Form 485APOS ADVISORS' INNER CIRCLE
AS FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JANUARY 23, 2026
File No. 033-42484
File No. 811-06400
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
| POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 376 | /X/ |
AND
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
| AMENDMENT NO. 377 | /X/ |
THE ADVISORS’ INNER CIRCLE FUND
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
One Freedom Valley Drive
Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456
(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Zip Code)
(800) 932-7781
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code)
Michael Beattie
c/o SEI Investments
One Freedom Valley Drive
Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
| David W. Freese |
| Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP |
| 2222 Market Street |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 |
| John J. O’Brien, Esq. |
| Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP |
| 2222 Market Street |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 |
It is proposed that this filing become effective (check appropriate box)
| / / | Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) | ||
| / / | On [date] pursuant to paragraph (b) | ||
| / / | 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) | ||
| /X/ | 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) | ||
| / / | On [date] pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485 |
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 U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS
EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND
IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION
WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.
Preliminary Prospectus Dated January 23, 2026
THE ADVISORS’ INNER CIRCLE FUND
PROSPECTUS
[Date], 2026
BRECKINRIDGE MUNICIPAL BOND COMPLETION FUND
(Ticker Symbol: [_____])
INVESTMENT ADVISER:
BRECKINRIDGE CAPITAL ADVISORS, INC.
The
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy
of this Prospectus.
Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
About This Prospectus
This Prospectus has been arranged into different sections so that you can easily review this important information. For detailed information about the Fund, please see:
| Page | |
BRECKINRIDGE MUNICIPAL BOND COMPLETION FUND |
XX |
| INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE | XX |
| FUND FEES AND EXPENSES | XX |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES | XX |
| PRINCIPAL RISKS | XX |
| PERFORMANCE INFORMATION | XX |
| INVESTMENT ADVISER | XX |
| PORTFOLIO MANAGERS | XX |
| PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES | XX |
| TAX INFORMATION | XX |
| MORE INFORMATION ABOUT RISK | XX |
| MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FUND INVESTMENTS | XX |
| INFORMATION ABOUT PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS | XX |
| INVESTMENT ADVISER | XX |
| PORTFOLIO MANAGERS | XX |
| PURCHASING AND SELLING FUND SHARES | XX |
| OTHER POLICIES | XX |
| DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS | XX |
| TAXES | XX |
| ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | XX |
| FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS | XX |
| HOW TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND | Back Cover |
BRECKINRIDGE MUNICIPAL BOND COMPLETION FUND
Investment Objective
The investment objective of the Breckinridge Municipal Bond Completion Fund (the “Fund”) is to provide investors with a high level of current income that is exempt from federal income tax. Capital appreciation is a secondary objective.
Fund Fees and Expenses
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and example below. Fund shares are only available through certain separately managed accounts with which Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Inc. (“Breckinridge” or the “Adviser”) has an agreement to serve as investment adviser. The fees and expenses in the following tables do not reflect any charges that are imposed by those separately managed accounts.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
| Management Fees1 | 0.00% |
| Other Expenses2 | 0.21% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses3 | 0.21% |
| 1 | The Adviser does not charge a management fee to the Fund. You will, however, incur a management fee through your respective separately managed account of which the Fund is a part. |
| 2 | Other Expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
| 3 | The Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to keep Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and extraordinary expenses (collectively, “excluded expenses”)) from exceeding 0.30% of the Fund’s average daily net assets until April 30, 2027. In addition, the Adviser may receive from the Fund the difference between the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (not including excluded expenses) and the expense cap to recoup all or a portion of its prior expense reimbursements made during the rolling three-year period preceding the date of the recoupment if at any point Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (not including excluded expenses) are below the expense cap (i) at the time of the expense reimbursement and (ii) at the time of the recoupment. This Agreement may be terminated: (i) by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund (the “Trust”), for any reason at any time, or (ii) by the Adviser, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Trust, effective as of the close of business on April 30, 2027. |
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Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses (including capped expenses for the period described in the footnote to the fee table) remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years |
| $22 | $68 |
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 total annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus, it does not have portfolio turnover information to report.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in municipal securities that pay interest not subject to regular federal income tax. Some of these investments in municipal securities may pay interest that is not exempt from the federal alternative minimum tax (“Federal AMT”). This investment policy may be changed by the Fund upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders. Municipal securities may include debt obligations (including notes and tax-exempt commercial paper) issued by or on behalf of states, territories, and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies, and instrumentalities.
The municipal securities in which the Fund invests may include lower-quality municipal debt obligations rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization at the time of purchase as below investment grade (sometimes called “junk” bonds or “high yield” bonds) or, if unrated, issued by obligors which the Adviser determines have comparable below investment grade municipal obligations outstanding or which are deemed by the Adviser to be comparable to obligors with outstanding below investment grade obligations. Although the Fund seeks to be diversified by geography and across sectors of the municipal bond market, the Fund may at times invest a significant portion of its assets in a particular state or region or in a particular sector due to market conditions. The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in taxable fixed-income securities, such as U.S. Treasury securities, as well as privately issued securities (e.g., Rule 144A securities), other investment companies, and corporate fixed income securities. The Fund may also invest in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) for cash management purposes, including to equitize cash.
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In selecting securities for the Fund, the Adviser uses a bottom-up approach that seeks to invest in securities having credit quality and structural characteristics consistent with the investment objectives of providing current income and capital preservation. Investment opportunities are first identified based on fundamental analysis of the municipal issuer’s credit quality followed by an analysis of a security’s structure (such as call features, coupon, and sinking fund requirements) and an assessment of its risk-adjusted return relative to other tax-exempt offerings and returns available in the taxable fixed-income markets. The Adviser considers selling securities held by the Fund for various reasons, including, but not limited to, downgrades in the Adviser’s internal ratings or opinions and changes in a given bond’s underlying trends, risk profile or valuation. The Adviser does not use predetermined price targets. Rather it evaluates the risks of holding a bond against the potential upside return and, if applicable, the tax consequences of selling. The Adviser makes sell decisions through a collaborative process, whereby the Fund’s portfolio management team works with the research team to review potential candidates.
The Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means that it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund.
Principal Risks
As with all mutual funds, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. A Fund share is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency. The principal risk factors affecting shareholders’ investments in the Fund are set forth below.
Municipal Securities Risk – Municipal securities, like other fixed income securities, rise and fall in value in response to economic and market factors, primarily changes in interest rates, and actual or perceived credit quality. Rising interest rates will generally cause municipal securities to decline in value. Longer-term securities respond more sharply to interest rate changes than do shorter-term securities. A municipal security will also lose value if, due to rating downgrades or other factors, there are concerns about the issuer’s current or future ability to make principal or interest payments. State and local governments rely on taxes and, to some extent, revenues from private projects financed by municipal securities, to pay interest and principal on municipal debt. Poor statewide or local economic results or changing political sentiments may reduce tax revenues and increase the expenses of municipal issuers, making it more difficult for them to meet their obligations. Actual or perceived erosion of the creditworthiness of municipal issuers may reduce the value of the Fund’s holdings. As a result, the Fund will be more susceptible to factors that adversely affect issuers of municipal obligations than a mutual fund that does not have as great a concentration in municipal obligations.
Interest Rate Risk – The risk that a change in interest rates will cause a fall in the value of fixed income securities, including U.S. Government securities, in which the Fund invests. Generally, the value of the Fund’s fixed income securities will vary inversely with the direction of prevailing interest rates. Changing interest rates may have unpredictable effects on the markets and may affect the value and liquidity of instruments held by the Fund. Although U.S. Government securities are considered to be among the safest investments, they are not guaranteed against price movements due to changing interest rates.
Credit Risk – The risk that the issuer of a security or the counterparty to a contract will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation.
Prepayment and Extension Risk – When interest rates fall, issuers of high interest debt obligations may pay off the debts earlier than expected (prepayment risk), and the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower yields. When interest rates rise, issuers of lower interest debt obligations may pay off the debts later than expected (extension risk), thus keeping the Fund’s assets tied up in lower interest debt obligations.
Active Management Risk – The Fund is actively managed, and the investment techniques and risk analysis used by the Fund’s portfolio managers may not produce the desired results.
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Liquidity Risk – The risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. The Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance.
Tax and Federal AMT Risk – The Fund will rely on the opinion of issuers’ bond counsel and, in the case of derivative securities, sponsors’ counsel, on the tax-exempt status of interest on municipal bond obligations and payments under tax-exempt derivative securities. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser will independently review the bases for those tax opinions, which may ultimately be determined to be incorrect and subject the Fund and its shareholders to substantial tax liabilities. Certain shareholders subject to the Federal AMT may be required to report the Fund’s exempt interest distributions in determining their Federal AMT. Exempt-interest dividends may affect the federal corporate alternative minimum tax for certain corporations.
U.S. Government Securities Risk – The Fund’s investment in U.S. government obligations may include securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. government, or its agencies or instrumentalities. Payment of principal and interest on U.S. government obligations may be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States or may be backed solely by the issuing or guaranteeing agency or instrumentality itself. There can be no assurance that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises) where it is not obligated to do so. In addition, U.S. government securities are not guaranteed against price movements due to changing interest rates.
ETFs Risk – ETFs are pooled investment vehicles, such as registered investment companies and grantor trusts, whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market. To the extent that the Fund invests in ETFs, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities in which the ETF invests, and the value of the Fund’s investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of the ETF's holdings. ETFs typically incur fees that are separate from those of the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund’s investments in ETFs will result in the layering of expenses such that shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the ETFs’ operating expenses, in addition to paying Fund expenses.
Below Investment Grade Securities (Junk Bonds) Risk – Fixed income securities rated below investment grade (junk bonds) involve greater risks of default or downgrade and are generally more volatile than investment grade securities because the prospect for repayment of principal and interest of many of these securities is speculative. Because these securities typically offer a higher rate of return to compensate investors for these risks, they are sometimes referred to as “high yield bonds,” but there is no guarantee that an investment in these securities will result in a high rate of return.
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Valuation Risk – The risk that a security may be difficult to value. The Fund may value certain securities at a price higher than the price at which they can be sold.
Large Purchase and Redemption Risk – Large purchases or redemptions of the Fund’s shares may force the Fund to purchase or sell securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, and may cause the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs to rise, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance and have adverse tax consequences for Fund shareholders.
Commercial Paper Risk – Commercial paper is a short-term obligation with a maturity generally ranging from one to 270 days and is issued by U.S. or foreign companies or other entities in order to finance their current operations. Such investments are unsecured and usually discounted from their value at maturity. The value of commercial paper may be affected by changes in the credit rating or financial condition of the issuing entities and will tend to fall when interest rates rise and rise when interest rates fall. Asset-backed commercial paper may be issued by structured investment vehicles or other conduits that are organized to issue the commercial paper and to purchase trade receivables or other financial assets. The repayment of asset-backed commercial paper depends primarily on the cash collections received from such an issuer’s underlying asset portfolio and the issuer’s ability to issue new asset-backed commercial paper.
Non-Diversified Risk – The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest in the securities of relatively few issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or political occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers and may experience increased volatility due to its investments in those securities.
Geographic Focus Risk – To the extent that it focuses its investments in a particular state or geographic region, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, regulatory or other events or conditions affecting issuers and states within that state or geographic region. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss than a fund holding more geographically diverse investments.
Sector Focus Risk – Because the Fund may, from time to time, be more heavily invested in particular sectors of the municipal bond market, the value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect those sectors. As a result, the Fund’s share price may at times fluctuate more widely than the value of shares of a fund that invests in a broader range of sectors.
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New Fund Risk – Because the Fund is new, investors in the Fund bear the risk that the Fund may not be successful in implementing its investment strategy, may not employ a successful investment strategy, or may fail to attract sufficient assets under management to realize economies of scale, any of which could result in the Fund being liquidated at any time without shareholder approval and at a time that may not be favorable for all shareholders. Such liquidation could have negative tax consequences for shareholders and will cause shareholders to incur expenses of liquidation.
Investment Company Risk – An investment company in which the Fund invests may not achieve its investment objective or execute its investment strategies effectively. Large purchase or redemption activity by shareholders of such an investment company might negatively affect the value of the investment company’s shares. The Fund must also pay its pro rata portion of an investment company’s fees and expenses.
Corporate Fixed Income Securities Risk – The prices of the Fund’s corporate fixed income securities respond to economic developments, particularly interest rate changes, as well as to perceptions about the creditworthiness and business prospects of individual issuers.
Performance Information
The Fund is new, and therefore has no performance history. 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 Fund’s returns and comparing the Fund’s performance to a broad measure of market performance. Of course, the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Current performance information is available by calling [___________].
Investment Adviser
Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Inc.
Portfolio Managers
The following individuals are jointly and primarily responsible for making the day-to-day investment decisions for the Fund:
Matthew Buscone, Co-Chief Investment Officer, has managed the Fund since its inception in 2026.
Eric Haase, CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager, has managed the Fund since its inception in 2026.
Maggie Fitzpatrick, CFA, Portfolio Manager, has managed the Fund since its inception in 2026.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Shares of the Fund are available for purchase and redemption exclusively by or on behalf of certain separately managed account clients where Breckinridge has an agreement with the client’s intermediary, or directly with the client, to provide advisory services to the managed account. In addition, the Fund will redeem the shares of any investor who ceases to be a client in the managed account through which the shares were purchased.
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The Fund does not impose any minimum investment requirements. However, the managed accounts through which the Fund is offered typically impose minimum investment requirements.
Tax Information
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as qualified dividend income, ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or IRA, in which case your distributions will be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-deferred account.
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More Information about Risk
Investing in the Fund involves risk and there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Adviser’s judgments about the markets, the economy, or companies may not anticipate actual market movements, economic conditions or company performance, and these judgments may affect the return on your investment. In fact, no matter how good of a job the Adviser does, you could lose money on your investment in the Fund, just as you could with other investments.
The value of your investment in the Fund is based on the value of the securities and other investments the Fund holds. Generally, these prices change daily due to economic and other events that affect particular companies and other issuers. These price movements, sometimes called volatility, may be greater or lesser depending on the types of securities the Fund owns and the markets in which they trade. The effect on the Fund of a change in the value of a single security will depend on how widely the Fund diversifies its holdings. The Fund is non-diversified, meaning that the Fund may invest a large percentage of its assets in a single issuer or a relatively small number of issuers. Accordingly, the Fund will be more susceptible to negative events affecting a small number of holdings than a diversified fund.
Municipal Securities Risk — Municipal securities, like other fixed-income securities, rise and fall in value in response to economic and market factors, primarily changes in interest rates, and actual or perceived credit quality. Rising interest rates will generally cause municipal securities to decline in value. Longer-term securities generally respond more sharply to interest rate changes than do shorter-term securities. A municipal security will also lose value if, due to rating downgrades or other factors, there are concerns about the issuer’s current or future ability to make principal or interest payments. State and local governments rely on taxes and, to some extent, revenues from private projects financed by municipal securities, to pay interest and principal on municipal debt. Poor statewide or local economic results or changing political sentiments may reduce tax revenues and increase the expenses of municipal issuers, making it more difficult for them to meet their obligations. Actual or perceived erosion of the creditworthiness of municipal issuers may reduce the value of the Fund’s holdings. As a result, the Fund will be more susceptible to factors which adversely affect issuers of municipal obligations than a mutual fund which does not have as great a concentration in municipal obligations. Also, there may be economic or political changes that impact the ability of issuers of municipal securities to repay principal and to make interest payments on securities owned by the Fund. Any changes in the financial condition of municipal issuers also may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s securities.
Interest Rate Risk — Interest rate risk is the risk that a change in interest rates will cause a fall in the value of fixed income securities, including U.S. Government securities, in which the Fund invests. In a low interest rate environment, the risk of a decline in value of the Fund’s portfolio securities associated with rising rates is heightened because there may be a greater likelihood of rates increasing, potentially rapidly. In a declining interest rate environment, the Fund generally will be required to invest available cash in instruments with lower interest rates than those of the current portfolio securities. Although U.S. Government securities are considered to be among the safest investments, they are not guaranteed against price movements due to changing interest rates. Obligations issued by some U.S. Government agencies are backed by the U.S. Treasury, whereas others are backed solely by the ability of the agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury or by the agency’s own resources. Interest rate risk may be heightened for investments in emerging market countries.
Credit Risk — Credit risk is the risk that a decline in the credit quality of an investment could cause the Fund to lose money. The Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a portfolio security or a counterparty to a derivative contract fails to make timely payment or otherwise honor its obligations. Discontinuation of these payments could substantially adversely affect the market value of the security.
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Prepayment and Extension Risk — When interest rates fall, issuers of high interest debt obligations may pay off the debts earlier than expected (prepayment risk), and the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower yields. When interest rates rise, issuers of lower interest debt obligations may pay off the debts later than expected (extension risk), thus keeping the Fund’s assets tied up in lower interest debt obligations.
Active Management Risk — The Fund is actively managed, and the investment techniques and risk analysis used by the Fund’s portfolio managers may not produce the desired results.
Liquidity Risk — Certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. The Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance.
Tax and Federal AMT Risk — The Fund will rely on the opinion of issuers’ bond counsel and, in the case of derivative securities, sponsors’ counsel, on the tax-exempt status of interest on municipal bond obligations and payments under tax-exempt derivative securities. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser will independently review the bases for those tax opinions, which may ultimately be determined to be incorrect and subject the Fund and their shareholders to substantial tax liabilities. Certain shareholders subject to the Federal AMT may be required to report the Fund’s exempt interest distributions in determining their Federal AMT. Exempt-interest dividends may affect the federal corporate alternative minimum tax for certain corporations.
U.S. Government Securities Risk — The Fund’s investment in U.S. government obligations may include securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. government, or its agencies or instrumentalities. Obligations issued by some U.S. government agencies are backed by the U.S. Treasury, whereas others are backed solely by the ability of the agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury or by the agency’s own resources. There can be no assurance that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises) where it is not obligated to do so. In addition, U.S. government securities are not guaranteed against price movements due to changing interest rates.
ETFs Risk — ETFs are pooled investment vehicles, such as registered investment companies and grantor trusts, whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market. To the extent that the Fund invests in ETFs, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities in which the ETF invests, and the value of the Fund’s investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of the ETF’s holdings. ETFs typically incur fees that are separate from those of the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund’s investments in ETFs will result in the layering of expenses such that shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the ETFs’ operating expenses, in addition to paying Fund expenses. Because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, shares may trade at a discount or premium to their NAV and the Adviser may not be able to liquidate the Fund’s holdings at the most optimal time, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Below Investment Grade Securities (Junk Bonds) Risk — Fixed income securities rated below investment grade (junk bonds) involve greater risks of default or downgrade and are generally more volatile than investment grade securities because the prospect for repayment of principal and interest of many of these securities is speculative. Because these securities typically offer a higher rate of return to compensate investors for these risks, they are sometimes referred to as “high yield bonds,” but there is no guarantee that an investment in these securities will result in a high rate of return.
Valuation Risk — The risk that a security may be difficult to value. The Fund may value certain securities at a price higher than the price at which they can be sold. This risk may be especially pronounced for investments that are illiquid or may become illiquid.
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Large Purchase and Redemption Risk — Large purchases or redemptions of the Fund’s shares may affect the Fund, since the Fund may be required to invest additional cash that it receives from purchase orders or sell portfolio securities if it experiences redemptions. While it is impossible to predict the overall impact of these transactions over time, there could be adverse effects on portfolio management to the extent that the Fund may be required to sell securities or invest cash at times when it would not otherwise do so. These transactions could also have tax consequences if sales of securities result in gains, and could also increase transaction costs or portfolio turnover. In addition, a large redemption could result in the Fund’s expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio.
Commercial Paper Risk — Commercial paper is a short-term obligation with a maturity generally ranging from one to 270 days and is issued by U.S. or foreign companies or other entities in order to finance their current operations. Such investments are unsecured and usually discounted from their value at maturity. The value of commercial paper may be affected by changes in the credit rating or financial condition of the issuing entities and will tend to fall when interest rates rise and rise when interest rates fall. Asset-backed commercial paper may be issued by structured investment vehicles or other conduits that are organized to issue the commercial paper and to purchase trade receivables or other financial assets. The repayment of asset-backed commercial paper depends primarily on the cash collections received from such an issuer’s underlying asset portfolio and the issuer’s ability to issue new asset-backed commercial paper.
Non-Diversified Risk — The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest in the securities of relatively few issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or political occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers and may experience increased volatility due to its investments in those securities. However, the Fund intends to satisfy the asset diversification requirements for qualifying as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
Geographic Focus Risk — To the extent that it focuses its investments in a particular state or geographic region, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, regulatory or other events or conditions affecting issuers and countries within that state or geographic region. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss than a fund holding more geographically diverse investments.
10
Sector Focus Risk — Because the Fund may, from time to time, be more heavily invested in particular sectors of the municipal securities market, the value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect those sectors. As a result, the Fund’s share price may at times fluctuate more widely than the value of shares of a fund that invests in a broader range of sectors.
New Fund Risk — Because the Fund is new, investors in the Fund bear the risk that the Fund may not be successful in implementing its investment strategy, may not employ a successful investment strategy, or may fail to attract sufficient assets under management to realize economies of scale, any of which could result in the Fund being liquidated at any time without shareholder approval and at a time that may not be favorable for all shareholders. Such liquidation could have negative tax consequences for shareholders and will cause shareholders to incur expenses of liquidation.
Investment Company Risk — Investments in open-end and closed-end investment companies involve substantially the same risks as investing directly in the instruments held by these entities. However, the total return from such investments will be reduced by the operating expenses and fees of the investment company. The Fund must also pay its pro rata portion of an investment company’s fees and expenses. An investment company may not achieve its investment objective or execute its investment strategy effectively, which may adversely affect each Fund’s performance. Shares of a closed-end investment company may expose the Funds to risks associated with leverage and may trade at a premium or discount to the NAV of the closed-end fund’s portfolio securities depending on a variety of factors, including market supply and demand. Additionally, large purchase or redemption activity by shareholders of an investment company might negatively affect the value of the investment company’s shares.
Corporate Fixed Income Securities Risk — The Fund may invest in corporate fixed income securities. Corporate fixed income securities are fixed income securities issued by public and private businesses. Corporate fixed income securities respond to economic developments, especially changes in interest rates, as well as perceptions of the creditworthiness and business prospects of individual issuers. Corporate fixed income securities are subject to the risk that the issuer may not be able to pay interest or, ultimately, to repay principal upon maturity. Interruptions or delays of these payments could adversely affect the market value of the security. In addition, due to lack of uniformly available information about issuers or differences in the issuers’ sensitivity to changing economic conditions, it may be difficult to measure the credit risk of corporate securities.
More Information about Fund Investments
The investment objective of the Fund is to provide investors with a high level of current income that is exempt from federal income tax. Capital appreciation is a secondary objective. The investment objective of the Fund is not a fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.
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The investments and strategies described in this Prospectus are those that the Fund uses under normal conditions. During unusual economic or market conditions, or for temporary defensive or liquidity purposes, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash, money market instruments or other cash equivalents that would not ordinarily be consistent with its investment objective. If the Fund invests in this manner, it may not achieve its investment objective. The Fund will do so only if the Adviser believes that the risk of loss outweighs the opportunity to pursue its investment objective.
This Prospectus describes the Fund’s principal investment strategies and risks, and the Fund will normally invest in the types of securities and other investments described in this Prospectus. In addition to the securities and other investments and strategies described in this Prospectus, the Fund also may invest in other securities, use other strategies and engage in other investment practices. These investments and strategies, as well as those described in this Prospectus, are described in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”). For information on how to obtain a copy of the SAI see the back cover of this Prospectus. Of course, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment goal.
Information about Portfolio Holdings
A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the circumstances under which the Fund discloses its portfolio holdings is available in the SAI.
Investment Adviser
Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation, has been providing investment advisory services since 1993, and serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is an investment management firm with a principal place of business located at 125 High Street, Suite 431, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. The Adviser is wholly owned by current and former employees, as well as members of its board of directors. As of December 31, 2025, the Adviser had approximately $54.3 billion in assets under management.
The Adviser makes investment decisions for the Fund and continuously reviews, supervises and administers the Fund’s investment program. The Board oversees the Adviser and establishes policies that the Adviser must follow in its management activities.
The Fund does not pay the Adviser for investment advisory services to the Fund, but does pay other expenses of the Fund such as administration fees, custody fees and general operating expenses. The Adviser is compensated by management fees incurred through the separately managed account programs of which the Fund is a part.
The Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to keep total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and extraordinary expenses (collectively, “excluded expenses”)) from exceeding 0.30% of the Fund’s average daily net assets until April 30, 2027. This agreement may be terminated: (i) by the Adviser, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Trust, effective as of the close of business on April 30, 2027; or (ii) by the Board, for any reason at any time.
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In addition, the Adviser may receive from the Fund the difference between the total annual Fund operating expenses (not including excluded expenses) and the expense cap to recoup all or a portion of its prior expense reimbursements made during the rolling three-year period preceding the date of the recoupment if at any point total annual Fund operating expenses (not including excluded expenses) are below the expense cap (i) at the time of the expense reimbursement and (ii) at the time of the recoupment.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the investment advisory agreement for the Fund will be available in the Fund’s reports filed on Form N-CSR.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund is managed by a team of investment professionals. The following portfolio managers are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund:
Matthew Buscone, Co-Chief Investment Officer, joined Breckinridge in 2002. Mr. Buscone has been a member of the portfolio management team since 2008. Mr. Buscone serves as co-chief investment officer and is a member of Breckinridge’s Executive Committee.
Eric Haase, CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager, joined Breckinridge and the portfolio management team in 2016. Prior to joining Breckinridge, Mr. Haase was employed at SCS Financial LLC from 2005 to 2016, most recently as a portfolio manager focusing on tax-exempt separate accounts and conducting manager research across fixed income sectors.
Maggie Fitzpatrick, CFA, Portfolio Manager, joined Breckinridge in 2017. Ms. Fitzpatrick spent two years on the consultant relations team before transitioning to the investment team as a portfolio analyst in 2020. In 2022, Ms. Fitzpatrick was promoted to Associate Portfolio Manager and in 2023 to Portfolio Manager. Prior to joining Breckinridge, she was an advisory services associate with Gurtin Municipal Bond Management from 2012 to 2017.
The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed, and ownership of Fund shares.
Purchasing and Selling Fund Shares
This section tells you how to purchase, sell (sometimes called “redeem”) shares of the Fund. The Fund is available exclusively within certain separately managed accounts for which Breckinridge serves as investment advisor. The Fund is intended to be used in combination with selected individual securities held at the managed account level, as components of the overall investment strategy for the managed account. This structure is intended to enable investors in those managed accounts to achieve greater diversification and/or exposure to certain securities than they might otherwise have been able to achieve if the Fund was not included as a component of the managed account.
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For information regarding the federal income tax consequences of transactions in shares of the Fund, including information about cost basis reporting, see “Taxes.”
How to Purchase Fund Shares
Because the Fund is used exclusively within certain separately managed accounts for which Breckinridge serves as investment advisor, Breckinridge is responsible for deciding whether to invest assets of the managed accounts in the Fund. Accordingly, managed account clients are unable to directly purchase shares of the Fund.
There is no minimum investment requirement for purchases of the Fund. However, the separately managed accounts through which the Fund is offered typically imposes minimum investment requirements.
The Fund reserves the right to suspend all sales of new shares or to reject any specific purchase order for any reason. The Fund is not intended for excessive trading by shareholders in response to short-term market fluctuations. For more information about the Fund’s policy on excessive trading, see “Excessive Trading Policies and Procedures.”
The Fund does not accept investments by non-U.S. persons.
General Information
Shares of the Fund may be purchased on any day that the NYSE is open for business (a “Business Day”). Shares cannot be purchased by Federal Reserve wire on days that either the NYSE or the Federal Reserve is closed. The Fund’s price per share will be the next determined NAV after the Fund or an authorized institution (as defined below) receives and accepts a purchase order in good order. “Good order” means that the Fund was provided a complete and signed account application, including the investor’s social security number or tax identification number, and other identification required by law or regulation, as well as sufficient purchase proceeds. Purchase orders that are not in good order cannot be accepted and processed even if money to purchase shares has been submitted by wire, check or ACH.
The Fund calculates its NAV once each Business Day as of the close of normal trading on the NYSE (normally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time). To receive the current Business Day’s NAV, the Fund or an authorized institution must receive and accept a purchase order in good order before the close of normal trading on the NYSE. If a purchase order is not received and accepted in good order before the close of normal trading on the NYSE, the order will be processed at the NAV calculated on the subsequent Business Day on which the order is received and accepted in good order. If the NYSE closes early, as in the case of scheduled half-day trading or unscheduled suspensions of trading, the Fund reserves the right to calculate NAV as of the earlier closing time. The Fund will not accept orders that request a particular day or price for the transaction or any other special conditions. Shares will only be priced on Business Days.
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How the Fund Calculates NAV
The NAV of the Fund’s shares is determined by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio investments and other assets, less any liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding of the Fund.
In calculating NAV, the Fund generally values its investment portfolio at market price. If market prices are not readily available or they are unreliable, such as in the case of a security value that has been materially affected by events occurring after the relevant market closes, securities are valued at fair value. The Board has designated the Adviser as the Fund’s valuation designee to make all fair value determinations with respect to the Fund’s portfolio investments, subject to the Board’s oversight. The Adviser has adopted and implemented policies and procedures to be followed when making fair value determinations, and it has established a Valuation Committee through which the Adviser makes fair value determinations. The Adviser’s determination of a security’s fair value price often involves the consideration of a number of subjective factors, and is therefore subject to the unavoidable risk that the value that is assigned to a security may be higher or lower than the security’s value would be if a reliable market quotation for the security was readily available.
When valuing fixed income securities with remaining maturities of more than 60 days, the Fund uses the value of the security provided by pricing services. The values provided by a pricing service may be based upon market quotations for the same security if a quotation is readily available, or may be based upon the values of securities expected to trade in a similar manner or a pricing matrix. When valuing fixed income securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less, the Fund may use the security’s amortized cost. Amortized cost and the use of a pricing matrix in valuing fixed income securities are forms of fair value pricing.
Other assets for which market quotations are not readily available will be valued at their fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser, subject to Board oversight.
Fund Codes
The reference information listed below will be helpful to you if you wish to contact the Fund, check daily NAV or obtain additional information.
| Fund Name | Ticker Symbol | CUSIP | Fund Code |
| Breckinridge Municipal Bond Completion Fund | [XXXXX] | [XX] | [XX] |
How to Sell Fund Shares
As with the purchase of the Fund’s shares, managed account clients are unable to directly redeem shares of the Fund. Instead, shares of the Fund may be sold by Breckinridge at any time in its capacity as investment advisor to the separately managed accounts of which the Fund is a part. In addition, Breckinridge will redeem shares of the Fund when you, as a managed account client, terminate your managed account.
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All redemptions of Fund shares would be processed at the net asset value per share next determined after the redemption order is received in good order by the broker-dealer who executes trades for the separately managed account.
Satisfying Fund Redemption Requests
Normally, the Fund will send sale proceeds within one Business Day after it receives a redemption request. The Fund, however, may take up to seven days to pay redemption proceeds.
The Fund typically expects to sell portfolio assets and/or hold cash or cash equivalents to meet redemption requests. On a less regular basis, the Fund may also meet redemption requests by using short-term borrowings from its custodian and/or redeeming shares in-kind (as described below). These methods may be used during both normal and stressed market conditions.
Redemptions In-Kind
The Fund generally pays sale (redemption) proceeds in cash. However, under unusual conditions that make the payment of cash unwise and for the protection of the Fund’s remaining shareholders, the Fund might pay all or part of an investor’s redemption proceeds in securities with a market value equal to the redemption price (redemption in-kind). It is highly unlikely that an investor’s shares would ever be redeemed in-kind, but if they were the investor would have to pay transaction costs to sell the securities distributed to it, as well as taxes on any capital gains from the sale as with any redemption. In addition, such investor would continue to be subject to the risks of any market fluctuation in the value of the securities received in-kind until they are sold.
Suspension of the Right to Sell Shares
The Fund may suspend an investor’s right to sell shares or delay payment of redemption proceeds for more than seven days during times when the NYSE is closed, other than during customary weekends or holidays, or as otherwise permitted by the SEC. More information about this is in the SAI.
Other Policies
Excessive Trading Policies and Procedures
The Fund is intended for long-term investment purposes only and discourages shareholders from engaging in “market timing” or other types of excessive short-term trading. This frequent trading into and out of the Fund may present risks to the Fund’s long-term shareholders and could adversely affect shareholder returns. The risks posed by frequent trading include interfering with the efficient implementation of the Fund’s investment strategies, triggering the recognition of taxable gains and losses on the sale of Fund investments, requiring the Fund to maintain higher cash balances to meet redemption requests, and experiencing increased transaction costs. However, the Fund is also mindful that shareholders may have valid reasons for periodically purchasing and redeeming fund shares.
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Because the Fund is designed to be a component of certain separately managed accounts advised by Breckinridge that also invest in individual securities and other investments, their shares may be purchased or redeemed on a frequent basis for rebalancing purposes, to invest new monies, or to accommodate reductions in account size. The Fund is managed in a manner that is consistent with its role in such separately managed accounts. Because all purchase and redemption orders are initiated by the Adviser, separately managed account clients are not in a position to effect purchase or redemption orders and are, therefore, unable to directly trade in shares of the Fund.
The Fund’s service providers will take steps reasonably designed to detect and deter frequent trading by shareholders pursuant to the Fund’s policies and procedures described in this prospectus and approved by the Board. For purposes of applying these policies, the Fund’s service providers may consider the trading history of accounts under common ownership or control. The Fund’s policies and procedures include:
| ● | Shareholders are restricted from making more than [four (4)] “round trips” into or out of the Fund within any one-year period. If a shareholder exceeds this amount, the Fund and/or its service providers may, at their discretion, reject any additional purchase or exchange orders. The Fund defines a “round trip” as a purchase or exchange into the Fund by a shareholder, followed by a subsequent redemption out of the Fund, of an amount the Adviser reasonably believes would be harmful or disruptive to the Fund. |
| ● | The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase or exchange request by any investor or group of investors for any reason without prior notice, including, in particular, if the Fund or the Adviser reasonably believes that the trading activity would be harmful or disruptive to the Fund. |
The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase request by any investor or group of investors for any reason without prior notice, including, in particular, if the Fund or the Adviser reasonably believes that the trading activity would be harmful or disruptive to the Fund.
The Fund and/or its service providers seek to apply these policies to the best of their abilities uniformly and in a manner they believe is consistent with the interests of the Fund’s long-term shareholders. The Fund does not knowingly accommodate frequent purchases and redemptions by Fund shareholders. Although these policies are designed to deter frequent trading, none of these measures alone nor all of them taken together eliminate the possibility that frequent trading in the Fund will occur.
Financial intermediaries (such as investment advisers and broker-dealers) often establish omnibus accounts in the Fund for their customers through which transactions are placed. The Fund has entered into “information sharing agreements” with these financial intermediaries, which permit the Fund to obtain, upon request, information about the trading activity of the intermediary’s customers that invest in the Fund. If the Fund or its service providers identify omnibus account level trading patterns that have the potential to be detrimental to the Fund, the Fund or its service providers may, in their sole discretion, request from the financial intermediary information concerning the trading activity of its customers. Based upon a review of that information, if the Fund or its service providers determine that the trading activity of any customer may be detrimental to the Fund, they may, in their sole discretion, request the financial intermediary to restrict or limit further trading in the Fund by that customer. If the Fund is not satisfied that the intermediary has taken appropriate action, the Fund may terminate the intermediary’s ability to transact in Fund shares. When information regarding transactions in the Fund’s shares is requested by the Fund and such information is in the possession of a person that is itself a financial intermediary to a financial intermediary (an “indirect intermediary”), any financial intermediary with whom the Fund has an information sharing agreement is obligated to obtain transaction information from the indirect intermediary or, if directed by the Fund, to restrict or prohibit the indirect intermediary from purchasing shares of the Fund on behalf of other persons.
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The Fund and its service providers will use reasonable efforts to work with financial intermediaries to identify excessive short-term trading in omnibus accounts that may be detrimental to the Fund. However, there can be no assurance that the monitoring of omnibus account level trading will enable the Fund to identify or prevent all such trading by a financial intermediary’s customers. Please contact your financial intermediary for more information.
Customer Identification and Verification
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account.
What this means to you: When you open an account, the Fund will ask your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow the Fund to identify you. This information is subject to verification to ensure the identity of all persons opening a mutual fund account.
The Fund is required by law to reject your new account application if the required identifying information is not provided.
In certain instances, the Fund is required to collect documents to fulfill its legal obligation. Documents provided in connection with your application will be used solely to establish and verify your identity.
Attempts to collect the missing information required on the application will be performed by either contacting you or, if applicable, your broker or financial intermediary. If this information cannot be obtained within a reasonable timeframe established in the sole discretion of the Fund, your application will be rejected.
Subject to the Fund’s right to reject purchase as described in this Prospectus, upon receipt of your application in good order (or upon receipt of all identifying information required on the application), your investment will be accepted and your order will be processed at the next-determined NAV.
The Fund reserves the right to close or liquidate your account at the next-determined NAV and remit proceeds to you via check if they are unable to verify your identity. Attempts to verify your identity will be performed within a reasonable timeframe established in the sole discretion of the Fund. Further, the Fund reserves the right to hold your proceeds until your original check clears the bank, which may take up to 15 days from the date of purchase. In such an instance, you may be subject to a gain or loss on Fund shares and will be subject to corresponding tax implications.
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Anti-Money Laundering Program
Customer identification and verification is part of the Fund’s overall obligation to deter money laundering under federal law. The Fund has adopted an anti-money laundering compliance program designed to prevent the Fund from being used for money laundering or the financing of illegal activities. In this regard, the Fund reserves the right to: (i) refuse, cancel or rescind any purchase or exchange order; (ii) freeze any account and/or suspend account services; or (iii) involuntarily close your account in cases of threatening conduct or suspected fraudulent or illegal activity. These actions will be taken when, in the sole discretion of Fund management, they are deemed to be in the best interest of the Fund or in cases when the Fund is requested or compelled to do so by governmental or law enforcement authority. If your account is closed at the request of governmental or law enforcement authority, you may not receive proceeds of the redemption if the Fund is required to withhold such proceeds.
Unclaimed Property
Each state has unclaimed property rules that generally provide for escheatment (or transfer) to the state of unclaimed property under various circumstances. Such circumstances include inactivity (e.g., no owner-initiated contact for a certain period), returned mail (e.g., when mail sent to a shareholder is returned by the post office, or “RPO,” as undeliverable), or a combination of both inactivity and returned mail. Once it flags property as unclaimed, the Fund will attempt to contact the shareholder, but if that attempt is unsuccessful, the account may be considered abandoned and escheated to the state.
Shareholders that reside in the state of Texas may designate a representative to receive escheatment notifications by completing and submitting a designation form that can be found on the website of the Texas Comptroller. While the designated representative does not have any rights to claim or access the shareholder’s account or assets, the escheatment period will cease if the representative communicates knowledge of the shareholder’s location and confirms that the shareholder has not abandoned his or her property. A completed designation form may be mailed to the Fund (if shares are held directly with the Fund) or to the shareholder’s financial intermediary (if shares are not held directly with the Fund).
More information on unclaimed property and how to maintain an active account is available through your state or by calling [_________].
Dividends and Distributions
Normally, the Fund distributes its net investment income, if any, at least monthly and makes distributions of its net realized capital gains, if any, at least annually. If you own Fund shares on the Fund’s record date, you will be entitled to receive the distribution.
The Fund will automatically reinvest dividends and distributions in additional Fund shares unless you elect otherwise. Please contact the Adviser or your financial intermediary if you wish to change your election at any time. Your election will be effective for dividends and distributions paid after the Fund receives your written notice.
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Taxes
You should always consult your tax advisor for specific guidance regarding the federal, state and local tax effects of your investment in the Fund. The following is a summary of certain important U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund. This summary does not apply to shares held in an IRA or other tax-qualified plans, which are generally not subject to current tax. Transactions relating to shares held in such accounts may, however, be taxable at some time in the future. This summary is based on current tax law, which may change.
The Fund intends to elect and qualify each year for treatment as a RIC within the meaning of Subchapter M of the Code. If it meets certain minimum distribution requirements, a RIC is not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, the Fund’s failure to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements would result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in fund-level taxation and, consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.
The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any. The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state, and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable whether you receive them in cash or you reinvest them in additional shares of the Fund. Income distributions, including distributions of net short-term capital gains but excluding distributions of qualified dividend income, are generally taxable at ordinary income tax rates. Distributions reported by the Fund as long-term capital gains and as qualified dividend income are generally taxable at the rates applicable to long-term capital gains and currently set at a maximum tax rate for individuals at 20% (lower rates apply to individuals in lower tax brackets). Certain of the Fund’s investment strategies may limit its ability to distribute dividends eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income. Once a year the Fund (or its administrative agent) will send you a statement showing the types and total amount of distributions you received during the previous year.
A RIC that receives business interest income may pass through its net business interest income for purposes of the tax rules applicable to the interest expense limitations under Section 163(j) of the Code. A RIC’s total “Section 163(j) Interest Dividend” for a tax year is limited to the excess of the RIC’s business interest income over the sum of its business interest expense and its other deductions properly allocable to its business interest income. A RIC may, in its discretion, designate all or a portion of ordinary dividends as Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, which would allow the recipient shareholder to treat the designated portion of such dividends as interest income for purposes of determining such shareholder’s interest expense deduction limitation under Section 163(j). This can potentially increase the amount of a shareholder’s interest expense deductible under Section 163(j). In general, to be eligible to treat a Section 163(j) Interest Dividend as interest income, you must have held your shares in the Fund for more than 180 days during the 361-day period beginning on the date that is 180 days before the date on which the share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend. Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, if so designated by the Fund, will be reported to your financial intermediary or otherwise in accordance with the requirements specified by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).
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You should note that if you purchase shares just before a distribution, the purchase price would reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution. In this case, you would be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of your investment. This is known as “buying a dividend” and generally should be avoided by taxable investors.
Each sale of Fund shares may be a taxable event. For tax purposes, an exchange of your Fund shares for shares of a different fund is the same as a sale. Assuming a shareholder holds Fund shares as a capital asset, any gain or loss on the sale of Fund shares generally will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss if you held the shares 12 months or less or as long-term capital gain or loss if you held the shares for longer. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term, rather than short-term, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by you with respect to Fund shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares will be disallowed if you purchase other substantially identical shares within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) are subject to a 3.8% tax on their “net investment income,” including interest, dividends, and capital gains (including capital gains realized on the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund).
The Fund (or its administrative agent) must report to the IRS and furnish to Fund shareholders cost basis information for Fund shares. In addition to reporting the gross proceeds from the sale of Fund shares, the Fund (or its administrative agent) is also required to report the cost basis information for such shares and indicate whether these shares had a short-term or long-term holding period. For each sale of Fund shares, the Fund will permit shareholders to elect from among several IRS-accepted cost basis methods, including the average cost basis method. In the absence of an election, the Fund will use the average cost basis method as the default cost basis method. The cost basis method elected by Fund shareholders (or the cost basis method applied by default) for each sale of Fund shares may not be changed after the settlement date of each such sale of Fund shares. Fund shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the best IRS-accepted cost basis method for their tax situation and to obtain more information about cost basis reporting. Shareholders also should carefully review any cost basis information provided to them and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on their federal income tax returns.
"Qualified publicly traded partnership income" within the meaning of Section 199A(e)(5) of the Code is eligible for a 20% deduction by non-corporate taxpayers. Qualified publicly traded partnership income is generally income of a “publicly traded partnership” that is not treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes that is effectively connected with such entity’s trade or business, but does not include certain investment income. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). The Code does not contain a provision permitting a RIC, such as the Fund, to pass the special character of this income through to its shareholders. Currently, direct investors in entities that generate “qualified publicly traded partnership income” will enjoy the lower rate, but investors in a RIC that invests in such entities will not. Unless later extended or made permanent, this 20% deduction will no longer be available for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.
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Because each shareholder’s tax situation is different, you should consult your tax advisor about the tax implications of an investment in the Fund.
More information about taxes is included in the SAI.
Additional Information
The Trust enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including, among others, the Fund’s investment adviser, custodian, transfer agent, accountants, administrator and distributor, who provide services to the Fund. Shareholders are not parties to, or intended (or “third-party”) beneficiaries of, any of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any individual shareholder or group of shareholders any right to enforce the terms of the contractual arrangements against the service providers or to seek any remedy under the contractual arrangements against the service providers, either directly or on behalf of the Trust.
This Prospectus and the SAI provide information concerning the Trust and the Fund that you should consider in determining whether to purchase shares of the Fund. The Fund may make changes to this information from time to time. Neither this Prospectus, the SAI or any document filed as an exhibit to the Trust’s registration statement, is intended to, nor does it, give rise to an agreement or contract between the Trust or the Fund and any shareholder, or give rise to any contract or other rights in any individual shareholder, group of shareholders or other person other than any rights conferred explicitly by federal or state securities laws that may not be waived.
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Financial Highlights
Because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus, financial highlights for the Fund are not available.
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THE ADVISORS’ INNER CIRCLE FUND
BRECKINRIDGE MUNICIPAL BOND COMPLETION FUND
Investment Adviser
Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Inc.
125 High Street
Suite 431
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Distributor
SEI Investments Distribution Co.
One Freedom Valley Drive
Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456
Legal Counsel
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
2222 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
More information about the Fund is available, without charge, through the following:
Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”): The SAI, dated [Date], 2026, as it may be amended from time to time, includes detailed information about The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund and the Fund. The SAI is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is a part of this Prospectus.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Additional information about the Fund’s investments will be available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders and in Form N-CSR filed with the SEC. In the Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund’s annual and semi-annual financial statements.
To Obtain an SAI, Annual or Semi-Annual Report (When Available), Fund Financial Statements, or More Information:
| By Telephone: | [___________] |
| By Mail: | Breckinridge Municipal Bond Completion Fund |
| [P.O. Box 219009 | |
| Kansas City, Missouri 64121-9009] | |
| By Internet: | [__________] |
From the SEC: You can also obtain the SAI or the Annual and Semi-Annual Reports for the Fund, when available, as well as other information about The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund, from the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s website at: http://www.sec.gov. You may also obtain this information, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by e-mailing the SEC at the following address: [email protected].
The Trust’s Investment Company Act registration number is 811-06400.
[INVENTORY CODE]
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NOT
COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NOT AN
OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE
SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DATED JANUARY 23, 2026
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
BRECKINRIDGE MUNICIPAL BOND COMPLETION FUND
(Ticker Symbol: [____])
a series of THE ADVISORS’ INNER CIRCLE FUND
[Date], 2026
Investment Adviser:
BRECKINRIDGE CAPITAL ADVISORS, INC.
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. This SAI is intended to provide additional information regarding the activities and operations of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund (the “Trust”) and the Breckinridge Municipal Bond Completion Fund (the “Fund”). This SAI is incorporated by reference into and should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s prospectus dated [Date], 2026, as it may be amended from time to time (the “Prospectus”). Capitalized terms not defined herein are defined in the Prospectus. Shareholders may obtain copies of the Prospectus, the Fund’s annual or semi-annual report, and other information such as the Fund’s financial statements, when available, free of charge by writing to the Fund at Breckinridge Municipal Bond Completion Fund, P.O. Box 219009, Kansas City, MO 64121-9009 (Express Mail Address: Breckinridge Municipal Bond Completion Fund, c/o SS&C Global Investor & Distribution Solutions, Inc., 801 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 219009, Kansas City, MO 64105-1307) or by calling the Fund at [__________].
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| THE TRUST | S-XX |
| DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS | S-XX |
| INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS | S-XX |
| THE ADVISER | S-XX |
| THE PORTFOLIO MANAGERS | S-XX |
| THE ADMINISTRATOR | S-XX |
| THE DISTRIBUTOR | S-XX |
| THE TRANSFER AGENT | S-XX |
| THE CUSTODIAN | S-XX |
| INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM | S-XX |
| LEGAL COUNSEL | S-XX |
| SECURITIES LENDING | S-XX |
| FINANCIAL INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIPS | S-XX |
| TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE TRUST | S-XX |
| PURCHASING AND REDEEMING SHARES | S-XX |
| DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE | S-XX |
| TAXES | S-XX |
| FUND TRANSACTIONS | S-XX |
| PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS | S-XX |
| DESCRIPTION OF SHARES | S-XX |
| SHAREHOLDER LIABILITY | S-XX |
| LIMITATION OF TRUSTEES’ LIABILITY | S-XX |
| PROXY VOTING | S-XX |
| CODES OF ETHICS | S-XX |
| PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS AND CONTROL PERSONS | S-XX |
| APPENDIX A – DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS | XX |
| APPENDIX B – PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES | XX |
| [Date], 2026 | [INVENTORY CODE] |
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THE TRUST
General. The Fund is a separate series of the Trust. The Trust is an open-end investment management company established under Massachusetts law as a Massachusetts voluntary association (commonly known as a business trust) under a Declaration of Trust dated July 18, 1991, as amended and restated February 18, 1997 and amended May 15, 2012 and August 18, 2020 (the “Declaration of Trust”). The Declaration of Trust permits the Trust to offer separate series (“funds”) of shares of beneficial interest (“shares”). The Trust reserves the right to create and issue shares of additional funds. Each fund is a separate mutual fund or exchange traded fund (“ETF”), and each share of each fund represents an equal proportionate interest in that fund. All consideration received by the Trust for shares of any fund, and all assets of such fund, belong solely to that fund and would be subject to any liabilities related thereto. Each fund of the Trust pays its (i) operating expenses, including fees of its service providers, expenses of preparing prospectuses, proxy solicitation material and reports to shareholders, costs of custodial services and registering its shares under federal and state securities laws, pricing and insurance expenses, brokerage costs, interest charges, taxes and organization expenses and (ii) pro rata share of the fund’s other expenses, including audit and legal expenses. Expenses attributable to a specific fund shall be payable solely out of the assets of that fund. Expenses not attributable to a specific fund are allocated across all of the funds on the basis of relative net assets. The other funds of the Trust are described in one or more separate statements of additional information.
Voting Rights. Each shareholder of record is entitled to one vote for each share held on the record date for the meeting. The Fund will vote separately on matters relating solely to it. As a Massachusetts voluntary association, the Trust is not required, and does not intend, to hold annual meetings of shareholders. Approval of shareholders will be sought, however, for certain changes in the operation of the Trust and for the election of members of the Trust’s Board of Trustees (each, a “Trustee” and collectively, the “Trustees” or the “Board”) under certain circumstances. Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the power to liquidate the Fund without shareholder approval. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising this power, they may do so if the Fund fails to reach a viable size within a reasonable amount of time or for such other reasons as may be determined by the Board.
In addition, a Trustee may be removed by the remaining Trustees or by shareholders at a special meeting called upon written request of shareholders owning at least 10% of the outstanding shares of the Trust. In the event that such a meeting is requested, the Trust will provide appropriate assistance and information to the shareholders requesting the meeting.
Any series of the Trust created on or after November 11, 1996 may reorganize or merge with one or more other series of the Trust or of another investment company. Any such reorganization or merger shall be pursuant to the terms and conditions specified in an agreement and plan of reorganization authorized and approved by the Trustees and entered into by the relevant series in connection therewith. In addition, such reorganization or merger may be authorized by vote of a majority of the Trustees then in office and, to the extent permitted by applicable law and the Declaration of Trust, without the approval of shareholders of any series.
DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS
The Fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described in the Prospectus. The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus. The following are descriptions of the permitted investments and investment practices of the Fund and the associated risk factors. The Fund may invest in any of the following instruments or engage in any of the following investment practices unless such investment or activity is inconsistent with or is not permitted by the Fund’s stated investment policies, including those stated below.
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Non-Diversification. The Fund is “non-diversified,” as that term is defined under the 1940 Act, which means that the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its total assets in the securities of fewer issuers than a “diversified” fund, which increases the risk that a change in the value of any one investment held by the Fund could affect the overall value the Fund more than it would affect that of a “diversified” fund holding a greater number of investments. Accordingly, the value of the shares of the Fund may be more susceptible to any single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than the shares of a “diversified” fund would be. The Fund, however, intends to satisfy the diversification requirements necessary to qualify as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). For more information, see “Taxes” below.
American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). ADRs, as well as other “hybrid” forms of ADRs, including European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. Depositary receipts are securities that evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities that have been deposited with a “depository” and may be sponsored or unsponsored. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the United States or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution in the issuer’s home country. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends and interest and corporate actions. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities.
For ADRs, the depository is typically a U.S. financial institution and the underlying securities are issued by a foreign issuer. For other depositary receipts, the depository may be a foreign or a U.S. entity, and the underlying securities may have a foreign or a U.S. issuer. Depositary receipts will not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as their underlying securities. Generally, ADRs are issued in registered form, denominated in U.S. dollars, and designed for use in the U.S. securities markets. Other depositary receipts, such as GDRs and EDRs, may be issued in bearer form and denominated in other currencies, and are generally designed for use in securities markets outside the U.S. While the two types of depositary receipt facilities (unsponsored or sponsored) are similar, there are differences regarding a holder’s rights and obligations and the practices of market participants. A depository may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by (or acquiescence of) the underlying issuer; typically, however, the depository requests a letter of non-objection from the underlying issuer prior to establishing the facility. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all of the costs of the facility. The depository usually charges fees upon deposit and withdrawal of the underlying securities, the conversion of dividends into U.S. dollars or other currency, the disposition of non-cash distributions, and the performance of other services.
Sponsored depositary receipt facilities are created in generally the same manner as unsponsored facilities, except that sponsored depositary receipts are established jointly by a depository and the underlying issuer through a deposit agreement. The deposit agreement sets out the rights and responsibilities of the underlying issuer, the depository, and the depositary receipt holders. With sponsored facilities, the underlying issuer typically bears some of the costs of the depositary receipts (such as dividend payment fees of the depository), although most sponsored depositary receipts agree to distribute notices of shareholders meetings, voting instructions, and other shareholder communications and information to the depositary receipt holders at the underlying issuer’s request. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities.
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For purposes of the Fund’s investment policies, investments in depositary receipts will be deemed to be investments in the underlying securities. Thus, a depositary receipt representing ownership of common stock will be treated as common stock. Depositary receipts do not eliminate all of the risks associated with directly investing in the securities of foreign issuers.
Equity Securities. Equity securities represent ownership interests in a company or partnership and consist of common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants and rights to acquire common stock, securities convertible into common stock, and investments in master limited partnerships (“MLPs”). Investments in equity securities in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which the Fund invests will cause the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund to fluctuate. The Fund purchases equity securities traded on global securities exchanges or the over-the-counter market. Equity securities are described in more detail below:
| ● | Common Stock. Common stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds and preferred stock take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock. |
| ● | Preferred Stock. Preferred stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has precedence over common stock in the payment of dividends. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common stock. |
| ● | Alternative Entity Securities. Alternative entity securities are the securities of entities that are formed as limited partnerships, limited liability companies, business trusts or other non-corporate entities that are similar to common or preferred stock of corporations. |
| ● | Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”). An ETF is a fund whose shares are bought and sold on a securities exchange as if it were a single security. An ETF holds a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market segment or index. Some examples of ETFs are SPDRs®, DIAMONDSSM, NASDAQ 100 Index Tracking StockSM (“QQQsSM”), and iShares®. The Fund could purchase an ETF to temporarily gain exposure to a portion of the U.S. or foreign market while awaiting an opportunity to purchase securities directly. Similarly, the Fund may establish a short position in an ETF to gain inverse exposure to a portion of the U.S. or foreign markets. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the securities comprising the index which an index ETF is designed to track or the other holdings of an active or index ETF, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in it being more volatile than the tracked index or underlying holdings, and ETFs have management fees that increase their costs versus the costs of owning the underlying holdings directly. See also “Securities of Other Investment Companies” below. |
| ● | Rights and Warrants. A right is a privilege granted to existing shareholders of a corporation to subscribe to shares of a new issue of common stock before it is issued. Rights normally have a short life, usually two to four weeks, are freely transferable and entitle the holder to buy the new common stock at a lower price than the public offering price. Warrants are securities that are usually issued together with a debt security or preferred stock and that give the holder the right to buy proportionate amount of common stock at a specified price. Warrants are freely transferable and are traded on major exchanges. Unlike rights, warrants normally have a life that is measured in years and entitles the holder to buy common stock of a company at a price that is usually higher than the market price at the time the warrant is issued. Corporations often issue warrants to make the accompanying debt security more attractive. |
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An investment in warrants and rights may entail greater risks than certain other types of investments. Generally, rights and warrants do not carry the right to receive dividends or exercise voting rights with respect to the underlying securities, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. In addition, their value does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities, and they cease to have value if they are not exercised on or before their expiration date. Investing in rights and warrants increases the potential profit or loss to be realized from the investment as compared with investing the same amount in the underlying securities.
| ● | Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks or other securities that may be converted or exchanged (by the holder or by the issuer) into shares of the underlying common stock (or cash or securities of equivalent value) at a stated exchange ratio. A convertible security may also be called for redemption or conversion by the issuer after a particular date and under certain circumstances (including a specified price) established upon issue. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption or conversion, the Fund could be required to tender it for redemption, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell it to a third party. |
Convertible securities generally have less potential for gain or loss than common stocks. Convertible securities generally provide yields higher than the underlying common stocks, but generally lower than comparable non-convertible securities. Because of this higher yield, convertible securities generally sell at a price above their “conversion value,” which is the current market value of the stock to be received upon conversion. The difference between this conversion value and the price of convertible securities will vary over time depending on changes in the value of the underlying common stocks and interest rates. When the underlying common stocks decline in value, convertible securities will tend not to decline to the same extent because of the interest or dividend payments and the repayment of principal at maturity for certain types of convertible securities. However, securities that are convertible other than at the option of the holder generally do not limit the potential for loss to the same extent as securities convertible at the option of the holder. When the underlying common stocks rise in value, the value of convertible securities may also be expected to increase. At the same time, however, the difference between the market value of convertible securities and their conversion value will narrow, which means that the value of convertible securities will generally not increase to the same extent as the value of the underlying common stocks. Because convertible securities may also be interest-rate sensitive, their value may increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Convertible securities are also subject to credit risk, and are often lower-quality securities.
Contingent convertible bonds are typically issued by non-U.S. banks and may be convertible into equity or may be written down if pre-determined triggering events occur, such as a decline in capital thresholds below a specified level occurs. Contingent convertible bonds typically are subordinated to other debt instruments of the issuer and generally rank junior to the claims of all holders of unsubordinated obligations of the issuer. Coupon payments on contingent convertible securities may be discretionary and may be cancelled by the issuer. Contingent convertible bonds are a new form of instrument, and the market and regulatory environment for contingent convertible bonds is evolving. Therefore, it is uncertain how the overall market for contingent convertible bonds would react to a triggering event or coupon suspension applicable to one issuer. The Fund may lose money on its investment in a contingent convertible bond when holders of the issuer’s equity securities do not.
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General Risks of Investing in Stocks. While investing in stocks allows investors to participate in the benefits of owning a company, such investors must accept the risks of ownership. Unlike bondholders, who have preference to a company’s earnings and cash flow, preferred stockholders, followed by common stockholders in order of priority, are entitled only to the residual amount after a company meets its other obligations. For this reason, the value of a company’s stock will usually react more strongly to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects than its debt obligations. Stockholders of a company that fares poorly can lose money.
Stock markets tend to move in cycles with short or extended periods of rising and falling stock prices. The value of a company’s stock may fall because of:
| ▪ | Factors that directly relate to that company, such as decisions made by its management or lower demand for the company’s products or services; |
| ▪ | Factors affecting an entire industry, such as increases in production costs; and |
| ▪ | Changes in general financial market conditions that are relatively unrelated to the company or its industry, such as changes in interest rates, currency exchange rates or inflation rates. |
Because preferred stock is generally junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”). The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in REITs. A U.S. REIT is a corporation or business trust (that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation) which meets the definitional requirements of the Code. The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct from taxable income the dividends paid, thereby effectively eliminating corporate level federal income tax. To meet the definitional requirements of the Code, a U.S. REIT must, among other things: invest substantially all of its assets in interests in real estate (including mortgages and other REITs), cash and government securities; derive most of its income from rents from real property or interest on loans secured by mortgages on real property; and distribute annually 90% or more of its otherwise taxable income to shareholders.
REITs are sometimes informally characterized as Equity REITs and Mortgage REITs. An Equity REIT invests primarily in the fee ownership or leasehold ownership of land and buildings; a Mortgage REIT invests primarily in mortgages on real property, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans.
REITs may be affected by changes in underlying real estate values, which may have an exaggerated effect to the extent that REITs in which the Fund invests may concentrate investments in particular geographic regions or property types. Certain REITs have relatively small market capitalization, which may tend to increase the volatility of the market price of securities issued by such REITs. Additionally, rising interest rates may cause investors in REITs to demand a higher annual yield from future distributions, which may in turn decrease market prices for equity securities issued by REITs. Rising interest rates also generally increase the costs of obtaining financing, which could cause the value of the Fund’s investments to decline. During periods of declining interest rates, certain Mortgage REITs may hold mortgages that the mortgagors elect to prepay, which prepayment may diminish the yield on securities issued by such Mortgage REITs. Equity and Mortgage REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, Mortgage REITs may be affected by the ability of borrowers to repay when due the debt extended by the REIT and Equity REITs may be affected by the ability of tenants to pay rent. The above factors may adversely affect a borrower’s or a lessee’s ability to meet its obligations to the REIT. In the event of default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments.
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Furthermore, REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. By investing in REITs indirectly through the Fund, a shareholder will bear not only his proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the REITs. REITs depend generally on their ability to generate cash flow to make distributions to shareholders. In addition, U.S. REITs could possibly fail to qualify for tax free pass-through of income under the Code or to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act.
Real Estate Companies’ Securities. The Fund may be subject to the risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate. For example, real estate values may fluctuate as a result of general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, demographic trends and variations in rental income, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, regulatory limitations on rents, changes in neighborhood values, related party risks, changes in how appealing properties are to tenants, changes in interest rates and other real estate capital market influences.
Micro, Small and Medium Capitalization Issuers. Investing in equity securities of micro, small and medium capitalization companies often involves greater risk than is customarily associated with investments in larger capitalization companies. This increased risk may be due to the greater business risks of smaller size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and frequent lack of depth of management. The securities of micro and smaller companies are often traded in the over-the-counter market and even if listed on a national securities exchange may not be traded in volumes typical for that exchange. Consequently, the securities of micro and smaller companies are less likely to be liquid, may have limited market stability, and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established growth companies or the market averages in general.
Initial Public Offerings (“IPOs”). The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities of companies offering shares in IPOs. IPOs may have a magnified performance impact on a fund with a small asset base. The Fund may hold IPO shares for a very short period of time, which may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. By selling IPO shares, the Fund may realize taxable gains that it will subsequently distribute to shareholders. In addition, the market for IPO shares can be speculative and/or inactive for extended periods of time. The limited number of shares available for trading in some IPOs may make it more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices. Holders of IPO shares can be affected by substantial dilution in the value of their shares, by sales of additional shares and by concentration of control in existing management and principal shareholders.
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The Fund’s investment in IPO shares may include the securities of unseasoned companies (companies with less than three years of continuous operations), which presents risks considerably greater than common stocks of more established companies. These companies may have limited operating histories and their prospects for profitability may be uncertain. These companies may be involved in new and evolving businesses and, compared to their better-established, larger cap peers, may be more vulnerable to competition and changes in technology, markets and economic conditions. They may be more dependent on key managers and third parties and may have limited product lines.
Master Limited Partnerships. MLPs are limited partnerships or limited liability companies, whose partnership units or limited liability interests are listed and traded on a U.S. securities exchange, and are treated as publicly traded partnerships for federal income tax purposes. To qualify to be treated as a partnership for tax purposes, an MLP must receive at least 90% of its income from qualifying sources as set forth in Section 7704(d) of the Code. These qualifying sources include activities such as the exploration, development, mining, production, processing, refining, transportation, storage and marketing of mineral or natural resources. To the extent that an MLP’s interests are concentrated in a particular industry or sector, such as the energy sector, the MLP will be negatively impacted by economic events adversely impacting that industry or sector.
MLPs that are formed as limited partnerships generally have two classes of owners, the general partner and limited partners, while MLPs that are formed as limited liability companies generally have two analogous classes of owners, the managing member and the members. For purposes of this section, references to general partners also apply to managing members and references to limited partners also apply to members.
The general partner is typically owned by a major energy company, an investment fund, the direct management of the MLP or is an entity owned by one or more of such parties. The general partner may be structured as a private or publicly traded corporation or other entity. The general partner typically controls the operations and management of the MLP through an equity interest of as much as 2% in the MLP plus, in many cases, ownership of common units and subordinated units. A holder of general partner interests can be liable under certain circumstances for amounts greater than the amount of the holder’s investment in the general partner interest. General partner interests are not publicly traded and generally cannot be converted into common units. The general partner interest can be redeemed by the MLP if the MLP unitholders choose to remove the general partner, typically with a supermajority vote by limited partner unitholders.
Limited partners own the remainder of the MLP through ownership of common units and have a limited role in the MLP’s operations and management. Common units are listed and traded on U.S. securities exchanges, with their value fluctuating predominantly based on prevailing market conditions and the success of the MLP. Unlike owners of common stock of a corporation, owners of common units have limited voting rights and have no ability annually to elect directors. In the event of liquidation, common units have preference over subordinated units, but not over debt or preferred units, to the remaining assets of the MLP.
MLPs are typically structured such that common units and general partner interests have first priority to receive quarterly cash distributions up to an established minimum amount (“minimum quarterly distributions” or “MQD”). Common and general partner interests also accrue arrearages in distributions to the extent the MQD is not paid. Once common and general partner interests have been paid, subordinated units receive distributions of up to the MQD; however, subordinated units do not accrue arrearages. Distributable cash in excess of the MQD paid to both common and subordinated units is distributed to both common and subordinated units generally on a pro rata basis. The general partner is also eligible to receive incentive distributions if the general partner operates the business in a manner which results in distributions paid per common unit surpassing specified target levels. As the general partner increases cash distributions to the limited partners, the general partner receives an increasingly higher percentage of the incremental cash distributions. A common arrangement provides that the general partner can reach a tier where it receives 50% of every incremental dollar paid to common and subordinated unit holders. These incentive distributions encourage the general partner to streamline costs, increase capital expenditures and acquire assets in order to increase the partnership’s cash flow and raise the quarterly cash distribution in order to reach higher tiers. Such results benefit all security holders of the MLP.
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Foreign Securities. Foreign securities include equity securities of foreign entities, obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks and of foreign banks, including, without limitation, European Certificates of Deposit, European Time Deposits, European Bankers’ Acceptances, Canadian Time Deposits, Europaper and Yankee Certificates of Deposit, and investments in Canadian Commercial Paper and foreign securities. These instruments have investment risks that differ in some respects from those related to investments in obligations of U.S. domestic issuers. Such risks include future adverse political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on interest or other income, possible seizure, nationalization, or expropriation of foreign deposits, the possible establishment of exchange controls or taxation at the source, greater fluctuations in value due to changes in exchange rates, or the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on such obligations. Such investments may also entail higher custodial fees and sales commissions than domestic investments. Foreign issuers of securities or obligations are often subject to accounting treatment and engage in business practices different from those respecting domestic issuers of similar securities or obligations. Foreign branches of U.S. banks and foreign banks may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements than those applicable to domestic branches of U.S. banks.
Emerging Markets. An “emerging market” country is generally a less developed country as defined by the investment community and represented by the Morgan Stanley Capital International Emerging Markets Index (the “MSCI EM”) or that is publicly announced to be added to the MSCI EM. Typically, emerging markets are in countries that are in the process of industrialization, with lower gross national products (“GNPs”) than more developed countries.
Investment Funds. Some emerging countries currently prohibit direct foreign investment in the securities of their companies. Certain emerging countries, however, permit indirect foreign investment in the securities of companies listed and traded on their stock exchanges through investment funds that they have specifically authorized. Investments in these investment funds are subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act. If the Fund invests in such investment funds, shareholders will bear not only their proportionate share of the expenses (including operating expenses and the fees of the Adviser), but also will indirectly bear similar expenses of the underlying investment funds. In addition, these investment funds may trade at a premium over their NAV.
Risks of Foreign Securities:
Foreign securities, foreign currencies, and securities issued by U.S. entities with substantial foreign operations may involve significant risks in addition to the risks inherent in U.S. investments.
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Political and Economic Factors. Local political, economic, regulatory, or social instability, military action or unrest, or adverse diplomatic developments may affect the value of foreign investments. Listed below are some of the more important political and economic factors that could negatively affect an investment in foreign securities:
| ▪ | The economies of foreign countries may differ from the economy of the United States in such areas as growth of GNP, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, budget deficits and national debt; |
| ▪ | Foreign governments sometimes participate to a significant degree, through ownership interests or regulation, in their respective economies. Actions by these governments could significantly influence the market prices of securities and payment of dividends; |
| ▪ | The economies of many foreign countries are dependent on international trade and their trading partners, and they could be severely affected if their trading partners were to enact protective trade barriers and economic conditions; |
| ▪ | The internal policies of a particular foreign country may be less stable than in the United States. Other countries face significant external political risks, such as possible claims of sovereignty by other countries or tense and sometimes hostile border clashes; |
| ▪ | A foreign government may act adversely to the interests of U.S. investors, including expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation and other restrictions on U.S. investment. A country may restrict or control foreign investments in its securities markets. These restrictions could limit the Fund’s ability to invest in a particular country or make it very expensive for the Fund to invest in that country. Some countries require prior governmental approval, limit the types or amount of securities or companies in which a foreigner can invest, or may restrict the ability of foreign investors to repatriate their investment income and capital gains; and |
| ▪ | Periodic U.S. Government restrictions on investments in issuers from certain foreign countries may result in the Fund having to sell such prohibited securities at inopportune times. Such prohibited securities may have less liquidity as a result of such U.S. Government designation and the market price of such prohibited securities may decline, which may cause the Fund to incur losses. |
Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, region or market might adversely affect financial conditions or issuers in other countries, regions or markets. For example, on January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom (the “UK”) formally withdrew from the European Union (the “EU”) (commonly referred to as “Brexit”). Following a transition period, the UK and the EU signed a post-Brexit trade agreement governing their future economic relationship on December 30, 2020. This agreement became effective on a provisional basis on January 1, 2021 and formally entered into force on May 1, 2021. While the full impact of Brexit is unknown, Brexit has already resulted in volatility in European and global markets. The effects of Brexit on the UK and EU economies and the broader global economy could be significant, resulting in negative impacts, such as business and trade disruptions, increased volatility and illiquidity, and potentially lower economic growth of markets in the UK, EU and globally, which could negatively impact the value of the Fund’s investments. Brexit could also lead to legal uncertainty and politically divergent national laws and regulations while the new relationship between the UK and EU is further defined and the UK determines which EU laws to replace or replicate. Additionally, depreciation of the British pound sterling and/or the euro in relation to the U.S. dollar following Brexit could adversely affect Fund investments denominated in the British pound sterling and/or the euro, regardless of the performance of the investment.
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In addition, on February 24, 2022, Russian military forces invaded Ukraine, significantly amplifying already existing geopolitical tensions among Russia, Ukraine, Europe, NATO, and the West. Following Russia’s actions, various countries, including the U.S., Canada, the UK, Germany, and France, as well as the EU, issued broad-ranging economic sanctions against Russia. The sanctions consist of the prohibition of trading in certain Russian securities and engaging in certain private transactions, the prohibition of doing business with certain Russian corporate entities, large financial institutions, officials and oligarchs, and the freezing of Russian assets. The extent and duration of the war in Ukraine and the longevity and severity of sanctions remain unknown, but they could have a significant adverse impact on the European economy as well as the price and availability of certain commodities, including oil and natural gas, throughout the world. These sanctions, and the resulting disruption of the Russian economy, may cause volatility in other regional and global markets and may negatively impact the performance of various sectors and industries, as well as companies in other countries, which could have a negative effect on the performance of the Fund, even if the Fund does not have direct exposure to securities of Russian issuers.
Whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure to European issuers or countries, these events could negatively affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments due to the interconnected nature of the global economy and capital markets.
Similarly, armed conflict between Israel and Hamas and other militant groups in the Middle East and related events could cause significant market disruptions and volatility. This conflict could disrupt regional trade and supply chains, potentially affecting U.S. businesses with exposure to the region. Additionally, the Middle East plays a pivotal role in the global energy sector, and prolonged instability could impact oil prices, leading to increased costs for businesses and consumers. These and any related events could significantly impact the Fund’s performance and the value of an investment in the Fund, even if the Fund does not have direct exposure to affected issuers.
Information and Supervision. There is generally less publicly available information about foreign companies than companies based in the United States. For example, there are often no reports and ratings published about foreign companies comparable to the ones written about U.S. companies. Foreign companies are typically not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. The lack of comparable information makes investment decisions concerning foreign companies more difficult and less reliable than those concerning domestic companies.
Stock Exchange and Market Risk. The Adviser anticipates that in most cases an exchange or over-the-counter market located outside of the United States will be the best available market for foreign securities. Foreign stock markets, while growing in volume and sophistication, are generally not as developed as the markets in the United States. Foreign stock markets tend to differ from those in the United States in a number of ways.
Foreign stock markets:
| ▪ | Are generally more volatile than, and not as developed or efficient as, those in the United States; |
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| ▪ | Have substantially less volume; |
| ▪ | Trade securities that tend to be less liquid and experience rapid and erratic price movements; |
| ▪ | Have generally higher commissions and are subject to set minimum rates, as opposed to negotiated rates; |
| ▪ | Employ trading, settlement and custodial practices less developed than those in U.S. markets; and |
| ▪ | May have different settlement practices, which may cause delays and increase the potential for failed settlements. |
Foreign markets may offer less protection to shareholders than U.S. markets because:
| ▪ | Foreign accounting, auditing, and financial reporting requirements may render a foreign corporate balance sheet more difficult to understand and interpret than one subject to U.S. law and standards; |
| ▪ | Adequate public information on foreign issuers may not be available, and it may be difficult to secure dividends and information regarding corporate actions on a timely basis; |
| ▪ | In general, there is less overall governmental supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in the United States; |
| ▪ | Over-the-counter markets tend to be less regulated than stock exchange markets and, in certain countries, may be totally unregulated; |
| ▪ | Economic or political concerns may influence regulatory enforcement and may make it difficult for shareholders to enforce their legal rights; and |
| ▪ | Restrictions on transferring securities within the United States or to U.S. persons may make a particular security less liquid than foreign securities of the same class that are not subject to such restrictions. |
Foreign Currency Risk. While the Fund denominates its NAV in U.S. dollars, the securities of foreign companies are frequently denominated in foreign currencies. Thus, a change in the value of a foreign currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding change in value of securities denominated in that currency. Some of the factors that may impair the investments denominated in a foreign currency are:
| ▪ | It may be expensive to convert foreign currencies into U.S. dollars and vice versa; |
| ▪ | Complex political and economic factors may significantly affect the values of various currencies, including the U.S. dollar, and their exchange rates; |
| ▪ | Government intervention may increase risks involved in purchasing or selling foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts, since exchange rates may not be free to fluctuate in response to other market forces; |
| ▪ | There may be no systematic reporting of last sale information for foreign currencies or regulatory requirement that quotations available through dealers or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis; |
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| ▪ | Available quotation information is generally representative of very large round-lot transactions in the inter-bank market and thus may not reflect exchange rates for smaller odd-lot transactions (less than $1 million) where rates may be less favorable; and |
| ▪ | The inter-bank market in foreign currencies is a global, around-the-clock market. To the extent that a market is closed while the markets for the underlying currencies remain open, certain markets may not always reflect significant price and rate movements. |
Taxes. Certain foreign governments levy withholding taxes on dividend and interest income. Although in some countries it is possible for the Fund to recover a portion of these taxes, the portion that cannot be recovered will reduce the income the Fund receives from its investments.
Emerging Markets. Investing in emerging markets may magnify the risks of foreign investing. Security prices in emerging markets can be significantly more volatile than those in more developed markets, reflecting the greater uncertainties of investing in less established markets and economies. In particular, countries with emerging markets may:
| ▪ | Have relatively unstable governments; |
| ▪ | Present greater risks of nationalization of businesses, restrictions on foreign ownership and prohibitions on the repatriation of assets; |
| ▪ | Offer less protection of property rights than more developed countries; and |
| ▪ | Have economies that are based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates. |
Local securities markets may trade a small number of securities and may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of holdings difficult or impossible at times.
Investments in China. China is an emerging market, and as a result, investments in securities of companies organized and listed in China may be subject to liquidity constraints and significantly higher volatility, from time to time, than investments in securities of more developed markets. China may be subject to considerable government intervention and varying degrees of economic, political and social instability. These factors may result in, among other things, a greater risk of stock market, interest rate, and currency fluctuations, as well as inflation. Accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards in China are different from U.S. standards and, therefore, disclosure of certain material information may not be made, may be less available, or may be less reliable. It may also be difficult or impossible for the Fund to obtain or enforce a judgment in a Chinese court. In addition, periodically there may be restrictions on investments in Chinese companies. For example, on November 12, 2020, the President of the United States signed an Executive Order (the “November 2020 Executive Order”) prohibiting U.S. persons from purchasing or investing in publicly-traded securities of companies identified by the U.S. Government as “Communist Chinese military companies” or in instruments that are derivative of, or are designed to provide investment exposure to, those companies. In addition, on August 9, 2023, the President of the United States signed an Executive Order (the “August 2023 Executive Order” and, together with the November 2020 Executive Order, the “Executive Orders”) directing the U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) to promulgate regulations requiring notification of, or restricting, investments in China in certain categories of national security technologies, including semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information, and certain artificial intelligence technologies. On October 28, 2024, the Treasury released a final rule implementing the China-focused outbound investment program introduced by the August 2023 Executive Order.
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The universe of securities affected by the Executive Orders and any related rules can change from time to time. As a result of an increase in the number of investors looking to sell such securities, or because of an inability to participate in an investment that the Adviser otherwise believes is attractive, the Fund may incur losses. Certain securities that are or become designated as prohibited securities may have less liquidity as a result of such designation and the market price of such prohibited securities may decline, potentially causing losses to the Fund. In addition, the market for securities of other Chinese-based issuers may also be negatively impacted, resulting in reduced liquidity and price declines.
Money Market Securities. Money market securities include short-term U.S. government securities; custodial receipts evidencing separately traded interest and principal components of securities issued by the U.S. Treasury; commercial paper rated in the highest short-term rating category by a nationally recognized statistical ratings organization (“NRSRO”), such as S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) or Moody’s Investor Services, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality at the time of purchase; short-term bank obligations (certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances) of U.S. commercial banks with assets of at least $1 billion as of the end of their most recent fiscal year; and repurchase agreements involving such securities. Each of these money market securities are described below. For a description of ratings, see “Appendix A – Description of Ratings” to this SAI.
Municipal Securities. Municipal securities, including municipal bonds and municipal notes, consist of: (i) debt obligations issued by or on behalf of public authorities to obtain funds to be used for various public facilities, for refunding outstanding obligations, for general operating expenses and for lending such funds to other public institutions and facilities, and (ii) certain private activity and industrial development bonds issued by or on behalf of public authorities to obtain funds to provide for the construction, equipment, repair or improvement of privately operated facilities.
Municipal bonds are debt obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes. Municipal bonds include general obligation bonds, revenue or special obligation bonds, private activity and industrial development bonds, moral obligation bonds and participation interests in municipal bonds. General obligation bonds are backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. Revenue or special obligation bonds are backed by the revenues of a project or facility, such as tolls from a toll bridge. Private activity or industrial development bonds are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to raise money to finance various privately-owned or -operated facilities for business and manufacturing, housing, sports and pollution control. These bonds are also used to finance public facilities such as airports, mass transit systems, ports, parking or sewage or solid waste disposal facilities and certain other facilities. The payment of the principal and interest on such bonds is dependent solely on the ability of the facility’s user to meet its financial obligations and the pledge, if any, of real and personal property financed as security for such payment. Moral obligation bonds are normally issued by special purpose authorities. Moral obligation bonds are not backed by the full faith and credit of the issuing municipality, but are generally backed by the agreement of the issuing authority to request appropriations from the municipality’s legislative body. Certificates of participation represent an interest in an underlying obligation or commitment, such as an obligation issued in connection with a leasing arrangement.
Municipal notes consist of general obligation notes, tax anticipation notes (notes sold to finance working capital needs of the issuer in anticipation of receiving taxes on a future date), revenue anticipation notes (notes sold to provide needed cash prior to receipt of expected non-tax revenues from a specific source), bond anticipation notes, tax and revenue anticipation notes, certificates of indebtedness, demand notes and construction loan notes. The maturities of the instruments at the time of issue will generally range from three months to one year.
With respect to municipal securities issued by a state and its political subdivisions, as well as certain other governmental issuers such as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Trust cannot predict what legislation, if any, may be proposed in the state’s legislature in regards to the state’s personal income tax status of interest on such obligations, or which proposals, if any, might be enacted. Such proposals, if enacted, might materially adversely affect the availability of the state’s municipal securities for investment by the Fund and the value of the Fund’s investments.
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Municipal bonds are subject to credit and market risk. Generally, prices of higher quality issues tend to fluctuate more with changes in market interest rates than prices of lower quality issues and prices of longer maturity issues tend to fluctuate more than prices of shorter maturity issues. The economic and revenue performance of states and their agencies and municipalities may be significantly impacted by trends in the national economy, particularly by factors such as unemployment and the housing market which may directly impact revenue production of certain issuers of municipal securities. Poor economic performance may increase the likelihood that issuers of securities in which the Fund may invest will be unable to meet their obligations, that the values of securities in which the Fund invests will decline significantly, and that the liquidity of such securities will be impaired. In addition, the value of municipal bonds may also be affected by uncertainties involving the taxation of municipal bonds or the rights of municipal bond holders in the event of a bankruptcy.
The Fund may purchase and sell portfolio investments to take advantage of changes or anticipated changes in yield relationships, markets or economic conditions. The Fund also may sell municipal bonds due to changes in the Adviser’s evaluation of the issuer or cash needs resulting from redemption requests for Fund shares. The secondary market for municipal bonds typically has been less liquid than that for taxable debt/fixed income securities, and this may affect the Fund’s ability to sell particular municipal bonds at quoted market prices, especially in periods when other investors are attempting to sell the same securities. Additionally, municipal bonds rated below investment grade (i.e., high yield municipal bonds) may not be as liquid as higher-rated municipal bonds. Reduced liquidity in the secondary market may have an adverse impact on the market price of a municipal bond and on the Fund’s ability to sell a municipal bond in response to changes or anticipated changes in economic conditions or to meet the Fund’s cash needs. Reduced liquidity may also make it more difficult to obtain market quotations based on actual trades for purposes of valuing the Fund’s portfolio.
Prices and yields on municipal bonds are dependent on a variety of factors, including general financial market conditions, the financial condition of the issuer, general conditions of the municipal bond market, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. A number of these factors, including the ratings of particular issues, are subject to change from time to time. Information about the financial condition of an issuer of municipal bonds may not be as extensive as that which is made available by corporations whose securities are publicly traded.
U.S. Government Securities. The Fund may invest in U.S. government securities. Securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities include U.S. Treasury securities, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury and which differ only in their interest rates, maturities, and times of issuance. U.S. Treasury bills have initial maturities of one-year or less; U.S. Treasury notes have initial maturities of one to ten years; and U.S. Treasury bonds generally have initial maturities of greater than ten years. U.S. Treasury notes and bonds typically pay coupon interest semi-annually and repay the principal at maturity. Certain U.S. government securities are issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government including, but not limited to, obligations of U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Small Business Administration, the Federal Farm Credit Administration, the Federal Home Loan Banks, Banks for Cooperatives (including the Central Bank for Cooperatives), the Federal Land Banks, the Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Federal Financing Bank, the Student Loan Marketing Association, the National Credit Union Administration and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (“Farmer Mac”).
Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities, including, for example, Ginnie Mae pass-through certificates, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those securities issued by Fannie Mae, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the federal agency. Additionally, some obligations are issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, which are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. While the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored federal agencies, no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will always do so, since the U.S. government is not so obligated by law. Guarantees of principal by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities may be a guarantee of payment at the maturity of the obligation so that in the event of a default prior to maturity there might not be a market and thus no means of realizing on the obligation prior to maturity. Guarantees as to the timely payment of principal and interest do not extend to the value or yield of these securities nor to the value of the Fund’s shares.
On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”) announced a federal takeover of Fannie Mae and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), placing the two federal instrumentalities in conservatorship. Under the takeover, the U.S. Treasury agreed to acquire $1 billion of senior preferred stock of each instrumentality and obtained warrants for the purchase of common stock of each instrumentality (the “Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement” or “Agreement”). Under the Agreement, the U.S. Treasury pledged to provide up to $200 billion per instrumentality as needed, including the contribution of cash capital to the instrumentalities in the event their liabilities exceed their assets. This was intended to ensure that the instrumentalities maintain a positive net worth and meet their financial obligations, preventing mandatory triggering of receivership. On December 24, 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was amending the Agreement to allow the $200 billion cap on the U.S. Treasury’s funding commitment to increase as necessary to accommodate any cumulative reduction in net worth through the end of 2012.
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On August 17, 2012, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was again amending the Agreement to terminate the requirement that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac each pay a 10 percent annual dividend. Instead, the companies will transfer to the U.S. Treasury on a quarterly basis all profits earned during a quarter that exceed a capital reserve amount. The capital reserve amount was $3 billion in 2013, and decreased by $600 million in each subsequent year through 2017. It is believed that this amendment put Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in a better position to service their debt because it eliminated the need for the companies to have to borrow from the U.S. Treasury to make fixed dividend payments. As part of the new terms, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also will be required to reduce their investment portfolios over time. On December 21, 2017, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was again amending the Agreement to reinstate the $3 billion capital reserve amount. On September 30, 2019, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was further amending the Agreement, permitting Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to retain earnings beyond the $3 billion capital reserves previously allowed through the 2017 amendment.
Under a letter agreement entered into in January 2021, each company is permitted to retain earnings and raise private capital to enable them to meet the minimum capital requirements under the FHFA’s Enterprise Regulatory Capital Framework (“ERCF”). The letter agreement also permits each company to develop a plan to exit conservatorship, but may not do so until all litigation involving the conservatorships is resolved and each company has the minimum capital required by FHFA’s rules.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. The Agreement is intended to enhance each of Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s ability to meet its obligations. The FHFA has indicated that the conservatorship of each company will end when the director of FHFA determines that FHFA’s plan to restore the company to a safe and solvent condition has been completed. Under amendments to the ERCF, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have published capital disclosures which provide additional information about their capital position and capital requirements on a quarterly basis since the first quarter of 2023 and delivered their first capital plans to FHFA in May 2023. The FHFA finalized amendments to certain provisions of the ERCF in November 2023 that modify various capital requirements for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Should Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac be taken out of conservatorship, it is unclear whether the U.S. Treasury would continue to enforce its rights or perform its obligations under the Agreement. It is also unclear how the capital structure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would be constructed post-conservatorship, and what effects, if any, the privatization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will have on their creditworthiness and guarantees of certain mortgage-backed securities. The ERCF requires Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, upon exit from conservatorship, to maintain higher levels of capital than prior to conservatorship to satisfy their risk-based capital requirements, leverage ratio requirements and prescribed buffer amounts. Accordingly, should the FHFA take Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac out of conservatorship, there could be an adverse impact on the value of their securities, which could cause the Fund’s investments to lose value.
U.S. Treasury Obligations. U.S. Treasury obligations consist of direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and separately traded interest and principal component parts of such obligations, including those transferable through the Federal book-entry system known as Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities (“STRIPS”). The STRIPS program lets investors hold and trade the individual interest and principal components of eligible Treasury notes and bonds as separate securities. Under the STRIPS program, the principal and interest components are separately issued by the U.S. Treasury at the request of depository financial institutions, which then trade the component parts separately.
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Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (“TIPS”) - TIPS are fixed income securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. The interest rate on TIPS is fixed at issuance, but over the life of the bond this interest may be paid on an increasing or decreasing principal value that has been adjusted for inflation. Although repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity is guaranteed, the market value of TIPS is not guaranteed, and will fluctuate.
Commercial Paper. Commercial paper is the term used to designate unsecured short-term promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities. Maturities on these issues vary from a few to 270 days.
Investment Grade Fixed Income Securities. Fixed income securities are considered investment grade if they are rated in one of the four highest rating categories by an NRSRO, or, if not rated, are determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser. See “Appendix A - Description of Ratings” for a description of the bond rating categories of several NRSROs. Ratings of each NRSRO represent its opinion of the safety of principal and interest payments (and not the market risk) of bonds and other fixed income securities it undertakes to rate at the time of issuance. Ratings are not absolute standards of quality and may not reflect changes in an issuer’s creditworthiness. Fixed income securities rated BBB- or Baa3 lack outstanding investment characteristics, and have speculative characteristics as well. Securities rated Baa3 by Moody’s or BBB- by S&P or higher are considered by those rating agencies to be “investment grade” securities, although Moody’s considers securities rated in the Baa category to have speculative characteristics. While issuers of bonds rated BBB by S&P are considered to have adequate capacity to meet their financial commitments, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and principal for debt in this category than debt in higher rated categories. In the event a security owned by the Fund is downgraded below investment grade, the Adviser will review the situation and take appropriate action with regard to the security.
Debt Securities. Corporations and governments use debt securities to borrow money from investors. Most debt securities promise a variable or fixed rate of return and repayment of the amount borrowed at maturity. Some debt securities, such as zero coupon bonds, do not pay current interest and are purchased at a discount from their face value.
Types of Debt Securities:
| ● | Corporate Bonds. Corporations issue bonds and notes to raise money for working capital or for capital expenditures such as plant construction, equipment purchases and expansion. In return for the money loaned to the corporation by investors, the corporation promises to pay investors interest, and repay the principal amount of the bond or note. |
| ● | Mortgage-Backed Securities. Mortgage-backed securities are interests in pools of mortgage loans that various governmental, government-related and private organizations assemble as securities for sale to investors. Unlike most debt securities, which pay interest periodically and repay principal at maturity or on specified call dates, mortgage-backed securities make monthly payments that consist of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a “pass-through” of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Since homeowners usually have the option of paying either part or all of the loan balance before maturity, the effective maturity of a mortgage-backed security is often shorter than is stated. |
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Governmental entities, private insurers and mortgage poolers may insure or guarantee the timely payment of interest and principal of these pools through various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit. The Adviser will consider such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets its investment quality standards. It is possible that the private insurers or guarantors will not meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements.
Although the market for such securities is becoming increasingly liquid, securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable.
Commercial Banks, Savings and Loan Institutions, Private Mortgage Insurance Companies, Mortgage Bankers and other Secondary Market Issuers. Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional mortgage loans. In addition to guaranteeing the mortgage-related security, such issuers may service and/or have originated the underlying mortgage loans. Pools created by these issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than pools created by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac because they are not guaranteed by a government agency.
Risks of Mortgage-Backed Securities. Yield characteristics of mortgage-backed securities differ from those of traditional debt securities in a variety of ways. The most significant differences of mortgage-backed securities are: 1) payments of interest and principal are more frequent (usually monthly); and 2) falling interest rates generally cause individual borrowers to pay off their mortgage earlier than expected, which results in prepayments of principal on the securities, thus forcing the Fund to reinvest the money at a lower interest rate. In addition to risks associated with changes in interest rates, a variety of economic, geographic, social and other factors, such as the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, can cause investors to repay the loans underlying a mortgage-backed security sooner than expected. When prepayment occurs, the Fund may have to reinvest its principal at a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on existing mortgage-backed securities.
Other Asset-Backed Securities. These securities are interests in pools of a broad range of assets other than mortgages, such as automobile loans, computer leases and credit card receivables. Like mortgage-backed securities, these securities are pass-through. In general, the collateral supporting these securities is of shorter maturity than mortgage loans and is less likely to experience substantial prepayments with interest rate fluctuations, but may still be subject to prepayment risk.
Asset-backed securities present certain risks that are not presented by mortgage-backed securities. Primarily, these securities may not have the benefit of any security interest in the related assets, which raises the possibility that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not be available to support payments on these securities. For example, credit card receivables are generally unsecured and the debtors are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which allow debtors to reduce their balances by offsetting certain amounts owed on the credit cards. Most issuers of asset-backed securities backed by automobile receivables permit the servicers of such receivables to retain possession of the underlying obligations. If the servicer were to sell these obligations to another party, there is a risk that the purchaser would acquire an interest superior to that of the holders of the related asset-backed securities. Due to the quantity of vehicles involved and requirements under state laws, asset-backed securities backed by automobile receivables may not have a proper security interest in all of the obligations backing such receivables.
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To lessen the effect of failures by obligors on underlying assets to make payments, the entity administering the pool of assets may agree to ensure the receipt of payments on the underlying pool occurs in a timely fashion (“liquidity protection”). In addition, asset-backed securities may obtain insurance, such as guarantees, policies or letters of credit obtained by the issuer or sponsor from third parties, for some or all of the assets in the pool (“credit support”). Delinquency or loss more than that anticipated or failure of the credit support could adversely affect the return on an investment in such a security.
The Fund may also invest in residual interests in asset-backed securities, which consist of the excess cash flow remaining after making required payments on the securities and paying related administrative expenses. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a particular issue of asset-backed securities depends in part on the characteristics of the underlying assets, the coupon rates on the securities, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the actual prepayment experience on the underlying assets.
Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with financial institutions. A repurchase agreement is an agreement under which a fund acquires a fixed income security (generally a security issued by the U.S. government or an agency thereof, a banker’s acceptance, or a certificate of deposit) from a commercial bank, broker, or dealer, and simultaneously agrees to resell such security to the seller at an agreed upon price and date (normally, the next business day). Because the security purchased constitutes collateral for the repurchase obligation, a repurchase agreement may be considered a loan that is collateralized by the security purchased. The acquisition of a repurchase agreement may be deemed to be an acquisition of the underlying securities as long as the obligation of the seller to repurchase the securities is collateralized fully. The Fund follows certain procedures designed to minimize the risks inherent in such agreements. These procedures include effecting repurchase transactions only with creditworthy financial institutions whose condition will be continually monitored by the Adviser. The repurchase agreements entered into by the Fund may provide that the underlying collateral at all times shall have a value at least equal to 102% of the resale price stated in the agreement and consist only of securities permissible under Section 101(47)(A)(i) of the Bankruptcy Code (the Adviser monitors compliance with this requirement). Under all repurchase agreements entered into by the Fund, the custodian or its agent must take possession of the underlying collateral. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial institution, the Fund will seek to liquidate such collateral. However, the exercising of the Fund’s right to liquidate such collateral could involve certain costs or delays and, to the extent that proceeds from any sale upon a default of the obligation to repurchase were less than the repurchase price, the Fund could suffer a loss. The Fund may enter into “tri-party” repurchase agreements. In “tri-party” repurchase agreements, an unaffiliated third party custodian maintains accounts to hold collateral for the Fund and its counterparties and, therefore, the Fund may be subject to the credit risk of those custodians. The investments of the Fund in repurchase agreements, at times, may be substantial when, in the view of the Adviser, liquidity or other considerations so warrant.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements. Reverse repurchase agreements are transactions in which the Fund sells portfolio securities to financial institutions, such as banks and broker-dealers, and agrees to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price that is higher than the original sale price. Reverse repurchase agreements are similar to a fully collateralized borrowing by the Fund.
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Reverse repurchase agreements involve risks. Reverse repurchase agreements are a form of leverage, and the use of reverse repurchase agreements by the Fund may increase the Fund’s volatility. Reverse repurchase agreements are also subject to the risk that the other party to the reverse repurchase agreement will be unable or unwilling to complete the transaction as scheduled, which may result in losses to the Fund. Reverse repurchase agreements also involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities. In addition, when the Fund invests the proceeds it receives in a reverse repurchase transaction, there is a risk that those investments may decline in value. In this circumstance, the Fund could be required to sell other investments in order to meet its obligations to repurchase the securities.
Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act (the “Derivatives Rule”), as defined below, permits the Fund to enter into reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions, notwithstanding the limitation on the issuance of senior securities in Section 18 of the 1940 Act. The Derivatives Rule permits the Fund to elect whether to treat a reverse repurchase agreement as a borrowing, subject to the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, or as a derivatives transactions under the Derivatives Rule.
Securities of Other Investment Companies. The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, to the extent permitted by applicable law, subject to certain restrictions. These investment companies typically incur fees that are separate from those fees incurred directly by the Fund. The Fund's purchase of such investment company securities results in the layering of expenses, such that shareholders would indirectly bear a proportionate share of the operating expenses of such investment companies, including advisory fees, in addition to paying the Fund’s expenses.
Generally, the federal securities laws limit the extent to which the Fund can invest in securities of other investment companies, subject to certain exceptions. For example, Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act prohibits a fund from (i) acquiring more than 3% of the voting shares of any one investment company, (ii) investing more than 5% of its total assets in any one investment company, and (iii) investing more than 10% of its total assets in all investment companies combined, including its ETF investments.
The Fund may rely on Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act, which provides an exemption from Section 12(d)(1) that allows the Fund to invest all of its assets in other registered funds, including ETFs, if, among other conditions, the Fund, together with its affiliates, acquires no more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any acquired fund. The Fund may also rely on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. Rule 12d1-4 permits the Fund to invest in other investment companies beyond the statutory limits, subject to certain conditions specified in the Rule including, among other conditions, that the Fund and its advisory group will not control (individually or in the aggregate) an acquired fund (e.g., hold more than 25% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired fund that is a registered open-end management investment company). In addition, the Fund may be able to rely on certain other rules under the 1940 Act to invest in shares of money market funds or other investment companies beyond the statutory limits noted above, but subject to certain conditions.
For hedging or other purposes, the Fund may invest in investment companies that seek to track the composition and/or performance of specific indexes or portions of specific indexes. Certain of these investment companies, known as ETFs, are traded on a securities exchange. (See “Exchange-Traded Funds” above). The market prices of index-based investments will fluctuate in accordance with changes in the underlying portfolio securities of the investment company and also due to supply and demand of the investment company’s shares on the exchange upon which the shares are traded. Index-based investments may not replicate or otherwise match the composition or performance of their specified index due to transaction costs, among other things.
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The Fund may invest in investment companies that are not registered with the SEC or in privately placed securities of investment companies (which may or may not be registered), such as hedge funds and offshore funds. Unregistered funds are largely exempt from the regulatory requirements that apply to registered investment companies. As a result, unregistered funds may have a greater ability to make investments, or use investment techniques, that offer a higher potential investment return (for example, leveraging), but which may carry high risk. Unregistered funds, while not regulated by the SEC like registered funds, may be indirectly supervised by the financial institutions (e.g., commercial and investment banks) that may provide them with loans or other sources of capital. Investments in unregistered funds may be difficult to sell, which could cause the Fund to lose money when selling an interest in an unregistered fund. For example, many hedge funds require their investors to hold their investments for at least one year.
Derivatives
Derivatives are financial instruments whose value is based on an underlying asset (such as a stock or a bond), an underlying economic factor (such as an interest rate) or a market benchmark. Unless otherwise stated in the Prospectus, the Fund may use derivatives for a number of purposes including managing risk, gaining exposure to various markets in a cost-efficient manner, reducing transaction costs, remaining fully invested and speculating. The Fund may also invest in derivatives with the goal of protecting itself from broad fluctuations in market prices, interest rates or foreign currency exchange rates (a practice known as “hedging”). When hedging is successful, the Fund will have offset any depreciation in the value of its portfolio securities by the appreciation in the value of the derivative position. Although techniques other than the sale and purchase of derivatives could be used to control the exposure of the Fund to market fluctuations, the use of derivatives may be a more effective means of hedging this exposure. In the future, to the extent such use is consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and is legally permissible, the Fund may use instruments and techniques that are not presently contemplated, but that may be subsequently developed.
There can be no assurance that a derivative strategy, if employed, will be successful. Because many derivatives have a leverage or borrowing component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative itself.
Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act. The Derivatives Rule provides a comprehensive framework for the use of derivatives by registered investment companies. The Derivatives Rule permits a registered investment company, subject to various conditions described below, to enter into derivatives transactions and certain other transactions notwithstanding the restrictions on the issuance of “senior securities” under Section 18 of the 1940 Act. Section 18 of the 1940 Act, among other things, prohibits open-end funds, including the Fund, from issuing or selling any “senior security,” other than borrowing from a bank (subject to a requirement to maintain 300% “asset coverage”).
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Registered investment companies that don’t qualify as “limited derivatives users” as defined below, are required by the Derivatives Rule to, among other things, (i) adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program (“DRMP”) and new testing requirements; (ii) comply with a relative or absolute limit on fund leverage risk calculated based on value-at-risk (“VaR”); and (iii) comply with new requirements related to Board and SEC reporting. The DRMP is administered by a “derivatives risk manager,” who is appointed by the Board and periodically reviews the DRMP and reports to the Board.
The Derivatives Rule provides an exception from the DRMP, VaR limit and certain other requirements for a registered investment company that limits its “derivatives exposure” to no more than 10% of its net assets (as calculated in accordance with the Derivatives Rule) (a “limited derivatives user”), provided that the registered investment company establishes appropriate policies and procedures reasonably designed to manage derivatives risks, including the risk of exceeding the 10% “derivatives exposure” threshold.
The requirements of the Derivatives Rule may limit the Fund’s ability to engage in derivatives transactions as part of its investment strategies. These requirements may also increase the cost of the Fund’s investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments and/or the performance of the Fund. The rule also may not be effective to limit the Fund’s risk of loss. In particular, measurements of VaR rely on historical data and may not accurately measure the degree of risk reflected in the Fund’s derivatives or other investments. There may be additional regulation of the use of derivatives transactions by registered investment companies, which could significantly affect their use. The ultimate impact of the regulations remains unclear. Additional regulation of derivatives transactions may make them more costly, limit their availability or utility, otherwise adversely affect their performance or disrupt markets.
CFTC Regulations. Pursuant to rules adopted under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), the Fund must either operate within certain guidelines and restrictions with respect to the Fund’s use of futures, options on such futures, commodity options and certain swaps, or the Adviser will be subject to registration with the CFTC as a “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”).
[Consistent with the CFTC’s regulations, the Adviser, on behalf of the Fund, has filed, or will file prior to the Fund’s commencement of operations, a notice of exclusion from the definition of the term CPO under the CEA pursuant to CFTC Rule 4.5 with respect to the Fund’s operation. Therefore, the Fund is not subject to regulation as a commodity pool under the CEA and the Adviser is not subject to registration or regulation as a CPO under the CEA with respect to the Fund. As a result, the Fund will be limited in its ability to use futures, options on such futures, commodity options and certain swaps. Complying with the limitations may restrict the Adviser’s ability to implement the Fund’s investment strategies and may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.]
Types of Derivatives:
Futures. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties whereby one party agrees to sell and the other party agrees to buy a specified amount of a financial instrument at an agreed upon price and time. The financial instrument underlying the contract may be a stock, stock index, bond, bond index, interest rate, foreign exchange rate or other similar instrument. Agreeing to buy the underlying financial instrument is called buying a futures contract or taking a long position in the contract. Likewise, agreeing to sell the underlying financial instrument is called selling a futures contract or taking a short position in the contract.
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Futures contracts are traded in the United States on commodity exchanges or boards of trade (known as “contract markets”) approved for such trading and regulated by the CFTC. These contract markets standardize the terms, including the maturity date and underlying financial instrument, of all futures contracts.
Unlike other securities, the parties to a futures contract do not have to pay for or deliver the underlying financial instrument until some future date (the “delivery date”). Contract markets require both the purchaser and seller to deposit “initial margin” with a futures broker, known as a “futures commission merchant” or “custodian bank,” when they enter into the contract. Initial margin deposits are typically equal to a percentage of the contract’s value. Initial margin is similar to a performance bond or good faith deposit on a contract and is returned to the depositing party upon termination of the futures contract if all contractual obligations have been satisfied. After they open a futures contract, the parties to the transaction must compare the purchase price of the contract to its daily market value. If the value of the futures contract changes in such a way that a party’s position declines, that party must make additional “variation margin” payments so that the margin payment is adequate. On the other hand, the value of the contract may change in such a way that there is excess margin on deposit, possibly entitling the party that has a gain to receive all or a portion of this amount. This process is known as “marking to the market.” Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by a party but is instead a settlement between the party and the futures broker of the amount one party would owe the other if the futures contract terminated. In computing daily NAV, each party marks to market its open futures positions.
Although the terms of a futures contract call for the actual delivery of and payment for the underlying security, in many cases the parties may close the contract early by taking an opposite position in an identical contract. If the sale price upon closing out the contract is less than the original purchase price, the party closing out the contract will realize a loss. If the sale price upon closing out the contract is more than the original purchase price, the party closing out the contract will realize a gain. Conversely, if the purchase price upon closing out the contract is more than the original sale price, the party closing out the contract will realize a loss. If the purchase price upon closing out the contract is less than the original sale price, the party closing out the contract will realize a gain.
The Fund may incur commission expenses when it opens or closes a futures position.
Options. An option is a contract between two parties for the purchase and sale of a financial instrument for a specified price (known as the “strike price” or “exercise price”) at any time during the option period. Unlike a futures contract, an option grants a right (not an obligation) to buy or sell a financial instrument. Generally, a seller of an option can grant a buyer two kinds of rights: a “call” (the right to buy the security) or a “put” (the right to sell the security). Options have various types of underlying instruments, including specific securities, indices of securities prices, foreign currencies, interest rates and futures contracts. Options may be traded on an exchange (exchange-traded options) or may be customized agreements between the parties (over-the-counter or “OTC” options). Like futures, a financial intermediary, known as a clearing corporation, financially backs exchange-traded options. However, OTC options have no such intermediary and are subject to the risk that the counterparty will not fulfill its obligations under the contract. The principal factors affecting the market value of an option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market value of the underlying instrument relative to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying instrument, and the time remaining until the option expires.
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| ▪ | Purchasing Put and Call Options |
When the Fund purchases a put option, it buys the right to sell the instrument underlying the option at a fixed strike price. In return for this right, the Fund pays the current market price for the option (known as the “option premium”). The Fund may purchase put options to offset or hedge against a decline in the market value of its securities (“protective puts”) or to benefit from a decline in the price of securities that it does not own. The Fund would ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of the underlying securities decreased below the exercise price sufficiently to cover the premium and transaction costs. However, if the price of the underlying instrument does not fall enough to offset the cost of purchasing the option, a put buyer would lose the premium and related transaction costs.
Call options are similar to put options, except that the Fund obtains the right to purchase, rather than sell, the underlying instrument at the option’s strike price. The Fund would normally purchase call options in anticipation of an increase in the market value of securities it owns or wants to buy. The Fund would ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of the underlying instrument exceeded the exercise price plus the premium paid and related transaction costs. Otherwise, the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the call option.
The purchaser of an option may terminate its position by:
| ▪ | Allowing it to expire and losing its entire premium; |
| ▪ | Exercising the option and either selling (in the case of a put option) or buying (in the case of a call option) the underlying instrument at the strike price; or |
| ▪ | Closing it out in the secondary market at its current price. |
| ▪ | Selling (Writing) Put and Call Options |
When the Fund writes a call option it assumes an obligation to sell specified securities to the holder of the option at a fixed strike price if the option is exercised at any time before the expiration date. Similarly, when the Fund writes a put option it assumes an obligation to purchase specified securities from the option holder at a fixed strike price if the option is exercised at any time before the expiration date. The Fund may terminate its position in an exchange-traded put option before exercise by buying an option identical to the one it has written. Similarly, the Fund may cancel an OTC option by entering into an offsetting transaction with the counterparty to the option.
The Fund could try to hedge against an increase in the value of securities it would like to acquire by writing a put option on those securities. If security prices rise, the Fund would expect the put option to expire and the premium it received to offset the increase in the security’s value. If security prices remain the same over time, the Fund would hope to profit by closing out the put option at a lower price. If security prices fall, the Fund may lose an amount of money equal to the difference between the value of the security and the premium it received. Writing covered put options may deprive the Fund of the opportunity to profit from a decrease in the market price of the securities it would like to acquire.
The characteristics of writing call options are similar to those of writing put options, except that call writers expect to profit if prices remain the same or fall. The Fund could try to hedge against a decline in the value of securities it already owns by writing a call option. If the price of that security falls as expected, the Fund would expect the option to expire and the premium it received to offset the decline of the security’s value. However, the Fund must be prepared to deliver the underlying instrument in return for the strike price, which may deprive it of the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market price of the securities it holds.
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The Fund is permitted to write only “covered” options. At the time of selling a call option, the Fund may cover the option by owning, among other things:
| ▪ | The underlying security (or securities convertible into the underlying security without additional consideration), index, interest rate, foreign currency or futures contract; |
| ▪ | A call option on the same security or index with the same or lesser exercise price; |
| ▪ | Cash or liquid securities equal to at least the market value of the optioned securities, interest rate, foreign currency or futures contract; or |
| ▪ | In the case of an index, the portfolio of securities that corresponds to the index. |
At the time of selling a put option, the Fund may cover the option by, among other things:
| ▪ | Entering into a short position in the underlying security; |
| ▪ | Purchasing a put option on the same security, index, interest rate, foreign currency or futures contract with the same or greater exercise price; or |
| ▪ | Maintaining the entire exercise price in liquid securities. |
| ▪ | Options on Securities Indices |
Options on securities indices are similar to options on securities, except that the exercise of securities index options requires cash settlement payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. In addition, securities index options are designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.
| ▪ | Options on Credit Default Swaps |
An option on a credit default swap (“CDS”) gives the holder the right to enter into a CDS at a specified future date and under specified terms in exchange for a purchase price or premium. The writer of the option bears the risk of any unfavorable move in the value of the CDS relative to the market value on the exercise date, while the purchaser may allow the option to expire unexercised.
| ▪ | Options on Futures |
An option on a futures contract provides the holder with the right to buy a futures contract (in the case of a call option) or sell a futures contract (in the case of a put option) at a fixed time and price. Upon exercise of the option by the holder, the contract market clearing house establishes a corresponding short position for the writer of the option (in the case of a call option) or a corresponding long position (in the case of a put option). If the option is exercised, the parties will be subject to the futures contracts. In addition, the writer of an option on a futures contract is subject to initial and variation margin requirements on the option position. Options on futures contracts are traded on the same contract market as the underlying futures contract.
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The buyer or seller of an option on a futures contract may terminate the option early by purchasing or selling an option of the same series (i.e., the same exercise price and expiration date) as the option previously purchased or sold. The difference between the premiums paid and received represents the trader’s profit or loss on the transaction.
The Fund may purchase put and call options on futures contracts instead of selling or buying futures contracts. The Fund may buy a put option on a futures contract for the same reasons it would sell a futures contract. It also may purchase such a put option in order to hedge a long position in the underlying futures contract. The Fund may buy a call option on a futures contract for the same purpose as the actual purchase of a futures contract, such as in anticipation of favorable market conditions.
The Fund may write a call option on a futures contract to hedge against a decline in the prices of the instrument underlying the futures contracts. If the price of the futures contract at expiration were below the exercise price, the Fund would retain the option premium, which would offset, in part, any decline in the value of its portfolio securities.
The writing of a put option on a futures contract is similar to the purchase of the futures contracts, except that, if the market price declines, the Fund would pay more than the market price for the underlying instrument. The premium received on the sale of the put option, less any transaction costs, would reduce the net cost to the Fund.
| ▪ | Options on Foreign Currencies |
A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires. The Fund may purchase or write put and call options on foreign currencies for the purpose of hedging against changes in future currency exchange rates.
The Fund may use foreign currency options given the same circumstances under which it could use forward foreign currency exchange contracts. For example, a decline in the U.S. dollar value of a foreign currency in which the Fund’s securities are denominated would reduce the U.S. dollar value of the securities, even if their value in the foreign currency remained constant. In order to hedge against such a risk, the Fund may purchase a put option on the foreign currency. If the value of the currency then declined, the Fund could sell the currency for a fixed amount in U.S. dollars and thereby offset, at least partially, the negative effect on its securities that otherwise would have resulted. Conversely, if the Fund anticipates a rise in the U.S. dollar value of a currency in which securities to be acquired are denominated, the Fund may purchase call options on the currency in order to offset, at least partially, the effects of negative movements in exchange rates. If currency exchange rates do not move in the direction or to the extent anticipated, the Fund could sustain losses on transactions in foreign currency options.
| ▪ | Combined Positions |
The Fund may purchase and write options in combination with each other, or in combination with futures or forward contracts or swap agreements, to adjust the risk and return characteristics of the overall position. For example, the Fund could construct a combined position whose risk and return characteristics are similar to selling a futures contract by purchasing a put option and writing a call option on the same underlying instrument. Alternatively, the Fund could write a call option at one strike price and buy a call option at a lower price to reduce the risk of the written call option in the event of a substantial price increase. Because combined options positions involve multiple trades, they result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close out.
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Straddles and Spreads. The Fund, for hedging purposes, may enter into straddles and spreads. In “spread” transactions, the Fund buys and writes a put or buys and writes a call on the same underlying instrument with the options having different exercise prices, expiration dates, or both. In “straddles,” the Fund purchases a put option and a call option or writes a put option and a call option on the same instrument with the same expiration date and typically the same exercise price. When the Fund engages in spread and straddle transactions, it seeks to profit from differences in the option premiums paid and received and in the market prices of the related options positions when they are closed out or sold. Because these transactions require the Fund to buy and/or write more than one option simultaneously, the Fund’s ability to enter into such transactions and to liquidate its positions when necessary or deemed advisable may be more limited than if the Fund were to buy or sell a single option. Similarly, costs incurred by the Fund in connection with these transactions will in many cases be greater than if the Fund were to buy or sell a single option.
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts. A forward foreign currency contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific amount of currency at a future date or date range at a specific price. In the case of a cancelable forward contract, the holder has the unilateral right to cancel the contract at maturity by paying a specified fee. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts differ from foreign currency futures contracts in certain respects. Unlike futures contracts, forward contracts:
| ▪ | Do not have standard maturity dates or amounts (i.e., the parties to the contract may fix the maturity date and the amount); |
| ▪ | Are typically traded directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers in the inter-bank markets, as opposed to on exchanges regulated by the CFTC (note, however, that under definitions adopted by the CFTC and SEC, many non-deliverable foreign currency forwards will be considered swaps for certain purposes, including the determination of whether such instruments must be traded on exchanges and centrally cleared); |
| ▪ | Do not require an initial margin deposit; and |
| ▪ | May be closed by entering into a closing transaction with the currency trader who is a party to the original forward contract, as opposed to with a commodities exchange. |
| ▪ | Foreign Currency Hedging Strategies |
A “settlement hedge” or “transaction hedge” is designed to protect the Fund against an adverse change in foreign currency values between the date a security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment is made or received. Entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale of the amount of foreign currency involved in an underlying security transaction for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars “locks in” the U.S. dollar price of the security. The Fund may also use forward contracts to purchase or sell a foreign currency when it anticipates purchasing or selling securities denominated in foreign currency, even if it has not yet selected the specific investments.
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The Fund may use forward contracts to hedge against a decline in the value of existing investments denominated in foreign currency. Such a hedge, sometimes referred to as a “position hedge,” would tend to offset both positive and negative currency fluctuations, but would not offset changes in security values caused by other factors. The Fund could also hedge the position by selling another currency expected to perform similarly to the currency in which the Fund’s investment is denominated. This type of hedge, sometimes referred to as a “proxy hedge,” could offer advantages in terms of cost, yield, or efficiency, but generally would not hedge currency exposure as effectively as a direct hedge into U.S. dollars. Proxy hedges may result in losses if the currency used to hedge does not perform similarly to the currency in which the hedged securities are denominated.
Transaction and position hedging do not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities that the Fund owns or intends to purchase or sell. They simply establish a rate of exchange that one can achieve at some future point in time. Additionally, these techniques tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency and to limit any potential gain that might result from the increase in value of such currency.
The Fund may enter into forward contracts to shift its investment exposure from one currency into another. Such transactions may call for the delivery of one foreign currency in exchange for another foreign currency, including currencies in which its securities are not then denominated. This may include shifting exposure from U.S. dollars to a foreign currency, or from one foreign currency to another foreign currency. This type of strategy, sometimes known as a “cross-hedge,” will tend to reduce or eliminate exposure to the currency that is sold, and increase exposure to the currency that is purchased. Cross-hedges may protect against losses resulting from a decline in the hedged currency but will cause the Fund to assume the risk of fluctuations in the value of the currency it purchases. Cross-hedging transactions also involve the risk of imperfect correlation between changes in the values of the currencies involved.
It is difficult to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration or maturity of a forward or futures contract. Accordingly, the Fund may have to purchase additional foreign currency on the spot (cash) market if the market value of a security it is hedging is less than the amount of foreign currency it is obligated to deliver. Conversely, the Fund may have to sell on the spot market some of the foreign currency it received upon the sale of a security if the market value of such security exceeds the amount of foreign currency it is obligated to deliver.
Equity-Linked Securities. The Fund may invest in privately issued securities whose investment results are designed to correspond generally to the performance of a specified stock index or “basket” of securities, or sometimes a single stock (referred to as “equity-linked securities”). These securities are used for many of the same purposes as derivative instruments and share many of the same risks. Equity-linked securities may be considered illiquid and thus subject to the Fund’s restrictions on investments in illiquid investments.
Participation Notes (“P-Notes”). P-Notes are participation interest notes that are issued by banks or broker-dealers and are designed to offer a return linked to a particular underlying equity, debt, currency or market. When purchasing a P-Note, the posting of margin is not required because the full cost of the P-Note (plus commission) is paid at the time of purchase. When the P-Note matures, the issuer will pay to, or receive from, the purchaser the difference between the nominal value of the underlying instrument at the time of purchase and that instrument’s value at maturity. Investments in P-Notes involve the same risks associated with a direct investment in the underlying foreign companies or foreign securities markets that they seek to replicate.
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In addition, there can be no assurance that the trading price of P-Notes will equal the underlying value of the foreign companies or foreign securities markets that they seek to replicate. The holder of a P-Note that is linked to a particular underlying security is entitled to receive any dividends paid in connection with an underlying security or instrument. However, the holder of a P-Note does not receive voting rights as it would if it directly owned the underlying security or instrument. P-Notes are generally traded over-the-counter. P-Notes constitute general unsecured contractual obligations of the banks or broker-dealers that issue them. There is also counterparty risk associated with these investments because the Fund is relying on the creditworthiness of such counterparty and has no rights under a P-Note against the issuer of the underlying security. In addition, the Fund will incur transaction costs as a result of investments in P-Notes.
Swap Agreements. A swap agreement is a financial instrument that typically involves the exchange of cash flows between two parties on specified dates (settlement dates), where the cash flows are based on agreed-upon prices, rates, indices, etc. The nominal amount on which the cash flows are calculated is called the notional amount. Swap agreements are individually negotiated and structured to include exposure to a variety of different types of investments or market factors, such as interest rates, foreign currency rates, mortgage securities, corporate borrowing rates, security prices or inflation rates.
Swap agreements may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the investments of the Fund and its share price. The performance of swap agreements may be affected by a change in the specific interest rate, currency, or other factors that determine the amounts of payments due to and from the Fund. If a swap agreement calls for payments by the Fund, the Fund must be prepared to make such payments when due. In addition, if the counterparty’s creditworthiness declined, the value of a swap agreement would be likely to decline, potentially resulting in losses.
Generally, swap agreements have a fixed maturity date that will be agreed upon by the parties. The agreement can be terminated before the maturity date under certain circumstances, such as default by one of the parties or insolvency, among others, and can be transferred by a party only with the prior written consent of the other party. The Fund may be able to eliminate its exposure under a swap agreement either by assignment or by other disposition, or by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same party or a similarly creditworthy party. If the counterparty is unable to meet its obligations under the contract, declares bankruptcy, defaults or becomes insolvent, the Fund may not be able to recover the money it expected to receive under the swap agreement. The Fund will not enter into any swap agreement unless the Adviser believes that the counterparty to the transaction is creditworthy.
A swap agreement can be a form of leverage, which can magnify the Fund’s gains or losses.
| ▪ | Equity Swaps |
In a typical equity swap, one party agrees to pay another party the return on a stock, stock index or basket of stocks in return for a specified interest rate. By entering into an equity index swap, for example, the index receiver can gain exposure to stocks making up the index of securities without actually purchasing those stocks. Equity index swaps involve not only the risk associated with investment in the securities represented in the index, but also the risk that the performance of such securities, including dividends, will not exceed the return on the interest rate that the Fund will be committed to pay.
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| ▪ | Total Return Swaps |
Total return swaps are contracts in which one party agrees to make payments of the total return from a reference instrument—which may be a single asset, a pool of assets or an index of assets—during a specified period, in return for payments equal to a fixed or floating rate of interest or the total return from another underlying reference instrument. The total return includes appreciation or depreciation on the underlying asset, plus any interest or dividend payments. Payments under the swap are based upon an agreed upon principal amount but, since the principal amount is not exchanged, it represents neither an asset nor a liability to either counterparty, and is referred to as notional. Total return swaps are marked to market daily using different sources, including quotations from counterparties, pricing services, brokers or market makers. The unrealized appreciation or depreciation related to the change in the valuation of the notional amount of the swap is combined with the amount due to the Fund at termination or settlement. The primary risks associated with total return swaps are credit risks (if the counterparty fails to meet its obligations) and market risk (if there is no liquid market for the swap or unfavorable changes occur to the underlying reference instrument).
| ▪ | Interest Rate Swaps |
Interest rate swaps are financial instruments that involve the exchange of one type of interest rate for another type of interest rate cash flow on specified dates in the future. Some of the different types of interest rate swaps are “fixed-for-floating rate swaps,” “termed basis swaps” and “index amortizing swaps.” Fixed-for-floating rate swaps involve the exchange of fixed interest rate cash flows for floating rate cash flows. Termed basis swaps entail cash flows to both parties based on floating interest rates, where the interest rate indices are different. Index amortizing swaps are typically fixed-for-floating rate swaps where the notional amount changes if certain conditions are met.
As with a traditional investment in a debt security, the Fund could lose money by investing in an interest rate swap if interest rates change adversely. For example, if the Fund enters into a swap where it agrees to exchange a floating rate of interest for a fixed rate of interest, the Fund may have to pay more money than it receives. Similarly, if the Fund enters into a swap where it agrees to exchange a fixed rate of interest for a floating rate of interest, the Fund may receive less money than it has agreed to pay.
| ▪ | Currency Swaps |
A currency swap is an agreement between two parties in which one party agrees to make interest rate payments in one currency and the other promises to make interest rate payments in another currency. The Fund may enter into a currency swap when it has one currency and desires a different currency. Typically, the interest rates that determine the currency swap payments are fixed, although occasionally one or both parties may pay a floating rate of interest. Unlike an interest rate swap, however, the principal amounts are exchanged at the beginning of the agreement and returned at the end of the agreement. Changes in foreign exchange rates and changes in interest rates, as described above, may negatively affect currency swaps.
| ▪ | Inflation Swaps |
Inflation swaps are fixed-maturity, over-the-counter derivatives where one party pays a fixed rate in exchange for payments tied to an inflation index, such as the Consumer Price Index. The fixed rate, which is set by the parties at the initiation of the swap, is often referred to as the “breakeven inflation” rate and generally represents the current difference between treasury yields and Treasury Inflation Protected Securities yields of similar maturities at the initiation of the swap agreement. Inflation swaps are typically designated as “zero coupon,” where all cash flows are exchanged at maturity. The value of an inflation swap is expected to fluctuate in response to changes in the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. An inflation swap can lose value if the realized rate of inflation over the life of the swap is less than the fixed market implied inflation rate (the breakeven inflation rate) the investor agreed to pay at the initiation of the swap.
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| ▪ | Credit Default Swaps |
A credit default swap is an agreement between a “buyer” and a “seller” for credit protection. The credit default swap agreement may have as reference obligations one or more securities that are not then held by the Fund. The protection buyer is generally obligated to pay the protection seller an upfront payment and/or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the agreement until a credit event on a reference obligation has occurred. If no default occurs, the seller would keep the stream of payments and would have no payment obligations. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the full notional amount (the “par value”) of the swap.
| ▪ | Caps, Collars and Floors |
Caps and floors have an effect similar to buying or writing options. In a typical cap or floor agreement, one party agrees to make payments only under specified circumstances, usually in return for payment of a fee by the other party. For example, the buyer of an interest rate cap obtains the right to receive payments to the extent that a specified interest rate exceeds an agreed-upon level. The seller of an interest rate floor is obligated to make payments to the extent that a specified interest rate falls below an agreed-upon level. An interest rate collar combines elements of buying a cap and selling a floor.
Risks of Derivatives:
While transactions in derivatives may reduce certain risks, these transactions themselves entail certain other risks. For example, unanticipated changes in interest rates, securities prices or currency exchange rates may result in a poorer overall performance of the Fund than if it had not entered into any derivatives transactions. Derivatives may magnify the Fund’s gains or losses, causing it to make or lose substantially more than it invested.
When used for hedging purposes, increases in the value of the securities the Fund holds or intends to acquire should offset any losses incurred with a derivative. Purchasing derivatives for purposes other than hedging could expose the Fund to greater risks.
Use of derivatives involves transaction costs, which may be significant, and may also increase the amount of taxable income to shareholders.
Correlation of Prices. The Fund’s ability to hedge its securities through derivatives depends on the degree to which price movements in the underlying index or instrument correlate with price movements in the relevant securities. In the case of poor correlation, the price of the securities the Fund is hedging may not move in the same amount, or even in the same direction as the hedging instrument. The Adviser will try to minimize this risk by investing in only those contracts whose behavior it expects to correlate with the behavior of the portfolio securities it is trying to hedge. However, if the Adviser’s prediction of interest and currency rates, market value, volatility or other economic factors is incorrect, the Fund may lose money, or may not make as much money as it expected.
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Derivative prices can diverge from the prices of their underlying instruments, even if the characteristics of the underlying instruments are very similar to the derivative. Listed below are some of the factors that may cause such a divergence:
| ▪ | Current and anticipated short-term interest rates, changes in volatility of the underlying instrument, and the time remaining until expiration of the contract; |
| ▪ | A difference between the derivatives and securities markets, including different levels of demand, how the instruments are traded, the imposition of daily price fluctuation limits or discontinued trading of an instrument; and |
| ▪ | Differences between the derivatives, such as different margin requirements, different liquidity of such markets and the participation of speculators in such markets. |
Derivatives based upon a narrower index of securities, such as those of a particular industry group, may present greater risk than derivatives based on a broad market index. Since narrower indices are made up of a smaller number of securities, they are more susceptible to rapid and extreme price fluctuations because of changes in the value of those securities.
While currency futures and options values are expected to correlate with exchange rates, they may not reflect other factors that affect the value of the investments of the Fund. A currency hedge, for example, should protect a yen-denominated security from a decline in the yen, but will not protect the Fund against a price decline resulting from deterioration in the issuer’s creditworthiness. Because the value of the Fund’s foreign-denominated investments changes in response to many factors other than exchange rates, it may not be possible to match the amount of currency options and futures to the value of the Fund’s investments precisely over time.
Lack of Liquidity. Before a futures contract or option is exercised or expires, the Fund can terminate it only by entering into a closing purchase or sale transaction. Moreover, the Fund may close out a futures contract only on the exchange the contract was initially traded. Although the Fund intends to purchase options and futures only where there appears to be an active market, there is no guarantee that such a liquid market will exist. If there is no secondary market for the contract, or the market is illiquid, the Fund may not be able to close out its position. In an illiquid market, the Fund may:
| ▪ | Have to sell securities to meet its daily margin requirements at a time when it is disadvantageous to do so; |
| ▪ | Have to purchase or sell the instrument underlying the contract; |
| ▪ | Not be able to hedge its investments; and/or |
| ▪ | Not be able to realize profits or limit its losses. |
Derivatives may become illiquid (i.e., difficult to sell at a desired time and price) under a variety of market conditions. For example:
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| ▪ | An exchange may suspend or limit trading in a particular derivative instrument, an entire category of derivatives or all derivatives, which sometimes occurs because of increased market volatility; |
| ▪ | Unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations of an exchange; |
| ▪ | The facilities of the exchange may not be adequate to handle current trading volume; |
| ▪ | Equipment failures, government intervention, insolvency of a brokerage firm or clearing house or other occurrences may disrupt normal trading activity; or |
| ▪ | Investors may lose interest in a particular derivative or category of derivatives. |
Management Risk. Successful use of derivatives by the Fund is subject to the ability of the Adviser to forecast stock market and interest rate trends. If the Adviser incorrectly predicts stock market and interest rate trends, the Fund may lose money by investing in derivatives. For example, if the Fund were to write a call option based on the Adviser’s expectation that the price of the underlying 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 the Fund were to write a put option based on the Adviser’s 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.
Pricing Risk. At times, market conditions might make it hard to value some investments. For example, if the Fund has valued its securities too high, shareholders may end up paying too much for Fund shares when they buy into the Fund. If the Fund underestimates its price, shareholders may not receive the full market value for their Fund shares when they sell.
Margin. Because of the low margin deposits required upon the opening of a derivative position, such transactions involve an extremely high degree of leverage. Consequently, a relatively small price movement in a derivative may result in an immediate and substantial loss (as well as gain) to the Fund and it may lose more than it originally invested in the derivative.
If the price of a futures contract changes adversely, the Fund may have to sell securities at a time when it is disadvantageous to do so to meet its minimum daily margin requirement. The Fund may lose its margin deposits if a broker-dealer with whom it has an open futures contract or related option becomes insolvent or declares bankruptcy.
Volatility and Leverage. The Fund’s use of derivatives may have a leveraging effect. Leverage generally magnifies the effect of any increase or decrease in value of an underlying asset and results in increased volatility, which means the Fund will have the potential for greater gains, as well as the potential for greater losses, than if the Fund does not use derivative instruments that have a leveraging effect. The prices of derivatives are volatile (i.e., they may change rapidly, substantially and unpredictably) and are influenced by a variety of factors, including:
| ▪ | Actual and anticipated changes in interest rates; |
| ▪ | Fiscal and monetary policies; and |
| ▪ | National and international political events. |
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Most exchanges limit the amount by which the price of a derivative can change during a single trading day. Daily trading limits establish the maximum amount that the price of a derivative may vary from the settlement price of that derivative at the end of trading on the previous day. Once the price of a derivative reaches that value, the Fund may not trade that derivative at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a given day and does not limit potential gains or losses. Derivative prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days, preventing prompt liquidation of the derivative.
Government Regulation. The regulation of derivatives markets in the U.S. is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to modification by government and judicial action. For example, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, signed into law in 2010, granted significant new authority to the SEC and the CFTC to impose comprehensive regulations on the over-the-counter and cleared derivatives markets. These regulations include, but are not limited to, mandatory clearing of certain derivatives and requirements relating to disclosure, margin and trade reporting. The law and regulations may negatively impact the Fund by increasing transaction and/or regulatory compliance costs, limiting the availability of certain derivatives or otherwise adversely affecting the value or performance of the derivatives the Fund trades.
In addition, the SEC adopted the Derivatives Rule on October 28, 2020. Since its compliance date of August 19, 2022, the Derivatives Rule has replaced prior SEC and staff guidance with an updated, comprehensive framework for registered funds’ use of derivatives. See “Derivatives – Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act” above for additional information on the requirements imposed on registered funds by the Derivatives Rule. Complying with the Derivatives Rule may increase the cost of the Fund’s investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors. Other potentially adverse regulatory obligations can develop suddenly and without notice.
Illiquid Investments. Illiquid investments are investments that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Because of their illiquid nature, illiquid investments must be priced at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser, subject to Board oversight. Despite such good faith efforts to determine fair value prices, the Fund’s illiquid investments are subject to the risk that the investment’s fair value price may differ from the actual price which the Fund may ultimately realize upon its sale or disposition. Difficulty in selling illiquid investments may result in a loss or may be costly to the Fund. Under the oversight of the Board, the Adviser determines the liquidity of the Fund’s investments. The Fund may not acquire an illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets.
Securities Lending. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations that meet capital and other credit requirements or other criteria established by the Board. These loans, if and when made, may not exceed 33 1/3% of the total asset value of the Fund (including the loan collateral). The Fund will not lend portfolio securities to the Adviser or its affiliates unless permissible under the 1940 Act and the rules and promulgations thereunder. Loans of portfolio securities will be fully collateralized by cash, letters of credit or U.S. government securities, and the collateral will be maintained in an amount equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the loaned securities by marking to market daily. Any gain or loss in the market price of the securities loaned that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of the Fund.
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The Fund may pay a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral, or other fee, to an unaffiliated third party for acting as the Fund’s securities lending agent, but will bear all of any losses from the investment of collateral.
By lending its securities, the Fund may increase its income by receiving payments from the borrower that reflect the amount of any interest or any dividends payable on the loaned securities as well as by either investing cash collateral received from the borrower in short-term instruments or obtaining a fee from the borrower when U.S. government securities or letters of credit are used as collateral. Investing cash collateral subjects the Fund to market risk. The Fund remains obligated to return all collateral to the borrower under the terms of its securities lending arrangements, even if the value of investments made with the collateral decline. Accordingly, if the value of a security in which the cash collateral has been invested declines, the loss would be borne by the Fund, and the Fund may be required to liquidate other investments in order to return collateral to the borrower at the end of the loan. The Fund will adhere to the following conditions whenever its portfolio securities are loaned: (i) the Fund must receive at least 100% cash collateral or equivalent securities of the type discussed above from the borrower; (ii) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (iii) the Fund must be able to terminate the loan on demand; (iv) the Fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities and any increase in market value; (v) the Fund may pay only reasonable fees in connection with the loan (which fees may include fees payable to the lending agent, the borrower, the Fund’s administrator and the custodian); and (vi) voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower, provided, however, that if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs, the Fund must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities. In such instances, the Adviser will vote the securities in accordance with its proxy voting policies and procedures. The Board has adopted procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the foregoing criteria will be met. Loan agreements involve certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the borrower, including possible delays or restrictions upon the Fund’s ability to recover the loaned securities or dispose of the collateral for the loan, which could give rise to loss because of adverse market action, expenses and/or delays in connection with the disposition of the underlying securities.
Restricted Securities. The Fund may purchase restricted securities. Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold freely to the public absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) or an exemption from registration. Institutional markets for restricted securities have developed as a result of the promulgation of Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, which provides a “safe harbor” from 1933 Act registration requirements for qualifying sales to institutional investors. When Rule 144A restricted securities present an attractive investment opportunity and meet other selection criteria, the Fund may make such investments whether or not such securities are “illiquid” depending on the market that exists for the particular security. The Board has delegated the responsibility for determining the liquidity of Rule 144A restricted securities that the Fund may invest in to the Adviser.
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies. The Fund may invest in special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) to the extent that the Adviser believes that such investment will help the Fund to meet its investment objective. SPACs are collective investment structures that pool funds in order to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less an amount to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective. Because SPACs and similar entities may be “blank check companies” with no operating history or ongoing business other than to seek a potential acquisition, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Certain SPACs may seek acquisitions only in limited industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. In addition, these securities, which are typically traded in the over-the-counter market, may be considered illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale.
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Short Sales Against the Box. The Fund may make short sales of common stocks if, at all times when a short position is open, the Fund owns the stock or owns preferred stocks or debt securities convertible or exchangeable, without payment of further consideration, into the shares of common stock sold short. Short sales of this kind are referred to as short sales “against the box.” The broker/dealer that executes a short sale generally invests cash proceeds of the sale until they are paid to the Fund. Arrangements may be made with the broker/dealer to obtain a portion of the interest earned by the broker on the investment of short sale proceeds. A short sale against the box is a taxable transaction to the Fund with respect to the securities that are sold short. The Fund will incur transaction costs in connection with short sales against the box.
When-Issued, Delayed-Delivery and Forward-Delivery Transactions. A when-issued security is one whose terms are available and for which a market exists, but which has not been issued. In a forward-delivery transaction, the Fund contracts to purchase securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond customary settlement time. “Delayed-delivery” refers to securities transactions on the secondary market where settlement occurs in the future. In each of these transactions, the parties fix the payment obligation and the interest rate that they will receive on the securities at the time the parties enter the commitment; however, they do not pay money or deliver securities until a later date. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase before the securities are delivered. The Fund will only enter into these types of transactions with the intention of actually acquiring the securities, but may sell them before the settlement date.
The Fund may use when-issued, delayed-delivery and forward-delivery transactions to secure what it considers an advantageous price and yield at the time of purchase. When the Fund engages in when-issued, delayed-delivery or forward-delivery transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the sale. If the other party fails to complete the sale, the Fund may miss the opportunity to obtain the security at a favorable price or yield.
When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed-delivery, or forward-delivery basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield changes. At the time of settlement, the market value of the security may be more or less than the purchase price. The yield available in the market when the delivery takes place also may be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself. Because the Fund does not pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with its other investments.
The Derivatives Rule permits the Fund to enter into when-issued or delayed delivery basis securities notwithstanding the limitation on the issuance of senior securities in Section 18 of the 1940 Act, provided that the Fund intends to physically settle the transaction and the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date. If a when-issued or delayed delivery basis security entered into by the Fund does not satisfy those requirements, the Fund would need to comply with the Derivatives Rule with respect to its when issued or delayed delivery transactions, which are considered derivatives transactions under the Derivatives Rule. See “Derivatives – Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act” above.
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Special Risks of Cyber Attacks. As with any entity that conducts business through electronic means in the modern marketplace, the Fund, and its service providers, may be susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber attacks. Cyber attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized monitoring, release, misuse, loss, destruction or corruption of confidential information, unauthorized access to relevant systems, compromises to networks or devices that the Fund and its service providers use to service the Fund’s operations, ransomware, operational disruption or failures in the physical infrastructure or operating systems that support the Fund and its service providers, or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber attacks affecting the Fund or the Adviser, the Fund’s distributor, custodian, or any other of the Fund’s intermediaries or service providers may adversely impact the Fund and its shareholders, potentially resulting in, among other things, financial losses or the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business. For instance, cyber attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential business information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes designed to mitigate or prevent the risk of cyber attacks. Such costs may be ongoing because threats of cyber attacks are constantly evolving as cyber attackers become more sophisticated and their techniques become more complex. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investments in such companies to lose value. There can be no assurance that the Fund, the Fund’s service providers, or the issuers of the securities in which the Fund invests will not suffer losses relating to cyber attacks or other information security breaches in the future.
General Market and Geopolitical Risk. Geopolitical events, such as war (including ongoing armed conflict between Ukraine and Russia in Europe and Israel and Hamas in the Middle East), terrorism, social unrest, government defaults, government shutdowns, economic uncertainty, sanctions or the threat of sanctions, trade disputes with key trading partners and the imposition of associated tariffs, natural and environmental disasters, the spread of infectious illness, widespread disease or other public health issues such as pandemics and epidemics (including those caused by COVID-19), and/or systemic market dislocations (including due to events outside of such countries or regions) have led, and in the future may lead, to increased short-term market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on the U.S. and world economies and markets generally. Whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in countries impacted by such events, these and other events could negatively affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments due to the interconnected nature of the global economy and capital markets, which in turn could negatively impact the Fund’s performance and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
Fundamental Policies
In addition to the investment objective of the Fund, the following investment limitations are fundamental, which means that the Fund cannot change them without approval by the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund. The phrase “majority of the outstanding shares” means the vote of (i) 67% or more of the Fund’s shares present at a meeting, if more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding shares, whichever is less.
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The Fund:
| 1. | May not concentrate investments in a particular industry or group of industries, as concentration is defined under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time, except that the Fund may invest without limitation in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities and repurchase agreements involving such securities or tax-exempt obligations of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions. |
| 2. | May borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except as prohibited under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time. |
| 3. | May make loans, except as prohibited under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time. |
| 4. | May purchase or sell commodities or real estate, except as prohibited under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time. |
| 5. | May underwrite securities issued by other persons, except as prohibited under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time. |
Non-Fundamental Policies
In addition to the investment objective of the Fund, the following limitations are non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.
The Fund:
| 1. | May not invest in unmarketable interests in real estate limited partnerships or invest directly in real estate. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing policy does not prevent the Fund from, among other things, purchasing marketable securities of companies that deal in real estate or interests therein (including REITs). |
| 2. | May purchase or sell financial and physical commodities, commodity contracts based on (or relating to) physical commodities or financial commodities and securities and derivative instruments whose values are derived from (in whole or in part) physical commodities or financial commodities. |
Except with respect to Fund policies concerning borrowing, if a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from changes in values or assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction. Under normal circumstances, if such a change in values or assets causes the Fund to not adhere to a percentage restriction, the Fund will only make investments that will bring it toward meeting such restriction. With respect to the limitation on borrowing, in the event that a subsequent change in net assets or other circumstances causes the Fund to exceed its limitation, the Fund will take steps to bring the aggregate amount of borrowing back within the limitation within three days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays).
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The following descriptions of certain provisions of the 1940 Act may assist investors in understanding the above policies and restrictions:
Borrowing. The 1940 Act presently allows an investment company to borrow from any bank in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) and to borrow for temporary purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of its total assets.
Concentration. The 1940 Act requires that every investment company have a fundamental investment policy regarding concentration. The SEC has defined concentration as investing 25% or more of an investment company’s total assets in any particular industry or group of industries, with certain exceptions. For purposes of the Fund’s concentration policy, the Fund may classify and re-classify companies in a particular industry and define and re-define industries in any reasonable manner, consistent with SEC and SEC staff guidance.
Lending. Under the 1940 Act, an investment company may only make loans if expressly permitted by its investment policies.
Senior Securities. Senior securities may include any obligation or instrument issued by a fund evidencing indebtedness. The 1940 Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities, although the 1940 Act does provide allowances for certain borrowings. In addition, Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act permits a fund to enter into derivatives transactions, notwithstanding the prohibitions and restrictions on the issuance of senior securities under the 1940 Act, provided that the fund complies with the conditions of Rule 18f-4.
Underwriting. Under the 1940 Act, underwriting securities involves an investment company purchasing securities directly from an issuer for the purpose of selling (distributing) them or participating in any such activity either directly or indirectly.
Real Estate and Commodities. The 1940 Act does not directly restrict an investment company’s ability to invest in real estate or commodities, but does require that every investment company have a fundamental investment policy governing such investments.
THE ADVISER
General. Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Inc., headquartered at 125 High Street, Suite 431, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, is a professional investment management firm registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Adviser is corporation organized under the laws of the State of Massachusetts and was founded in 1993. The Adviser is wholly owned by current and former employees, as well as members of its board of directors. Peter Coffin, founder, is the majority shareholder. As of December 31, 2025, the Adviser had approximately $54.3 billion in assets under management.
Advisory Agreement with the Trust. The Trust and the Adviser have entered into an investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”). Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser serves as the investment adviser and makes investment decisions for the Fund and continuously reviews, supervises and administers the investment program of the Fund, subject to the oversight of, and policies established by, the Trustees.
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After the initial two-year term, the continuance of the Advisory Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually: (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund; and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” of any party thereto, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment, and is terminable at any time without penalty by the Trustees or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, on not less than 30 days’ nor more than 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser, or, by the Adviser, on not less than 30 days’ nor more than 60 days’ written notice to the Trust. As used in the Advisory Agreement, the terms “majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested persons” and “assignment” have the same meaning as such terms in the 1940 Act.
Advisory Fees Paid to the Adviser. An investor in the Fund will pay a fee to the Adviser under a separate client agreement related to the separately managed account program of which the Fund is a part. The Fund does not pay the Adviser for investment advisory services, but does pay other expenses of the Fund such as administration fees, custody fees and general operating expenses.
The Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to keep total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and extraordinary expenses (collectively, “excluded expenses”)) from exceeding 0.30% of the Fund’s average daily net assets until April 30, 2027. This agreement may be terminated: (i) by the Adviser, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Trust, effective as of the close of business on April 30, 2027; or (ii) by the Board, for any reason at any time. In addition, the Adviser may receive from the Fund the difference between the total annual Fund operating expenses (not including excluded expenses) and the expense cap to recoup all or a portion of its prior expense reimbursements made during the rolling three-year period preceding the date of the recoupment if at any point total annual Fund operating expenses (not including excluded expenses) are below the expense cap (i) at the time of the expense reimbursement and (ii) at the time of the recoupment.
THE PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
This section includes information about the Fund’s portfolio managers, including information about other accounts they manage, the dollar range of Fund shares they own and how they are compensated.
Compensation.
All members of the Adviser’s portfolio management team receive a compensation and benefits package that includes a base salary and eligibility for bonus and profit sharing. Base salary is determined by at least the following: the role and responsibilities, the person’s experience, and market data for similar jobs. Individual performance and contribution are additional considerations during the annual review process. Bonuses are paid quarterly and are not tied to the performance of any client account or strategy. Each member of the team is also eligible to receive equity options. The Adviser’s board of directors determines the amount of options to issue and, with input from the Adviser’s Executive Committee, the recipients of those options.
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Fund Shares Owned by the Portfolio Managers. Because the Fund is new, as of the date of this SAI, the portfolio managers did not beneficially own shares of the Fund.
Other Accounts. In addition to the Fund, the portfolio managers may also be responsible for the day-to-day management of certain other accounts, as indicated by the following table. None of these accounts are subject to a performance-based advisory fee. The information below is provided as of December 31, 2025.
| Name |
Registered Investment Companies |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
Other Accounts* | |||
| Number of Accounts |
Total Assets (in Millions) |
Number of Accounts |
Total Assets (in Millions) |
Number of Accounts |
Total Assets (in Millions) | |
| Matthew Buscone | 2 | $113.2 | 1 | $197.7 | 18,457 | $54,039 |
| Eric Haase, CFA | 2 | $113.2 | 1 | $197.7 | 18,457 | $54,039 |
| Maggie Fitzpatrick, CFA | 2 | $113.2 | 1 | $197.7 | 18,457 | $54,039 |
| * | In addition to the accounts in the table, portfolio managers also manage personal accounts for their own benefit. |
Conflicts of Interest. The portfolio managers provide investment advisory services to other client accounts in different strategies with varying fee schedules. Managing multiple accounts with different objectives, benchmarks and restrictions simultaneously may result in the team allocating unequal attention and time to the management of each client account.
The Adviser seeks to address these conflicts in various ways. The Adviser’s approach is team-based, which helps to ensure overlap in coverage and support. All trading activity is viewable by the trading and portfolio management teams; this provides complete transparency into daily trading in client and affiliated accounts. Using its internal portfolio management and trading system, the Adviser’s fixed income portfolio management team can determine portfolio needs, sales and trade ideas across multiple accounts with input from the Adviser’s traders on valuation. Additionally, the Adviser’s internal system enables it to complete allocations in a manner that is consistent with internal policy and client restrictions.
Since all accounts are managed on a team-basis, a portfolio manager’s compensation is not tied to the performance of any single account or strategy; bonuses are based on individual and overall firm performance. In this way, portfolio managers are incentivized to act in the best interests of all clients. The Adviser does not have any performance fee or soft dollar arrangements, both of which can create further conflicts concerning the management and trading of accounts.
The Adviser has trading partners that have, or trading partners with affiliates that have, client accounts managed by the Adviser. Since the Adviser has a business interest in these client relationships, there may be an incentive for the Adviser to select these dealers over those without such client accounts when placing orders for client portfolios. When selecting dealers for client orders, the Adviser does not consider whether it receives client referrals from such dealers. The Adviser’s trading and consultant relations teams are separate. Traders are generally not permitted to consult with the consultant relations team on broker selections. Further, the trading and portfolio management teams conduct periodic reviews of the Adviser’s trade execution and trading partners to ensure the Adviser is meeting its best execution goal.
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The portfolio managers may enter into certain personal securities transactions with appropriate approvals. Personal trading activity can cause conflicts with client accounts since employees may hold the same securities as those held in client accounts. To help minimize this conflict, the Adviser has a general prohibition on the trading of fixed income securities that may be eligible for client accounts. Employees also are subject to transactional restrictions and regular reporting requirements, which are detailed in the Adviser’s code of ethics.
From time to time, the portfolio managers will receive non-cash gifts or business entertainment. Typically, these are tickets to events or occasional meals with vendors. The Adviser has a policy in place that regulates the acceptance of such items. The policy includes but is not limited to: seeking approval on items over a specific value, submitting reports on certain items and certifying periodically to policy compliance.
THE ADMINISTRATOR
General. SEI Investments Global Funds Services (the “Administrator”), a Delaware statutory trust, has its principal business offices at One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456. SEI Investments Management Corporation (“SIMC”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SEI Investments Company (“SEI Investments”), is the owner of all beneficial interest in the Administrator. SEI Investments and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including the Administrator, are leading providers of fund evaluation services, trust accounting systems, and brokerage and information services to financial institutions, institutional investors, and money managers. The Administrator and its affiliates also serve as administrator or sub-administrator to other mutual funds.
Administration Agreement with the Trust. The Trust and the Administrator have entered into an amended and restated administration agreement dated November 13, 2018, as amended (the “Administration Agreement”). Under the Administration Agreement, the Administrator provides the Trust with administrative services, including regulatory reporting and all necessary office space, equipment, personnel and facilities.
The Administration Agreement provides that the Administrator shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which the Administration Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Administrator in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its duties and obligations thereunder.
Administration Fees Paid to the Administrator. For its services under the Administration Agreement, the Administrator is paid a fee, which varies based on the average daily net assets of the Fund, subject to certain minimums.
THE DISTRIBUTOR
The Trust and SEI Investments Distribution Co. (the “Distributor”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SEI Investments and an affiliate of the Administrator, are parties to a distribution agreement dated November 14, 1991, as amended and restated November 14, 2005 and as amended August 30, 2010 and November 13, 2018 (the “Distribution Agreement”). The principal business address of the Distributor is One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456.
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The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Agreement or any related agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act), and is terminable at any time without penalty by the Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust, or by the Distributor, upon not less than 60 days’ written notice to the other party.
THE TRANSFER AGENT
SS&C Global Investor & Distribution Solutions, Inc., 1055 Broadway, Kansas City, Missouri 64105 (the “Transfer Agent”), serves as the Fund’s transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent under a transfer agency agreement with the Trust.
THE CUSTODIAN
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., 50 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02100 (the “Custodian”), acts as custodian of the Fund. The Custodian holds cash, securities and other assets of the Fund as required by the 1940 Act.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
[XX], [Address], serves as independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, 2222 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-3007, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.
SECURITIES LENDING
Because the Fund is new, as of the date of this SAI, the Fund has not engaged in securities lending activities.
FINANCIAL INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIPS
SEI Investments, along with its subsidiaries and affiliates (including, but not limited to, the Administrator, the Distributor and SIMC) (collectively, “SEI”), provides a range of services to various financial market participants and has a broad network of relationships with financial services companies, including investment funds, asset managers, broker-dealers and other intermediaries, accounting firms, banks and transfer agents. Although SEI’s various business units largely operate independently of one another, their customers and relationships may, and often will, overlap. For example, a particular asset manager might be a sub-adviser to an investment fund that is managed primarily by SIMC, may sponsor a fund that is registered on the Advisors’ Inner Circle platform, and/or may manage a fund in which SEI Investments is an investor (with its own capital). From time to time, one SEI business unit may introduce or refer a third-party to another SEI business unit for additional potential services. These various relationships may give rise to actual or perceived conflicts of interest. However, understanding the duties and responsibilities that SEI owes its customers under law and under contract, SEI keeps such actual or perceived conflicts of interest front-of-mind on an ongoing basis and, where appropriate, works with the compliance function, as well as internal and external counsel, to identify and mitigate or eliminate such conflicts, including through appropriate disclosure to applicable governing boards.
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE TRUST
Board Responsibilities. The management and affairs of the Trust and its series, including the Fund described in this SAI, are overseen by the Trustees. The Board has approved contracts, as described above, under which certain companies provide essential management services to the Trust.
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Like most mutual funds, the day-to-day business of the Trust, including the management of risk, is performed by third party service providers, such as the Adviser, Distributor and Administrator. The Trustees are responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, have oversight responsibility with respect to risk management performed by those service providers. Risk management seeks to identify and address risks, i.e., events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance or reputation of the funds. The funds and their service providers employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various possible events or circumstances, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each service provider is responsible for one or more discrete aspects of the Trust’s business (e.g., the Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio investments) and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that business. The Board has emphasized to the funds’ service providers the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management.
The Trustees’ role in risk oversight begins before the inception of a fund, at which time certain of the fund’s service providers present the Board with information concerning the investment objective, strategies and risks of the fund as well as proposed investment limitations for the fund. Additionally, the fund’s adviser provides the Board with an overview of, among other things, its investment philosophy, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructure. Thereafter, the Board continues its oversight function as various personnel, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, as well as personnel of the adviser and other service providers, such as the fund’s independent accountants, make periodic reports to the Audit Committee or to the Board with respect to various aspects of risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee oversee efforts by management and service providers to manage risks to which the funds may be exposed.
The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the funds by the adviser and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis, in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the advisory agreement with an adviser, the Board meets with the adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the adviser’s adherence to the funds’ investment restrictions and compliance with various fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about the funds’ investments, including, for example, reports on the adviser’s use of derivatives in managing the funds, if any, as well as reports on the funds’ investments in other investment companies, if any.
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues and fund and adviser risk assessments. At least annually, the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer provides the Board with a report reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust’s policies and procedures and those of its service providers, including the adviser. The report addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Trust and each service provider since the date of the last report; any material changes to the policies and procedures since the date of the last report; any recommendations for material changes to the policies and procedures; and any material compliance matters since the date of the last report.
The Board receives reports from the funds’ service providers regarding operational risks and risks related to the valuation and liquidity of portfolio securities. The Adviser makes regular reports to the Board concerning investments for which market quotations are not readily available. Annually, the independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of the funds’ financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the funds and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the funds’ internal controls. Additionally, in connection with its oversight function, the Board oversees fund management’s implementation of disclosure controls and procedures, which are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in its periodic reports with the SEC are recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the required time periods. The Board also oversees the Trust’s internal controls over financial reporting, which comprise policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Trust’s financial reporting and the preparation of the Trust’s financial statements.
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From their review of these reports and discussions with the adviser, the Chief Compliance Officer, the independent registered public accounting firm and other service providers, the Board and the Audit Committee learn in detail about the material risks of the funds, thereby facilitating a dialogue about how management and service providers identify and mitigate those risks.
The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect the funds can be identified and/or quantified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the funds’ goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Trustees as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. Most of the funds’ investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through the funds’ adviser and other service providers, each of which has an independent interest in risk management but whose policies and the methods by which one or more risk management functions are carried out may differ from the funds’ and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s ability to monitor and manage risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.
Members of the Board. There are seven members of the Board, five of whom are not interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (“independent Trustees”). Robert Nesher, an interested person of the Trust, serves as Chairman of the Board. Joseph T. Grause, Jr., an independent Trustee, serves as the lead independent Trustee. The Trust has determined its leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust. The Trust made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the independent Trustees constitute more than two-thirds of the Board, the fact that the chairperson of each Committee of the Board is an independent Trustee, the amount of assets under management in the Trust, and the number of funds (and classes of shares) overseen by the Board. The Board also believes that its leadership structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the independent Trustees from fund management.
The Board has two standing committees: the Audit Committee and the Governance Committee. The Audit Committee and the Governance Committee are chaired by an independent Trustee and composed of all of the independent Trustees. In addition, the Board has a lead independent Trustee.
In his role as lead independent Trustee, Mr. Grause, among other things: (i) presides over Board meetings in the absence of the Chairman of the Board; (ii) presides over executive sessions of the independent Trustees; (iii) along with the Chairman of the Board, oversees the development of agendas for Board meetings; (iv) facilitates communication between the independent Trustees and management, and among the independent Trustees; (v) serves as a key point person for dealings between the independent Trustees and management; and (vi) has such other responsibilities as the Board or independent Trustees determine from time to time.
Set forth below are the names, years of birth, position with the Trust and length of time served, and principal occupations and other directorships held during at least the last five years of each of the persons currently serving as a Trustee. There is no stated term of office for the Trustees. Nevertheless, an independent Trustee must retire from the Board as of the end of the calendar year in which such independent Trustee first attains the age of seventy-five years; provided, however, that, an independent Trustee may continue to serve for one or more additional one calendar year terms after attaining the age of seventy-five years (each calendar year a “Waiver Term”) if, and only if, prior to the beginning of such Waiver Term: (1) the Governance Committee (a) meets to review the performance of the independent Trustee; (b) finds that the continued service of such independent Trustee is in the best interests of the Trust; and (c) unanimously approves excepting the independent Trustee from the general retirement policy set out above; and (2) a majority of the Trustees approves excepting the independent Trustee from the general retirement policy set out above. Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each Trustee is SEI Investments Company, One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456.
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| Name and Year of Birth | Position with Trust and Length of Time Served | Principal Occupations in the Past 5 Years |
Other Directorships Held in the Past 5 Years |
| Interested Trustees | |||
Robert Nesher (Born: 1946) |
Chairman of the Board of Trustees1 (since 1991)
|
SEI employee 1974 to present; currently performs various services on behalf of SEI Investments for which Mr. Nesher is compensated. President, Chief Executive Officer and Trustee of SEI Daily Income Trust, SEI Tax Exempt Trust, SEI Institutional Managed Trust, SEI Institutional International Trust, SEI Institutional Investments Trust, SEI Asset Allocation Trust, Adviser Managed Trust, New Covenant Funds, SEI Catholic Values Trust, SEI Exchange Traded Funds and SEI Alternative Income Fund. President and Director of SEI Structured Credit Fund, LP. Vice Chairman of Winton Series Trust to 2017. Vice Chairman of Winton Diversified Opportunities Fund (closed-end investment company), The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III, Gallery Trust, Schroder Series Trust and Schroder Global Series Trust to 2018. | Current Directorships: Trustee of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund II, Bishop Street Funds, Frost Family of Funds, Catholic Responsible Investments Funds, SEI Daily Income Trust, SEI Institutional International Trust, SEI Institutional Investments Trust, SEI Institutional Managed Trust, SEI Asset Allocation Trust, SEI Tax Exempt Trust, Adviser Managed Trust, New Covenant Funds, SEI Catholic Values Trust, SEI Exchange Traded Funds and SEI Alternative Income Fund. Director of SEI Structured Credit Fund, LP, SEI Global Master Fund plc, SEI Global Assets Fund plc, SEI Global Investments Fund plc, SEI Investments—Global Funds Services, Limited, SEI Investments Global, Limited, SEI Investments (Europe) Ltd., SEI Investments—Unit Trust Management (UK) Limited, SEI Multi-Strategy Funds PLC and SEI Global Nominee Ltd.
Former Directorships: Trustee of The KP Funds to 2022. |
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N. Jeffrey Klauder (Born: 1952) |
Trustee1 (since 2018)
|
Senior Advisor of SEI Investments since 2018. Executive Vice President and General Counsel of SEI Investments, 2004 to 2018. | Current Directorships: Trustee of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund II, Bishop Street Funds and Catholic Responsible Investments Funds. Director of SEI Private Trust Company, SEI Global Fund Services Ltd., SEI Investments Global Limited, SEI Global Master Fund, SEI Global Investments Fund, SEI Global Assets Fund and SEI Investments - Guernsey Limited.
Former Directorships: Trustee of SEI Investments Management Corporation, SEI Trust Company, SEI Investments (South Africa), Limited and SEI Investments (Canada) Company to 2018. Trustee of The KP Funds to 2022. |
| Independent Trustees | |||
Kathleen Gaffney (Born: 1961) |
Trustee (since 2022) |
Retired since 2019. Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Eaton Vance Management from 2012 to 2019. | Current Directorships: Trustee of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund II, Bishop Street Funds and Catholic Responsible Investments Funds. |
Joseph T. Grause, Jr. (Born: 1952) |
Trustee (since 2011) Lead Independent Trustee (since 2018) |
Self-Employed Consultant since 2012. Director of Endowments and Foundations, Morningstar Investment Management, Morningstar, Inc., 2010 to 2011. Director of International Consulting and Chief Executive Officer of Morningstar Associates Europe Limited, Morningstar, Inc., 2007 to 2010. Country Manager – Morningstar UK Limited, Morningstar, Inc., 2005 to 2007. | Current Directorships: Trustee of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund II, Bishop Street Funds, Frost Family of Funds, and Catholic Responsible Investments Funds.
Former Directorships: Trustee of The KP Funds to 2022. |
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Robert Mulhall (Born: 1958) |
Trustee (since 2019) |
Partner, Ernst & Young LLP, from 1998 to 2018. | Current Directorships: Trustee of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund II, Bishop Street Funds, Frost Family of Funds and Catholic Responsible Investments Funds.
Former Directorships: Trustee of Villanova University Alumni Board of Directors to 2018. Trustee of The KP Funds to 2022. |
Bruce Speca (Born: 1956) |
Trustee (since 2011) |
Global Head of Asset Allocation, Manulife Asset Management (subsidiary of Manulife Financial), 2010 to 2011. Executive Vice President – Investment Management Services, John Hancock Financial Services (subsidiary of Manulife Financial), 2003 to 2010. | Current Directorships: Trustee of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund II, Bishop Street Funds, Frost Family of Funds and Catholic Responsible Investments Funds.
Former Directorships: Trustee of The KP Funds to 2022. Director of Stone Harbor Investments Funds (8 Portfolios), Stone Harbor Emerging Markets Income Fund (closed-end fund) and Stone Harbor Emerging Markets Total Income Fund (closed-end fund) to 2022. |
Monica Walker (Born: 1958) |
Trustee (since 2022) |
Retired. Private Investor since 2017. Co-Founder (1991-2017), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (2009 to 2017) and Chief Investment Officer – Equity (2007 to 2017) of Holland Capital Management, LLC (Chicago). | Current Directorships: Trustee of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund II, Bishop Street Funds and Catholic Responsible Investments Funds. |
| 1 | Denotes Trustees who may be deemed to be “interested” persons of the Fund as that term is defined in the 1940 Act by virtue of their affiliation with the Distributor and/or its affiliates. |
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Individual Trustee Qualifications. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve on the Board because of their ability to review and understand information about the funds provided to them by management, to identify and request other information they may deem relevant to the performance of their duties, to question management and other service providers regarding material factors bearing on the management and administration of the funds, and to exercise their business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of the funds’ shareholders. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve as a Trustee based on their own experience, qualifications, attributes and skills as described below.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Nesher should serve as Trustee because of the experience he has gained in his various roles with SEI Investments, which he joined in 1974, his knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry, and the experience he has gained serving as a trustee of the Trust since 1991.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Klauder should serve as Trustee because of the experience he has gained in his various roles with SEI Investments, which he joined in 2004, his knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry, and the experience he gained serving as a partner of a large law firm.
The Trust has concluded that Ms. Gaffney should serve as Trustee because of the experience she gained serving as a vice president and portfolio manager for a large asset management company, her experience in and knowledge of the asset management industry, and the experience she has gained serving in board and leadership positions in a variety of nonprofit and civic organizations.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Grause should serve as Trustee because of the knowledge and experience he gained in a variety of leadership roles with different financial institutions, his knowledge of the mutual fund and investment management industries, his past experience as an interested trustee and chair of the investment committee for a multi-managed investment company, and the experience he has gained serving as a trustee of the Trust since 2011.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Mulhall should serve as Trustee because of the knowledge and experience he gained in a variety of leadership roles with an audit firm and various financial services firms, his experience in and knowledge of the financial services industry, and his experience serving in a variety of leadership capacities for non-profit organizations.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Speca should serve as Trustee because of the knowledge and experience he gained serving as president of a mutual fund company and portfolio manager for a $95 billion complex of asset allocation funds, his over 25 years of experience working in a management capacity with mutual fund boards, and the experience he has gained serving as a trustee of the Trust since 2011.
The Trust has concluded that Ms. Walker should serve as Trustee because of the experience she gained in a variety of leadership roles with an asset management company that she co-founded, her experience in and knowledge of the financial services industry, and the experience she has gained in various other corporate accounting, finance and investment roles.
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In its periodic assessment of the effectiveness of the Board, the Board considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition so that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the funds.
Board Committees. The Board has established the following standing committees:
| ● | Audit Committee. The Board has a standing Audit Committee that is composed of each of the independent Trustees. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee include: (i) recommending which firm to engage as each fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and whether to terminate this relationship; (ii) reviewing the independent registered public accounting firm’s compensation, the proposed scope and terms of its engagement, and the firm’s independence; (iii) pre-approving audit and non-audit services provided by each fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to the Trust and certain other affiliated entities; (iv) serving as a channel of communication between the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trustees; (v) reviewing the results of each external audit, including any qualifications in the independent registered public accounting firm’s opinion, any related management letter, management’s responses to recommendations made by the independent registered public accounting firm in connection with the audit, reports submitted to the Committee by the internal auditing department of the Administrator that are material to the Trust as a whole, if any, and management’s responses to any such reports; (vi) reviewing each fund’s audited financial statements and considering any significant disputes between the Trust’s management and the independent registered public accounting firm that arose in connection with the preparation of those financial statements; (vii) considering, in consultation with the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trust’s senior internal accounting executive, if any, the independent registered public accounting firms’ reports on the adequacy of the Trust’s internal financial controls; (viii) reviewing, in consultation with each fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, major changes regarding auditing and accounting principles and practices to be followed when preparing each fund’s financial statements; and (ix) other audit related matters. Mses. Gaffney and Walker and Messrs. Grause, Mulhall and Speca currently serve as members of the Audit Committee. Mr. Mulhall serves as the Chairman of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee meets periodically, as necessary, and met [four (4) times] during the most recently completed fiscal year. |
| ● | Governance Committee. The Board has a standing Governance Committee (formerly the Nominating Committee) that is composed of each of the independent Trustees. The Governance Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibilities of the Governance Committee include: (i) considering and reviewing Board governance and compensation issues; (ii) conducting a self-assessment of the Board’s operations; (iii) selecting and nominating all persons to serve as independent Trustees; and (iv) reviewing shareholder recommendations for nominations to fill vacancies on the Board if such recommendations are submitted in writing and addressed to the Committee at the Trust’s office. Mses. Gaffney and Walker and Messrs. Grause, Mulhall and Speca currently serve as members of the Governance Committee. Mr. Speca serves as the Chairman of the Governance Committee. The Governance Committee meets periodically, as necessary, and met [one (1) time] during the most recently completed fiscal year. |
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Fund Shares Owned by Board Members. The following table shows the dollar amount range of each Trustee’s “beneficial ownership” of shares of the Fund as of the end of the most recently completed calendar year. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”). The Trustees and officers of the Trust own less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Trust.
| Name | Dollar
Range of Fund Shares (Fund)1 |
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Shares (All Funds in the Family of Investment Companies)1,2 |
| Interested Trustees | ||
| Nesher | None | None |
| Klauder | None | None |
| Independent Trustees | ||
| Gaffney | None | None |
| Grause | None | None |
| Mulhall | None | None |
| Speca | None | None |
| Walker | None | None |
| 1 | Valuation date is December 31, 2025. |
| 2 | The Fund is the only fund in the family of investment companies. |
Board Compensation. The Trust paid the following fees to the Trustees during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025.
| Name | Aggregate Compensation from the Trust | Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses | Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement |
Total Compensation from the Trust and Fund Complex1 |
| Interested Trustees | ||||
| Nesher | $0 | N/A | N/A | $0 for service on one (1) board |
| Klauder | $0 | N/A | N/A | $0 for service on one (1) board |
| Independent Trustees | ||||
| Gaffney | $[XX] | N/A | N/A | $[XX] for service on one (1) board |
| Grause | $[XX] | N/A | N/A | $[XX] for service on one (1) board |
| Mulhall | $[XX] | N/A | N/A | $[XX] for service on one (1) board |
| Speca | $[XX] | N/A | N/A | $[XX] for service on one (1) board |
| Walker | $[XX] | N/A | N/A | $[XX] for service on one (1) board |
| 1 | All funds in the Fund Complex are series of the Trust. |
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Trust Officers. Set forth below are the names, years of birth, position with the Trust and length of time served, and the principal occupations for the last five years of each of the persons currently serving as executive officers of the Trust. There is no stated term of office for officers of the Trust. Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each officer is SEI Investments Company, One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456. The Chief Compliance Officer is the only officer who receives compensation from the Trust for his services.
Certain officers of the Trust also serve as officers of one or more funds for which SEI Investments or its affiliates act as investment manager, administrator or distributor.
| Name and Year of Birth | Position with Trust and Length of Time Served | Principal Occupations in Past 5 Years |
| Michael Beattie (Born: 1965) | President (since 2011) |
Managing Director, SEI Investments, since 2021. Director of Client Service, SEI Investments, from 2004 to 2021. |
John Bourgeois (Born: 1973) |
Assistant Treasurer (since 2017) |
Fund Accounting Manager, SEI Investments, since 2000. |
Eric C. Griffith (Born: 1969) |
Vice President and Assistant Secretary (since 2019) |
Counsel at SEI Investments since 2019. Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, JPMorgan Chase & Co., from 2012 to 2018. |
Matthew M. Maher (Born: 1975) |
Vice President (since 2018) Secretary (since 2020) |
Counsel at SEI Investments since 2018. Attorney, Blank Rome LLP, from 2015 to 2018. Assistant Counsel & Vice President, Bank of New York Mellon, from 2013 to 2014. Attorney, Dilworth Paxson LLP, from 2006 to 2013. |
Andrew Metzger (Born: 1980) |
Treasurer, Controller and Chief Financial Officer (since 2021) |
Director of Fund Accounting, SEI Investments, since 2020. Senior Director, Embark, from 2019 to 2020. Senior Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, from 2002 to 2019. |
| Robert Morrow (Born: 1968) | Vice President (since 2017) |
Account Manager, SEI Investments, since 2007. |
Stephen F. Panner (Born: 1970) |
Chief Compliance Officer (since 2022) |
Chief Compliance Officer of SEI Asset Allocation Trust, SEI Daily Income Trust, SEI Institutional Investments Trust, SEI Institutional International Trust, SEI Institutional Managed Trust, SEI Tax Exempt Trust, Adviser Managed Trust, New Covenant Funds, SEI Catholic Values Trust, SEI Exchange Traded Funds, SEI Structured Credit Fund LP, The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund, The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund II, The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III, Bishop Street Funds, Frost Family of Funds, Gallery Trust, Wilshire Private Assets Master Fund, Wilshire Private Assets Fund and Catholic Responsible Investments Funds since September 2022. Chief Compliance Officer of SEI Alternative Income Fund since May 2023. Chief Compliance Officer of Symmetry Panoramic Trust since December 2023. Fund Compliance Officer of SEI Investments Company from February 2011 to September 2022. Fund Accounting Director and CFO and Controller for the SEI Funds from July 2005 to February 2011. |
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| Name and Year of Birth | Position with Trust and Length of Time Served | Principal Occupations in Past 5 Years |
Alexander F. Smith (Born: 1977) |
Vice President and Assistant Secretary (since 2020) |
Counsel at SEI Investments since 2020. Associate Counsel & Manager, Vanguard, 2012 to 2020. Attorney, Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP, 2008 to 2012. |
Marci M. Morgan (Born: 1971) |
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer and Privacy Officer (since 2025) | Director of Anti-Money Laundering Compliance at SEI Investments since May 2025. Director of Global Due Diligence at SEI Investments from October 2023 to May 2025. Vice President of Regulatory Management at BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (formerly PNC Global Investment Servicing) from December 2001 to January 2006 and from April 2010 to February 2023. |
PURCHASING AND REDEEMING SHARES
Purchases and redemptions may be made through the Transfer Agent on any day the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open for business. Shares of the Fund are offered and redeemed on a continuous basis. Currently, the NYSE is closed for business when the following holidays are observed: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
It is currently the Trust’s policy to pay all redemptions in cash. The Trust retains the right, however, to alter this policy to provide for redemptions in whole or in part by a distribution in-kind of securities held by the Fund in lieu of cash. Shareholders may incur brokerage charges on the sale of any such securities so received in payment of redemptions. A shareholder will at all times be entitled to aggregate cash redemptions from all funds of the Trust up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the Trust’s net assets during any 90-day period.
The Trust reserves the right to suspend the right of redemption and/or to postpone the date of payment upon redemption for more than seven days during times when the NYSE is closed, other than during customary weekends or holidays, for any period on which trading on the NYSE is restricted (as determined by the SEC by rule or regulation), or during the existence of an emergency (as determined by the SEC by rule or regulation) as a result of which the disposal or valuation of the Fund’s securities is not reasonably practicable, or for such other periods as the SEC has by order permitted. The Trust also reserves the right to suspend sales of shares of the Fund for any period during which the NYSE, the Adviser, the Administrator, the Transfer Agent and/or the Custodian are not open for business.
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DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
General Policy. The Fund adheres to Section 2(a)(41), and Rules 2a-4 and 2a-5 thereunder, of the 1940 Act with respect to the valuation of portfolio securities. In general, securities for which market quotations are readily available are valued at current market value, and all other securities are valued at fair value by the Adviser in good faith, and subject to the oversight of the Board. In complying with the 1940 Act, the Trust relies on guidance provided by the SEC and by the SEC staff in various interpretive letters and other guidance.
Equity Securities. Securities listed on a securities exchange, market or automated quotation system for which quotations are readily available (except for securities traded on NASDAQ), including securities traded over-the-counter, are valued at the last quoted sale price on an exchange or market (foreign or domestic) on which they are traded on the valuation date (or at approximately 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time if such exchange is normally open at that time), or, if there is no such reported sale on the valuation date, at the most recent quoted bid price. For securities traded on NASDAQ, the NASDAQ Official Closing Price will be used. If such prices are not available or determined to not represent the fair value of the security as of the Fund’s pricing time, the security will be valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser, subject to Board oversight.
Money Market Securities and other Debt Securities. If available, money market securities and other debt securities are priced based upon valuations provided by recognized independent, third-party pricing agents. Such values generally reflect the last reported sales price if the security is actively traded. The third-party pricing agents may also value debt securities by employing methodologies that utilize actual market transactions, broker-supplied valuations, or other methodologies designed to identify the market value for such securities. Such methodologies generally consider such factors as security prices, yields, maturities, call features, ratings and developments relating to specific securities in arriving at valuations. Money market securities and other debt securities with remaining maturities of sixty days or less may be valued at their amortized cost, which approximates market value. If such prices are not available or determined to not represent the fair value of the security as of the Fund’s pricing time, the security will be valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser, subject to Board oversight.
Foreign Securities. The prices for foreign securities are reported in local currency and converted to U.S. dollars using currency exchange rates. Exchange rates are provided daily by recognized independent pricing agents.
Derivatives and Other Complex Securities. Exchange traded options on securities and indices purchased by the Fund generally are valued at their last trade price or, if there is no last trade price, the last bid price. Exchange traded options on securities and indices written by the Fund generally are valued at their last trade price or, if there is no last trade price, the last asked price. In the case of options traded in the over-the-counter market, if the OTC option is also an exchange traded option, the Fund will follow the rules regarding the valuation of exchange traded options. If the OTC option is not also an exchange traded option, the security will be valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser, subject to Board oversight.
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Futures and swaps cleared through a central clearing house (“centrally cleared swaps”) are valued at the settlement price established each day by the board of the exchange on which they are traded. The daily settlement prices for financial futures are provided by an independent source. On days when there is excessive volume or market volatility, or the future or centrally cleared swap does not end trading by the time the Fund calculates its NAV, the settlement price may not be available at the time at which the Fund calculates its NAV. On such days, the best available price (which is typically the last sales price) may be used to value the Fund’s futures or centrally cleared swaps position.
Foreign currency forward contracts are valued at the current day’s interpolated foreign exchange rate, as calculated using the current day’s spot rate, and the thirty, sixty, ninety and one-hundred eighty day forward rates provided by an independent source.
If available, non-centrally cleared swaps, collateralized debt obligations, collateralized loan obligations and bank loans are priced based on valuations provided by an independent third party pricing agent. If a price is not available from an independent third party pricing agent, the security will be valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser, subject to Board oversight.
Use of Third-Party Independent Pricing Services. Pursuant to contracts with the Administrator, prices for most securities held by the Fund with readily available market quotations are provided by third-party independent pricing agents. The valuations for these securities are reviewed by the Administrator. In accordance with the Adviser’s Valuation Procedures, the Adviser may also use third-party independent pricing agents (reviewed and approved by the Adviser) to fair value certain securities without readily available market quotations (or where market quotations are unreliable).
Fair Value Procedures. Securities for which market prices are not “readily available” or which cannot be valued using the methodologies described above are valued in accordance with Fair Value Procedures established by the Adviser and implemented through the Adviser’s Valuation Committee. In establishing a fair value for an investment, the Adviser will use valuation methodologies established by the Adviser and may consider inputs and methodologies provided by, among others, third-party independent pricing agents, independent broker dealers and/or the Adviser’s own personnel (including investment personnel).
[TAXES]
The following is only a summary of certain additional U.S. federal income tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders that is intended to supplement the discussion contained in the Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund or its shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. In particular, it does not address investors subject to special rules, such as investors who hold shares through an individual retirement account (“IRA”), 401(k), or other tax advantaged accounts. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors with specific reference to their own tax situations, including their state, local, and foreign tax liabilities.
The following general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences is based on the Code and the regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this SAI. New legislation, as well as administrative changes or court decisions, may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein, and may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein.
S-54
Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company. The Fund intends to elect and qualify each year to be treated as a RIC. By following such a policy, the Fund expects to eliminate or reduce to a nominal amount the federal taxes to which it may be subject. If the Fund qualifies as a RIC, it will generally not be subject to federal income taxes on the net investment income and net realized capital gains that it timely distributes to its shareholders. The Board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of the Fund as a RIC if it determines such course of action to be beneficial to shareholders.
In order to qualify as a RIC under the Code, the Fund must distribute annually to its shareholders at least 90% of its net investment income (which, includes dividends, taxable interest, and the excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses, less operating expenses) and at least 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income, for each tax year, if any, to its shareholders (the “Distribution Requirement”) and also must meet certain additional requirements. Among these requirements are the following: (i) at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income each taxable year must be derived from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities, or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies, and net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (the “Qualifying Income Test”); and (ii) at the close of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year: (A) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets must be represented by cash and cash items, U.S. Government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, including the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership, and (B) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is invested, including through corporations in which the Fund owns a 20% or more voting stock interest, in the securities (other than U.S. Government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of another RIC) of two or more issuers which the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Asset Test”).
Although the Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and may distribute its capital gains for any taxable year, the Fund will be subject to federal income taxation to the extent any such income or gains are not distributed. The Fund is treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes. Losses in the Fund do not offset gains in another fund and the requirements (other than certain organizational requirements) for qualifying RIC status are determined at the Fund level rather than at the Trust level.
If the Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income or Asset Tests in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures of the diversification requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period. If the Fund fails to maintain qualification as a RIC for a tax year, and the relief provisions are not available, the Fund will be subject to federal income tax at the regular corporate rate (currently 21%) without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In such case, its shareholders would be taxed as if they received ordinary dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, although corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends received deduction (subject to certain limitations) and individuals may be able to benefit from the lower tax rates available to qualified dividend income. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest, and make substantial distributions before requalifying as a RIC.
S-55
The Fund may elect to treat part or all of any “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund’s taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and profits. The effect of this election is to treat any such “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in characterizing Fund distributions for any calendar year. A “qualified late year loss” generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year (commonly referred to as “post-October losses”) and certain other late-year losses.
The treatment of capital loss carryovers for the Fund is similar to the rules that apply to capital loss carryovers of individuals, which provide that such losses are carried over indefinitely. If the Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains), the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year. The carryover of capital losses may be limited under the general loss limitation rules if the Fund experiences an ownership change as defined in the Code.
Federal Excise Tax. Notwithstanding the Distribution Requirement described above, which generally requires the Fund to distribute at least 90% of its annual investment company taxable income and the excess of its exempt interest income (but does not require any minimum distribution of net capital gain), the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax to the extent it fails to distribute by the end of the calendar year at least 98% of its ordinary income and 98.2% of its capital gain net income (the excess of short- and long-term capital gains over short- and long-term capital losses) for the one-year period ending on October 31 of such year (including any retained amount from the prior calendar year on which the Fund paid no federal income tax). The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions to avoid liability for federal excise tax but can make no assurances that such tax will be completely eliminated. For example, the Fund may receive delayed or corrected tax reporting statements from its investments that cause the Fund to accrue additional income and gains after the Fund has already made its excise tax distributions for the year. In such a situation, the Fund may incur an excise tax liability resulting from such delayed receipt of such tax information statements. In addition, the Fund may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate Fund investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid federal excise tax liability at a time when the Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so, and liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirement for qualification as a RIC.
Distributions to Shareholders. The Fund receives income generally in the form of dividends and interest on investments. This income, plus net short-term capital gains, if any, less expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund, constitutes the Fund’s net investment income from which dividends may be paid to you. Any distributions by the Fund from such income will be taxable to you as ordinary income or at the lower capital gains rates that apply to individuals receiving qualified dividend income, whether you take them in cash or in additional shares.
S-56
Distributions by the Fund are currently eligible for the reduced maximum tax rate to individuals of 20% (lower rates apply to individuals in lower tax brackets) to the extent that the Fund receives qualified dividend income on the securities it holds and the Fund reports the distributions as qualified dividend income. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations (e.g., foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, or the stock of which is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States). A dividend will not be treated as qualified dividend income to the extent that: (i) the shareholder has not held the shares on which the dividend was paid for more than 60 days during the 121-day period that begins on the date that is 60 days before the date on which the shares become “ex-dividend” (which is the day on which declared distributions (dividends or capital gains) are deducted from the Fund’s assets before it calculates the NAV) with respect to such dividend, (ii) the Fund has not satisfied similar holding period requirements with respect to the securities it holds that paid the dividends distributed to the shareholder, (iii) the shareholder is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to substantially similar or related property, or (iv) the shareholder elects to treat such dividend as investment income under section 163(d)(4)(B) of the Code. Therefore, if you lend your shares in the Fund, such as pursuant to a securities lending arrangement, you may lose the ability to treat dividends (paid while the shares are held by the borrower) as qualified dividend income. Distributions that the Fund receives from an underlying fund taxable as a RIC or from a REIT will be treated as qualified dividend income only to the extent so reported by such underlying fund or REIT. Certain of the Fund’s investment strategies may limit its ability to distribute dividends eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income.
Distributions by the Fund of its net short-term capital gains will be taxable to you as ordinary income. Capital gain distributions consisting of the Fund’s net capital gains will be taxable as long-term capital gains for individual shareholders currently set at a maximum rate of 20% regardless of how long you have held your shares in the Fund. Distributions from capital gains are generally made after applying any available capital loss carryforwards.
In the case of corporate shareholders, the Fund’s distributions (other than capital gain distributions) generally qualify for the dividends received deduction to the extent such distributions are so reported and do not exceed the gross amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund for the year. Generally, and subject to certain limitations (including certain holding period limitations), a dividend will be treated as a qualifying dividend if it has been received from a domestic corporation. Certain of the Fund's investment strategies may significantly limit its ability to make distributions eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders.
A RIC that receives business interest income may pass through its net business interest income for purposes of the tax rules applicable to the interest expense limitations under Section 163(j) of the Code. A RIC’s total “Section 163(j) Interest Dividend” for a tax year is limited to the excess of the RIC’s business interest income over the sum of its business interest expense and its other deductions properly allocable to its business interest income. A RIC may, in its discretion, designate all or a portion of ordinary dividends as Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, which would allow the recipient shareholder to treat the designated portion of such dividends as interest income for purposes of determining such shareholder’s interest expense deduction limitation under Section 163(j). This can potentially increase the amount of a shareholder’s interest expense deductible under Section 163(j). In general, to be eligible to treat a Section 163(j) Interest Dividend as interest income, you must have held your shares in the Fund for more than 180 days during the 361-day period beginning on the date that is 180 days before the date on which the share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend. Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, if so designated by the Fund, will be reported to your financial intermediary or otherwise in accordance with the requirements specified by Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).
S-57
To the extent that the Fund makes a distribution of income received by the Fund in lieu of dividends (a “substitute payment”) with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction, such income will not constitute qualified dividend income to individual shareholders and will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders.
If the Fund’s distributions exceed its current and accumulated earnings and profits for the taxable year (as calculated for federal income tax purposes), all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable, but will reduce each shareholder’s cost basis in the Fund and result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold.
A dividend or distribution received shortly after the purchase of shares reduces the NAV of the shares by the amount of the dividend or distribution and, although in effect a return of capital, will be taxable to the shareholder. If the NAV of shares were reduced below the shareholder’s cost by dividends or distributions representing gains realized on sales of securities, such dividends or distributions would be a return of investment though taxable to the shareholder in the same manner as other dividends or distributions.
The Fund (or its administrative agent) will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income and capital gain distributions, if any, and will advise you of their tax status for federal income tax purposes shortly after the close of each calendar year. If you have not held your shares for a full year, the Fund may report and distribute to you, as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gain, a percentage of income that is not equal to the actual amount of such income earned during the period of your investment in the Fund.
Dividends declared to shareholders of record in October, November or December and actually paid in January of the following year will be treated as having been received by shareholders on December 31 of the calendar year in which declared. Under this rule, therefore, a shareholder may be taxed in one year on dividends or distributions actually received in January of the following year.
Sales, Exchanges or Redemptions. Sales, exchanges and redemptions of Fund shares may be taxable transactions for federal and state income tax purposes. Any gain or loss recognized on a sale, exchange, or redemption of shares of the Fund by a shareholder who holds Fund shares as capital assets will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than twelve months and otherwise will be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss. However, if shares on which a shareholder has received a net capital gain distribution are subsequently sold, exchanged, or redeemed and such shares have been held for six months or less, any loss recognized will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the net capital gain distribution. In addition, the loss realized on a sale or other disposition of shares will be disallowed to the extent a shareholder repurchases (or enters into a contract to or option to repurchase) shares within a period of 61 days (beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the shares). This loss disallowance rule will apply to shares received through the reinvestment of dividends during the 61-day period. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an upward adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired. For tax purposes, an exchange of your Fund shares for shares of a different fund is the same as a sale.
S-58
The Fund (or its administrative agent) must report to the IRS and furnish to Fund shareholders the cost basis information for purchases of Fund shares. In addition to the requirement to report the gross proceeds from the sale of Fund shares, the Fund (or its administrative agent) is also required to report the cost basis information for such shares and indicate whether these shares have a short-term or long-term holding period. For each sale of Fund shares, the Fund (or its administrative agent) will permit Fund shareholders to elect from among several IRS-accepted cost basis methods, including the average cost basis method. In the absence of an election, the Fund will use the average cost basis method as its default cost basis method. The cost basis method elected by the Fund shareholder (or the cost basis method applied by default) for each sale of Fund shares may not be changed after the settlement date of each such sale of Fund shares. If your shares are held in a brokerage account, your broker may use a different method and you should contact your broker to determine which method it will use. Fund shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the best IRS-accepted cost basis method for their tax situation and to obtain more information about cost basis reporting. Shareholders also should carefully review the cost basis information provided to them and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on their federal income tax returns.
Net Investment Income Tax. U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) are subject to a 3.8% tax on their “net investment income,” including interest, dividends, and capital gains (including any capital gains realized on the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund).
Tax Treatment of Complex Securities. The Fund may invest in complex securities and these investments may be subject to numerous special and complex tax rules. These rules could affect the Fund’s ability to qualify as a RIC, affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Fund and/or defer the Fund’s ability to recognize losses, and, in limited cases, subject the Fund to U.S. federal income tax on income from certain of its foreign securities. In turn, these rules may affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to you by the Fund and may require the Fund to sell securities to mitigate the effect of these rules and prevent disqualification of the Fund as a RIC at a time when the Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so.
Certain derivative investments by the Fund, such as exchange-traded products and over-the-counter derivatives, may not produce qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Test described above, which must be met in order for the Fund to maintain its status as a RIC under the Code. In addition, the determination of the value and the identity of the issuer of such derivative investments are often unclear for purposes of the Asset Test described above. The Fund intends to carefully monitor such investments to ensure that any non-qualifying income does not exceed permissible limits and to ensure that it is adequately diversified under the Asset Test. The Fund, however, may not be able to accurately predict the non-qualifying income from these investments and there are no assurances that the IRS will agree with the Fund’s determination of the Asset Test with respect to such derivatives. Failure of the Asset Test might also result from a determination by the IRS that financial instruments in which the Fund invests are not securities.
The Fund is required for federal income tax purposes to mark-to-market and recognize as income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses on certain futures and options contracts subject to section 1256 of the Code (“Section 1256 Contracts”) as of the end of the year as well as those actually realized during the year. Gain or loss from Section 1256 Contracts on broad-based indexes required to be marked to market will be 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Application of this rule may alter the timing and character of distributions to shareholders. The Fund may be required to defer the recognition of losses on Section 1256 Contracts to the extent of any unrecognized gains on offsetting positions held by the Fund. These provisions may also require the Fund to mark-to-market certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out), which may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the Distribution Requirement and for avoiding the excise tax discussed above. Accordingly, in order to avoid certain income and excise taxes, the Fund may be required to liquidate its investments at a time when the Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so.
S-59
With respect to investments in STRIPS, treasury receipts, and other zero coupon securities which are sold at original issue discount and thus do not make periodic cash interest payments, the Fund will be required to include as part of its current income the imputed interest on such obligations even though the Fund has not received any interest payments on such obligations during that period. Because the Fund intends to distribute all of its net investment income to its shareholders, the Fund may have to sell Fund securities to distribute such imputed income which may occur at a time when the Adviser would not have chosen to sell such securities and which may result in taxable gain or loss.
Any market discount recognized on a 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 adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Absent an election by the Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on the Fund’s disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.
In general, for purposes of the Qualifying Income Test described above, income derived from a partnership will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership that would be qualifying income if realized directly by the Fund. However, 100% of the net income derived from an interest in a “qualified publicly traded partnership” (generally, a partnership (i) interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, (ii) that derives at least 90% of its income from the passive income sources specified in Code section 7704(d), and (iii) that derives less than 90% of its income from the same sources as described in the Qualifying Income Test) will be treated as qualifying income. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership.
The Fund may invest in certain MLPs which may be treated as “qualified publicly traded partnerships.” Income from qualified publicly traded partnerships is qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Test, but the Fund’s investment in one or more of such qualified publicly traded partnerships is limited under the Asset Test to no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s assets. The Fund will monitor its investments in such qualified publicly traded partnerships in order to ensure compliance with the Qualifying Income and Asset Tests.
MLPs and other partnerships that the Fund may invest in will deliver Schedules K-1 to the Fund to report its share of income, gains, losses, deductions and credits of the MLP or other partnership. These Schedules K-1 may be delayed and may not be received until after the time that the Fund issues its tax reporting statements. As a result, the Fund may at times find it necessary to reclassify the amount and character of its distributions to you after it issues you your Form 1099 tax reporting statement and, accordingly, send you a corrected Form 1099.
S-60
"Qualified publicly traded partnership income” within the meaning of Section 199A(e)(5) of the Code is eligible for a 20% deduction by non-corporate taxpayers. Qualified publicly traded partnership income is generally income of a “publicly traded partnership” that is not treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes that is effectively connected with such entity’s trade or business, but does not include certain investment income. A “publicly traded partnership” for purposes of this deduction is not necessarily the same as a “qualified publicly traded partnership” as defined for the purpose of the immediately preceding paragraphs. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). The Code does not contain a provision permitting a RIC, such as the Fund, to pass the special character of this income through to its shareholders. Currently, direct investors in entities that generate “qualified publicly traded partnership income” will enjoy the lower rate, but investors in RICs that invest in such entities will not. Unless later extended or made permanent, this 20% deduction will no longer be available for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.
The Fund may invest in U.S. REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. The Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in the Fund’s receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to the Fund’s shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends paid by a REIT, other than capital gain distributions, will be taxable as ordinary income up to the amount of the REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Capital gain dividends paid by a REIT to the Fund will be treated as long-term capital gains by the Fund and, in turn, may be distributed by the Fund to its shareholders as a capital gain distribution. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income or qualify for the dividends received deduction. If a REIT is operated in a manner such that it fails to qualify as a REIT, an investment in the REIT would become subject to double taxation, meaning the taxable income of the REIT would be subject to federal income tax at the regular corporate rate without any deduction for dividends paid to shareholders and the dividends would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income (or possibly as qualified dividend income) to the extent of the REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.
"Qualified REIT dividends” (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income eligible for capital gain tax rates) are eligible for a 20% deduction by non-corporate taxpayers. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that are attributable to qualified REIT dividends received by the Fund and which the Fund properly reports as “section 199A dividends,” are treated as “qualified REIT dividends” in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible but is not required to do so. Unless later extended or made permanent, this 20% deduction will no longer be available for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.
S-61
REITs in which the Fund invests often do not provide complete and final tax information to the Fund until after the time that the Fund issues a tax reporting statement. As a result, the Fund may at times find it necessary to reclassify the amount and character of its distributions to you after it issues your tax reporting statement. When such reclassification is necessary, the Fund (or its administrative agent) will send you a corrected, final Form 1099-DIV to reflect the reclassified information. If you receive a corrected Form 1099-DIV, use the information on this corrected form, and not the information on the previously issued tax reporting statement, in completing your tax returns.
If the Fund owns shares in certain foreign investment entities, referred to as “passive foreign investment companies” or “PFICs," the Fund will generally be subject to one of the following special tax regimes: (i) the Fund may be liable for U.S. federal income tax, and an additional interest charge, on a portion of any “excess distribution” from such foreign entity or any gain from the disposition of such shares, even if the entire distribution or gain is paid out by the Fund as a dividend to its shareholders; (ii) if the Fund was able and elected to treat a PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” or “QEF,” the Fund would be required each year to include in income, and distribute to shareholders in accordance with the distribution requirements set forth above, the Fund’s pro rata share of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the PFIC, whether or not such earnings or gains are distributed to the Fund; or (iii) the Fund may be entitled to mark-to-market annually shares of the PFIC, and in such event, would be required to distribute to shareholders any such mark-to-market gains in accordance with the distribution requirements set forth above. The Fund intends to make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effect of these rules. Amounts included in income each year by the Fund arising from a QEF election will be “qualifying income” under the Qualifying Income Test (as described above) even if not distributed to the Fund, if the Fund derives such income from its business of investing in stock, securities or currencies.
Certain Foreign Currency Tax Issues. The Fund’s transactions in foreign currencies and forward foreign currency contracts will generally be subject to special provisions of the Code that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the Fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the Fund and defer losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also may require the Fund to mark-to-market certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out) which may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the Distribution Requirements and for avoiding the excise tax described above. The Fund intends to monitor its transactions, intends to make the appropriate tax elections, and intends to make the appropriate entries in its books and records when it acquires any foreign currency or forward foreign currency contract in order to mitigate the effect of these rules so as to prevent disqualification of the Fund as a RIC and minimize the imposition of income and excise taxes. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to liquidate its investments at a time when the Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so.
The U.S. Treasury Department has authority to issue regulations that would exclude foreign currency gains from the Qualifying Income Test described above if such gains are not directly related to the Fund’s business of investing in stock or securities (or options and futures with respect to stock or securities). Accordingly, regulations may be issued in the future that could treat some or all of the Fund’s non-U.S. currency gains as non-qualifying income, thereby potentially jeopardizing the Fund’s status as a RIC for all years to which the regulations are applicable.
S-62
Foreign Taxes. Dividends and interest received by the Fund may be subject to income, withholding or other taxes imposed by foreign countries and U.S. possessions that would reduce the yield on the Fund’s stock or securities. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate these taxes. Foreign countries generally do not impose taxes on capital gains with respect to investments by foreign investors.
If more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of stocks or securities of foreign corporations, the Fund will be eligible to and intends to file an election with the IRS that may enable shareholders, in effect, to receive either the benefit of a foreign tax credit, or a deduction from such taxes, with respect to any foreign and U.S. possessions income taxes paid by the Fund, subject to certain limitations. Pursuant to the election, the Fund will treat those taxes as dividends paid to its shareholders. Each such shareholder will be required to include a proportionate share of those taxes in gross income as income received from a foreign source and must treat the amount so included as if the shareholder had paid the foreign tax directly. The shareholder may then either deduct the taxes deemed paid by him or her in computing his or her taxable income or, alternatively, use the foregoing information in calculating any foreign tax credit they may be entitled to use against the shareholders’ federal income tax. If the Fund makes the election, the Fund (or its administrative agent) will report annually to its shareholders the respective amounts per share of the Fund’s income from sources within, and taxes paid to, foreign countries and U.S. possessions. If the Fund does not hold sufficient foreign securities to meet the above threshold, then shareholders will not be entitled to claim a credit or further deduction with respect to foreign taxes paid by the Fund.
A shareholder’s ability to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction in respect of foreign taxes paid by the Fund may be subject to certain limitations imposed by the Code, which may result in a shareholder not receiving a full credit or deduction (if any) for the amount of such taxes. In particular, shareholders must hold their Fund shares (without protection from risk of loss) on the ex-dividend date and for at least 15 additional days during the 30-day period surrounding the ex-dividend date to be eligible to claim a foreign tax credit with respect to a given dividend. Shareholders who do not itemize on their federal income tax returns may claim a credit (but no deduction) for such foreign taxes. Even if the Fund were eligible to make such an election for a given year, it may determine not to do so. Shareholders that are not subject to U.S. federal income tax, and those who invest in the Fund through tax-advantaged accounts (including those who invest through IRAs or other tax-advantaged retirement plans), generally will receive no benefit from any tax credit or deduction passed through by the Fund.
Under certain circumstances, if the Fund receives a refund of foreign taxes paid in respect of a prior year, the value of Fund shares could be affected or any foreign tax credits or deductions passed through to shareholders in respect of the Fund’s foreign taxes for the current year could be reduced.
Tax-Exempt Shareholders. Certain tax-exempt shareholders, including qualified pension plans, IRAs, salary deferral arrangements, 401(k)s, and other tax-exempt entities, generally are exempt from federal income taxation except with respect to their unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”). Tax-exempt entities are not permitted to offset losses from one trade or business against the income or gain of another trade or business. Certain net losses incurred prior to January 1, 2018 are permitted to offset gain and income created by an unrelated trade or business, if otherwise available. Under current law, the Fund generally serves to block UBTI from being realized by its tax-exempt shareholders. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, the tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of an investment in the Fund where, for example: (i) the Fund invests in residual interests of Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”); (ii) the Fund invests in a REIT that is a taxable mortgage pool (“TMP”) or that has a subsidiary that is a TMP or that invests in the residual interest of a REMIC, or (iii) shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of section 514(b) of the Code. Charitable remainder trusts are subject to special rules and should consult their tax advisor. The IRS has issued guidance with respect to these issues and prospective shareholders, especially charitable remainder trusts, are strongly encouraged to consult their tax advisors regarding these issues.
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The Fund’s shares held in a tax-qualified retirement account will generally not be subject to federal taxation on income and capital gains distributions from the Fund until a shareholder begins receiving payments from their retirement account. Because each shareholder’s tax situation is different, shareholders should consult their tax advisor about the tax implications of an investment in the Fund.
Backup Withholding. The Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold at a rate of 24% and remit to the U.S. Treasury the amount withheld on amounts payable to any shareholder who: (i) has provided the Fund either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all; (ii) is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends; (iii) has failed to certify to the Fund that such shareholder is not subject to backup withholding; or (iv) has failed to certify to the Fund that the shareholder is a U.S. person (including a resident alien). Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the IRS.
Non-U.S. Investors. Any non-U.S. investors in the Fund may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are encouraged to consult their tax advisors prior to investing in the Fund. Foreign shareholders (i.e., nonresident alien individuals and foreign corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates) are generally subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate) on distributions derived from taxable ordinary income. The Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Short-term capital gain dividends received by a nonresident alien individual who is present in the U.S. for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year are not exempt from this 30% withholding tax. Gains realized by foreign shareholders from the sale or other disposition of shares of the Fund generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless the recipient is an individual who is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. Foreign shareholders who fail to provide an applicable IRS form may be subject to backup withholding on certain payments from the Fund. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that are subject to the 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) withholding tax described in this paragraph. Different tax consequences may result if the foreign shareholder is engaged in a trade or business within the United States. In addition, the tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of a tax treaty may be different than those described above.
Under legislation generally known as “FATCA” (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), the Fund is required to withhold 30% of certain ordinary dividends it pays to shareholders that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements. In general, no such withholding will be required with respect to a U.S. person or non-U.S. person that timely provides the certifications required by the Fund or its agent on a valid IRS Form W-9 or applicable series of IRS Form W-8, respectively. Shareholders potentially subject to withholding include foreign financial institutions (“FFIs”), such as non-U.S. investment funds, and non-financial foreign entities (“NFFEs”). To avoid withholding under FATCA, an FFI generally must enter into an information sharing agreement with the IRS in which it agrees to report certain identifying information (including name, address, and taxpayer identification number) with respect to its U.S. account holders (which, in the case of an entity shareholder, may include its direct and indirect U.S. owners), and an NFFE generally must identify and provide other required information to the Fund or other withholding agent regarding its U.S. owners, if any. Such non-U.S. shareholders also may fall into certain exempt, excepted or deemed compliant categories as established by regulations and other guidance. A non-U.S. shareholder resident or doing business in a country that has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the U.S. to implement FATCA will be exempt from FATCA withholding provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of the agreement.
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A non-U.S. entity that invests in the Fund will need to provide the Fund with documentation properly certifying the entity’s status under FATCA in order to avoid FATCA withholding. Non-U.S. investors in the Fund should consult their tax advisors in this regard.
Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, generally, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC such as the Fund are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all RICs. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
State Taxes. Depending upon state and local law, distributions by the Fund to its shareholders and the ownership of such shares may be subject to state and local taxes. Rules of state and local taxation of dividend and capital gains distributions from RICs often differ from the rules for federal income taxation described above. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding state and local taxes applicable to an investment in the Fund. It is expected that the Fund will not be liable for any corporate excise, income or franchise tax in Massachusetts if it qualifies as a RIC for federal income tax purposes.
Many states grant tax-free status to dividends paid to you from interest earned on direct obligations of the U.S. Government, subject in some states to minimum investment requirements that must be met by the Fund. Investment in Ginnie Mae or Fannie Mae securities, banker’s acceptances, commercial paper, and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. Government securities do not generally qualify for such tax-free treatment. The rules on exclusion of this income are different for corporate shareholders. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding state and local taxes applicable to an investment in the Fund.
FUND TRANSACTIONS
Brokerage Transactions. Generally, equity securities, both listed and over-the-counter, are bought and sold through brokerage transactions for which commissions are payable. Purchases from underwriters will include the underwriting commission or concession, and purchases from dealers serving as market makers will include a dealer’s mark-up or reflect a dealer’s mark-down. Money market securities and other debt securities are usually bought and sold directly from the issuer or an underwriter or market maker for the securities. Generally, the Fund will not pay brokerage commissions for such purchases. When a debt security is bought from an underwriter, the purchase price will usually include an underwriting commission or concession. The purchase price for securities bought from dealers serving as market makers will similarly include the dealer’s mark up or reflect a dealer’s mark down. When the Fund executes transactions in the over-the-counter market, it will generally deal with primary market makers unless prices that are more favorable are otherwise obtainable.
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In addition, the Adviser may place a combined order for two or more accounts it manages, including the Fund, engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security if, in its judgment, joint execution is in the best interest of each participant and will result in best price and execution. Transactions involving commingled orders are allocated in a manner deemed equitable to each account or fund. Although it is recognized that, in some cases, the joint execution of orders could adversely affect the price or volume of the security that a particular account or the Fund may obtain, it is the opinion of the Adviser that the advantages of combined orders outweigh the possible disadvantages of combined orders.
Brokerage Selection. The Trust does not expect to use one particular broker or dealer, and when one or more brokers is believed capable of providing the best combination of price and execution, the Adviser may select a broker based upon brokerage or research services provided to the Adviser. The Adviser may pay a higher commission than otherwise obtainable from other brokers in return for such services only if a good faith determination is made that the commission is reasonable in relation to the services provided.
Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act permits the Adviser, under certain circumstances, to cause the Fund to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction in recognition of the value of brokerage and research services provided by the broker or dealer. In addition to agency transactions, the Adviser may receive brokerage and research services in connection with certain riskless principal transactions, in accordance with applicable SEC guidance. Brokerage and research services include: (1) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; (2) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy, and the performance of accounts; and (3) effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as clearance, settlement, and custody). In the case of research services, the Adviser believes that access to independent investment research is beneficial to its investment decision-making processes and, therefore, to the Fund.
To the extent that research services may be a factor in selecting brokers, such services may be in written form or through direct contact with individuals and may include information as to particular companies and securities as well as market, economic, or institutional areas and information which assists in the valuation and pricing of investments. Examples of research-oriented services for which the Adviser might utilize Fund commissions include research reports and other information on the economy, industries, sectors, groups of securities, individual companies, statistical information, political developments, technical market action, pricing and appraisal services, credit analysis, risk measurement analysis, performance and other analysis. The Adviser may use research services furnished by brokers in servicing all client accounts and not all services may necessarily be used by the Adviser in connection with the Fund or any other specific client accounts that paid commissions to the broker providing such services. Information so received by the Adviser will be in addition to, and not in lieu of, the services required to be performed by the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement. Any advisory or other fees paid to the Adviser are not reduced as a result of the receipt of research services.
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In some cases the Adviser may receive a service from a broker that has both a “research” and a “non-research” use. When this occurs, the Adviser makes a good faith allocation, under all the circumstances, between the research and non-research uses of the service. The percentage of the service that is used for research purposes may be paid for with client commissions, while the Adviser will use its own funds to pay for the percentage of the service that is used for non-research purposes. In making this good faith allocation, the Adviser faces a potential conflict of interest, but the Adviser believes that its allocation procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that it appropriately allocates the anticipated use of such services to their research and non-research uses.
From time to time, the Adviser may purchase new issues of securities for clients, including the Fund, in a fixed price offering. In these situations, the seller may be a member of the selling group that will, in addition to selling securities, provide the Adviser with research services. FINRA has adopted rules expressly permitting these types of arrangements under certain circumstances. Generally, the seller will provide research “credits” in these situations at a rate that is higher than that which is available for typical secondary market transactions. These arrangements may not fall within the safe harbor of Section 28(e).
Brokerage with Fund Affiliates. The Fund may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of either the Fund or the Adviser for a commission in conformity with the 1940 Act and rules promulgated by the SEC. The 1940 Act requires that commissions paid to the affiliate by the Fund for exchange transactions not exceed “usual and customary” brokerage commissions. The rules define “usual and customary” commissions to include amounts which are “reasonable and fair compared to the commission, fee or other remuneration received or to be received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a securities exchange during a comparable period of time.” The Trustees, including those who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, have adopted procedures for evaluating the reasonableness of commissions paid to affiliates and review these procedures periodically.
Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealers.” The Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) that the Fund held during its most recent fiscal year. Because the Fund is new, as of the date of this SAI, the Fund did not hold any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers.”
Portfolio Turnover Rates. Portfolio turnover is calculated by dividing the lesser of total purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average value of portfolio securities owned during the fiscal year. Excluded from both the numerator and denominator are amounts relating to securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less. Instruments excluded from the calculation of portfolio turnover generally would include the futures contracts in which the Fund may invest since such contracts generally have remaining maturities of less than one year. The Fund may at times hold investments in other short-term instruments, such as repurchase agreements, which are excluded for purposes of computing portfolio turnover.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Board has approved policies and procedures that govern the timing and circumstances regarding the disclosure of Fund portfolio holdings information to shareholders and third parties. These policies and procedures are designed to ensure that disclosure of information regarding the Fund’s portfolio securities is in the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders, and include procedures to address conflicts between the interests of the Fund’s shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Adviser, principal underwriter, or any affiliated person of the Fund, the Adviser, or the principal underwriter, on the other. Pursuant to such procedures, the Board has authorized the Adviser’s Chief Compliance Officer to authorize the release of the Fund’s portfolio holdings, as necessary, in conformity with the foregoing principles. The Adviser’s Chief Compliance Officer, either directly or through reports by the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, reports quarterly to the Board regarding the operation and administration of such policies and procedures.
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Pursuant to applicable law, the Fund is required to disclose its complete portfolio holdings quarterly, within 60 days of the end of each fiscal quarter (currently, each January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 31). The Fund files with the SEC a complete schedule of investments following the first and third fiscal quarters as exhibits to Form N-PORT, and a complete schedule of investments following the second and fourth fiscal quarters on Form N-CSR.
Complete schedules of investments filed with the SEC on Form N-CSR and as exhibits to Form N-PORT are available, free of charge, on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Fund’s complete schedules of investments are also posted to [WEBSITE] and are distributed to Fund shareholders upon request.
In addition to information provided to shareholders and the general public, portfolio holdings information may be disclosed as frequently as daily to the Fund’s Adviser, Administrator, Custodian, Transfer Agent, financial printer, pricing vendors, liquidity analytics vendors, class action reclaim vendors, foreign tax reclaim vendors and other vendors that provide the Adviser with various middle office, back office, client reporting and portfolio analytics services in connection with their services to the Fund. From time to time rating and ranking organizations, such as S&P, Lipper and Morningstar, Inc., may request non-public portfolio holdings information in connection with rating the Fund. Similarly, institutional investors, financial planners, pension plan sponsors and/or their consultants or other third-parties may request portfolio holdings information in order to assess the risks of the Fund’s portfolio along with related performance attribution statistics. The lag time for such disclosures will vary. The Fund believes that these third parties have legitimate objectives in requesting such portfolio holdings information.
The Fund’s policies and procedures provide that the Adviser’s Chief Compliance Officer may authorize disclosure of non-public portfolio holdings information to such parties at differing times and/or with different lag times. Prior to making any disclosure to a third party, the Adviser’s Chief Compliance Officer must determine that such disclosure serves a reasonable business purpose, is in the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders and that to the extent conflicts between the interests of the Fund’s shareholders and those of the Adviser, principal underwriter, or any affiliated person of the Fund exist, such conflicts are addressed. Portfolio holdings information may be disclosed no more frequently than monthly to ratings agencies, consultants and other qualified financial professionals or individuals. The disclosures will not be made sooner than three days after the date of the information. The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer will regularly review these arrangements and will make periodic reports to the Board regarding disclosure pursuant to such arrangements.
With the exception of disclosures to rating and ranking organizations as described above, the Fund requires any third party receiving non-public holdings information to enter into a confidentiality agreement with the Adviser. The confidentiality agreement provides, among other things, that non-public portfolio holdings information will be kept confidential and that the recipient has a duty not to trade on the non-public information and will use such information solely to analyze and rank the Fund, or to perform due diligence and asset allocation, depending on the recipient of the information.
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The Fund’s policies and procedures prohibit any compensation or other consideration from being paid to or received by any party in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information, including the Fund, the Adviser and its affiliates or recipients of the Fund’s portfolio holdings information.
The Adviser may manage other accounts that are not subject to these policies and procedures with investment objectives and strategies that are substantially similar to those of the Fund. Because the portfolio holdings of such accounts may be substantially similar, and in some cases nearly identical, to those of the Fund, an investor in such an account may be able to infer the portfolio holdings of the Fund from the portfolio holdings of the account.
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
The Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of funds and shares of each fund, each of which represents an equal proportionate interest in that fund with each other share. Shares are entitled upon liquidation to a pro rata share in the net assets of the fund. Shareholders have no preemptive rights. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees may create additional series or classes of shares. All consideration received by the Trust for shares of any additional funds and all assets in which such consideration is invested would belong to that fund and would be subject to the liabilities related thereto. Share certificates representing shares will not be issued. The Fund’s shares, when issued, are fully paid and non-assessable.
SHAREHOLDER LIABILITY
The Trust is an entity of the type commonly known as a “Massachusetts business trust.” Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of such a trust could, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for the obligations of the trust. Even if, however, the Trust were held to be a partnership, the possibility of the shareholders incurring financial loss for that reason appears remote because the Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for obligations of the Trust and requires that notice of such disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees, and because the Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification out of the Trust property for any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust.
LIMITATION OF TRUSTEES’ LIABILITY
The Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee shall be liable only for his or her own willful defaults and, if reasonable care has been exercised in the selection of officers, agents, employees or investment advisers, shall not be liable for any neglect or wrongdoing of any such person. The Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust will indemnify its Trustees and officers against liabilities and expenses incurred in connection with actual or threatened litigation in which they may be involved because of their offices with the Trust unless it is determined in the manner provided in the Declaration of Trust that they have not acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that their actions were in the best interests of the Trust. However, nothing in the Declaration of Trust shall protect or indemnify a Trustee against any liability for his or her willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties. Nothing contained in this section attempts to disclaim a Trustee’s individual liability in any manner inconsistent with the federal securities laws.
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PROXY VOTING
The Board has delegated responsibility for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by the Fund to the Adviser. The Fund primarily invests in fixed income securities. Fixed income securities generally do not confer voting rights on their holders, and, as a result, the Fund receives significantly fewer corporate governance or proxy-related notices than funds that invest primarily in equity securities. To the extent that the Fund holds securities for which proxy voting or similar actions are required, the Adviser will vote such proxies in accordance with its proxy policies and procedures, which are included in Appendix B to this SAI.
The Trust is required to disclose annually the Fund’s complete proxy voting records during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 on Form N-PX. This voting record will be available: (i) without charge, upon request, by calling [PHONE NUMBER]; (ii) by visiting [WEBSITE]; and (iii) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
CODES OF ETHICS
The Board, on behalf of the Trust, has adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. In addition, the Adviser, the Administrator and the Distributor have adopted Codes of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 (each a “Code of Ethics” and together the “Codes of Ethics”). These Codes of Ethics apply to the personal investing activities of trustees, officers and certain employees (“Access Persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Codes of Ethics are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by Access Persons. Under each Code of Ethics, Access Persons are permitted to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund, but are required to report their personal securities transactions for monitoring purposes. In addition, certain Access Persons are required to obtain approval before investing in initial public offerings or private placements or are prohibited from making such investments. Copies of these Codes of Ethics are on file with the SEC, and are available to the public.
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS AND CONTROL PERSONS
Because the Fund is new, as of the date of this SAI, the Fund did not have any principal shareholders or control persons to report.
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APPENDIX A
DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS
Description of Ratings
The following descriptions of securities ratings have been published by Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. (“Moody’s”), S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”), and Fitch Ratings (“Fitch”), respectively.
Description of Moody’s Global Ratings
Ratings assigned on Moody’s global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.
Description of Moody’s Global Long-Term Ratings
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.
Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.
A-1
Hybrid Indicator (hyb)
The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.
Description of Moody’s Global Short-Term Ratings
P-1 Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
P-2 Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
P-3 Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
NP Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
Description of Moody’s U.S. Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings
The Municipal Investment Grade (“MIG”) scale is used to rate U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.
Moody’s U.S. municipal short-term obligation ratings are as follows:
MIG 1 This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG 2 This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
MIG 3 This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
SG This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
A-2
Description of Moody’s Demand Obligation Ratings
For variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”), Moody’s assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer’s ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders (“on demand”) and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the Variable Municipal Investment Grade (“VMIG”) scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer’s long-term rating drops below investment grade. For VRDOs, Moody’s typically assigns a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned and it is denoted as “NR”.
Moody’s demand obligation ratings are as follows:
VMIG 1 This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.
VMIG 2 This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.
VMIG 3 This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.
SG This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.
Description of S&P’s Issue Credit Ratings
An S&P issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P’s view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.
Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.
Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P’s analysis of the following considerations:
A-3
| ● | The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation; |
| ● | The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P imputes; and |
| ● | The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors’ rights. |
An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)
NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.
Description of S&P’s Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings*
AAA An obligation rated ‘AAA’ has the highest rating assigned by S&P. 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.
A-4
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 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 believes that such payments will be made within the next five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or the next 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.
| * | Ratings from ‘AA’ to ‘CCC’ may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories. |
Description of S&P’s Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings
A-1 A short-term obligation rated ‘A-1’ is rated in the highest category by S&P. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.
A-2 A short-term obligation rated ‘A-2’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.
A-3 A short-term obligation rated ‘A-3’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
B A short-term obligation rated ‘B’ is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
C A short-term obligation rated ‘C’ 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.
D A short-term 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 believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a 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.
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Description of S&P’s Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings
An S&P U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P’s opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P’s analysis will review the following considerations:
| ● | Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and |
| ● | Source of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note. |
S&P’s municipal short-term note ratings are as follows:
SP-1 Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2 Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
SP-3 Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
D ‘D’ is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or 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.
Description of Fitch’s Credit Ratings
Fitch’s credit ratings relating to issuers are forward looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Credit ratings relating to securities and obligations of an issuer can include a recovery expectation. Credit ratings are used as indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance.
Fitch’s credit rating scale for issuers and issues is expressed using the categories ‘AAA’ to ‘BBB’ (investment grade) and ‘BB’ to ‘D’ (speculative grade) with an additional +/- for AA through CCC levels indicating relative differences of probability of default or recovery for issues. The terms “investment grade” and “speculative grade” are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative grade categories signal either a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.
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Fitch may also disclose issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated. Such issues are also denoted as ‘NR’ on its webpage.
Fitch’s credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. Credit ratings do not deal with the risk of market value loss due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and/or other market considerations. However, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay or refinance a financial commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of payments linked to performance of an index).
Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e. rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation’s documentation).
Description of Fitch’s Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Ratings
AAA Highest credit quality. ‘AAA’ ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
AA Very high credit quality. ‘AA’ ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
A High credit quality. ‘A’ ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
BBB Good credit quality. ‘BBB’ ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.
BB Speculative. ‘BB’ ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.
B Highly speculative. ‘B’ ratings indicate that material default risk is present.
CCC Substantial credit risk. ‘CCC’ ratings indicate that substantial default risk is present.
CC Very high levels of credit risk. ‘CC’ ratings indicate very high levels of default risk.
C Exceptionally high levels of credit risk. ‘C’ ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk.
Ratings in the categories of ‘CCC’, ‘CC’ and ‘C’ can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.
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Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned ‘RD’ or ‘D’ ratings, but are instead rated in the ‘CCC’ to ‘C’ rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.
Description of Fitch’s Short-Term Ratings
A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short term” based on market convention (a long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity). Typically, this means a timeframe of up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.
Fitch’s short-term ratings are as follows:
F1 Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
F2 Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.
F3 Fair short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.
B Speculative short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
C High short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.
RD Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only.
D Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.
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APPENDIX B – PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Proxy Voting and Corporate Actions
Breckinridge has been granted authority by clients to vote proxies and act on voluntary corporate actions. Delegation of proxy voting and corporate actions authority is typically included in the investment management agreement between Breckinridge and the client (or the client’s primary advisor) or other written account document.
When granted with such authority, Breckinridge retains full discretion to vote or act on any proxies or voluntary corporate actions that are solicited by or relate to the securities purchased into client accounts by us. We will conduct proxy voting and act on voluntary corporate actions in a manner that we determine, in good faith, to be in the best interest of client accounts. This determination will include the decision to take no action with respect to any proxy or voluntary corporate action.
We will consider only those proxies and corporate actions issued by the securities purchased by Breckinridge while managing the account assets (“managed security”). Proxies or corporate actions solicited by securities that were transferred into the portfolio for funding or contributions, or temporary investment vehicles (e.g., money market funds), will not be acted upon by Breckinridge. Further, Breckinridge will not act on any proxy ballots or corporate actions received after a client has terminated its relationship with us. Any questions regarding this policy should be directed to Compliance or the Proxy Committee (“PC”).
Proxy Voting
Rule 206(4)-6 requires each registered investment advisor that exercises proxy voting authority with respect to client securities to:
| · | Adopt and implement written policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the advisor votes client securities in the clients’ best interests. Such policies and procedures must address the manner in which the advisor will resolve material conflicts of interest that can arise during the proxy voting process; |
| · | Disclose to clients how they may obtain information from the advisor about how the advisor voted with respect to their securities; and |
| · | Describe to clients the advisor’s proxy voting policies and procedures and, upon request, furnish a copy of the policies and procedures. |
When Breckinridge does vote a proxy, it will do so in the interest of the client. Consideration will be given to both the short and long-term implications of the proposal to be voted on when considering the optimal vote.
Proxy voting is managed by our Proxy Committee (the “Committee”), which is chaired by our Director, Sustainable Research and composed of members from our research and consultant relations teams. The head of corporate research and the CCO are ad-hoc, non-voting advisory members. The Proxy Committee reports to our Investment Committee (“IC”).
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The Committee has engaged a third party proxy voting service provider, Glass Lewis, to assist the firm with the proxy voting process. The Committee is responsible for overseeing the vendor and ensuring the vendor completes due diligence requests and performs satisfactorily.
Voting Guidelines
Breckinridge has developed a set of proxy voting guidelines that will be applied to all client accounts for which we have voting authority. The guidelines are maintained by the Proxy Committee and reviewed no less than annually. Any changes to the guidelines must be agreed upon unanimously by the Committee. If the Committee cannot come to an agreement, the matter will be escalated to the IC for final decision. The Committee will report, no less than annually, any changes to the voting guidelines to Compliance and to IC.
Voting Process
For client accounts in our dividend income strategies, we use Glass Lewis’ voting platform to manage proxy votes. All equity accounts will be automatically set to vote in accordance with the written guidelines. Clients in our fixed income strategies will have their proxy ballots reviewed and voted manually in accordance with the written guidelines. Since proxy ballots are rarely issued for fixed income securities, we do not anticipate any proxy voting activity in our fixed income client accounts. Any proxy matters that are not addressed in Breckinridge’s voting guidelines will be reviewed by the Committee and voted in a manner that they believe is in the best interest of the clients. The Committee will consider Glass Lewis’ proxy voting guidelines in making their decision.
The Committee can override a written guideline if they believe it is not in the clients’ best interests. The Committee must unanimously support the override and proposed vote in order to override the written guidelines. If the Committee does not unanimously support the override or does not agree on the vote, the Investment Committee will make the final decision on how to vote. The Committee will document when an override is made and the rationale for the override.
Clients can contact our Client Services team ([email protected]) for a copy of Breckinridge’s proxy voting guidelines.
Conflicts of Interests
Breckinridge focuses exclusively on investment management, and thus, does not anticipate it will encounter many material conflicts of interests with regards to its proxy voting activities. The Committee, in consultation with Compliance, will reasonably try to assess any material conflicts between Breckinridge’s interests and those of its clients with respect to proxy voting. Committee members also are required to disclose any direct ownership of individual equities for which we will be voting proxies. So long as there are no material conflicts of interest identified, Breckinridge will act on proxies according to the process set forth in this policy.
If a material conflict of interest has been identified, the Committee will take steps to address the conflict to help ensure actions are in the best interests of our clients. For example, should an SC member hold a material personal interest in an issuer, that particular member would not be permitted to participate in the decision-making process for proxy ballots in that issuer. If the Committee or Compliance believes the conflict can’t be sufficiently addressed, it will vote in
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accordance with the written guidelines. Overrides to the written guidelines will not permitted in situations where a material conflict cannot be adequately addressed.
Other Proxy Matters
Due to the variety of client types that we have, it is possible that Breckinridge will act on the same proxy in different ways for different accounts or different strategies. In such cases, Breckinridge shall maintain documentation to support its voting as required by Rule 204-2. Further, our ability to review and consider proxy ballots largely depends on the custodians delivering the ballots and documentation to us in a timely manner.
Breckinridge will not be able to vote or act on proxies by securities lent out under a client’s securities lending program. If a client wants to vote the proxies, they will need to instruct their custodian to call back the securities. Since clients have full discretion on participating in lending programs, Breckinridge will not initiate call backs on any securities.
Proxy Solicitation and Reporting
It is Breckinridge’s policy to not reveal or disclose to any third party (with the exception of clients or their advisors) how Breckinridge has acted or intends to act on a particular proxy. Discussions with clients (or their authorized agents) about proxies will be limited to those issued for securities held in the clients’ portfolios. Upon request, Breckinridge will provide clients with a report of the proxies voted on their behalf.
At no time may any employee accept any remuneration in the solicitation of proxies by third party solicitors. All calls or requests from proxy solicitors should be directed to Compliance.
Breckinridge will include, in its ADV, instructions to obtain a copy of this policy and the voting guidelines.
Form N-PX
On November 2, 2022, the SEC adopted amendments to Form N-PX that extend filing requirements to certain investment advisors, specifically if the advisor is required to file a Form 13F. Currently, Breckinridge is not required to file a Form 13F. Therefore, we are not required to file a Form N-PX. Should Breckinridge need to file Form N-PX, the Compliance team will be responsible for ensuring the filing is made by the annual deadline. Employees can refer to the Registrations and Filings policy for specific reporting requirements for Form N-PX.
Corporate Actions
Corporate actions are handled by the Reconciliation team.
Voluntary corporate actions, including tender offers, rights offerings and exchanges, are given the same considerations as proxy ballots. When a corporate action is received, our reconciliation team will work with the investment team to determine the appropriate action. As with proxy ballots, the investment team may decide to not take any action with respect to any corporate action. Records and any supporting documents pertaining to the action taken or not taken will be retained by the reconciliation team.
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Class Actions and Other Legal Proceedings
Breckinridge will not act on or agree to participate in any class actions or other legal proceedings on securities held in client portfolios. If an advisor or client has a reasonable request for information in relation to such legal actions, we will provide the information on a best efforts basis. Such requests should be directed to the CCO or COO.
Recordkeeping
As required under Rule 204-2 of the Advisers Act, Breckinridge will retain the following records for no less than six years:
| · | Copies of all proxy policies and procedures; |
| · | A copy of each proxy statement that Breckinridge receives regarding client securities (Breckinridge will rely on obtaining a copy of a proxy statement from the SEC’s EDGAR system); |
| · | A record of each vote cast on behalf of a client (Breckinridge can rely on a third party to satisfy this requirement); |
| · | A copy of any document created by Breckinridge that was material to making a decision on how to vote proxies on behalf of a client or that memorializes the basis for that decision; and |
A copy of each written client request for information on how Breckinridge voted proxies on behalf of the client, and a copy of the written request to any (written or oral) client request for information on how proxies were voted on behalf of the requesting client.
MAY 15, 2025
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PART C: OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 28. EXHIBITS:
(d)(1)(xviii) Investment Advisory Agreement, dated [XX], between the Registrant and Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Inc., relating to the Breckinridge Municipal Bond Completion Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(d)(2)(xviii) Expense Limitation Agreement, effective as of [date], between the Registrant and Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Inc., relating to the Breckinridge Municipal Bond Completion Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(f) Not applicable.
(g)(2)(v) Amendment, dated [XX], to the Custodian Agreement, dated November 25, 2014, between the Registrant and Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., to be filed by amendment.
(h)(1)(i) Amendment, dated May 24, 2023, to the Amended and Restated Administration Agreement, dated November 13, 2018, between the Registrant and SEI Investments Global Funds Services, is incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (h)(1)(i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 033-42484), filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001398344-24-001171 on January 26, 2024.
(i) Opinion and Consent of Counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, to be filed by amendment.
(j) Not Applicable.
(k) Not Applicable.
(l) Not Applicable.
(o) Not Applicable.
(p)(15) Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Inc. Code of Ethics, dated [XX], to be filed by amendment.
ITEM 29. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT:
Not Applicable.
ITEM 30. INDEMNIFICATION:
Article VIII of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust filed as Exhibit (a) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement is incorporated herein by reference. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”) may be permitted to trustees, directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant by the Registrant pursuant to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust or otherwise, the Registrant is aware that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and, therefore, is unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by trustees, directors, officers or controlling persons of the Registrant in connection with the successful defense of any act, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustees, directors, officers or controlling persons in connection with the shares being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issues.
ITEM 31. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISERS:
The following lists any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each investment adviser, and each director, officer or partner of that investment adviser, is or has been engaged within the last two fiscal years for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner, or trustee. Unless noted below, none of the investment advisers, and/or director, officer or partner of each investment adviser, is or has been engaged within the last two fiscal years in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee.
Acadian Asset Management LLC
Acadian Asset Management LLC (“Acadian”) serves as the investment adviser to the Acadian Emerging Markets Portfolio. The principal address of Acadian is 260 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. Acadian is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The information listed below is for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2023 and 2024.
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
Kelly Young, Executive Vice President, CEO |
Acadian Asset Management (Australia) Ltd 20 Martin Place Level 9, Suite 3 Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia
Acadian Asset Management (UK) Ltd 24 King William Street, 6th Floor London EC4R 9AT United Kingdom
Acadian Asset Management (Singapore) Pte Ltd 8 Marina View, #40-01 Asia Square Tower 1 Singapore, 018960 |
Affiliated Directorships |
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
Brendan Bradley, Executive Vice President, CIO |
Acadian Asset Management (UK) Ltd 24 King William Street, 6th Floor London EC4R 9AT United Kingdom
Acadian Asset Management (Australia) Ltd 20 Martin Place Level 9, Suite 3 Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia
Acadian Asset Management (Singapore) Pte Ltd 8 Marina View, #40-01 Asia Square Tower 1 Singapore 018960 |
Affiliated Directorships |
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
Ted Noon, Senior Vice President Chief Marketing Officer |
Acadian Asset Management (UK) Ltd 24 King William Street, 6th Floor London EC4R 9AT United Kingdom
Acadian Asset Management (Australia) Ltd 20 Martin Place Level 9, Suite 3 Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia
Acadian Asset Management (Singapore) Pte Ltd 8 Marina View, #40-01 Asia Square Tower 1 Singapore 018960 |
Affiliated Directorships |
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
Alexandre Voitenok, Senior Vice President Deputy Chief Investment Officer |
Acadian Asset Management (UK) Ltd 24 King William Street, 6th Floor London EC4R 9AT United Kingdom
Acadian Asset Management (Australia) Ltd 20 Martin Place Level 9, Suite 3 Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia
Acadian Asset Management (Singapore) Pte Ltd 8 Marina View, #40-01 Asia Square Tower 1 Singapore 018960 |
Affiliated Directorships |
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
Suren Rana, Member of Board of Managers |
BrightSphere Investment Group, Inc (“BSIG”-a public company traded on the NYSE); 200 State Street, 13th Floor Boston, MA 02109
Acadian Asset Management LLC (an investment advisor) 260 Franklin Street Boston, MA 02110 |
Director
Affiliated Directorships |
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
Richard Hart, Member of Board of Managers |
BrightSphere Investment Group, Inc (“BSIG”-a public company traded on the NYSE); 200 State Street, 13th Floor Boston, MA 02109
Acadian Asset Management LLC (an investment advisor) 260 Franklin Street Boston, MA 02110 |
Chief Legal Officer
Affiliated Directorships |
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
Melody Huang, Member of Board of Managers |
BrightSphere Investment Group, Inc (“BSIG”-a public company traded on the NYSE); 200 State Street, 13th Floor Boston, MA 02109
Acadian Asset Management LLC (an investment advisor) 260 Franklin Street Boston, MA 02110 |
Director of Finance and Investor Relations
Affiliated Directorships |
[Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Inc.]
Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Inc. (“Breckinridge”) serves as the investment adviser to the Breckinridge Municipal Bond Completion Fund. The principal address of Breckinridge is 125 High Street, Suite 431, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. Breckinridge is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The information listed below is for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025. [To be updated by amendment.]
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
Cambiar Investors, LLC
Cambiar Investors, LLC (“Cambiar”) serves as the investment adviser to the Cambiar Opportunity Fund, Cambiar International Equity Fund, Cambiar Small Cap Fund, Cambiar SMID Fund, and Cambiar Aggressive Value ETF. The principal address of Cambiar is 200 Columbine Street, Suite 800, Denver, Colorado 80206. Cambiar is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
During the fiscal years ended October 31, 2023 and 2024, no director, officer or partner of Cambiar engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee.
CIBC Private Wealth Advisors, Inc.
CIBC Private Wealth Advisors, Inc. (“CIBC”) serves as the investment adviser for the CIBC Atlas Disciplined Equity Fund, CIBC Atlas Income Opportunities Fund, CIBC Atlas Mid Cap Equity Fund, CIBC Atlas All Cap Growth Fund, CIBC Atlas Equity Income Fund, CIBC Atlas International Growth Fund and CIBC Atlas Thematic Solutions Fund. The principal address of CIBC is 181 West Madison Street, 36th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60602. CIBC is an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The information listed below is for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2023 and 2024.
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
Paul Carey, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer |
CIBC Bancorp USA 120 South LaSalle Street Chicago, IL 60603 |
Chief Financial Officer |
David Cross, Board Member |
CIBC Bancorp USA 120 South LaSalle Street Chicago, IL 60603 |
Financial Planning & Analysis Director |
Kevin Burns, Board Member |
CIBC Bancorp USA 120 South LaSalle Street Chicago, IL 60603 |
Vice President, Head of Risk Oversight & Segment Risk Officer |
Kimberly Ekwemoha, Chief Anti-Money Laundering Officer |
CIBC Bancorp USA 120 South LaSalle Street Chicago, IL 60603 |
US Chief Anti-Money Laundering Officer and Global Sanctions |
David Griffin, Chief Information Security Officer |
CIBC Bancorp USA 120 South LaSalle Street Chicago, IL 60603 |
Chief Information Security Officer |
Edgewood Management LLC
Edgewood Management LLC (“Edgewood”) serves as the investment adviser to the Edgewood Growth Fund. The principal address of Edgewood is 600 Steamboat Road, Suite 103, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830. Edgewood is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2023 and 2024, no director, officer or partner of Edgewood engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee.
Fayez Sarofim & Co.
Fayez Sarofim & Co. (“Fayez Sarofim”) serves as the investment adviser for the Sarofim Equity Fund. The principal address of Fayez Sarofim is 2907 Two Houston Center, 909 Fannin Street, Houston, Texas 77010. Fayez Sarofim is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The information listed below is for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2024.
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
Christopher B. Sarofim Chairman |
Kemper Corporation One East Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60601 |
Director, term expired in May 2024 |
Sarofim Trust Co. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Chairman | |
Sarofim Realty Advisors LLC. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Director | |
Sarofim International Management Company Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Chairman and President | |
The Sarofim Group, LLC. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Chairman and Director | |
Flame Acquisition Corp. 700 Milam St. Suite 3300 Houston, TX 77002 |
Director, term expired in February 2024 | |
Sable Offshore Corp, 845 Texas Avenue Suite 2920 Houston, TX 77002 |
Director, term beginning February 2024 | |
Sima Capital LLC 2001 Kirby Dr. Suite 808 Houston, TX 77019 |
Managing Member |
Raye G. White Executive Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Chief Compliance Officer and Director |
Sarofim Trust Co. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Director |
Sarofim International Management Company Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Executive Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Director | |
Sarofim Realty Advisors LLC. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Secretary, Treasurer and Chief Compliance Officer | |
The Sarofim Group, LLC Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Executive Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Director |
William Gentry Lee, Jr., CFA Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer, and Director |
Sarofim Trust Co. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer |
Sarofim International Management Company Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Director | |
Sarofim Realty Advisors LLC. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Director | |
The Sarofim Group, LLC Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Chief Executive Officer and Director | |
Charles E. Sheedy, CFA Senior Vice President |
Sarofim Trust Co. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Senior Vice President |
Sarofim International Management Company Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Senior Vice President | |
The Sarofim Group, LLC Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Senior Vice President |
Reynaldo Reza Senior Vice President |
Sarofim Trust Co. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Senior Vice President |
Sarofim International Management Company Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Senior Vice President | |
The Sarofim Group, LLC Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Senior Vice President |
| Michele
Gibbons General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer |
Sarofim
Trust Co. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer |
| Sarofim
International Management Company Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer | |
| The
Sarofim Group, LLC Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer | |
Sarofim Realty Advisors LLC. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer | |
John Colucci IV Chief Operating Officer |
Sarofim Trust Co. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Chief Operating Officer |
Sarofim International Management Company Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Chief Operating Officer | |
The Sarofim Group, LLC Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Chief Operating Officer |
Alan R. Christensen, CFA President and Head of Investment Risk |
Sarofim Trust Co. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Head of Investment Risk and Director |
Sarofim International Management Company Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Head of Investment Risk | |
The Sarofim Group, LLC Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
President and Head of Investment Risk |
Clinton T. Laechelin Vice President – Finance |
Sarofim Trust Co. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Vice President – Finance |
Sarofim Realty Advisors LLC. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Vice President – Finance | |
The Sarofim Group, LLC Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Vice President - Finance | |
Sarofim International Management Company Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Vice President – Finance | |
A. Chase Robison Chief Financial Officer |
Sarofim Trust Co. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Chief Financial Officer |
Sarofim Realty Advisors LLC. Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Chief Financial Officer | |
The Sarofim Group, LLC Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Chief Financial Officer | |
Sarofim International Management Company Two Houston Center Suite 2907 Houston, TX 77010 |
Chief Financial Officer |
Hamlin Capital Management, LLC
Hamlin Capital Management, LLC (“Hamlin”) serves as the investment adviser for the Hamlin High Dividend Equity Fund. The principal address of Hamlin is 640 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, New York 10019. Hamlin is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The information listed below is for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2024.
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
| Mark Stitzer – Managing Partner | Hamlin Capital Advisors, LLC 5550 West Executive Drive, Suite 540 Tampa, FL 33609 |
Owner |
Branchville Persistence, LLC 640 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10019 |
Owner | |
Hamlin-Crest GP, LLC 640 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10019 |
Owner |
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
| Joseph Bridy – Partner & Fixed Income Portfolio Manager | Hamlin Capital Advisors, LLC 5550 West Executive Drive, Suite 540 Tampa, FL 33609 |
Owner |
Branchville Persistence, LLC 640 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10019 |
Owner | |
Hamlin-Crest GP, LLC 640 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10019 |
Owner |
| Chris D’Agnes – Partner & Equity Portfolio Manager | Hamlin Capital Advisors, LLC 5550 West Executive Drive, Suite 540 Tampa, FL 33609 |
Owner |
Hamlin-Crest GP, LLC 640 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10019 |
Owner |
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
| Charlie Garland – Partner and Client Portfolio Manager | Hamlin Capital Advisors, LLC 5550 West Executive Drive, Suite 540 Tampa, FL 33609 |
Owner |
Hamlin-Crest GP, LLC 640 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10019 |
Owner |
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
| Deborah Finegan – Partner & Chief Operating Officer | Hamlin Capital Advisors, LLC 5550 West Executive Drive, Suite 540 Tampa, FL 33609 |
Owner |
Branchville Persistence, LLC 640 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10019 |
Owner | |
Hamlin-Crest GP, LLC 640 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10019 |
Owner | |
| Parker Stitzer – Partner & Bond Analyst | Hamlin-Crest GP, LLC 640 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10019 |
Owner |
| Michael Tang – Partner & Equity Portfolio Manager | Hamlin-Crest GP, LLC 640 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10019 |
Owner |
Haverford Financial Services, Inc.
Haverford Financial Services, Inc. (“Haverford”) serves as the investment adviser for the Haverford Quality Growth Stock Fund. The principal address of Haverford is Three Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450, Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087-4546. Haverford is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The information listed below is for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2023 and 2024.
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
George W. Connell Vice Chairman & Owner |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice Chairman & Indirect Owner |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice Chairman & Indirect Owner | |
Drexel Morgan & Co. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
CEO, President & Owner | |
Red Wing Management II, LLC 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 305 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Indirect Owner | |
Joseph J. McLaughlin Chairman, CEO & President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Chairman & CEO |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Registered Representative | |
Binney H. C. Wietlisbach Executive Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Director |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
||
Henry B. Smith Head of Investment Strategy |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Head of Investment Strategy |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Registered Representative | |
Drexel Morgan & Co. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Advisory Board Member |
David Brune Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Registered Representative | |
John H. Donaldson Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
Timothy E. Gillespie Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Registered Representative | |
Timothy A. Hoyle Vice President & Chief Investment Officer |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President & Chief Investment Officer |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Registered Representative | |
Jeffrey M. Bagley Vice President Terminated-2/28/2024 |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
MarieElena V. Ness Chief Compliance Officer |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
VP & Chief Compliance Officer |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
President | |
Drexel Morgan & Co. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
VP & Chief Compliance Officer |
| Paul
S. Rovner Director, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer |
The
Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
VP, CFO, & Assistant Secretary |
| Haverford
Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
VP & CFO | |
| Drexel
Morgan & Co. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
VP & Secretary | |
John M. Derderian Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Secretary, Treasurer, Registered Principal | |
T. Keith Eby Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Registered Representative | |
Diane E. Goldstein Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
Lydia C. Holiat Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Registered Representative |
Seth D. Horwitz Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Registered Representative |
David C. Peppard Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Registered Representative | |
Patrice M. Shute Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Registered Representative | |
Robert F. Stiles Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
| Terminated – 5/31/2024 | Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Registered Representative |
John S. Supplee Director, Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President & Chief Operating Officer |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Registered Principal | |
Christine E. Walker Nerney Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Registered Representative |
Veronica McKee Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer |
| Maxine A. Cuffe | The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President & Director of Global Strategies |
| Halie W. O’Shea | The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President & Director of Research |
| Robert
J. Gormley Senior Operations Officer & Team Lead |
Haverford Financial Services, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 | Senior Operations Officer & Team Lead |
| The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 | Senior Operations Officer & Team Lead | |
| Haverford Trust Securities, Inc. 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 | Registered Principal | |
James Kane Vice President |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
Vice President |
Keith Aleardi President & Director Effective 2/6/2023 |
The Haverford Trust Company 3 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450 Radnor, PA 19087 |
President & Director |
Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. (“Loomis Sayles”)
Loomis Sayles acts as adviser to Loomis Sayles Full Discretion Institutional Securitized Fund. The address of Loomis Sayles is One Financial Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111. Loomis Sayles is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The information listed below is for the last two fiscal years October 31, 2023 and 2024.
| Name and Position with Investment Adviser | Name and Principal Business Address of Other Company | Connection with Other Company |
Pramila Agrawal Portfolio Manager, Head of Custom Income Strategies and Director |
None. | None. |
| Name and Position with Investment Adviser | 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 77 Coleman Street, 6th Floor, London, England EC2R 5BJ |
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 #05-01/03, 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) | |
Loomis Sayles (Netherlands) B.V. Stadsplateau 7, Utrecht, Netherlands 3521 AZ |
Managing Director | |
Loomis Sayles Capital Re, SAS 43 avenue Pierre Mendès -France 75013 Paris |
Chairman of the Supervisory Board (2022 – 2024) | |
NIM-os, LLC One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager | |
Matthew J. Eagan Head of and Portfolio Manager, Full Discretion, and Director |
None. | None. |
Daniel J. Fuss Vice Chairman and Director |
None. | None. |
| Name and Position with Investment Adviser | Name and Principal Business Address of Other Company | Connection with Other Company |
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 Technologies, Inc. One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Director | |
NIM-os, LLC One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager | |
David L. Giunta Director |
Natixis Investment Managers, LLC 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
President and Chief Executive Officer, US; Member of the Board of Managers |
Natixis Advisors, LLC 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
President and Chief Executive Officer; Member of the Board of Managers | |
Natixis Distribution, LLC 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199 |
President and Chief Executive Officer; Member of the Board of Managers | |
AEW Capital Management, Inc. Two Seaport Lane, Boston, MA 02210 |
Director | |
Gateway Investment Advisers, LLC 312 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 |
Member of the Board of Managers | |
Harris Associates, Inc. 111 South Wacker Drive, Suite 4600, Chicago IL 60606 |
Director | |
Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, Inc. 600 Travis Street, Suite 3800 Houston, TX 77002 |
Director | |
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 |
| Name and Position with Investment Adviser | Name and Principal Business Address of Other Company | Connection with Other Company |
Aziz V. Hamzaogullari Chief Investment Officer, Growth Equity Strategies, Portfolio Manager and Director |
None. | None. |
Maurice Leger Head of Global Distribution and Director |
Loomis Sayles Trust Company, LLC One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager |
Loomis Sayles Distributors, L.P. One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
President | |
Loomis Sayles Capital Re, SAS 43 avenue Pierre Mendès -France 75013 Paris |
Supervisory Board Member (2022 – 2024) | |
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 to 2023) |
Loomis Sayles Distributors, Inc. One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Director |
Loomis Sayles Investments Limited 77 Coleman Street, 6th Floor, London, England EC2R 5BJ |
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) | |
Loomis Sayles Capital Re, SAS 43 avenue Pierre Mendès -France 75013 Paris |
Supervisory Board Member (2022 – 2024) | |
NIM-os Technologies, Inc. One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Director | |
NIM-os, LLC One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager and General Counsel |
| Name and Position with Investment Adviser | Name and Principal Business Address of Other Company | Connection with Other Company |
Philippe Setbon Director |
Natixis Investment Managers 59, avenue Pierre Mendès-France, CS 41432, 75648 Paris cedex, France |
Chief Executive Officer (Directeur général) (2023 – present) |
Natixis 7 Promenade Germaine Sablon, 75013 Paris, France |
Member of Senior Management Committee (2023 – present) | |
Ostrum Asset management 42 avenue Pierre Mendès-France, 75013 Paris, France |
Chief Executive Officer (Directeur général) (2019 – 2023) | |
Natixis TradEx Solutions 59 avenue Pierre Mendès-France, 75013 Paris, France |
Director (2020 – 2024) | |
Harris Associates L.P. 111 South Wacker Drive, Suite 4600 Chicago, Illinois 60606 |
Director (2024 – present) | |
AEW Europe SA 43 avenue Pierre Mendès-France 75013 Paris, France |
Chair of the Board of Directors (Président du conseil d'administration) (2024 – present) | |
DNCA Finance 19 place Vendôme 75001 Paris, France |
Chair of Supervisory Board (Président du comité de surveillance) (2024 – present) | |
AEW Capital Management, L.P. Two Seaport Lane, Boston Massachusetts 02210 |
Director (Jan. 2024 – present) | |
Susan L. Sieker Chief Financial Officer and Director |
Loomis Sayles Investments Limited 77 Coleman Street, 6th Floor, London, England EC2R 5BJ |
Chief Financial Officer |
Loomis Sayles Trust Company, LLC One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager and Chief Financial Officer | |
Loomis Sayles Capital Re, SAS 43 avenue Pierre Mendès -France 75013 Paris |
Supervisory Board Member (2022 – 2024) | |
Loomis Sayles Investments Asia Pte. Ltd. 10 Collyer Quay #05-01/03, Ocean Financial Centre, Singapore 049315 |
Director | |
NIM-os Technologies, Inc. One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Director | |
NIM-os, LLC One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 |
Manager and Chief Financial Officer |
| Name and Position with Investment Adviser | Name and Principal Business Address of Other Company | Connection with Other Company |
David L. Waldman Chief Investment Officer and Director |
Loomis Sayles Capital Re, SAS 43 avenue Pierre Mendès -France 75013 Paris |
Supervisory Board Member (2022 – 2024) |
LSV Asset Management
LSV Asset Management (“LSV”) serves as the investment adviser to the LSV Value Equity Fund, LSV Conservative Value Equity Fund, LSV Small Cap Value Fund, LSV Global Value Fund, LSV U.S. Managed Volatility Fund, LSV Global Managed Volatility Fund, LSV Emerging Markets Equity Fund and LSV Disciplined Value ETF. The address of LSV is 155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4600, Chicago, Illinois 60606. LSV is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
During the fiscal years ended October 31, 2023 and 2024, no director, officer or partner of LSV engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee.
Rice Hall James & Associates, LLC
Rice Hall James & Associates, LLC (“Rice Hall James”) serves as the investment adviser to the Rice Hall James Micro Cap Portfolio. The principal address of Rice Hall James is 600 West Broadway, Suite 1000, San Diego, California 92101. Rice Hall James is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
During the fiscal years ended October 31, 2023 and 2024, no director, officer or partner of Rice Hall James engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee.
Sands Capital Management, LLC
Sands Capital Management, LLC (“Sands Capital”) serves as the investment adviser to the Sands Capital Global Growth Fund. The principal address of Sands Capital is 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 3000, Arlington, Virginia 22209. Sands Capital is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The information listed below is for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2023 and 2024.
| Name
and Position with Investment Adviser |
Name
and Principal Business Address of Other Company |
Connection with Other Company |
Frank M. Sands, CFA Chief Investment Officer, Chief Executive Officer |
Sands Capital Ventures, LLC 1000 Wilson Boulevard Suite 3000 Arlington, VA 22209 |
Investment Board Member, Executive Management Team |
Jonathan Goodman General Counsel and Secretary |
Sands Capital Ventures, LLC 1000 Wilson Boulevard Suite 3000 Arlington, VA 22209 |
General Counsel and Secretary |
Dana McNamara Executive Managing Director, Chief Administrative Officer |
Sands Capital Ventures, LLC 1000 Wilson Boulevard Suite 3000 Arlington, VA 22209 |
Executive Management Team |
Stephen Nimmo Executive Managing Director, Business Development and Client Relations |
Sands Capital Ventures, LLC 1000 Wilson Boulevard Suite 3000 Arlington, VA 22209 |
Executive Management Team |
Thomas Perry Williams President |
Sands Capital Ventures, LLC 1000 Wilson Boulevard Suite 3000 Arlington, VA 22209 |
Executive Management Team |
Brian Christiansen Executive Managing Director, Sr. Portfolio Manager, Research Analyst |
Sands Capital Ventures, LLC 1000 Wilson Boulevard Suite 3000 Arlington, VA 22209 |
Executive Management Team |
David Levanson Executive Managing Director, Sr. Portfolio Manager, Research Analyst |
Sands Capital Ventures, LLC 1000 Wilson Boulevard Suite 3000 Arlington, VA 22209 |
Executive Management Team |
Ian Ratcliffe Executive Managing Director, Executive Managing Partner |
Sands Capital Ventures, LLC 1000 Wilson Boulevard Suite 3000 Arlington, VA 22209 |
Executive Managing Director, Executive Managing Partner |
Alexandra Fulk Chief Compliance Officer, Sr. Legal Counsel |
Sands Capital Ventures, LLC 1000 Wilson Boulevard Suite 3000 Arlington, VA 22209 |
Chief Compliance Officer, Sr. Legal Counsel |
Andrew Giordano Executive Managing Director, Business Development and Client Relations |
Sands Capital Ventures, LLC 1000 Wilson Boulevard Suite 3000 Arlington, VA 22209 |
Executive Management Team |
Michael Raab Executive Managing Director, Director of Research, Portfolio Manager, Sr. Research Analyst |
Sands Capital Ventures, LLC 1000 Wilson Boulevard Suite 3000 Arlington, VA 22209 |
Executive Management Team |
Item 32. Principal Underwriters
| (a) | Furnish the name of each investment company (other than the Registrant) for which each principal underwriter currently distributing the securities of the Registrant also acts as a principal underwriter, distributor or investment adviser. |
The Registrant’s distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. (the “Distributor”), acts as distributor for:
| SEI Daily Income Trust | July 15, 1982 |
| SEI Tax Exempt Trust | December 3, 1982 |
| SEI Institutional Managed Trust | January 22, 1987 |
| SEI Institutional International Trust | August 30, 1988 |
| The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund II | January 28, 1993 |
| Bishop Street Funds | January 27, 1995 |
| SEI Asset Allocation Trust | April 1, 1996 |
| SEI Institutional Investments Trust | June 14, 1996 |
| City National Rochdale Funds (f/k/a CNI Charter Funds) | April 1, 1999 |
| Causeway Capital Management Trust | September 20, 2001 |
| SEI Offshore Opportunity Fund II, Ltd. | September 1, 2005 |
| ProShares Trust | November 14, 2005 |
| Community Capital Trust (f/k/a Community Reinvestment Act Qualified Investment Fund) | January 8, 2007 |
| SEI Offshore Advanced Strategy Series SPC | July 31, 2007 |
| SEI Structured Credit Fund, LP | July 31, 2007 |
| Global X Funds | October 24, 2008 |
| ProShares Trust II | November 17, 2008 |
| SEI Special Situations Fund, Ltd. | July 1, 2009 |
| Exchange Traded Concepts Trust (f/k/a FaithShares Trust) | August 7, 2009 |
| Schwab Strategic Trust | October 12, 2009 |
| RiverPark Funds Trust | September 8, 2010 |
| Adviser Managed Trust | December 10, 2010 |
| SEI Core Property Fund, LP | January 1, 2011 |
| New Covenant Funds | March 23, 2012 |
| KraneShares Trust | December 18, 2012 |
| The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III | February 12, 2014 |
| SEI Catholic Values Trust | March 24, 2015 |
| SEI Hedge Fund SPC | June 26, 2015 |
| SEI Energy Debt Fund, LP | June 30, 2015 |
| Gallery Trust | January 8, 2016 |
| City National Rochdale Select Strategies Fund | March 1, 2017 |
| City National Rochdale Strategic Credit Fund | May 16, 2018 |
| Symmetry Panoramic Trust | July 23, 2018 |
| Frost Family of Funds | May 31, 2019 |
| SEI Vista Fund, Ltd. | January 20, 2021 |
| Wilshire Private Assets Fund | March 22, 2021 |
| Catholic Responsible Investments Funds | November 17, 2021 |
| SEI Exchange Traded Funds | May 18, 2022 |
| SEI Global Private Assets VI, L.P. | July 29, 2022 |
| Quaker Investment Trust | June 8, 2023 |
| SEI Alternative Income Fund | September 1, 2023 |
| Global X Venture Fund | March 12, 2025 |
The Distributor provides numerous financial services to investment managers, pension plan sponsors, and bank trust departments. These services include portfolio evaluation, performance measurement and consulting services (“Funds Evaluation”) and automated execution, clearing and settlement of securities transactions (“MarketLink”).
| (b) | Furnish the Information required by the following table with respect to each director, officer or partner of each principal underwriter named in the answer to Item 25 of Part B. Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each director or officer is One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA 19456. |
| Name | Position
and Office with Underwriter |
Positions
and Offices with Registrant |
| Paul F. Klauder | President, Chief Executive Officer & Director | -- |
| William M. Doran | Director | -- |
| John C. Munch | General Counsel & Secretary | -- |
| Jason McGhin | Chief Operations Officer | -- |
| John P. Coary | Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer | -- |
| Jennifer H. Campisi | Chief Compliance Officer, Assistant Secretary & Anti-Money Laundering Officer | -- |
| William M. Martin | Vice President | -- |
| Christopher Rowan | Vice President | -- |
| Judith A. Rager | Vice President | -- |
| Gary Michael Reese | Vice President | -- |
| Robert M. Silvestri | Vice President | -- |
Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records:
Books or other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, and the rules promulgated thereunder, are maintained as follows:
| (a) | With respect to Rules 31a-1(a); 31a-1(b)(1); (2)(a) and (b); (3); (6); (8); (12); and 31a-1 (d), the required books and records are maintained at the offices of Registrant’s custodians: |
U.S. Bank, National Association
800 Nicollett Mall
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-4302
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
50 Post Office Square
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
| (b) | With respect to Rules 31a-1(a); 31a-1 (b)(1),(4); (2)(C) and (D); (4); (5); (6); (8); (9); (10); (11); and 31a-1(f), the required books and records are maintained at the offices of Registrant’s administrator: |
SEI Investments Global Funds Services
One Freedom Valley Drive
Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456
| (c) | With respect to Rules 31a-1 (b)(5), (6), (9) and (10) and 31a-1 (f), the required books and records are maintained at the offices of the Registrant’s investment advisers: |
Acadian Asset Management LLC
260 Franklin Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Breckinridge Capital Advisors, Inc.
125 High Street, Suite 431
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Cambiar Investors, LLC
200 Columbine Street, Suite 800
Denver, Colorado 80206
CIBC Private Wealth Advisors, Inc.
One South Wacker Drive, Suite 3500
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Edgewood Management LLC
600 Steamboat Road, Suite 103
Greenwich, Connecticut 06830
Fayez Sarofim & Co.
2907 Two Houston Center
909 Fannin Street
Houston, Texas 77010
Hamlin Capital Management, LLC
640 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor
New York, New York 10019
Haverford Financial Services, Inc.
Three Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 450
Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087-4546
Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P.
One Financial Center
Boston, Massachusetts 02111
LSV Asset Management
155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4600,
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Rice Hall James & Associates, LLC
600 West Broadway, Suite 1000
San Diego, California 92101
Sands Capital Management, LLC
1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 3000
Arlington, Virginia 22209
Item 34. Management Services: None.
Item 35. Undertakings: None.
NOTICE
A copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust for The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund (the “Trust”) is on file with the Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and notice is hereby given that this registration statement has been executed on behalf of the Trust by an officer of the Trust as an officer and by its trustees as trustees and not individually and the obligations of or arising out of this registration statement are not binding upon any of the trustees, officers, or shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Trust.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 376 to Registration Statement No. 033-42484 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Oaks, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on the 23rd day of January, 2026.
| THE ADVISORS’ INNER CIRCLE FUND | |||
| By: | * | ||
| Michael Beattie, President | |||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date(s) indicated.
| * | Trustee | January 23, 2026 | |
| Kathleen Gaffney | |||
| * | Trustee | January 23, 2026 | |
| Joseph T. Grause, Jr. | |||
| * | Trustee | January 23, 2026 | |
| N. Jeffrey Klauder | |||
| * | Trustee | January 23, 2026 | |
| Robert Mulhall | |||
| * | Trustee | January 23, 2026 | |
| Robert A. Nesher | |||
| * | Trustee | January 23, 2026 | |
| Bruce Speca | |||
| * | Trustee | January 23, 2026 | |
| Monica Walker | |||
| * | President | January 23, 2026 | |
| Michael Beattie | |||
| * | Treasurer, Controller & | January 23, 2026 | |
| Andrew Metzger | Chief Financial Officer |
| *By: | /s/ Matthew M. Maher | |
| Matthew M. Maher | ||
| Attorney-in-Fact |
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