with the Adviser. There is no assurance that the rates at which a Fund pays fees or expenses to the Adviser or its affiliates,
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or the terms on which it enters into transactions with the Adviser or its affiliates will be the most favorable available in the market generally or as favorable as the rates the Adviser makes available to other clients. Because of its financial interest, the Adviser may have an incentive to enter into transactions or arrangements on behalf of a Fund with itself or its affiliates in circumstances where it might not have done so in the absence of that interest.
The Adviser and its affiliates serve as investment adviser to other clients and may make investment decisions that may be different from those that will be made by the Adviser on behalf of a Fund. For example, the Adviser may provide asset allocation advice to some clients that may include a recommendation to invest in or redeem from particular issuers while not providing that same recommendation to all clients invested in the same or similar issuers. The Adviser may (subject to applicable law) be simultaneously seeking to purchase (or sell) investments for a Fund and to sell (or purchase) the same investment for accounts, funds, or structured products for which it serves as asset manager, or for other clients or affiliates. The Adviser and its affiliates may invest for clients in various securities that are senior, pari passu or junior to, or have interests different from or adverse to, the securities that are owned by a Fund. The Adviser or its affiliates, in connection with its other business activities, may acquire material non-public confidential information that may restrict the Adviser from purchasing securities or selling securities for itself or its clients (including the Funds) or otherwise using such information for the benefit of its clients or itself.
The foregoing does not purport to be a comprehensive list or complete explanation of all potential conflicts of interests which may affect the Funds. The Funds may encounter circumstances, or enter into transactions, in which conflicts of interest that are not listed or discussed above may arise.
Costs of Buying and Selling Shares. Investors buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Fund Shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price that an investor is willing to pay for Fund Shares (the bid price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell Fund Shares (the ask price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the spread or bid/ask spread. The bid/ask spread varies over time for Fund Shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if Fund Shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if Fund Shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling Fund Shares, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Fund Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Fund Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
Cybersecurity Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet and the dependence on computer systems to perform business and operational functions, funds (such as the Funds) and their service providers (including the Adviser) may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks and/or technological malfunctions. In general, cyber-attacks are deliberate, but unintentional events may have similar effects. Cyber-attacks include, among others, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, preventing legitimate users from accessing information or services on a website, releasing confidential information without authorization, and causing operational disruption. Successful cyber-attacks against, or security breakdowns of, a Fund, the Adviser, a sub-adviser or a custodian, transfer agent, or other affiliated or third-party service provider may adversely affect a Fund or its shareholders. For instance, cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may interfere with the processing of shareholder or other transactions, affect a Funds ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential Fund information, impede trading, cause reputational damage, and subject a Fund to regulatory fines, penalties or financial losses, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and additional compliance costs. Cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may render records of Fund assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Fund Shares, and other data integral to the functioning of a Fund inaccessible or inaccurate or incomplete. A Fund may also incur substantial costs for cybersecurity risk management in order to prevent cyber incidents in the future. A Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans and systems designed to minimize the risk of cyber-attacks through the use of technology, processes and controls, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified, given the evolving nature of this threat. Each Fund relies on third-party service providers for many of its day-to-day operations, and will be subject to the risk that the protections and protocols implemented by those service providers will be ineffective to protect the Fund from cyber-attack. The Adviser does not control the cybersecurity plans and systems put in place by third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Adviser or the Funds. Similar types of cybersecurity risks or technical malfunctions also are present for issuers of securities in which each Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause a Funds investment in such securities to lose value.
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Portfolio Turnover Risk. A Fund may engage in frequent trading of its portfolio securities. Fund turnover generally involves a number of direct and indirect costs and expenses to a Fund, including, for example, brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and bid/asked spreads, and transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. The costs related to increased portfolio turnover have the effect of reducing a Funds investment return, and the sale of securities by the Fund may result in the realization of taxable capital gains, including short-term capital gains.
Regulatory Risk. Governmental and regulatory actions may have unexpected or adverse consequences on particular markets, strategies, or investments, which may adversely impact a Fund and impair how it is managed. Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries are affecting many aspects of financial regulation, and may in some instances contribute to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the financial markets. The impact of these changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time.
Securities Lending Risk. Each Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 40% of the value of its net assets. For these purposes, net assets shall exclude the value of all assets received as collateral for the loan. Such loans may be terminated at any time. Any such loans must be continuously secured by collateral maintained on a current basis in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned by a Fund, marked to market each trading day. A Fund will receive the amount of all dividends, interest and other distributions on the loaned securities; however, the borrower has the right to vote the loaned securities. A Fund will call loans to vote proxies if a material issue affecting the investment is to be voted upon. Efforts to recall such securities promptly may be unsuccessful, especially for foreign securities or thinly traded securities. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund may lose money because the borrower of the loaned securities fails to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. Should the borrower of the securities fail financially, a Fund may experience delays in recovering the securities or exercising its rights in the collateral. Loans are made only to borrowers that are deemed by the securities lending agent to be of good financial standing. In a loan transaction, a Fund will also bear the risk of any decline in value of securities provided as collateral or acquired with cash collateral. Each Fund will attempt to minimize this risk by limiting the investment of cash collateral to high quality instruments of short maturity either directly on behalf of the lending Fund or through one or more joint accounts or funds, which may include those managed by the Adviser. In addition, a Fund will be subject to the risk that any income generated by lending its securities or reinvesting cash collateral is lower than any fees the Fund has agreed to pay a borrower. The Adviser will take into account the tax impact to shareholders of substitute payments for dividends when overseeing a Funds securities lending activity.
Trading Issues. Although Fund Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Fund Shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Fund Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Fund Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Exchange circuit breaker rules. Similar to the shares of operating companies listed on a stock exchange, Fund Shares may be sold short and are therefore subject to the risk of increased volatility in the trading price of the Funds shares. While each Fund expects that the ability of Authorized Participants to create and redeem Fund Shares at net asset value should be effective in reducing any such volatility, there is no guarantee that it will eliminate the volatility associated with such short sales. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of a Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that Fund Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange.
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (Investment Advisory Agreement) between the Trust and the Adviser, and, subject to the oversight of Board, is responsible for the investment management of the Fund. The Adviser provides an investment management program for the Fund and manages the investment of the Funds assets. In addition, the Adviser provides administrative, compliance and general management services to the Fund. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Global Advisors, Inc., which itself is a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Corporation. The Adviser is registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Adviser and certain other affiliates of State Street Corporation make up SSGA. SSGA is one of the worlds largest institutional money managers and the investment management arm of State Street Corporation. As of [ ], 2024, the Adviser managed approximately $[ ] billion in assets and SSGA managed approximately $[ ] trillion in assets. The Advisers principal business address is One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.
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For the services provided to the Funds under the Investment Advisory Agreement, each Fund expects to pay the Adviser the annual fees based on a percentage of each Funds average daily net assets of [ ]%. With respect to each Fund, the management fee is reduced by any acquired fund fees and expenses attributable to the Funds investments in other investment companies (except acquired fund fees and expenses associated with holdings of acquired funds for cash management purposes).
From time to time, the Adviser may waive all or a portion of its management fee. The Adviser pays all expenses of each Fund other than the management fee, acquired fund fees and expenses associated with holdings of acquired funds for cash management purposes, brokerage expenses, taxes, interest, fees and expenses of the Independent Trustees (including any Trustees counsel fees), litigation expenses and other extraordinary expenses.
SSGA FM, as the investment adviser for the Funds, may hire one or more sub-advisers to oversee the day-to-day investment activities of the Funds. The sub-advisers are subject to oversight by the Adviser. The Adviser and the Trust have received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, with the approval of the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, of the Trust, to retain and amend existing sub-advisory agreements with unaffiliated investment sub-advisers for the Funds without submitting the sub-advisory agreement to a vote of a Funds shareholders. The Trust will notify shareholders in the event of any change in the identity of such sub-adviser or sub-advisers. The Adviser has ultimate responsibility for the investment performance of the Funds due to its responsibility to oversee each sub-adviser and recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. The Adviser is not required to disclose fees paid to any unaffiliated sub-adviser retained pursuant to the order.
A summary of the factors considered by the Board in connection with the initial approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement for the Fund will be available in the Funds Form N-CSR filing with the SEC for the period ended [ ].
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The Adviser manages each Fund using a team of investment professionals. The team approach is used to create an environment that encourages the flow of investment ideas. The portfolio managers within each team work together in a cohesive manner to develop and enhance techniques that drive the investment process for the respective investment strategy. This approach requires portfolio managers to share a variety of responsibilities including investment strategy and analysis while retaining responsibility for the implementation of the strategy within any particular portfolio. The approach also enables the team to draw upon the resources of other groups within SSGA. Each portfolio management team is overseen by the SSGA Investment Committee.
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of each Fund are Sprague Rient and John Mele.
John Mele is a Vice President of SSGA and the Adviser and a Senior Portfolio Manager on the Fundamental Active Investment Grade Credit Team. He is responsible for the investment grade credit allocation within several actively managed fixed income strategies. Mr. Mele joined SSGA in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of SSGA. He also held roles in Private Equity and Finance while with GEAM. Prior to joining GEAM, Mr. Mele worked at Citigroup as a portfolio manager/research analyst in Citigroups Private Client Group. His responsibilities included managing discretionary equity and balanced portfolios for high net worth clients. Mr. Meles prior work experience also includes several years in investment management compliance and investment product development. Mr. Mele holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Connecticut, a Juris Doctor from Quinnipiac University and a Master of Business Administration with specializations in Economics and Finance from New York Universitys Stern School of Business.
Sprague Rient is a [ ].
Additional information about the portfolio managers compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers ownership of the Funds is available in the SAI.
Administrator, Sub-Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent. The Adviser serves as Administrator for each Fund. State Street, part of State Street Corporation, is the Sub-Administrator for each Fund and the Custodian for each Funds assets, and serves as Transfer Agent to each Fund.
Lending Agent. State Street is the securities lending agent for the Trust. For its services, the lending agent would typically receive a portion of the net investment income, if any, earned on the collateral for the securities loaned.
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Distributor. State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC serves as the Funds distributor (SSGA FD or the Distributor) pursuant to the Distribution Agreement between SSGA FD and the Trust. The Distributor will not distribute Fund Shares in less than Creation Units, and it does not maintain a secondary market in Fund Shares. The Distributor may enter into selected dealer agreements with other broker-dealers or other qualified financial institutions for the sale of Creation Units of Fund Shares.
Additional Information. The Board oversees generally the operations of the Funds and the Trust. The Trust enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including among others, the Funds investment adviser, custodian, transfer agent, and accountants, who provide services to the Funds. Shareholders are not parties to any such contractual arrangements or intended beneficiaries of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any shareholder any right to enforce them directly against the service providers or to seek any remedy under them directly against the service providers.
This Prospectus provides information concerning the Trust and the Funds that you should consider in determining whether to purchase Fund Shares. Neither this Prospectus nor the related SAI is intended, or should be read, to be or give rise to an agreement or contract between the Trust or the Funds and any investor, or to give rise to any rights in any shareholder or other person other than any rights under federal or state law that may not be waived.
TRADEMARK LICENSES/DISCLAIMERS
SPDR Trademark. The SPDR trademark is used under license from Standard & Poors Financial Services LLC (S&P). No Fund offered by the Trust or its affiliates is sponsored, endorsed, sold or marketed by S&P or its affiliates. S&P makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of any Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly. S&P is not responsible for and has not participated in any determination or calculation made with respect to issuance or redemption of Fund Shares. S&P has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.
WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL S&P HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
Fund Shares are listed for secondary trading on the Exchange and individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. The secondary markets are closed on weekends and also are generally closed on the following holidays: New Years Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day (observed), Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Exchange may close early on the business day before certain holidays and on the day after Thanksgiving Day. Exchange holiday schedules are subject to change without notice. If you buy or sell Fund Shares in the secondary market, you will pay the secondary market price for Fund Shares. In addition, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction.
The trading prices of Fund Shares will fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than the relevant Funds net asset value, which is calculated at the end of each business day. Fund Shares will trade on the Exchange at prices that may be above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount), to varying degrees, the daily net asset value of Fund Shares. The trading prices of Fund Shares may deviate significantly from the relevant Funds net asset value during periods of market volatility. Given, however, that Fund Shares can be issued and redeemed daily in Creation Units, the Adviser believes that large discounts and premiums to net asset value should not be sustained over long periods.
The Exchange will disseminate, every fifteen seconds during the regular trading day, an indicative optimized portfolio value (IOPV) relating to each Fund. The IOPV calculations are estimates of the value of each Funds net asset value per Fund Share. Premiums and discounts between the IOPV and the market price may occur. This should not be viewed as a real-time update of the net asset value per Fund Share. The IOPV is based on the current market value of the published basket of portfolio securities and/or cash required to be deposited in exchange for a Creation Unit and does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of a Funds actual portfolio at a particular point in time. Moreover, the IOPV is generally determined by using current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers and other market intermediaries and valuations based on current market rates. The IOPV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which (i) is computed only once a day, (ii) unlike the calculation of the IOPV, takes into account Fund expenses, and (iii) may be subject, in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, to fair valuation at different
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prices than those used in the calculations of the IOPV. The IOPV price is based on quotes and closing prices from the securities local market converted into U.S. dollars at the current currency rates and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local markets close. Therefore, the IOPV may not reflect the best possible valuation of a Funds current portfolio. Neither the Funds nor the Adviser or any of their affiliates are involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of such IOPVs and make no warranty as to their accuracy.
The Funds do not impose any restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions; however, the Funds reserve the right to reject or limit purchases at any time as described in the SAI. When considering that no restriction or policy was necessary, the Board evaluated the risks posed by market timing activities, such as whether frequent purchases and redemptions would interfere with the efficient implementation of a Funds investment strategy, or whether they would cause a Fund to experience increased transaction costs. The Board considered that, unlike traditional mutual funds, Fund Shares are issued and redeemed only in large quantities of shares known as Creation Units, available only from a Fund directly, and that most trading in a Fund occurs on the Exchange at prevailing market prices and does not involve the Fund directly. Given this structure, the Board determined that it is unlikely that (a) market timing would be attempted by a Funds shareholders or (b) any attempts to market time a Fund by shareholders would result in negative impact to the Fund or its shareholders.
Dividends and Capital Gains. As a Fund shareholder, you are entitled to your share of the applicable Funds income and net realized gains on its investments. Each Fund pays out substantially all of its net earnings to its shareholders as distributions.
Each Fund may earn dividends from stocks, interest from debt securities and, if participating, securities lending income. These amounts, net of expenses and taxes (if applicable), are passed along to Fund shareholders as income dividend distributions. Each Fund will generally be treated as realizing short-term capital gains or losses whenever it sells or exchanges assets held for one year or less. Net short-term capital gains will generally be treated as ordinary income when distributed to shareholders. Each Fund will generally be treated as realizing long-term capital gains or losses whenever it sells or exchanges assets held for more than one year. Net capital gains (the excess of a Funds net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses) are distributed to shareholders as capital gain distributions.
Income dividend distributions, if any, for the Funds are generally distributed to shareholders monthly, but may vary significantly from period to period.
Net capital gains for each Fund are distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently or at any other time to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code.
Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Fund Shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Fund Shares makes such option available. Distributions which are reinvested will nevertheless be taxable to the same extent as if such distributions had not been reinvested.
The Funds portfolio holdings disclosure policy is described in the SAI. In addition, the identities and quantities of the securities held by each Fund are disclosed on the Funds website.
The following discussion is a summary of some important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to an investment in a Fund. Your investment in a Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax advisor about federal, state, local, foreign or other tax laws applicable to you. Investors, including non-U.S. investors, may wish to consult the SAI tax section for additional disclosure.
Each Fund has elected or will elect to be a regulated investment company and intends to qualify each year to be treated as such. A regulated investment company is generally not subject to tax at the corporate level on income and gains that are distributed to shareholders. However, a Funds failure to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company may result in corporate level taxation, and consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.
Taxes On Distributions. In general, your distributions (other than exempt-interest dividends) are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund. The income dividends and short-term capital gains distributions you receive from a Fund will be taxed as either ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Subject to certain limitations, dividends that are reported by a Fund as qualified dividend income are taxable to noncorporate shareholders at reduced rates. Any distributions of a Funds net capital gains are taxable as long-term capital gain regardless of how long you have owned Fund Shares. Long-term capital gains are generally taxed to noncorporate shareholders at reduced rates. Although the Funds do not seek to realize taxable income or capital gains,
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the Funds may realize and distribute taxable income or capital gains from time to time as a result of its normal investment activities. Distributions in excess of a Funds current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the applicable Funds shares, and, in general, as capital gain thereafter.
In general, dividends may be reported by a Fund as qualified dividend income if they are attributable to qualified dividend income received by the Fund, which, in general, includes dividend income from taxable U.S. corporations and certain foreign corporations (i.e., certain foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, and certain other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States), provided that the Fund satisfies certain holding period requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. A dividend generally will not be treated as qualified dividend income if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held by a Fund for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning at the date which is 60 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend or, in the case of certain preferred stock, for fewer than 91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date. These holding period requirements will also apply to your ownership of Fund Shares. Holding periods may be suspended for these purposes for stock that is hedged. Since the Funds primarily hold investments that do not pay dividends, it is not expected that a substantial portion of the dividends paid by these Funds will qualify for either the dividends-received deduction for corporations or the favorable income tax rates available to individuals on qualified dividend income. Additionally, income derived in connection with a Funds securities lending activities will not be treated as qualified dividend income.
U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on all or a portion of their net investment income, which includes taxable interest, dividends and certain capital gains (generally including capital gain distributions. This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
Certain tax-exempt educational institutions will be subject to a 1.4% tax on net investment income. For these purposes, certain dividends and capital gain distributions, and certain gains from the disposition of Fund Shares (among other categories of income), are generally taken into account in computing a shareholders net investment income.
If you lend your Fund Shares pursuant to securities lending arrangements you may lose the ability to treat Fund dividends (paid while the Fund Shares are held by the borrower) as qualified dividend income. You should consult your financial intermediary or tax advisor to discuss your particular circumstances.
Distributions paid in January, but declared by a Fund in October, November or December of the previous year, payable to shareholders of record in such a month, may be taxable to you in the calendar year in which they were declared. The Funds will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income and capital gain distributions shortly after the close of each calendar year.
A distribution will reduce a Funds net asset value per Fund Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Original Issue Discount. Investments by a Fund in zero coupon or other discount securities will result in income to the Fund equal to a portion of the excess face value of the securities over their issue price (the original issue discount or OID) each year that the securities are held, even though the Fund may receive no cash interest payments or may receive cash interest payments that are less than the income recognized for tax purposes. In other circumstances, whether pursuant to the terms of a security or as a result of other factors outside the control of a Fund, a Fund may recognize income without receiving a commensurate amount of cash. A Funds share of such income is included in determining the amount that the Fund must distribute to maintain its eligibility for treatment as a regulated investment company and to avoid the payment of federal tax, including the nondeductible 4% excise tax. Where such income is not matched by a corresponding cash receipt by a Fund, the Fund may be required to borrow money or dispose of securities to enable the Fund to make distributions to its shareholders in order to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company and eliminate taxes at the Fund level, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss to the Fund.
Inflation-Indexed Bonds. Special rules apply if a Fund holds inflation-indexed bonds. Generally, all stated interest on inflation-indexed bonds is taken into income by a Fund under its regular method of accounting for interest income. The amount of any positive inflation adjustment for a taxable year, which results from an increase in the inflation-adjusted principal amount of the bond, is treated as OID. The amount of a Funds OID in a taxable year with respect to a bond will increase the Funds taxable income for such year without a corresponding receipt of cash until the bond matures. As a result, a Fund may need to use other sources of cash to satisfy its distribution requirements for such year. The amount of any negative inflation adjustments, which result from a decrease in the inflation-adjusted principal amount of the bond, first reduces the amount of interest (including stated interest, OID, and market discount, if any) otherwise includible in a Funds income with respect to the bond for the taxable year; any remaining negative adjustments will be either treated as ordinary loss or, in certain circumstances, carried forward to reduce the amount of interest income taken into account with respect to the bond in future taxable years.
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Market Discount. Any market discount recognized on a market discount bond is taxable as ordinary income. A market discount bond is a bond acquired in the secondary market at a price below redemption value or below adjusted issue price if the bond was issued with original issue discount. Absent an election by a Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, the gain on the Funds disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount. Where the income required to be recognized as a result of the market discount rules is not matched by a corresponding cash receipt by the Fund, the Fund may be required to borrow money or dispose of securities to enable the Fund to make distributions to its shareholders in order to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company and eliminate taxes at the Fund level, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss to the Fund.
Derivatives and Other Complex Securities. A Fund may invest in complex securities. These investments may be subject to numerous special and complex rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by a Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to a Fund and/or defer a Funds ability to recognize losses. In turn, these rules may affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to you by a Fund. You should consult your personal tax advisor regarding the application of these rules.
Foreign Currency Transactions. A Funds transactions in foreign currencies, foreign currency denominated debt obligations and certain foreign currency options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned.
Taxes on Exchange-Listed Share Sales. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund Shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if Fund Shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if Fund Shares have been held for one year or less, 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.
Taxes on Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units. A person who 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 and the exchangers aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus any cash paid for the Creation Units. A person who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchangers 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. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
Under current federal tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption (or creation) of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the applicable Fund Shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the applicable Fund Shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for one year or less.
If you create or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many Fund Shares you purchased or sold and at what price.
The Trust on behalf of each Fund has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Fund Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the applicable Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code, the applicable 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. If the Trust does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Fund Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the applicable Fund, the purchaser (or group of purchasers) will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.
If a Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may bear additional costs and recognize more capital gains than it would if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.
Certain Tax-Exempt Investors. A Fund, if investing in certain limited real estate investments and other publicly traded partnerships, may be required to pass through certain excess inclusion income and other income as unrelated business taxable income (UBTI). Prior to investing in a Fund, tax-exempt investors sensitive to UBTI should consult their tax advisors regarding this issue and IRS pronouncements addressing the treatment of such income in the hands of such investors.
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Investments In Certain Foreign Corporations. A Fund may invest in foreign entities classified as passive foreign investment companies or PFICs or controlled foreign corporations or CFCs under the Internal Revenue Code. PFIC and CFC investments are subject to complex rules that may under certain circumstances adversely affect a Fund. Accordingly, investors should consult their own tax advisors and carefully consider the tax consequences of PFIC and CFC investments by a Fund before making an investment in such Fund. Fund dividends attributable to dividends received from PFICs generally will not be treated as qualified dividend income. Additional information pertaining to the potential tax consequences to the Funds, and to the shareholders, from the Funds potential investment in PFICs and CFCs can be found in the SAI.
Non-U.S. Investors. Ordinary income dividends paid by a Fund to shareholders who are non-resident aliens or foreign entities will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax (other than distributions reported by the Fund as interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends), unless a lower treaty rate applies or unless such income is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. In general, a Fund may report interest-related dividends to the extent of its net income derived from U.S. source interest and a Fund may report short-term capital gain dividends to the extent its net short-term capital gain for the taxable year exceeds its net long-term capital loss. Gains on the sale of Fund Shares and dividends that are, in each case, effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the U.S. will generally be subject to U.S. federal net income taxation at regular income tax rates. Non-U.S. shareholders that own, directly or indirectly, more than 5% of a Funds shares are urged to consult their own tax advisors concerning special tax rules that may apply to their investment.
Unless certain non-U.S. entities that hold Fund Shares comply with IRS requirements that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to distributions (other than exempt-interest dividends) payable to such entities. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.
Backup Withholding. A Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold (as backup withholding) on amounts (including exempt-interest dividends) payable to any shareholder who (1) has provided the Fund either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (2) is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends, (3) has failed to certify to the Fund that such shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or (4) has not certified that such shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the United States.
Other Tax Issues. A Fund may be subject to tax in certain states where the Fund does business (or is treated as doing business as a result of its investments). Furthermore, in those states which have income tax laws, the tax treatment of the Funds and of Fund shareholders with respect to distributions by the Funds may differ from federal tax treatment.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the consequences under current federal income tax law of an investment in the Funds. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the Funds under all applicable tax laws.
The Trust was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on March 30, 2011. If shareholders of any Fund are required to vote on any matters, shareholders are entitled to one vote for each Fund Share they own. Annual meetings of shareholders will not be held except as required by the 1940 Act and other applicable law. See the SAI for more information concerning the Trusts form of organization.
MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION
Each Fund is a separate series of the Trust, which is an open-end registered management investment company.
From time to time, a Fund may advertise yield and total return figures. Yield is a historical measure of dividend income, and total return is a measure of past dividend income (assuming that it has been reinvested) plus capital appreciation. Neither yield nor total return should be used to predict the future performance of a Fund.
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP serves as counsel to the Trust, including the Funds. [ ] serves as the independent registered public accounting firm and will audit the Funds financial statements annually.
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The Funds had not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus and, therefore, do not have financial information.
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WHERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FUNDS
This Prospectus does not contain all the information included in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC with respect to Fund Shares. An SAI and the annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, each of which has been or will be filed with the SEC, provide more information about the Funds. The Prospectus and SAI may be supplemented from time to time. In the annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected each Funds performance during the Funds last fiscal year, as applicable. The SAI is incorporated herein by reference (i.e., it is legally part of this Prospectus). These materials may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Distributor, State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC, One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, by visiting the Funds website at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs or by calling the following number:
Investor Information: 1-866-787-2257
The Registration Statement, including this Prospectus, the SAI, and the exhibits as well as any shareholder reports may be reviewed on the EDGAR Database on the SECs website (http://www.sec.gov). You may also obtain copies of this and other information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following E-mail address: [email protected].
Shareholder inquiries may be directed to the Funds in writing to State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC, One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, or by calling the Investor Information number listed above.
No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this Prospectus in connection with the offer of Fund Shares, and, if given or made, the information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Trust or the Funds. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale of Fund Shares shall under any circumstance imply that the information contained herein is correct as of any date after the date of this Prospectus.
Dealers effecting transactions in Fund Shares, whether or not participating in this distribution, are generally required to deliver a Prospectus. This is in addition to any obligation of dealers to deliver a Prospectus when acting as underwriters.
| CORPLADDERSSTATPRO | The Trusts Investment Company Act Number is 811-22542. |
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SUBJECT TO COMPLETION. THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IT IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.
Prospectus
[ ], 2024
SSGA Active Trust
SPDR SSGA My2026 Municipal Bond ETF ([ ])
SPDR SSGA My2027 Municipal Bond ETF ([ ])
SPDR SSGA My2028 Municipal Bond ETF ([ ])
SPDR SSGA My2029 Municipal Bond ETF ([ ])
SPDR SSGA My2030 Municipal Bond ETF ([ ])
Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. Shares in the Funds are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other agency of the U.S. Government, nor are shares deposits or obligations of any bank. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Funds.
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SPDR® SSGA My2026 Municipal Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2026 Municipal Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to maximize current income that is exempt from regular federal income taxes while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in municipal bonds that pay income that is exempt from regular federal income tax. The Fund primarily invests in municipal bonds maturing in the year 2026, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2026, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
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The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated municipal bonds issued by U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or local governments or agencies, the interest of which is exempt from U.S. federal income taxes and the federal alternative minimum tax (AMT). The bonds are primarily rated investment grade at the time of purchase, which is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in municipal bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in municipal bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year.
The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from municipal bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase. The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
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Municipal Obligations Risk: Issuers, including governmental issuers, may be unable to pay their obligations as they come due. The values of municipal obligations may be adversely affected by local political and economic conditions and developments. In addition, the values of municipal obligations that depend on a specific revenue source to fund their payment obligations may fluctuate as a result of actual or anticipated changes in the cash flows generated by the revenue source or changes in the priority of the municipal obligation to receive the cash flows generated by the revenue source. Municipal obligations may be more susceptible to downgrades or defaults during recessions or similar periods of economic stress. In addition, changes in U.S. federal tax laws or the activity of an issuer may adversely affect the tax-exempt status of municipal obligations. Loss of tax-exempt status may cause interest received and distributed by the Fund to shareholders to be taxable and may result in a significant decline in the values of such municipal obligations.
Political Risk: A significant restructuring of federal income tax rates or even serious discussion on the topic in Congress could cause municipal bond prices to fall. The demand for municipal securities is strongly influenced by the value of tax-exempt income to investors. Lower income tax rates could reduce the advantage of owning municipals.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
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Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
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Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Tax Exemption Risk: There is no guarantee that the Funds income will be exempt from federal or state income taxes. Events occurring after the date of issuance of a municipal bond or after the Funds acquisition of a municipal bond may result in a determination that interest on that bond is includible in gross income for federal income tax purposes retroactively to its date of issuance. Such a determination may cause a portion of prior distributions by the Fund to its shareholders to be taxable to those shareholders in the year of receipt. Federal or state changes in income or alternative minimum tax rates or in the tax treatment of municipal bonds may make municipal bonds less attractive as investments and cause them to decline in value.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Stella Delucia and Arthur Aaronson.
Stella Delucia, is a [ ]. [She joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
Arthur Aarsonson is a [ ]. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA].
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
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Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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SPDR® SSGA My2027 Municipal Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2027 Municipal Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to maximize current income that is exempt from regular federal income taxes while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in municipal bonds that pay income that is exempt from regular federal income tax. The Fund primarily invests in municipal bonds maturing in the year 2027, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2027, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated municipal bonds issued by U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or local governments or agencies, the interest of which is exempt from U.S. federal income taxes and the federal alternative minimum tax (AMT). The bonds are primarily rated investment grade at the time of purchase, which is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets
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in municipal bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in municipal bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year.
The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from municipal bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase. The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
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Municipal Obligations Risk: Issuers, including governmental issuers, may be unable to pay their obligations as they come due. The values of municipal obligations may be adversely affected by local political and economic conditions and developments. In addition, the values of municipal obligations that depend on a specific revenue source to fund their payment obligations may fluctuate as a result of actual or anticipated changes in the cash flows generated by the revenue source or changes in the priority of the municipal obligation to receive the cash flows generated by the revenue source. Municipal obligations may be more susceptible to downgrades or defaults during recessions or similar periods of economic stress. In addition, changes in U.S. federal tax laws or the activity of an issuer may adversely affect the tax-exempt status of municipal obligations. Loss of tax-exempt status may cause interest received and distributed by the Fund to shareholders to be taxable and may result in a significant decline in the values of such municipal obligations.
Political Risk: A significant restructuring of federal income tax rates or even serious discussion on the topic in Congress could cause municipal bond prices to fall. The demand for municipal securities is strongly influenced by the value of tax-exempt income to investors. Lower income tax rates could reduce the advantage of owning municipals.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing
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sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
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Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Tax Exemption Risk: There is no guarantee that the Funds income will be exempt from federal or state income taxes. Events occurring after the date of issuance of a municipal bond or after the Funds acquisition of a municipal bond may result in a determination that interest on that bond is includible in gross income for federal income tax purposes retroactively to its date of issuance. Such a determination may cause a portion of prior distributions by the Fund to its shareholders to be taxable to those shareholders in the year of receipt. Federal or state changes in income or alternative minimum tax rates or in the tax treatment of municipal bonds may make municipal bonds less attractive as investments and cause them to decline in value.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Stella Delucia and Arthur Aaronson.
Stella Delucia, is a [ ]. [She joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
Arthur Aarsonson is a [ ]. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA].
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
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Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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SPDR® SSGA My2028 Municipal Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2028 Municipal Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to maximize current income that is exempt from regular federal income taxes while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in municipal bonds that pay income that is exempt from regular federal income tax. The Fund primarily invests in municipal bonds maturing in the year 2028, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2028, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated municipal bonds issued by U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or local governments or agencies, the interest of which is exempt from U.S. federal income taxes and the federal alternative minimum tax (AMT). The bonds are primarily rated investment grade at the time of purchase, which is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets
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in municipal bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in municipal bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year.
The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from municipal bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase. The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
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Municipal Obligations Risk: Issuers, including governmental issuers, may be unable to pay their obligations as they come due. The values of municipal obligations may be adversely affected by local political and economic conditions and developments. In addition, the values of municipal obligations that depend on a specific revenue source to fund their payment obligations may fluctuate as a result of actual or anticipated changes in the cash flows generated by the revenue source or changes in the priority of the municipal obligation to receive the cash flows generated by the revenue source. Municipal obligations may be more susceptible to downgrades or defaults during recessions or similar periods of economic stress. In addition, changes in U.S. federal tax laws or the activity of an issuer may adversely affect the tax-exempt status of municipal obligations. Loss of tax-exempt status may cause interest received and distributed by the Fund to shareholders to be taxable and may result in a significant decline in the values of such municipal obligations.
Political Risk: A significant restructuring of federal income tax rates or even serious discussion on the topic in Congress could cause municipal bond prices to fall. The demand for municipal securities is strongly influenced by the value of tax-exempt income to investors. Lower income tax rates could reduce the advantage of owning municipals.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing
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sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
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Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Tax Exemption Risk: There is no guarantee that the Funds income will be exempt from federal or state income taxes. Events occurring after the date of issuance of a municipal bond or after the Funds acquisition of a municipal bond may result in a determination that interest on that bond is includible in gross income for federal income tax purposes retroactively to its date of issuance. Such a determination may cause a portion of prior distributions by the Fund to its shareholders to be taxable to those shareholders in the year of receipt. Federal or state changes in income or alternative minimum tax rates or in the tax treatment of municipal bonds may make municipal bonds less attractive as investments and cause them to decline in value.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Stella Delucia and Arthur Aaronson.
Stella Delucia, is a [ ]. [She joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
Arthur Aarsonson is a [ ]. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA].
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
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Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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SPDR® SSGA My2029 Municipal Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2029 Municipal Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to maximize current income that is exempt from regular federal income taxes while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in municipal bonds that pay income that is exempt from regular federal income tax. The Fund primarily invests in municipal bonds maturing in the year 2029, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2029, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated municipal bonds issued by U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or local governments or agencies, the interest of which is exempt from U.S. federal income taxes and the federal alternative minimum tax (AMT). The bonds are primarily rated investment grade at the time of purchase, which is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets
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in municipal bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in municipal bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year.
The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from municipal bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase. The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
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Municipal Obligations Risk: Issuers, including governmental issuers, may be unable to pay their obligations as they come due. The values of municipal obligations may be adversely affected by local political and economic conditions and developments. In addition, the values of municipal obligations that depend on a specific revenue source to fund their payment obligations may fluctuate as a result of actual or anticipated changes in the cash flows generated by the revenue source or changes in the priority of the municipal obligation to receive the cash flows generated by the revenue source. Municipal obligations may be more susceptible to downgrades or defaults during recessions or similar periods of economic stress. In addition, changes in U.S. federal tax laws or the activity of an issuer may adversely affect the tax-exempt status of municipal obligations. Loss of tax-exempt status may cause interest received and distributed by the Fund to shareholders to be taxable and may result in a significant decline in the values of such municipal obligations.
Political Risk: A significant restructuring of federal income tax rates or even serious discussion on the topic in Congress could cause municipal bond prices to fall. The demand for municipal securities is strongly influenced by the value of tax-exempt income to investors. Lower income tax rates could reduce the advantage of owning municipals.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing
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sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
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Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Tax Exemption Risk: There is no guarantee that the Funds income will be exempt from federal or state income taxes. Events occurring after the date of issuance of a municipal bond or after the Funds acquisition of a municipal bond may result in a determination that interest on that bond is includible in gross income for federal income tax purposes retroactively to its date of issuance. Such a determination may cause a portion of prior distributions by the Fund to its shareholders to be taxable to those shareholders in the year of receipt. Federal or state changes in income or alternative minimum tax rates or in the tax treatment of municipal bonds may make municipal bonds less attractive as investments and cause them to decline in value.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Stella Delucia and Arthur Aaronson.
Stella Delucia, is a [ ]. [She joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
Arthur Aarsonson is a [ ]. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA].
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
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Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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SPDR® SSGA My2030 Municipal Bond ETF
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The SPDR SSGA My2030 Municipal Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to maximize current income that is exempt from regular federal income taxes while seeking preservation of capital.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (Fund Shares). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
| Management fees |
[ | ]% | ||
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
None | |||
| Other expenses1 |
[ | ]% | ||
| Total annual Fund operating expenses |
[ | ]% |
| 1 | Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
EXAMPLE:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell or hold all of your Fund Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| Year 1 |
Year 3 | |||
| $[ ] |
$ | [ | ] | |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds performance. The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.
THE FUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Under normal circumstances, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the Adviser or SSGA FM) invests at least 80% of the Funds net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in municipal bonds that pay income that is exempt from regular federal income tax. The Fund primarily invests in municipal bonds maturing in the year 2030, which may include bonds with embedded issuer call options falling within that year. An embedded issuer call option means that the bonds issuer has the right to redeem a bond prior to its designated maturity date. The Fund is part of the MyIncome suite of target maturity bond ETFs and is designed to terminate on or about December 15, 2030, at which point the Fund will distribute its remaining net assets to shareholders pursuant to a plan of liquidation. The Fund does not seek to distribute any predetermined amount at maturity.
The Fund primarily invests in U.S. dollar denominated municipal bonds issued by U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or local governments or agencies, the interest of which is exempt from U.S. federal income taxes and the federal alternative minimum tax (AMT). The bonds are primarily rated investment grade at the time of purchase, which is defined as bonds rated BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings and/or Fitch Ratings Inc., Baa3 or higher by Moodys Investors Service, Inc., or equivalent ratings by another registered nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated by an NRSRO, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in municipal bonds rated below investment grade at the time of purchase (commonly known as junk bonds). The Fund may also invest in municipal bonds with maturity dates within six months prior to or after the Funds target maturity year.
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The Fund may use derivative instruments (primarily futures contracts, interest rate and credit default swaps, and options on treasury futures) to manage yield, interest rate exposure (also known as duration), weighted average maturity, and exposure to credit quality.
In the Funds target maturity year, proceeds from municipal bonds maturing prior to the Funds liquidation date may be reinvested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds (including money market funds advised by the Adviser). Leading up to the Funds target maturity date, the Funds cash and cash equivalents holdings may increase. The Adviser actively manages the Fund using a risk-aware, top-down approach combined with bottom-up security selection to construct a portfolio that seeks to overweight the most attractive sectors and issuers. The Adviser develops long-term structural and intermediate-term cyclical views by analyzing macroeconomic factors, financial conditions, as well as consumer, industry, and sector trends. Individual securities are then identified for investment through rigorous fundamental research, including financial analysis of the applicable cash flows, capital structure, industry, and issuer-specific fundamentals. The Advisers analysis also includes an assessment of relative value and liquidity trends, which are supported by the performance of similar instruments through economic and market cycles.
The Adviser may consider selling a security when one of the selection characteristics no longer applies, when the Adviser believes that the valuation has become excessive, or when more attractive alternatives are identified. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular investment strategy that converts fund assets to conservative investments over time.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Market Risk: The Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
Debt Securities Risk: The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments, or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of the Funds fixed income securities to decrease, an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, the Funds yield can be low, and the Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
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Municipal Obligations Risk: Issuers, including governmental issuers, may be unable to pay their obligations as they come due. The values of municipal obligations may be adversely affected by local political and economic conditions and developments. In addition, the values of municipal obligations that depend on a specific revenue source to fund their payment obligations may fluctuate as a result of actual or anticipated changes in the cash flows generated by the revenue source or changes in the priority of the municipal obligation to receive the cash flows generated by the revenue source. Municipal obligations may be more susceptible to downgrades or defaults during recessions or similar periods of economic stress. In addition, changes in U.S. federal tax laws or the activity of an issuer may adversely affect the tax-exempt status of municipal obligations. Loss of tax-exempt status may cause interest received and distributed by the Fund to shareholders to be taxable and may result in a significant decline in the values of such municipal obligations.
Political Risk: A significant restructuring of federal income tax rates or even serious discussion on the topic in Congress could cause municipal bond prices to fall. The demand for municipal securities is strongly influenced by the value of tax-exempt income to investors. Lower income tax rates could reduce the advantage of owning municipals.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk: As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Funds daily net asset value per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the net asset value per share (premium) or less than the net asset value per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk: Lower-quality debt securities (high yield or junk bonds) are considered predominantly speculative, and can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. They can be illiquid, and their values can have significant volatility and may decline significantly over short periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Declining Yield Risk: Leading up to the Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Futures Contract Risk: A futures contract is a standardized agreement that calls for the purchase or sale of a specific asset at a specific price at a specific future time, or cash settlement of the terms of the contract. Transactions in futures contracts can create investment leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a futures contract transaction will result in a much greater loss than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out the futures contract at a favorable time or price. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and the Fund will be unable to terminate its exposure to the futures contract. There is also a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contract and movements in the price of the underlying assets. The counterparty to a futures contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Funds margin, or otherwise honor its obligations.
Options Risk: The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing
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sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. The effective use of options also depends on the Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by the Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk: A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). It may not be possible for the Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Income Risk: The Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by the Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by the Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates.
Liquidity Risk: Lack of a ready market, stressed market conditions, or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price or at all. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. If the liquidity of the Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Illiquidity of the Funds holdings may also limit the ability of the Fund to obtain cash to meet redemptions on a timely basis. In addition, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in any illiquid investments and/or the difficulty in purchasing and selling such investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain market or sector.
Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
Money Market Risk: An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is new and there is no assurance that the Fund will grow quickly. When the Funds size is small, the Fund may experience low trading volume, which could lead to wider bid/ask spreads. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause elevated transaction costs for the Fund and negative tax consequences for its shareholders.
Non-Diversification Risk: As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
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Repurchase Agreement Risk: Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund, which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. If the Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, the Fund may realize a loss.
Tax Exemption Risk: There is no guarantee that the Funds income will be exempt from federal or state income taxes. Events occurring after the date of issuance of a municipal bond or after the Funds acquisition of a municipal bond may result in a determination that interest on that bond is includible in gross income for federal income tax purposes retroactively to its date of issuance. Such a determination may cause a portion of prior distributions by the Fund to its shareholders to be taxable to those shareholders in the year of receipt. Federal or state changes in income or alternative minimum tax rates or in the tax treatment of municipal bonds may make municipal bonds less attractive as investments and cause them to decline in value.
Valuation Risk: Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of the Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Fund at that time.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Funds returns based on net assets and comparing the Funds performance to the Index. When available, updated performance information may be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting the Funds website: https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Stella Delucia and Arthur Aaronson.
Stella Delucia, is a [ ]. [She joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) by the ultimate parent company of State Street Global Advisors (SSGA)].
Arthur Aarsonson is a [ ]. [He joined the Adviser in 2016 through the acquisition of GEAM by the ultimate parent company of SSGA].
PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash. Creation Unit transactions may be conducted in exchange for cash only, which may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains and to pay out higher annual capital gain distributions to shareholders than if such transactions had been conducted in-kind.
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Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the Exchange), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value (NAV), Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the bid-ask spread). Recent information regarding the Funds NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. 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 intermediarys website for more information.
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ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES INFORMATION
PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES
Please see each Funds respective The Funds Principal Investment Strategy section under Fund Summaries above for a discussion of its principal investment strategies. The Funds may invest in various types of securities and engage in various investment techniques which are not the principal focus of the Funds and therefore are not described in this Prospectus. These securities, techniques and practices, together with their risks, are described in the Statement of Additional Information (the SAI) which you may obtain free of charge by contacting shareholder services (see the back cover of this Prospectus for the address and phone number).
Bond Ladders. The fixed-income investment technique of building exposure to a portfolio of bonds with various maturities, through investment in the Funds, is called a bond ladder. Ladders may help create predictable streams of income, may reduce exposure to volatile stocks, and manage some potential risks from changing interest rates; however, such outcomes are not guaranteed.
Each Fund has adopted a fundamental investment policy to invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of borrowings for investment purposes, in investments the income of which is exempt from regular federal income tax. Any change to this fundamental 80% investment policy will require shareholder approval. The Board of Trustees of SSGA Active Trust (the Board) may change a Funds investment objective, investment strategy and other policies without shareholder approval, except as otherwise noted in this Prospectus or in the SAI.
NON-PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES
Temporary Defensive Positions. In response to actual or perceived adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, a Fund may (but will not necessarily), without notice, depart from its principal investment strategies by temporarily investing for defensive purposes. Temporary defensive positions may include, but are not limited to, cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities, repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities, money market funds, and high-quality debt investments. If a Fund invests for defensive purposes, it may not achieve its investment objective. In addition, the defensive strategy may not work as intended.
Borrowing Money. Each Fund may borrow money from a bank as permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act) or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund, but only for temporary or emergency purposes.
The 1940 Act presently allows a fund to borrow from any bank (including pledging, mortgaging or hypothecating assets) in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (not including temporary borrowings not in excess of 5% of its total assets). Each Fund may also invest in reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions. Consistent with a rule under the 1940 Act, each Fund may treat such investments as either borrowings or derivatives transactions. To the extent a Fund treats reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions as borrowings, such investments will also be included in the 33 1/3% limit.
Lending of Securities. Each Fund may lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 40% of the value of its net assets via a securities lending program through its securities lending agent, State Street Bank and Trust Company (State Street or the Lending Agent), to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions desiring to borrow securities to complete transactions and for other purposes. A securities lending program allows a Fund to receive a portion of the income generated by lending its securities and investing the respective collateral. A Fund will receive collateral for each loaned security which is at least equal to the market value of that security, marked to market each trading day. To the extent a Fund receives cash collateral, as of the date of this Prospectus, the Adviser expects to invest such cash collateral in a fund managed by the Adviser that invests in: a broad range of money market instruments; certificates of deposit and time deposits of U.S. and foreign banks; commercial paper and other high quality obligations of U.S. or foreign companies; asset-backed securities; mortgage-related securities; repurchase agreements; and shares of money market funds. With respect to loans that are collateralized by cash, the borrower may be entitled to receive a fee based on the amount of cash collateral. A Fund is compensated by the difference between the amount earned on the reinvestment of cash collateral and the fee paid to the borrower. In the case of collateral other than cash, a Fund is compensated by a fee paid by the borrower equal to a percentage of the market value of the loaned securities. In the securities lending program, the borrower generally has the right to vote the loaned securities; however, a Fund may call loans to vote proxies if a material issue affecting the Funds economic interest in the investment is to be voted upon. Security loans may be terminated at any time by a Fund.
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The following section provides information regarding the principal risks identified under Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund in each Fund Summary along with additional risk information. Risk information is applicable to all Funds unless otherwise noted.
PRINCIPAL RISKS
Debt Securities Risk. The values of debt securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments or illiquidity in debt securities markets. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of a Funds fixed income securities to decrease, a decline in a Funds income and yield, an adverse impact on the liquidity of a Funds fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, a Funds yield can be low, and a Fund may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). To the extent that interest rates fall, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially faster than originally anticipated. If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by a Fund may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of debt securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in debt securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities. The U.S. Federal Reserve has been engaged in an aggressive campaign to raise interest rates in an effort to combat high levels of inflation. Interest rate increases may continue. High levels of inflation and/or a significantly changing interest rate environment can lead to heightened levels of volatility and reduced liquidity.
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Below Investment-Grade Securities Risk. Securities rated below investment-grade and unrated securities of comparable credit quality (commonly known as high-yield or junk bonds) lack strong investment-grade characteristics, are considered predominantly speculative with respect to the issuers continuing ability to make principal and interest payments, and are subject to greater levels of credit, liquidity and market risk than higher-rated securities. They can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher-rated securities, and their values can decline significantly over short periods of time. Issuers of lower-quality debt securities may have substantially greater risk of insolvency or bankruptcy than issuers of higher-quality debt securities. In the event the issuer of a debt security held by a Fund defaults on its payments or becomes insolvent or bankrupt, the Fund may not receive the return it was promised on the investment and could lose its entire investment. The lower ratings of junk bonds reflect a greater possibility that actual or perceived adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer or in general economic conditions, or an unanticipated rise in interest rates, may impair the ability of the issuer to make payments of interest and principal. If this were to occur, the values of such securities held by a Fund may fall substantially and a Fund could lose some or all of the value of its investment. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general, than higher quality debt securities. The market for lower quality debt securities can be less liquid than for higher quality debt securities, especially during periods of recession or general market decline, which could make it difficult at times for a Fund to sell certain securities at prices used in calculating a Funds net asset value. These securities may have significant volatility.
Call/Prepayment Risk. Call/prepayment risk is the risk that an issuer will exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by a Fund earlier than expected or required. This may occur, for example, when there is a decline in interest rates, and an issuer of bonds or preferred stock redeems the bonds or stock in order to replace them with obligations on which it is required to pay a lower interest or dividend rate. It may also occur when there is an unanticipated increase in the rate at which mortgages or other receivables underlying mortgage- or asset-backed securities held by a Fund are prepaid. In any such case, a Fund may be forced to invest the prepaid amounts in lower-yielding investments, resulting in a decline in the Funds income.
Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer, guarantor or liquidity provider of a fixed-income security held by a Fund may be unable or unwilling, or may be perceived (whether by market participants, ratings agencies, pricing services or otherwise) as unable or unwilling, to make timely principal and/or interest payments, or to otherwise honor its obligations. It includes the risk that the security will be downgraded by a credit rating agency; generally, lower credit quality issuers present higher credit risks. An actual or perceived decline in creditworthiness of an issuer of a fixed-income security held by a Fund may result in a decrease in the value of the security. It is possible that the ability of an issuer to meet its obligations will decline substantially during the period when a Fund owns securities of the issuer or that the issuer will default on its obligations or that the obligations of the issuer will be limited or restructured.
The credit rating assigned to any particular investment does not necessarily reflect the issuers current financial condition and does not reflect an assessment of an investments volatility or liquidity. Securities rated in the lowest category of investment-grade are considered to have speculative characteristics. If a security held by a Fund loses its rating or its rating is downgraded, the Fund may nonetheless continue to hold the security in the discretion of the Adviser. In the case of asset-backed or mortgage-related securities, changes in the actual or perceived ability of the obligors on the underlying assets or mortgages to make payments of interest and/or principal may affect the values of those securities.
Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that a Fund may not be able to dispose of investments readily at a favorable time or prices (or at all) or at prices approximating those at which a Fund currently values them. For example, certain investments may be subject to restrictions on resale, may trade in the over-the-counter market or in limited volume, or may not have an active trading market. Illiquid investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. It may be difficult for a Fund to value illiquid investments accurately. The market for certain investments may
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become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. If the liquidity of a Funds holdings deteriorates, it may lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value of Fund Shares, and could result in the Fund Shares being less liquid. Disposal of illiquid investments may entail registration expenses and other transaction costs that are higher than those for liquid investments. A Fund may seek to borrow money to meet its obligations (including among other things redemption obligations) if it is unable to dispose of illiquid investments, resulting in borrowing expenses and possible leveraging of the Fund.
Furthermore, if a Funds principal investment strategies involve investing in municipal securities or high yield securities, the Funds portfolio may have greater exposure to liquidity risk since the markets for such securities may be less liquid than the traditional bond markets. There may also be less information available on the financial condition of issuers of these types of securities than for public corporations. This means that it may be harder to buy and sell such securities, especially on short notice, and these securities may be more difficult for the Fund to value accurately than securities of public corporations.
Declining Yield Risk. Leading up to a Funds target maturity date as bonds mature, the Fund may transition its portfolio to cash and cash equivalents. If so, the Funds yield will generally tend to move toward the yield of cash and cash equivalents and thus may be lower than the yields of the bonds previously held by the Fund and/or prevailing yields for bonds in the market.
Derivatives Risk. A derivative is a financial contract the value of which depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, interest rate, or index. Derivative transactions typically involve leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a derivative transaction will result in a loss greater than the principal amount invested, and a Fund may not be able to close out a derivative transaction at a favorable time or price. Risks associated with derivative instruments include potential changes in value in response to interest rate changes or other market developments or as a result of the counterpartys credit quality; the potential for the derivative transaction not to have the effect the Adviser anticipated or a different or less favorable effect than the Adviser anticipated; the failure of the counterparty to the derivative transaction to perform its obligations under the transaction or to settle a trade; possible mispricing or improper valuation of the derivative instrument; imperfect correlation in the value of a derivative with the asset, rate, or index underlying the derivative; the risk that a Fund may be required to post collateral or margin with its counterparty, and will not be able to recover the collateral or margin in the event of the counterpartys insolvency or bankruptcy; the risk that a Fund will experience losses on its derivatives investments and on its other portfolio investments, even when the derivatives investments may be intended in part or entirely to hedge those portfolio investments; the risks specific to the asset underlying the derivative instrument; lack of liquidity for the derivative instrument, including, without limitation, absence of a secondary trading market; the potential for reduced returns to a Fund due to losses on the transaction and an increase in volatility; the potential for the derivative transaction to have the effect of accelerating the recognition of gain; and legal risks arising from the documentation relating to the derivative transaction.
Futures Contract Risk. The risk of loss relating to the use of futures contracts is potentially unlimited. The ability to establish and close out positions in futures contracts will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid secondary market. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular futures contract or at any particular time. In the event no such market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions, and a Fund will be unable to terminate the futures contract. In using futures contracts, a Fund will be reliant on the ability of the Adviser to predict market and price movements correctly; the skills needed to use such futures contracts successfully are different from those needed for traditional portfolio management. If a Fund uses futures contracts for hedging purposes, there is a risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contracts and movements in the securities or index underlying the futures contracts or movements in the prices of the Funds investments that are the subject of such hedge. The prices of futures contracts, for a number of reasons, may not correlate perfectly with movements in the securities or index underlying them. For example, participants in the futures markets are subject to margin deposit requirements. Such requirements may cause investors to take actions with respect to their futures positions that they would not otherwise take. The margin requirements in the futures markets may be less onerous than margin requirements in the securities markets in general, and as a result those markets may attract more speculators than the securities markets do. Increased participation by speculators in those markets may cause temporary price distortions. Due to the possibility of price distortion, even a correct forecast of general market trends by the Adviser still may not result in a successful futures activity over a very short time period. The risk of a position in a futures contract may be very large compared to the relatively low level of margin a Fund is required to deposit. A Fund will typically be required to post margin
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with its futures commission merchant in connection with its transactions in futures contracts. In many cases, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss or gain to the investor relative to the size of a required margin deposit. A Fund will incur brokerage fees in connection with its futures transactions. In the event of an insolvency of the futures commission merchant or a clearing house, a Fund may not be able to recover all (or any) of the margin it has posted with the futures commission merchant, or to realize the value of any increase in the price of its positions, or it may experience a significant delay in doing so. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the CFTC) and the various exchanges have established limits referred to as speculative position limits on the maximum net long or net short positions that any person and certain affiliated entities may hold or control in a particular futures contract. In addition, federal position limits apply to swaps that are economically equivalent to futures contracts that are subject to CFTC-set speculative limits. All positions owned or controlled by the same person or entity, even if in different accounts, must be aggregated for purposes of complying with position limits. It is possible that the positions of different clients managed by the Adviser may be aggregated for this purpose. Therefore, the trading decisions of the Adviser may have to be modified and positions held by a Fund liquidated in order to avoid exceeding such limits. The modification of investment decisions or the elimination of open positions, if it occurs, may adversely affect the performance of a Fund. A violation of position limits could also lead to regulatory action materially adverse to a Funds investment strategy. In addition, exchanges may establish accountability levels applicable to a futures contract instead of position limits, provided that the futures contract is not subject to federal position limits. An exchange may order a person who holds or controls a position in excess of a position accountability level not to further increase its position, to comply with any prospective limit that exceeds the size of the position owned or controlled, or to reduce any open position that exceeds the position accountability level if the exchange determines that such action is necessary to maintain an orderly market. Position accountability levels could adversely affect a Funds ability to establish and maintain positions in commodity futures contracts to which such levels apply, if the Fund were to trade in such contracts, and a Funds ability to achieve its investment objective.
Futures contracts traded on markets outside the U.S. are not generally subject to the same level of regulation by the CFTC or other U.S. regulatory entities as contracts traded in the U.S., including without limitation as to the execution, delivery, and clearing of transactions. U.S. regulators neither regulate the activities of a foreign exchange, nor have the power to compel enforcement of the rules of the foreign exchange or the laws of the foreign country in question. Margin and other payments made by a Fund may not be afforded the same protections as are afforded those payments in the U.S., including in connection with the insolvency of an executing or clearing broker or a clearinghouse or exchange. Certain foreign futures contracts may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. contracts.
Options Risk. The Funds successful use of options depends on the ability of the Adviser to forecast market movements correctly. For example, if a Fund were to write a call option on a security based on the Advisers expectation that the price of the security would fall, but the price were to rise instead, the Fund could be required to sell the security upon exercise at a price below the current market price. Similarly, if a Fund were to write a put option based on the Advisers expectation that the price of the underlying security would rise, but the price were to fall instead, the Fund could be required to purchase the security upon exercise at a price higher than the current market price. When a Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, a Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. This contrasts with an investment by a Fund in the underlying security, since the Fund will not realize a loss if the securitys price does not change over a relatively short time period. The effective use of options also depends on a Funds ability to terminate option positions at times when the Adviser deems it desirable to do so. There is no assurance that a Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The sale of options by a Fund may create investment leverage.
Swaps Risk. A swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates the parties to exchange payments based on a specified reference security, basket of securities, security index or index component. Swaps can involve greater risks than direct investment in securities because swaps may be leveraged and are subject to
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counterparty risk (e.g., the risk of a counterpartys defaulting on the obligation or bankruptcy), credit risk and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). Swaps may also be considered illiquid. It may not be possible for a Fund to liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
Counterparty Risk. A Fund will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties with which the Fund enters into derivatives contracts and other transactions such as repurchase agreements or reverse repurchase agreements. A Funds ability to profit from these types of investments and transactions will depend on the willingness and ability of its counterparty to perform its obligations. If a counterparty fails to meet its contractual obligations, a Fund may be unable to terminate or realize any gain on the investment or transaction, resulting in a loss to the Fund. A Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery in an insolvency, bankruptcy, or other reorganization proceeding involving its counterparty (including recovery of any collateral posted by it) and may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances. If a Fund holds collateral posted by its counterparty, it may be delayed or prevented from realizing on the collateral in the event of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding relating to the counterparty. Under applicable law or contractual provisions, including if a Fund enters into an investment or transaction with a financial institution and such financial institution (or an affiliate of the financial institution) experiences financial difficulties, then the Fund may in certain situations be prevented or delayed from exercising its rights to terminate the investment or transaction, or to realize on any collateral and may result in the suspension of payment and delivery obligations of the parties under such investment or transactions or in another institution being substituted for that financial institution without the consent of the Fund. Further, a Fund may be subject to bail-in risk under applicable law whereby, if required by the financial institutions authority, the financial institutions liabilities could be written down, eliminated or converted into equity or an alternative instrument of ownership. A bail-in of a financial institution may result in a reduction in value of some or all of its securities and, if a Fund holds such securities or has entered into a transaction with such a financial security when a bail-in occurs, such Fund may also be similarly impacted.
Leveraging Risk. Borrowing transactions, reverse repurchase agreements, certain derivatives transactions, securities lending transactions and other investment transactions such as when-issued, delayed-delivery, or forward commitment transactions may create investment leverage. If a Fund engages in transactions that have a leveraging effect on the Funds investment portfolio, the value of the Fund will be potentially more volatile and all other risks will tend to be compounded. This is because leverage generally creates investment risk with respect to a larger base of assets than a Fund would otherwise have and so magnifies the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Funds underlying assets. The use of leverage is considered to be a speculative investment practice and may result in losses to a Fund. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. The use of leverage may cause a Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy repayment, interest payment, or margin obligations or to meet asset coverage requirements.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk. The net asset value of Fund Shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of a Funds securities holdings. The market prices of Fund Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in a Funds net asset value and supply and demand of Fund Shares on the Exchange. It cannot be predicted whether Fund Shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value. Each Fund and its holdings in ETFs are subject to the same market forces. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Fund Shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the securities trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. The market prices of Fund Shares may deviate significantly from the net asset value of Fund Shares during periods of market volatility. However, given that Fund Shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of Fund Shares should not be sustained over long periods. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that Fund Shares normally will trade close to a Funds net asset value, disruptions to creations and redemptions or market volatility may result in trading prices that differ significantly from such Funds net asset value. If an investor purchases Fund Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the net asset value of Fund Shares or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the net asset value of Fund Shares, then the investor may sustain losses.
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Income Risk. A Funds income may decline due to falling interest rates or other factors. Issuers of securities held by a Fund may call or redeem the securities during periods of falling interest rates, and the Fund would likely be required to reinvest in securities paying lower interest rates. If an obligation held by a Fund is prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest the prepayment in other obligations paying income at lower rates. A reduction in the income earned by a Fund may limit the Funds ability to achieve its objective.
Extension Risk. During periods of rising interest rates, the average life of certain types of securities may be extended because of slower-than-expected principal payments. This may increase the period of time during which an investment earns a below-market interest rate, increase the securitys duration and reduce the value of the security. Extension risk may be heightened during periods of adverse economic conditions generally, as payment rates decline due to higher unemployment levels and other factors.
Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the risk that the securities held by a Fund will decline in value because of increases in market interest rates. Duration is a measure used to determine the sensitivity of a securitys price to changes in interest rates. Debt securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates, usually making them more volatile than debt securities with shorter durations. For example, the value of a security with a duration of five years would be expected to decrease by 5% for every 1% increase in interest rates. Falling interest rates also create the potential for a decline in a Funds income and yield. Interest-only and principal-only securities are especially sensitive to interest rate changes, which can affect not only their prices but can also change the income flows and repayment assumptions about those investments. Variable and floating rate securities also generally increase or decrease in value in response to changes in interest rates, although generally to a lesser degree than fixed-rate securities. A substantial increase in interest rates may also have an adverse impact on the liquidity of a security, especially those with longer durations. Interest rate changes can be sudden and unpredictable, and are influenced by a number of factors, including government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, perceptions of risk, and supply and demand for bonds. Changes in government or central bank policy, including changes in tax policy or changes in a central banks implementation of specific policy goals, may have a substantial impact on interest rates. This could lead to heightened levels of interest rate, volatility and liquidity risks for the fixed income markets generally and could have a substantial and immediate effect on the values of a Funds investments. There can be no guarantee that any particular government or central bank policy will be continued, discontinued or changed, nor that any such policy will have the desired effect on interest rates.
Because affiliates of, or persons related to, the Adviser may hold equity or other interests in obligors of a Fund, the Fund could be exposed to claims for equitable subordination or lender liability or both based on such equity or other holdings.
Reinvestment Risk. Income from a Fund may decline when the Fund invests the proceeds from investment income, sales of portfolio securities or matured, traded or called debt obligations. For instance, during periods of declining interest rates, an issuer of debt obligations may exercise an option to redeem securities prior to maturity, forcing a Fund to reinvest the proceeds in lower-yielding securities. A decline in income received by a Fund from its investments is likely to have a negative effect on the yield and total return of the Fund Shares.
Management Risk. Each Fund is actively managed. The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause a Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Advisers investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
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Market Risk. Market prices of investments held by a Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. A Funds investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile, and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors, including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers and general market liquidity. Even if general economic conditions do not change, the value of an investment in a Fund could decline if the particular industries, sectors or companies in which the Fund invests do not perform well or are adversely affected by events. Further, legal, political, regulatory and tax changes also may cause fluctuations in markets and securities prices. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on a Fund and its investments. Due to the interconnectedness of economies and financial markets throughout the world, whether or not a Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic and financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Funds investments may be negatively affected. A widespread outbreak of an infectious illness, such as COVID-19, and efforts to contain its spread, may result in market volatility, inflation, reduced liquidity of certain instruments, disruption in the trading of certain instruments, and systemic economic weakness. The foregoing could impact a Fund and its investments and result in disruptions to the services provided to a Fund by its service providers.
Additionally, in March 2023, the shutdown of certain financial institutions raised economic concerns over disruption in the U.S. banking system. There can be no certainty that the actions taken by the U.S. government to strengthen public confidence in the U.S. banking system will be effective in mitigating the effects of financial institution failures on the economy and restoring public confidence in the U.S. banking system.
Money Market Risk. An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. It is possible that such a money market fund will issue and redeem shares at $1.00 per share at times when the fair value of the money market funds portfolio per share is more or less than $1.00. None of State Street Corporation, State Street Bank and Trust Company, State Street Global Advisors (SSGA), SSGA FM or their affiliates (State Street Entities) guarantee the value of an investment in a money market fund at $1.00 per share. Investors should have no expectation of capital support to a money market fund from State Street Entities. Other money market funds price and transact at a floating NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds. A money market fund may be permitted or required to impose redemption fees during times of market stress.
Municipal Obligations Risk. The U.S. municipal securities market is volatile and can be significantly affected by adverse tax, legislative, or political changes and the financial condition of the issuers of municipal securities. Municipal obligations include revenue obligations, which are generally backed by the revenues generated from a specific project or facility and include private activity bonds and industrial development bonds. Private activity and industrial development bonds are dependent on the ability of the facilitys user to meet its financial obligations and on the value of any real or personal property pledged as security for such payment. Private activity and industrial development bonds, although issued by industrial development authorities, may be backed only by the assets of the non-governmental user. Because many municipal securities are issued to finance projects relating to education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal securities market. In addition, municipal securities backed by current or anticipated revenues from a specific project or specific asset can be negatively affected by the discontinuance or reduction in the rate of the taxation supporting the project or asset or the inability to collect revenues for the project or from the assets. If the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the IRS) determines the issuer of a municipal security has not complied with applicable tax requirements, interest from the security could become taxable, and the security could decline in value. Municipal obligations may also be subject to prepayment risk and extension risk. Certain states and other governmental entities have experienced, and may continue to experience, extreme financial pressures in response to financial, economic and other factors, and may be, or be perceived to be, unable to meet all of their obligations under municipal bonds issued or guaranteed by them; such factors may result in substantial volatility in municipal securities markets and losses to the Fund. Additionally, a Funds portfolio may have greater exposure to liquidity risk since the markets for such securities may be less liquid than the traditional bond markets. There may also be less information available on the financial condition of issuers of these types of securities than for public corporations. This means that it may be harder to buy and sell such securities, especially on short notice, and these securities may be more difficult for a Fund to value accurately than securities of public corporations.
Political Risk. A significant restructuring of federal income tax rates or even serious discussion on the topic in Congress could cause municipal bond prices to fall. The demand for municipal securities is strongly influenced by the value of tax-exempt income to investors. Lower income tax rates could reduce the advantage of owning municipals.
Tax Exemption Risk. There is no guarantee that any of a Funds income will be exempt from federal or state income taxes. Events occurring after the date of issuance of a municipal bond or after a Funds acquisition of a municipal bond may result in a determination that interest on that bond is includible in gross income for federal income tax purposes retroactively to its date of issuance. Such a determination may cause a portion of prior
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distributions by a Fund to its shareholders that is attributable to municipal bonds to be taxable to those shareholders in the year of receipt. Federal or state changes in income or alternative minimum tax rates or in the tax treatment of municipal bonds may make municipal bonds less attractive as investments and cause them to decline in value.
Non-Diversification Risk. As a non-diversified fund, a Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other funds. To the extent a Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of Fund Shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds.
Repurchase Agreement Risk. A repurchase agreement is an agreement to buy a security from a seller at one price and a simultaneous agreement to sell it back to the original seller at an agreed-upon price, typically representing the purchase price plus interest. Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by a Fund which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. A Funds investment return on such transactions will depend on the counterpartys willingness and ability to perform its obligations under a repurchase agreement. If a Funds counterparty should default on its obligations and a Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral, or if the value of the collateral is insufficient, a Fund may realize a loss.
Valuation Risk. Some portfolio holdings, potentially a large portion of a Funds investment portfolio, may be valued on the basis of factors other than market quotations. This may occur more often in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including fair valued securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. Technological issues or other service disruption issues involving third-party service providers may cause a Fund to value its investments incorrectly. In addition, there is no assurance that a Fund could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that a Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by a Fund at that time.
NON-PRINCIPAL RISKS
Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. A Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (APs), which are responsible for the creation and redemption activity for a Fund. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Fund Shares may trade at a material discount to 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.
Cash Transaction Risk. To the extent a Fund sells portfolio securities to meet some or all of a redemption request with cash, the Fund may incur taxable gains or losses that it might not have incurred had it made redemptions entirely in-kind. As a result, a Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.
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Conflicts of Interest Risk. An investment in a Fund may be subject to a number of actual or potential conflicts of interest. For example, the Adviser or its affiliates may provide services to the Fund, such as securities lending agency services, custodial, administrative, bookkeeping, and accounting services, transfer agency and shareholder servicing, securities brokerage services, and other services for which the Fund would compensate the Adviser and/or such affiliates. Each Fund may invest in other pooled investment vehicles sponsored, managed, or otherwise affiliated with the Adviser. There is no assurance that the rates at which a Fund pays fees or expenses to the Adviser or its affiliates, or the terms on which it enters into transactions with the Adviser or its affiliates will be the most favorable available in the market generally or as favorable as the rates the Adviser makes available to other clients. Because of its financial interest, the Adviser may have an incentive to enter into transactions or arrangements on behalf of a Fund with itself or its affiliates in circumstances where it might not have done so in the absence of that interest.
The Adviser and its affiliates serve as investment adviser to other clients and may make investment decisions that may be different from those that will be made by the Adviser on behalf of a Fund. For example, the Adviser may provide asset allocation advice to some clients that may include a recommendation to invest in or redeem from particular issuers while not providing that same recommendation to all clients invested in the same or similar issuers. The Adviser may (subject to applicable law) be simultaneously seeking to purchase (or sell) investments for a Fund and to sell (or purchase) the same investment for accounts, funds, or structured products for which it serves as asset manager, or for other clients or affiliates. The Adviser and its affiliates may invest for clients in various securities that are senior, pari passu or junior to, or have interests different from or adverse to, the securities that are owned by a Fund. The Adviser or its affiliates, in connection with its other business activities, may acquire material non-public confidential information that may restrict the Adviser from purchasing securities or selling securities for itself or its clients (including the Funds) or otherwise using such information for the benefit of its clients or itself.
The foregoing does not purport to be a comprehensive list or complete explanation of all potential conflicts of interests which may affect the Funds. The Funds may encounter circumstances, or enter into transactions, in which conflicts of interest that are not listed or discussed above may arise.
Costs of Buying and Selling Shares. Investors buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Fund Shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price that an investor is willing to pay for Fund Shares (the bid price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell Fund Shares (the ask price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the spread or bid/ask spread. The bid/ask spread varies over time for Fund Shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if Fund Shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if Fund Shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling Fund Shares, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Fund Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Fund Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
Cybersecurity Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet and the dependence on computer systems to perform business and operational functions, funds (such as the Funds) and their service providers (including the Adviser) may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks and/or technological malfunctions. In general, cyber-attacks are deliberate, but unintentional events may have similar effects. Cyber-attacks include, among others, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, preventing legitimate users from accessing information or services on a website, releasing confidential information without authorization, and causing operational disruption. Successful cyber-attacks against, or security breakdowns of, a Fund, the Adviser, a sub-adviser or a custodian, transfer agent, or other affiliated or third-party service provider may adversely affect a Fund or its shareholders. For instance, cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may interfere with the processing of shareholder or other transactions, affect a Funds ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential Fund information, impede trading, cause reputational damage, and subject a Fund to regulatory fines,
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penalties or financial losses, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and additional compliance costs. Cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may render records of Fund assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Fund Shares, and other data integral to the functioning of a Fund inaccessible or inaccurate or incomplete. A Fund may also incur substantial costs for cybersecurity risk management in order to prevent cyber incidents in the future. A Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans and systems designed to minimize the risk of cyber-attacks through the use of technology, processes and controls, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified, given the evolving nature of this threat. Each Fund relies on third-party service providers for many of its day-to-day operations, and will be subject to the risk that the protections and protocols implemented by those service providers will be ineffective to protect the Fund from cyber-attack. The Adviser does not control the cybersecurity plans and systems put in place by third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Adviser or the Funds. Similar types of cybersecurity risks or technical malfunctions also are present for issuers of securities in which each Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause a Funds investment in such securities to lose value.
Portfolio Turnover Risk. A Fund may engage in frequent trading of its portfolio securities. Fund turnover generally involves a number of direct and indirect costs and expenses to a Fund, including, for example, brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and bid/asked spreads, and transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. The costs related to increased portfolio turnover have the effect of reducing a Funds investment return, and the sale of securities by the Fund may result in the realization of taxable capital gains, including short-term capital gains.
Regulatory Risk. Governmental and regulatory actions may have unexpected or adverse consequences on particular markets, strategies, or investments, which may adversely impact a Fund and impair how it is managed. Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries are affecting many aspects of financial regulation, and may in some instances contribute to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the financial markets. The impact of these changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time.
Securities Lending Risk. Each Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 40% of the value of its net assets. For these purposes, net assets shall exclude the value of all assets received as collateral for the loan. Such loans may be terminated at any time. Any such loans must be continuously secured by collateral maintained on a current basis in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned by a Fund, marked to market each trading day. A Fund will receive the amount of all dividends, interest and other distributions on the loaned securities; however, the borrower has the right to vote the loaned securities. A Fund will call loans to vote proxies if a material issue affecting the investment is to be voted upon. Efforts to recall such securities promptly may be unsuccessful, especially for foreign securities or thinly traded securities. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund may lose money because the borrower of the loaned securities fails to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. Should the borrower of the securities fail financially, a Fund may experience delays in recovering the securities or exercising its rights in the collateral. Loans are made only to borrowers that are deemed by the securities lending agent to be of good financial standing. In a loan transaction, a Fund will also bear the risk of any decline in value of securities provided as collateral or acquired with cash collateral. Each Fund will attempt to minimize this risk by limiting the investment of cash collateral to high quality instruments of short maturity either directly on behalf of the lending Fund or through one or more joint accounts or funds, which may include those managed by the Adviser. In addition, a Fund will be subject to the risk that any income generated by lending its securities or reinvesting cash collateral is lower than any fees the Fund has agreed to pay a borrower. The Adviser will take into account the tax impact to shareholders of substitute payments for dividends when overseeing a Funds securities lending activity.
Trading Issues. Although Fund Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Fund Shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Fund Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Fund Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Exchange circuit breaker rules. Similar to the shares of operating companies listed on a stock exchange, Fund Shares may be sold short and are therefore subject to the risk of increased volatility in the trading price of the Funds shares. While each Fund expects that the ability of Authorized Participants to create and redeem Fund Shares at net asset value should be effective in reducing any such volatility, there is no guarantee that it will eliminate the volatility associated with
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such short sales. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of a Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that Fund Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange.
INVESTMENT ADVISER
SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (Investment Advisory Agreement) between the Trust and the Adviser, and, subject to the oversight of Board, is responsible for the investment management of the Fund. The Adviser provides an investment management program for the Fund and manages the investment of the Funds assets. In addition, the Adviser provides administrative, compliance and general management services to the Fund. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Global Advisors, Inc., which itself is a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Corporation. The Adviser is registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Adviser and certain other affiliates of State Street Corporation make up SSGA. SSGA is one of the worlds largest institutional money managers and the investment management arm of State Street Corporation. As of [ ], 2024, the Adviser managed approximately $[ ] billion in assets and SSGA managed approximately $[ ] trillion in assets. The Advisers principal business address is One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.
For the services provided to the Funds under the Investment Advisory Agreement, each Fund expects to pay the Adviser the annual fees based on a percentage of each Funds average daily net assets of [ ]%. With respect to each Fund, the management fee is reduced by any acquired fund fees and expenses attributable to the Funds investments in other investment companies (except acquired fund fees and expenses associated with holdings of acquired funds for cash management purposes).
From time to time, the Adviser may waive all or a portion of its management fee. The Adviser pays all expenses of each Fund other than the management fee, acquired fund fees and expenses associated with holdings of acquired funds for cash management purposes, brokerage expenses, taxes, interest, fees and expenses of the Independent Trustees (including any Trustees counsel fees), litigation expenses and other extraordinary expenses.
SSGA FM, as the investment adviser for the Funds, may hire one or more sub-advisers to oversee the day-to-day investment activities of the Funds. The sub-advisers are subject to oversight by the Adviser. The Adviser and the Trust have received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, with the approval of the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, of the Trust, to retain and amend existing sub-advisory agreements with unaffiliated investment sub-advisers for the Funds without submitting the sub-advisory agreement to a vote of a Funds shareholders. The Trust will notify shareholders in the event of any change in the identity of such sub-adviser or sub-advisers. The Adviser has ultimate responsibility for the investment performance of the Funds due to its responsibility to oversee each sub-adviser and recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. The Adviser is not required to disclose fees paid to any unaffiliated sub-adviser retained pursuant to the order.
A summary of the factors considered by the Board in connection with the initial approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement for the Funds will be available in the Funds Form N-CSR filing with the SEC for the period ended [ ].
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The Adviser manages each Fund using a team of investment professionals. The team approach is used to create an environment that encourages the flow of investment ideas. The portfolio managers within each team work together in a cohesive manner to develop and enhance techniques that drive the investment process for the respective investment strategy. This approach requires portfolio managers to share a variety of responsibilities including investment strategy and analysis while retaining responsibility for the implementation of the strategy within any particular portfolio. The approach also enables the team to draw upon the resources of other groups within SSGA. Each portfolio management team is overseen by the SSGA Investment Committee.
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The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of each Fund are Stella Delucia and Arthur Aaronson.
Stella Delucia is a [ ].
Arthur Aaronson is a [ ].
Additional information about the portfolio managers compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers ownership of the Funds is available in the SAI.
Administrator, Sub-Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent. The Adviser serves as Administrator for each Fund. State Street, part of State Street Corporation, is the Sub-Administrator for each Fund and the Custodian for each Funds assets, and serves as Transfer Agent to each Fund.
Lending Agent. State Street is the securities lending agent for the Trust. For its services, the lending agent would typically receive a portion of the net investment income, if any, earned on the collateral for the securities loaned.
Distributor. State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC serves as the Funds distributor (SSGA FD or the Distributor) pursuant to the Distribution Agreement between SSGA FD and the Trust. The Distributor will not distribute Fund Shares in less than Creation Units, and it does not maintain a secondary market in Fund Shares. The Distributor may enter into selected dealer agreements with other broker-dealers or other qualified financial institutions for the sale of Creation Units of Fund Shares.
Additional Information. The Board oversees generally the operations of the Funds and the Trust. The Trust enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including among others, the Funds investment adviser, custodian, transfer agent, and accountants, who provide services to the Funds. Shareholders are not parties to any such contractual arrangements or intended beneficiaries of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any shareholder any right to enforce them directly against the service providers or to seek any remedy under them directly against the service providers.
This Prospectus provides information concerning the Trust and the Funds that you should consider in determining whether to purchase Fund Shares. Neither this Prospectus nor the related SAI is intended, or should be read, to be or give rise to an agreement or contract between the Trust or the Funds and any investor, or to give rise to any rights in any shareholder or other person other than any rights under federal or state law that may not be waived.
TRADEMARK LICENSES/DISCLAIMERS
SPDR Trademark. The SPDR trademark is used under license from Standard & Poors Financial Services LLC (S&P). No Fund offered by the Trust or its affiliates is sponsored, endorsed, sold or marketed by S&P or its affiliates. S&P makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of any Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly. S&P is not responsible for and has not participated in any determination or calculation made with respect to issuance or redemption of Fund Shares. S&P has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.
WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL S&P HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
Fund Shares are listed for secondary trading on the Exchange and individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. The secondary markets are closed on weekends and also are generally closed on the following holidays: New Years Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day (observed), Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Exchange may close early on the business day before certain holidays and on the day after Thanksgiving Day. Exchange holiday schedules are subject to change without notice. If you buy or sell Fund Shares in the secondary market, you will pay the secondary market price for Fund Shares. In addition, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction.
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The trading prices of Fund Shares will fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than the relevant Funds net asset value, which is calculated at the end of each business day. Fund Shares will trade on the Exchange at prices that may be above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount), to varying degrees, the daily net asset value of Fund Shares. The trading prices of Fund Shares may deviate significantly from the relevant Funds net asset value during periods of market volatility. Given, however, that Fund Shares can be issued and redeemed daily in Creation Units, the Adviser believes that large discounts and premiums to net asset value should not be sustained over long periods.
The Exchange will disseminate, every fifteen seconds during the regular trading day, an indicative optimized portfolio value (IOPV) relating to each Fund. The IOPV calculations are estimates of the value of each Funds net asset value per Fund Share. Premiums and discounts between the IOPV and the market price may occur. This should not be viewed as a real-time update of the net asset value per Fund Share. The IOPV is based on the current market value of the published basket of portfolio securities and/or cash required to be deposited in exchange for a Creation Unit and does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of a Funds actual portfolio at a particular point in time. Moreover, the IOPV is generally determined by using current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers and other market intermediaries and valuations based on current market rates. The IOPV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which (i) is computed only once a day, (ii) unlike the calculation of the IOPV, takes into account Fund expenses, and (iii) may be subject, in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IOPV. The IOPV price is based on quotes and closing prices from the securities local market converted into U.S. dollars at the current currency rates and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local markets close. Therefore, the IOPV may not reflect the best possible valuation of a Funds current portfolio. Neither the Funds nor the Adviser or any of their affiliates are involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of such IOPVs and make no warranty as to their accuracy.
The Funds do not impose any restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions; however, the Funds reserve the right to reject or limit purchases at any time as described in the SAI. When considering that no restriction or policy was necessary, the Board evaluated the risks posed by market timing activities, such as whether frequent purchases and redemptions would interfere with the efficient implementation of a Funds investment strategy, or whether they would cause a Fund to experience increased transaction costs. The Board considered that, unlike traditional mutual funds, Fund Shares are issued and redeemed only in large quantities of shares known as Creation Units, available only from a Fund directly, and that most trading in a Fund occurs on the Exchange at prevailing market prices and does not involve the Fund directly. Given this structure, the Board determined that it is unlikely that (a) market timing would be attempted by a Funds shareholders or (b) any attempts to market time a Fund by shareholders would result in negative impact to the Fund or its shareholders.
Dividends and Capital Gains. As a Fund shareholder, you are entitled to your share of the applicable Funds income and net realized gains on its investments. Each Fund pays out substantially all of its net earnings to its shareholders as distributions.
Each Fund may earn dividends from stocks, interest from debt securities and, if participating, securities lending income. These amounts, net of expenses and taxes (if applicable), are passed along to Fund shareholders as income dividend distributions. Each Fund will generally be treated as realizing short-term capital gains or losses whenever it sells or exchanges assets held for one year or less. Net short-term capital gains will generally be treated as ordinary income when distributed to shareholders. Each Fund will generally be treated as realizing long-term capital gains or losses whenever it sells or exchanges assets held for more than one year. Net capital gains (the excess of a Funds net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses) are distributed to shareholders as capital gain distributions.
Income dividend distributions, if any, for the Funds are generally distributed to shareholders monthly, but may vary significantly from period to period.
Net capital gains for each Fund are distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently or at any other time to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code.
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Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Fund Shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Fund Shares makes such option available. Distributions which are reinvested will nevertheless be taxable to the same extent as if such distributions had not been reinvested.
The Funds portfolio holdings disclosure policy is described in the SAI. In addition, the identities and quantities of the securities held by each Fund are disclosed on the Funds website.
The following discussion is a summary of some important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to an investment in a Fund. Your investment in a Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax advisor about federal, state, local, foreign or other tax laws applicable to you. Investors, including non-U.S. investors, may wish to consult the SAI tax section for additional disclosure.
Each Fund has elected or will elect to be a regulated investment company and intends to qualify each year to be treated as such. A regulated investment company is generally not subject to tax at the corporate level on income and gains that are distributed to shareholders. However, a Funds failure to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company may result in corporate level taxation, and consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.
Taxes On Distributions. Each Fund intends to invest its assets in a manner such that dividend distributions to its shareholders will generally be exempt from regular U.S. federal income tax, although distributions from the Fund may be subject to federal alternative minimum tax and will not necessarily be exempt from state and local taxation. Dividends paid by each Fund will be exempt from regular federal income tax to the extent of its net tax-exempt interest income as long as 50% or more of the value of its assets at the end of each quarter is invested in state, municipal and other bonds the interest on which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and as long as it reports such dividends as exempt-interest dividends. Each Fund, however, is able to invest up to 20% of its net assets in taxable securities, the income from which is subject to regular federal income tax.
Because each Fund may invest in private activity bonds (within the meaning of Section 141 of the Code), the interest on which is not exempt from U.S. federal income tax for persons who are substantial users of the facilities financed by such bonds or related persons of such substantial users, the Fund may not be an appropriate investment for shareholders who are considered either a substantial user or related person within the meaning of the Code. In addition, interest on certain municipal securities that meet the definition of private activity bonds under the Code is included as an item of tax preference in determining the amount of a noncorporate taxpayers alternative minimum taxable income. To the extent a Fund receives income from private activity bonds, a portion of the dividends paid by it, although otherwise exempt from federal income tax, may be taxable to those noncorporate shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax regime. Each Fund will annually supply shareholders with a report indicating the percentage of its income attributable to municipal securities required to be included in calculating the federal alternative minimum tax applicable to noncorporate taxpayers.
Exempt-interest dividends from a Fund are taken into account in determining the taxable portion of any Social Security or railroad retirement benefits that you receive. If you receive Social Security or railroad retirement benefits, you should consult your tax advisor about how an investment in a Fund may affect the taxation of your benefits.
Exempt-interest dividends attributable to interest on municipal securities issued by a state or its political subdivisions may be exempt in the hands of a shareholder from income tax imposed by that state, but exempt-interest dividends attributable to interest on municipal securities issued by another state generally will not be exempt from such income tax.
In general, your distributions (other than exempt-interest dividends) are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund. The income dividends and short-term capital gains distributions you receive from a Fund will be taxed as either ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Subject to certain limitations, dividends that are reported by a Fund as qualified dividend income are taxable to noncorporate shareholders at reduced rates. Any distributions of a Funds net capital gains are taxable as long-term capital gain regardless of how long you have owned Fund Shares. Long-term capital gains are generally taxed to noncorporate shareholders at reduced rates. Although the Funds do not seek to realize taxable income or capital gains, the Funds may realize and distribute taxable income or capital gains from time to time as a result of its normal investment activities.
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Distributions in excess of a Funds current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the applicable Funds shares, and, in general, as capital gain thereafter.
In general, dividends may be reported by a Fund as qualified dividend income if they are attributable to qualified dividend income received by the Fund, which, in general, includes dividend income from taxable U.S. corporations and certain foreign corporations (i.e., certain foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, and certain other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States), provided that the Fund satisfies certain holding period requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. A dividend generally will not be treated as qualified dividend income if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held by a Fund for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning at the date which is 60 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend or, in the case of certain preferred stock, for fewer than 91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date. These holding period requirements will also apply to your ownership of Fund Shares. Holding periods may be suspended for these purposes for stock that is hedged. Since the Funds primarily hold investments that do not pay dividends, it is not expected that a substantial portion of the dividends paid by these Funds will qualify for either the dividends-received deduction for corporations or the favorable income tax rates available to individuals on qualified dividend income. Additionally, income derived in connection with a Funds securities lending activities will not be treated as qualified dividend income.
U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on all or a portion of their net investment income, which includes taxable interest, dividends and certain capital gains (generally including capital gain distributions. This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
Certain tax-exempt educational institutions will be subject to a 1.4% tax on net investment income. For these purposes, certain dividends and capital gain distributions, and certain gains from the disposition of Fund Shares (among other categories of income), are generally taken into account in computing a shareholders net investment income.
If you lend your Fund Shares pursuant to securities lending arrangements you may lose the ability to treat Fund dividends (paid while the Fund Shares are held by the borrower) as qualified dividend income. You should consult your financial intermediary or tax advisor to discuss your particular circumstances.
Distributions paid in January, but declared by a Fund in October, November or December of the previous year, payable to shareholders of record in such a month, may be taxable to you in the calendar year in which they were declared. The Funds will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income and capital gain distributions shortly after the close of each calendar year.
A distribution will reduce a Funds net asset value per Fund Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Original Issue Discount. Investments by a Fund in zero coupon or other discount securities will result in income to the Fund equal to a portion of the excess face value of the securities over their issue price (the original issue discount or OID) each year that the securities are held, even though the Fund may receive no cash interest payments or may receive cash interest payments that are less than the income recognized for tax purposes. In other circumstances, whether pursuant to the terms of a security or as a result of other factors outside the control of a Fund, a Fund may recognize income without receiving a commensurate amount of cash. A Funds share of such income is included in determining the amount that the Fund must distribute to maintain its eligibility for treatment as a regulated investment company and to avoid the payment of federal tax, including the nondeductible 4% excise tax. Where such income is not matched by a corresponding cash receipt by a Fund, the Fund may be required to borrow money or dispose of securities to enable the Fund to make distributions to its shareholders in order to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company and eliminate taxes at the Fund level, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss to the Fund.
Market Discount. If a Fund purchases a municipal security at a market discount, any gain realized by the Fund upon sale or redemption of the municipal security will be treated as taxable interest income to the extent of the market discount, and any gain realized in excess of the market discount will be treated as capital gains.
48
Table of Contents
Derivatives and Other Complex Securities. A Fund may invest in complex securities. These investments may be subject to numerous special and complex rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by a Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to a Fund and/or defer a Funds ability to recognize losses. In turn, these rules may affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to you by a Fund. You should consult your personal tax advisor regarding the application of these rules.
Taxes on Exchange-Listed Share Sales. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund Shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if Fund Shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if Fund Shares have been held for one year or less, 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.
Taxes on Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units. A person who 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 and the exchangers aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus any cash paid for the Creation Units. A person who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchangers 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. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
Under current federal tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption (or creation) of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the applicable Fund Shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the applicable Fund Shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for one year or less.
If you create or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many Fund Shares you purchased or sold and at what price.
The Trust on behalf of each Fund has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Fund Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the applicable Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code, the applicable 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. If the Trust does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Fund Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the applicable Fund, the purchaser (or group of purchasers) will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.
If a Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may bear additional costs and recognize more capital gains than it would if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.
Certain Tax-Exempt Investors. A Fund, if investing in certain limited real estate investments and other publicly traded partnerships, may be required to pass through certain excess inclusion income and other income as unrelated business taxable income (UBTI). Prior to investing in a Fund, tax-exempt investors sensitive to UBTI should consult their tax advisors regarding this issue and IRS pronouncements addressing the treatment of such income in the hands of such investors.
Non-U.S. Investors. Ordinary income dividends paid by a Fund to shareholders who are non-resident aliens or foreign entities will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax (other than distributions reported by the Fund as interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends), unless a lower treaty rate applies or unless such income is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. In general, a Fund may report interest-related dividends to the extent of its net income derived from U.S. source interest and a Fund may report short-term capital gain dividends to the extent its net short-term capital gain for the taxable year exceeds its net long-term capital loss. Gains on the sale of Fund Shares and dividends that are, in each case, effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the U.S. will generally be subject to U.S. federal net income taxation at regular income tax rates. Non-U.S. shareholders that own, directly or indirectly, more than 5% of a Funds shares are urged to consult their own tax advisors concerning special tax rules that may apply to their investment.
49
Table of Contents
Unless certain non-U.S. entities that hold Fund Shares comply with IRS requirements that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to distributions (other than exempt-interest dividends) payable to such entities. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.
Backup Withholding. A Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold (as backup withholding) on amounts (including exempt-interest dividends) payable to any shareholder who (1) has provided the Fund either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (2) is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends, (3) has failed to certify to the Fund that such shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or (4) has not certified that such shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the United States.
Other Tax Issues. A Fund may be subject to tax in certain states where the Fund does business (or is treated as doing business as a result of its investments). Furthermore, in those states which have income tax laws, the tax treatment of the Funds and of Fund shareholders with respect to distributions by the Funds may differ from federal tax treatment.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the consequences under current federal income tax law of an investment in the Funds. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the Funds under all applicable tax laws.
The Trust was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on March 30, 2011. If shareholders of any Fund are required to vote on any matters, shareholders are entitled to one vote for each Fund Share they own. Annual meetings of shareholders will not be held except as required by the 1940 Act and other applicable law. See the SAI for more information concerning the Trusts form of organization.
MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION
Each Fund is a separate series of the Trust, which is an open-end registered management investment company.
From time to time, a Fund may advertise yield and total return figures. Yield is a historical measure of dividend income, and total return is a measure of past dividend income (assuming that it has been reinvested) plus capital appreciation. Neither yield nor total return should be used to predict the future performance of a Fund.
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP serves as counsel to the Trust, including the Funds. [ ] serves as the independent registered public accounting firm and will audit the Funds financial statements annually.
The Funds had not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus and, therefore, do not have financial information.
50
Table of Contents
WHERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FUNDS
This Prospectus does not contain all the information included in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC with respect to Fund Shares. An SAI and the annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, each of which has been or will be filed with the SEC, provide more information about the Funds. The Prospectus and SAI may be supplemented from time to time. In the annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected each Funds performance during the Funds last fiscal year, as applicable. The SAI is incorporated herein by reference (i.e., it is legally part of this Prospectus). These materials may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Distributor, State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC, One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, by visiting the Funds website at https://www.ssga.com/spdrs or by calling the following number:
Investor Information: 1-866-787-2257
The Registration Statement, including this Prospectus, the SAI, and the exhibits as well as any shareholder reports may be reviewed on the EDGAR Database on the SECs website (http://www.sec.gov). You may also obtain copies of this and other information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following E-mail address: [email protected].
Shareholder inquiries may be directed to the Funds in writing to State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC, One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, or by calling the Investor Information number listed above.
No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this Prospectus in connection with the offer of Fund Shares, and, if given or made, the information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Trust or the Funds. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale of Fund Shares shall under any circumstance imply that the information contained herein is correct as of any date after the date of this Prospectus.
Dealers effecting transactions in Fund Shares, whether or not participating in this distribution, are generally required to deliver a Prospectus. This is in addition to any obligation of dealers to deliver a Prospectus when acting as underwriters.
| MUNILADDERSSTATPRO | The Trusts Investment Company Act Number is 811-22542. |
Table of Contents
| CORPORATE BOND ETFs |
TICKER |
| SPDR SSGA MY2026 CORPORATE BOND ETF |
[__] |
| SPDR SSGA MY2027 CORPORATE BOND ETF |
[__] |
| SPDR SSGA MY2028 CORPORATE BOND ETF |
[__] |
| SPDR SSGA MY2029 CORPORATE BOND ETF |
[__] |
| SPDR SSGA MY2030 CORPORATE BOND ETF |
[__] |
| SPDR SSGA MY2031 CORPORATE BOND ETF |
[__] |
| SPDR SSGA MY2032 CORPORATE BOND ETF |
[__] |
| SPDR SSGA MY2033 CORPORATE BOND ETF |
[__] |
| SPDR SSGA MY2034CORPORATE BOND ETF |
[__] |
| MUNICIPAL BOND ETFs |
TICKER |
| SPDR SSGA MY2026 MUNICIPAL BOND ETF |
[__] |
| SPDR SSGA MY2027 MUNICIPAL BOND ETF |
[__] |
| SPDR SSGA MY2028 MUNICIPAL BOND ETF |
[__] |
| SPDR SSGA MY2029 MUNICIPAL BOND ETF |
[__] |
| SPDR SSGA MY2030 MUNICIPAL BOND ETF |
[__] |
| Name,
Address and Year of Birth |
Position(s) With Funds |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served
|
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past
Five Years |
Number
of Portfolios in Fund Complex
Overseen by Trustee† |
Other Directorships Held by
Trustee During Past
Five Years |
| INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES | |||||
| CARL G. VERBONCOEUR c/o SSGA Active Trust One Iron Street
Boston, MA 02210 1952 |
Independent Trustee, Chairman, Trustee Committee Chair |
Term: Unlimited Served: since April 2010 |
Self-employed consultant since 2009. |
[135] |
None. |
| DWIGHT D. CHURCHILL c/o SSGA Active Trust One Iron Street
Boston, MA 02210 1953 |
Independent Trustee, Audit Committee Chair |
Term: Unlimited Served: since April 2010 |
Self-employed consultant since 2010; CEO and President, CFA Institute (June 2014 - January 2015). |
[135] |
Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. (Director) (2010 - present). |
| CLARE S. RICHER
c/o SSGA Active Trust
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1958 |
Independent Trustee |
Term: Unlimited Served: since July 2018 |
Retired. Chief Financial Officer, Putnam Investments LLC (December 2008 - May 2017). |
[135] |
Principal Financial Group (Director and Financial Committee Chair) (2020 – present); Bain Capital Specialty Finance (Director) (2019 – present); Bain Capital Private Credit (Director) |
| Name,
Address and Year of Birth |
Position(s) With Funds |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served
|
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five
Years |
Number
of Portfolios in Fund Complex
Overseen by Trustee† |
Other Directorships Held by
Trustee During Past Five
Years |
| |
|
|
|
|
(2022 – present); University of Notre Dame (Trustee) (2015 – present). |
| SANDRA G. SPONEM
c/o SSGA Active Trust
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1958 |
Independent Trustee |
Term: Unlimited Served: since July 2018 |
Retired. Chief Financial Officer, M.A. Mortenson Companies, Inc. (construction and real estate company) (February 2007 - April 2017). |
[135] |
Rydex Series Funds (52 portfolios), Rydex
Dynamic Funds (8 portfolios) and Rydex Variable Trust (49
portfolios) (Trustee) (2016 – present); Guggenheim Strategy Funds Trust (3
portfolios), Guggenheim
Funds Trust (18 portfolios), Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust, Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund, Guggenheim
Variable Funds Trust (14
portfolios), and Transparent Value Trust (5 portfolios) (Trustee) (2019-present);
Guggenheim Active Allocation Fund
(Trustee) (2021-present);
Fiduciary/Claymore Energy Infrastructure Fund (Trustee)
(2019-2022); Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Income Fund and Guggenheim Credit
Allocation Fund (Trustee) (2019-2021); and Guggenheim
Energy & Income Fund
(Trustee) (2015 - 2023). |
| CAROLYN M. CLANCY
c/o SSGA Active Trust
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1960 |
Independent Trustee |
Term Unlimited Served: since October 2022 |
Retired. Executive Vice President, Head of Strategy, Analytics and Market Readiness, Fidelity Investments (April 2020 – June 2021); Executive Vice President, Head of Broker Dealer Business, Fidelity Investments (July 2017 – March 2020). |
[135] |
Assumption University (Trustee) (2011 – 2021) and (2022 – present); Big Sister Association of Greater Boston
(Director) (2016 – 2023). |
| KRISTI L. ROWSELL
c/o SSGA Active Trust
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1966 |
Independent Trustee |
Term Unlimited Served: since October 2022 |
Partner and President, Harris Associates (2010 – 2021). |
[135] |
Harris Associates
Investment Trust (8 portfolios) (Trustee) (2010 – present); Board of Governors,
Investment Company Institute (Member) (2018 – present); Habitat for Humanity Chicago
(Director) (2015 –
present). |
| Name,
Address and Year of Birth |
Position(s) With Funds |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served
|
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five
Years |
Number
of Portfolios in Fund Complex
Overseen by Trustee† |
Other Directorships Held by
Trustee During Past Five
Years |
| JAMES E. ROSS*
c/o SSGA Active Trust
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1965 |
Independent Trustee |
Term: Unlimited Served: since April 2010 |
President, Winnisquam Capital LLC (December 2022 – present); Non-Executive Chairman, Fusion Acquisition Corp II (February 2020 – present); Non-Executive Chairman, Fusion Acquisition Corp. (June 2020 – September 2021); Retired Chairman and Director, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (2005 – March 2020); Retired Executive Vice President, State Street Global Advisors (2012 – March 2020); Retired Chief Executive Officer and Manager, State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC (May 2017 – March 2020); Director, State Street Global Markets, LLC (2013 – April 2017); President, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (2005 – 2012); Principal, State Street Global Advisors (2000 – 2005). |
146 |
Investment Managers Series Trust (50
Portfolios) (2022 –
present); The Select Sector SPDR Trust (11 portfolios) (2005 – present); SSGA SPDR ETFs Europe I plc
(Director) (2016 – 2020);
SSGA SPDR ETFs Europe II plc (Director) (2016 – 2020); State Street Navigator
Securities Lending Trust
(2016 – 2020); SSGA
Funds (2014 – 2020);
State Street Institutional
Investment Trust (2007
–2020); State Street
Master Funds (2007 –2020); Elfun Funds (2016 –2018). |
| INTERESTED TRUSTEE | |||||
| GUNJAN CHAUHAN**
c/o SSGA Active Trust
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1982 |
Interested Trustee |
Term Unlimited Served: since October 2022 |
Senior Managing Director, State Street Global Advisors (April 2018 – Present); Managing Director, State Street Global Advisors (June 2015– March 2018). |
[135] |
State Street ICAV
(Director) (2018 – 2022). |
| Name,
Address and Year of Birth |
Position(s) With Funds |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served
|
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
| ANN M. CARPENTER
SSGA Funds Management, Inc.
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1966 |
President and Principal Executive Officer; Deputy Treasurer |
Term: Unlimited Served: since May 2023 (with respect to President and Principal Executive Officer);
Term: Unlimited
Served: since
February 2016
(with respect to
Deputy
Treasurer) |
Chief Operating Officer, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (April 2005 - present)*; Managing Director, State Street Global Advisors (April 2005 - present).* |
| BRUCE S. ROSENBERG
SSGA Funds Management, Inc.
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1961 |
Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer |
Term: Unlimited Served: since February 2016 |
Managing Director, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (July 2015 - present). |
| CHAD C. HALLETT
SSGA Funds Management, Inc.
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1969 |
Deputy Treasurer |
Term: Unlimited Served: since February 2016 |
Vice President, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (November 2014 - present). |
| ANDREW J. DELORME
SSGA Funds Management, Inc.
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1975 |
Chief Legal Officer |
Term: Unlimited Served: since February 2024 |
Managing Director and Managing Counsel, State Street Global Advisors (March 2023 - present); Counsel, K&L Gates (February 2021 - March 2023); Vice President and Senior Counsel, State Street Global Advisors (August 2014 - February 2021). |
| DAVID URMAN SSGA
Funds Management, Inc. One Iron Street
Boston, MA 02210 1985 |
Secretary |
Term: Unlimited Served: since August 2019 |
Vice President and Senior Counsel, State Street Global Advisors (April 2019 - present); Vice President and Counsel, State Street Global Advisors (August 2015 - April 2019). |
| DAVID BARR SSGA
Funds Management, Inc. One Iron Street
Boston, MA 02210 1974 |
Assistant Secretary |
Term: Unlimited Served: since November 2020 |
Vice President and Senior Counsel, State Street Global Advisors (October 2019 - present); Vice President and Counsel, Eaton Vance Corp. (October 2010 - October 2019). |
| E. GERARD MAIORANA, JR. SSGA Funds Management, Inc. One Iron Street
Boston, MA 02210 1971 |
Assistant Secretary |
Term: Unlimited Served: since May 2023 |
Assistant Vice President, State Street Global Advisors (July 2014 - present). |
| DARLENE ANDERSON-VASQUEZ SSGA Funds Management, Inc. One Iron Street
Boston, MA 02210 1968 |
Deputy Treasurer |
Term: Unlimited Served: since November 2016 |
Managing Director, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (May 2016 - present). |
| ARTHUR A. JENSEN
SSGA Funds Management, Inc.
1600 Summer Street Stamford, CT 06905
1966 |
Deputy Treasurer |
Term: Unlimited Served: since August 2017 |
Vice President, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (July 2016 - present). |
| DAVID LANCASTER
SSGA Funds Management, Inc.
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1971 |
Assistant Treasurer |
Term: Unlimited Served: since November 2020 |
Vice President, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (July 2017 - present).* |
| Name,
Address and Year of Birth |
Position(s) With Funds |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served
|
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
| JOHN BETTENCOURT
SSGA Funds Management, Inc.
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1976 |
Assistant Treasurer |
Term: Unlimited Served: since May 2022 |
Vice President, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management Inc. (March 2020 – present); Assistant Vice President, State Street Global Advisors (June 2007 – March 2020). |
| VEDRAN VUKOVIC
SSGA Funds Management, Inc.
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1985 |
Assistant Treasurer |
Term: Unlimited Served: since February 2024 |
Vice President, State Street Global Advisors (2023 – present); Assistant Vice President, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (2011 – 2023). |
| BRIAN HARRIS
SSGA Funds Management, Inc.
One Iron Street Boston, MA 02210
1973 |
Chief Compliance Officer; Anti-Money Laundering Officer; Code of Ethics Compliance Officer |
Term: Unlimited Served: since November 2013 |
Managing Director, State Street Global Advisors and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (June 2013 - present).* |
| Name of Trustee |
Aggregate Compensation from the Trust(1) |
Pension or Retirement Benefits
Accrued as Part of Trust
Expenses |
Estimated Annual Benefits
Upon Retirement |
Total Compensation from the
Trust and Fund Complex Paid to
Trustees(1)
|
| Independent Trustees: | ||||
| Carl G. Verboncoeur |
$[ ]
|
N/A |
N/A |
$[ ]
|
| Dwight D. Churchill |
$[ ]
|
N/A |
N/A |
$[ ]
|
| Clare S. Richer |
$[ ]
|
N/A |
N/A |
$[ ]
|
| Sandra G. Sponem |
$[ ]
|
N/A |
N/A |
$[ ]
|
| Carolyn M. Clancy |
$[ ]
|
N/A |
N/A |
$[ ]
|
| Kristi L. Rowsell |
$[ ]
|
N/A |
N/A |
$[ ]
|
| James E. Ross(2) |
$[ ]
|
N/A |
N/A |
$[ ]
|
| Interested Trustee: | ||||
| Gunjan Chauhan(3) |
$[ ]
|
N/A |
N/A |
$[ ]
|
| Name of Trustee |
Fund |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Trust |
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All
Funds Overseen by Trustee in Family of
Investment Companies |
| Independent Trustees: |
|
| |
| Carl G. Verboncoeur |
[ ] |
[ ] |
[ ] |
| Dwight D. Churchill |
[ ] |
[ ] |
[ ] |
| Clare S. Richer |
[ ] |
[ ] |
[ ] |
| Sandra G. Sponem |
[ ] |
[ ] |
[ ] |
| Carolyn M. Clancy |
[ ] |
[ ] |
[ ] |
| Kristi L. Rowsell |
[ ] |
[ ] |
[ ] |
| James E. Ross |
[ ] |
[ ] |
[ ] |
| Interested Trustees: |
|
| |
| Gunjan Chauhan |
[ ] |
[ ] |
[ ] |
| Portfolio Manager |
Registered Investment Company
Accounts |
Assets Managed (billions)*
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicle
Accounts |
Assets Managed (billions)*
|
Other Accounts |
Assets Managed (billions)*
|
Total Assets Managed
(billions) |
| James Palmieri |
[ ] |
$[ ]
|
[ ] |
$[ ]
|
[ ] |
$[ ]
|
$[ ]
|
| John Mele |
[ ] |
$[ ]
|
[ ] |
$[ ]
|
[ ] |
$[ ]
|
$[ ]
|
| Fund |
Transaction Fee*, ** |
Maximum Transaction Fee*, ** |
| SPDR SSGA My2026 Corporate Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| SPDR SSGA My2026 Municipal Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| SPDR SSGA My2027 Corporate Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| SPDR SSGA My2027 Municipal Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| SPDR SSGA My2028 Corporate Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| SPDR SSGA My2028 Municipal Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| SPDR SSGA My2029 Corporate Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| SPDR SSGA My2029 Municipal Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| SPDR SSGA My2030 Corporate Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| SPDR SSGA My2030 Municipal Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| SPDR SSGA My2031 Corporate Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| SPDR SSGA My2032 Corporate Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| SPDR SSGA My2033 Corporate Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| SPDR SSGA My2034 Corporate Bond ETF |
$[__]
|
$[__]
|
| AAA |
An obligation rated ‘AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's
capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong. |
| AA |
An obligation rated ‘AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The
obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.
|
| A |
An obligation rated ‘A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong. |
| BBB |
An obligation rated ‘BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic
conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet
its financial commitments on the obligation. |
| BB, B, CCC, CC, and 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. While
such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may
be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure 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 that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments 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 commitments on the obligation. Adverse
business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or
willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. |
| 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 commitments 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 commitments on the
obligation. |
| CC |
An obligation rated ‘CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The ‘CC' rating is used
when a default has not yet occurred but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual
certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default. |
| C |
An obligation rated ‘C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is
expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations
that are rated higher. |
| D |
An obligation rated ‘D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital
instruments, the ‘D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on
the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made
within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of
the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The ‘D' rating also will be used upon
the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on
an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A
rating on an obligation is lowered to ‘D' if it is subject to a distressed debt
restructuring. |
| Aaa |
Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk. |
| Aa |
Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk. |
| A |
Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk. |
| Baa |
Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may
possess certain speculative characteristics. |
| Ba |
Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk. |
| B |
Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk. |
| Caa |
Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk. |
| Ca |
Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery
of principal and interest. |
| C |
Obligations rated C are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or
interest. |
SPDR® Index Shares Funds
SSGA Active Trust
(each, a “Trust” or “Fund,” and, collectively, the “Trusts” or “Funds”)
| Adopted (SPDR Series Trust/SPDR Index Shares Funds): |
May 31, 2006 |
| Updated: |
August 1, 2007 |
| Amended: |
May 29, 2009 |
| Amended: |
November 19, 2010 |
| Adopted (SSGA Active Trust)/Amended: |
May 25, 2011 |
| Amended: |
February 25, 2016 |
| Amended: |
August 17, 2023 |
Table of Contents
OTHER INFORMATION
| (a)(i) |
|
| (a)(ii) |
|
| (b) |
|
| (c) |
Not applicable. |
| (d)(i)(1) |
|
| (d)(i)(2) |
|
| (d)(i)(3) |
Revised Exhibit A (Schedule of Series) to the Advisory Agreement, reflecting the addition of the SPDR SSGA US
Equity Premium Income ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Digital Asset Ecosystem] ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Emerging
Technology Enablers] ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Hedged Digital Asset Ecosystem] ETF,
SPDR SSGA My2026 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2026 Municipal Bond ETF,
SPDR SSGA My2027 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My 2027 Municipal Bond ETF,
SPDR SSGA My2028 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2028 Municipal Bond ETF,
SPDR SSGA My2029 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2029 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030
Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031
Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2032 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2033
Corporate Bond ETF and SPDR SSGA My2034 Corporate Bond ETF, to be filed by
subsequent amendment. |
| (d)(ii)(1) |
|
| (d)(ii)(2) |
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between SSGA FM and Blackstone, relating to the SPDR Blackstone High
Income ETF, to be filed by subsequent amendment. |
| (d)(iii) |
|
| (d)(iv) |
|
| (d)(v) |
|
| (d)(vi) |
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between SSGA FM and [Galaxy Digital Capital Management LP (“Galaxy”)], to
be filed by subsequent amendment. |
| (e)(i)(1) |
|
| (e)(i)(2) |
| (e)(i)(3) |
Amended Annex I (Schedule of Series) to the Distribution Agreement, reflecting the addition of the SPDR SSGA US
Equity Premium Income ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Digital Asset Ecosystem] ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Emerging
Technology Enablers] ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Hedged Digital Asset Ecosystem] ETF,
SPDR SSGA My2026 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2026 Municipal Bond ETF,
SPDR SSGA My2027 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My 2027 Municipal Bond ETF,
SPDR SSGA My2028 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2028 Municipal Bond ETF,
SPDR SSGA My2029 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2029 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030
Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031
Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2032 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2033
Corporate Bond ETF and SPDR SSGA My2034 Corporate Bond ETF, to be filed by
subsequent amendment. |
| (e)(ii) |
|
| (f) |
Not applicable. |
| (g)(i)(1) |
|
| (g)(i)(2) |
|
| (g)(i)(3) |
|
| (g)(i)(4) |
Amended Appendix A (Schedule of Series) to the Custodian Agreement, reflecting the addition of the SPDR SSGA
US Equity Premium Income ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Digital Asset Ecosystem] ETF, SPDR [Galaxy
Emerging Technology Enablers] ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Hedged Digital Asset
Ecosystem] ETF, SPDR SSGA My2026 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2026
Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2027 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My 2027
Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2028 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2028 Municipal Bond
ETF, SPDR SSGA My2029 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2029 Municipal Bond
ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030 Municipal Bond
ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2032 Corporate Bond
ETF, SPDR SSGA My2033 Corporate Bond ETF and SPDR SSGA My2034 Corporate Bond
ETF, to be filed by subsequent amendment. |
| (h)(i)(1) |
|
| (h)(i)(2) |
|
| (h)(i)(3) |
Amended Schedule A (Schedule of Series) to the Administration Agreement, reflecting the addition of the SPDR
SSGA US Equity Premium Income ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Digital Asset Ecosystem] ETF, SPDR [Galaxy
Emerging Technology Enablers] ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Hedged Digital Asset
Ecosystem] ETF, SPDR SSGA My2026 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2026
Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2027 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My 2027
Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2028 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2028 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2029 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2029 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030
Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031 Corporate Bond
ETF, SPDR SSGA My2032 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2033 Corporate Bond ETF
and SPDR SSGA My2034 Corporate Bond ETF, to be filed by subsequent
amendment. |
| (h)(ii)(1) |
|
| (h)(ii)(2) |
|
| (h)(ii)(3) |
|
| (h)(ii)(4) |
| (h)(ii)(5) |
Amended Schedule A (Schedule of Series) to the Sub-Administration Agreement, reflecting the addition of the SPDR
SSGA US Equity Premium Income ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Digital Asset Ecosystem] ETF, SPDR [Galaxy
Emerging Technology Enablers] ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Hedged Digital Asset
Ecosystem] ETF, SPDR SSGA My2026 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2026
Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2027 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My 2027
Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2028 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2028 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2029 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2029 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030
Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031 Corporate Bond
ETF, SPDR SSGA My2032 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2033 Corporate Bond ETF
and SPDR SSGA My2034 Corporate Bond ETF, to be filed by subsequent
amendment. |
| (h)(iii)(1) |
|
| (h)(iii)(2) |
|
| (h)(iii)(3) |
Amended Schedule A (Schedule of Series) to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, reflecting the addition of
the SPDR SSGA US Equity Premium Income ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Digital Asset Ecosystem] ETF, SPDR
[Galaxy Emerging Technology Enablers] ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Hedged Digital Asset
Ecosystem] ETF, SPDR SSGA My2026 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2026
Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2027 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My 2027
Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2028 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2028 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2029 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2029 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA
My2030 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031 Corporate
Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2032 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2033 Corporate
Bond ETF and SPDR SSGA My2034 Corporate Bond ETF, to be filed by subsequent
amendment. |
| (h)(iv)(1) |
|
| (h)(iv)(2) |
|
| (h)(iv)(3) |
|
| (h)(iv)(4) |
|
| (h)(iv)(5) |
|
| (h)(iv)(6) |
|
| (h)(iv)(7) |
|
| (h)(iv)(8) |
|
| (h)(v) |
|
| (i)(i) |
| (i)(ii) |
|
| (i)(iii) |
|
| (i)(iv) |
|
| (i)(v) |
|
| (i)(vi) |
|
| (i)(vii) |
|
| (i)(viii) |
|
| (i)(ix) |
|
| (i)(x) |
Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR SSGA US Equity Premium
Income ETF, to be filed by subsequent amendment. |
| (i)(xi) |
Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR [Galaxy Digital Asset
Ecosystem] ETF, SPDR [Galaxy Emerging Technology Enablers] ETF, and SPDR [Galaxy Hedged
Digital Asset Ecosystem] ETF, to be filed by subsequent
amendment. |
| (i)(xii) |
Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR SSGA My2026 Corporate
Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2026 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2027 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR
SSGA My 2027 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2028 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR
SSGA My2028 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2029 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR
SSGA My2029 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR
SSGA My2030 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR
SSGA My2032 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2033 Corporate Bond ETF and SPDR SSGA My2034
Corporate Bond ETF, to be filed by subsequent amendment. |
| (j) |
Not applicable. |
| (l) |
|
| (m) |
Not applicable. |
| (n) |
Not applicable. |
| (o) |
Not applicable. |
| (p)(i) |
|
| (p)(ii) |
|
| (p)(iii) |
|
| (p)(iv) |
|
| (p)(v) |
| (p)(vi) |
|
| (p)(vii) |
Code of Ethics of Galaxy to be filed by subsequent amendment. |
| (p)(viii) |
|
| (q) |
|
| Name |
Principal Occupation |
| Barry Smith |
Chairperson, Director and President; Executive Vice President of SSGA |
| Sean Driscoll |
Director of SSGA FM; Managing Director of SSGA |
| Shweta Narasimhadevara |
Director of SSGA FM; Senior Managing Director of SSGA |
| Apea Amoa |
Director of SSGA FM; Chief Financial Officer of SSGA |
| Greg Hartch |
Director of SSGA FM; Senior Managing Director of SSGA |
| Brian Harris |
Chief Compliance Officer of SSGA FM; Managing Director of SSGA |
| Steven Hamm |
Treasurer of SSGA FM; Vice President of SSGA |
| Sean O’Malley, Esq. |
Chief Legal Officer of SSGA FM; General Counsel of SSGA |
| Ann M. Carpenter |
Chief Operating Officer of SSGA FM; Managing Director of SSGA |
| Tim Corbett |
Chief Risk Officer of SSGA FM; Senior Vice President/Senior Managing Director of SSGA |
| Jamie Bernardi |
Derivates Risk Manager of SSGA FM; Managing Director of SSGA |
| Christyann Weltens |
Derivates Risk Manager; Vice President of SSGA |
| David Ireland |
CTA Chief Marketing Officer; Senior Vice President/Senior Managing Director of SSGA |
| David Urman, Esq. |
Clerk of SSGA FM; Vice President and Senior Counsel of SSGA |
| Dan Furman, Esq. |
Assistant Clerk of SSGA FM; Managing Director and Managing Counsel of SSGA |
| Name |
Position with and Name of Other Company |
| BLACKSTONE ALTERNATIVE CREDIT ADVISORS LP |
MANAGING MEMBER |
| ZABLE, ROBERT, DANIEL |
HEAD OF BLACKSTONE CREDIT’S LIQUID CREDIT STRATEGIES UNIT |
| SMITH, DANIEL, HARLAN |
CHAIRMAN OF BLACKSTONE CREDIT’S LIQUID CREDIT STRATEGIES UNIT |
| BEENEY, MARISA, JANEL |
GENERAL COUNSEL OF BLACKSTONE CREDIT |
| BOUGIAMAS, PANAYIOTA |
CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER OF BLACKSTONE LIQUID CREDIT STRATEGIES LLC |
| IANNARONE, THOMAS, LAWRENCE |
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF BLACKSTONE LIQUID CREDIT STRATEGIES LLC |
| Name |
Position with and Name of Other Company |
| SCOTT, DONALD, DWIGHT |
PRESIDENT OF BLACKSTONE CREDIT |
| VONZUBEN, HEATHER, CAREY |
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF BLACKSTONE
CREDIT |
| KRESGE, KEVIN, MICHAEL |
HEAD OF FINANCE FOR BLACKSTONE CREDIT |
| Name |
Position with and Name of Other Company |
| GUNDLACH, JEFFREY, EDWARD |
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER; CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER; DIRECTOR; LIMITED PARTNER;EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER |
| DOUBLELINE CAPITAL GP LLC |
GENERAL PARTNER |
| OAKTREE FUND GP II, L.P. |
LIMITED PARTNER |
| CHASE, HENRY, VANN |
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER;LIMITED PARTNER;EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER |
| LARISCY, EARL, ALLAN |
GENERAL COUNSEL; LIMITED PARTNER;EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER |
| REDELL, RONALD, ROBERT |
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER; LIMITED PARTNER |
| SANTA ANA III, CRIS |
CHIEF RISK OFFICER, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER, LIMITED PARTNER |
| VAN EVERY, BARBARA, RUTH |
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER; CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER; LIMITED PARTNER |
| MOORE, CASEY, LEE |
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER;EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER; LIMITED PARTNER |
| SHERMAN, JEFFREY, JOHN |
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER; DEPUTY CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER; LIMITED PARTNER |
| GUIA, YOUSE, ENRIQUE |
CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER; EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER |
| ELAM, JOAN, LYNEA |
CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER; EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER; LIMITED PARTNER |
| TOWNZEN, PATRICK, AARON |
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER; EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER; LIMITED PARTNER |
| Name |
Position with and Name of Other Company |
| William T. Huffman |
President |
| Stuart J. Cohen |
Managing Director and Head of Legal |
| Travis M. Pauley |
Chief Compliance Officer |
| Jon Stevens |
Senior Managing Director |
| Megan Sendlak |
Controller |
| Name and Position with Loomis |
Name and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
| Kevin P. Charleston Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President and Director |
Loomis Sayles Funds I 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee, President and Chief Executive Officer |
| |
Loomis Sayles Funds II 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee |
| |
Natixis Funds Trust I 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee |
| |
Natixis Funds Trust II 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee |
| |
Natixis Funds Trust IV 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee |
| |
Natixis ETF Trust 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee |
| |
Natixis ETF Trust II 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee |
| |
Gateway Trust 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee |
| |
Loomis Sayles Distributors, Inc. One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Director |
| |
Loomis Sayles Investments Limited The Economist Plaza, 25 St. James’s
Street, London, England SW1A 1 HA |
Representative of Loomis Sayles as a corporate Director |
| |
Loomis Sayles Trust Company, LLC
One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager and President |
| |
Loomis Sayles Investments Asia Pte. Ltd. 10 Collyer Quay #14-06, Ocean Financial
Centre, Singapore 049315 |
Director |
| |
Loomis Sayles Operating Services, LLC
One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111
(dissolved 12/20/22) |
Director, Chairman and President (2020 – 2022) |
| |
NIM-os, LLC One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager |
| Matthew J. Eagan Co-Head and Portfolio Manager, Full Discretion, and Director |
None. |
None. |
| Daniel J. Fuss
Vice Chairman and Director |
Loomis Sayles Funds I 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Executive Vice President (2003 - 2021) |
| |
Loomis Sayles Funds II 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Executive Vice President (2003 - 2021) |
| John R. Gidman Chief Operating Officer and Director |
Loomis Sayles Operating Services, LLC
One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111
(dissolved 12/20/22) |
Director and Chief Executive Officer (2020 – 2022) |
| |
NIM-os, LLC One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager |
| David L. Giunta Director |
Natixis Investment Managers 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
President and Chief Executive Officer, US |
| |
Natixis Advisors, LLC 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
President and Chief Executive Officer |
| Name and Position with Loomis |
Name and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
| |
Compliance, Risk and Internal Control
Committee (formerly known as Natixis Distribution Corporation) 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer |
| |
Natixis Distribution, LLC 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
President and Chief Executive Officer |
| |
Loomis Sayles Funds I 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee and Executive Vice President |
| |
Loomis Sayles Funds II 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee, President and Chief Executive Officer |
| |
Natixis Funds Trust I 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee, President and Chief Executive Officer |
| |
Natixis Funds Trust II 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee, President and Chief Executive Officer |
| |
Natixis Funds Trust IV 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee, President and Chief Executive Officer |
| |
Natixis ETF Trust 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee, President and Chief Executive Officer |
| |
Natixis ETF Trust II 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee, President and Chief Executive Officer |
| |
Gateway Trust
888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Trustee, President and Chief Executive Officer |
| |
NIM-os, LLC
One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager |
| Aziz V. Hamzaogullari Chief Investment Officer of the Growth Equity Strategies, Portfolio Manager and Director |
None. |
None. |
| Kinji Kato
Director |
Natixis Investment Managers Japan Ark Hills South Tower 8F, 4-5, Roppongi 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032 Japan |
Honorary Chairman |
| Maurice Leger Head of Global Distribution and Director |
Loomis Sayles Trust Company, LLC One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager |
| Richard G. Raczkowski Co-Head and Portfolio Manager, Relative Return, and Director |
None. |
None. |
| Rebecca O’Brien Radford
General Counsel, Secretary and Director
(1/1/23 to present); Deputy General
Counsel (2021 – 2023) |
Loomis Sayles Distributors, Inc.
One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Director |
| |
Loomis Sayles Investments Limited
The Economist Plaza, 25 St. James’s
Street, London, England SW1A 1 HA |
General Counsel and Secretary |
| |
Loomis Sayles Trust Company, LLC
One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager and Secretary |
| |
Loomis Sayles Operating Services, LLC One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 (dissolved 12/20/22) |
Director and Secretary (2020 – 2022) |
| |
NIM-os, LLC
One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager and General Counsel |
| John F. Russell Head of Human Resources and Director |
None. |
None. |
| Timothy F. Ryan Director |
Natixis Investment Managers 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
Chief Executive Officer and Head of Asset & Wealth Management |
| Name and Position with Loomis |
Name and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
| Susan L. Sieker Chief Financial Officer and Director |
Loomis Sayles Investments Limited The Economist Plaza, 25 St. James’s
Street, London, England SW1A 1 HA |
Chief Financial Officer |
| |
Loomis Sayles Trust Company, LLC One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager and Chief Financial Officer |
| |
NIM-os, LLC One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager and Chief Financial Officer |
| Elaine M. Stokes Co-Head and Portfolio Manager, Full Discretion, and Director |
None. |
None. |
| David L. Waldman Deputy Chief Investment Officer (2013 - 2021), Chief Investment Officer (2021 to present) and Director |
None. |
None. |
| Name and Position with Galaxy |
Name and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Name and Principal Business Address* |
Positions and Offices with Underwriter |
Positions and Offices with the Trust |
| Barry F. X. Smith |
President, Chairman and Manager |
None |
| Editha V. Tenorio |
Chief Financial Officer |
None |
| Sean O’Malley |
Chief Legal Officer |
Chief Legal Officer |
| Timothy P. Corbett |
Interim Chief Compliance and AML Officer |
None |
| Sean Driscoll |
Manager |
None |
| David Maxham |
Manager |
None |
| Christine Stokes |
Manager |
None |
| Allison Bonds Mazza |
Manager |
None |
| John Tucker |
Manager |
None |
| |
SSGA ACTIVE TRUST |
| |
|
| By: |
/s/ Ann M. Carpenter |
| |
Ann M. Carpenter |
| |
President |
| Signature |
Title |
Date |
| /s/ Carolyn M. Clancy* |
Trustee |
July 10, 2024 |
| Carolyn M. Clancy |
|
|
| /s/ Dwight D. Churchill* |
Trustee |
July 10, 2024 |
| Dwight D. Churchill |
|
|
| /s/ Clare S. Richer* |
Trustee |
July 10, 2024 |
| Clare S. Richer |
|
|
| /s/ Kristi L. Rowsell* |
Trustee |
July 10, 2024 |
| Kristi L. Rowsell |
|
|
| /s/ Sandra G. Sponem* |
Trustee |
July 10, 2024 |
| Sandra G. Sponem |
|
|
| /s/ Carl G. Verboncoeur* |
Trustee |
July 10, 2024 |
| Carl G. Verboncoeur |
|
|
| /s/ Gunjan Chauhan* |
Trustee |
July 10, 2024 |
| Gunjan Chauhan |
|
|
| /s/ James E. Ross* |
Trustee |
July 10, 2024 |
| James E. Ross |
|
|
| /s/ Ann M. Carpenter |
President and Principal Executive Officer |
July 10, 2024 |
| Ann M. Carpenter |
|
|
| /s/ Bruce S. Rosenberg |
Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer (fulfills the role of Principal Accounting Officer) |
July 10, 2024 |
| Bruce S. Rosenberg |
|
| *By: |
/s/ Edmund Gerard Maiorana, Jr. |
| |
Edmund Gerard Maiorana, Jr. As Attorney-in-Fact Pursuant to Power of Attorney |
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