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Form 497K Innovator ETFs Trust

July 1, 2022 6:20 AM EDT

Rule 497(k)

File No. 333-146827

 

Summary Prospectus

 

Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated ETF Quarterly

 

(Cboe BZX—XDSQ)

 

July 1, 2022

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Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated ETF™ – Quarterly (the “Fund”) is a series of
Innovator ETFs Trust (the “Trust”) and is an actively managed ETF.

 


 

The Fund will invest substantially all of its assets in FLexible EXchange® Options (“FLEX Options”) on the SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust (the “Underlying ETF”). FLEX Options are customizable exchange-traded option contracts guaranteed for settlement by the Options Clearing Corporation. The Fund uses FLEX Options to employ a “defined outcome strategy.” Defined outcome strategies seek to produce pre-determined investment outcomes based upon the performance of an underlying security or index. The pre-determined outcomes sought by the Fund, which include the accelerated return and cap discussed below (“Outcomes”), are based upon the performance of the Underlying ETF’s share price over a three-month period (the “Outcome Period”). The current Outcome Period is from July 1, 2022 through September 30, 2022. Following the Outcome Period, each successive Outcome Period will begin on the day the prior Outcome Period concludes and will end in three months. The Fund will not terminate after the conclusion of the Outcome Period. After the conclusion of the Outcome Period, another will begin. There is no guarantee that the Outcomes for an Outcome Period will be realized.

 

The Fund’s strategy has been specifically designed to produce the Outcomes based upon the performance of the Underlying ETF’s share price (or its “price return”) over the duration of the Outcome Period. The Fund will not receive or benefit from any dividend payments made by the Underlying ETF. The Outcomes may only be realized by investors who hold shares of the Fund (Shares) at the outset of the Outcome Period and continue to hold them until the conclusion of the Outcome Period. Investors who purchase Shares after the Outcome Period has begun or sell Shares prior to the Outcome Periods conclusion may experience investment returns very different from those that the Fund seeks to provide. In addition, because the Fund is designed to achieve Outcomes that change for each three-month Outcome Period, the Outcomes that are achieved by the Fund for a three-month Outcome Period will be different than the Outcomes achieved by the Fund over multiple Outcome Periods, or on an annualized basis. Similarly, investors holding Shares over multiple Outcome Periods will experience different investment results than holding a fund that has a longer Outcome Period (e.g., one year). The Fund will not receive or benefit from any dividend payments made by the Underlying ETF.

 

If the Underlying ETF’s share price increases in value over the duration of the Outcome Period, the Fund seeks to provide Fund shareholders that hold Shares for the entire Outcome Period with an Outcome that provides for an increase in value that is twice the share price increase experienced by the Underlying ETF (the “Accelerated Return”), subject to an upside return cap (the Cap), discussed in greater detail below. If the Underlying ETF’s share price decreases in value over the duration of the Outcome Period, the Fund seeks to provide Fund shareholders that hold Shares for the entire Outcome Period with a return that matches the decrease in value experienced by the Underlying ETF. Unlike other ETFs that utilize defined outcome investing strategies, the Fund does not provide a buffer against Underlying ETF losses. Furthermore, if the Outcome Period has begun and the Fund has experienced an Accelerated Return, an investor purchasing Shares at that price may be subject to losses that exceed the losses of the Underlying ETF for the remainder of the Outcome Period. An investment in Shares is only appropriate for shareholders willing to bear those losses.

 

Fund shareholders are subject to the Cap that represents the maximum percentage return an investor can achieve from an investment in Shares over the duration of the Outcome Period. The Cap is set on the first day of the Outcome Period and is 11.38% prior to taking into account any fees or expenses charged to shareholders. When the Fund’s annual management fee of 0.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets is taken into account, the Cap is 11.18%. The Cap will be further reduced by any shareholder transaction fees and any extraordinary expenses incurred by the Fund. The Cap is likely to rise or fall from one Outcome Period to the next. Please note, if the Outcome Period has begun and the Fund has increased in value to a level near the Cap, an investor purchasing Shares at that price has little or no ability to achieve gains relating to the Underlying ETF or the Accelerated Return but remains vulnerable to downside risks.

 

 

 

The Fund’s website, www.innovatoretfs.com/xdsq, provides important Fund information (including, among other items, Outcome Period start and end dates and information relating to the Accelerated Return and Cap), as well information relating to the potential outcomes of an investment in the Fund on a daily basis. If you are contemplating purchasing Shares, please visit the website. The Funds strategy is designed to produce the Outcomes upon the expiration of its FLEX Options investments on the last day of the Outcome Period. It should not be expected that the Outcomes, including the net effect of the Funds annual management fee on the Cap, will be provided at any point prior to the last day of the Outcome Period. Investors considering purchasing Shares after the Outcome Period has begun or selling Shares prior to the end of the Outcome Period should visit the website to fully understand potential investment outcomes.

 

Although the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective, there is no guarantee that it will do so. The returns that the Fund seeks to provide do not include the costs associated with purchasing Shares and certain expenses incurred by the Fund. The Fund has characteristics unlike many other traditional investment products and may not be suitable for all investors.

 

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 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.


 

Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund’s prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund’s prospectus (including amendments and supplements) and other information about the Fund, including the Fund’s statement of additional information and shareholder report, online at http://www.innovatoretfs.com/etf/?ticker=xdsq. You can also get this information at no cost by calling (800) 208-5212, sending an email request to [email protected] or from your financial professional. The Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information, both dated February 28, 2022, as amended and supplemented from time to time, are incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus.
 

 

 

 

Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated ETF Quarterly

 

 

Investment Objective

 

The Fund seeks to provide investors with returns that are twice those of the SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust, up to the upside cap of 11.38% (prior to taking into account management fees and other fees) and 11.18% (after taking into account management fees) while approximately matching SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust losses, over the period from July 1, 2022 through September 30, 2022.

 

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the 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

    0.79 %

Distribution and Service (12b‑1) Fees

    0.00 %

Other Expenses

    0.00 %

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

    0.79 %

 

Example

 

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds.

 

This example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain at current levels. This example does not include the brokerage commissions that investors may pay to buy and sell Shares.

 

 

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, your costs, based on these assumptions, would be:

$81

$252

$439

$978

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the fiscal period ended October 31, 2021, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 0% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

1

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

General Strategy Description. The Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in a portfolio of FLexible EXchange® Options (“FLEX Options”) that reference the SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust (the “Underlying ETF”), an exchange-traded fund registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). The Underlying ETF seeks to track the investment results of the S&P 500 Index, a large-cap, market-weighted, U.S. equities index that tracks the performance of 500 leading companies in leading industries. To the extent the Underlying ETF concentrates (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Through its use of FLEX Options on the Underlying ETF, the Fund has significant exposure to information technology companies.

 

Additional information about the Underlying ETF is set forth in the section entitled “Additional Information Regarding the Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies.” Due to the unique mechanics of the Fund’s strategy, the return an investor can expect to receive from an investment in the Fund has characteristics that are distinct from many other investment vehicles. It is important that an investor understand these characteristics before making an investment in the Fund.

 

In general, an option contract is an agreement between a buyer and seller that gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy or sell a particular asset at a specified future date at an agreed upon price. FLEX Options are exchange-traded options contracts with uniquely customizable terms. Although guaranteed for settlement by the Options Clearing Corporation (the “OCC”), FLEX Options are still subject to counterparty risk with the OCC and may be less liquid than more traditional exchange-traded options. Each of the FLEX Options purchased and sold throughout the Outcome Period are expected to have the same or similar terms (i.e., strike price and expiration) as the corresponding FLEX Options purchased and sold on the first day of the Outcome Period. The reference asset for all of the Fund’s FLEX Options is the Underlying ETF.

 

The pre-determined outcomes sought by the Fund, which include the accelerated return and cap discussed below (the “Outcomes”), are based upon the performance of the Underlying ETF’s share price over a three-month period (the “Outcome Period”). The current Outcome Period is from July 1, 2022 through September 30, 2022. Following the Outcome Period, each successive Outcome Period will begin on the day the prior Outcome Period concludes and will end in three months. Upon conclusion of the Outcome Period, the Fund will receive the cash value of all the FLEX Options it held for the prior Outcome Period. It will then invest in a new series of FLEX Options with an expiration date in three months, and a new Outcome Period will begin. The Outcomes may only be realized by investors who continuously hold Shares from the commencement of the Outcome Period until its conclusion. Investors who purchase Shares after the Outcome Period has begun, or sell Shares prior to the Outcome Periods conclusion, may experience investment returns very different from those that the Fund seeks to provide. In addition, because the Fund is designed to achieve Outcomes that change for each three-month Outcome Period, the Outcomes that are achieved by the Fund for a three-month Outcome Period will be different than the Outcomes achieved by the Fund over multiple Outcome Periods, or on an annualized basis. Similarly, investors holding Shares over multiple Outcome Periods will experience different investment results than holding a fund that has a longer Outcome Period (e.g., one year).

 

2

 

The Outcomes. The Fund’s strategy has been specifically designed to produce the Outcomes based upon the performance of the Underlying ETF’s share price (or its “price return”) over the duration of the Outcome Period. The Fund will not receive or benefit from any dividend payments made by the Underlying ETF. The Fund is not an appropriate investment for income-seeking investors. If the Underlying ETF’s share price increases over the duration of the Outcome Period, the Fund seeks to provide investors who hold Shares for the entire Outcome Period with an increase in value that is twice the share price increase experienced by the Underlying ETF (the “Accelerated Return”), subject to an upside return cap discussed in greater detail below (the “Cap”). If the Underlying ETF’s share price decreases in value over the duration of the Outcome Period, the Fund seeks to provide Fund shareholders that hold Shares for the entire Outcome Period with an Outcome that provides for a decrease in value that is approximately equal to the share price decrease experienced by the Underlying ETF. The Fund’s shareholders will bear all Underlying ETF losses on a one-to-one basis. Unlike other ETFs that utilize defined outcome investing strategies, the Fund does not provide a buffer against Underlying ETF losses. Certain other ETFs seek to provide shareholders with a buffer a protection against a specified percentage of Underlying ETF or index losses over a period of time. There is no guarantee that the Fund will successfully provide the Outcomes.

 

The Fund seeks returns over an Outcome Period that generate twice the increased performance of the Underlying ETF, up to the Cap (as discussed in greater detail below), while limiting downside losses. The hypothetical graphical illustration provided below is designed to illustrate the Outcomes based upon the hypothetical performances of the Underlying ETF for investors who hold Shares for the entirety of the Outcome Period. There is no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its attempt to provide the Outcomes for an Outcome Period. The returns that the Fund seeks to provide do not include the costs associated with purchasing Shares and certain expenses incurred by the Fund.

 

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3

 

The following table contains hypothetical examples designed to illustrate the Outcomes the Fund seeks to provide over an Outcome Period, based upon the performance of the Underlying ETF from -100% to 100%.  The table is provided for illustrative purposes and does not provide every possible performance scenario for Shares over the course of an Outcome Period.  There is no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its attempt to provide the Outcomes for an Outcome Period. The table is not intended to predict or project the performance of the Underlying ETF, FLEX Options or the Fund. Fund shareholders should not take this information as an assurance of the expected performance of the Underlying ETF or return on the Fund’s Shares. The actual overall performance of the Fund during an Outcome Period will vary with fluctuations in the value of the FLEX Options during the Outcome Period, among other factors. Please refer to the Fund’s website, www.innovatoretfs.com/xdsq, which provides updated information relating to this table on a daily basis throughout the Outcome Period.

 

Underlying

ETF

Performance

(100)%

(50)%

(20)%

(10)%

(5)%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

50%

100%

Fund

Performance

(100)%

(50)%

(20)%

(10)%

(5)%

0%

10%

11.38%*

11.38%*

11.38%*

11.38%*

11.38%*

* The Cap is set on the first day of the Outcome Period and is 11.38% prior to taking into account any fees or expenses charged to shareholders. When the Fund’s annual management fee of 0.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets is taken into account, the Cap is 11.18%. The Fund’s annual management fee of 0.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets, any shareholder transaction fees and any extraordinary expenses incurred by the Fund will have the effect of reducing the Cap amount for Fund shareholders.

 

The Outcome Period. The Outcomes sought by the Fund are based upon the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) at the outset of the Outcome Period. The Outcome Period begins on the day the FLEX Options are entered into and ends on the day they expire. Each FLEX Option’s value is ultimately derived from the performance of the Underlying ETF’s share price during that time. Because the terms of the FLEX Options don’t change, the Accelerated Return and Cap relate to the Fund’s NAV on the first day of the Outcome Period. A shareholder that purchases Shares after the commencement of the Outcome Period will likely have purchased Shares at a different NAV than the NAV on the first day of the Outcome Period (the NAV upon which the Outcomes are based) and may experience investment outcomes very different from those sought by the Fund. A shareholder that sells Shares prior to the end of the Outcome Period may also experience investment outcomes very different from those sought by the Fund. To achieve the Outcomes sought by the Fund for the Outcome Period, an investor must be holding Shares at the time that the Fund enters into the FLEX Options and on the day those FLEX Options expire. There is no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its attempt to provide the Outcomes.

 

4

 

The Fund’s assets will be principally composed of FLEX Options, the value of which is derived from the performance of the underlying reference asset, the Underlying ETF’s share price. The Fund’s investment sub-adviser, Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC (“Milliman” or the “Sub-Adviser”), generally anticipates that the Fund’s NAV will move in the same direction as the Underlying ETF’s share price. For example, during an Outcome Period, the Fund’s NAV is expected to increase if the Underlying ETF’s share price increases and decrease if the Underlying ETF’s share price decreases. However, it is unlikely that the Fund’s share price will increase or decrease at the same rate as the Underlying ETF’s share price and, for any given period during the Outcome Period, it is unlikely that the Fund’s share price will increase at the same rate as the Accelerated Return for the Outcome Period (i.e., an increase in value that is two times the share price change experienced by the Underlying ETF for an Outcome Period). In addition, if the Outcome Period has begun and the Fund has experienced any Accelerated Return, an investor purchasing Shares at that price may be subject to losses that exceed any losses of the Underlying ETF for the remainder of the Outcome Period and may have diminished or no ability to experience further Accelerated Return. The Fund does not seek to provide investment outcomes on a daily or other short-term basis, but instead seeks to provide investment outcomes for the entire Outcome Period of three months. Prior to their expiration, the value of the Fund’s FLEX Options is not derived solely from the performance of the reference asset (the Underlying ETF), but a number of other factors as well, notably the number of days remaining until the options expire and the Accelerated Return available to the applicable Cap. As the number of days until the FLEX Options expire decreases, the value of the FLEX Options (and thus the Fund’s NAV) will more directly correlate with the returns experienced by the Underlying ETF and Outcomes the Fund seeks to provide for the Outcome Period. The Funds strategy is designed to produce the Outcomes upon the expiration of the FLEX Options on the last day of the Outcome Period. It should not be expected that the Outcomes will be provided at any point prior to that time, and there is no guarantee that the Outcomes will be achieved on the last day of the Outcome Period.

 

Potential Upside Accelerated Return Subject to a Cap. If the Underlying ETF’s share price increases in value over the duration of the Outcome Period, the Fund’s strategy has been designed such that the Fund will experience an increase in value that is twice the increase experienced by the Underlying ETF, up to the Cap. The extent to which the Fund will participate in gains experienced by the Underlying ETF and the Accelerated Return is subject to the Cap that represents the maximum percentage return an investor can achieve from an investment in Shares over the duration of the Outcome Period. Therefore, even though the Fund’s returns, and any potential for the Accelerated Return, are based upon the performance of the Underlying ETF’s share price, if the Underlying ETF’s share price, or Accelerated Return, experiences returns for the Outcome Period in excess of the Cap, the Fund will not participate in excess returns. The Cap should be considered before investing in the Fund. The Funds returns, including any Accelerated Return, will not exceed the Cap. There is no guarantee that the Fund will successfully provide the Accelerated Return. If an investor is considering purchasing Shares during the Outcome Period, and the Fund has already increased in value to a level near to the Cap, an investor purchasing Shares at that price has limited to no gains and no Accelerated Return available for the remainder of the Outcome Period but remains vulnerable to significant downside risks. The Cap may rise or fall from one Outcome Period to the next. If the Outcome Period has begun and the Fund has experienced any Accelerated Return, an investor purchasing Shares at that price may be subject to losses that exceed any losses of the Underlying ETF until the remainder of the Outcome Period. An investment in the Fund is only appropriate for shareholders willing to bear those losses.

 

5

 

The Cap will be determined on the first day of the Outcome Period based upon prevailing market conditions. Since the Cap is based upon prevailing market conditions at the beginning of an Outcome Period, the Cap will therefore rise or fall from one Outcome Period to the next. For the current Outcome Period, the Cap is set forth below, prior to taking into account annual Fund management fees, shareholder transaction fees and any extraordinary expenses.

 

• The Cap is 11.38%.

 

When the Fund’s annual management fee of 0.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets is taken into account, the Cap is revised downwards accordingly as set forth below and will be further reduced by any shareholder transaction fees and any extraordinary expenses incurred by the Fund.

 

• The Cap is 11.18%.

 

For the purpose of this prospectus, “extraordinary expenses” are non-recurring expenses that may incurred by the Fund outside of the ordinary course of its business, including, without limitation, costs incurred in connection with any claim, litigation, arbitration, mediation, government investigation or similar proceedings, indemnification expenses and expenses in connection with holding and/or soliciting proxies for a meeting of Fund shareholders.

 

Use of FLEX Options. The Outcomes described above may be achieved by purchasing and selling call FLEX Options to create layers within the Fund’s portfolio. To achieve these returns, the Fund may purchase call options (giving the Fund the right to receive the cash value of the Underlying ETF’s share price), while simultaneously selling call options (giving the Fund the obligation to deliver the cash value of the Underlying ETF’s share price). Each of these FLEX Options has a specifically selected strike price.

 

6

 

The Sub-Adviser has constructed a portfolio principally composed of FLEX Options that reference the Underlying ETF that are each set to expire on the last day of the Outcome Period. The customizable nature of FLEX Options allows the Sub-Adviser to select the share price at which the Underlying ETF will be exercised at the expiration of each FLEX Option. This is commonly known as the “strike price.” At the commencement of the Outcome Period, the Sub-Adviser specifically selects the strike price for each FLEX Option such that when the FLEX Options are exercised on the final day of the Outcome Period, the Outcomes may be obtained, depending on the performance of the Underlying ETF’s share price over the duration of the Outcome Period.

 

A detailed explanation regarding the terms of the FLEX Options and the mechanics of the Fund’s strategy can be found in “Additional Information About the Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies.”

 

Fund Rebalance.  The Fund is a continuous investment vehicle.  It does not terminate and distribute its assets at the conclusion of each Outcome Period.  On the termination date of an Outcome Period, the Sub-Adviser will invest in a new set of FLEX Options and another Outcome Period will commence.

 

Approximately one week prior to the end of each Outcome Period, the Fund will file a prospectus supplement, which will alert existing shareholders that an Outcome Period is approaching its conclusion and disclose the anticipated ranges for the Cap for the next Outcome Period.  Following the close of business on the last day of the Outcome Period, the Fund will file a prospectus supplement that discloses the Fund’s final Cap (both gross and net of the unitary management fee) for the next Outcome Period.  This information is available on the Fund’s website, www.innovatoretfs.com/xdsq, which also provides information relating to the Outcomes, including the Fund’s position relative to the Cap, of an investment in the Fund on a daily basis.

 

The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

 

Principal Risks

 

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objectives will be achieved.

 

Accelerated Return Risk. During Outcome Periods in which the Underlying ETF increases in value, there can be no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its strategy to provide the Accelerated Return. In the event an investor purchases Shares after the FLEX Options were entered into or does not stay invested in the Fund for the entirety of the Outcome Period, any Accelerated Return realized by the investor may not match those that the Fund seeks to achieve. Additionally, if an investor purchases Shares after the FLEX Options were entered into and the Fund has risen in value to a level near the Cap, there may be little or no ability for that investor to experience an investment gain on their Shares, including any available Accelerated Return. In addition, because the Fund is designed to achieve Outcomes that change for each three-month Outcome Period, the Outcomes that are achieved by the Fund for a three-month Outcome Period will be different than the Outcomes achieved by the Fund over multiple Outcome Periods, or on an annualized basis. Similarly, investors holding Shares over multiple Outcome Periods will experience different investment results than holding a fund that has a longer Outcome Period (e.g., one year).

 

7

 

The Fund does not seek to provide investment outcomes on a daily or other short-term basis, which is an attribute of other types of exchange-traded funds that provide a daily, multiple exposure to a reference index (i.e., a “daily leveraged ETF”). In contrast, the Fund only seeks to provide investment outcomes for the entire Outcome Period of three months. The value of the FLEX Options held by the Fund is ultimately derived from the performance of the Underlying ETF’s share price for this entire Outcome Period. As a result, it is very unlikely that, on any given day during which the Underlying ETF share price increases in value, the Fund’s share price will increase at the same rate as the Accelerated Return, which is designed for an entire Outcome Period (i.e., an increase in value that is two times the share price change experienced by the Underlying ETF).

 

If the Underlying ETF’s share price increases in value over the duration of the Outcome Period, the Fund seeks to provide for an increase in value at a higher rate than the share price increase experienced by the Underlying ETF. Likewise, there are situations during the Outcome Period in which the Fund may decrease in value at a higher rate than an associated decrease in the Underlying ETF. If the Outcome Period has begun and the Fund has already experienced an Accelerated Return, an investor purchasing Shares at that price is subject to and may experience losses at a higher rate than any losses of the Underlying ETF for the remainder of the Outcome Period.

 

Capped Upside Return Risk. The Fund’s strategy seeks to provide returns that are subject to the Cap. In the event that the Underlying ETF experiences gains in excess of the Cap for the Outcome Period, the Fund will not participate in those gains or Accelerated Return beyond the Cap. The Fund’s strategy seeks to deliver returns that are twice those of the Underlying ETF (up to the Cap), while limiting downside losses, if Shares are held at the time at which the Fund enters into the FLEX Options and held until those FLEX Options expire at the end of the Outcome Period. In the event an investor purchases Shares after the FLEX Options were entered into or sells Shares prior to the expiration of the FLEX Options, there may be little or no ability for that investor to experience an investment gain on their Shares.

 

FLEX Options Risk. The Fund will utilize FLEX Options issued and guaranteed for settlement by the OCC. The Fund bears the risk that the OCC will be unable or unwilling to perform its obligations under the FLEX Options contracts. In the unlikely event that the OCC becomes insolvent or is otherwise unable to meet its settlement obligations, the Fund could suffer significant losses. Additionally, FLEX Options may be less liquid than certain other securities, such as standardized options. In less liquid markets for the FLEX Options, the Fund may have difficulty closing out certain FLEX Options positions at desired times and prices. In connection with the creation and redemption of Shares, to the extent market participants are not willing or able to enter into FLEX Option transactions with the Fund at prices that reflect the market price of the Shares, the Fund’s NAV and, in turn the share price of the Fund, could be negatively impacted.

 

8

 

The Fund may experience substantial downside from specific FLEX Option positions and certain FLEX Option positions may expire worthless. The FLEX Options held by the Fund are exercisable at the strike price on their expiration date. As a FLEX Option approaches its expiration date, its value typically increasingly moves with the value of the Underlying ETF. However, prior to such date, the value of the FLEX Options does not increase or decrease at the same rate as the Underlying ETF’s share price on a day-to-day basis (although they generally move in the same direction). The value of the FLEX Options held by the Fund will be determined based on market quotations or other recognized pricing methods. The value of the underlying FLEX Options will be affected by, among others, changes in the Underlying ETF’s share price, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual and implied volatility of the Underlying ETF and the remaining time to until the FLEX Options expire.

 

Options Risk. The use of option contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, changes in interest or currency exchange rates, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events. There may at times be an imperfect correlation between the movement in values option contracts and the reference asset, and there may at times not be a liquid secondary market for certain option contracts.

 

Clearing Member Default Risk. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including FLEX Options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house, such as the OCC, rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members. In cleared derivatives positions, the Fund will make payments (including margin payments) to and receive payments from a clearing house through their accounts at clearing members. Customer funds held at a clearing organization in connection with any options contracts are held in a commingled omnibus account and are not identified to the name of the clearing member’s individual customers. As a result, assets deposited by the Fund with any clearing member as margin for FLEX Options may, in certain circumstances, be used to satisfy losses of other clients of the Fund’s clearing member. In addition, although clearing members guarantee performance of their clients’ obligations to the clearing house, there is a risk that the assets of the Fund might not be fully protected in the event of the clearing member’s bankruptcy, as the Fund would be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds segregated on behalf of the clearing member’s customers for the relevant account class. The Fund is also subject to the risk that a limited number of clearing members are willing to transact on the Fund’s behalf, which heightens the risks associated with a clearing member’s default. If a clearing member defaults the Fund could lose some or all of the benefits of a transaction entered into by the Fund with the clearing member. If the Fund cannot find a clearing member to transact with on the Fund’s behalf, the Fund may be unable to effectively implement its investment strategy.

 

Outcome Period Risk. The Fund’s investment strategy is designed to deliver the Outcomes if Shares are held from the time the Fund enters into the FLEX Options and held until those FLEX Options expire at the end of the Outcome Period. In the event an investor purchases Shares after the FLEX Options were entered into or sells Shares prior to the expiration of the FLEX Options, the returns realized by the investor will not match those that the Fund seeks to provide.

 

9

 

Underlying ETF Risk. Because the value of the FLEX Options held by the Fund are based on the value of the Underlying ETF, the Fund’s investment performance largely depends on the investment performance and associated risks of the Underlying ETF. The Underlying ETF is subject to many of the same structural risks as the Fund that are described in more detail herein, such as Authorized Participant Concentration Risk, Fluctuation of Net Asset Value Risk, Market Maker Risk, Market Risk, Operational Risk and Trading Issues Risk. However, the risks of investing in an ETF also include the risks associated with the underlying investments held by the ETF. To the extent the Underlying ETF concentrates (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. As such, the Fund may be subject to the following risks as a result of its exposure to the Underlying ETF through its usage of FLEX Options:

 

Equity Securities Risk. The Underlying ETF invests in equity securities, and therefore the Fund has exposure to the equity securities markets due to its investment in FLEX Options that reference the Underlying ETF. Equity securities may decline in value because of declines in the price of a particular holding or the broad stock market. Such declines may relate directly to the issuer of a security or broader economic or market events, including changes in interest rates. The value of shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of the equity securities the Underlying ETF invests in.

 

Information Technology Companies Risk. The Underlying ETF invests significantly in information technology companies, which results in the Fund having significant exposure to such companies through its exposure to the Underlying ETF by virtue of its usage of FLEX Options. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Like other technology companies, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments, frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Information technology companies are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action.

 

Large Capitalization Companies Risk. The Underlying ETF invests in the securities of large capitalization companies, which results in the Fund having significant exposure to such companies through its exposure to the Underlying ETF by virtue of its usage of FLEX Options. Large capitalization companies may grow at a slower rate and be less able to adapt to changing market conditions than smaller capitalization companies. Thus, the return on investment in securities of large capitalization companies may be less than the return on investment in securities of small and/or mid capitalization companies. The performance of large capitalization companies also tends to trail the overall market during different market cycles.

 

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Correlation Risk. The FLEX Options held by the Fund will be exercisable at the strike price only on their expiration date. As a FLEX Option approaches its expiration date, its value typically will increasingly move with the value of the Underlying ETF. However, prior to the expiration date, the value of the FLEX Options prior to the expiration date may vary because of related factors other than the value of the Underlying ETF. The value of the FLEX Options will be determined based upon market quotations or using other recognized pricing methods. Factors that may influence the value of the FLEX Options include interest rate changes and implied volatility levels of the Underlying ETF, among others. The value of the FLEX Options held by the Fund typically do not increase or decrease at the same level as the Underlying ETF’s share price on a day-to-day basis due to these factors (although they generally move in the same direction).

 

Investment Objective Risk. Certain circumstances under which the Fund might not achieve its objective include, but are not limited, to (i) if the Fund disposes of FLEX Options, (ii) if the Fund is unable to maintain the proportional relationship based on the number of FLEX Options in the Fund’s portfolio, (iii) significant accrual of Fund expenses in connection with effecting the Fund’s principal investment strategy or (iv) adverse tax law changes affecting the treatment of FLEX Options.

 

Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed portfolio. The Sub-Adviser applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that the Fund will meet its investment objective.

 

Cap Change Risk. A new Cap is established at the beginning of each Outcome Period and is dependent on prevailing market conditions. As such, the Cap may rise or fall from one Outcome Period to the next and is unlikely to remain the same for consecutive Outcome Periods.

 

Market Risk. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. Assets may decline in value due to factors affecting financial markets generally or particular asset classes or industries represented in the markets. The value of FLEX Options or other assets may also decline due to general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or due to factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates will not have the same impact on all types of securities. Securities, including the Shares, are subject to market fluctuations and liquidity constraints that may be caused by such factors as economic, political, or regulatory developments, changes in interest rates, and/or perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.

 

Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund is only limited as to the percentage of its assets which may be invested in the securities of any one issuer by the diversification requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or regulatory occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers, experience increased volatility and be highly invested in certain issuers.

 

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Liquidity Risk. In the event that trading in the underlying FLEX Options is limited or absent, the value of the Fund’s FLEX Options may decrease. There is no guarantee that a liquid secondary trading market will exist for the FLEX Options. The trading in FLEX Options may be less deep and liquid than the market for certain other securities, including certain non-customized options. In a less liquid market for the FLEX Options, terminating the FLEX Options may require the payment of a premium or acceptance of a discounted price and may take longer to complete. In a less liquid market for the FLEX Options, the liquidation of a large number of options may more significantly impact the price. A less liquid trading market may adversely impact the value of the FLEX Options and the value of your investment.

 

Valuation Risk. During periods of reduced market liquidity or in the absence of readily available market quotations for the holdings of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to value the FLEX Options becomes more difficult and the judgment of the Fund’s investment adviser (employing the fair value procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”)) may play a greater role in the valuation of the Fund’s holdings due to reduced availability of reliable objective pricing data. Consequently, while such determinations may be made in good faith, it may nevertheless be more difficult for the Fund to accurately assign a daily value.

 

Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error in the calculation of the Cap, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and its investment adviser and Sub-Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address these risks.

 

Market Maker Risk. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of Shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s NAV and the price at which the Shares are trading on the Exchange, which could result in a decrease in value of the Shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Shares trading at a discount to NAV and in greater than normal intra-day bid-ask spreads for Shares.

 

Trading Issues Risk. Although the Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Shares will develop or be maintained. Shares trade on the Exchange at market price that may be below, at or above the Fund’s NAV. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

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Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that may act as authorized participants on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants). To the extent that authorized participants exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem “Creation Units” (large blocks of a specified number of Shares), Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

Counterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is the risk an issuer, guarantor or counterparty of a security in the Fund is unable or unwilling to meet its obligation on the security. Counterparty risk may arise because of the counterparty’s financial condition, market activities, or for other reasons. The Fund may be unable to recover its investment from the counterparty or may obtain a limited and/or delayed recovery. The OCC acts as guarantor and central counterparty with respect to the FLEX Options. As a result, the ability of the Fund to meet its objective depends on the OCC being able to meet its obligations. In the unlikely event that the OCC becomes insolvent or is otherwise unable to meet its settlement obligations, the Fund could suffer significant losses.

 

Fluctuation of Net Asset Value Risk. The Fund’s Shares trade on the Exchange at their market price rather than their NAV. The market price may be at, above or below the Fund’s NAV. Differences in market price and NAV may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. These differences can be especially pronounced during times of market volatility or stress. During these periods, the demand for Shares may decrease considerably and cause the market price of Shares to deviate significantly from the Fund’s NAV.

 

Cash Transactions Risk. The Fund may effectuate all or a portion of its creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. As a result, an investment in the Fund may be less tax-efficient than an investment in an ETF that effects its creations and redemptions only on an in-kind basis. ETFs are able to make in-kind redemptions to avoid being taxed on gains on the distributed portfolio securities at the fund level. A fund that effects redemptions for cash may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. Any recognized gain on these sales by the fund will generally cause such fund to recognize a gain it might not otherwise have recognized, or to recognize such gain sooner than would otherwise be required if it were to distribute portfolio securities only in-kind. The Fund intends to distribute gains that arise by virtue of creations and redemptions being effectuated in cash to shareholders to avoid being taxed on this gain at the fund level and otherwise comply with special tax rules that apply to it. This strategy may cause shareholders to be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise be subject to, or at an earlier date than if they had made an investment in another ETF. Moreover, cash transactions may have to be carried out over several days if the securities market is relatively illiquid and may involve considerable brokerage fees and taxes. These brokerage fees and taxes, which will be higher than if the Fund sold and redeemed its shares principally in-kind, will be passed on to those purchasing and redeeming Creation Units in the form of creation and redemption transaction fees. In addition, these factors may result in wider spreads between the bid and the offered prices of Fund Shares than for ETFs that distribute portfolio securities in-kind. The Fund’s use of cash for creations and redemptions could also result in dilution to the Fund and increased transaction costs, which could negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.

 

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Cyber Security Risk. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the investment industry has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third-party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third-party service providers.

 

Tax Risk. The Fund intends to elect and to qualify each year to be treated as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Code. However, the federal income tax treatment of certain aspects of the proposed operations of the Fund are not entirely clear. This includes the tax aspects of the Fund’s options strategy, its hedging strategy, the possible application of the “straddle” rules, and various loss limitation provisions of the Code. If, in any year, the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC under the applicable tax laws, the Fund would be taxed as an ordinary corporation. Certain options on an ETF may not qualify as “Section 1256 contracts” under Section 1256 of the Code, and disposition of such options will likely result in short-term capital gains or losses. The Fund intends to treat any income it may derive from the FLEX Options as “qualifying income” under the provisions of the Code applicable to RICs. In addition, based upon language in the legislative history, the Fund intends to treat the issuer of the FLEX Options as the referenced asset, which, assuming the referenced asset qualifies as a RIC, would allow the Fund to qualify for special rules in the RIC diversification requirements. If the income is not qualifying income or the issuer of the FLEX Options is not appropriately the referenced asset, the Fund could lose its own status as a RIC. In the event that a shareholder purchases Shares of the Fund shortly before a distribution by the Fund, the entire distribution may be taxable to the shareholder even though a portion of the distribution effectively represents a return of the purchase price.

 

The Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

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Performance

 

As of the date of this prospectus, the Fund has been in operation for less than one full calendar year and therefore does not report its performance information. Once available, the Fund’s performance information will be accessible on the Fund’s website at www.innovatoretfs.com and will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund.

 

Management

 

Investment Adviser

 

Innovator Capital Management, LLC (“Innovator” or the “Adviser”)

 

Investment Sub-Adviser

 

Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC

 

Portfolio Managers

 

The following persons serve as portfolio managers of the Fund.

 

•         Robert T. Cummings, Principal and Director of Global Trading at Milliman

 

•         Yin Bhuyan, Associate – ETF Portfolio Management Team at Milliman

 

Each of the portfolio managers is primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund and has served in such capacity since the Fund’s inception in March 2021.

 

Purchase and Sale of Shares

 

The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only with authorized participants (“APs”) that have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor and only in Creation Units or multiples thereof (“Creation Unit Aggregations”), in exchange for cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, the Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

 

Individual Shares may only be bought and sold in the secondary market (i.e., on a national securities exchange) through a broker or dealer at a market price. Because the Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (at a premium), at NAV, or less than NAV (at a discount). An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”).

 

Recent information, including information on the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads, is available online at www.innovatoretfs.com.

 

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Tax Information

 

The Fund’s distributions will generally be taxable as ordinary income, returns of capital or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

 

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

 

If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), Innovator and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, the Fund’s distributor (the “Distributor”), may pay the intermediary for the sale of Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker‑dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

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Investor Suitability Considerations

You should only consider this investment if:

 

You should not consider this investment if:

•  you fully understand the risks inherent in an investment in the Fund;

•  you desire to invest in a product with a return that depends upon the performance of the Underlying ETF’s share price over the Outcome Period;

•  you are willing to hold Shares for the duration of the Outcome Period in order to achieve the outcomes that the Fund seeks to provide;

•  you are willing to forgo all of the investment return derived from the Underlying ETF’s dividend distributions;

•  you do not seek an investment that provides protection against Underlying ETF losses;

•  you fully understand that investments made when the Fund is at or near the Cap may have limited to no upside and will not benefit from the Accelerated Return the Fund seeks to provide;

•  you are willing to forgo any gains in excess of the Cap;

•  you understand that the Cap will be reduced by annual Fund management fees, shareholder transaction fees and any extraordinary expenses incurred by the Fund;

•  you understand that the Fund’s investments do not provide for dividends to the Fund;

•  you fully understand that investments made after the Outcome Period has begun may not fully benefit from the Accelerated Return;

•  you are willing to accept the risk of losing your entire investment; and

•  you have visited the Fund’s website and understand the investment outcomes available to you based upon the time of your purchase.

 

•  you do not fully understand the risks inherent in an investment in the Fund;

•  you do not desire to invest in a product with a return that depends upon the performance of the Underlying ETF’s share price over the Outcome Period;

•  you are unwilling to hold Shares for the duration of the Outcome Period in order to achieve the outcomes that the Fund seeks to provide;

•  you are unwilling to forgo all of the investment return derived from the Underlying ETF’s dividend distributions;

•  you do seek an investment that provides protection against Underlying ETF losses;

•  you do not fully understand that investments made when the Fund is at or near to the Cap may have limited to no upside and will not benefit from the Accelerated Return the Fund seeks to provide;

•  you are unwilling to forgo any gains in excess of the Cap;

•  you do not understand that the Cap will be reduced by annual Fund management fees, shareholder transaction fees and any extraordinary expenses incurred by the Fund;

•  you do not fully understand that the Fund’s investments do not provide for dividends to the Fund;

•  you do not fully understand that investments made after the Outcome Period has begun may not fully benefit from the Accelerated Return;

•  you are unwilling to accept the risk of losing your entire investment; and

•  you have not visited the Fund’s website and do not understand the investment outcomes available to you based upon the timing of your purchase.

 

For more information regarding whether an investment in the Fund is right for you,
please see Investor Suitability in the prospectus.

 

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