As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 3, 2023
1933 Act Registration File No. 333-[...]
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-14
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Pre-Effective Amendment No. __ | [ ] | |||||||
Post-Effective Amendment No. __ | [ ] |
TRUST FOR PROFESSIONAL MANAGERS
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code) (414) 287-3338
Jay S. Fitton
U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 East Michigan Street, 2nd Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
Carol A. Gehl, Esq.
Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.
833 East Michigan Street, Suite 1800
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(414) 273-3500
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: as soon as practical after this Registration Statement becomes effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Title of Securities Being Registered: Institutional Class and Retail Class shares of the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund.
No filing fee is due because the Registrant is relying on Section 24(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
It is proposed that this Registration Statement will become effective on April 2, 2023, pursuant to Rule 488 under the Securities Act of 1933.
RiverPark Strategic Income Fund
a series of RiverPark Funds Trust
156 West 56th Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10019
1-888-564-4517
[ ], 2023
Dear Shareholder:
On behalf of the Board of Trustees of RiverPark Funds Trust (“RiverPark Trust”), we are pleased to invite you to a Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) of the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund (the “Target Fund”), a series of RiverPark Trust, scheduled to be held on May 8, 2023, at the principal executive offices of the RiverPark Trust, located at 156 West 56th Street, 17th Floor, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time.
As discussed in more detail in the enclosed Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus, the shareholders of the Target Fund will be asked to consider and vote to approve an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”) to reorganize the Target Fund into a corresponding newly-created fund, the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund (the “Acquiring Fund”), a series of Trust for Professional Managers (“TPM”). The Acquiring Fund was established solely for the purpose of acquiring the assets and liabilities of the Target Fund and continuing the Target Fund’s business (the “Reorganization”). RiverPark Advisors, LLC (“RiverPark”), the investment adviser to the Target Fund, and Cohanzick Management, LLC (“Cohanzick”), the investment sub-adviser to the Target Fund, have each recommended the reorganization to the Board of Trustees of RiverPark Trust (the “RiverPark Board”) because they believe the reorganization will benefit the Target Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders are expected to benefit from a tax-free exchange and from continuity of portfolio management as explained further below. Upon shareholder approval and effectiveness of the Plan, you will receive shares of the Acquiring Fund equivalent in value to the value of your Target Fund shares as of the closing date of the Reorganization, and you will no longer be a shareholder of the Target Fund, but will become a shareholder of the Acquiring Fund.
CrossingBridge Advisors, LLC, an affiliate of Cohanzick, will become the investment adviser to the Acquiring Fund as a result of the Reorganization and the Acquiring Fund will not operate with a sub-adviser. The investment objective and principal investment strategies of the Acquiring Fund are identical to the investment objective and principal investment strategies of the Target Fund. The sole portfolio manager of the Target Fund that has managed the Target Fund since inception will be the sole portfolio manager of the Acquiring Fund. If the Plan is not approved by shareholders, the Target Fund will continue operating as a series of RiverPark Trust, and the RiverPark Board will consider alternatives for the Target Fund including soliciting approval of a new proposal or the liquidation of the Target Fund.
Additional information about the Acquiring Fund is included in Appendix D and the Statement of Additional Information related to the Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus.
The Reorganization generally is not expected to result in the recognition of gain or loss by the Target Fund or its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. No sales charges or redemption fees will be imposed in connection with the Reorganization. The shares of the Acquiring Fund you receive will have the same aggregate net asset value as the shares of the Target Fund you hold at the time of the Reorganization. Shares will be exchanged as follows:
RiverPark Funds Trust | Trust for Professional Managers | |||||||
RiverPark Strategic Income Fund | RiverPark Strategic Income Fund | |||||||
Institutional Class Shares | > | Institutional Class Shares | ||||||
Retail Class Shares | > | Retail Class Shares |
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT.
The RiverPark Board believes that the proposed Reorganization is in the best interests of Target Fund shareholders and recommends that you vote “FOR” the approval of the Plan to authorize the Reorganization with respect to the Target Fund.
You can vote in one of four ways:
•By mail with the enclosed proxy card;
•By internet through the website listed in the proxy voting instructions;
•By automated touchtone using the toll-free number listed in the proxy voting instructions; or
•In person at the special shareholder meeting on May 8, 2023.
Thank you for your consideration of this important proposal. Your vote is extremely important, so please read the enclosed Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus carefully and submit your vote.
Your vote is very important to us. Thank you for your response and for your continued investment in the Target Fund.
Respectfully,
Morty Schaja
President
RiverPark Funds Trust
RiverPark Strategic Income Fund
a series of RiverPark Funds Trust
156 West 56th Street, 17th Floor
New York, New York 10019
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD May 8, 2023
To the Shareholders of the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) of the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund (the “Target Fund”), a series of RiverPark Funds Trust (“RiverPark Trust”), is scheduled to be held on May 8, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, at the principal executive offices of the RiverPark Trust, located at 156 West 56th Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10019.
At the Special Meeting, you and the other shareholders of the Target Fund will be asked to:
1.consider and vote to approve the proposed Agreement and Plan of Reorganization providing for (a) the acquisition of all of the assets of the Target Fund, a series of RiverPark Trust, by the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund (the “Acquiring Fund”), a newly organized series of Trust for Professional Managers (“TPM”), in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all liabilities of the Target Fund and (b) the subsequent liquidation, termination, and dissolution of the Target Fund; and
2.approve one or more adjournments of the Special Meeting to a later date to solicit additional proxies.
Those present and the appointed proxies also will transact such other business, if any, as may properly come before the Special Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof.
Holders of record of the shares of beneficial interest in the Target Fund as of the close of business on March 15, 2023, are entitled to vote at the Special Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof.
If the necessary quorum to transact business or the vote required to approve any proposals is not obtained at the Special Meeting, or if a quorum is obtained but sufficient votes required to approve the Plan are not obtained, the chairman of the Special Meeting, subject to shareholder approval of proposal 2, may adjourn the Special Meeting one or more times to permit, in accordance with applicable law, further solicitation of proxies with respect to the proposals.
This Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders and the Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus are available on the internet at [ ]. On this webpage, you also will be able to access the Target Fund’s Prospectus, the Acquiring Fund’s Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements to the foregoing material that are required to be furnished to shareholders. We encourage you to access and review all of the important information contained in the proxy materials before voting.
By order of the Board of Trustees of RiverPark Trust,
Paul Genova
Secretary
March [ ], 2023
HOW TO VOTE YOUR SHARES
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT
NO MATTER HOW MANY SHARES YOU OWN
We urge you to vote your shares. Your prompt vote may save the Target Fund the necessity of further solicitations to ensure a quorum at the Special Meeting. You may cast your vote by mail, by the internet, and by automated touchtone as set forth below:
•Mail: To vote your proxy by mail, check the appropriate voting box on your proxy card, sign and date the card and return it in the enclosed postage-prepaid envelope. Allow sufficient time for your proxy card to be received by 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, on May 8, 2023. If you sign, date, and return the proxy card but give no voting instructions, the proxies will vote FOR the proposals.
The options below are available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.
•Internet: The web address and instructions for voting online can be found on the enclosed proxy card. You will be required to provide your control number found on your proxy card.
•Automated Touchtone: The toll-free number for automated touchtone telephone voting can be found on the enclosed proxy card. You must have the control number found on your proxy card.
If you can attend the Special Meeting and wish to vote your shares in person at that time, you will be able to do so. If you hold your shares in “street name” through a broker, bank or other nominee, you should contact your nominee about voting in person at the Special Meeting. We encourage you to vote by telephone or via the internet using the control number that appears on your enclosed proxy card. Use of telephone or internet voting will reduce the time and costs associated with this proxy solicitation. Whichever method you choose, please read the enclosed proxy statement carefully before you vote.
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RiverPark Strategic Income Fund
a series of RiverPark Funds Trust
156 West 56th Street, 17th Floor
New York, New York 10019
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Dated: March [ ], 2023
Question: What is this document and why did you send it to me?
Answer: The attached Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus (the “Proxy Statement”) is a proxy statement for the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund (the “Target Fund”), a series of RiverPark Funds Trust (“RiverPark Trust”), and a prospectus for shares of the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund (the “Acquiring Fund”), a newly-created series of Trust for Professional Managers (“TPM”). The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund may each be referred to as a “Fund”, or, together, the “Funds”. The purposes of the Proxy Statement are to (1) solicit votes from shareholders of the Target Fund to approve the proposed reorganization of the Target Fund into the Acquiring Fund (the “Reorganization”), as described in the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization between RiverPark Trust and TPM (the “Plan”), a form of which is attached to the Proxy Statement as Appendix A, and (2) provide information regarding the shares of the Acquiring Fund. Approval by the shareholders of the Target Fund is required to proceed with the Reorganization. If the shareholders of the Target Fund do not approve the Reorganization, then the Reorganization will not be implemented and the Board of Trustees of RiverPark Trust (the “RiverPark Board”) will consider what further actions to take.
The Proxy Statement contains information that you should know before voting on the Reorganization, including additional information about the Acquiring Fund in Appendix D and the Statement of Additional Information related to the Proxy Statement. The Proxy Statement should be retained for future reference.
Question: What is the purpose of the Reorganization?
Answer: The primary purpose of the Reorganization is to move the investment portfolio and shareholders presently associated with the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund. RiverPark Advisors, LLC (“RiverPark”), the investment adviser to the Target Fund, and Cohanzick Management, LLC (“Cohanzick”), the investment sub-adviser to the Target Fund, recommend that the Target Fund be reorganized with and into the Acquiring Fund. If the Reorganization is approved by Target Fund shareholders, the Acquiring Fund will be managed by CrossingBridge Advisors, LLC (“CrossingBridge”), an affiliate of Cohanzick, with CrossingBridge responsible for the day-to-day management of the Acquiring Fund’s portfolio. The Acquiring Fund will have the same portfolio manager, David K. Sherman, as the Target Fund. Mr. Sherman has been the sole portfolio manager for the Target Fund since the Target Fund’s inception in 2013 and will serve as the sole portfolio manager for the Acquiring Fund. RiverPark and Cohanzick believe that the Reorganization has the potential to benefit shareholders by: (i) providing the Acquiring Fund with the opportunity to realize operational and administrative efficiencies that may result from being managed on the same platform as other mutual funds that are advised by CrossingBridge; and (ii) creating economies of scale by leveraging a unified distribution approach with other mutual funds that are advised by CrossingBridge. After careful consideration, upon the recommendations of CrossingBridge and Cohanzick, the RiverPark Board approved the Plan providing for the reorganization of the Target Fund into the Acquiring Fund as a new series of TPM.
Question: How will the Reorganization work?
Answer: To reconstitute the Target Fund as a series of TPM, the Acquiring Fund, an investment company with an investment objective and principal investment strategies identical to those of the Target Fund, has been created as a new series of TPM. The Acquiring Fund is newly-organized and has no assets or liabilities. If shareholders of the Target Fund approve the Plan, the Target Fund will transfer all of its assets to the Acquiring Fund in return for shares of the Acquiring Fund and the
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Acquiring Fund’s assumption of the Target Fund’s liabilities. Existing shareholders of the Target Fund will become shareholders of the Acquiring Fund and, immediately after the Reorganization, each shareholder will hold shares of the same class of the Acquiring Fund with a value equal to the aggregate net asset value of the then outstanding shares, by class, of the Target Fund’s shares that the shareholder held immediately prior to the Reorganization. Subsequently, the Target Fund will be liquidated and terminated.
Please refer to the Proxy Statement for a detailed explanation of the proposal. If the Plan is approved by shareholders of the Target Fund at the Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”), the Reorganization is expected to be effective on or about May 12, 2023.
Question: How will the Reorganization affect me as a shareholder?
Answer: You will become a shareholder of the Acquiring Fund. You will receive shares of the same class of the Acquiring Fund with a value equal to the aggregate net asset value of the then outstanding shares, by class, of the Target Fund held by you immediately prior to the Reorganization.
Question: Are the investment objective and principal investment strategies of the Acquiring Fund different from those of the Target Fund?
Answer: No, the investment objective and principal investment strategies of the Acquiring Fund will be identical to those of the Target Fund.
Question: Who will manage the Acquiring Fund?
Answer: The Acquiring Fund will have the same portfolio manager, David K. Sherman, as the Target Fund. RiverPark is the investment adviser to the Target Fund, with Cohanzick, an affiliate of CrossingBridge, serving as the Target Fund’s sub-adviser. CrossingBridge will be the investment adviser to the Acquiring Fund, and the Acquiring Fund will not operate with a sub-adviser. Mr. Sherman is primarily responsible for the investment decisions of the Target Fund and will be the sole portfolio manager primarily responsible for the investment decisions of the Acquiring Fund. CrossingBridge is an SEC-registered investment adviser formed in December 2016 and serves as the investment adviser to four other series of TPM.
Question: Will there be changes to the Board of Trustees and service providers for the Acquiring Fund?
Answer: RiverPark Trust and TPM have different Boards of Trustees. The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund have different administrators, fund accountants, transfer agents, custodians, distributors and legal counsel. The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund have the same independent registered public accounting firms. A comparison of the service providers for the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund is set forth in the table below.
Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | |||||||
Administrator | SEI Investments Global Funds Services | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | ||||||
Fund Accountant | SEI Investments Global Funds Services | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | ||||||
Transfer Agent | SS&C Global Investor & Distribution Solutions, Inc. | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | ||||||
Custodian | Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. | U.S. Bank National Association | ||||||
Distributor and Principal Underwriter | SEI Investments Distribution Co. | Quasar Distributors, LLC | ||||||
Auditor | Cohen & Company, Ltd. | Cohen & Company, Ltd. | ||||||
Legal Counsel | Blank Rome LLP | Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. |
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Question: Will the Reorganization affect the fees and expenses I pay as a shareholder of the Target Fund?
Answer: No, the fees and expenses you pay as a shareholder of the Target Fund will be the same as the fees you will pay after you become a shareholder of the Acquiring Fund. The Target Fund has management fee equal to 0.65%. The total annual fund operating expenses for the Retail Class and Institutional Class shares of the Target Fund are 1.34% and 1.09%, respectively, of the Target Fund’s average daily net assets.
For the Acquiring Fund, the management fee is 0.65% and the estimated total annual fund operating expenses for the Retail Class and Institutional Class shares is expected to be 1.34%, and 1.09%, respectively, of the Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets.
Neither Fund charges a front end or deferred sales load for the Retail Class shares or Institutional Class shares.
Retail Class and Institutional Class shares of the Target Fund are subject to a shareholder servicing fee of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets of the Retail Class shares and Institutional Class shares, respectively. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, the Retail Class shares of the Target Fund paid 0.25% of its average daily net assets in shareholder servicing fees and the Institutional Class shares did not pay any shareholder servicing fees. In addition, the Target Fund is subject to an administrative services plan according to which the Fund may pay administrative services fees at an annual rate of up to 0.20% and 0.15% of the average daily net assets of the Retail Class shares and Institutional Class shares, respectively. The Retail Class and Institutional Class shares of the Target Fund pay 0.11% and 0.11%, respectively, in administrative services fees.
Retail Class and Institutional Class shares of the Acquiring Fund are each subject to a shareholder servicing plan of up to 0.15% of the Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets although following the Reorganization shareholders will only be charged a shareholder servicing plan fee of 0.11% and 0.11% for Retail Class shares and Institutional Class shares, respectively. The Acquiring Fund has adopted a Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Plan under which the Acquiring Fund may charge a Rule 12b-1 fee not to exceed 0.25% per annum of the average daily net assets for the Retail Class shares of the Acquiring Fund.
Pursuant to an operating expense limitation agreement between RiverPark and RiverPark Trust, on behalf of the Target Fund, RiverPark has agreed contractually to waive its fees and to absorb expenses of the Target Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that ordinary operating expenses of each class (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, dividends on short sales and interest expense on securities sold short, acquired fund fees and expenses and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 1.25% or 1.00%, respectively, of the average net assets attributable to the Retail Class and Institutional Class shares of the Target Fund. The Target Fund has agreed to repay RiverPark in the amount of any fees waived and Fund expenses absorbed, subject to certain limitations that: (1) the reimbursement is made only for fees and expenses incurred not more than three years prior to the date of reimbursement; and (2) the reimbursement may not be made if it would cause the annual expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver to be exceeded. RiverPark has not waived any fees payable by the Target Fund that are subject to recoupment. The Target Fund is currently operating below the expense limitation.
Pursuant to an operating expense limitation agreement between CrossingBridge and TPM, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, CrossingBridge has agreed to waive its management fees and/or reimburse Fund expenses to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (exclusive of front-end or contingent deferred loads, Rule 12b-1 plan fees, shareholder servicing plan fees, leverage (i.e., any expenses incurred in connection with borrowings made by the Fund) interest (including interest incurred in connection with bank and custody overdrafts), brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, dividends or interest on short positions, acquired fund fees and expenses or extraordinary expenses such as litigation (collectively “Excluded Expenses”)) do not exceed 0.82% of the Acquiring Fund’s average annual net assets, through at least two years from the date of the Reorganization. To the extent the Acquiring Fund incurs Excluded Expenses, Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement may be greater than 0.82%. CrossingBridge may request recoupment of previously waived fees and paid expenses from the Acquiring Fund up to three years from the date such fees and expenses were waived or paid, subject to the operating expense limitation agreement, if
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such reimbursement will not cause the Acquiring Fund’s expense ratio, after recoupment has been taken into account, to exceed the lesser of: (1) the expense limitation in place at the time of the waiver and/or expense payment; or (2) the expense limitation in place at the time of the recoupment.
Question: Will the value of the shares of the Acquiring Fund that I receive equal the value of the shares of the Target Fund that I currently own?
Answer: Yes. You will receive shares of the Acquiring Fund equal in value to the net asset value of the then outstanding shares, by class, of the Target Fund held by you immediately prior to the Reorganization.
Question: Will the Reorganization result in any taxes?
Answer: The Reorganization is expected to qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of section 368(a) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. In general, the Target Fund will not recognize any gain or loss as a direct result of the transfer of all of its assets and its liabilities in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund or as a result of its liquidation and termination. Shareholders of the Target Fund will not recognize any gain or loss for federal income tax purposes upon receipt of shares of the Acquiring Fund in connection with the Reorganization. Shareholders of the Target Fund should consult their own tax advisers regarding the federal, state, local, and other tax treatment and implications of the Reorganization in light of their individual circumstances.
Question: Will my basis change as a result of the Reorganization?
Answer: No, your aggregate tax basis for federal income tax purposes of the Acquiring Fund shares you receive in the Reorganization will be the same as the basis of your Target Fund shares you held immediately before the Reorganization.
Question: Will I be charged a commission or other transactional fees as a result of the Reorganization?
Answer: No commission or other transactional fees will be imposed on shareholders in connection with the Reorganization.
Question: Why do I need to vote?
Answer: Your vote is needed to ensure that a quorum and sufficient votes are present at the Special Meeting so that the proposal can be acted upon. Your immediate response on the enclosed Proxy Card will help prevent the need for any further solicitations for a shareholder vote. Your vote is very important to us regardless of the number of shares you own.
Question: How does the RiverPark Board recommend that I vote?
Answer: After careful consideration and upon the recommendation of RiverPark and Cohanzick, the RiverPark Board unanimously recommends that shareholders vote “FOR” the proposal to approve the Plan.
Question: Who is paying for expenses related to the Special Meeting and the Reorganization?
Answer: Neither the Target Fund, the Target Fund shareholders nor the Acquiring Fund will pay any expenses related to the Reorganization. CrossingBridge will bear all expenses relating to the Reorganization, including the costs relating to the Special Meeting and Proxy Statement.
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Question: Will the Reorganization affect my ability to buy and sell shares?
Answer: No. You may continue to make additional purchases or sales of the Target Fund shares directly or through your financial intermediary up to and including the day of the Reorganization, which is anticipated to be on or about May 8, 2023. Any purchases or sales of Target Fund shares made after the Reorganization will be purchases or sales of the Acquiring Fund. If the Reorganization is approved, your Target Fund shares will automatically be converted to Acquiring Fund shares.
Question: What will happen if the Plan is not approved by shareholders?
Answer: If shareholders of the Target Fund do not approve the Plan, then the Target Fund will not be reorganized into the Acquiring Fund and will continue to operate as a series of RiverPark Trust. The RiverPark Board will consider further actions to take.
Question: Why am I being asked to approve adjournments of the Special Meeting?
Answer: It may become necessary from time to time to adjourn the Special Meeting in order to allow more time to solicit additional proxies, as necessary, if there are insufficient votes at the time of the meeting to constitute a quorum or to approve the Plan. If the proposal to approve adjournments of the Special Meeting is approved and a quorum is not present at the Special Meeting, it is expected that the holder of proxies will vote to authorize the adjournment of the Special Meeting in order to solicit additional proxies. Even if a quorum is present at the Special Meeting, but there are insufficient votes to approve the Plan, it is also expected that the holder of proxies will vote to authorize the adjournment of the Special Meeting to solicit additional proxies.
Question: How do I vote my shares?
Answer: You can vote your shares as indicated under “HOW TO VOTE” which immediately precedes this Question and Answers section.
Question: Who do I call if I have questions?
Answer: If you have questions about the Reorganization, the proposals or the Proxy Card, please do not hesitate to call [ ] and [ ].
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The information contained in this Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Combined Proxy Statement/Prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities, in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION,
DATED March 3, 2023
COMBINED PROXY STATEMENT AND PROSPECTUS
May 8, 2023
For the Reorganization of
RiverPark Strategic Income Fund
a series of RiverPark Funds Trust
156 West 56th Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10019
(212) 484-2100
into
RiverPark Strategic Income Fund
a series of Trust for Professional Managers
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(414) 287-3338
_________________________________
This Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus (the “Proxy Statement”) is being sent to you in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Trustees (the “RiverPark Board”) of RiverPark Funds Trust (“RiverPark Trust”) for use at a Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) of the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund, a series of RiverPark Trust (the “Target Fund”), at the principal executive offices of RiverPark Trust, located at 156 West 56th Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10019, scheduled to be held on May 8, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. At the Special Meeting, shareholders of the Target Fund will be asked to consider and vote on the following proposals:
Proposal 1: | To approve the proposed Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”) providing for (a) the acquisition of all of the assets of the Target Fund by the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund (the “Acquiring Fund”), a newly organized series of Trust for Professional Managers (“TPM”), in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all of the liabilities of the Target Fund and (b) the subsequent liquidation, termination and dissolution of the Target Fund (the “Reorganization”). | ||||
Proposal 2: | To approve any adjournments of the Special Meeting from time to time to solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the time of the Special Meeting to constitute a quorum or to approve Proposal 1. |
After careful consideration and upon the recommendation of RiverPark Advisors, LLC (“RiverPark”), the Target Fund’s investment adviser, and Cohanzick Management, LLC (“Cohanzick”), the Target Fund’s investment sub-adviser, the Board unanimously recommends that shareholders vote “FOR” the Proposals.
The Plan provides that all of the assets of the Target Fund will be transferred to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for shares of beneficial interest (“shares”) of the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Fund’s assumption of all of the Target Fund’s liabilities. Shareholders of the Target Fund will receive shares of the same class of the Acquiring Fund with a value equal to the aggregate net asset value (“NAV”) of the then outstanding shares, by class, of the Target Fund that the shareholder held immediately prior to the Reorganization in complete liquidation and termination of the Target Fund. After the Reorganization, shareholders will no longer be shareholders of the Target Fund, but would become shareholders of the Acquiring Fund.
Those present and the appointed proxies also will transact such other business, if any, as may properly come before the Special Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof.
This Proxy Statement sets forth concisely the information you should know before voting on the Proposals. You should read it and keep it for future reference.
The following documents containing additional information about the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund, each having been filed with the SEC, are incorporated by reference into (and legally considered to be part of) this Proxy Statement:
•the Statement of Additional Information dated [...], 2023 relating to this Proxy Statement (the “Proxy Statement SAI”);
•the Prospectus of the Target Fund, dated January 26, 2023, as may be amended and supplemented (the “Target Fund Prospectus”) (File Nos. 333-167778 and 811-22431);
•the Statement of Additional Information of the Target Fund, dated January 26, 2023, as may be amended and supplemented (the “Target Fund SAI”) (File Nos. 333-167778 and 811-22431); and
•the Annual Report for the Target Fund for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 (the “Target Fund Annual Report”) (File No. 811-22431).
This Proxy Statement will be mailed on or about [ ], 2023 to shareholders of record of the Fund as of March 15, 2023.
The Target Fund is a registered open-end management investment company. The Target Fund Prospectus and the Target Fund Annual Report have previously been delivered or made available to Target Fund shareholders. Additional information about the Acquiring Fund that will be included in the Acquiring Fund’s Prospectus, when available, is included in Appendix D to this Proxy Statement. The Acquiring Fund is newly-organized and currently has no assets or liabilities. The Acquiring Fund is an open-end management investment company that has been created in connection with the Reorganization for the purpose of acquiring the assets and liabilities of the Target Fund. The Acquiring Fund will not commence operations until the date of the Reorganization.
Copies of this Proxy Statement, the Proxy Statement SAI, and any of the foregoing documents relating to the Target Fund are available upon request and without charge by calling the Target Fund at 888-564-4517, visiting www.riverparkfunds.com, or writing to the Target Fund at 156 West 56th Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10019. Copies of documents relating to the Acquiring Fund, when available, may be obtained upon request and without charge by calling the Acquiring Fund at 888-898-2780, visiting www.crossingbridgefunds.com or writing to the Acquiring Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53202.
No person has been authorized to give any information or make any representation not contained in this Proxy Statement and, if so given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorized. This Proxy Statement does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction in which, or to any person to whom, it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.
THE SEC HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES NOR HAS IT PASSED ON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROXY STATEMENT. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
An investment in the Target Fund or the Acquiring Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. An investment in any fund involves investment risk, including the possible loss of principal.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PROPOSAL 1 – TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION | |||||
OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION | |||||
EFFECT OF THE REORGANIZATION | |||||
SUMMARY COMPARISON OF THE FUNDS | |||||
BOARD CONSIDERATIONS | |||||
KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION | |||||
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS | |||||
PROPOSAL 2 – TO APPROVE ADJOURNMENTS OF THE SPECIAL MEETING | |||||
VOTING INFORMATION | |||||
RECORD DATE, VOTING RIGHTS, AND VOTES REQUIRED | |||||
HOW TO VOTE | |||||
PROXIES | |||||
QUORUM AND ADJOURNMENTS | |||||
EFFECT OF ABSTENTIONS AND BROKER “NON-VOTES” | |||||
SOLICITATION OF PROXIES | |||||
OTHER INFORMATION | |||||
OTHER BUSINESS | |||||
APPRAISAL RIGHTS | |||||
NEXT MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS | |||||
LEGAL MATTERS | |||||
APPENDIX A – FORM OF AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION | |||||
APPENDIX B – FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TARGET FUND | |||||
APPENDIX C – OWNERSHIP OF SHARES OF THE TARGET FUND | C-1 | ||||
APPENDIX D – ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACQUIRING FUND | D-1 |
PROPOSAL 1 – TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION
OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION
The RiverPark Board, including all the Trustees who are not “interested persons,” as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), proposes that shareholders of the Target Fund approve the Plan, pursuant to which the Target Fund will reorganize into the Acquiring Fund and each Target Fund shareholder will become a shareholder of the Acquiring Fund. A form of the Plan is attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix A. The RiverPark Board considered the Reorganization at a meeting held on February 23, 2023. Based upon the recommendations of RiverPark and Cohanzick, the Board’s evaluation of the terms of the Plan, and other relevant information presented to the RiverPark Board in advance of the meeting, and in light of its fiduciary duties under federal and state law, the RiverPark Board, including all of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of RiverPark Trust under the 1940 Act, determined that the Reorganization is in the best interests of the Target Fund and its shareholders and that such shareholders’ interests would not be diluted as a result of the Reorganization. See “Board Considerations” for a summary of the factors considered and conclusions drawn by the RiverPark Board in approving the Plan and authorizing the submission of the Plan to shareholders for approval.
To reorganize the Target Fund into a series of TPM, a fund with an identical investment objective and identical investment policies and strategies, the Acquiring Fund, which is also named the “RiverPark Strategic Income Fund,” has been created as a new series of TPM. If the shareholders of the Target Fund approve the Plan, the Reorganization will have these primary steps:
•All of the assets of the Target Fund will be transferred to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Fund’s assumption of all of the Target Fund’s liabilities;
•Immediately after the transfer of the Target Fund’s assets as provided for in the Plan, the Target Fund will distribute shares of the same class of the Acquiring Fund received by the Target Fund pro rata to its shareholders in redemption of the outstanding shares of the Target Fund; and
•The Target Fund will be liquidated and terminated.
Approval of the Plan will constitute approval of the transfer of the Target Fund’s assets to the Acquiring Fund, the assumption of the Target Fund’s liabilities by the Acquiring Fund, the distribution of the Acquiring Fund’s shares to Target Fund shareholders, and the liquidation and termination of the Target Fund. The Target Fund will be the accounting survivor after the Reorganization. The Acquiring Fund shares issued in connection with the Reorganization will have an aggregate NAV equal to the aggregate value of the assets that the Target Fund transferred to the Acquiring Fund, less the Target Fund’s liabilities that the Acquiring Fund assumes. As a result of the Reorganization, existing shareholders of the Target Fund will become shareholders of the Acquiring Fund. Shareholders of the Target Fund will receive shares of the same class of the Acquiring Fund with a value equal to the aggregate NAV of the then outstanding shares, by class, of the Target Fund held by the shareholder immediately prior to the Reorganization. No commission or other transaction fees will be charged to the Target Fund’s shareholders in connection with the Reorganization.
The Reorganization is expected to qualify as a tax-free reorganization for federal income tax purposes. In general, the Target Fund will not recognize any gain or loss as a result of the transfer of all of its assets and all of its liabilities in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund or as a result of its liquidation and termination, and shareholders of the Target Fund will not recognize any gain or loss upon receipt of shares of the Acquiring Fund in connection with the Reorganization. RiverPark Trust and TPM will receive an opinion from counsel to TPM confirming such tax treatment.
EFFECT OF THE REORGANIZATION
The primary purpose of the Reorganization is to move the investment portfolio and shareholders presently associated with the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund.
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Certain basic information about the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund is provided in the table below. The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund are sometimes referred to together as the “Funds.”
Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | |||||||
Identity of Fund | RiverPark Strategic Income Fund, a series of RiverPark Funds Trust (an open-end management investment company registered with the SEC) | RiverPark Strategic Income Fund, a series of Trust for Professional Managers (an open-end management investment company registered with the SEC) | ||||||
Ticker Symbol | (RSIVX) (RSIIX) | Same | ||||||
Fiscal Year-End | September 30 | Same | ||||||
Form of Organization | Series of a Delaware statutory trust | Same | ||||||
Diversification Status | Diversified | Same |
The Reorganization will shift management responsibility for the Target Fund from RiverPark, as investment adviser for the Target Fund, and Cohanzick, as investment sub-adviser for the Target Fund, to CrossingBridge Advisors, LLC (“CrossingBridge”), as investment adviser for the Acquiring Fund. CrossingBridge is an affiliate of Cohanzick. The Acquiring Fund will have the same sole portfolio manager, David K. Sherman, as the Target Fund. The investment objective and principal investment strategies of the Acquiring Fund will be identical to those of the Target Fund. The Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund are each diversified for purposes of the 1940 Act.
The Reorganization will not result in a change in the management fee currently paid by the Target Fund. The Target Fund pays RiverPark a management fee on a monthly basis at the annual rate of 0.65% of the Target Fund’s average daily net assets. The Acquiring Fund will pay CrossingBridge a management fee on a monthly basis at the annual rate of 0.65% of the Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets. Cohanzick may be deemed to have an interest in the Reorganization because its affiliate, CrossingBridge, will receive advisory fees from the Acquiring Fund.
Retail Class and Institutional Class shares of the Target Fund are subject to a shareholder servicing fee of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets of the Retail Class shares and Institutional Class shares, respectively. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, the Retail Class shares of the Target Fund paid 0.25% of its average daily net assets in shareholder servicing fees and the Institutional Class shares did not pay any shareholder servicing fees. In addition, the Target Fund is subject to an administrative services plan according to which the Target Fund may pay administrative services fees at an annual rate of up to 0.20% and 0.15% of the average daily net assets of the Retail Class shares and Institutional Class shares, respectively. The Retail Class and Institutional Class shares of the Target Fund pay 0.11% and 0.11%, respectively, in administrative services fees.
Retail Class and Institutional Class shares of the Acquiring Fund are each subject to a shareholder servicing plan of up to 0.15% of the Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets though shareholders will only be charged a shareholder servicing plan fee of 0.11% and 0.11% for Retail Class shares and Institutional Class shares, respectively, immediately following the Reorganization. The Acquiring Fund has adopted a Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Plan under which the Acquiring Fund may charge a Rule 12b-1 fee not to exceed 0.25% per annum of the average daily net assets for the Retail Class shares of the Acquiring Fund.
The total annual fund operating expenses for the Target Fund’s Retail Class and Institutional Class shares are 1.34% and 1.09%, respectively, of the Target Fund’s average daily net assets. The estimated total annual fund operating expenses for the Acquiring Fund’s Retail Class and Institutional Class are expected to be 1.34% and 1.09%, respectively, of the Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets.
Shareholders will continue to be able to make additional purchases or sales of the Target Fund shares directly or through their financial intermediary up to and including the day of the Reorganization. If the Reorganization is approved, Target Fund shares will automatically be converted to Acquiring Fund shares.
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SUMMARY COMPARISON OF THE FUNDS
Fees and Expenses
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Target Fund and the pro forma fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Acquiring Fund after giving effect to the Reorganization. This table and the Example below do not include the brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that investors may pay on their purchases and sales of Fund shares. Expenses for the Target Fund are based on operating expenses of the Target Fund for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. Expenses for the Acquiring Fund are pro forma operating expenses of the Acquiring Fund for the same period, assuming the Reorganization had occurred prior to the start of the period. The Target Fund has registered a Class C share class but does not offer the Class C shares for sale and will not do so prior to the Reorganization, if approved by Target Fund shareholders. Accordingly, no information about Class C shares is presented in the table below.
Target Fund | Acquiring Fund (Pro Forma) | ||||||||||||||||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) | Retail Class | Institutional Class | Retail Class | Institutional Class | |||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) | None | None | None | None | |||||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase) | None | None | None | None | |||||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |||||||||||||||||
Management Fees | 0.65% | 0.65% | 0.65% | 0.65% | |||||||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | None | None | 0.25% | None | |||||||||||||
Interest Expense and Dividends on Short Positions | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.16% | |||||||||||||
Shareholder Servicing Plan Fees | 0.25%(1) | None(1) | 0.11%(2) | 0.11%(2) | |||||||||||||
Administrative Fees | 0.11%(3) | 0.11%(3) | None | None | |||||||||||||
Other Expenses | 0.17% | 0.17% | 0.17%(4) | 0.17%(4) | |||||||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.34% | 1.09% | 1.34% | 1.09% | |||||||||||||
Less: Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | 0.00%(5) | 0.00%(5) | 0.00%(6) | 0.00%(6) | |||||||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.34% | 1.09% | 1.34% | 1.09% |
(1)The RiverPark Board has adopted a shareholder servicing plan according to which the Target Fund may pay shareholder servicing fees equal to up to 0.25% of the Retail Class shares and Institutional Class shares.
(2)The Board of Trustees of TPM (the “TPM Board”) has authorized a shareholder servicing plan fee of up to 0.15% of the Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets. Currently, the shareholder servicing plan fee being charged is 0.11% and 0.11% of the Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets for Retail Class shares and Institutional Class shares, respectively; however, the fee may be increased to 0.15% of the Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets for the respective class.
(3)The RiverPark Board has adopted an administrative services plan according to which the Target Fund may pay administrative services fees at an annual rate of up to 0.20% and 0.15% of the average daily net assets of the Retail Class shares and Institutional Class shares, respectively, of the Target Fund.
(4)Other Expenses for the Acquiring Fund are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
(5)RiverPark has agreed contractually to waive its fees and to absorb expenses of the Target Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that ordinary operating expenses of each class (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, dividends on short sales and interest expense on securities sold short, acquired fund fees and expenses and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 1.25% and 1.10%, respectively, of the Target Fund’s average net assets attributable to the Retail Class shares and Institutional Class shares. The Target Fund has agreed to repay RiverPark in the amount of any fees waived and Target Fund expenses absorbed, subject to certain limitations that: (1) the reimbursement is made only for fees and expenses incurred not more than three years prior to the date of reimbursement; and (2) the reimbursement may not be made if it would cause the annual expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver to be exceeded.
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(6)Pursuant to an operating expense limitation agreement between CrossingBridge, the Acquiring Fund’s investment adviser, and TPM, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, CrossingBridge has agreed to waive its management fees and/or reimburse Fund expenses to ensure that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (exclusive of front-end or contingent deferred loads, Rule 12b-1 plan fees, shareholder servicing plan fees, leverage (i.e., any expenses incurred in connection with borrowings made by the Acquiring Fund), interest (including interest incurred in connection with bank and custody overdrafts), brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, dividends or interest on short positions, acquired fund fees and expenses or extraordinary expenses such as litigation (collectively “Excluded Expenses”)) do not exceed 0.82% of the Acquiring Fund’s average annual net assets, through at least two years from the date of the Reorganization. To the extent the Acquiring Fund incurs Excluded Expenses, Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement may be greater than 0.82%. The operating expense limitation agreement can be terminated only by, or with the consent of, the TPM Board. CrossingBridge may request recoupment of previously waived fees and paid expenses from the Acquiring Fund up to three years from the date such fees and expenses were waived or paid, subject to the operating expense limitation agreement, if such reimbursement will not cause the Acquiring Fund’s expense ratio, after recoupment has been taken into account, to exceed the lesser of: (1) the expense limitation in place at the time of the waiver and/or expense payment; or (2) the expense limitation in place at the time of the recoupment.
Example
The Example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Target Fund with the cost of investing in shares of the Acquiring Fund after giving effect to the Reorganization. The expenses used in the Example for the Target Fund are based on operating expenses of the Target Fund for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. The expenses used in the Example for the Acquiring Fund are pro forma operating expenses of the Acquiring Fund for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, assuming the Reorganization had occurred prior to the start of the year. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund and then hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that operating expenses remain the same, reflecting the expense limitation agreement that applies to each Fund as described above. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
One Year | Three Years | Five Years | Ten Years | |||||||||||
Target Fund | ||||||||||||||
Retail Class | $136 | $425 | $734 | $1,613 | ||||||||||
Institutional Class | $111 | $347 | $601 | $1,329 | ||||||||||
Acquiring Fund (Pro Forma) | ||||||||||||||
Retail Class | $136 | $425 | $734 | $1,613 | ||||||||||
Institutional Class | $111 | $347 | $601 | $1,329 |
Fund Performance
The following performance information indicates some of the risks of investing in the Funds. The Acquiring Fund will not commence operations until after the closing of the Reorganization. At that time, the Acquiring Fund will adopt the performance history of the Target Fund.
The bar chart shows the Target Fund’s performance for the calendar years ended December 31. The table illustrates how the Target Fund’s average annual returns for the 1-year, 5-year and since inception periods compared with a broad measure of market performance as well as the performance of two categories of mutual funds comprised of funds that are managed with similar investment strategies to the Target Fund. The Target Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how it or the Acquiring Fund will perform in the future. The Acquiring Fund has no performance history, since it will commence operations after the Reorganization is consummated. The Acquiring Fund will adopt the financial statements and the performance history of the Target Fund. Updated performance information is also available on the Target Fund’s website at www.riverparkfunds.com or by calling toll-free 888-564-4517. The Target Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how it or the Acquiring Fund will perform in the future.
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Calendar Year Total Return for Institutional Class Shares as of December 31
![image_0a.jpg](https://capedge.com/proxy/N-14/0000894189-23-001816/image_0a.jpg)
During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the Fund’s highest quarterly return for Institutional Class shares was 9.83% for the quarter ended June 30, 2020, and the lowest quarterly return for Institutional Class shares was -12.86% for the quarter ended March 31, 2020.
Average Annual Total Returns (For the Periods Ended December 31, 2022) | 1 Year | 5 Year | Since Inception (9/30/2013) | ||||||||
Institutional Class Shares | |||||||||||
Return Before Taxes | -3.30% | 3.21% | 3.62% | ||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions | -5.73% | 1.01% | 1.33% | ||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares | -1.92% | 1.52% | 1.74% | ||||||||
Retail Class Shares | |||||||||||
Return Before Taxes | -3.54% | 3.01% | 3.37% | ||||||||
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | -13.01% | 0.02% | 1.35% | ||||||||
Morningstar High Yield Bond Category (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.45% | 1.46% | 2.84% | ||||||||
Morningstar Multisector Bond Category (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 2.58% | 0.84% | 2.21% |
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who are exempt from tax or hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred or other tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). The after-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class shares only and after-tax returns for Retail Class shares will vary. In certain cases, the figure representing “Return
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After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares” may be higher than the other return figures for the same period. A higher after-tax return results when a capital loss occurs upon redemption and provides an assumed tax benefit to the investor
Comparison of Portfolio Turnover
Each 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 a Fund’s performance. Because the Acquiring Fund is newly-organized, no portfolio turnover data is available. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, the Target Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 72% of the average value of its portfolio.
Comparison of Principal Investment Objectives, Strategies, and Policies
The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund have identical investment objectives and investment strategies, which are presented below.
The Acquiring Fund has been created as a new series of TPM solely for the purpose of acquiring the Target Fund’s assets and continuing its business and will not conduct any investment operations until after the closing of the Reorganization. Because the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund have identical investment objectives and investment strategies, RiverPark believes that, if the Reorganization is approved, all of the Target Fund’s assets will be transferred to and held by the Acquiring Fund. In the chart below, “Adviser” in the Target Fund column refers to RiverPark, and “Sub-Adviser” refers to Cohanzick. In the Acquiring Fund column, below, “Adviser” refers to CrossingBridge.
Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | |||||||
Investment Objective | ||||||||
The investment objective of the Fund to seek high current income and capital appreciation consistent with the preservation of capital. | Identical | |||||||
The Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees without the approval of the Fund’s shareholders by providing 60 days’ written notice of the change. | Identical | |||||||
Principal Investment Strategies | ||||||||
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in both investment grade and non-investment grade debt, preferred stock, convertible bonds, bank loans, high yield bonds, mortgage- and asset-backed securities, special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) and income producing equities (collectively, “Securities”) that Cohanzick Management, LLC (“Cohanzick”), RiverPark Strategic Income’s sub-adviser, deems appropriate for the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in fixed income securities and income producing equities. | Identical, except that references to “Cohanzick” will be replaced with references to CrossingBridge as the “Adviser” to the Acquiring Fund. | |||||||
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Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | |||||||
The Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in fixed income securities. The Fund will invest in fixed income securities of various credit qualities (i.e., investment grade and below investment grade (i.e,, junk bonds)) and maturities (i.e., long-term, intermediate and short-term). The Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in below investment grade fixed income securities. The Fund will invest primarily in U.S. dollar-denominated securities but may invest up to 35% of its assets in foreign fixed income securities including sovereign debt and foreign currency-denominated securities. The Fund may hedge the foreign currency exposure by investing in forward currency contracts. A forward currency contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties. The Fund may also invest up to 35% of its assets in income producing equities that either have a substantial dividend yield or where Cohanzick believes the issuing company will distribute significant assets over a certain period of time. | Identical, except that references to “Cohanzick” will be replaced with references to CrossingBridge as the “Adviser” to the Acquiring Fund. | |||||||
The Fund will be diversified by Security and by exposure to industries and sectors. The Fund, however, may, from time to time, concentrate its investments in a specific credit quality, such as high-yield, or maturity, such as short-term. | Identical. | |||||||
Although Cohanzick will take macro factors (i.e., the effect of interest rates on the Fund’s investments) into consideration, the Fund’s portfolio construction is primarily driven by bottom-up investment analysis. This means that Cohanzick looks at Securities on an individual basis to determine if a Security is an attractive investment opportunity and if it is consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. If Cohanzick is unable to find such investments, the Fund’s uninvested assets may be held in cash or similar investments, subject to the Fund’s specific investment objective. Securities may be held in the Fund’s portfolio until maturity, however, a Security may be sold prior to maturity in light of a corporate action or announcement affecting the issuer, for example. In addition, a Security may be purchased at a premium or discount and/or sold prior to maturity where Cohanzick believes it is advantageous to do so. The Fund may invest up to 15% of the value of its total assets to effect short sales of securities, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), to hedge the portfolio if Cohanzick believes it is consistent with achieving the Fund’s investment objective. | Identical, except that references to “Cohanzick” will be replaced with references to CrossingBridge as the “Adviser” to the Acquiring Fund. | |||||||
The Fund may engage in active trading of its portfolio, resulting in a high turnover rate. | Identical. | |||||||
Comparison of Principal Risks
The principal risks of investing in the Acquiring Fund are discussed below. Except as noted below, the principal risks of investing in the Acquiring Fund are substantially similar to the principal risks of investing in the Target Fund because the principal investment strategies of the Funds are the same. The Target Fund includes a “Geopolitical and Health Crisis Risks” factor to address recent events that could impact an investment in the Target Fund such as COVID-19 or war. The Acquiring Fund uses a “Recent
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Market Events Risk” factor to address those same issues with different disclosure. In addition, as noted below, the principal risk disclosure for each Fund related to investments in bank loans, distressed securities and special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) is identical although the risk factors are titled differently for each Fund. Finally, as noted below, the Acquiring Fund also includes a “Cybersecurity Risk” principal risk factor that is not included as a risk factor for the Target Fund.
The value of your investment in the Acquiring Fund will fluctuate, which means you could lose money. Additional disclosure regarding the risks of investing in the Acquiring Fund may be found in “Appendix D.”
Geopolitical and Health Crisis Risks (Target Fund Only). Geopolitical events and health crises, including pandemics, war, terrorism, trade disputes, government shutdowns, market closures, natural and environmental disasters, and other public health crises and related events and governments’ reactions to such events have led, and in the future may lead, to economic uncertainty, decreased economic activity, increased market volatility and other disruptive effects on U.S. and global economies and markets. The increasing interconnectedness of markets around the world may result in many markets being affected by such events even if they occur in a single country or region. Such events may have significant adverse direct or indirect effects on the Fund and its investments. A health crisis may also exacerbate other pre-existing risks. The COVID-19 global pandemic and related shutdowns have caused, and could cause in the future, substantial market volatility and exchange trading suspensions and closures, affecting both the liquidity and the volatility of the Fund’s investments.
Recent Market Events (Acquiring Fund Only). U.S. and international markets have experienced significant periods of volatility in recent months and years due to a number of economic, political and global macro factors including the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) as a global pandemic which has resulted in a public health crisis, business interruptions, growth concerns in the U.S. and overseas, travel restrictions, changed social behaviors, rising inflation and reduced consumer spending. While U.S. and global economies are recovering from the effects of COVID-19, the recovery is proceeding at slower than expected rates and may last for a prolonged period of time
Fixed Income Securities Market Risk. Difficult conditions in the broader financial markets have in the past resulted in a temporary but significant contraction in liquidity for fixed income securities. Liquidity relates to the ability of the Fund to sell its investments in a timely manner at a price approximately equal to its value on the Fund’s books. To the extent that the market for fixed income securities suffers such a contraction, securities that were considered liquid at the time of investment could become temporarily illiquid, and the Adviser may experience delays or difficulty in selling assets at the prices at which the Fund carries such assets, which may result in a loss to the Fund. There is no way to predict reliably when such market conditions could re-occur or how long such conditions could persist.
In the event of a severe market contraction precipitated by general market turmoil, economic conditions, changes in prevailing interest rates or otherwise, coupled with extraordinary levels of Fund shareholder redemption requests, the Fund may have to consider selling its holdings at a loss including at prices below the current value on the Fund’s books, borrowing money to satisfy redemption requests in accordance with the Fund’s borrowing policy or postponing payment of redemption requests for up to seven days or longer, as permitted by applicable law, or other extraordinary measures. In addition, if the Fund needed to sell large blocks of investments to meet shareholder redemption requests or to raise cash, those sales could further reduce prices, particularly for lower-rated and unrated securities.
Interest Rate Risk. The prices of securities in general and fixed-income securities in particular tend to be sensitive to interest rate fluctuations. Increases in interest rates can result in significant declines in the prices of fixed-income securities. Securities with floating interest rates generally are less sensitive to interest rate changes but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. The negative impact on fixed income securities generally from rate increases, regardless of the cause, could be swift and significant, which could result in losses by the Fund, even if anticipated by the Adviser.
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Credit Risk. Debt portfolios are subject to credit risk. Credit risk refers to the likelihood that an issuer will default in the payment of principal and/or interest on an instrument. Financial strength and solvency of an issuer are the primary factors influencing credit risk. In addition, lack or inadequacy of collateral or credit enhancement for a debt instrument may affect its credit risk. Credit risk may change over the life of an instrument, and debt obligations which are rated by rating agencies are often reviewed and may be subject to downgrade.
Below Investment Grade Securities Risk (commonly referred to as “junk” bonds). The Fund may invest 100% of its assets in fixed-income instruments that are or are deemed to be the equivalent in terms of quality to securities rated below investment grade by nationally recognized statistical rating agencies and accordingly involve great risk. Such securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligations and involve major risk to adverse conditions. These securities offer higher returns than bonds with higher ratings as compensation for holding an obligation of an issuer perceived to be less creditworthy. The market prices of such securities are also subject to abrupt and erratic market movements and above-average price volatility, and the spread between the bid and ask prices of such securities may be greater than those prevailing in other securities markets. Changes in economic conditions or developments regarding issuers of non-investment grade debt securities are more likely to cause price volatility and weaken the capacity of such issuers to make principal and interest payments than is the case for higher grade debt securities. In addition, the market for lower grade debt securities may be thinner and less active than for higher grade debt securities.
Risk of Investing in Loans (Target Fund)/Bank Loans Risk (Acquiring Fund). The secondary market for bank loans is a private, unregulated inter-dealer or inter-bank resale market. Purchases and sales of loans are generally subject to contractual restrictions that must be satisfied before a loan can be bought or sold. These restrictions may impede the Fund’s ability to buy or sell loans and may negatively impact the transaction price. It may take longer than seven days for transactions in loans to settle. The Fund may hold cash, sell investments or temporarily borrow from banks or other lenders to meet short-term liquidity needs due to the extended loan settlement process, such as to satisfy redemption requests from Fund shareholders.
U.S. federal securities laws afford certain protections against fraud and misrepresentation in connection with the offering or sale of a security, as well as against manipulation of trading markets for securities. The typical practice of a lender in relying exclusively or primarily on reports from the borrower may involve the risk of fraud, misrepresentation, or market manipulation by the borrower. It is unclear whether U.S. federal securities law protections are available to an investment in a loan. In certain circumstances, loans may not be deemed to be securities, and in the event of fraud or misrepresentation by a borrower, lenders may not have the protection of the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws. However, contractual provisions in the loan documents may offer some protections, and lenders may also avail themselves of common-law fraud protections under applicable state law
Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to risk of prepayment. These types of securities may also decline in value because of mortgage foreclosures or defaults on the underlying obligations. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are also subject to extension risk, the risk that rising interest rates could cause prepayments to decrease, extending the life of asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities with lower payment rates.
Investments in Distressed Securities (Target Fund)/Distressed Securities Risk (Acquiring Fund). The Fund may invest in securities of companies that are experiencing significant financial or business difficulties, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. Although such investments may result in significant returns to the Fund, they involve a substantial degree of risk. Any one or all of the issuers of the securities in which the Fund may invest may be unsuccessful or not show any return for a considerable period of time. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties is unusually high. There is no assurance that the Adviser will correctly evaluate the value of the assets collateralizing the Fund’s loans or the prospects for a
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successful reorganization or similar action. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company in which the Fund invests, the Fund may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than the Fund’s original investment. Under such circumstances, the returns generated from the Fund’s investments in distressed securities may not adequately compensate for the risks assumed. In addition, there is no minimum credit standard that is a prerequisite to the Fund’s investment in any instrument, and a significant portion of the obligations and preferred stock in which the Fund invests may be less than investment grade.
Risk of Investments in SPACs (Target Fund)/ SPACs Risk (Acquiring Fund). The Fund may invest in stock, warrants, and other securities of SPACs or similar special purpose entities that pool funds to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less a portion retained to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. If an acquisition that meets the requirements for the SPAC is not completed within a pre-established period of time, the invested funds are returned to the entity’s shareholders. Because SPACs and similar entities have no operating history or underlying business other than seeking an acquisition, the value of their securities is dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable business combination. Some SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. In recent market conditions, SPACs have been subject to significant price volatility. In addition, these securities may be considered illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale.
LIBOR Replacement Risk. The Fund may invest in securities whose interest payments are determined by reference to LIBOR with provisions for conversion to an alternate reference rate should LIBOR no longer be available. The United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, announced that it will cease its active encouragement of banks to provide the quotations needed to sustain LIBOR. As a result, plans are underway to phase out the use of LIBOR. Alternatives to LIBOR are in development in many major financial markets. For example, the U.S. Alternative Rates Reference Committee has identified the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR), a broad measure of secured overnight U.S. Treasury repo rates, as its preferred replacement. The unavailability of LIBOR and the transition to an alternate reference rate presents risks to the Fund, including the risk that any pricing or adjustments to the Fund’s investments may increase volatility and adversely affect the Fund’s performance. It remains uncertain how such changes will be implemented and the effects such changes would have on the Fund and financial markets generally. This uncertainty creates operational risks and may negatively affect the Fund’s liquidity.
Foreign Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in foreign securities, including direct investments in securities of foreign issuers and investments in depositary receipts (such as ADRs) that represent indirect interests in securities of foreign issuers. These investments involve certain risks not generally associated with investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Public information available concerning foreign issuers may be more limited than would be with respect to domestic issuers. Different accounting standards may be used by foreign issuers, and foreign trading markets may not be as liquid as U.S. markets. Foreign securities also involve such risks as currency fluctuation risk, delays in transaction settlements, possible imposition of withholding or confiscatory taxes, possible currency transfer restrictions, and the difficulty of enforcing obligations in other countries. With any investment in foreign securities, there exist certain economic, political and social risks, including the risk of adverse political developments, nationalization, confiscation without fair compensation and war.
Management Risk. Management risk means that the Adviser’s security selections and other investment decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when compared to other funds with similar investment goals.
Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance.
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Equity Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in income producing equity securities. Although investments in income producing equity securities are considered safer than equity securities in general, and equities historically have been a leading choice for long-term investors, the values of stocks rise and fall depending on many factors. The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions) or to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry). Market and economic factors may adversely affect securities markets generally, which could in turn adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments, regardless of the performance or expected performance of companies in which the Fund invests.
Convertible Securities Risk. A convertible security is a fixed-income security (a debt instrument or a preferred stock) which may be converted at a stated price within a specified period of time into a certain quantity of the common stock of the same or a different issuer. The market value of a convertible security performs like that of a regular debt security, that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of the convertible security falls.
Cybersecurity Risk (Acquiring Fund Only). With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet to conduct business, the Fund is susceptible to operational, information security, and related risks. Cyber incidents affecting the Fund or its service providers may cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, impediments to trading, the inability of shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs.
Forward Currency Contracts Risk. The Fund may enter into forward currency contracts. A forward currency contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. For example, the Fund might purchase a particular currency or enter into a forward currency contract to preserve the U.S. dollar price of securities it intends to or has contracted to purchase. Alternatively, it might sell a particular currency on either a spot or forward basis to hedge against an anticipated decline in the dollar value of securities it intends to or has contracted to sell. Although this strategy could minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, it could also limit any potential gain from an increase in the value of the currency.
General Market Risk (Acquiring Fund Only). The risk that certain securities selected for the Fund’s portfolio may be worth less than the price originally paid for them, or less than they were worth at an earlier time.
Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stock is subject to the risk that the dividend on the stock may be changed or omitted by the issuer, and that participation in the growth of an issuer may be limited.
Short Sales Risk. A short sale is the sale by the Fund of a security which it does not own in anticipation of purchasing the same security in the future at a lower price to close the short position. A short sale will be successful if the price of the shorted security decreases. However, if the underlying security goes up in price during the period in which the short position is outstanding, the Fund will realize a loss. The risk on a short sale is unlimited because the Fund must buy the shorted security at the higher price to complete the transaction. Therefore, short sales may be subject to greater risks than investments in long positions. With a long position, the maximum sustainable loss is limited to the amount paid for the security plus the transaction costs, whereas there is no maximum attainable price of the shorted security. The Fund would also incur increased transaction costs associated with selling securities short. In addition, if the Fund sells securities short, it must maintain a segregated account with its custodian containing cash or high-grade securities equal to (i) the greater of the current market value of the securities sold short or the market value of such securities at the time they were sold short, less (ii) any collateral deposited with the Fund’s broker (not including the proceeds from the short sales).
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Sovereign Debt Risk. The Fund may invest in securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governmental entities (known as sovereign debt securities). These investments are subject to the risk of payment delays or defaults, due, for example, to cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, large debt positions relative to the country’s economy, or failure to implement economic reforms. There is no legal or bankruptcy process for collecting sovereign debt.
Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies
Each Fund’s portfolio construction is primarily driven by bottom-up investment analysis. This means that Cohanzick or CrossingBridge, as applicable, looks at Securities on an individual basis to determine if a Security is an attractive investment opportunity and if it is consistent with the applicable Fund’s investment objective. Cohanizck or CrossingBridge, as applicable, do not rely on independent rating agencies to determine the risk associated with an investment. Rather, they rely on their own research and familiarity with an issue to make investment decisions. If Cohanzick or CrossingBridge are unable to find such investments, the applicable Fund’s uninvested assets may be held in cash or similar investments, subject to the Fund’s specific investment objective. Securities may be held in the applicable Fund’s portfolio until maturity, however, a Security may be sold prior to maturity in light of a corporate action or announcement affecting the issuer, for example. In addition, a Security may be purchased at a premium or discount and/or sold prior to maturity where the Cohanzick or CrossingBridge, as applicable, believes it is advantageous to do so.
Each Fund my utilize the following tactics of strategies in pursuing its investment objective:
•Fixed Income Securities. The Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in fixed income securities. There is no limitation on the maturities of fixed income securities in which the Fund invests. Securities having longer maturities generally involve greater risk of fluctuations in value resulting from changes in interest rates.
•Below Investment Grade Securities. The Fund may invest without limitation in fixed- income instruments which are or are deemed to be the equivalent in terms of quality to securities rated below investment grade by nationally recognized statistical rating agencies and accordingly involve greater risk. These securities have a higher risk of default. Such securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligations and involve major risk to adverse conditions.
•Income Producing Equities. The Fund may invest up to 35% of its net assets in income producing equities to include preferred stock, liquidating trusts and other securities with a defined maturity, liquidation or put date. These securities include equities with an above average dividend yield, preferred equities and equities that in Cohanzick’s or CrossingBridge’s opinion, as applicable, will distribute assets to shareholders over a certain period of time.
•Special Purpose Acquisition Companies. The Fund may invest in blank check companies, such as SPACs or similar special purpose entities that pool funds to seek potential acquisition opportunities. A SPAC is a publicly-traded company that raises funds from public investors in an initial public offering (“IPO”) in order to pursue the acquisition of an unspecified company. Unless and until an acquisition meeting the SPAC’s requirements is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less a portion retained to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market securities and cash; if an acquisition that meets the requirements for the SPAC is not completed within a pre-established period of time, the invested funds are returned to the entity’s shareholders. If an acquisition is proposed, investors have the choice of holding their shares or redeeming them for their pro rata share of the SPAC’s assets. Because SPACs and similar entities have no operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Some SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their securities’ prices. In addition, these securities, which are typically traded in the OTC market, may be considered illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale.
•Foreign Securities. The Fund may invest up to 35% of its net assets in foreign fixed income securities. Such investments may include direct investments in securities of foreign issuers and investments in depositary receipts (such as ADRs) that represent indirect interests in securities of foreign issuers. The Fund will not invest in the debt of companies located in
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emerging markets. A company will be deemed to be located in an emerging market for this purpose when both its headquarters and principal place of business are located in an emerging market.
•Convertible Bonds. The Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in convertible bonds.
•Distressed Securities. The Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in securities of companies that are experiencing significant financial or business difficulties, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. Although such investments may result in significant returns to the Fund, they involve a substantial degree of risk.
•Bank Loans. The Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in bank loans. Bank loans generally take longer to settle than other domestic fixed income securities.
•Asset-Backed Securities. The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in asset-backed securities.
•Mortgage-Backed Securities. The Fund may invest up to 15% of tis net assets in mortgage-backed securities.
•Short Sales. The Fund may invest up to 15% of the value of its total assets to effect short sales of securities. The Fund may not sell a security short if, as a result of that sale, the current value of securities sold short by the Fund would exceed 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets. However, short sales effective to hedge against a decline in the value of a security owned by the Fund are not subject to this 15% limitation.
Comparison of Temporary Strategies
The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund have identical disclosure with regard to temporary defensive positions, included below.
During periods of adverse market or economic conditions, or when, in the opinion of Cohanzick or CrossingBridge, as applicable, certain abnormal or extraordinary circumstances exist, including periodic episodes where certain issuers call a portion of the Fund’s portfolio and Cohanzick or CrossingBridge, as applicable, is unable to locate eligible portfolio securities in which to invest, the Fund may, as a temporary or defensive measure, invest all or a substantial portion of its assets in high quality, fixed income securities, money market instruments, or cash or cash equivalents, including investment grade short-term obligations. Investment grade obligations include securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities, as well as securities rated in one of the four highest rating categories by at least two nationally recognized statistical rating organizations rating that security. To the extent that the Fund invests in money market funds for its cash positions, there will be some duplication of expenses because the Fund will bear its pro rata portion of such money market funds’ management fees and operational expenses. The Fund will not be pursuing its investment objectives in these circumstances.
Comparison of the Funds’ Fundamental and Non-Fundamental Investment Policies
The fundamental investment restrictions for the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund are set forth below. Each Fund’s fundamental investment restrictions cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the applicable Fund. The term “majority of the outstanding shares” means the vote of (i) 67% or more of a 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 a Fund’s outstanding shares, whichever is less.
There is significant overlap between the fundamental investment restrictions of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund. Although worded differently, the fundamental policies of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund are virtually identical with regard to diversification, underwriting, concentration and real estate. Differences in fundamental policies of the Funds are set forth below:
•The Target Fund has separate fundamental investment restrictions with regard to senior securities and lending while the Acquiring Fund has a single fundamental investment restriction for senior securities and lending. Each Fund imposes the same limit on the amount of borrowing a Fund may do. The Target Fund’s fundamental investment restriction with respect to borrowing explicitly identifies the types of borrowing activities the Target Fund may engage in while the Acquiring Fund’s fundamental investment restriction generally authorizes borrowing by the Acquiring Fund.
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•Each Fund’s fundamental investment restriction with respect to lending authorizes the respective Fund to engage in securities lending. The Target Fund’s fundamental investment restriction limits the extent to which the Target Fund may lend securities to an amount not more than 25% of the Target Fund’s net assets. The Acquiring Fund’s fundamental investment restriction on lending expressly prohibits lending of money except for securities lending, purchases of debt securities and entering into repurchase agreements but does not limit the extent to which the Acquiring Fund may engage in securities lending.
•The Target Fund has a fundamental investment restriction regarding the pledging of assets which the Acquiring Fund does not have.
•The Acquiring Fund has a fundament investment restriction prohibiting the Fund from purchasing or selling commodities which the Target Fund does not have.
Policy | Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | ||||||
Diversification | The Fund may not, with respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase a security, other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, if as a result of such purchase, more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of any one issuer, or that Fund would own more than 10% of the voting securities of any one issuer. | The Fund may not, with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest 5% or more of its total assets in securities of a single issuer or hold 10% or more of the voting securities of such issuer. (This restriction does not apply to investments in the securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.) | ||||||
Senior Securities | The Fund may not issue senior securities other than to evidence indebtedness, borrowings or short sales as permitted. | The Fund may not issue senior securities or borrow money, except that (i) the Fund may borrow from banks in amounts not exceeding one-third (33 1/3%) of its total assets (including the amount borrowed); and (ii) this restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from engaging in options transactions or short sales in accordance with its objectives and strategies. |
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Policy | Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | ||||||
Borrowing | The Fund may not borrow money except that it may borrow: (a) for leveraging purposes, (b) from banks for temporary or emergency purposes, such as to meet unanticipated shareholder redemptions, or (c) by entering into reverse repurchase agreements, if, immediately after any such borrowing, the value of the Fund’s assets, including all borrowings then outstanding less its liabilities, is equal to at least 300% of the aggregate amount of borrowings then outstanding (for the purpose of determining the 300% asset coverage, the Fund’s liabilities will not include amounts borrowed). Any such borrowings may be secured or unsecured. The Fund may issue securities (including senior securities) appropriate to evidence the indebtedness, including reverse repurchase agreements, which the Fund is permitted to incur. | See above restriction for “Senior Securities.” | ||||||
Underwriting | The Fund may not underwrite or participate in the marketing of securities issued by other persons except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter under federal securities laws in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities. | The Fund may not act as underwriter (except to the extent the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter in connection with the sale of securities in its investment portfolio). | ||||||
Concentration | The Fund may not concentrate its investments in any industry, with the exception of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies, and instrumentalities. | The Fund may not invest 25% or more of its net assets, calculated at the time of purchase and taken at market value, in securities of issuers in any one industry (other than U.S. Government securities). | ||||||
Real Estate | The Fund may not purchase or sell real estate or real estate mortgage loans as such, but this restriction shall not prevent the Fund from investing in readily marketable interests in real estate investment trusts, readily marketable securities of companies that invest in real estate, or obligations secured by real estate or interests therein. | The Fund may not purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities (although the Fund may purchase and sell securities that are secured by real estate and securities of companies that invest or deal in real estate). | ||||||
Lending | The Fund may not lend portfolio securities representing more than 25% of its net assets. | The Fund may not make loans of money (except for the lending of its portfolio securities, purchases of debt securities consistent with the investment policies of the Fund and except for repurchase agreements). |
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Policy | Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | ||||||
Pledging Assets | The Fund may not pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets, except to secure borrowings (as set forth above under Investment Restriction (a) under “Borrowing” above), or with respect to a securities lending program. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Fund may pledge collateral in connection with investments in certain derivative transactions permitted in the Prospectus and SAI. | None | ||||||
Investing in Commodities | None | The Fund may not purchase or sell commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments and provided that this restriction does not prevent the Fund from engaging in transactions involving currencies and futures contracts and options thereon or investing in securities or other instruments that are secured by commodities. |
Comparison of Non-Fundamental Investment Policies
Each Fund has a non-fundamental policy providing that the Fund may not invest more than 15% of its net assets, at the time of investment, in illiquid investments. The Target Fund also has a non-fundamental policy which provides that the Fund may not invest in derivative securities, other than equity and index options. Each Fund’s non-fundamental policies may be changed without shareholder approval. Changes to the Acquiring Fund’s non-fundamental investment policy require advance written notification to shareholders.
Management of the Acquiring Fund
Investment Adviser
CrossingBridge Advisors, LLC, located at 427 Bedford Road, Suite 220, Pleasantville, NY 10570, is the Acquiring Fund’s investment adviser. CrossingBridge is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC and was formed in December 2016. As of August 11, 2022, CrossingBridge is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ENDI Corp. (“ENDI”). CrossingBridge and its affiliates have managed a variety of credit-related investment vehicles and/or accounts since 1996. As of December 31, 2022, CrossingBridge managed over $1.27 billion in assets and total assets managed by CrossingBridge and its affiliates was over $2.56 billion. Cohanzick, an affiliate of CrossingBridge, serves as the investment sub-adviser to the Target Fund. The Acquiring Fund does not have a sub-adviser.
Portfolio Manager
David K. Sherman has been the sole portfolio manager for the Target Fund primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Target Fund since the Target Fund’s inception in 2013 and will serve as the sole portfolio manager for the Acquiring Fund, responsible for the day-to-day management of the Acquiring Fund.
David K. Sherman is the Founder and President of CrossingBridge. Mr. Sherman has 35 years of investment management experience and founded Cohanzick, an affiliate of CrossingBridge, in 1996. Prior to establishing Cohanzick, Mr. Sherman was
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actively involved as a senior executive in Leucadia National Corporation’s corporate investments and acquisitions and was Treasurer of the holding company’s insurance operations. Mr. Sherman holds a Bachelor of Science from Washington University.
The SAI to this Proxy Statement provides additional information about Mr. Sherman’s compensation, other accounts managed and ownership of securities in the Fund.
Comparison of Investment Advisory Fees
Pursuant to an advisory agreement between RiverPark Trust, on behalf of the Target Fund, and RiverPark (the “RiverPark Advisory Agreement”), the Target Fund pays RiverPark a management fee for the services it provides payable on a monthly basis at an annual rate of 0.65% of the Target Fund’s average daily net assets.
Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between TPM, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and CrossingBridge (the “CrossingBridge Advisory Agreement”), the Acquiring Fund will pay CrossingBridge an annual advisory fee based on its average daily net assets for the services it provides payable at the annual rate of 0.65% of the Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets.
A discussion regarding the basis for the TPM Board’s approval of the CrossingBridge Advisory Agreement with respect to the Acquiring Fund will be available in the Acquiring Fund’s first semi-annual or annual report to shareholders following the Reorganization.
Comparison of Operating Expense Limitation Agreements
Pursuant to an operating expense limitation agreement between RiverPark and RiverPark Trust, on behalf of the Target Fund, RiverPark has agreed to agreed contractually to waive its fees and to absorb expenses of the Target Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that ordinary operating expenses of the Retail Class shares and Institutional Class shares, respectively, do not exceed 1.25% and 1.00% of the average net assets of the respective class (excluding interest, brokerage commissions, dividends on short sales and interest expense on securities sold short, acquired fund fees and expenses and extraordinary expenses). The Target Fund has agreed to repay RiverPark in the amount of any fees waived and Fund expenses absorbed, subject to certain limitations that: (1) the reimbursement is made only for fees and expenses incurred not more than three years prior to the date of reimbursement; and (2) the reimbursement may not be made if it would cause the annual expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver to be exceeded.
Pursuant to an operating expense limitation agreement between CrossingBridge and TPM, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, CrossingBridge has agreed to waive its management fees and/or reimburse Acquiring Fund expenses to ensure that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (exclusive of front-end or contingent deferred loads, Rule 12b-1 plan fees, shareholder servicing plan fees, leverage (i.e., any expenses incurred in connection with borrowings made by the Acquiring Fund), interest (including interest incurred in connection with bank and custody overdrafts), brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, dividends or interest on short positions, acquired fund fees and expenses or extraordinary expenses such as litigation (collectively “Excluded Expenses”)) do not exceed 0.82% of the Fund’s average annual net assets, through at least two years from the date of the Reorganization. To the extent the Acquiring Fund incurs Excluded Expenses, Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement may be greater than 0.82%. CrossingBridge may request recoupment of previously waived fees and paid expenses from the Acquiring Fund up to three years from the date such fees and expenses were waived or paid, subject to the operating expense limitation agreement, if such reimbursement will not cause the Acquiring Fund’s expense ratio, after recoupment has been taken into account, to exceed the lesser of: (1) the expense limitation in place at the time of the waiver and/or expense payment; or (2) the expense limitation in place at the time of the recoupment. CrossingBridge has agreed to keep the Acquiring Fund’s operating expense limitation agreement in place for a period of at least two years from the date of the Reorganization.
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Comparison of Other Service Providers
The following table identifies the principal service providers that service the Target Fund and that are expected to service the Acquiring Fund:
Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | |||||||
Administrator | SEI Investments Global Fund Services | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | ||||||
Fund Accounting | SEI Investments Global Fund Services | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | ||||||
Transfer Agent | SS&C Global Investor & Distribution Solutions, Inc. | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | ||||||
Custodian | Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. | U.S. Bank National Association | ||||||
Distributor and Principal Underwriter | SEI Investments Distribution Co. | Quasar Distributors, LLC | ||||||
Auditor | Cohen & Company, Ltd. | Cohen & Company, Ltd. | ||||||
Legal Counsel | Blank Rome LLP | Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. |
Comparison of Shares Class and Distribution Arrangements
Each share class of the Target Fund will be reorganized into a specific share class of the Acquiring Fund as described below. The Target Fund has registered a Class C share class but does not offer the Class C shares for sale and will not do so prior to the Reorganization, if approved by Target Fund shareholders. Accordingly, no information about Class C shares is presented below.
The following section describes the different distribution arrangements and eligibility requirements among the various share classes of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund.
Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | |||||||
Retail Class Shares | → | Retail Class Shares | ||||||
Institutional Class Shares | → | Institutional Class Shares |
The different classes of each Fund represent investments in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes are subject to different expenses and may have different share prices as outlined below. Each class of shares has different expenses and distribution arrangements to provide for different investment needs. You should always discuss the suitability of your investment with your broker-dealer or financial adviser.
Target Fund Retail Class | Acquiring Fund Retail Class | Target Fund Institutional Class | Acquiring Fund Institutional Class | |||||||||||
Ongoing distribution and/or shareholder service (Rule 12b-1) fees | None | 0.25% | None | None | ||||||||||
Shareholder servicing fee | Up to 0.25% | Up to 0.15% | Up to 0.25% | Up to 0.15% | ||||||||||
Administrative servicing fee | Up to 0.20% | None | Up to 0.15% | None | ||||||||||
Conversion feature | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Target Fund Retail Class Shares. Retail Class shares of the Target Fund are subject to an administrative services fee at an annual rate of up to 0.20% of the average daily net assets of the Retail Class shares. The administrative services fee is paid to various administrative servicing agents for providing administrative, recordkeeping and support servicing to their clients who own shares of the Fund. Retail Class shares of the Target Fund are subject to a shareholder servicing plan according to which the Target Fund may pay shareholder servicing fees equal to up to 0.25% of the Retail Class shares to various shareholder servicing agents for performing non-distribution related shareholder servicing functions and maintaining shareholder accounts on behalf of their clients who own
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shares of the Target Fund. Because these administrative servicing fees and shareholder servicing fees are paid out of assets attributable to the Target Fund’s Retail Class shares on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of an investment in such shares.
At no charge, shareholders may convert Retail Class shares of the Target Fund directly into Institutional Class shares of the Target Fund, by writing to or calling the Target Fund, subject to the eligibility requirements and the fees and expenses applicable to the Institutional Class shares of the Target Fund.
Acquiring Fund Retail Class Shares. Retail Class shares of the Acquiring Fund are retail shares that are subject to a Rule 12b‑1 distribution fee of 0.25% on an annual basis. The Rule 12b-1 distribution fee may be paid to other persons, including CrossingBridge, for any distribution or service activity. Retail Class shares of the Acquiring Fund are also subject to a shareholder servicing fee of up to 0.15% of the Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Retail Class shares to make payments to financial intermediaries and other persons for certain personal services for shareholders and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Currently, the shareholder servicing fee is 0.11%. Because the Rule 12b-1 distribution fee and shareholder servicing fee are paid out of assets attributable to the Acquiring Fund’s Retail Class shares on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of an investment in such shares.
Target Fund Institutional Class Shares. Institutional Class shares of the Target Fund are subject to an administrative services fee at an annual rate of up to 0.15% of the average daily net assets of the Institutional Class shares. The administrative services fee is paid to various administrative servicing agents for providing administrative, recordkeeping and support servicing to their clients who own shares of the Funds. Institutional Class shares of the Target Fund are subject to a shareholder servicing plan according to which the Target Fund may pay shareholder servicing fees equal to up to 0.25% of the Institutional Class shares to various shareholder servicing agents for performing non-distribution related shareholder servicing functions and maintaining shareholder accounts on behalf of their clients who own shares of the Target Fund. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, the Institutional Class shares of the Target Fund did not incur any shareholder servicing fees. Because these administrative servicing fees and shareholder servicing fees are paid out of assets attributable to the Target Fund’s Institutional Class shares on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of an investment in such shares.
Acquiring Fund Institutional Class Shares. Institutional Class shares of the Acquiring Fund are subject to a shareholder servicing plan fee of up to 0.15% of the Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Institutional Class shares to make payments to financial intermediaries and other persons for certain personal services for shareholders and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Currently, the shareholder servicing fee is 0.11%. Because the shareholder servicing fees are paid out of assets attributable to the Acquiring Fund’s Institutional Class shares on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of an investment in such shares. Institutional Class shares are offered primarily to institutions such as pension and profit sharing plans, employee benefit trusts, endowments, foundations, corporations and high net worth individuals. Institutional Class shares may also be offered through certain financial intermediaries that charge their customers transaction or other distribution or service fees with respect to their customer’s investments in the Fund. Pension and profit sharing plans, employee trusts and employee benefit plan alliances and “wrap account” or “managed fund” programs established with broker-dealers or financial intermediaries that maintain an omnibus or pooled account for the Acquiring Fund and do not require the Fund to pay a fee, generally may purchase Institutional Class shares, subject to investment minimums.
Comparison of Purchase and Redemption of Shares
How to Purchase Shares
Shares of the Target Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the NYSE is open for business. Retail Class shares of the Target Fund have an investment minimum of $1,000 with no subsequent investment minimum. Institutional Class shares of the Target Fund have an investment minimum of $50,000 with no subsequent investment minimum. The Target Fund reserves the right to vary or waive the investment minimum in certain situations. All shares will be purchased at the NAV per share next determined after the Target Fund or, if applicable an authorized broker or broker designee, receive an account application or request in good order. All requests received in good order by the Target Fund, or if applicable an authorized broker or broker designee, before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern
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Time) will be executed on that same day. Requests received after 4:00 p.m. will be processed on the next business day and will receive the next day’s NAV. The Target Fund may be purchased by phone, by mail or by wire transaction.
Shares of the Acquiring Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the NYSE is open for business. Retail Class shares of the Acquiring Fund have an investment minimum of $2,500 with no subsequent investment minimum. Institutional Class shares of the Acquiring Fund have an investment minimum of $50,000 with no subsequent investment minimum. The Acquiring Fund reserves the right to waive or change the minimum initial investment or minimum subsequent investment amounts at its discretion. The investment minimum for Institutional Class shares of the Acquiring Fund is waived for the following types of qualifying institutional investors:
(1)Broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, insurance companies, trust institutions or bank trust departments purchasing for their own account or for the account of other institutional investors;
(2)Managed account programs that charge an asset-based fee provided by a broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, insurance company, trust institution or bank trust departments;
(3)Employee benefit plans investing through an investment adviser, a broker-dealer or another financial intermediary;
(4)Any state, county, or city, or any governmental instrumentality, department, authority or agency;
(5)Charitable organizations (as defined for purposes of Section 501(c)(3) of the Code) or charitable remainder trusts or life income pools established for the benefit of a charitable organization;
(6)Insurance company separate accounts;
(7)Health savings account programs provided by a broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, insurance company, trust institution or bank trust department;
(8)Other institutions and intermediaries approved by the Fund’s distributor; and
(9)Officers, directors and employees of the Adviser and its affiliates; trustees, officers and service providers of the Trust and the Funds; registered representatives and employees of financial intermediaries with a current selling agreement with the Distributor or the Adviser; and immediate family members of such persons.
All purchase requests received in good order by the Acquiring Fund’s transfer agent, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”) or by an authorized financial intermediary (an “Authorized Intermediary”) before the close of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) will be processed at that day’s NAV per share. Acquiring Fund purchase requests received by Fund Services or an Authorized Intermediary after the close of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) will receive the next business day’s NAV per share. The Acquiring Fund may be purchased by phone, by mail or by wire transaction.
Minimum Investment Amounts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Initial Investment | Subsequent Investments | Initial Investment | Subsequent Investments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Retail Class Shares | $1,000 | $0 | Retail Class Shares | $2,500 | $0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Institutional Class Shares | $50,000 | $0 | Institutional Class Shares | $0 for certain institutional investors as described above; $50,000 for all other investors | $100 |
How to Redeem Shares
Target Fund shares may be redeemed on any day the NYSE is open, either directly or through your financial intermediary. Transactions received, in good order, before the close of trading on the NYSE (usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) will receive the
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Target Fund’s net asset value on that day. Redemption requests received after market close (usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) will be processed using the net asset value per share determined on the next business day. Brokers and other financial intermediaries may charge a fee for handling redemption requests. Under unusual circumstances, the Target Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payment for up to seven days or longer, as permitted by applicable law. The Target Fund may be redeemed by phone, by mail or by wire transaction.
Acquiring Fund shares may be redeemed on any day the NYSE is open for business. Orders to sell or “redeem” Acquiring Fund shares may be placed either directly with the Acquiring Fund or through an Authorized Intermediary. If you originally purchased your shares through an Authorized Intermediary, your redemption order must be placed with the same Authorized Intermediary in accordance with the procedures established by that Authorized Intermediary. Your Authorized Intermediary is responsible for sending your order to Fund Services and for crediting your account with the proceeds. You may redeem the Acquiring Fund’s shares on any business day that the Acquiring Fund calculates its NAV. The price at which redemptions are effected is based on the NAV next calculated after the request is received in good order. To redeem shares directly with the Acquiring Fund, you must contact the Fund either by mail or by phone to place a redemption request. Your redemption request must be received in good order prior to the close of the regular trading sessions of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) by Fund Services or by your Authorized Intermediary in order to obtain that day’s closing NAV. Redemption requests received by Fund Services or an Authorized Intermediary after the close of the NYSE will be treated as though received on the next business day. The Acquiring Fund may be purchased by phone, by mail or by wire transaction. Shareholders who hold their shares through an IRA or other tax-advantaged account must indicate on their written redemption request whether or not to withhold federal income tax. The Acquiring Fund may be redeemed by phone, by mail or by wire transaction.
For a more detailed discussion of how the Target Fund’s shares may be purchased and redeemed, as applicable, see “How to Buy Shares” and “How to Redeem Shares” in the Target Fund Prospectus incorporated by reference herein. For a more detailed discussion of how the Acquiring Fund’s shares may be purchased and redeemed, as applicable, see “How to Purchase Shares” and “How to Redeem Shares” in Appendix D attached to this Proxy Statement.
Comparison of Exchange Privileges
You may exchange some or all of your shares of the Target Fund for shares of the same class of one of the other series of RiverPark Trust. You may do this through your financial intermediary, by telephone or mail. Once an exchange request has been placed by telephone or mail, it is irrevocable and may not be modified or canceled. Exchanges are made on the basis of the relative net asset values of the shares being exchanged next determined after an exchange request is received. An exchange which represents an initial investment in another series of RiverPark Trust is subject to the minimum investment requirements of that Fund. In addition, brokers and other financial intermediaries may charge a fee for processing exchange requests.
You may exchange all or a portion of your investment from the Acquiring Fund to an identically registered account in another series of TPM that is managed by CrossingBridge within the same class. Any new account established through an exchange will be subject to the minimum investment requirements described above, unless the account qualifies for a waiver of the initial investment requirement. Exchanges will be executed on the basis of the relative NAV of the shares exchanged. An exchange of fund shares is considered to be a sale of shares for federal income tax purposes on which you may realize a taxable capital gain or loss. A $5 fee will be applied to all exchanges of Acquiring Fund shares requested by telephone.
Distribution Arrangements
RiverPark Trust has entered into a Distribution Agreement with SEI Investments Distribution Co. (“SEI”), located at One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456. TPM has entered into a Distribution Agreement with Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), located at 111 East Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202. The offering of each Fund’s shares is continuous, and SEI or Quasar, as applicable, distribute the Fund’s shares on a best efforts basis. Neither SEI nor Quasar is obligated to sell any certain number of shares of the Fund.
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Distributions
Each Fund will make distributions of net investment income, if any, at least monthly. Each Fund will make distributions of net capital gain, if any, at least annually, typically during the month of December. Each Fund may make additional distributions if deemed to be desirable at another time during the year.
Distributions from the Target Fund will be reinvested automatically in additional shares of the Target Fund, unless you have elected on your original application, or by written instructions filed with the Target Fund, to have them paid in cash. If you elect to receive dividends in cash and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver your checks or if your checks remain uncashed for six months, your dividends may be reinvested in your account at the then-current net asset value. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks
All distributions from the Acquiring Fund will be reinvested in additional Acquiring Fund shares unless you choose one of the following options: (1) receive distributions of net capital gain in cash, while reinvesting net investment income distributions in additional Acquiring Fund shares; (2) receive all distributions in cash; or (3) reinvest net capital gain distributions in additional Acquiring Fund shares, while receiving distributions of net investment income in cash.
If you wish to change your distribution option for the Acquiring Fund, you may write to or call Fund Services in advance of the payment date of the distribution. However, any such change will be effective only as to distributions for which the record date is five or more calendar days after the Transfer Agent has received the request.
If you elect to receive Acquiring Fund distributions in cash and the U.S. Postal Service is unable to deliver your check, or if a check remains uncashed for six months, the Acquiring Fund reserves the right to reinvest the distribution check in your account at the Acquiring Fund’s then-current NAV per share and to reinvest all subsequent distributions.
Fiscal Year
The Acquiring Fund has the same September 30 fiscal year end as the Target Fund. As a result, the Acquiring Fund will deliver updated prospectuses and make available annual and semi-annual shareholder reports about the same time of year as the Target Fund delivered this information. Fiscal year ends may change after closing in compliance with applicable laws.
BOARD CONSIDERATIONS
The RiverPark Board considered the Reorganization at a meeting held on February 23, 2023. At the meeting, the RiverPark Board reviewed and considered various information provided by RiverPark, TPM and CrossingBridge relating to the Reorganization, and considered, among other things, the factors discussed below, in light of their fiduciary duties under federal and state law. After careful consideration, the RiverPark Board, including all trustees who are not “interested persons” under the 1940 Act of TPM, RiverPark, Cohanzick or their affiliates, with the advice and assistance of counsel, determined that the Plan would be in the best interests of the Target Fund and its shareholders, and that such shareholders’ interests would not be diluted as a result of the Reorganization. The RiverPark Board approved the Plan relating to the Reorganization and recommends that the shareholders of the Target Fund vote in favor of the Plan relating to the Reorganization of the Target Fund. In considering the proposed Reorganization, the RiverPark Board considered the following significant factors, among others and in no order of priority
(1)the terms and conditions of the Reorganization;
(2)the compatibility of the investment objectives, strategies and restrictions of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund, including that the Acquiring Fund will have the same investment objective and investment strategies as the Target Fund with similar investment restrictions;
(3)the fact that the Acquiring Fund will be managed by the same sole portfolio manager as the Target Fund as a result of the Reorganization;
(4)the relative size of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund;
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(5)possible benefits to the shareholders of the Target Fund, including that the Reorganization has the potential to benefit shareholders by: (i) providing the Acquired Fund with the opportunity to realize operational and administrative efficiencies that may result from being managed on the same platform as other mutual funds that are advised by CrossingBridge and (ii) creating economies of scale by leveraging a unified distribution approach with other mutual funds that are advised by CrossingBridge;
(6)how the Acquired Fund’s share classes will be mapped to classes of the Target Fund and the impact of the Reorganization on the rights and privileges of the shareholders of each class of the Target Fund as compared to those they will receive as shareholders of the corresponding class of the Acquiring Fund;
(7)the expense ratios and information regarding the fees and expenses of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund and CrossingBridge’s commitment to keep the Acquiring Fund’s expense limitations in place for the Acquiring Fund for at least two years as of the closing of the Reorganization;
(8)the expected federal tax consequences of the Reorganization, including the anticipated tax-free nature of the Reorganization for the Target Fund and its shareholders;
(9)the costs to be incurred in connection with the Reorganization and the fact that the Target Fund and Acquiring Fund will not bear them;
(10)the interests of the shareholders of the Target Fund will not be diluted as a result of the Reorganization; and
(11)the possible alternatives to the Reorganization.
Based on the foregoing, the RiverPark Board approved the Plan relating to the Reorganization and recommends that the shareholders of the Target Fund vote “FOR” the approval of the Plan relating to the Reorganization of the Target Fund.
KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION
Shareholders of the Target Fund are being asked to approve the Plan, which sets forth the terms and conditions under which the Reorganization will be implemented. Material provisions of the Plan are summarized below; however, this summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Plan, a form of which is attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix A.
How the Reorganization Will Work
The following provides an overview of how the Reorganization will work:
•Pursuant to the Agreement, the Target Fund will transfer all of its assets to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund (the “Acquiring Fund Shares”) and the Acquiring Fund’s assumption of all of the liabilities and obligations of the Target Fund on the Closing Date (as defined below). Immediately thereafter, the Target Fund will liquidate and distribute pro rata to shareholders of record of each class of the Target Fund the Acquiring Fund Shares of the corresponding class received by the Target Fund.
•The Acquiring Fund will issue and deliver to the Target Fund, in exchange for the assets attributable to the Target Fund, Acquiring Fund Shares with an aggregate net asset value equal to the aggregate net asset value of the Target Fund assets being acquired in the Reorganization, in each case determined as set forth in the Plan.
•Under the Plan, at the closing, the net asset value of each shareholders Target Fund shares will be determined at the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) on the Closing Date pursuant to the Acquiring Fund’s valuation procedures provided, however, that such computation is consistent with the valuation policies and procedures of the Target Fund. The per share net asset value of Target Fund shares, as so determined, will be used to calculate the number of Acquiring Fund shares issued to each shareholder in the Reorganization. The aggregate net asset value of your Target Fund shares, as so determined, will equal the aggregate net asset value of the Acquiring Fund shares, in the corresponding class of the Acquiring Fund, received in the Reorganization.
•CrossingBridge will bear the costs of the Reorganization.
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•The Reorganization is expected to qualify as a tax-free reorganization for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, it is expected that Target Fund shareholders who exchange their Target Fund shares for Acquiring Fund shares of the corresponding class of the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization will not recognize gain or loss as a direct result of the Reorganization and no Acquiring Fund will recognize gain or loss as a direct result of the Reorganization.
•After the Reorganization is completed, Target Fund shareholders will be shareholders of the corresponding class of the Acquiring Fund, and the Target Fund will be dissolved and terminated.
•The Target Fund will be the performance and accounting survivor of the Reorganization.
•Based upon an opinion of counsel, the Reorganization will not result in income, gain or loss being recognized for federal income tax purposes by an exchanging shareholder or by the Target Fund or the Acquiring Fund. The Reorganizations will not take place unless both Funds involved in the Reorganization receive a tax opinion from Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. (see Section 6.3 of the Plan).
The Plan
The shareholders of the Target Fund are being asked to approve the Plan for the Target Fund substantially in the form attached as Appendix A. The description of the Plan contained herein includes certain material provisions of the Plan.
Determination of Net Asset Value. If the Reorganization is approved, the Acquiring Fund will issue to the Target Fund the number of the Acquiring Fund’s shares of the corresponding class, including fractional shares, with an aggregate value equal to the aggregate value of the Target Fund’s shares. The aggregate value of the Acquiring Fund’s shares to be so credited to each corresponding Target Fund’s shareholders shall be equal to the aggregate value of the Target Fund’s shares owned by the Target Fund’s shareholders on the Closing Date.
Conditions to Closing the Reorganization. The obligation of each Fund to consummate the Reorganization is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions, including the Fund’s performance of all of its obligations under the Plan the receipt of certain documents and financial statements from the Target Fund and the receipt of all consents, orders and permits necessary to consummate the Reorganization (see Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the Plan). The obligations of the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund are subject to the approval of the Plan by the necessary vote of the outstanding shares of the Target Fund with respect to the Reorganization. The Fund’s obligations are also subject to the receipt of a favorable opinion of Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. as to the United States federal income tax consequences of the Reorganizations (see Section 6.3 of the Plan).
Termination of the Agreement. The RiverPark Board or TPM Board may terminate the Plan (even if the shareholders of the Target Fund have already approved it) at any time prior to the Closing Date, if circumstances should develop that, in the opinion of that Board, make proceeding with the Plan not in the best interests of any Acquiring Fund or any Target Fund, respectively.
Assuming satisfaction of the conditions in the Plan, the Closing Date of the Reorganization is expected to be on or about May 12, 2023, or another date agreed to by RiverPark Trust and TPM.
Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reorganization
The Reorganization is intended to qualify for federal income tax purposes as a tax-free reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). No gain or loss will be recognized as a consequence of the Reorganization by either participating Fund (except to the extent that any assets transferred in the reorganization consist of contracts described in Section 1256 of the Code or stock in a passive foreign investment company as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code), nor will a gain or loss be recognized by the shareholders of the Target Fund as a result of the Acquiring Fund’s distribution of its shares to Target Fund shareholders solely in exchange for their shares. In addition, a shareholder’s tax basis for shares held in a Target Fund will carry over to the shares of the Acquiring Fund received in the Reorganization, and the holding period for shares held as a capital asset also will carry over to the Acquiring Fund shares received in the Reorganization. As a condition to the consummation of the Reorganization, RiverPark Trust, TPM, the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund will have
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received a legal opinion to the effect that the Reorganization will qualify as a tax-free reorganization with the foregoing tax consequences. That opinion will be based upon certain representations and warranties made by RiverPark Trust and TPM and certifications received from RiverPark Trust and TPM on behalf of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund. Counsel rendering the opinion will not independently investigate or verify the validity of such representation and warranties, and its opinion may be jeopardized if any of these representations or warranties are incorrect in any material respect.
The forgoing relates only to the federal income tax consequences of the Reorganization. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the effect, if any, of the proposed Reorganization in light of your individual circumstances, including any state and local tax consequences.
No opinion will be expressed as to whether any gain or loss will be recognized (1) on Target Fund assets in which gain or loss recognition is required by the Code even if the transaction otherwise constitutes a nontaxable transaction, (2) on “Section 1256 contracts” as defined in Section 1256(b) of the Code, (3) on stock in a “passive foreign investment company” as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code, (4) as a result of the closing of a taxable year (or termination thereof), if applicable, or (5) upon termination of a position. In addition, no opinion will be expressed as to any other federal, estate, gift, state, local, or foreign tax consequences that may result from the Reorganization.
By reason of the Reorganization, the Acquiring Fund will succeed to and take into account any capital loss carryforwards of the Target Fund. The Reorganization is not expected to result in limitations on the Acquiring Fund’s ability to use any capital loss carryforwards of the Target Fund.
An opinion of counsel is not binding on the IRS or the courts and neither the Target Fund nor the Acquiring Fund has sought a ruling with respect to the tax treatment of the Reorganization. The opinion of counsel, if delivered, will be based on the Code, regulations issued by the Treasury Department under the Code, court decisions, and administrative pronouncements issued by the IRS with respect to all of the foregoing, all as in effect on the date of the opinion, and all of which may be repealed, revoked or modified thereafter, possibly on a retroactive basis.
Capitalization
The capitalization of the Target Fund as of December 31, 2022 and the Acquiring Fund’s pro forma combined capitalization as of that date, after giving effect to the Reorganization, are as follows:
(unaudited) | Target Fund Retail Class Shares | Target Fund Institutional Class Shares | Acquiring Fund Retail Class Shares (pro forma) | Acquiring Fund Institutional Class Shares (pro forma) | ||||||||||
Net Assets | $19,472,207.46 | $220,096,599.95 | $19,472,207.46 | $220,096,599.95 | ||||||||||
Shares Outstanding | 2,293,079.70 | 25,953,405.20 | 2,293,079.70 | 25,953,405.20 | ||||||||||
Net Asset Value per Share | $8.49 | $8.48 | $8.49 | $8.48 |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
General
For a general discussion of the operation and organization of the Target Fund, see “The Trust” in the Target Fund SAI, which is incorporated by reference herein. For a general discussion of the operation and organization of the Acquiring Fund, see “General Information About The Trust” in the Proxy Statement SAI.
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Rights of the Funds’ Shareholders
The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund are each a series of a Delaware statutory trust. As a result, there are no material differences between the rights of shareholders under the governing state laws of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund except differences in rights provided for in the respective governing instruments of these entities, some of which are discussed below.
The following is a discussion of certain important provisions of the governing instruments and governing laws of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund, but is not a complete description thereof. Further information about RiverPark Trust’s and TPM’s governance structure is contained in its governing instruments, which are on file with the SEC.
Shares. When issued and paid for in accordance with the prospectus, shares of both the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund are fully paid and non-assessable, have no preemptive or subscription rights and are freely transferable. Each share of both the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund represents an equal interest in the net assets of such Fund. Shares of each Fund are entitled to receive their pro rata share of distributions of income and capital gains, if any, made with respect to that Fund as are declared by its Board, although such distributions may vary in amount among the classes of a Fund to reflect class-specific expenses. Such distributions may be in cash, in-kind or in additional Fund shares. In any liquidation of a Target Fund or an Acquiring Fund, each shareholder is entitled to receive his or her pro rata share of the net assets of such Fund, after satisfaction of all outstanding liabilities and expenses of the Fund. For both the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund, each share has one vote and each fractional share to a proportionate fractional vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act.
Organization and Governing Law. The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund are both organized as a series of a Delaware statutory trust (“DST”) pursuant to the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (“DSTA”). The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund are subject to the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder.
Shareholder Meetings and Rights of Shareholders to Call a Meeting. Neither the Target Fund nor the Acquiring Fund is required to hold annual shareholders’ meetings under the DSTA or their respective Declarations or By-Laws unless required by applicable federal law. RiverPark Trust’s Declaration of Trust and By-Laws provide that upon written request of shareholders holding, in the aggregate, not less than one-third of the interests of a series of RiverPark Trust, or not less than one-third of all of the outstanding interests of RiverPark Trust (if the meeting relates to RiverPark Trust and not solely to a particular series), such request specifying the purpose or purposes for which such meeting is to be called. TPM’s Declaration of Trust provides that special meetings may be called by shareholders holding at least 10% of the shares then outstanding if the Trustees of TPM otherwise fail to call a shareholder meeting after written application by such shareholders requesting that a meeting be called for any purpose requiring action by shareholders as provided in the governing instruments.
Submission of Shareholder Proposals and Nominations. Neither RiverPark Trust nor TPM has any provisions in its governing instruments specific to the submission of shareholder proposals and nominations
Liability of Shareholders. Consistent with the DSTA, the Declarations for RiverPark Trust and TPM generally provide that shareholders will not be subject to personal liability for the obligations of the Funds. There is a remote possibility, however, that, under certain circumstances, shareholders of a Delaware statutory trust may be held personally liable for that trust’s obligations to the extent that the courts of another state that does not recognize such limited liability were to apply the laws of such state to a controversy involving such obligations. RiverPark Trust’s Declaration additionally states RiverPark Trust shareholders shall be entitled to the full protection against personal liability for the obligations of RiverPark Trust under Section 3803(a) of the DSTA and further that RiverPark Trust shall indemnify and hold each shareholder harmless from and against any claim or liability to which such shareholder may become subject solely by reason of its being or having been a shareholder. The Declarations for RiverPark Trust and TPM also provide for indemnification out of assets belonging to a Fund (or allocable to the applicable class, as defined in the applicable Trust Agreement) for all loss and expense of any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of a Fund or such class. Therefore, the risk of any shareholder incurring financial loss beyond their investment due to shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which a Fund or the applicable class of the Fund is unable to meet its obligations and the express limitation of shareholder liabilities is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction not to be effective.
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Liability of Trustees and Officers. Consistent with the 1940 Act, the governing instruments for both of the Funds generally provide that no Trustee or officer of a Fund shall be subject to any personal liability in connection with the assets or affairs of a Fund, except for liability arising from his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.
Pricing of Fund Shares
For information on how the NAV per share of each Fund is calculated, see “How the Funds Value Their Shares” in the Target Fund Prospectus and “Share Price” in Appendix D attached to this Proxy Statement.
Financial Information
For certain financial information about the Target Fund, see “Financial Highlights” which is appended to this Proxy Statement as Appendix B.
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PROPOSAL 2 – TO APPROVE ADJOURNMENTS OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
The purpose of Proposal 2 is to authorize the holder of proxies solicited under this Proxy Statement to vote the shares represented by the proxies in favor of the adjournment of the Special Meeting from time to time in order to allow more time to solicit additional proxies, as necessary, if there are insufficient votes at the time of the Special Meeting to constitute a quorum or to approve Proposal 1.
One or more adjournments may be made without notice other than an announcement at the Special Meeting, to the extent permitted by applicable law and the Target Fund’s governing documents. Any adjournment of the Special Meeting for the purpose of soliciting additional proxies will allow the Fund’s shareholders who have already sent in their proxies to revoke them at any time before their use at the Special Meeting, as adjourned.
VOTING INFORMATION
RECORD DATE, VOTING RIGHTS, AND VOTES REQUIRED
Proxies are being solicited from the shareholders of the Target Fund by the RiverPark Board for the Special Meeting to be held on May 8, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, at the principal executive offices of the RiverPark Trust, located at 156 West 56th Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10019, or at such later time made necessary by adjournment. Unless revoked, all valid proxies will be voted in accordance with the specification thereon or, in the absence of specifications, “FOR” approval of the Plan.
The Board has fixed the close of business on March 15, 2023 as the record date (the “Record Date”) for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Meeting and any adjournments thereof. Shareholders of record as of the Record Date will be entitled to one vote for each share held and to a proportionate fractional vote for each fractional share held. As of the Record Date, the total number of issued and outstanding shares of the Target Fund was [ ] for Retail Class and [ ] for Institutional Class. Shareholders of record who owned five percent or more of a class of shares of the Target Fund as of the Record Date are set forth on Appendix C to this Proxy Statement.
Approval of the Proposal 1 will require the affirmative vote of the lesser of: (a) 67% of the Target Fund’s shares present at the Meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the Target Fund’s outstanding shares are present in person or represented by proxy; or (b) more than 50% of the Target Fund’s outstanding shares.
Approval of Proposal 2 will require the vote of a majority of the votes cast, either in person or by proxy, at the Special Meeting to approve any adjournment(s) of the Special Meeting, even if the number of votes cast is fewer than the number required for a quorum.
HOW TO VOTE
You can vote your shares in person at the Special Meeting or by mail, by the internet, and by automated touch tone as set forth below:
•Mail: To vote your proxy by mail, check the appropriate voting box on your proxy card, sign and date the card and return it in the enclosed postage-prepaid envelope. If you sign, date, and return the proxy card but give no voting instructions, the proxies will vote FOR the Proposals.
The options below are available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.
•Internet: The web address and instructions for voting online can be found on the enclosed proxy card. You will be required to provide your control number found on your proxy card.
•Automated Touchtone: The toll-free number for automated touchtone telephone voting can be found on the enclosed proxy card. You must have the control number found on your proxy card.
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If you can attend the Special Meeting and wish to vote your shares in person at that time, you will be able to do so. If you hold your shares in “street name” through a broker, bank, or other nominee, you should contact your nominee about voting in person at the Special Meeting.
PROXIES
All proxies solicited by the RiverPark Board that are properly executed and received by the Secretary prior to the Special Meeting, and are not revoked, will be voted at the Special Meeting. A proxy with respect to shares held in the name of two or more persons is valid if executed by any one of them unless at or prior to its use the Target Fund receives written notification to the contrary from any one of such persons. Shares represented by such proxies will be voted in accordance with the instructions thereon. If no specification is made on a proxy, it will be voted “FOR” the matters specified on the proxy. All shares that are voted and votes to “ABSTAIN” will be counted towards establishing a quorum.
You may revoke a proxy once it is given. If you desire to revoke a proxy, you must submit a subsequent later dated proxy or a written notice of revocation to the Target Fund. You may also give written notice of revocation in person at the Special Meeting. Attendance by a shareholder at the Special Meeting does not, by itself, revoke a proxy.
QUORUM AND ADJOURNMENTS
One-third of the outstanding shares of the Target Fund will be considered a quorum for the transaction of business. If a quorum of shareholders of the Target Fund is not present at the Special Meeting, or if a quorum is present but sufficient votes to approve the Reorganization described in this Proxy Statement are not received, the chairman of the Special Meeting may adjourn the Special Meeting of the Target Fund one or more times to permit further solicitation of proxies, subject to the approval by shareholders of the Target Fund of Proposal 2. Any business that might have been transacted at the Special Meeting with respect to the Target Fund may be transacted at any such adjourned session(s) at which a quorum is present. The persons designated as proxies may use their discretionary authority to vote as instructed by management of the Target Fund on any other proposals raised at the Special Meeting to the extent permitted by the SEC’s proxy rules, including proposals for which timely notice was not received, as set forth in the SEC’s proxy rules.
EFFECT OF ABSTENTIONS AND BROKER “NON-VOTES”
All proxies voted, including abstentions, will be counted toward establishing a quorum. Because Proposal 1 is expected to “affect substantially” a shareholder’s rights or privileges, a broker may not vote shares if the broker has not received instructions from beneficial owners or persons entitled to vote, even if the broker has discretionary voting power (i.e., the Proposal is non-discretionary). Because Proposal 1 is non-discretionary, RiverPark Trust does not expect to receive broker non-votes. Broker non-votes will have the effect of an “against” vote on Proposal 2. Abstentions will have the same effect as votes against the Proposals.
SOLICITATION OF PROXIES
The Target Fund expects that the solicitation of proxies will be primarily by mail and telephone. The solicitation also may include facsimile, Internet, or oral communications. [ ] has been retained to aid in the solicitation of proxies, at an anticipated cost of approximately $[ ], exclusive of printing costs. CrossingBridge will bear the expenses relating to the Reorganization, including the costs of retaining [ ]. The expenses relating to the Reorganization are estimated to be approximately $[ ].
OTHER INFORMATION
OTHER BUSINESS
The RiverPark Board knows of no other business to be brought before the Special Meeting. If any other matters come before the Special Meeting, the RiverPark Board intends that proxies that do not contain specific restrictions to the contrary will be
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voted on those matters in accordance with the judgment of the persons named in the enclosed proxy card.
APPRAISAL RIGHTS
Shareholders will have no appraisal rights in connection with the Reorganization.
NEXT MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
The Target Fund does not hold regular meetings of shareholders. Shareholders wishing to submit proposals for inclusion in a proxy statement for a subsequent meeting of shareholders should send their written proposals to the Secretary of RiverPark Trust, 156 West 56th Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10019 within a reasonable time before the proxy materials for the next meeting are sent to shareholders. To be considered for presentation at a shareholders’ meeting, rules promulgated by the SEC require that, among other things, a shareholder’s proposal must be received at the offices of RiverPark Trust within a reasonable time before a solicitation is made. Timely submission of a proposal does not necessarily mean that the proposal will be included.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters concerning the issuance of shares of the Acquiring Fund in connection with the Reorganization and the federal income tax consequences of the Reorganization will be passed upon by Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.
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APPENDIX A – FORM OF AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION
This Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (“Agreement”) is made as of [•], 2023, by and between Trust for Professional Managers, a Delaware statutory trust (“Acquiring Entity”), on behalf of its series, the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund (the “Acquiring Fund”), and RiverPark Funds Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (“Target Entity”), on behalf of its series, the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund (the “Target Fund”). CrossingBridge Advisors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“CrossingBridge”), joins this Agreement solely for purposes of paragraph 8.2.
WHEREAS, the parties hereto intend for the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund to enter into a transaction pursuant to which: (i) the Acquiring Fund will acquire all of the Assets and Liabilities (as each such term is defined in paragraph 1.2 and paragraph 1.3, respectively, of this Agreement) of the Target Fund in exchange solely for shares of the corresponding class of the Acquiring Fund (“Acquiring Fund Shares”), as set forth on Exhibit A hereto, having an aggregate net asset value equal to the value of the corresponding Target Fund’s net assets being acquired, and (ii) the Target Fund will distribute the Acquiring Fund Shares to shareholders of the corresponding class of the Target Fund, in complete liquidation of the Target Fund, all upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth in this Agreement (the “Reorganization”);
WHEREAS, this Agreement is adopted as a “plan of reorganization” within the meaning of the U.S. Treasury regulations under Section 368 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or any successor provision, and the Reorganization between the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund contemplated hereunder is intended to qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1) of the Code, or any successor provision;
WHEREAS, the Acquiring Fund is a series of the Acquiring Entity, an open-end management investment company registered pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) with an investment objective, principal investment strategies and investment restrictions substantially similar to those of the Target Fund;
WHEREAS, the Target Fund is a series of the Target Entity, an open-end management investment company registered pursuant to the 1940 Act;
WHEREAS, the Acquiring Fund is, and will be at the time of the Closing (as defined in paragraph 3.1), a shell series of the Acquiring Entity, without assets or liabilities, created solely for the purpose of acquiring all of the Assets and assuming all of the Liabilities of the Target Fund, and, prior to the Closing, will not commence operations or carry on any business activities (other than such activities as are customary to the organization of a new series of a registered investment company prior to its commencement of investment operations);
WHEREAS, the Target Fund currently owns securities and other investments that are assets of the character in which the Acquiring Fund is permitted to invest; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Target Entity, including a majority of the trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Target Entity, has determined that (1) participation in the Reorganization is advisable and is in the best interests of the Target Fund and its shareholders, and (2) the interests of the existing shareholders of the Target Fund would not be diluted as a result of the Reorganization. The Board of Trustees of the Acquiring Entity, including a majority of the trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Acquiring Entity, has determined that participation in the Reorganization is advisable and is in the best interests of the Acquiring Fund.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
THE REORGANIZATION AND FUND TRANSACTIONS
1.1 The Reorganization. Subject to the requisite approval of the Target Fund’s shareholders and the other terms and conditions herein set forth and on the basis of the representations and warranties contained herein, at the Closing, the Target Fund shall assign, deliver and otherwise transfer all of its Assets to the Acquiring Fund, and the Acquiring Fund shall assume all of the Liabilities of the Target Fund. In consideration of the foregoing, the Acquiring Fund shall deliver to the Target Fund full and fractional Acquiring Fund Shares (to the third decimal place) of the corresponding class as set forth on Exhibit A at the Closing. The number of Acquiring Fund Shares to be delivered to the corresponding class of the Target Fund shall be determined as set forth in paragraph 2.3.
1.2 Assets of the Target Fund. The assets of the Target Fund to be acquired by the Acquiring Fund shall consist of all assets and property, including, without limitation, all rights of the Target Fund, cash, cash equivalents, securities, receivables (including securities, interests and dividends receivable), commodities and futures interests, rights to register shares under applicable
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securities laws, any deferred or prepaid expenses shown as an asset on the books of the Target Fund at the Effective Time, books and records, and any other property owned by the Target Fund at the Effective Time (collectively, the “Assets”).
1.3 Liabilities of the Target Fund. The Target Fund will use its best efforts to discharge all of its known liabilities and obligations prior to the Effective Time, other than liabilities and obligations necessary or appropriate for the Target Fund’s normal investment operations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice. The Acquiring Fund shall assume all liabilities of the Target Fund, whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise, whether or not determinable at the Closing and whether or not specifically referred to in this Agreement (collectively, the “Liabilities”).
1.4 Distribution of Acquiring Fund Shares. Immediately after the Closing, the Target Fund will distribute the Acquiring Fund Shares received from the Acquiring Fund pursuant to paragraph 1.1 to the record holders of the corresponding class of shares of the Target Fund, in accordance with their respective interests in the Target Fund determined as of the Effective Time (the “Target Fund Shareholders”) in complete liquidation of the Target Fund, and promptly after the Closing, the Target Entity will proceed to terminate the Target Fund in accordance with the applicable laws of the State of Delaware and the Target Entity’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended, and By-Laws. Such distribution and liquidation will be accomplished by the transfer of the Acquiring Fund Shares then credited to the account of the Target Fund on the books of the Acquiring Fund to open accounts on the share records of the Acquiring Fund in the names of the applicable Target Fund Shareholders. The aggregate net asset value of the Acquiring Fund Shares to be so credited to each Target Fund Shareholder shall be equal to the aggregate net asset value of the then outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the corresponding class of the Target Fund (the “Target Fund Shares”) owned by each such Target Fund Shareholder at the Effective Time. All issued and outstanding shares of the Target Fund will simultaneously be redeemed and canceled on the books of the Target Fund. The Acquiring Fund shall not be obligated to issue certificates representing the Acquiring Fund Shares in connection with an exchange as described herein.
1.5 Recorded Ownership of Acquiring Fund Shares. For the Acquiring Fund, ownership of Acquiring Fund Shares will be shown on the books of the Acquiring Fund’s transfer agent.
1.6 Filing Responsibilities of the Target Fund. Any reporting responsibility of the Target Fund, including, but not limited to, the responsibility for filing regulatory reports, tax returns, or other documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), any state securities commission, the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Delaware, and any federal, state or local tax authorities or any other relevant regulatory authority, is and shall remain the responsibility of the Target Fund. For the avoidance of doubt, any tax returns or financial reporting filings required by law to be filed for periods ending after the Closing shall be the responsibility of the Acquiring Fund.
1.7 Termination. The Target Fund will completely liquidate and be dissolved, terminated and have its affairs wound up in accordance with the Target Fund’s governing documents, the laws of the State of Delaware, and the federal securities laws promptly following the Closing and the distribution pursuant to Section 1.4.
ARTICLE II VALUATION
2.1 Net Asset Value of the Target Fund. The net asset value per share of each class of the Target Fund Shares shall be the net asset value per share computed as of the Effective Time, after the declaration and payment of any dividends and/or other distributions on that date, using the valuation policies and procedures established by the Board of Trustees of the Acquiring Entity; provided, however, that such computation is consistent with the valuation policies and procedures of the Target Fund and in the event of any material inconsistency, the parties hereto shall confer and mutually agree on the valuation.
2.2 Net Asset Value of the Acquiring Fund. The net asset value per share of each class of the Acquiring Fund Shares shall be the same as the net asset value per share of the corresponding class of Target Fund Shares as computed in paragraph 2.1.
2.3 Calculation of Number of Acquiring Fund Shares. The number of Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued (including fractional shares to the third decimal place, if any) in connection with the Reorganization shall be equal to the number of full and fractional Target Fund Shares owned by Target Fund Shareholders at the Effective Time.
2.4 Joint Direction of Calculation. All computations of value with respect to both the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund shall be made by U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, in its capacity as the fund accounting agent for the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, using the valuation policies and procedures established by the Board of Trustees of the Acquiring Entity for regular use in pricing the shares and assets of the Acquiring Fund and shall be subject to review by SEI Investments Global Fund Services, in its capacity as the fund administrator for the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund and, if requested by either the Target Entity or the Acquiring Entity, by the independent registered public accounting firm of the requesting party.
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2.5 Effective Time. The Effective Time shall be the time at which the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund calculate their net asset values as set forth in their respective prospectuses (normally the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”)) on the Closing Date (as defined in paragraph 3.1) (the “Effective Time”).
ARTICLE III CLOSING
3.1 Closing. The Reorganization shall close on May 12, 2023, or such other date as the parties may mutually agree with respect to the Reorganization (the “Closing Date”). All acts taking place at the closing of the Reorganization (“Closing”) shall, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions in this Agreement, be deemed to take place simultaneously as of the Effective Time unless otherwise agreed to by the parties to the Reorganization. The Closing of the Reorganization shall be held in person, by facsimile, email or such other communication means as the parties to the Reorganization may reasonably agree.
3.2 With respect to the Reorganization:
(a) The Target Entity shall direct its custodian (the “Target Custodian”) to deliver to the Acquiring Entity, at the Closing, or as soon as practicable thereafter, a certificate of an authorized officer stating that (i) the Assets of the Target Fund were delivered in proper form to the Acquiring Fund at the Effective Time, and (ii) all necessary taxes in connection with the delivery of the Assets, including, but not limited to, all applicable transfer taxes, have been paid or provision for payment has been made. The Target Fund’s portfolio securities represented by a certificate or other written instrument shall be presented by the Target Custodian, to those persons at the custodian for the Acquiring Fund (the “Acquiring Custodian”) who have primary responsibility for the safekeeping of the assets of the Acquiring Fund. Such presentation shall be made for examination no later than five (5) business days preceding the Effective Time, and shall be transferred and delivered by the Target Fund as of the Effective Time for the account of the Acquiring Fund duly endorsed in proper form for transfer in such condition as to constitute good delivery thereof. The Target Fund shall direct the Target Custodian to transfer and deliver to the Acquiring Custodian as of the Effective Time by book entry, in accordance with the customary practices of the Target Custodian and any securities depository (as defined in Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act), in which the Assets are deposited, the Target Fund’s portfolio securities and instruments so held. The cash to be transferred by the Target Fund shall be transferred from the Target Custodian to the Acquiring Custodian by wire transfer of federal funds or other appropriate means as of the Effective Time. If the Target Fund is unable to make such delivery as of the Effective Time in the manner contemplated by this paragraph for the reason that any of such securities or other investments purchased prior to the Closing Date have not yet been delivered to the Target Fund or its broker, then the Acquiring Fund may, in its sole discretion, waive the delivery requirements of this paragraph with respect to said undelivered securities or other investments if the Target Fund has, by or on the Closing Date, delivered to the Acquiring Fund or the Acquiring Custodian executed copies of an agreement of assignment and escrow and due bills executed on behalf of said broker or brokers, together with such other documents as may be required by the Acquiring Fund or the Acquiring Custodian, such as brokers’ confirmation slips.
(b) The Target Fund shall direct its transfer agent (the “Target Transfer Agent”) to deliver to the Acquiring Entity at the Closing, or as soon as practicable thereafter, a certificate of an authorized officer stating that its records contain the names and addresses of the Target Fund Shareholders and the number and percentage ownership of outstanding Target Fund Shares of each class of the Target Fund owned by each such Target Fund Shareholder immediately prior to the Closing. The Acquiring Fund shall issue and deliver to the Secretary of the Target Fund prior to the Effective Time a confirmation evidencing that the appropriate number of Acquiring Fund Shares will be credited to the Target Fund at the Effective Time, or provide other evidence satisfactory to the Target Fund as of the Effective Time that such Acquiring Fund Shares have been credited to the Target Fund’s accounts on the books of the Acquiring Fund.
(c) In the event that at the Effective Time (a) the NYSE or another primary trading market for portfolio securities of the Target Fund (each, an “Exchange”) is closed to trading or trading thereupon is restricted, or (b) trading or the reporting of trading on such Exchange or elsewhere shall be disrupted so that, in the reasonable judgment of the Acquiring Entity or the Target Entity, accurate appraisal of the value of the net assets of the Target Fund is impracticable, the Closing Date shall be postponed until the first business day after the day when trading shall have been fully resumed and reporting shall have been restored.
ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
4.1 Representations and Warranties of the Target Entity. The Target Entity, on behalf of itself, or where applicable the Target Fund, to its knowledge, represents and warrants to the Acquiring Entity and the Acquiring Fund as follows:
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(a) The Target Fund is a duly established series of the Target Entity, which is a statutory trust duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power under its Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended, and By-Laws, to own all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business as it is presently conducted.
(b) The Target Entity is registered with the Commission as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act, and the registration of the Target Fund Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), is in full force and effect. The Target Fund is in compliance in all material respects with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
(c) No consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court or governmental authority is required for the consummation by the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, of the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and the 1940 Act, and such as may be required under state securities laws.
(d) The current prospectus, statement of additional information, shareholder reports, marketing and other related materials of the Target Fund and each prospectus and statement of additional information of the Target Fund used at all times prior to the date of this Agreement conform or conformed at the time of its use in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and does not or did not at the time of its use include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading.
(e) At the Effective Time, the Target Fund will have good and marketable title to the Assets and full right, power, and authority to sell, assign, transfer and deliver such Assets hereunder free of any liens or other encumbrances, and upon delivery and payment for such Assets, the Acquiring Fund, will acquire good and marketable title thereto, subject to no restrictions on the full transfer thereof, including such restrictions as might arise under the 1933 Act.
(f) The Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, is not engaged currently, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will not result, in a violation of Delaware law or a material violation of its Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended, and By-Laws, or of any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease or other undertaking to which the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, is a party or by which it is bound, or the acceleration of any obligation, or the imposition of any penalty, under any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease, judgment or decree to which the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, is a party or by which it is bound.
(g) All material contracts or other commitments of the Target Fund (other than this Agreement and certain investment contracts, including options, futures, forward contracts and other similar instruments) will terminate without liability or obligation to the Target Fund on or prior to the Effective Time.
(h) Except as otherwise disclosed to and accepted by the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, in writing, no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or, to the Target Entity’s knowledge, threatened against the Target Fund or any of its properties or Assets that, if adversely determined, would materially and adversely affect its financial condition or the conduct of its business. The Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, knows of no facts which might form the basis for the institution of such proceedings and the Target Fund is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body that materially and adversely affects its business or its ability to consummate the transactions herein contemplated.
(i) The financial statements, including the notes thereto, the Financial Highlights and the Schedules of Investments, of the Target Fund for each of the Target Fund’s fiscal years ended September 30, 2018, September 30, 2019, September 30, 2020, September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2022, have been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., an independent registered public accounting firm, and are in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) consistently applied, and such statements (copies of which have been furnished to the Acquiring Fund) present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition of the Target Fund as of such dates, and there are no known liabilities, contingent or otherwise, of the Target Fund required to be reflected on a balance sheet (including the notes thereto) in accordance with GAAP as of such dates not disclosed therein.
(j) Since September 30, 2022, there has not been any material adverse change in the Target Fund’s financial condition, assets, liabilities or business, other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business, or any incurrence by the Target Fund of indebtedness maturing more than one year from the date such indebtedness was incurred, except
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as otherwise disclosed to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund in writing. For the purposes of this subparagraph (j), a decline in net asset value per share of the Target Fund Shares due to declines in market values of securities held by the Target Fund, the discharge of the Target Fund’s liabilities, or the redemption of Target Fund Shares by Target Fund shareholders shall not constitute a material adverse change.
(k) As of the Closing Date, all federal, income, and other material tax returns, dividend reporting forms, and other tax-related reports of the Target Fund required by law to have been filed by or provided to the applicable recipient by the Closing Date (taking into account any applicable extensions) shall have been filed or provided, and are or will be correct and complete in all material respects, and all federal and other taxes shown as due or required to be shown as due on said returns, forms, and reports or on any assessment received shall have been paid or provision shall have been made for the payment thereof and any such unpaid taxes as of the date of the financial statements referred to in subsection (i) above are properly reflected on such financial statements. As of the Closing Date, to the knowledge of the Target Entity, the Target Fund will not have any tax deficiency or liability asserted or assessed against it, and it will not be under examination (either in progress or threatened) by the Internal Revenue Service or by any state or local tax authority. There are no levies, liens, or other encumbrances related to taxes existing or known to the Target Fund to be threatened or pending with respect to the Assets of the Target Fund. To the knowledge of the Target Entity, no written claim has ever been made by a taxing authority in a jurisdiction where the Target Fund does not file a tax return that the Target Fund is, or may be, subject to taxation in that jurisdiction. To the knowledge of the Target Entity, no written claim has ever been made by a taxing authority with which the Target Fund does not file a particular tax return, that the Target Fund is or may be required to file such tax return..
(l) For each taxable year since the commencement of the Target Fund’s operations (in the case of the taxable year that includes the Closing Date, for that portion of such taxable year ending with the Closing Date), the Target Fund: (i) has been (and will be) a “fund,” as defined in Section 851(g)(2) of the Code, that is treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section 851(g)(1) of the Code, (ii) has met (and will meet) the requirements of Subchapter M of Chapter 1 of the Code for qualification and treatment as a “regulated investment company,” within the meaning of Section 851 of the Code and has elected to be treated as such, and (iii) has been (and will be) eligible to and has computed (and will compute) its federal income tax under Section 852 of the Code, and (iv) has not been (and will not be), liable for any material income or excise tax under Sections 852 or 4982, respectively, of the Code. The Target Fund has not taken any action or caused any action to be taken or caused any action to fail to be taken which action or failure could cause the Target Fund to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company. As of the time of the Closing, the Target Fund will have no current or accumulated earnings and profits accumulated in any taxable year to which the provisions of Part I of Subchapter M of the Code did not apply to the Target Fund.
(m) All issued and outstanding shares of the Target Fund are, and on the Closing Date will be, duly and validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable by the Target Entity and have been offered and sold in every state and the District of Columbia in compliance with applicable registration requirements and state securities laws. All of the issued and outstanding shares of the Target Fund will, at the Effective Time, be held by the persons and in the amounts set forth in the records of the Transfer Agent, on behalf of the Target Fund, as provided in paragraph 3.2(b). The Target Fund does not have any outstanding options, warrants or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any of the shares of the Target Fund, nor is there outstanding any security convertible into any of the Target Fund’s shares, and none will be outstanding on the Closing Date.
(n) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Board of Trustees of the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund and, subject to the provisions of this Agreement will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.
(o) The information to be furnished by the Target Fund for use in registration statements, proxy materials and other documents filed or to be filed with any federal, state or local regulatory authority (including the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”)), which may be necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, shall be accurate and complete in all material respects and shall comply in all material respects with federal, state, and local securities and other laws and regulations thereunder applicable thereto.
(p) The N-14 Registration Statement (as defined in paragraph 5.6), insofar as it relates to the Target Fund, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not materially misleading.
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(q) For each year of its operation since inception and following an initial two-year term, the Target Fund’s investment advisory agreement with RiverPark Advisors, LLC has been properly approved by the Board of Trustees of the Target Entity pursuant to Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act.
(r) For each year of its operation since inception and following an initial two-year term, the Target Fund’s sub-advisory agreement by and among RiverPark Advisors, LLC, Cohanzick Management, LLC and RiverPark Funds Trust, on behalf of the Target Fund, has been properly approved by the Board of Trustees of the Target Entity pursuant to Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act.
(s) All information provided or identified in writing by the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund in response to formal due diligence requests relating to the Target Fund is true and correct in all material respects and contains no material misstatements or omissions with respect to the operation of the Target Fund as of the date hereof.
(t) The Target Fund (including the Acquiring Fund as its successor) will not be required to include any material item of income in, or exclude any material item of deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any (i) change in method of accounting for a taxable period ending on or prior to the Closing Date; (ii) “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign income tax law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date; (iii) installment sale or open transaction disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date; or (iv) prepaid amount received on or prior to the Closing Date.
(u) The Target Fund has no known liability for any tax obligation of any taxpayer other than itself (other than pursuant to customary commercial contracts the principal purpose of which is not tax). The Target Fund is not currently and has never been a member of a group of corporations with which it has filed (or been required to file) consolidated, combined or unitary tax returns. The Target Fund is not a party to any tax allocation, sharing, or indemnification agreement (other than any customary commercial contracts the principal purpose of which is not tax).
(v) The Target Fund is not under the jurisdiction of a court in a Title 11 or similar case within the meaning of Section 368(a)(3)(A) of the Code.
(w) The Target Fund does not own any “converted property” (as that term is defined in Treasury Regulations Section 1.337(d)-7(a)(1)) that is subject to the rules of Section 1374 of the Code as a consequence of the application of Section 337(d)(1) of the Code and Treasury Regulations thereunder.
4.2 Representations and Warranties of the Acquiring Entity. The Acquiring Entity, on behalf of itself or, where applicable the Acquiring Fund, represents and warrants to the Target Entity:
(a) The Acquiring Fund is a duly established series of the Acquiring Entity, which is a statutory trust duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware with power under its Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Amended and Restated By-Laws, to own all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business as it is presently conducted.
(b) The Acquiring Entity is registered with the Commission as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act, and the registration of the Acquiring Fund Shares under the 1933 Act will be be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.
(c) No consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court or governmental authority is required for the consummation by the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, of the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act, and such as may be required under state securities laws.
(d) As of the Closing Date, the prospectus, statement of additional information, marketing or other related materials of the Acquiring Fund will conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading; provided, however, that the representations and warranties of this subparagraph (d) shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the materials described in this subparagraph (d) made in reliance upon and in conformity with information that was furnished by the Target Fund for use therein.
(e) The Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, is not engaged currently, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will not result, in a violation of Delaware law or a material violation of its Amended
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and Restated Declaration of Trust and Amended and Restated By-Laws or of any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease or other undertaking to which the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, is a party or by which it is bound, or the acceleration of any obligation, or the imposition of any penalty, under any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease, judgment or decree to which the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, is a party or by which it is bound.
(f) Except as otherwise disclosed to and accepted by the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, in writing, no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending, or to the Acquiring Entity’s knowledge, threatened against the Acquiring Fund. The Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, knows of no facts which might form the basis for the institution of such proceedings and is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body that materially and adversely affects the Acquiring Fund’s ability to consummate the transactions herein contemplated.
(g) As of the Closing Date, the Acquiring Fund will have no assets and no liabilities. The Acquiring Fund has not commenced operations and will not commence operations until after the Closing Date. The Reorganization will be structured as a “reorganization” subject to U.S. federal income tax treatment under Section 368(a) of the Code. The Acquiring Fund is, and will be at the time of Closing, a new series of the Acquiring Entity created within the last twelve (12) months, without assets or liabilities, formed for the purpose of receiving the Assets and assuming the Liabilities of the Target Fund in connection with the Reorganization and, accordingly, the Acquiring Fund has not prepared books of account and related records or financial statements or issued any shares carried on any business activities, except as necessary to facilitate the organization of the Acquiring Fund as a new series of the Acquiring Entity prior to its commencement of operations. As of the time immediately prior to the Closing, there will be no issued or outstanding securities issued by the Acquiring Fund, other than nominal shares issued in a private placement to CrossingBridge or an affiliate to secure any required initial shareholder approvals. Any shares issued by the Acquiring Fund prior to the Closing will be redeemed and cancelled prior to the Closing.
(h) As of the time immediately following the Closing, the Target Fund Shareholders will own all of the outstanding Acquiring Fund Shares. As of the time immediately following the Closing, the Acquiring Fund will be treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section 851(g) of the Code and intends to take all steps necessary to meet the requirements of Subchapter M of Chapter 1 of the Code for qualification and treatment as a “regulated investment company.”
(i) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary action, if any, on the part of the Board of Trustees of the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and this Agreement will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Acquiring Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.
(j) The Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued and delivered to the Target Fund, for the account of the Target Fund Shareholders, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, will at the Effective Time have been duly authorized and, when so issued and delivered, will be duly and validly issued Acquiring Fund Shares, will be fully paid and non-assessable by the Acquiring Entity, and will have been issued in every state and the District of Columbia in compliance in all material respects with applicable registration requirements and applicable securities laws. The Acquiring Fund does not have any outstanding options, warrants or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any of the Acquiring Fund Shares, nor is there outstanding any security convertible into any of the Acquiring Fund Shares.
(k) The information to be furnished by the Acquiring Fund for use in the registration statements, proxy materials and other documents filed or to be filed with any federal, state or local regulatory authority (including FINRA) that may be necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall be accurate and complete in all material respects and shall comply in all material respects with federal, state and local securities and other laws and regulations applicable thereto.
(l) The N-14 Registration Statement (as defined in paragraph 5.6), insofar as it relates to the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Fund Shares, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not materially misleading.
(m) Prior to the Effective Time, the Acquiring Fund’s investment advisory agreement with CrossingBridge will have been properly approved by the Board of Trustees of Acquiring Entity pursuant to Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act.
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(n) The Acquiring Entity has adopted and implemented written policies and procedures in accordance with Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act and, at the Effective Time, such policies and procedures will have been appropriately tailored to address the business of the Acquiring Fund.
(o) All information provided or identified in writing by the Acquiring Fund to the Target Fund in response to formal due diligence requests relating to the Acquiring Fund is true and correct in all material respects and contains no material misstatements or omissions with respect to the Acquiring Fund and its operation.
ARTICLE V COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS
5.1 Conduct of Business. The Target Fund will operate its business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice between the date hereof and the Effective Time, it being understood that such ordinary course of business with respect to the Target Fund will include the declaration and payment of customary dividends and other distributions, and any other distribution that may be advisable in anticipation of the Reorganization.
5.2 Meeting of Shareholders. The Target Entity will call a joint meeting of the Target Fund so that Target Fund Shareholders may consider and vote upon the approval of the Reorganization and to take all other action necessary to obtain approval of the transactions contemplated herein.
5.3 No Distribution of Acquiring Fund Shares. The Target Fund covenants that the Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued to the Target Fund hereunder are not being acquired for the purpose of making any distribution thereof, other than in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
5.4 Information. The Target Fund will assist the Acquiring Fund in obtaining such information as the Acquiring Fund reasonably requests concerning the beneficial ownership of the Target Fund’s Target Fund Shares.
5.5 Other Necessary Action. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund will take, or cause to be taken, all action, and do or cause to be done all things, reasonably necessary, proper or advisable to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
5.6 N-14 Registration Statement. The Target Fund will provide the Acquiring Fund with information regarding the Target Fund, and the Acquiring Fund will provide the Target Fund with information regarding the Acquiring Fund, reasonably necessary for the preparation of a prospectus/proxy statement to be included in a registration statement on Form N-14 (the “N-14 Registration Statement”), in compliance in all material respects with the provisions of the 1933 Act, 1934 Act and the 1940 Act and the rule and regulations thereunder, in connection with the meeting of the Target Fund Shareholders to consider and vote upon the approval of the Reorganization for the Target Fund.
5.7 Liquidating Distribution. Immediately after the Closing, the Target Fund will make a liquidating distribution to its Target Fund Shareholders consisting of the Acquiring Fund Shares received by the Target Fund at the Closing.
5.8 Best Efforts. The Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund shall use its reasonable best efforts to fulfill or obtain the fulfillment of the conditions precedent set forth in Article VI to effect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement as promptly as practicable.
5.9 Other Instruments. The Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, each covenants that it will, from time to time, as and when reasonably requested by the other party, execute and deliver or cause to be executed and delivered all such assignments and other instruments, and will take or cause to be taken such further action as the other party may reasonably deem necessary or desirable in order to vest in and confirm (a) the Target Fund’s title to and possession of the Acquiring Fund’s Acquiring Fund Shares to be delivered hereunder, and (b) the Acquiring Fund’s title to and possession of all the Assets of the Target Fund, and otherwise to carry out the intent and purpose of this Agreement.
5.10 Regulatory Approvals. The Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, will use all reasonable efforts to obtain the approvals and authorizations required by the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act and such of the state blue sky or securities laws as may be necessary in order to commence its operations after the Effective Time.
5.11 Qualification as a “Regulated Investment Company.” The Acquiring Fund (i) will take necessary steps to ensure it is treated as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (ii) will elect to be taxed as a “regulated investment company” (as such term is defined in Section 851(a) of the Code, and intends to qualify for the tax treatment afforded regulated investment companies under the Code for its taxable year that includes the Closing Date, and intends to continue to qualify for such treatment for its subsequent taxable years, (iii) intends to be eligible to compute its U.S. federal income tax under section 852
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of the Code for the taxable year that includes the Closing Date, and (iv) will be treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes for the taxable year that includes the Closing Date.
5.12 Qualification as a “Reorganization.” It is the intention of the parties that the Reorganization will qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1) of the Code, or any successor provision. None of the parties to this Agreement shall take any action or cause any action to be taken (including, without limitation, the filing of any tax return) that is inconsistent with such treatment or results in the failure of the Reorganization to qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1) of the Code. The Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund will comply with the record keeping and information filing requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.368-3.
5.13 Compliance with Section 15(f) of the 1940 Act. To the extent applicable, the Acquiring Entity and CrossingBridge will use best efforts to ensure that the Reorganization will comply with the safe harbor provisions of Section 15(f) of the 1940 Act. In particular, (a) the Acquiring Entity represents that at least 75% of the members of the Board of Trustees of the Acquiring Entity are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of CrossingBridge or RiverPark Advisors, LLC, the investment adviser to the Target Fund, and that, for a period of three (3) years after the Closing Date, any vacancies will be filled in a manner that maintains such composition; and (b) CrossingBridge agrees that for a period of at least two (2) years after the Closing Date, neither CrossingBridge nor any of its affiliates (or any entity that will act as investment adviser to the Acquiring Fund (or any successor)) will recommend that the Board of Trustees of the Acquiring Entity take any action that reasonably could be deemed to impose an “unfair burden” (within the meaning of Section 15(f) of the 1940 Act) on the Acquiring Fund (or any successor) as a result of the transactions contemplated hereby.
ARTICLE VI CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
6.1 Conditions Precedent to Obligations of the Target Entity. The obligations of the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject, at the Target Entity’s election, to the satisfaction or waiver of the following conditions:
(a) All representations and warranties of the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of itself or, where applicable, the Acquiring Fund, contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as of the Effective Time, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Effective Time.
(b) The Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, shall have delivered to the Target Fund a certificate executed in the name of the Acquiring Fund by its President or Vice President and its Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Target Entity, and dated as of the Effective Time, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of itself or, where applicable, the Acquiring Fund, made in this Agreement are true and correct at and as of the Effective Time, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and as to such other matters as the Target Entity may reasonably request.
(c) The Acquiring Entity and the Acquiring Fund shall have performed all of the covenants and complied with all of the provisions required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Acquiring Entity and the Acquiring Fund, on or before the Effective Time.
(d) The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund shall have agreed on the number of full and fractional Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued in connection with the Reorganization after such number has been calculated in accordance with paragraph 2.3.
(e) The Acquiring Entity’s Board of Trustees shall have approved this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby in accordance with Rule 17a-8 under the 1940 Act. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the Target Fund nor the Acquiring Fund may waive the conditions set forth in this paragraph 6.1(e).
(f) The Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and CrossingBridge shall have entered into an Operating Expense Limitation Agreement in form reasonably satisfactory to the Target Fund, which agreement shall remain in effect for a period of two years following the Closing.
(g) The Target Fund shall have obtained the requisite approval of shareholders with respect to the Reorganization and shall have otherwise satisfied all conditions to the closing of the Reorganization. No Closing will take effect unless the conditions precedent for the Reorganization have been satisfied or waived by the Board of Trustees of the Target Entity.
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(h) The Target Fund shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion from Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., counsel to the Acquiring Entity, dated as of such Closing Date, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Target Entity, covering the following points:
(i) The Acquiring Entity is validly existing in good standing as a statutory trust under the Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del. C. §§ 3801 et. seq.
(ii) The Acquiring Entity is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act, and, to such counsel’s knowledge, such registration with the Commission is in full force and effect.
(iii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Target Entity, is a valid and binding obligation of the Acquiring Entity on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, enforceable against the Acquiring Fund in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equity principles.
(iv) The Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued and delivered by the Acquiring Entity pursuant to this Agreement are duly authorized for issuance and, when issued and delivered as provided in this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(v) To the knowledge of such counsel, no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority of the United States or the State of Delaware is required for consummation by the Acquiring Fund of the transactions contemplated herein, except as have been obtained under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act, and as may be required under state securities laws (as to which such counsel expresses no opinion).
(vi) The execution and delivery of this Agreement did not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not, result in a violation of the Acquiring Entity’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust or any provision of any material agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease or other undertaking (in each case known to such counsel) to which the Acquiring Fund or the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, is a party or by which the Acquiring Fund or any of its properties may be bound or, to the knowledge of such counsel, result in the acceleration of any obligation or the imposition of any penalty, under any agreement, judgment, or decree to which the Acquiring Fund is a party or by which it is bound.
6.2 Conditions Precedent to Obligations of the Acquiring Entity. The obligations of the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject, at the Acquiring Entity’s election, to the satisfaction or waiver the following conditions:
(a) All representations and warranties of the Target Entity, on behalf of itself or, where applicable, the Target Fund, contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as of the Effective Time, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Effective Time.
(b) The Target Entity shall have caused to be prepared and delivered to the Acquiring Fund at least five (5) business days prior to the Closing Date a statement of the assets and the liabilities of the Target Fund as of such date for review and agreement by the parties to determine that the Assets and the Liabilities of the Target Fund are being correctly determined in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. The Target Entity shall have delivered to the Acquiring Fund at the Closing a statement of the Target Fund’s Assets and Liabilities, as of the Effective Time, that is prepared in accordance with GAAP and certified by the Treasurer of the Target Entity.
(c) The Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, shall have delivered to the Acquiring Fund a certificate executed in the name of the Target Fund by its President or Vice President and its Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Acquiring Fund and dated as of the Effective Time, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Target Entity, on behalf of itself or, where applicable, the Target Fund, made in this Agreement are true and correct at and as of the Effective Time, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and as to such other matters as the Acquiring Entity may reasonably request.
(d) The Target Entity and the Target Fund, shall have performed all of the covenants and complied with all of the provisions required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Target Entity and the Target Fund, on or before the Effective Time.
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(e) The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund shall have agreed on the number of full and fractional Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued in connection with the Reorganization after such number has been calculated in accordance with paragraph 2.3.
(f) contemplated hereby in accordance with Rule 17a-8 under the 1940 Act and approved the recommendation that the Target Fund shareholders approve the Agreement. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the Target Fund nor the Acquiring Fund may waive the conditions set forth in this paragraph 6.2(f).
(g) The Acquiring Fund shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion from Blank Rome LLP dated as of such Closing Date, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Acquiring Entity, covering the following points:
(i) The Target Entity is validly existing in good standing as a statutory trust under the Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del. C. §3801 et. seq.
(ii) The Target Entity is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act, and, to such counsel’s knowledge, such registration with the Commission is in full force and effect.
(iii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Acquiring Entity, is a valid and binding obligation of the Target Fund enforceable against the Target Fund in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equity principles.
(iv) The execution and delivery of this Agreement did not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not, result in a violation of the Target Entity’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended, or any provision of any material agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease or other undertaking (in each case known to such counsel) to which the Target Fund is a party or by which the Target Fund or any of its properties may be bound or, to the knowledge of such counsel, result in the acceleration of any obligation or the imposition of any penalty, under any agreement, judgment, or decree to which the Target Fund is a party or by which it is bound.
(v) To the knowledge of such counsel no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority of the United States or the State of Delaware is required for consummation by the Target Fund of the transactions contemplated herein, except as have been obtained under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act, and as may be required under state securities laws (as to which such counsel expresses no opinion).
6.3 Other Conditions Precedent. If any of the conditions set forth in this paragraph 6.3 have not been satisfied on or before the Effective Time, the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, or the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, shall, at its option, not be required to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(a) This Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein shall have been approved by the requisite vote of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Target Fund in accordance with the provisions of the Target Entity’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended, and By-Laws, applicable Delaware law and the 1940 Act and the regulations thereunder, and certified copies of the resolutions evidencing such approval shall have been delivered to the Acquiring Fund. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Acquiring Entity and the Target Entity, on behalf of either the Acquiring Fund or the Target Fund, respectively, may not waive the conditions set forth in this paragraph 6.3(a).
(b) At the Effective Time, no action, suit or other proceeding shall be pending or, to the knowledge of the Acquiring Entity or the Target Entity, threatened before any court or governmental agency in which it is sought to restrain or prohibit, or obtain damages or other relief in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein.
(c) All consents of other parties and all other consents, orders and permits of federal, state and local regulatory authorities deemed necessary by the Acquiring Entity and the Target Entity to permit consummation, in all material respects, of the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained, except where failure to obtain any such consent, order or permit would not involve a risk of a material adverse effect on the assets or properties of the Acquiring Fund or the Target Fund, provided that either party hereto may for itself waive any of such conditions.
(d) The Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and the Target Entity on behalf of the Target Fund, shall each have received an opinion of Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., in a form acceptable to Blank Rome LLP, as to federal income tax matters (the “Tax Opinion”) substantially to the effect that subject to the assumptions, exceptions,
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limitations, and qualifications set forth therein and conditioned on consummation of the Reorganization in accordance with this Agreement, for federal income tax purposes:
1.The Reorganization will constitute a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, and the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund will each be “a party to a reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code;
2.In accordance with Sections 361(a) and 357(a) of the Code, no gain or loss will be recognized by the Target Fund upon the transfer of all of its Assets to the Acquiring Fund solely in exchange for the Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all of the Liabilities of the Target Fund, and in accordance with Section 361(c) of the Code, no gain or loss will be recognized by the Target Fund upon the distribution of the Acquiring Fund Shares to the Target Fund Shareholders in exchange for their Target Fund Shares in complete liquidation of the Target Fund pursuant to the Reorganization;
3.In accordance with Section 1032 of the Code, no gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquiring Fund upon its receipt of all of the Assets of the Target Fund solely in exchange for the Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all of the Liabilities of the Target Fund;
4.In accordance with Section 354(a)(1) of the Code, no gain or loss will be recognized by the Target Fund Shareholders upon the receipt of the Acquiring Fund Shares solely in exchange for their Target Fund Shares as part of the Reorganization (including fractional shares to which they may be entitled);
5.In accordance with Section 358 of the Code, the aggregate tax basis of the Acquiring Fund Shares received by a Target Fund Shareholder (including fractional shares to which they may be entitled) pursuant to the Reorganization will be equal to the aggregate tax basis of the Target Fund Shares held by such Target Fund Shareholder immediately prior to the Reorganization;
6.In accordance with Section 1223 of the Code, the holding period of the Acquiring Fund Shares received by a Target Fund Shareholder (including fractional shares to which they may be entitled) will include the period during which the Target Fund Shares surrendered in exchange therefor were held by such Target Fund Shareholder, provided that the Target Fund Shares were held as a capital asset in the hands of such Target Fund Shareholder at the Effective Time;
7.In accordance with Section 362(b) of the Code, the tax basis of each Asset of the Target Fund acquired by the Acquiring Fund will be the same as the tax basis of such Asset immediately prior to the transfer thereof;
8.In accordance with Section 1223 of the Code, the holding period of each Asset of the Target Fund acquired by the Acquiring Fund will include the period during which that Asset was held by the Target Fund immediately prior to the transfer thereof;
9.The Reorganization will not result in the termination of the Target Fund’s taxable year, provided the Reorganization constitutes a reorganization under Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code; and
10.The Acquiring Fund will succeed to and take into account the items of the Target Fund, if any, described under Code Section 381(c), subject to the conditions and limitations specified in Sections 381, 382, 383 and 384 of the Code and the U.S. Treasury regulations thereunder, if applicable.
No opinion will be expressed as to whether any gain or loss will be recognized (1) on Assets in which gain or loss recognition is required by the Code even if the transaction otherwise constitutes a nontaxable transaction, (2) on “Section 1256 contracts” as defined in Section 1256(b) of the Code, (3) on stock in a “passive foreign investment company” as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code, (4) as a result of the closing of a taxable year (or termination thereof), if applicable, and (5) upon termination of a position. In addition, no opinion will be expressed as to any other federal, estate, gift, state, local, or foreign tax consequences that may result from the Reorganization.
The delivery of such opinion is conditioned upon receipt by Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. of customary representations it shall reasonably request of the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and of the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund. The Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and of the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, will cooperate to make and certify the accuracy of such representations. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither party may waive the condition set forth in this paragraph 6.3(d).
(e) The Target Custodian shall have delivered such certificates or other documents as set forth in paragraph 3.2(a).
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(f) The Target Transfer Agent shall have delivered to the Acquiring Entity a certificate of its authorized officer as set forth in paragraph 3.2(b).
(g) The Acquiring Fund shall have issued and delivered to the Secretary of the Target Fund the confirmation as set forth in paragraph 3.2(b).
(h) Each party shall have delivered to the other such bills of sale, checks, assignments, receipts or other documents as reasonably requested in writing by such other party or its counsel.
ARTICLE VII INDEMNIFICATION
7.1 Indemnification by the Acquiring Entity. The Acquiring Entity, solely out of the Acquiring Fund’s assets and property, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Target Entity, the Target Fund, and their trustees, officers, employees and agents (the “Target Entity Indemnified Parties”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including, without limitation, the payment of reasonable legal fees and reasonable costs of investigation) to which the Target Entity Indemnified Parties may become subject, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions with respect thereto) arises out of or is based on any breach by the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement, provided that this indemnification shall not apply to the extent such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions with respect thereto) shall be due to any negligent, intentional or fraudulent act, omission or error of the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, or its trustees, officers or agents.
7.2 Indemnification by the Target Entity. The Target Entity, solely out of the Target Fund’s assets and property, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Acquiring Entity, the Acquiring Fund, and their trustees, officers, employees and agents (the “Acquiring Entity Indemnified Parties”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including, without limitation, the payment of reasonable legal fees and reasonable costs of investigation) to which the Acquiring Entity Indemnified Parties may become subject, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions with respect thereto) arises out of or is based on any breach by the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement, provided that this indemnification shall not apply to the extent such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions with respect thereto) shall be due to any negligent, intentional or fraudulent act, omission or error of the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, or its trustees, officers or agents.
7.3 Liability of the Target Entity. The Acquiring Entity understands and agrees that the obligations of the Target Entity, on behalf of the Target Fund, under this Agreement shall not be binding upon any trustee, shareholder, nominee, officer, agent or employee of the Target Entity on behalf of the Target Entity personally, but bind only the Target Entity on behalf of the Target Fund and the Target Fund’s property. Moreover, no series of the Target Entity other than the Target Fund shall be responsible for the obligations of Target Entity hereunder, and all persons shall look only to the assets of the Target Fund to satisfy the obligations of the Target Fund hereunder. The Acquiring Entity represents that it has notice of the provisions of the Target Entity’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended, and applicable law disclaiming shareholder and director liability for acts or obligations of the Target Fund.
7.4 Liability of the Acquiring Entity. The Target Entity understands and agrees that the obligations of the Acquiring Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, under this Agreement shall not be binding upon any trustee, shareholder, nominee, officer, agent or employee of the Acquiring Entity on behalf of the Acquiring Entity personally, but bind only the Acquiring Entity on behalf of the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Fund’s property. Moreover, no series of the Acquiring Entity other than the Acquiring Fund shall be responsible for the obligations of the Acquiring Entity hereunder, and all persons shall look only to the assets of the Acquiring Fund to satisfy the obligations of the Acquiring Fund hereunder. The Target Entity represents that it has notice of the provisions of the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of the Acquiring Entity and applicable law disclaiming shareholder and trustee liability for acts or obligations of the Acquiring Fund.
ARTICLE VIII BROKERAGE FEES AND EXPENSES
8.1 No Broker or Finder Fees. The Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund represent and warrant to each other that there are no brokers or finders entitled to receive any payments in connection with the transactions provided for herein.
8.2 Expenses of Reorganization. Except as otherwise provided herein, all expenses that are solely and directly related to the Reorganization contemplated by this Agreement will be borne and paid by CrossingBridge. Such reorganization expenses include, but are not limited to: (a) costs and expenses incurred in connection with the entering into and the carrying out of the provisions of this Agreement including board materials and meetings; (b) expenses associated with the preparation and filing of the
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N-14 Registration Statement under the 1933 Act covering the Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement; (c) expenses associated with the preparation and filing of the Acquiring Fund’s registration statement on Form N-1A under the 1933 Act; (d) registration or qualification fees and expenses of preparing and filing such forms as are necessary under applicable state securities laws to qualify the Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued in connection herewith in each state in which the Target Fund’s shareholders are resident as of the date of the mailing of the N-14 Registration Statement to such shareholders; (e) postage; (f) printing; (g) accounting and auditing fees; and (h) legal fees including obtaining required opinions of counsel. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, (i) expenses will in any event be paid by the party directly incurring such expenses if and to the extent that the payment by another person of such expenses would result in the disqualification of the Target Fund or the Acquiring Fund as a “regulated investment company” within the meaning of Section 851 of the Code or the disqualification of the Reorganization as a tax-free reorganization under Section 368(a)(1) of the Code, and (ii) it is intended that CrossingBridge will pay or assume only those expenses that are solely and directly related to the Reorganization in accordance with the guidelines established in Revenue Ruling 73-54, 1973-1 C.B. 187.
ARTICLE IX AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION
9.1 Amendments. This Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented in such manner as may be deemed necessary or advisable by the authorized officers of the Acquiring Entity or the Target Entity, on behalf of either the Acquiring Fund or the Target Fund, respectively; provided, however, that, following the approval of this Agreement by the Target Fund Shareholders pursuant to paragraph 6.3(a) of this Agreement, no such amendment may have the effect of changing the provisions for determining the number of Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued to the Target Fund Shareholders under this Agreement to the detriment of such shareholders without their further approval.
9.2 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated and the transactions contemplated hereby may be abandoned by the mutual agreement of the parties without further action by the Target Entity’s Board of Trustees or the Acquiring Entity’s Board of Trustees or by resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Acquiring Entity or the Board of Trustees of the Target Entity, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund or the Target Fund, respectively, at any time prior to the Effective Time, if circumstances should develop that, in the opinion of such Board of Trustees, as applicable, make proceeding with this Agreement inadvisable. In the event of any such termination, in the absence of willful default, there shall be no liability for damages on the part of any party hereto.
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ARTICLE X NOTICES
Any notice, report, statement or demand required or permitted by any provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given by facsimile, electronic delivery (i.e., e-mail) personal service or prepaid or certified mail addressed as follows:
If to the Acquiring Entity:
Trust for Professional Managers
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 East Michigan Street, 2nd Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Attention: Jay S. Fitton, Secretary
Telephone: (513) 629-8104
Email: jay.fitton@usbank.com
With copies (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.
833 East Michigan Street, Suite 1800
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Attention: Christopher M. Cahlamer
Telephone: (414) 287-9338
Email: ccahlamer@gklaw.com
If to the Target Entity:
RiverPark Funds Trust
156 West 56th Street, 17th Floor
New York, New York 10019
Attention: Mordecai A. Schaja, Chief Executive Officer
Telephone: (212) 484-2100
Email: mschaja@riverparkfunds.com
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Blank Rome LLP
1271 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Attention: Thomas R. Westle
Telephone: (212) 885-5239
Email: thomas.westle@blankrome.com
If to CrossingBridge:
CrossingBridge Advisors, LLC
427 Bedford Rood, Suite 220
Pleasantville, New York 10570
Attention: David K. Sherman, Manager
Telephone: (914) 228-5062
Email: dsherman@crossingbridge.com
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ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS
11.1 Entire Agreement. The Target Entity and the Acquiring Entity agree that they have not made any representation, warranty or covenant, on behalf of either the Target Fund or the Acquiring Fund, respectively, not set forth herein, and that this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties.
11.2 Survival. Except for the covenants set forth in Sections 1.4, 5.5, 5.7, 5.9, 5.11, 5.12, 5.13, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 8.2, and 11.2 of this Agreement, the representations, warranties and covenants contained in this Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant hereto or in connection herewith shall not survive the Closing.
11.3 Headings. The Article and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
11.4 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its principles of conflicts of laws.
11.5 Assignment. This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, but no assignment or transfer hereof or of any rights or obligations hereunder shall be made by any party without the written consent of the other party. Nothing herein expressed or implied is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any person, firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement.
11.6 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all taken together shall constitute one agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be executed as of the [•] day of [•], 2023.
RIVERPARK FUNDS TRUST on behalf of its series listed on Exhibit A By: Name: Mordecai A. Schaja Title: Presiden | TRUST FOR PROFESSIONAL MANAGERS on behalf of its series listed on Exhibit A By: Name: John P. Buckel Title: Presiden | ||||
Solely for purposes of paragraph 8.2 CROSSINGBRIDGE ADVISORS, LLC By: Name: David K. Sherman Title: Manage |
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Exhibit A
Chart of Reorganization
RiverPark Funds Trust | Trust for Professional Managers | ||||
Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | ||||
RiverPark Strategic Income Fund | RiverPark Strategic Income Fund |
Share Class Mapping
Target Fund Share Class | Acquiring Fund Share Class | ||||
Retail Class Shares | Retail Class Shares | ||||
Institutional Class Shares | Institutional Class Shares |
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APPENDIX B - FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TARGET FUND
The Acquiring Fund will adopt the financial statements of the Target Fund, the accounting survivor of the Reorganization. The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Target Fund’s financial performance for the past five fiscal years and are included in the Target Fund’s prospectus which is incorporated herein by reference. The audited and unaudited financials of the Target Fund are also included in the Target Fund’s Annual Report, which is also incorporated herein by reference.
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APPENDIX C - OWNERSHIP OF SHARES OF THE TARGET FUND
As of the Record Date, the Target Fund’s shareholders of record and/or beneficial owners (to RiverPark Trust’s knowledge) who owned 5% or more of the Target Fund’s shares are set forth below:
Retail Class Shares | ||||||||||||||
Name and Address | % Ownership | Type of Ownership | Parent Company | Jurisdiction |
[ ]
Institutional Class Shares | ||||||||||||||
Name and Address | % Ownership | Type of Ownership | Parent Company | Jurisdiction |
[ ]
As of the Record Date, the Officers and Trustees of RiverPark Trust, as a group, owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Target Fund.
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APPENDIX D - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACQUIRING FUND
Below is information about the manner in which the Fund offers shares. All references to a “Fund” in this Appendix D refer to the Acquiring Fund.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund |
Before investing in the Fund, you should carefully consider your own investment goals, the amount of time you are willing to leave your money invested, and the amount of risk you are willing to take. Remember, in addition to possibly not achieving your investment goals, you could lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. The Fund is subject to the following risks:
Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are subject to risk of prepayment. This is more likely to occur when interest rates fall because many borrowers refinance mortgages to take advantage of more favorable rates. Prepayments on mortgage- backed securities are also affected by other factors, such as the volume of home sales. The Fund’s yield will be reduced if cash from prepaid securities is reinvested in securities with lower interest rates. The risk of prepayment may also decrease the value of mortgage-backed securities. Asset-backed securities may have a higher level of default and recovery risk than mortgage-backed securities. However, both of these types of securities may decline in value because of mortgage foreclosures or defaults on the underlying obligations. Enforcing rights against the underlying assets or collateral may be difficult, or the underlying assets or collateral may be insufficient if the issuer defaults. The values of certain types of mortgage-backed securities, such as inverse floaters and interest-only and principal-only securities, may be extremely sensitive to changes in interest rates and prepayment rates. Asset-backed and mortgage- backed securities are also subject to extension risk, the risk that rising interest rates could cause prepayments to decrease, extending the life of asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities with lower payment rates. Mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) generally are classified as either commercial MBS (“CMBS”) or residential MBS (“RMBS”), each of which are subject to certain specific risks. RMBS are subject to the risks generally associated with fixed-income securities and mortgage-backed securities. Delinquencies and defaults by borrowers in payments on the underlying mortgages, and the related losses, are affected by general economic conditions, the borrower’s equity in the mortgaged property and the borrower’s financial circumstances. The market for CMBS developed more recently and is relatively small compared to the market for RMBS. CMBS may lack standardized terms, have shorter maturities than residential mortgage loans and may provide for payment of all or substantially all of the principal only at maturity rather than regular amortization of principal. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances are more likely to have an adverse impact on MBS secured by loans on commercial properties than on those secured by loans on residential properties.
Bank Loans Risk. The secondary market for bank loans is a private, unregulated inter-dealer or inter-bank resale market. Purchases and sales of loans are generally subject to contractual restrictions that must be satisfied before a loan can be bought or sold. These restrictions may impede the Fund’s ability to buy or sell loans and may negatively impact the transaction price. It may take longer than seven days for transactions in loans to settle. The Fund may hold cash, sell investments or temporarily borrow from banks or other lenders to meet short-term liquidity needs due to the extended loan settlement process, such as to satisfy redemption requests from Fund shareholders.
Investments in bank loans are typically in the form of an assignment or participation. Investors in a loan participation assume the credit risk associated with the borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an
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interposed financial intermediary. Accordingly, if a lead lender becomes insolvent or a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could experience delays in receiving payments or suffer a loss. In an assignment, the Fund effectively become a lender under the loan agreement with the same rights and obligations as the assigning bank or other financial intermediary. Accordingly, if the loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral, and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. Due to their lower place in the borrower’s capital structure and possible unsecured status, junior loans involve a higher degree of overall risk than senior loans of the same borrower. In addition, the floating rate feature of loans means that bank loans will not generally experience capital appreciation in a declining interest rate environment. Declines in interest rates may also increase prepayments of debt obligations and require the Fund to invest assets at lower yields.
U.S. federal securities laws afford certain protections against fraud and misrepresentation in connection with the offering or sale of a security, as well as against manipulation of trading markets for securities. The typical practice of a lender in relying exclusively or primarily on reports from the borrower may involve the risk of fraud, misrepresentation, or market manipulation by the borrower. It is unclear whether U.S. federal securities law protections are available to an investment in a loan. In certain circumstances, loans may not be deemed to be securities, and in the event of fraud or misrepresentation by a borrower, lenders may not have the protection of the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws. However, contractual provisions in the loan documents may offer some protections, and lenders may also avail themselves of common-law fraud protections under applicable state law.
Below Investment Grade Securities Risks (commonly referred to as “junk” bonds). Fixed-income instruments that are or are deemed to be the equivalent in terms of quality to securities rated below investment grade by nationally recognized statistical rating agencies are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligations and involve major risk to adverse conditions. These securities offer higher returns than bonds with higher ratings as compensation for holding an obligation of an issuer perceived to be less creditworthy. The market prices of such securities are also subject to abrupt and erratic market movements and above-average price volatility, and the spread between the bid and asked prices of such securities may be greater than those prevailing in other securities markets. Changes in economic conditions or developments regarding issuers of non-investment grade debt securities are more likely to cause price volatility and weaken the capacity of such issuers to make principal and interest payments than is the case for higher grade debt securities. In addition, the market for lower grade debt securities may be thinner and less active than for higher grade debt securities.
Credit Risk. Debt portfolios are subject to credit risk. Credit risk refers to the likelihood that an issuer will default in the payment of principal and/or interest on an instrument. Financial strength and solvency of an issuer are the primary factors influencing credit risk. In addition, lack or inadequacy of collateral or credit enhancement for a debt instrument may affect its credit risk. Credit risk may change over the life of an instrument, and debt obligations which are rated by rating agencies are often reviewed and may be subject to downgrade.
Convertible Securities Risk. A convertible security is a fixed income security (a debt instrument or a preferred stock) that may be converted at a stated price within a specified period of time into a certain quantity of the common stock of the same or a different issuer. The market value of a convertible security will perform the same as a regular fixed income security; that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of the convertible security falls. Convertible securities are senior to common stock in an issuer’s capital structure, but are subordinated to any senior debt securities. As a result, in the event of a liquidation of the issuing company, holders of convertible securities generally would be paid after the company’s creditors but before the company’s common shareholders.
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Consequently, an issuer’s convertible securities generally may be viewed as having more risk than its debt securities but less risk than its common stock. While providing a fixed income stream (generally higher in yield than the income derivable from common stock but lower than that afforded by a similar non-convertible security), a convertible security also gives an investor the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the issuing company depending upon a market price advance in the convertible security’s underlying common stock. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to surrender the security for redemption, convert it into the issuing company’s common stock or cash at a time that may be unfavorable to the Fund.
Cybersecurity Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet to conduct business, the Fund is susceptible to operational, information security, and related risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber incidents affecting the Fund or its service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, impediments to trading, the inability of shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and service providers for shareholders) and other parties. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. While the Fund’s service providers have established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber incidents, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by their service providers or any other third parties whose operations may affect the Fund or its shareholders. As a result, the Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted.
Distressed Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in securities of companies that are experiencing significant financial or business difficulties, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. Although such investments may result in significant returns to the Fund, they involve a substantial degree of risk. Any one or all of the issuers of the securities in which the Fund may invest may be unsuccessful or not show any return for a considerable period of time. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties is unusually high. There is no assurance that the Adviser will correctly evaluate the value of the assets collateralizing the Fund’s loans or the prospects for a successful reorganization or similar action. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company in which the Fund invests, the Fund may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than the Fund’s original investment. Under such circumstances, the returns generated from the Fund’s investments may not adequately compensate for the risks assumed. In addition, there is no minimum credit standard that is a prerequisite to the Fund’s investments in any instrument, and a significant portion of the obligations and preferred stock in which the Fund invests may be less than investment grade.
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Equity Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in equity securities, securities with exposure to equity securities or indices comprised of equity securities. Although investments in equity securities, such as stocks, historically have been a leading choice for long-term investors, the values of stocks rise and fall depending on many factors. The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions) or to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry). Market and economic factors may adversely affect securities markets generally, which could in turn adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments, regardless of the performance or expected performance of companies in which the Funds invest.
Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk. The Fund’s investment in equity securities may include investments in small or medium capitalization companies. The risks associated with these investments are generally greater than those associated with investments in the securities of larger, more well-established companies. This may cause the Fund’s share price to be more volatile when compared to investment companies that focus only on large capitalization companies. Securities of small or medium capitalization companies are more likely to experience sharper swings in market values, less liquid markets in which it may be more difficult for the Adviser to sell at times and at prices that the Adviser believes appropriate and generally are more volatile than those of larger capitalization companies. Compared to large cap companies, smaller cap companies are more likely to have (i) less information publicly available, (ii) more limited product lines or markets and less mature businesses, (iii) fewer capital resources, (iv) more limited management depth and (v) shorter operating histories. Further, the equity securities of smaller companies are often traded over-the-counter and generally experience a lower trading volume than is typical for securities that are traded on a national securities exchange. Consequently, the Fund may be required to dispose of these securities over a longer period of time (and potentially at less favorable prices) than would be the case for securities of larger companies, offering greater potential for gains and losses and associated tax consequences.
Fixed Income Securities Market Risk. Difficult conditions in the broader financial markets have in the past resulted in a temporary but significant contraction in liquidity for fixed income securities. Liquidity relates to the ability of the Fund to sell its investments in a timely manner at a price approximately equal to its value on the Fund’s books. To the extent that the market for fixed income securities suffers such a contraction, securities that were considered liquid at the time of investment could become temporarily illiquid, and the Adviser may experience delays or difficulty in selling assets at the prices at which the Fund carries such assets, which may result in a loss to the Fund. There is no way to predict reliably when such market conditions could re-occur or how long such conditions could persist.
In the event of a severe market contraction precipitated by general market turmoil, economic conditions, changes in prevailing interest rates or otherwise, coupled with extraordinary levels of Fund shareholder redemption requests, the Fund may have to consider selling its holdings at a loss including at prices below the current value on the Fund’s books, borrowing money to satisfy redemption requests in accordance with the Fund’s borrowing policy or postponing payment of redemption requests for up to seven days or longer, as permitted by applicable law, or other extraordinary measures. In addition, if the Fund needed to sell large blocks of investments to meet shareholder redemption requests or to raise cash, those sales could further reduce prices, particularly for lower-rated and unrated securities.
Fixed Income Securities Risk. The Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in fixed income securities. Fixed income securities are subject to credit risk and market risk, including interest rate risk. There is no limitation
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on the maturities of fixed income securities in which the Fund invests. Securities having longer maturities generally involve greater risk of fluctuations in value resulting from changes in interest rates.
Foreign Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in foreign securities, including direct investments in securities of foreign issuers and investments in depositary receipts (such as ADRs) that represent indirect interests in securities of foreign issuers. These investments involve certain risks not generally associated with investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Public information available concerning foreign issuers may be more limited than would be with respect to domestic issuers. Different accounting standards may be used by foreign issuers, and foreign trading markets may not be as liquid as U.S. markets. Foreign securities also involve such risks as currency fluctuation risk, delays in transaction settlements, possible imposition of withholding or confiscatory taxes, possible currency transfer restrictions, and the difficulty of enforcing obligations in other countries. With any investment in foreign securities, there exist certain economic, political and social risks, including the risk of adverse political developments, nationalization, confiscation without fair compensation and war.
For example, the United Kingdom (UK) withdrew from the European Union (EU) on January 31, 2020 following a June 2016 referendum referred to as “Brexit.” Although the UK and EU agreed to a provisional trade deal in December 2020 that was later ratified by the EU Parliament and entered into force on May 1, 2021, certain post-EU arrangements, such as those relating to the offering of cross-border financial services and sharing of cross-border data, have yet to be reached and the EU’s willingness to grant equivalency to the UK remains uncertain. There is significant market uncertainty regarding Brexit’s ramifications, and the range of possible political, regulatory, economic and market outcomes are difficult to predict. The uncertainty surrounding the UK’s economy, and its legal, political, and economic relationship with the remaining member states of the EU, may cause considerable disruption in securities markets, including decreased liquidity and increased volatility, as well as currency fluctuations in the British pound’s exchange rate against the U.S. dollar.
Forward Currency Contracts Risk. The Fund may enter into forward currency contracts. A forward currency contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. For example, the Funds might purchase a particular currency or enter into a forward currency contract to preserve the U.S. dollar price of securities it intends to or has contracted to purchase. Alternatively, it might sell a particular currency on either a spot or forward basis to hedge against an anticipated decline in the dollar value of securities it intends to or has contracted to sell. Although this strategy could minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, it could also limit any potential gain from an increase in the value of the currency.
General Market Risk. The market value of a security may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. These fluctuations may cause a security to be worth less than the price originally paid for it, or less than it was worth at an earlier time. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, sector of the economy or the market as a whole. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibilities that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. The securities markets have experienced substantially lower valuations, reduced liquidity, price volatility, credit downgrades, increased likelihood of default, and valuation difficulties, all of which may increase the risks of investing in securities held by the Fund.
Interest Rate Risk. The prices of securities in general and fixed-income securities in particular tend to be sensitive to interest rate fluctuations. Increases in interest rates can result in significant declines in the prices of fixed-income securities. Securities with floating interest rates generally are less sensitive to interest rate changes but
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may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. The negative impact on fixed income securities generally from rate increases, regardless of the cause, could be swift and significant, which could result in losses by the Fund, even if anticipated by the Adviser.
LIBOR Replacement Risk. The Fund may invest in securities whose interest payments are determined by reference to LIBOR with provisions for conversion to an alternate reference rate should LIBOR no longer be available. The United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, announced that it will cease its active encouragement of banks to provide the quotations needed to sustain LIBOR. As a result, plans are underway to phase out the use of LIBOR. Alternatives to LIBOR are in development in many major financial markets. For example, the U.S. Alternative Rates Reference Committee has identified the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR), a broad measure of secured overnight U.S. Treasury repo rates, as its preferred replacement. The unavailability of LIBOR and the transition to an alternate reference rate presents risks to the Fund, including the risk that any pricing or adjustments to the Fund’s investments may increase volatility and adversely affect the Fund’s performance. It remains uncertain how such changes will be implemented and the effects such changes would have on the Funds and financial markets generally. This uncertainty creates operational risks and may negatively affect the Fund’s liquidity.
Management Risk. The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to the Adviser’s investment strategies for the Fund. The value of your investment in the Fund may vary with the effectiveness of the Adviser’s research, analysis and asset allocation among portfolio securities. If the Adviser’s investment strategies do not produce the expected results, your investment could be diminished or even lost.
Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” their portfolios). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance.
Preferred Stock Risk. The value of preferred stocks may decline due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular company or to factors affecting a particular industry or industries. Preferred stocks may be more volatile than fixed income securities and are more correlated with the issuer’s underlying common stock than fixed income securities. While most preferred stocks pay a dividend, the Fund may purchase preferred stock where the issuer has omitted, or is in danger of omitting, payment of its dividend.
Recent Markets Events Risk. U.S. and international markets have experienced volatility in recent months and years due to a number of economic, political and global macro factors, including rising inflation and the impact of COVID‑19, which has resulted in a public health crisis, business interruptions, growth concerns in the U.S. and overseas, supply chain shortages and labor shortages. The recovery from COVID-19 is proceeding at slower than expected rates and may last for a prolonged period of time. Uncertainties regarding inflation, interest rates, political events, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, rising government debt in the U.S. and trade tensions have also contributed to market volatility.
Additionally, a rise in protectionist trade policies, slowing global economic growth, risks associated with epidemic and pandemic diseases, risks associated with the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, the risk of trade disputes, and the possibility of changes to some international trade agreements, could affect the economies of many nations, including the United States, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present
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time. Continuing market volatility as a result of recent market conditions or other events may have adverse effects on your account.
Short Sales Risk. A short sale is the sale by the Fund of a security which it does not own in anticipation of purchasing the same security in the future at a lower price to close the short position. A short sale will be successful if the price of the shorted security decreases. However, if the underlying security goes up in price during the period in which the short position is outstanding, the Fund will realize a loss. The risk on a short sale is unlimited because the Fund must buy the shorted security at the higher price to complete the transaction. Therefore, short sales may be subject to greater risks than investments in long positions. With a long position, the maximum sustainable loss is limited to the amount paid for the security plus the transaction costs, whereas there is no maximum attainable price of the shorted security. The Fund would also incur increased transaction costs associated with selling securities short. In addition, if the Fund sells securities short, it must maintain a segregated account with its custodian containing cash or high-grade securities equal to (i) the greater of the current market value of the securities sold short or the market value of such securities at the time they were sold short, less (ii) any collateral deposited with the Fund’s broker (not including the proceeds from the short sales).
Sovereign Debt Risk. The Fund may invest in securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governmental entities (known as sovereign debt securities). These investments are subject to the risk of payment delays or defaults, due, for example, to cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, large debt positions relative to the country’s economy, or failure to implement economic reforms. There is no legal or bankruptcy process for collecting sovereign debt.
Certain issuers of sovereign debt may be dependent on disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest liabilities on their debt. Such disbursements may be conditioned upon a debtor’s implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor’s obligations. A failure on the part of the debtor to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties’ commitments to lend funds to the debtor, which may impair the debtor’s ability to service its debts on a timely basis. As a holder of sovereign debt, the Fund may be requested to participate in the restructuring of such sovereign indebtedness, including the rescheduling of payments and the extension of further loans to debtors, which may adversely affect the Fund. There can be no assurance that such restructuring will result in the repayment of all or part of the debt.
SPAC Risk. The Fund may invest in stock, warrants, and other securities of SPACs or similar special purpose entities that pool funds to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less a portion retained to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. If an acquisition that meets the requirements for the SPAC is not completed within a pre-established period of time, the invested funds are returned to the entity’s shareholders. Because SPACs and similar entities have no operating history or underlying business other than seeking an acquisition, the value of their securities is dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable business combination. Some SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. In recent market conditions, SPACs have been subject to significant price volatility. In addition, these securities may be considered illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale.
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Non-Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund |
Illiquid Investments Risk. Illiquid investments include any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or dispositions significantly changing the market value of the investment, and include repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days. Illiquid investments involve the risk that the securities will not be able to be sold at the time desired by the Adviser or at prices approximating the value at which the Fund is carrying the securities.
Collateralized Loan Obligation (“CLO”) and Privately Issued Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in CLOs as a non-principal investment strategy. CLOs and other similarly structured securities are types of asset-backed securities. The cash flows from the CLO trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default. Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from a CLO trust typically has higher ratings and lower yields than the underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults and aversion to CLO securities as a class. The risks of an investment in a CLO depend largely on the collateral and the class of the CLO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CLOs and other similarly structured securities are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws.
The Fund may also invest in privately-issued securities, including those that may be resold only in accordance with Rule 144A or Regulation S under the 1933 Act (“Restricted Securities”). Restricted Securities are not publicly traded and are subject to a variety of restrictions, which limit a purchaser’s ability to acquire or resell such securities. Accordingly, the liquidity of the market for specific Restricted Securities may vary. Delay or difficulty in selling such securities may result in a loss to the Fund.
Insolvency Risk. The Fund’s investments in fixed income securities may be subject to various laws enacted in the jurisdiction or state of the borrower for the protection of creditors. If an unpaid creditor files a lawsuit seeking payment, the court may invalidate all or part of the borrower’s debt as a fraudulent conveyance, subordinate such indebtedness to existing or future creditors of the borrower or recover amounts previously paid by the borrower in satisfaction of such indebtedness, based on certain tests for borrower insolvency and other facts and circumstances, which may vary by jurisdiction. There can be no assurance as to what standard a court would apply in order to determine whether the borrower was “insolvent” after giving effect to the incurrence of the indebtedness, or that regardless of the method of valuation, a court would not determine that the borrower was “insolvent” after giving effect to such incurrence. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of a borrower, payments made on fixed income securities could be subject to avoidance as a “preference” if made within a certain period of time (which may be as long as one year and one day) before insolvency.
Trade Versus Settlement Risk. The Fund may invest in securities that have varied settlement terms and dates. The longer the amount of time between trade date and settlement date the greater the risk that settlement will occur on a timely basis.
Portfolio Holdings Information |
A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Disclosure of the Fund’s holdings
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is required to be made quarterly within 60 days of the end of each fiscal quarter in the annual and semi-annual reports to Fund shareholders and in the quarterly holdings report on Part F of Form N-PORT. The annual and semi-annual reports to Fund shareholders are available free of charge by contacting the CrossingBridge Funds, c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 or calling 888-898-2780, or by visiting the Fund’s website at www.crossingbridgefunds.com. Part F of Form N-PORT is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Management of the Fund |
The Adviser |
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has entered into an investment advisory agreement (“Advisory Agreement”) with CrossingBridge Advisors, LLC, located at 427 Bedford Road, Suite 220, Pleasantville, NY 10570. The Adviser is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC and was formed in December 2016. As of August 11, 2022, the Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ENDI Corp. (“ENDI”). The Adviser and its affiliates have managed a variety of credit-related investment vehicles and/or accounts since 1996. As of December 31, 2022, the Adviser managed over $1.27 billion in assets and total assets managed by the Adviser and its affiliates was over $2.56 billion. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has overall responsibility for the general management and investment of the Fund’s portfolio, subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees. The Fund compensates the Adviser for its services at the annual rate of 0.65% of its average annual net assets, payable on a monthly basis in arrears.
Fund Expenses. The Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses; however, pursuant to an operating expense limitation agreement between the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, the Adviser has agreed to waive its management fees and/or reimburse expenses of the Fund to ensure that the total amount of the Fund’s operating expenses (exclusive of Excluded Expenses) does not exceed 0.82% of the average net assets of the Fund through at least [...], 2025 for the Fund, and subject to annual re-approval of the agreement by the Board of Trustees thereafter. Any waiver of management fees or payment of expenses made by the Adviser may be reimbursed by the Fund in subsequent years if the Adviser so requests. This reimbursement may be requested if the aggregate amount actually paid by the Fund toward operating expenses for such fiscal year (taking into account the reimbursement) does not exceed the applicable limitation on Fund expenses at the time of the waiver. The Adviser may request recoupment of previously waived fees and paid expenses from the Fund for three years from the date such fees and expenses were waived or paid, subject to the operating expense limitation agreement and is permitted to be reimbursed for fee reductions and/or expense payments made in the prior three years, if such reimbursement will not cause the Fund’s expense ratio, after recoupment has been taken into account, to exceed the lesser of: (1) the expense limitation in place at the time of the waiver and/or expense payment; or (2) the expense limitation in place at the time of the recoupment. Any such reimbursement will be reviewed by the Board of Trustees. The operating expense limitation agreement can be terminated only by, or with the consent of, the Board of Trustees.
A discussion regarding the basis of the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, will be included in the Fund’s first annual or semi-annual report to shareholders.
In addition to the Fund, the Adviser also serves as investment adviser to the CrossingBridge Low Duration High Yield Fund, the CrossingBridge Ultra-Short Duration Fund, the CrossingBridge Responsible Credit Fund, and the CrossingBridge Pre-Merger SPAC ETF, each a separate series of the Trust, which are currently offered in separate prospectuses.
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Shareholder Information |
Choosing a Share Class |
The Fund offers Institutional Class and Retail Class shares. The different classes of shares represent investments in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes are subject to different expenses and may have different share prices as outlined below.
Institutional Class Shares. Institutional Class shares are offered for sale at NAV without the imposition of a sales charge or Rule 12b-1 distribution fee. Institutional Class shares are subject to a shareholder servicing fee at an annual rate not to exceed 0.15% of a Fund’s average daily net assets, attributable to Institutional Class shares. Currently, the shareholder servicing fee is 0.11%; however, the fee may be increased to 0.15% of a Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Institutional Class shares at any time. Institutional Class shares are offered primarily to institutions such as pension and profit sharing plans, employee benefit trusts, endowments, foundations, corporations and high net worth individuals. Institutional Class shares may also be offered through certain financial intermediaries that charge their customers transaction or other distribution or service fees with respect to their customer’s investments in the Fund. Pension and profit sharing plans, employee trusts and employee benefit plan alliances and “wrap account” or “managed fund” programs established with broker-dealers or financial intermediaries that maintain an omnibus or pooled account for the Fund and do not require the Fund to pay a fee, generally may purchase Institutional Class shares, subject to investment minimums.
Retail Class Shares. Retail Class shares of the Fund are offered for sale at NAV without the imposition of a sales charge. Retail Class shares are subject to a 0.25% Rule 12b-1 distribution fee on an annual basis. Retail Class shares of the Fund are also subject to a shareholder servicing fee at an annual rate not to exceed 0.15% of a Fund’s average daily net assets, attributable to Retail Class shares. Currently, the shareholder servicing fee is 0.11%; however, the fee may be increased to 0.15% of a Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Retail Class shares at any time. As a result, Retail Class shares pay higher annual expenses than Institutional Class shareholders.
Distribution Plan (Rule 12b-1 Plan) |
The Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay the Distributor, or such other entities as approved by the Board of Trustees, Rule 12b-1 distribution fees for the costs and services it provides and expenses it bears in the sale and distribution of Retail Class shares of the Fund (the “Rule 12b-1 Fee”). The maximum annual rate of the Rule 12b-1 Fee is 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Retail Class shares. Amounts received under the Plan may be paid to other persons, including the Adviser, for any distribution or service activity. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets attributable to Retail Class shares on an on-going basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the Fund and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
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Shareholder Servicing Plan |
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has also adopted a Shareholder Servicing Plan that allows the Fund to make payments to financial intermediaries and other persons for certain personal services for shareholders and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The shares of the Fund are subject to shareholder servicing fee at an annual rate not to exceed 0.15% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Institutional Class and Retail Class shares. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the Fund and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Share Price |
The price of the Fund’s shares is its NAV. The NAV is calculated by dividing the value of the Fund’s total assets, less its liabilities, by the number of its shares outstanding. In calculating the NAV, portfolio securities are valued using current market values or official closing prices, if available. The NAV is calculated at the close of regular trading on the NYSE, (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). The NAV will not be calculated on days on which the NYSE is closed for trading. If the NYSE closes early, the Fund will calculate the NAV as of the close of trading on the NYSE on that day. If an emergency exists as permitted by the SEC, the NAV may be calculated at a different time.
Each equity security owned by the Fund, including shares of closed-end funds, that is listed on a national securities exchange, except for portfolio securities listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (“NASDAQ”), is valued at its last sale price on that exchange on the close of that exchange on the date as of which assets are valued. If a security is listed on more than one exchange, the Fund will use the price on the exchange that the Fund generally considers to be the principal exchange on which the security is traded.
Portfolio securities listed on NASDAQ will be valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price (“NOCP”), which may not necessarily represent the last sale price. If the NOCP is not available, such securities shall be valued at the last sell price on the day of valuation. If there has been no sale on such exchange or on NASDAQ on such day, the security is valued at the mean between the most recent quoted bid and asked prices at the close of the exchange on such day or the security is valued at the latest sales price on the “composite market” for the day such security is being valued. The composite market is defined as the consolidation of the trade information provided by national securities and foreign exchanges and over-the-counter (“OTC”) markets as published by an approved independent pricing service (“Pricing Service”).
Exchange-traded options are valued at the composite price, using the National Best Bid and Offer quotes. If there are no trades for the option on a given business day, composite option pricing calculates the mean of the highest bid price and lowest ask price across the exchanges where the option is traded. Option contracts on securities, currencies and other financial instruments traded in the OTC market with less than 180 days remaining until their expiration are valued at the evaluated price provided by the broker-dealer with which the option was traded. Option contracts on securities, currencies and other financial instruments traded in the OTC market with 180 days or more remaining until their expiration are valued at the prices provided by a recognized independent broker-dealer.
Debt securities, including short-term debt securities having a maturity of 60 days or less, are valued at the mean in accordance with prices supplied by a Pricing Service. Pricing Services may use various valuation
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methodologies such as the mean between the bid and ask prices, matrix pricing method or other analytical pricing models as well as market transactions and dealer quotations. If a price is not available from a Pricing Service, the most recent quotation obtained from one or more broker-dealers known to follow the issue will be obtained. Quotations will be valued at the mean between the bid and the offer. Fixed income securities purchased on a delayed-delivery basis are typically marked to market daily until settlement at the forward settlement date. Any discount or premium is accreted or amortized using the constant yield method until maturity. Forward currency contracts are valued at the mean between the bid and asked prices.
If market quotations are not readily available or deemed unreliable, a security or other asset will be valued at its fair value as determined under the Adviser’s fair value pricing procedures subject to oversight by the Board of Trustees. These fair value pricing procedures will also be used to price a security when corporate events, events in the securities market or world events cause the Adviser to believe that the security’s last sale price may not reflect its actual fair market value. The intended effect of using fair value pricing procedures is to ensure that the Fund’s shares are accurately priced. The Adviser will regularly evaluate whether the Fund’s fair value pricing procedures continue to be appropriate in light of the specific circumstances of the Fund and the quality of prices obtained.
When fair value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by the Fund to calculate its NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Due to the subjective and variable nature of fair value pricing, it is possible that the fair value determined for a particular security may be materially different (higher or lower) from the price of the security quoted or published by others or the value when trading resumes or realized upon its sale. Therefore, if a shareholder purchases or redeems Fund shares when the Fund holds securities priced at a fair value, the number of shares purchased or redeemed may be higher or lower than it would be if the Fund were using market-value pricing. The Adviser anticipates that the Fund’s portfolio holdings will be fair valued only if market quotations for those holdings are not readily available or considered unreliable.
In the case of foreign securities, the occurrence of certain events after the close of foreign markets, but prior to the time the Fund’s NAV is calculated (such as a significant surge or decline in the U.S. or other markets) often will result in an adjustment to the trading prices of foreign securities when foreign markets open on the following business day. If such events occur, the Fund will value foreign securities at fair value, taking into account such events, in calculating the NAV. In such cases, use of these evaluated prices can reduce an investor’s ability to seek to profit by estimating the Fund’s NAV in advance of the time the NAV is calculated. In the event the Fund holds portfolio securities that trade in foreign markets or that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares, the Fund’s NAV may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares.
How to Purchase Shares |
All purchase requests received in good order by the Fund’s transfer agent, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the “Transfer Agent”) or by an authorized financial intermediary (an “Authorized Intermediary,” as defined below) before the close of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) will be processed at that day’s NAV per share. Purchase requests received by the Transfer Agent or an Authorized Intermediary after the close of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) will receive the next business day’s NAV per share. Purchase requests received by the Transfer Agent or an Authorized Intermediary after the close of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) will receive the next business day’s NAV per share. An Authorized Intermediary is a financial intermediary (or its authorized designee) that has made arrangements with the Fund to receive purchase and redemption orders on its behalf (“Authorized Intermediary”). For additional information about purchasing shares through financial intermediaries, please see “Purchasing Shares Through a Financial Intermediary,” below.
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All account applications (each an “Account Application”) to purchase Fund shares are subject to acceptance by the Fund and are not binding until so accepted. It is the policy of the Fund not to accept applications under certain circumstances or in amounts considered disadvantageous to shareholders. Your order will not be accepted until the Fund or the Transfer Agent receives a completed Account Application in good order. The Fund reserves the right to reject any Account Application.
The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order or suspend the offering of shares if, in its discretion, it is in the Fund’s best interest to do so. For example, a purchase order may be refused if it appears so large that it would disrupt the management of the Fund. Purchases may also be rejected from persons believed to be “market-timers,” as described under the section entitled “Tools to Combat Frequent Transactions,” below. In addition, a service fee, which is currently $25, as well as any loss sustained by the Fund, will be deducted from a shareholder’s account for any payment that is returned to the Transfer Agent unpaid. Written notice of a rejected purchase order will be provided to the investor within one or two business days under normal circumstances. The Fund and the Transfer Agent will not be responsible for any losses, liability, cost or expense resulting from rejecting any purchase order. Your order will not be accepted until a completed Account Application is received by the Funds or the Transfer Agent.
Shares of the Fund have not been registered for sale outside of the United States. The Fund generally does not sell shares to investors residing outside the United States, even if they are United States citizens or lawful permanent residents, except to investors with United States military APO or FPO addresses.
Minimum Investment Amounts
Minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts are shown below.
Share Purchase Amounts | Institutional Class Shares | Retail Class Shares | ||||||
Minimum Initial Investment – All Accounts | $0 for certain institutional investors as described below; $50,000 for all other investors | $2,500 | ||||||
Minimum Subsequent Investment | None | None | ||||||
Automatic Investment Plan | $1,000 | $100 |
The Fund reserves the right to waive or change the minimum initial investment or minimum subsequent investment amounts at its discretion. Shareholders will be given at least 30 days’ written notice of any increase in the minimum dollar amount of initial or subsequent investments. For accounts sold through financial intermediaries, it is the primary responsibility of the financial intermediary to ensure compliance with investment minimums.
Purchase Requests Must be Received in Good Order
Your share price will be the next NAV per share calculated after the Transfer Agent or your Authorized Intermediary receives your purchase request in good order. For purchases made through the Transfer Agent, “good order” means that your purchase request includes:
•the name of the Fund and share class you are investing in;
•the dollar amount of shares to be purchased;
•your Account Application or investment stub; and
•a check payable to the Fund you are investing in.
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For information about your financial intermediary’s requirements for purchases in good order, please contact your financial intermediary.
Purchase by Mail
To purchase Fund shares by mail, simply complete and sign the Account Application and mail it, together with your check made payable to the Fund you are investing in, to one of the addresses below. To make additional investments once you have opened your account, write your account number on the check and send it together with the Invest by Mail form from your most recent confirmation statement received from the Transfer Agent. If you do not have the Invest by Mail form, include the name of the Fund you are investing in and your name, address, and account number on a separate piece of paper and mail it with your check made payable to the Fund you are investing in, to:
Regular Mail | Overnight or Express Mail | ||||
CrossingBridge Funds | CrossingBridge Funds | ||||
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services | c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services | ||||
P.O. Box 701 | 615 East Michigan Street, 3rd Floor | ||||
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 | Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
The Fund does not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be its agents. Therefore, deposit in the mail or with such services, or receipt at the Transfer Agent’s post office box, of purchase orders or redemption requests does not constitute receipt by the Transfer Agent. Receipt of purchase orders or redemption requests is based on when the order is received at the Transfer Agent’s offices. All purchase checks must be in U.S. dollars drawn on a domestic financial institution. The Fund will not accept payment in cash or money orders. To prevent check fraud, the Fund will not accept third party checks, Treasury checks, credit card checks, traveler’s checks or starter checks for the purchase of shares. The Fund is unable to accept post-dated checks or any conditional order or payment.
Purchase by Wire
If you are making your first investment in the Fund through a wire purchase, the Transfer Agent must have a completed Account Application before you wire funds. You can mail or use an overnight service to deliver your Account Application to the Transfer Agent at the above address. Upon receipt of your completed Account Application, the Transfer Agent will establish an account for you. Once your account has been established, you may instruct your bank to send the wire. Prior to sending the wire, please call the Transfer Agent at 888-898-2780 to advise them of the wire and to ensure proper credit upon receipt. Your bank must include the name of the Fund you are investing in, your name and your account number so that monies can be correctly applied. Your bank should transmit immediately available funds by wire to:
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Wire to: | U.S. Bank National Association | ||||
777 East Wisconsin Avenue | |||||
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 | |||||
ABA Number: | 075000022 | ||||
Credit: | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | ||||
Account: | 112-952-137 | ||||
Further Credit: | (name of the Fund you are investing in) | ||||
(Shareholder Name/Account Registration) | |||||
(Shareholder Account Number) |
Wired funds must be received prior to the close of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) to be eligible for same day pricing. The Fund and U.S. Bank National Association, the Fund’s custodian, are not responsible for the consequences of delays resulting from the banking or Federal Reserve wire system, or from incomplete wiring instructions.
Investing by Telephone
Telephone purchase privileges are automatically provided unless you specifically decline the option on your Account Application. If your account has been open for at least 7 business days, you may purchase additional shares by calling the Fund toll free at 888-898-2780. You must also have submitted a voided check or a savings deposit slip to have banking information established on your account. This option allows investors to move money from their bank account to their Fund account upon request. Only bank accounts held at domestic financial institutions that are Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) members may be used for telephone transactions. Telephone purchases are subject to applicable minimum investment amounts for subsequent investments. If your order is received prior to the close of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time), shares will be purchased in your account at the applicable price determined on the day your order is placed. During periods of high market activity, shareholders may encounter higher than usual call waiting times. Please allow sufficient time to place your telephone transaction.
Retirement Accounts
The Fund offers prototype documents for a variety of retirement accounts for individuals and small businesses. Please call 888-898-2780 for information on:
•Individual Retirement Plans, including Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs.
•Small Business Retirement Plans, including Simple IRAs and SEP IRAs.
There may be special distribution requirements for a retirement account, such as required distributions or mandatory federal income tax withholdings. For more information, call the number listed above. Direct shareholder accounts may be charged a $15 annual account maintenance fee for each retirement account up to a maximum of $30 annually and a $25 fee for transferring assets to another custodian or for closing a retirement account. Fees charged by other institutions may vary.
Automatic Investment Plan
For your convenience, the Fund offers an Automatic Investment Plan (“AIP”). Under the AIP, after your initial investment, you may authorize the Fund to withdraw automatically from your personal checking or savings account any amount that you wish to invest, which must be at least $100 on a monthly basis. In order to participate
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in the AIP, your bank must be a member of the ACH network. If you wish to enroll in the AIP, complete the appropriate section in the Account Application. The Fund may terminate or modify this privilege at any time. You may terminate your participation in the AIP at any time by notifying the Transfer Agent five days prior to the effective date of the request. A $25 fee will be charged if your bank does not honor the AIP draft for any reason.
Purchasing Shares Through a Financial Intermediary
Investors may be charged a fee if they effect transactions through a financial intermediary. If you are purchasing shares through a financial intermediary, you must follow the procedures established by your financial intermediary. Your financial intermediary is responsible for sending your purchase order and wiring payment to the Transfer Agent. Your financial intermediary holds the shares in your name and receives all confirmations of purchases and sales. Financial intermediaries placing orders for themselves or on behalf of their customers should call the Fund toll free at 888-898-2780, or follow the instructions listed in the sections above entitled “Investing by Telephone,” “Purchase by Mail” and “Purchase by Wire.”
If you place an order for the Fund’s shares through a financial intermediary that is not an Authorized Intermediary in accordance with such financial intermediary’s procedures, and such financial intermediary then transmits your order to the Transfer Agent in accordance with the Transfer Agent’s instructions, your purchase will be processed at the NAV next calculated after the Transfer Agent receives your order. The financial intermediary must promise to send to the Transfer Agent immediately available funds in the amount of the purchase price in accordance with the Transfer Agent’s procedures. If payment is not received within the time specified, the Transfer Agent may rescind the transaction and the financial intermediary will be held liable for any resulting fees or losses.
In the case of Authorized Intermediaries that have made satisfactory payment or redemption arrangements with the Fund, orders will be processed at the NAV next calculated after receipt in good order by the Authorized Intermediary (or its authorized designee), consistent with applicable laws and regulations. An order is deemed to be received when the Funds or an Authorized Intermediary accepts the order. Authorized Intermediaries may be authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption requests on behalf of the Funds.
For more information about your financial intermediary’s rules and procedures, whether your financial intermediary is an Authorized Intermediary, and whether your financial intermediary imposes cut-off times for the receipt of orders that are earlier than the cut-off times established by the Fund, you should contact your financial intermediary directly.
Anti-Money Laundering Program
The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “USA PATRIOT Act”) and related anti-money laundering laws and regulations. To ensure compliance with these laws, the Account Application asks for, among other things, the following information for all “customers” seeking to open an “account” (as those terms are defined in rules adopted pursuant to the USA PATRIOT Act):
•full name;
•date of birth (individuals only);
•Social Security or taxpayer identification number; and
•permanent street address (a P.O. Box number alone is not acceptable).
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If you are opening an account in the name of certain legal entities (e.g., a partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners of the legal entity. Accounts opened by entities, such as corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships or trusts, will require additional documentation.
If any information listed above is missing, your Account Application will be returned and your account will not be opened. In compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act and other applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations, the Transfer Agent will verify the information on your application. The Fund reserves the right to request additional clarifying information and may close your account and redeem your shares at the next computed NAV if such clarifying information is not received by the Fund within a reasonable time of the request or if the Fund cannot form a reasonable belief as to the true identity of a customer. In the rare event that we are unable to verify your identity, the Fund reserves the right to redeem your account at the current day’s NAV. If you require additional assistance when completing your application, please contact the Transfer Agent at 888-898-2780.
How to Redeem Shares |
Orders to sell or “redeem” shares may be placed either directly with the Fund or through an Authorized Intermediary. If you originally purchased your shares through an Authorized Intermediary, your redemption order must be placed with the same Authorized Intermediary in accordance with the procedures established by that Authorized Intermediary. Your Authorized Intermediary is responsible for sending your order to the Transfer Agent and for crediting your account with the proceeds. You may redeem the Fund’s shares on any business day that the Fund calculate its NAV. The price at which redemptions are effected is based on the NAV next calculated after the request is received in good order. To redeem shares directly with the Fund, you must contact the Fund either by mail or by phone to place a redemption request. Your redemption request must be received in good order (as discussed under “Payment of Redemption Proceeds,” below) prior to the close of the regular trading sessions of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) by the Transfer Agent or by your Authorized Intermediary in order to obtain that day’s closing NAV. Redemption requests received by the Transfer Agent or an Authorized Intermediary after the close of the NYSE will be treated as though received on the next business day.
Shareholders who hold their shares through an IRA or other tax-advantaged account must indicate on their written redemption request whether or not to withhold federal income tax. Redemption requests failing to indicate an election not to have tax withheld will generally be subject to 10% withholding. Shares held in IRA or other retirement plan accounts may be redeemed by telephone at 888-898-2780. Investors will be asked whether or not to withhold taxes from any distribution.
Payment of Redemption Proceeds
You may redeem your Fund shares at the NAV per share next determined after the Transfer Agent or your Authorized Intermediary receives your redemption request in good order. Your redemption request cannot be processed on days the NYSE is closed. Redemption proceeds with respect to all requests received by the Transfer Agent or your Authorized Intermediary in good order before the close of the regular trading session of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) will usually be sent one to three business days following the receipt of your redemption request.
A redemption request made through the Transfer Agent will be deemed in “good order” if it includes:
•the shareholder’s name;
•the name of the Fund and share class you are redeeming from;
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•the account number;
•the share or dollar amount to be redeemed; and
•signatures by all shareholders on the account and signature guarantee(s), if applicable.
The Fund reserves the right to change the requirements of “good order.” Shareholders will be given advance notice if the requirements of “good order” change. For information about your financial intermediary’s requirements for redemption requests in good order, please contact your financial intermediary.
You may receive proceeds of your sale by a check sent to the address of record, electronically via the ACH network using the previously established bank instructions or via federal wire transfer to your pre-established bank account. The Fund typically expects that it will take one to three business days following the receipt of your redemption request to pay out redemption proceeds regardless of whether the redemption proceeds are paid by check, ACH transfer or wire. Please note that wires are subject to a $15 fee. There is no charge to have proceeds sent via ACH; however, funds are typically credited to your bank within two to three business days after redemption. In all cases, proceeds will be sent within seven calendar days after the Fund receives your redemption request.
The Fund typically expects it will hold cash or cash equivalents to meet redemption requests. The Fund may also uses the proceeds from the sale of portfolio securities to meet redemption requests if consistent with the management of the Fund. These redemption methods will be used regularly under normal market conditions and may also be used during periods of stressed market conditions.
If the Transfer Agent has not yet collected payment for the shares you are selling, it may delay sending the proceeds until the payment is collected, which may take up to twelve calendar days from the purchase date or until your payment has cleared. Shareholders can avoid this delay by utilizing the wire purchase option. Furthermore, there are certain times when you may be unable to sell Fund shares or receive proceeds. Specifically, the Fund may suspend the right to redeem shares or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for more than seven calendar days as determined by the SEC: (1) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend or holiday closings) or trading on the NYSE is restricted; (2) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the value of its net assets; or (3) for such other periods as the SEC may permit for the protection of shareholders. Your ability to redeem shares online or by telephone may be delayed or restricted after you change your address. You may change your address at any time by telephone or written request, addressed to the Transfer Agent. Confirmations of an address change will be sent to both your old and new address. Redemption proceeds will be sent to the address of record. The Fund is not responsible for interest lost on redemption amounts due to lost or misdirected mail.
Please note, under unusual circumstances, the Fund may suspend redemptions, as permitted by federal securities law. The Fund may delay paying redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days after receiving a request if an earlier payment could adversely affect the Funds
Redemptions in Kind. The Fund generally pays redemption proceeds in cash. However, the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has filed a notice of election under Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, under which the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has reserved the right for the Fund to redeem in-kind under certain circumstances, meaning that redemption proceeds are paid in liquid securities with a market value equal to the redemption price. These securities redeemed in kind remain subject to general market risks until sold. If the Fund pays your redemption proceeds by a distribution of securities, you could incur brokerage or other charges when converting the securities to cash. For
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federal income tax purposes, redemptions in kind are taxed in the same manner to a redeeming shareholder as redemptions paid in cash. In addition, sales of such in-kind securities may generate taxable gains.
Redemption in-kind proceeds are limited to securities that are traded on a public securities market or for which quoted bid prices are available. In the unlikely event that the Fund does redeem shares in kind, the procedures utilized by the Fund to determine the securities to be distributed to redeeming shareholders will generally be representative of a shareholder’s interest in the Fund’s portfolio securities. However, the Fund may also redeem in kind using individual securities as circumstances dictate. Redemptions in-kind are typically used to meet redemption requests that represent a large percentage of the Fund’s net assets in order to minimize the effect of large redemptions on the Fund and its remaining shareholders. Redemptions in-kind may be used in circumstances as described above and during periods of stressed market conditions.
Signature Guarantees
The Transfer Agent may require a signature guarantee for certain redemption requests. Signature guarantees can be obtained from domestic banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings associations, as well as from participants in the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature Program and the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (“STAMP”), but not from a notary public. A signature guarantee, from either a Medallion program member or a non-Medallion program member, of each owner is required in the following situations:
•if ownership is being changed on your account;
•when redemption proceeds are payable or sent to any person, address or bank account not on record;
•when a redemption request is received by the Transfer Agent and the account address has changed within the last 15 calendar days.
Non-financial transactions, including establishing or modifying certain services on an account, may require a signature guarantee, a signature verification from a Signature Validation Program member, or other acceptable form of authentication from a financial institution source.
In addition to the situations described above, the Fund and/or the Transfer Agent reserve the right to require a signature guarantee or other acceptable signature verification in other instances based on the circumstances relative to the particular situation.
Redemption by Mail
You can execute most redemptions by furnishing an unconditional written request to the Fund to redeem your shares at the current NAV. Redemption requests in writing should be sent to the Transfer Agent at:
Regular Mail | Overnight or Express Mail | ||||
CrossingBridge Funds | CrossingBridge Funds | ||||
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services | c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services | ||||
P.O. Box 701 | 615 East Michigan Street, 3rd Floor | ||||
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701 | Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
The Fund does not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be its agents. Therefore, deposit in the mail or with such services, or receipt at the Transfer Agent’s post office box, of purchase
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orders or redemption requests does not constitute receipt by the Transfer Agent. Receipt of purchase orders or redemption requests is based on when the order is received at the Transfer Agent’s offices.
Telephone Redemption
Telephone redemption privileges are automatically provided unless you specifically decline the option on your Account Application. You may redeem shares, in any amount, by instructing the Fund by telephone at 888-898-2780. A signature verification from a Signature Validation Program member or other acceptable form of authentication from a financial institution source may be required of all shareholders in order to add or change telephone redemption privileges on an existing account. Telephone redemptions will not be made if you have notified the Transfer Agent of a change of address within 15 calendar days before the redemption request. Once a telephone transaction has been placed, it may not be cancelled or modified after the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). If an account has more than one owner or authorized person, the Fund will accept telephone instructions from any one owner or authorized person. All telephone calls will be recorded for your protection. Written confirmations will be provided for all purchase and redemption transactions initiated by telephone.
Wire Redemption
Wire transfers may be arranged to redeem shares. The Transfer Agent charges a fee, currently $15, per wire redemption against your account on dollar specific trades, and from proceeds on complete redemptions and share-specific trades. There is no charge to have proceeds sent via ACH.
Systematic Withdrawal Program (“SWP”)
The Fund offers a SWP whereby shareholders or their representatives may request a redemption in a specific dollar amount be sent to them each month, calendar quarter or year. Investors may choose to have a check sent to the address of record, or proceeds may be sent to a pre-designated bank account via the ACH network. To start the SWP, your account must have Fund shares with a value of at least $10,000, and the minimum payment amount is $100. The SWP may be terminated or modified by the Fund at any time. You may terminate your participation in the SWP at any time in writing or by telephoning the Transfer Agent no later than five days before the next scheduled withdrawal. A withdrawal under the SWP involves a redemption of Fund shares, and may result in a taxable capital gain or loss for federal income tax purposes. In addition, if the amount withdrawn exceeds the amounts credited to your account, the account ultimately may be depleted. To establish the SWP, complete the SWP section of the Account Application. Please call 888-898-2780 for additional information regarding the SWP.
The Fund’s Right to Redeem an Account
The Fund reserves the right to redeem the shares of any shareholder whose account balance is less than $2,500, other than as a result of a decline in the NAV of the Funds or for market reasons. The Fund will provide a shareholder with written notice 30 calendar days prior to redeeming the shareholder’s account. A redemption by the Fund of a shareholder’s account may result in a taxable capital gain or loss for federal income tax purposes.
Exchanging Shares |
You may exchange all or a portion of your investment from one CrossingBridge Fund to an identically registered account in another CrossingBridge Fund within the same class. Any new account established through an exchange will be subject to the minimum investment requirements described above under “How to Purchase Shares,” unless the account qualifies for a waiver of the initial investment requirement. Exchanges will be executed on the basis of the relative NAV of the shares exchanged. An exchange of Fund shares is considered to be a sale of shares for federal income tax purposes on which you may realize a taxable capital gain or loss. A $5 fee will be applied to all exchanges of Fund shares requested by telephone.
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Call the Fund (toll-free) at 888-898-2780 to learn more about exchanges.
Tools to Combat Frequent Transactions |
The Fund is intended for long-term investors. Short-term “market-timers” who engage in frequent purchases and redemptions may disrupt the Fund’s investment program and create additional transaction costs that are borne by all of the Fund’s shareholders. The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures that are designed to discourage excessive, short-term trading and other abusive trading practices that may disrupt portfolio management strategies and harm performance. The Fund takes steps to reduce the frequency and effect of these activities in the Fund. These steps may include, among other things, monitoring trading activity and using fair value pricing, when the Adviser determines current market prices are not readily available. Although these efforts are designed to discourage abusive trading practices, these tools cannot eliminate the possibility that such activity will occur. The Fund seeks to exercise its judgment in implementing these tools to the best of its abilities in a manner that it believes is consistent with shareholder interests. Except as noted herein, the Fund applies all restrictions uniformly in all applicable cases.
Monitoring Trading Practices. The Fund monitors selected trades in an effort to detect excessive short-term trading activities. If, as a result of this monitoring, the Fund believes that a shareholder has engaged in excessive short-term trading, it may, in its discretion, ask the shareholder to stop such activities or refuse to process purchases in the shareholder’s accounts. In making such judgments, the Fund seeks to act in a manner that it believes is consistent with the best interests of its shareholders. The Fund used a variety of techniques to monitor for and detect abusive trading practices. These techniques may change from time to time as determined by the Fund in its sole discretion. To minimize harm to the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order (but not a redemption request), in whole or in part, for any reason (including, without limitation, purchases by persons whose trading activity in Fund shares is believed by the Adviser to be harmful to the Fund) and without prior notice. The Fund may decide to restrict purchase and sale activity in its shares based on various factors, including whether frequent purchase and sale activity will disrupt portfolio management strategies and adversely affect Fund performance.
Fair Value Pricing. The Fund employs fair value pricing selectively to ensure greater accuracy in its daily NAVs and to prevent dilution by frequent traders or market timers who seek to take advantage of temporary market anomalies. The Adviser has developed procedures which utilize fair value pricing when reliable market quotations are not readily available or the Fund’s Pricing Service does not provide a valuation (or provides a valuation that, in the judgment of the Adviser, does not represent the security’s fair value), or when, in the judgment of the Adviser, events have rendered the market value unreliable. Valuing securities at fair value involves reliance on judgment. Fair value determinations are made in good faith in accordance with procedures adopted by the Adviser. There can be no assurance that the Fund will obtain the fair value assigned to a security if they were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the Fund determines its NAV per share. More detailed information regarding fair value pricing and changes to the Fund’s fair value pricing procedures can be found in this Prospectus under the heading entitled “Share Price.”
Due to the complexity and subjectivity involved in identifying abusive trading activity and the volume of shareholder transactions the Fund handles, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s efforts will identify all trades or trading practices that may be considered abusive. In particular, since the Fund receives purchase and sale orders through Authorized Intermediaries that use group or omnibus accounts, the Fund cannot always detect frequent trading. However, the Fund will work with Authorized Intermediaries as necessary to discourage shareholders from
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engaging in abusive trading practices and to impose restrictions on excessive trades. In this regard, the Fund has entered into information sharing agreements with Authorized Intermediaries pursuant to which these intermediaries are required to provide to the Fund, at the Fund’s request, certain information relating to their customers investing in the Fund through non-disclosed or omnibus accounts. The Fund will use this information to attempt to identify abusive trading practices. Authorized Intermediaries are contractually required to follow any instructions from the Fund to restrict or prohibit future purchases from shareholders that are found to have engaged in abusive trading in violation of the Fund’s policies. However, the Fund cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided to it from Authorized Intermediaries and cannot ensure that it will always be able to detect abusive trading practices that occur through non-disclosed and omnibus accounts. As a result, the Fund’s ability to monitor and discourage abusive trading practices in non-disclosed and omnibus accounts may be limited.
Other Fund Policies |
Telephone Transactions. If you have not declined telephone privileges on the Account Application or in a letter to the Fund, you may be responsible for any fraudulent telephone orders as long as the Fund has taken reasonable precautions to verify your identity. In addition, once you place a telephone transaction request, it cannot be canceled or modified after the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time).
During periods of significant economic or market change, telephone transactions may be difficult to complete. If you are unable to contact the Funds by telephone, you may also mail the requests to the Fund at the address listed previously in the section entitled “How to Purchase Shares,” above. Neither the Fund nor the Transfer Agent are liable for any loss incurred due to failure to complete a telephone transaction prior to the close of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time).
Telephone trades must be received by or prior to the close of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). During periods of high market activity, shareholders may encounter higher than usual call waiting times. Please allow sufficient time to ensure that you will be able to complete your telephone transaction prior to the close of the NYSE. The Fund is not responsible for delays due to communication or transmission outages subject to applicable law.
Neither the Fund nor any of its service providers will be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine subject to applicable law. If an account has more than one owner or authorized person, the Fund will accept telephone instructions from any one owner or authorized person. To confirm that all telephone instructions are genuine, the Fund will use reasonable procedures, such as requesting that you correctly state:
•that you correctly state your Fund account number;
•the name in which your account is registered; or
•the Social Security or taxpayer identification number under which the account is registered.
Policies of Authorized Intermediaries. Your Authorized Intermediary may establish policies that differ from those of the Fund. For example, the institution may charge transaction fees, set higher minimum investments or impose certain limitations on buying or selling shares in addition to those identified in this Prospectus. Please contact your Authorized Intermediary for details.
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Closure of the Fund. The Adviser retains the right to close the Fund (or partially close the Fund) or to place restrictions on purchases of Fund shares if it is determined to be in the best interest of shareholders. Based on market and Fund conditions, the Adviser may decide to close the Fund to new investors, all investors or certain classes of investors (such as fund supermarkets) at any time. If the Fund is closed to new purchases it will continue to honor redemption requests, unless the right to redeem shares has been temporarily suspended as permitted by federal law.
Householding. In an effort to decrease costs, the Fund intends to reduce the number of duplicate prospectuses, supplements and certain other shareholder documents you receive by sending only one copy of each to those addresses shared by two or more accounts and to shareholders the Fund reasonably believes are from the same family or household. If you would like to discontinue householding for your accounts, please call toll-free at 888-898-2780 to request individual copies of these documents, or if your shares are held through an Authorized Intermediary, please contact them. Once the Fund receives notice to stop householding, the Fund will begin sending individual copies within 30 days after receiving your request. This policy does not apply to account statements.
Lost Shareholders, Inactive Accounts and Unclaimed Property. It is important that the Fund maintain a correct address for each shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned to the Fund. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, the Fund will attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the Fund is unable to locate the shareholder, then it will determine whether the shareholder’s account can legally be considered abandoned. Your mutual fund account may be transferred to the state government of your state of residence if no activity occurs within your account during the “inactivity period” specified in your state’s abandoned property laws. The Fund is legally obligated to escheat (or transfer) abandoned property to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Please proactively contact the Transfer Agent toll-free at 888-898-2780 at least annually to ensure your account remains in active status.
If you are a resident of the state of Texas, you may designate a representative to receive notifications that, due to inactivity, your mutual fund account assets may be delivered to the Texas Comptroller. Please contact the Transfer Agent if you wish to complete a Texas Designation of Representative form.
IRA Accounts. IRA accounts will be charged a $15 annual maintenance fee.
Distribution of Fund Shares |
The Distributor |
The Trust has entered into a Distribution Agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”) located at 111 East Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, pursuant to which the Distributor acts as the Fund’s principal underwriter, provides certain administration services and promotes and arranges for the sale of the Fund’s shares. The offering of the Fund’s shares is continuous, and the Distributor distributes the Fund’s shares on a best efforts basis. The Distributor is not obligated to sell any certain number of shares of the Fund. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
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Payments to Financial Intermediaries |
The Fund may pay fees to intermediaries, such as banks, broker-dealers, financial advisors or other financial institutions, including affiliates of the Adviser, for recordkeeping, sub-administration, sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency and other shareholder services (collectively, “sub-TA services”) associated with shareholders whose shares are held of record in omnibus and networked accounts, retirement plans, other group accounts or accounts traded through registered securities clearing agents in lieu of the transfer agent providing such services.
The Adviser, out of its own resources and legitimate profits and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may provide additional cash payments to certain intermediaries. These payments, sometimes referred to as revenue sharing, are in addition to Rule 12b-1 fees, shareholder servicing plan fees and sub-TA fees paid by the Fund, if any. Revenue sharing payments may be made to intermediaries for sub-TA services or distribution-related services, such as marketing support; access to third party platforms; access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary; and inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, and in other sales programs. The Adviser may also pay cash compensation in the form of finder’s fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of the shares sold. From time to time, and in accordance with applicable rules and regulations, the Adviser may also provide non-cash compensation to representatives of various intermediaries who sell Fund shares or provide services to Fund shareholders.
Distributions and Taxes |
Distributions |
The Fund will make distributions of net investment income, if any, at least monthly. The Fund will make distributions of net capital gain, if any, at least annually, typically during the month of December. The Fund may make additional distributions if deemed to be desirable at another time during the year.
All distributions will be reinvested in additional Fund shares unless you choose one of the following options: (1) receive distributions of net capital gain in cash, while reinvesting net investment income distributions in additional Fund shares; (2) receive all distributions in cash; or (3) reinvest net capital gain distributions in additional Fund shares, while receiving distributions of net investment income in cash.
If you wish to change your distribution option, write to or call the Transfer Agent in advance of the payment date of the distribution. However, any such change will be effective only as to distributions for which the record date is five or more calendar days after the Transfer Agent has received the request.
If you elect to receive distributions in cash and the U.S. Postal Service is unable to deliver your check, or if a check remains uncashed for six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the distribution check in your account at the Fund’s then-current NAV per share and to reinvest all subsequent distributions.
Federal Income Tax Consequences |
Changes in income tax laws, potentially with retroactive effect, could impact the Fund’s investments or the tax consequences to you of investing in the Fund. Some of the changes could affect the timing, amount and tax treatment of the Fund’s distributions made to shareholders. Please consult your tax advisor before investing.
Distributions of the Fund’s investment company taxable income (which includes, but is not limited to, interest, dividends, net short-term capital gain and net gain from foreign currency transactions), if any, are generally
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taxable to the Fund’s shareholders as ordinary income. For a non-corporate shareholder, to the extent that the Fund’s distributions of investment company taxable income are attributable to and reported as “qualified dividend” income, such income may be subject to tax at the reduced federal income tax rates applicable to net long-term capital gain, if certain holding period requirements have been satisfied by the shareholder. For a corporate shareholder, a portion of the Fund’s distributions of investment company taxable income may qualify for the intercorporate dividends-received deduction to the extent the Fund receives dividends directly or indirectly from U.S. corporations, reports the amount distributed as eligible for the deduction and the corporate shareholder meets certain holding period requirements with respect to its shares. To the extent that the Fund’s distributions of investment company taxable income are attributable to net short-term capital gain, such distributions will be treated as ordinary income and cannot generally be offset by a shareholder’s capital losses from other investments.
Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gain (net long-term capital gain less net short-term capital loss) are generally taxable to the Fund’s shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time that a shareholder has owned Fund shares. Distributions of net capital gain are not eligible for qualified dividend income treatment or the dividends-received deduction referred to above.
You will be taxed in the same manner whether you receive your distributions (of investment company taxable income or net capital gain) in cash or reinvest them in additional Fund shares. Distributions are generally taxable when received. However, distributions declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record and paid the following January are taxable as if received on December 31.
In addition to the federal income tax, certain individuals, trusts and estates may be subject to a net investment income (“NII”) tax of 3.8%. The NII tax is imposed on the lesser of: (i) a taxpayer’s investment income, net of deductions properly allocable to such income, or (ii) the amount by which such taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds certain thresholds ($250,000 for married individuals filing jointly, $200,000 for unmarried individuals, and $125,000 for married individuals filing separately). The Fund’s distributions are includable in a shareholder’s investment income for purposes of this NII tax. In addition, any capital gain realized by a shareholder upon a sale, exchange or redemption of Fund shares is includable in such shareholder’s investment income for purposes of this NII tax.
Shareholders who sell, exchange or redeem shares generally will have a capital gain or loss from the sale, exchange or redemption. The amount of the gain or loss and the applicable rate of federal income tax will depend generally upon the amount paid for the shares, the amount received from the sale, exchange or redemption (including redemptions in-kind) and how long the shares were held by a shareholder. Gain or loss realized upon a sale, exchange or redemption of Fund shares will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and, if held for one year or less, as a short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss arising from the sale, exchange or redemption of shares held for six months or less, however, is treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of net capital gain received or deemed to be received with respect to such shares. In determining the holding period of such shares for this purpose, any period during which your risk of loss is offset by means of options, short sales or similar transactions is not counted. If you purchase the Fund’s shares (through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after selling, exchanging or redeeming the Fund’s shares at a loss, all or part of that loss will not be deductible and will instead increase the basis of the new shares.
If more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of stock and securities in foreign corporations, the Fund will be eligible to, and may, file an election with the Internal Revenue
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Service (the “IRS”) that would enable the Fund’s shareholders, in effect, to receive the benefit of the foreign tax credit with respect to any income taxes paid by the Fund to foreign countries and U.S. possessions. Please see the SAI for additional information regarding the foreign tax credit.
The Fund is required to report to certain shareholders and the IRS the cost basis of Fund shares when such shareholders subsequently sell, exchange or redeem those shares. The Fund will determine cost basis of such shares using the average cost method unless you elect in writing (and not over the telephone) any alternate IRS-approved cost basis method. Please see the SAI for more information regarding cost basis reporting.
The federal income tax status of all distributions made by the Fund for the preceding year will be annually reported to shareholders. Distributions made by the Fund may also be subject to state and local taxes. Additional tax information may be found in the SAI.
This section is not intended to be a full discussion of federal income tax laws and the effect of such laws on you. There may be other federal, state, foreign or local tax considerations applicable to a particular investor. You are urged to consult your own tax adviser.
Derivative Actions
Pursuant to the Trust’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”), and subject to the limitations disclosed in the Declaration of Trust, a Fund shareholder may only bring a derivative action if (i) the shareholder or shareholders make a pre-suit demand upon the Board of Trustees to bring the subject action unless an effort to cause the Board of Trustees to bring such an action is not likely to succeed (as defined in the Declaration of Trust); (ii) shareholders eligible to bring such derivative action under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act who hold at least 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust, or 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the series or class to which such action relates, shall join in the request for the Board of Trustees to commence such action; and (iii) the Board of Trustees is afforded a reasonable amount of time to consider such shareholder request and to investigate the basis of such claim. The Board of Trustees shall be entitled to retain counsel or other advisors in considering the merits of the request and shall require an undertaking by the shareholders making such request to reimburse the Trust for the expense of any such advisors in the event that the Trustees determine not to bring such action. The provision requiring at least 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust, applicable series or class to join in the request to bring the derivative action and the provision requiring an undertaking by the requesting shareholders to reimburse the Trust for the expense of any advisors retained by the Board of Trustees in the event that the Trustees determine not to bring such action, do not apply to claims brought under federal securities laws.
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The information contained in this Statement of Additional Information is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Statement of Additional Information is not an offer to sell these securities, and it is not a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION,
DATED March 3, 2023
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Dated [ ], 2023
Acquisition of All of the Assets and Liabilities of
RiverPark Strategic Income Fund
(a series of RiverPark Funds Trust (“RiverPark Trust”):
By and in exchange for shares of
RiverPark Strategic Income Fund
(a series of Trust for Professional Managers (“TPM”))
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is being furnished to shareholders of the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund (the “Target Fund”), a series of RiverPark Trust, in connection with the reorganization of the Target Fund into the RiverPark Strategic Income Fund (the “Acquiring Fund”), a newly-created series of TPM as described in the Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus (the “Proxy Statement’) (the “Reorganization”).
This SAI consists of this Cover Page and the following documents, each of which was filed electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission (http://sec.gov) and is incorporated by reference herein (is legally considered to be part of this SAI):
1.The Prospectus for the Target Fund, dated January 26, 2023 (File Nos. 333-167778 and 811-22431);
2.The Statement of Additional Information for the Target Fund, dated January 26, 2023 (File Nos. 333-167778 and 811-22431); and
3.The Target Fund’s audited financial statements and related report of the independent registered public accounting firm included in the Targeted Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 (the “Target Fund Annual Report”) (File No. 811-22431).
Because the Acquiring Fund was newly-created for the purposes of this Reorganization, the Acquiring Fund has not published annual or semi-annual shareholder reports. The Acquiring Fund is a newly-created shell series of TPM with no assets or liabilities that will commence operations upon consummation of the Reorganization and continue the operations of the Target Fund. The Target Fund shall be the accounting and performance survivor in the Reorganization, and the Acquiring Fund, as the corporate survivor in the Reorganization, shall adopt the accounting and performance history of the Target Fund. The Target Fund Annual Report has previously been transmitted to Target Fund shareholders.
This SAI is not a prospectus, and should be read in conjunction with the Proxy Statement, dated [ ], 2023, relating to the Reorganization. The Proxy Statement and any of the materials incorporated by reference into this SAI are available upon request, without charge, by writing to RiverPark Trust, 156 West 56th 17th Floor, New York, New York 10019, by accessing the documents at the Target Fund’s website at https://www.riverparkfunds.com by calling toll free to 888-564-4517, or on the EDGAR Database by visiting the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the Target Fund documents, as well as proxy materials and other information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at publicinfo@sec.gov.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
APPENDIX A – ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACQUIRING FUND | A-1 |
SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Tables showing the fees and expenses of the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund, and the fees and expenses of the Acquiring Fund on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the proposed Reorganization, are included under “Summary Comparison of the Funds – Fees and Expenses” in the Proxy Statement. The Reorganization will not result in a material change to the Target Fund’s investment portfolio due to the investment objectives and restrictions of the Acquiring Fund. As a result, a schedule of investments of the Target Fund modified to show the effects of such change is not required and is not included. There are no material differences in the accounting, valuation and tax policies of the Target Fund as compared to those of the Acquiring Fund.
1
APPENDIX A – ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACQUIRING FUND
Below is information regarding the Acquiring Fund. All references to a “Fund” in this Exhibit A refer to the Acquiring Fund. All references to the “Trust” in this Exhibit A refer to TPM.
The Trust
The Trust is a Delaware statutory trust organized on May 29, 2001, and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as an open-end management investment company. The Fund is one series of the Trust. The Fund is a diversified series of the Trust and has its own investment objective and policies. Shares of other series of the Trust are offered in separate prospectuses and SAIs. The Trust may register additional series and offer shares of a new fund or share class under the Trust at any time.
Effective on or about [ ], 2023, the Predecessor Fund reorganized into the Fund (the “Reorganization”). Prior to the Reorganization, the Fund was a “shell” fund with no assets and had not commenced operations. The Fund has the same investment objective and substantially similar investment strategies as the Predecessor Fund. As part of the Reorganization, Institutional Class and Retail Class shareholders of the Predecessor Fund received Institutional Class and Retail Class shares, respectively, of the Fund.
The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of interests (or shares). Interests in the Fund are represented by shares of beneficial interest each with a par value of $0.001. Each share of the Trust has equal voting rights and liquidation rights, and is voted in the aggregate and not by the series or class of shares, except in matters where a separate vote is required by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), or when the matters affect only the interests of a particular series or class of shares. When matters are submitted to shareholders for a vote, each shareholder is entitled to one vote for each full share owned and fractional votes for fractional shares owned. Shares of each series or class generally vote together, except when required under federal securities laws to vote separately on matters that only affect a particular class. The Trust does not normally hold annual meetings of shareholders. The Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board” or the “Board of Trustees”) shall promptly call and give notice of a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon removal of any trustee when requested to do so in writing by shareholders holding 10% or more of the Trust’s outstanding shares.
With respect to the Fund, the Trust may offer more than one class of shares. Each share of a series or class represents an equal proportionate interest in that series or class with each other share of that series or class. The Fund has adopted a multiple class plan under Rule 18f-3 under the 1940 Act, detailing the attributes of each of the Fund’s share classes. The Fund has two classes of shares: Institutional Class and Retail Class shares.
Each share of the Fund represents an equal proportionate interest in the assets and liabilities belonging to the Fund and is entitled to such distributions out of the income belonging to the Fund as are declared by the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees has the authority from time to time to divide or combine the shares of any series into a greater or lesser number of shares of that series so long as the proportionate beneficial interests in the assets belonging to that series and the rights of shares of any other series are in no way affected. Additionally, in event of any dissolution or liquidation of the Fund, the shareholders of the Fund being liquidated are entitled to receive a pro rata distribution out of the net assets, net of the liabilities, belonging to that Fund. Expenses attributable to any series or class are borne by that series or class. Any general expenses of the Trust not readily identifiable as belonging to a particular series or class are allocated by, or under the direction of, the Board of Trustees on the basis of relative net assets, the number of shareholders or another equitable method. No shareholder is liable to further calls or to assessment by the Trust without his or her express consent.
The assets of the Fund received for the issue or sale of its shares, and all income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, subject only to the rights of creditors, shall constitute the underlying assets of the Fund.
CrossingBridge Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser” or “CrossingBridge”) serves as the investment adviser for the Fund. The Adviser also serves as the investment adviser to the CrossingBridge Low Duration High Yield Fund, the CrossingBridge Ultra-Short Duration
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Fund, the CrossingBridge Responsible Credit Fund, and the CrossingBridge Pre-Merger SPAC ETF, each a separate series of the Trust.
Investment Policies, Strategies and Associated Risks
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks high current income and capital appreciation consistent with the preservation of capital. The Fund’s investment objectives and strategies may be changed without the approval of the Fund’s shareholders upon Board approval and 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.
Diversification
The Fund is diversified under applicable federal securities laws. This means that as to 75% of its total assets (1) no more than 5% may be invested in the securities of a single issuer, and (2) they may not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of a single issuer. However, the diversification of the Fund’s holdings is measured at the time the fund purchases a security and if the Fund purchases a security and holds it for a period of time, the security may become a larger percentage of the Fund’s total assets due to movements in the financial markets. If the market affects several securities held by the Fund, the Fund may have a greater percentage of its assets invested in securities of fewer issuers. Accordingly, the Fund is subject to the risk that its performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few securities despite qualifying as a diversified fund.
General Market Risks
Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, which increases the probabilities that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issues in a different country or region. In some cases, the stock prices of individual companies have been negatively impacted even though there may be little or no apparent degradation in the financial condition or prospects of that company. As a result of this volatility, many of the risks associated with an investment in the Fund may be increased. Continuing market problems may have adverse effects on the Fund.
Investment Strategies and Related Risks
There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The following discussion supplements the description of the Fund’s investment objectives and principal investment strategies set forth in the Prospectus. Except for the fundamental investment restrictions listed below (see “Investment Restrictions”), the Fund’s investment strategies and policies are not fundamental and may be changed by sole action of the Board of Trustees, without shareholder approval. While the Fund is permitted to hold securities and engage in various strategies as described hereafter, they are not obligated to do so, except as otherwise provided in the Prospectus.
Whenever an investment policy or investment restriction states a maximum percentage of the Fund’s assets that may be invested in any security, or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such standard or percentage limitation will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund’s acquisition or sale of such security or other asset. Accordingly, except with respect to borrowing or illiquid investments, any subsequent change in values, net assets or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether an investment complies with the Fund’s investment policies and investment restrictions set forth herein or in the Prospectus. In addition, if a bankruptcy or other extraordinary event occurs concerning a particular investment by the Fund, the Fund may receive stock, real estate or other investments that the Fund would not, or could not, buy. If this happens, the Fund will sell such investments as soon as practicable while trying to maximize the return to its shareholders.
Equity Securities
The Fund may invest in equity securities. Equity securities represent ownership interests, or the rights to acquire ownership interests, in an issuer and include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities, rights and warrants, with different types of equity securities providing different voting and dividend rights and priority if the issuer becomes bankrupt. The value of equity securities varies in response to many factors, including the activities and financial condition of individual companies, the business market in which individual companies compete and general market and economic conditions. Equity securities fluctuate in value, often based on factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities, and such fluctuations can be significant.
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Common Stocks. Common stock represents a proportionate share of the ownership of a company and its value is based on the success of the company’s business, any income paid to stockholders, the value of its assets, and general market conditions. In addition to the general risks set forth above, investments in common stocks are subject to the risk that in the event a company in which the Fund invests is liquidated, the holders of preferred stock and creditors of that company will be paid in full before any payments are made to the Fund as a holder of common stock. It is possible that all assets of that company will be exhausted before any payments are made to the Fund.
Convertible Securities. Convertible securities include fixed income securities that may be exchanged or converted into a predetermined number of shares of the issuer’s underlying common stock or other equity security at the option of the holder during a specified period. Convertible securities may take the form of convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds or debentures, units consisting of “usable” bonds and warrants or a combination of the features of several of these securities. The investment characteristics of each convertible security vary widely, which allows convertible securities to be employed for a variety of investment strategies. The Fund will exchange or convert convertible securities into shares of underlying common stock when, in the opinion of the Adviser, the investment characteristics of the underlying common stock or other equity security will assist the Fund in achieving its investment objectives. The Fund may also elect to hold or trade convertible securities. In selecting convertible securities, the Adviser evaluates the investment characteristics of the convertible security as a fixed income instrument, and the investment potential of the underlying equity security for capital appreciation. In evaluating these matters with respect to a particular convertible security, the Adviser considers numerous factors, including the economic and political outlook, the value of the security relative to other investment alternatives, trends in the determinants of the issuer’s profits, and the issuer’s management capability and practices. Convertible securities are senior to common stock in an issuer’s capital structure, but are subordinated to any senior debt securities. Consequently, the issuer’s convertible securities generally may be viewed as having more risk than its senior debt securities but less risk than its common stock.
Preferred Stocks. Preferred stocks pay fixed or floating dividends to investors and have “preference” over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of an issuer’s assets. This means that an issuer must pay dividends on preferred stocks before paying any dividends on its common stock. Some preferred stocks offer a fixed rate of return with no maturity date. Because those preferred stocks never mature, they trade like long-term bonds, can be more volatile than other types of preferred stocks and may have heightened sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Other preferred stocks have variable dividends, generally determined on a quarterly or other periodic basis, either according to a formula based upon a specified premium or discount to the yield on particular U.S. Treasury securities or based on an auction process involving bids submitted by holders and prospective purchasers of such securities. Because preferred stocks represent an equity ownership interest in an issuer, their value usually will react more strongly than bonds and other debt instruments to actual or perceived changes in an issuer’s financial condition or prospects or to fluctuations in the equity markets. Preferred stockholders usually have no voting rights or their voting rights are limited to certain extraordinary transactions or events.
Rights and Warrants. The Fund may invest in 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 and it is issued at a predetermined price in proportion to the number of shares already owned. 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 current market. Warrants are options to purchase equity securities at a specific price for a specific period of time. They do not represent ownership of the securities, but only the right to buy them. Hence, warrants have no voting rights, pay no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the corporation issuing them. The value of warrants is derived solely from capital appreciation of the underlying equity securities. Warrants differ from call options in that the underlying corporation issues warrants, whereas call options may be written by anyone.
An investment in rights and warrants 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, although their value is influenced by the value of the underlying security, their value
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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.
Large-Sized Companies. To the extent the Fund invests in the equity securities of large-sized companies, it will be exposed to the risks of larger-sized companies. Larger, more established companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges such as changes in consumer tastes or innovative smaller competitors. Also, large-sized companies are sometimes unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.
Small- and Medium-Sized Companies. To the extent the Fund invests in the equity securities of small- and medium-sized companies, it will be exposed to the risks of smaller-sized companies. Small- and medium-sized companies may have narrower markets for their goods and/or services and may have more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies. Furthermore, such companies may have limited product lines, services, markets, or financial resources or may be dependent on a small management group. In addition, because these stocks may not be well-known to the investing public, do not have significant institutional ownership or are typically followed by fewer security analysts, there will normally be less publicly available information concerning these securities compared to what is available for the securities of larger companies. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, can decrease the value and liquidity of securities held by the Fund. As a result, their performance can be more volatile and they face greater risk of business failure, which could increase the volatility of the Fund’s portfolio.
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies
The Fund may invest in blank check companies, such as special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) or similar special purpose entities that pool funds to seek potential acquisition opportunities. A SPAC is a publicly-traded company that raises funds from public investors in an initial public offering (“IPO”) in order to pursue the acquisition of an unspecified company. Unless and until an acquisition meeting the SPAC’s requirements is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less a portion retained to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market securities and cash; if an acquisition that meets the requirements for the SPAC is not completed within a pre-established period of time, the invested funds are returned to the entity’s shareholders. If an acquisition is proposed, investors have the choice of holding their shares or redeeming them for their pro rata share of the SPAC’s assets. Because SPACs and similar entities have no operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Some SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their securities’ prices. In addition, these securities, which are typically traded in the OTC market, may be considered illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale.
Forward Currency Contracts
The Fund may enter into forward currency contracts. A forward currency contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. For example, the Fund might purchase a particular currency or enter into a forward currency contract to preserve the U.S. dollar price of securities it intends to or has contracted to purchase. Alternatively, it might sell a particular currency on either a spot or forward basis to hedge against an anticipated decline in the dollar value of securities it intends to or has contracted to sell. Although this strategy could minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, it could also limit any potential gain from an increase in the value of the currency.
Foreign Investments and Currencies
The Fund may make investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers (“foreign securities”), including U.S. dollar-denominated securities, foreign securities and securities of companies incorporated outside the U.S.
Risks of Investing in Foreign Securities. Investments in foreign securities involve certain inherent risks, including the following:
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Political and Economic Factors. Individual foreign economies of certain countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, diversification and balance of payments position. Governments in certain foreign countries also continue to participate to a significant degree, through ownership interest or regulation, in their respective economies. Action by these governments could include restrictions on foreign investment, nationalization, expropriation of goods or imposition of taxes, and could have a significant effect on market prices of securities and payment of interest. The economies of many foreign countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by the trade policies and economic conditions of their trading partners. Enactment by these trading partners of protectionist trade legislation could have a significant adverse effect upon the securities markets of such countries.
The United Kingdom (UK) withdrew from the European Union (EU) on January 31, 2020 following a June 2016 referendum referred to as “Brexit.” Although the UK and EU made a trade deal that was entered into on May 1, 2021, certain post-EU arrangements remain unresolved and subject to further negotiation and agreement. There is significant market uncertainty regarding Brexit’s ramifications, and the range of possible political, regulatory, economic and market outcomes are difficult to predict. The uncertainty surrounding the UK’s economy, and its legal, political, and economic relationship with the remaining member states of the EU, may cause considerable disruption in securities markets, including increased volatility and illiquidity, as well as currency fluctuations in the British pound’s exchange rate against the U.S. dollar.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has resulted in an ongoing military conflict and economic sanctions against certain Russian individuals and companies; this conflict may expand and military attacks could occur elsewhere in Europe. This conflict could also drive a rise in traditional and cyber terrorism in Europe and other parts of the world. Further, sanctions against Russian individuals and companies could adversely affect the price and availability of certain commodities.
Currency Fluctuations. The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Accordingly, a change in the value of any such currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding change in the U.S. dollar value of the Fund’s assets denominated in that currency. Such changes will also affect the Fund’s income. The value of the Fund’s assets may also be affected significantly by currency restrictions and exchange control regulations enacted from time to time.
Market Characteristics. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests will be purchased in over-the-counter (“OTC”) markets or on exchanges located in the countries in which the principal offices of the issuers of the various securities are located, if that is the best available market. Foreign exchanges and markets may be more volatile than those in the United States. While growing in volume, they usually have substantially less volume than U.S. markets, and the Fund’s foreign securities may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. securities. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in United States markets, and may include delays beyond periods customary in the United States. Foreign security trading practices, including those involving securities settlement where Fund assets may be released prior to receipt of payment or securities, may expose the Fund to increased risk in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of a foreign broker-dealer.
Legal and Regulatory Matters. Certain foreign countries may have less supervision of securities markets, brokers and issuers of securities, and less financial information available from issuers, than is available in the United States. Additionally, issuers of foreign securities may not be required to provide operational or financial information that is as timely or reliable as those required for issuers of U.S. securities.
Taxes. The interest and dividends payable on certain of the Fund’s foreign portfolio securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, thus reducing the net amount of income available for distribution to Fund shareholders.
Costs. To the extent that the Fund invests in foreign securities, its expense ratio is likely to be higher than those of investment companies investing only in domestic securities, since the cost of maintaining the custody of foreign securities is higher.
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Emerging Markets. Some of the securities in which the Fund may invest may be located in developing or emerging markets, which entail additional risks, including less social, political and economic stability; smaller securities markets and lower trading volume, which may result in less liquidity and greater price volatility; national policies that may restrict the Fund’s investment opportunities, including restrictions on investments in issuers or industries, or expropriation or confiscation of assets or property; and less developed legal structures governing private or foreign investment.
In considering whether to invest in the securities of a foreign company, the Adviser may consider such factors as the characteristics of the particular company, differences between economic trends and the performance of securities markets within the U.S. and those within other countries, and also factors relating to the general economic, governmental and social conditions of the country or countries where the company is located. The extent to which the Fund will be invested in foreign companies and countries and depositary receipts will fluctuate from time to time, depending on the Adviser’s assessment of prevailing market, economic and other conditions.
Illiquid Investments
In accordance with Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act, each Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in “illiquid investments.” Pursuant to the liquidity risk management programs of the Trust and the Adviser applicable to the Fund, the term “illiquid investment” is defined as an investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Illiquid investments are those securities or other investments without readily available market quotations, including repurchase agreements having a maturity of more than seven days. Illiquid investments may include restricted securities or other investments not determined by the Board of Trustees to be liquid, non-negotiable time deposits, over-the-counter options, and repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days after notice. Factors considered in determining whether an investment is illiquid may include, but are not limited to: the frequency of trades and quotes for the investment; the number of dealers willing to purchase and sell the investment and the number of potential purchasers; the number of dealers who undertake to make a market in the investment; the nature of the investment, including whether it is registered or unregistered, and the market place; whether the investment has been rated by a nationally recognized statistical ratings organization (“NRSRO”); the period of time remaining until the maturity of a debt instrument or until the principal amount of a demand instrument can be recovered through demand; the nature of any restrictions on resale; and with respect to municipal lease obligations and certificates of participation, there is reasonable assurance that the obligation will remain liquid throughout the time the obligation is held and, if unrated, an analysis similar to that which would be performed by a NRSRO is performed. The Fund will not invest more than 15% of the value of its net assets, taken at the time of investment, in illiquid investments, including repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days after notice, non-negotiable fixed time deposits with maturities over seven days, over-the-counter options and certain restricted securities or other investments not determined by the Board of Trustees to be liquid.
Master Limited Partnerships
The Fund may invest in master limited partnerships (“MLPs”). 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. Publicly traded partnerships could be treated as corporations to the extent they do not satisfy the gross income test. To satisfy the gross income test and thus 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 Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (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. MLPs generally have two classes of owners, the general partner and limited partners. 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. 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.
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An investment in MLP units involves certain risks which differ from an investment in the securities of a corporation. Holders of MLP units have limited control and voting rights on matters affecting the partnership. In addition, there are certain tax risks associated with an investment in MLP units and conflicts of interest exist between common unit holders and the general partner, including those arising from incentive distribution payments. An MLP that is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes is not liable for federal income tax at the entity level. If, as a result of a change in current law or a change in an MLP's business, an MLP were treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, such MLP would be obligated to pay federal income tax on its income at the corporate tax rate. If an MLP were classified as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP would be reduced and distributions received by investors would be taxed under federal income tax laws applicable to corporate dividends (as dividend income, return of capital, or capital gain). Therefore, treatment of an MLP as a corporation for federal income tax purposes would result in a reduction in the after-tax return to investors, likely causing a reduction in the value of the Fund’s shares.
Mortgage-Backed Securities and Asset-Backed Securities
The Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities represent direct or indirect participations in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by real property, and include single- and multi-class pass-through securities and collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”). Such securities may be issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities, such as the GNMA, FNMA, FHLMC or by private issuers, generally originators and investors in mortgage loans, including savings associations, mortgage bankers, commercial banks, investment bankers and special purpose entities (collectively, “private lenders”).
Mortgage-backed securities issued by private lenders may be supported by pools of mortgage loans or other mortgage-backed securities that are guaranteed, directly or indirectly, by the U.S. Government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities, or they may be issued without any governmental guarantee of the underlying mortgage assets but with some form of non- governmental credit enhancement. FNMA and FHLMC were formerly government-sponsored corporations owned entirely by private stockholders. In September 2008, at the direction of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, FNMA and FHLMC were placed into conservatorship under the FHFA. The U.S. Government also took steps to provide additional financial support to FNMA and FHLMC. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Treasury initiatives with respect to FNMA and FHLMC will be successful.
Residential mortgage loans are generally classified into three categories based on the risk profile of the borrower and the property: (i) Prime, (ii) Alternative-A (“Alt-A”), and (iii) Subprime. Prime residential mortgage loans are extended to borrowers who represent a relatively low risk profile through a strong credit history. Subprime loans are made to borrowers who display poor credit histories and other characteristics that correlate with a higher default risk. Alt-A loans are made to borrowers whose risk profile falls between Prime and Subprime. Asset-backed debt obligations represent direct or indirect participation in, or are secured by and payable from, assets such as motor vehicle installment sales contracts, other installment loan contracts, home equity loans, leases of various types of property and receivables from credit card or other revolving credit arrangements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk and bankruptcy of the originator or any other affiliated entities and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities. Payments or distributions of principal and interest on asset-backed debt obligations may be supported by non-governmental credit enhancements including letters of credit, reserve funds, over-collateralization and guarantees by third parties.
Commercial mortgage loans reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.
The rate of principal payment on mortgage- and asset-backed securities generally depends on the rate of principal payments received on the underlying assets, which in turn may be affected by a variety of economic and other factors. As a result, the yield on any mortgage- or asset- backed security is difficult to predict with precision and actual yield to maturity may be more or less than the anticipated yield to maturity. The yield characteristics of mortgage- and asset-backed debt obligations differ from those of traditional debt obligations. Among the principal differences are that interest and principal payments are made more frequently on mortgage- and asset-backed debt obligations, usually monthly, and that principal may be prepaid at any time because the underlying assets generally
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may be prepaid at any time. As a result, if these debt obligations or securities are purchased at a premium, a prepayment rate that is faster than expected will reduce yield to maturity, while a prepayment rate that is slower than expected will have the opposite effect of increasing the yield to maturity. Conversely, if these debt obligations or securities are purchased at a discount, a prepayment rate that is faster than expected will increase yield to maturity, while a prepayment rate that is slower than expected will reduce yield to maturity. Accelerated prepayments on debt obligations or securities purchased at a premium also impose a risk of loss of principal because the premium may not have been fully amortized at the time the principal is prepaid in full. The market for privately issued mortgage-backed securities is smaller and less liquid than the market for government-sponsored mortgage-backed securities.
While asset-backed securities may be issued with only one class of security, many asset-backed securities are issued in more than one class, each with different payment terms. Mortgage-backed securities may be issued with either a single class of security or multiple classes, which are commonly referred to as a CMO. Multiple class mortgage- and asset-backed securities are issued for two main reasons. First, multiple classes may be used as a method of providing selective credit support. This is accomplished typically through creation of one or more classes whose right to payments on the asset-backed security is made subordinate to the right to such payments of the remaining class or classes. Second, multiple classes may permit the issuance of securities with payment terms, interest rates or other characteristics differing both from those of each other and from those of the underlying assets. Examples include separate trading of registered interest and principal of securities (“STRIPS”) (mortgage- and asset-backed securities entitling the holder to disproportionate interests with respect to the allocation of interest and principal of the assets backing the security), and securities with class or classes having characteristics that mimic the characteristics of non-asset-backed securities, such as floating interest rates (i.e., interest rates that adjust as a specified benchmark changes) or scheduled amortization of principal.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”)
The Fund may invest in REITs. REITs invest primarily in real property and earn rental income from leasing those properties.
It also may realize gains or losses from the sale of properties. REITs generally exercise some degree of control over the operational aspects of their real estate investments, lease terms and property maintenance and repair.
Mortgage REITs invest primarily in mortgages and similar real estate interests and receive interest payments from the owners of the mortgaged properties and are paid interest by the owners of the financed properties. Hybrid REITs invest both in real property and in mortgages.
A REIT generally is not taxed on income distributed to its shareholders if it complies with certain federal income tax requirements relating primarily to its organization, ownership, assets and income and, further, if it distributes substantially all of its taxable income to shareholders each year. Consequently, REITs tend to focus on income-producing real estate investments.
The Fund’s investments in REITs may be adversely affected by deteriorations of the real estate rental market, in the case of REITs that primarily own real estate, or by deteriorations in the creditworthiness of property owners and changes in interest rates in the case of REITs that primarily hold mortgages. REITs also are dependent upon specialized management skills, may not be diversified in their holdings and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs also may be subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self- liquidation. Under certain circumstances, an entity may fail to qualify for the special tax treatment available to REITs, which would subject the entity to federal income taxes and adversely affect the value of its securities.
In general, qualified REIT dividends that an investor receives directly from a REIT are automatically eligible for the 20% qualified business income deduction. The IRS has issued final Treasury Regulations that permit a dividend or part of a dividend paid by a RIC and reported as a “section 199A dividend” to be treated by the recipient as a qualified REIT dividend for purposes of the 20% qualified business income deduction, if certain holding period and other requirements have been satisfied by the recipient with respect to its Fund shares.
Restricted Securities
The Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board” or “Trustees”) has adopted procedures to determine the liquidity of certain restricted securities, as permitted under an SEC Staff position set forth in the adopting release for Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Rule 144A (the “Rule”) is a non-exclusive, safe-harbor for certain secondary market transactions involving securities subject to restrictions on resale under federal securities laws. The Rule provides an exemption from registration
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for resales of otherwise restricted securities to qualified institutional buyers. The Rule was expected to further enhance the liquidity of the secondary market for securities eligible for sale under the Rule. The SEC Staff has left the question of determining the liquidity of restricted securities eligible for resale under the Rule for determination by the Trustees. The Trustees consider the following criteria in determining the liquidity of these restricted securities:
(i) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security;
(ii) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security and the number of other potential buyers;
(iii) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and
(iv) the nature of the security and the nature of the marketplace trades.
When-Issued and Delayed and Early Delivery Securities
These transactions are made to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price or yield for the Fund. No fees or other expenses, other than normal transaction costs, are incurred. However, liquid assets of the Fund sufficient to make payment for the securities to be purchased are segregated on the Fund’s records at the trade date. These assets are marked to market and are maintained until the transaction has been settled.
Lending of Portfolio Securities
The collateral received when the Fund lends portfolio securities must be valued daily and, should the market value of the loaned securities increase, the borrower must furnish additional collateral to the lending Fund. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower pays the Fund any dividends or interest paid on such securities. Loans are subject to termination at the option of the Fund or the borrower. The Fund may pay reasonable administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan and may pay a negotiated portion of the interest earned on the cash or equivalent collateral to the borrower or placing broker. The Fund does not have the right to vote securities on loan, but would terminate the loan and regain the right to vote if that were considered important with respect to the investment.
Investment grade short-term obligations include securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities, as well as securities rated in one of the four highest rating categories by at least two nationally recognized statistical rating organizations rating that security.
Fixed income securities will be deemed to be of high quality if they are rated “A” or better by nationally recognized statistical rating agencies or, if unrated, are determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser.
Money market instruments are high quality, short-term fixed income obligations (which generally have remaining maturities of one year or less), and may include:
•Government securities;
•commercial paper;
•certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances issued by domestic branches of United States banks that are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation;
•short-term obligations of foreign issuers denominated in U.S. dollars and traded in the U.S.; and
•repurchase agreements.
Repurchase agreements are agreements under which the Fund purchases securities from a bank or a securities dealer that agrees to repurchase the securities from the Fund at a higher price on a designated future date. If the seller under a repurchase agreement becomes insolvent, the Fund’s right to dispose of the securities may be restricted, or the value of the securities may decline before the Fund is able to dispose of them. In the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of the seller, the Fund may encounter delay and incur costs, including a decline in the value of the securities, before being able to sell the securities. If the seller defaults, the value of the securities may decline before a Fund is able to dispose of them. If the Fund enters into a repurchase agreement that is subject to foreign law and the other party defaults, the Fund may not enjoy protections comparable to those provided to most repurchase
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agreements under U.S. bankruptcy law, and may suffer delays and losses in disposing of the collateral. The Fund has adopted procedures designed to minimize the risks of loss from repurchase agreements.
The Fund’s custodian or a sub-custodian will take possession of the securities subject to repurchase agreements, and these securities will be marked to market daily. To the extent that the original seller does not repurchase the securities from the Fund, the Fund could receive less than the repurchase price on any sale of such securities. In the event that such a defaulting seller filed for bankruptcy or became insolvent, disposition of such securities by the Fund might be delayed pending court action. The Fund believes that under the regular procedures normally in effect for custody of the Fund’s portfolio securities subject to repurchase agreements, a court of competent jurisdiction would rule in favor of the Fund and allow retention or disposition of such securities. The Fund will only enter into repurchase agreements with banks and other recognized financial institutions, such as broker-dealers, which are deemed by the Adviser to be creditworthy pursuant to guidelines established by the Trustees.
Short Sales
The Fund may effect short sales of securities. A short sale involves the sale of a security that the Fund does not own in anticipation of purchasing the same security (or a security exchangeable therefore) at a later date at a lower price. When selling short, the Fund must borrow the security sold short and will be obligated to return the security to the lender. This is accomplished by a later purchase of the security by the Fund to close its short position. When the Fund effects a short sale, it must maintain collateral in a segregated account consisting of cash or liquid securities with a value equal to the current market value of the securities sold short less any cash deposited with its broker. Other than as noted below, the Fund may not sell a security short if, as a result of that sale, the current value of securities sold short by the Fund would exceed 10% of the value of the Fund’s net assets. The Fund may sell securities short so long as, as a result of that sale, the current value of securities sold short by the Fund would not exceed 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets.
The use of short sales is considered a speculative investment practice. The limited use of this practice, however, permits the Fund to pursue opportunities to profit from anticipated declines in the prices of particular securities which in the view of the Adviser are overvalued or are likely to be adversely affected by particular trends or events.
Options on Stock Indices
Certain options on stock indices provide the holder with the right to make or receive a cash settlement upon exercise of the option, rather than the right to purchase or sell a security. The amount of this settlement is equal to (i) the amount, if any, by which the fixed exercise price of the option exceeds (in the case of a call) or is below (in the case of a put) the closing value of the underlying index on the date of exercise, multiplied by (ii) a fixed “index multiplier.” The purchaser of the option receives this cash settlement amount if the closing level of the stock index on the day of exercise is greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. The writer of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount if the option is exercised. As in the case of non cash-settled options, the writer or holder may liquidate positions in stock index options prior to exercise or expiration by entering into closing transactions on the exchange on which such positions were established, subject to the availability of a liquid secondary market.
The index underlying a stock index option may be a “broad-based” index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 500® Index or the NYSE Composite Index, the changes in value of which ordinarily will reflect movements in the stock market in general. In contrast, certain options may be based on narrower market indices, such as the Standard & Poor’s 100 Index, or on indices of securities of particular industry groups, such as those of oil and gas or technology companies. A stock index assigns relative values to the stock included in the index and the index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the stocks so included.
The purchase and sale of options on stock indices will be subject to risks applicable to options transactions generally. In addition, the distinctive characteristics of options on indices create certain risks that are not present with stock options. Index prices may be distorted if trading of certain stocks included in the index is interrupted. Trading in index options also may be interrupted in certain circumstances such as if trading were halted in a substantial number of stocks included in the index or if dissemination of the current level of an underlying index is interrupted. If this occurred, the Fund would not be able to close out options which it had purchased and, if restrictions on exercise were imposed, may be unable to exercise an option it holds, which could result in losses if the underlying index moves adversely before trading resumes. However, it is a policy to purchase and sell options only on indices that include a sufficient number of stocks so that the likelihood of a trading halt in the index is minimized.
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Cybersecurity Risk
With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet to conduct business, the Fund is susceptible to operational, information security, and related risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber incidents affecting the Fund or its service providers may cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, impediments to trading, the inability of shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and service providers for shareholders) and other parties. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. While the Fund’s service providers have established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber incidents, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by its service providers or any other third parties whose operations may affect the Fund or its shareholders. As a result, the Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted.
Investment Companies and Exchange Traded Funds
The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, including money market mutual funds, other mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). The Fund’s investments in money market mutual funds may be used for cash management purposes and to maintain liquidity in order to satisfy redemption requests or pay unanticipated expenses. The Fund limits its investments in securities issued by other investment companies in accordance with the 1940 Act. With certain exceptions, Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act precludes the Fund from acquiring (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding shares of another investment company; (ii) shares of another investment company having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund; or (iii) shares of another registered investment company and all other investment companies having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the Fund (such limits do not apply to investments in money market funds). However, Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act provides that the provisions of paragraph 12(d)(1) shall not apply to securities purchased or otherwise acquired by the Fund if: (i) immediately after such purchase or acquisition not more than 3% of the total outstanding shares of such investment company is owned by the Fund and all affiliated persons of the Fund; and (ii) the Fund has not offered or sold, and is not proposing to offer or sell its shares through a principal underwriter or otherwise at a public offering price that includes a sales load of more than 1 1/2%. Rule 12d1-3 under the 1940 Act provides, however, that the Fund may rely on the Section 12(d)(1)(F) exemption and charge a sales load in excess of 1 1/2% provided the sales load and any service fee charged does not exceed limits set forth in applicable rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
If the Fund invests in investment companies, including ETFs, pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(F), it must comply with the following voting restrictions: when the Fund exercises voting rights, by proxy or otherwise, with respect to investment companies owned by the Fund, the Fund will either seek instruction from the Fund’s shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies and vote in accordance with such instructions, or vote the shares held by the Fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of the securities of the investment company. In addition, an investment company purchased by the Fund pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(F) shall not be required to redeem its shares in an amount exceeding 1% of such investment company’s total outstanding shares in any period of less than thirty days. To the extent the Fund is unable to redeem such shares within 7 days of a redemption request, the shares will be deemed illiquid and subject to the limitation that the Fund may not invest more than 15% of the value of its net assets, computed at the time of investment, in illiquid investments. In addition to the advisory and operational fees the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operation, the Fund will also bear its pro rata portion of the advisory and operational expenses incurred indirectly through its investments in other investment companies.
The Fund may also rely on Rule 12d1-4 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 the Fund satisfies 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.,
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hold more than 25% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired fund that is a registered open-end management investment company).
Exchange-Traded Funds. ETFs are open-end investment companies whose shares are listed on a national securities exchange. An ETF is similar to a traditional mutual fund, but trades at different prices during the day on a security exchange like a stock. Similar to investments in other investment companies discussed above, investments in ETFs will involve duplication of advisory fees and other expenses since the Fund will be investing in another investment company. In addition, the Fund’s investment in ETFs is also subject to its limitations on investments in investment companies discussed above. To the extent the Fund invests in ETFs which focus on a particular market segment or industry, the Fund will also be subject to the risks associated with investing in those sectors or industries. To the extent the Fund invests in inverse ETFs, such investments are subject to the risk that their performance will decline as the value of their benchmark indices rises. The shares of the ETFs in which the Fund will invest will be listed on a national securities exchange and the Fund will purchase or sell these shares on the secondary market at its current market price, which may be more or less than its net asset value (“NAV”) per share.
As a purchaser of ETF shares on the secondary market, the Fund will be subject to the market risk associated with owning any security whose value is based on market price. ETF shares historically have tended to trade at or near their NAV, but there is no guarantee that they will continue to do so. Unlike traditional mutual funds, shares of an ETF may be purchased and redeemed directly from the ETFs only in large blocks (typically 50,000 shares or more) and only through participating organizations that have entered into contractual agreements with the ETF. The Fund does not expect to enter into such agreements and therefore will not be able to purchase and redeem its ETF shares directly from the ETF.
Bonds, Debt and Fixed Income Investments
The Fund may invest in fixed income securities of U.S. and foreign issuers (including issuers located in emerging markets), and derivative instruments that are linked to fixed income securities (collectively, “Fixed Income Investments”). These securities may pay fixed, variable, adjustable or floating rates of interest, and may include zero coupon obligations that do not pay interest until maturity.
The Fund may invest in investment grade and non-investment grade bonds, debt and fixed income obligations. Investment grade debt securities have received a rating from a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”), like S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) or Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), in one of the four highest rating categories or, if not rated, have been determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality to such rated securities. Non-investment grade debt securities (typically called “junk bonds”) have received a rating from S&P or Moody’s of below investment grade, or have been given no rating and are determined by the Adviser to be of a quality below investment grade. There are no limitations on the maturity or duration of debt securities that may be purchased by the Fund.
Corporate Debt Securities. Corporate debt securities are fixed income securities issued by businesses to finance their operations, although corporate debt instruments may also include bank loans to companies. Notes, bonds, debentures and commercial paper are the most common types of corporate debt securities, with the primary difference being their maturities and secured or unsecured status. Commercial paper has the shortest term and is usually unsecured.
The broad category of corporate debt securities includes debt issued by domestic or foreign companies of all kinds, including those with small-, medium- and large-capitalizations. Corporate debt may be rated investment grade or below investment grade and may carry variable or floating rates of interest.
Because of the wide range of types, and maturities, of corporate debt securities, as well as the range of creditworthiness of its issuers, corporate debt securities have widely varying potentials for return and varying risk profiles. For example, commercial paper issued by a large established domestic corporation that is rated investment grade may have a modest return on principal, but carries relatively limited risk. On the other hand, a long-term corporate note issued by a small foreign corporation from an emerging market country that has not been rated may have the potential for relatively large returns on principal, but carries a relatively high degree of risk.
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Corporate debt securities carry both credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk is the risk that the Fund could lose money if the issuer of a corporate debt security is unable to pay interest or repay principal when it is due. Some corporate debt securities that are rated below investment grade are generally considered speculative because they present a greater risk of loss, including default, than higher quality debt securities. The credit risk of a particular issuer’s debt security may vary based on its priority for repayment. For example, higher ranking (senior) debt securities have a higher priority than lower ranking (subordinated) securities. This means that the issuer might not make payments on subordinated securities while continuing to make payments on senior securities. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, holders of higher-ranking senior securities may receive amounts otherwise payable to the holders of more junior securities. Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of certain corporate debt securities will tend to fall when interest rates rise. In general, corporate debt securities with longer terms tend to fall more in value when interest rates rise than corporate debt securities with shorter terms.
Unrated Debt Securities. Unrated debt, while not necessarily lower in quality than rated securities, may not have as broad a market. Because of the size and perceived demand for the issue, among other factors, certain issuers may decide not to pay the cost of getting a rating for their debt securities. The creditworthiness of the issuer, as well as any financial institution or other party responsible for payments on the security, will be analyzed by the Adviser to determine whether to purchase unrated bonds for the Fund.
U.S. Government Obligations. The Fund may invest in various types of U.S. Government obligations. U.S. Government obligations include securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, such as the U.S. Treasury. Payment of principal and interest on U.S. Government obligations may be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. or may be backed solely by the issuing or guaranteeing agency or instrumentality itself. In the latter case, the investor must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment, which agency or instrumentality may be privately owned. 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. As a result, there is a risk that these entities will default on a financial obligation. For instance, securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”) are supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government. In September 2008, at the direction of the U.S. Treasury, FNMA and FHLMC were placed into conservatorship under the Federal Housing Finance Agency, a newly created independent regulator. The U.S. government also took steps to provide additional financial support to FNMA and FHLMC. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Treasury initiatives with respect to FNMA and FHLMC will be successful. Securities issued by the Student Loan Marketing Association are supported only by the credit of that agency.
Money Market Instruments. The Fund may invest in cash and money market securities. The Fund may do so to “cover” investment techniques, when taking a temporary defensive position or to have assets available to pay expenses, satisfy redemption requests or take advantage of investment opportunities. The money market securities in which the Fund invests may include U.S. Treasury Bills, commercial paper, and commercial paper master notes.
The Fund may invest in commercial paper or commercial paper master notes rated, at the time of purchase, A-1 or A-2 by Standard & Poor’s Corporation or Prime-1 or Prime-2 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. Commercial paper master notes are demand instruments without a fixed maturity bearing interest at rates that are fixed to known lending rates and automatically adjusted when such lending rates change.
The Fund may also invest in securities issued by other investment companies that invest in high quality, short-term debt securities (namely, money market instruments). In addition to the advisory fees and other expenses the Fund bears directly in connection with their own operations, as a shareholder of another investment company, the Fund would bear its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s advisory fees and other expenses, and such fees and other expenses will be borne indirectly by the Fund’s shareholders.
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Bank Loan Risk
The Fund’s investments in secured and unsecured participations in bank loans and assignments of such loans may create substantial risk. In making investments in such loans, which banks or other financial intermediaries make to borrowers, the Fund will depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund’s share price could be adversely affected. The Fund may invest in loan participations that are rated by a NRSRO or are unrated, and may invest in loan participations of any credit quality, including “distressed” companies with respect to which there is a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested. In addition, certain bank loans in which a Fund may invest may have extended settlement periods or may be illiquid and, therefore, difficult to value and/or sell at a price that is beneficial to the Fund.
When the Fund invests in a loan through a purchase of an assignment, the Fund generally assumes all the rights and obligations under the loan agreement and will generally become a “lender” for purposes of the particular loan agreement, however, the rights and obligations acquired by the Fund may be different, and more limited, than those held by the assigning lender. If a secured loan is foreclosed, the Fund may become part owner of any collateral securing the loan and may bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of such collateral. In addition, the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan may not be possible or satisfy the borrower’s obligations under the loan agreement. The Fund could also be subject to liability as a co-lender.
If the Fund purchases a participation interest in a loan, it generally will not have a direct right to enforce compliance with the loan terms by the borrower and must do so through the lender selling the participation. The Fund may also not benefit directly from the collateral, if any, supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation interest. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender selling the participation.
Fixed Income Securities
The Fund may invest in bonds and other types of debt obligations of U.S. and foreign issuers. These securities, whether of U.S. or foreign issuers, may pay fixed, variable or floating rates of interest, and may include zero coupon obligations, which do not pay interest until maturity. Fixed income securities may include:
1.bonds, notes and debentures issued by corporations;
2.debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities (“U.S. Government Securities”);
3.municipal securities;
4.mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities; or
5.debt securities issued or guaranteed by foreign corporations and foreign governments, their agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, or by government owned, controlled or sponsored entities, including central banks.
Subject to certain limitations, the Fund may invest in both investment grade and non-investment grade debt securities. Investment grade debt securities have received a rating from nationally recognized statistical rating agencies in one of the four highest rating categories or, if not rated, have been determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality to such rated securities. Non-investment grade debt securities (typically called “junk bonds”) have received a rating from nationally recognized statistical rating agencies of below investment grade, or have been given no rating and are determined by the Adviser to be of a quality below investment grade. The Fund may invest without restriction as to issuer credit quality, capitalization or security maturity.
Sovereign Debt Obligations
The Fund may purchase sovereign debt instruments issued or guaranteed by foreign governments or their agencies, including debt of developing countries. Sovereign debt may be in the form of conventional securities or other types of debt instruments such as loans or loan participations. Sovereign debt of developing countries may involve a high degree of risk, and may present the risk of default. Governmental entities responsible for repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay principal and interest when due, and may require renegotiation or rescheduling of debt payments. In addition, prospects for repayment of principal and interest may depend on political as well as economic factors.
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Equity-Linked Securities
The Fund may invest in equity-linked securities, including, but not limited to, participation notes, certificates, and equity swaps. Equity-linked securities are privately issued securities whose investment results are designed to correspond generally to the performance of a specified stock index or “basket” of stocks, or a single stock. To the extent that the Fund invests in equity-linked securities whose return corresponds to the performance of a foreign security index or one or more foreign stocks, investing in equity-linked securities will involve risks similar to the risks of investing in foreign securities and subject to the Fund’s restrictions on investments in foreign securities. See “Foreign Securities” and “Foreign Securities Risk” above. In addition, the Fund bears the risk that the counterparty of an equity-linked security may default on its obligations under the security. If the underlying security is determined to be illiquid, the equity-linked security would also be considered illiquid and thus subject to the Fund’s restrictions on investments in illiquid investments.
Participation notes, also known as participation certificates, are issued by banks or broker-dealers and are designed to replicate the performance of foreign companies or foreign securities markets and can be used by the Fund as an alternative means to access the securities market of a country. The performance results of participation notes will not replicate exactly the performance of the foreign companies or foreign securities markets that they seek to replicate due to transaction and other expenses. Investments in participation notes involve the same risks associated with a direct investment in the underlying foreign companies or foreign securities markets that they seek to replicate. There can be no assurance that the trading price of participation notes will equal the underlying value of the foreign companies or foreign securities markets that they seek to replicate. Participation notes are generally traded OTC. Participation notes are subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the broker-dealer or bank that issues them will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the Fund. Participation notes constitute general unsecured contractual obligations of the banks or broker-dealers that issue them, the counterparty, and the Fund is relying on the creditworthiness of such counterparty and has no rights under a participation note against the issuer of the underlying security. Participation notes involve transaction cost. If the underlying security is determined to be illiquid, participation notes may be illiquid and therefore subject to the Fund’s percentage limitation for investments in illiquid investments. Participation notes offer a return linked to a particular underlying equity, debt or currency.
Equity swaps allow the parties to a swap agreement to exchange the dividend income or other components of return on an equity investment (for example, a group of equity securities or an index) for a component of return on another non-equity or equity investment. An equity swap may be used by the Fund to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of securities in circumstances in which direct investment may be restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise deemed impractical or disadvantageous. Equity swaps may also be used for hedging purposes or to seek to increase total return. The Fund’s ability to enter into certain swap transactions may be limited by tax considerations. The counterparty to an equity swap contract will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker/dealer.
Equity swap contracts may be structured in different ways. For example, a counterparty may agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the equity swap contract would have increased in value had it been invested in particular stocks (or an index of stocks), plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. In these cases, a Fund may agree to pay to the counterparty a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the equity swap contract plus the amount, if any, by which that notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to the Fund on the equity swap contract should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by a Fund on the notional amount. In other cases, the counterparty and the Fund may each agree to pay the other the difference between the relative investment performances that would have been achieved if the notional amount of the equity swap contract had been invested in different stocks (or indices of stocks). The Fund will generally enter into equity swaps on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Payments may be made at the conclusion of an equity swap contract or periodically during its term.
Equity swaps are derivatives and their value can be very volatile. Equity swaps normally do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to equity swaps is normally limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the counterparty to an equity swap defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive. Due to the fact that some swap agreements have a leverage 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 cost of the underlying asset without the use of leverage. In addition, the value of some components of an equity swap (such as the dividends on a common stock) may also be sensitive to changes in interest rates. To the extent that the Adviser does not
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accurately analyze and predict the potential relative fluctuation of the components swapped with another party, the Fund may suffer a loss. Since equity swaps are normally illiquid, the Fund may be unable to terminate its obligations when desired. When entering into swap contracts, the Fund must “set aside” liquid assets, or engage in other appropriate measures to “cover” its obligation under the swap contract.
Inasmuch as these transactions are entered into for hedging purposes or are offset by segregated cash or liquid assets to cover the Funds’ exposure, the Fund and the Adviser believe that transactions do not constitute senior securities under the 1940 Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the Fund’s borrowing restrictions.
Use of Options
The Fund may purchase call and put options on securities to seek capital growth or for hedging purposes. The Fund may also write and sell covered call and put options and purchase and write options on stock indices (such as the S&P 500® Index) listed on domestic or foreign securities exchanges or traded in the OTC market for hedging purposes.
An option on a security provides the purchaser, or “holder,” with the right, but not the obligation, to purchase, in the case of a “call” option, or sell, in the case of a “put” option, the security or securities underlying the option, for a fixed exercise price up to a stated expiration date. The holder pays a non-refundable purchase price for the option, known as the “premium.” The maximum amount of risk the purchaser of the option assumes is equal to the premium plus related transaction costs, although the entire amount may be lost. The risk of the seller, or “writer,” however, is potentially unlimited, unless the option is “covered,” which is generally accomplished through the writer’s ownership of the underlying security, in the case of a call option, or the writer’s segregation of an amount of cash or securities equal to the exercise price, in the case of a put option. If the writer’s obligation is not covered, it is subject to the risk of the full change in value of the underlying security from the time the option is written until exercise.
Options on securities which have been purchased or written may be closed out prior to exercise or expiration by entering into an offsetting transaction on the exchange on which the initial position was established, subject to the availability of a liquid secondary market.
Options on securities and options on indices of securities, discussed below, are traded on national securities exchanges, such as the Chicago Board Options Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), which are regulated by the SEC. The Options Clearing Corporation guarantees the performance of each party to an exchange-traded option, by in effect taking the opposite side of each such option. Options on securities and indices purchased and written by the Funds may be traded on NASDAQ rather than on an exchange. Any options not traded on an exchange must be effected with primary government securities dealers recognized by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
An option position in an exchange-traded option may be closed out only on an exchange which provides a secondary market for an option of the same series. Although the Fund will generally purchase or write only those options for which there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular option at any particular time.
Reasons for the potential absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange include the following: (i) there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities; (iv) unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; (v) the facilities of an exchange or a clearing corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume or (vi) one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options) in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in the class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options on that exchange which had been issued by a clearing corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms. There is no assurance that higher than anticipated trading activity or other unforeseen events might not, at a particular time, render certain of the facilities of any of the clearing corporations inadequate and thereby result in the institution by an exchange of special procedures which may interfere with the timely execution of customers’ orders. However, the Options Clearing Corporation, based on forecasts provided by the U.S. exchanges, believes that its
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facilities are adequate to handle the volume of reasonably anticipated options transactions, and such exchanges have advised such clearing corporation that they believe their facilities will also be adequate to handle reasonably anticipated volume.
The Fund may also invest in so-called “synthetic” options or other options and derivative instruments written by broker-dealers, including options on baskets of specified securities. Synthetic options transactions involve the use of two financial instruments that, together, have the economic effect of an options transaction. The risks of synthetic options are generally similar to the risks of actual options, with the addition of increased market risk, liquidity risk, counterparty credit risk, legal risk and operations risk.
Options transactions may be effected on domestic and foreign securities exchanges or in the OTC market. Options positions may be of the American or the European variety. An American style option may be exercised by the holder at any time after it is purchased until it expires. A European style option may be exercised only on its expiration date. When options are purchased OTC, the Fund bears the risk that the counterparty that wrote the option will be unable or unwilling to perform its obligations under the option contract. In addition, the Fund may have difficulty closing out its positions in OTC and synthetic options, which could result in losses to the Fund. OTC option positions and various derivative instruments may be illiquid and, in such cases are subject to the limitations on the purchase of illiquid investments by the Fund.
Private Placements and Restricted Securities
The Fund may invest in restricted securities (securities with limited transferability under the securities laws) acquired from the issuer in “private placement” transactions. Private placement securities are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and are subject to restrictions on resale. They are eligible for sale only to certain qualified institutional buyers, like the Fund, and are not sold on a trading market or exchange. While private placement securities offer attractive investment opportunities otherwise not available on an open market, because such securities are available to few buyers, they are often both difficult to sell and to value. Certain of the Fund’s investments may be placed in smaller, less seasoned, issuers that present a greater risk due to limited product lines and/or financial resources. The issuer of privately placed securities may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements of a public trade. Additionally, the Fund could obtain material non-public information from the issuer of such securities that would restrict the Fund’s ability to conduct portfolio transactions.
Privately placed securities can usually only be resold to other qualified institutional buyers, or in a private transaction, or to a limited number of purchasers, or in a limited quantities after they have been held for a specified period of time and other conditions are met pursuant to an exemption from registration. The Fund may incur more cost in the disposition of such securities because of the time and legal expense required to negotiate a private placement. Because of the limited market, the Fund may find it difficult to sell the securities when it finds it advisable to do so and, to the extent such securities are sold in private negotiations, they may be sold for less than the price for which they were purchased or less than their fair market value.
Privately placed securities cannot be resold to the public unless they have been registered under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption, such as Rule 144A. Such securities are commonly known as “144A securities” and may only be resold under certain circumstances to other institutional buyers. 144A securities frequently trade in an active secondary market. As a result of the resale restrictions on 144A securities, there is a greater risk they will become illiquid than securities registered with the SEC. Although securities which may be resold only to “qualified institutional buyers” in accordance with the provisions of Rule 144A under the Securities Act are technically considered “restricted securities,” the Fund may purchase Rule 144A securities without regard to the limitation on investments in illiquid securities described above in the “Illiquid Securities” section, provided that a determination is made that such securities are not determined to be illiquid under the liquidity risk management programs of the Trust and the Adviser applicable to the Fund. The Fund may also purchase certain commercial paper issued in reliance on the exemption from registration in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act (“4(a)(2) Paper”). The Adviser will determine the liquidity of Rule 144A securities and 4(a)(2) Paper under the supervision of the Board of Trustees. The liquidity of Rule 144A securities and 4(a)(2) Paper will be monitored by the Adviser, and if as a result of changed conditions it is determined that a Rule 144A security or 4(a)(2) Paper is no longer liquid, the Fund’s holdings of illiquid securities will be reviewed to determine what, if any, action is required to assure that the Fund does not exceed its applicable percentage limitation for investments in illiquid securities. Please refer to “Illiquid Securities” below for further discussion of regulatory considerations and constraints related to investment liquidity.
Collateralized Loan Obligations
As part of its non-principal investment strategy, the Fund may invest in collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”). CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and
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foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CLOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses. For CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche, which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CLO securities as a class.
The risks of an investment in a CLO depends largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the instrument in which the Fund invests. Normally, CLOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CLOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid investments, however an active dealer market may exist for CLOs allowing them to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with debt or fixed-income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Fund’s Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CLOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the risk that the Fund may invest in CLOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.
Borrowing
The Fund may borrow to increase its portfolio holdings of securities. The Fund will limit its borrowing to an amount not to exceed one-third of its total assets. Such borrowings may be on a secured or unsecured basis at fixed or variable rates of interest. The 1940 Act requires the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage of not less than 300% with respect to all borrowings. This allows the Fund to borrow for such purposes an amount (when taken together with any borrowings for temporary or emergency purposes as described below) equal to as much as 50% of the value of its net assets (not including such borrowings). If such asset coverage should decline to less than 300% due to market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund is required to reduce the Fund’s debt and restore the 300% asset coverage within three business days, and may be required to dispose of some of its portfolio holdings, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to dispose of assets at that time.
The Fund may also be deemed to be borrowing when entering into certain derivative transactions such as certain options, forwards or swap transactions or reverse repurchase agreements. This type of borrowing is generally referred to as economic leverage.
The use of borrowing by the Fund involves special risk considerations that may not be associated with other funds having similar policies. Since substantially all of the Fund’s assets fluctuate in value, whereas the interest obligation resulting from a borrowing will be fixed by the terms of the Fund’s agreement with its lender, the asset value per share of the Fund will tend to increase more when its portfolio securities increase in value and decrease more when its portfolio securities decrease in value than would otherwise be the case if the Fund did not borrow funds. In addition, interest costs on borrowings may fluctuate with changing market rates of interest and may partially offset or exceed the return earned on borrowed funds. Under adverse market conditions, the Fund might have to sell portfolio securities to meet interest or principal payments at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales. The interest which the Fund must pay on borrowed money, together with any additional fees to maintain a line of credit or any minimum average balances required to be maintained, are additional costs which will reduce or eliminate any net investment income and may also offset any potential capital gains. Unless the appreciation and income, if any, on assets acquired with borrowed funds exceed the costs of borrowing, the use of leverage will diminish the investment performance of a Fund compared with what it would have been without leverage.
Temporary Strategies; Cash or Similar Investments
During periods of adverse market or economic conditions, or when, in the opinion of the Adviser, certain abnormal or extraordinary circumstances exist, including periodic episodes where certain issuers call a portion of the Fund’s portfolio and the Adviser is unable to locate eligible portfolio securities in which to invest, the Fund may, as a temporary or defensive measure, invest all or a substantial portion of its assets in high quality, fixed income securities, money market instruments, or cash or cash equivalents, including investment grade short-term obligations. Investment grade obligations include securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
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Government, its agencies and instrumentalities, as well as securities rated in one of the four highest rating categories by at least two nationally recognized statistical rating organizations rating that security. The Fund will not be pursuing its investment objectives in these circumstances. Furthermore, to the extent that the Fund invests in money market mutual funds for its cash position, there will be some duplication of expenses because the Fund would bear its pro rata portion of such money market funds’ management fees and operational expenses.
For longer periods of time, the Fund may hold a substantial cash position. If the market advances during periods when the Fund is holding a large cash position, the Fund may not participate to the extent it would have if the Fund had been more fully invested, and this may result in the Fund not achieving its investment objective during that period. To the extent that the Fund uses a money market fund for its cash position, there will be some duplication of expenses because the Fund would bear its pro rata portion of such money market fund’s advisory fees and operational expenses.
The Fund may experience periods of heavy redemptions that could cause the Fund to liquidate its assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value, particularly during periods of declining or illiquid markets. This risk is greater to the extent that the Fund has investors with large shareholdings, short investment horizons, or unpredictable cash flow needs. In addition, redemption risk is heightened during periods of overall market turmoil. If the Fund is forced to liquidate its assets under unfavorable conditions or at inopportune times, the Fund’s value could decline.
The Fund may invest in any of the following securities and instruments:
Bank Certificates of Deposit, Bankers’ Acceptances and Time Deposits. The Fund may acquire certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers’ acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are “accepted” by a bank, meaning in effect that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances acquired by the Funds will be dollar denominated obligations of domestic or foreign banks or financial institutions which at the time of purchase have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (including assets of both domestic and foreign branches), based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such bank obligations are fully insured by the U.S. Government. If the Fund holds instruments of foreign banks or financial institutions, it may be subject to additional investment risks that are different in some respects from those incurred by a fund that invests only in debt obligations of U.S. domestic issuers. See “Foreign Investments” above. Such risks include future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes by the particular country in which the issuer is located on interest income payable on the securities, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, the possible establishment of exchange controls or the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on these securities.
Domestic banks and foreign banks are subject to different governmental regulations with respect to the amount and types of loans which may be made and interest rates which may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the banking industry depends largely upon the availability and cost of funds for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. General economic conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers play an important part in the operations of the banking industry.
As a result of federal and state laws and regulations, domestic banks are, among other things, required to maintain specified levels of reserves, limited in the amount which they can loan to a single borrower, and subject to other regulations designed to promote financial soundness. However, such laws and regulations do not necessarily apply to foreign bank obligations that the Fund may acquire.
In addition to purchasing certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances, to the extent permitted under the Fund’s investment objective and policies stated above, and in its Prospectus, the Fund may make interest bearing time or other interest bearing deposits in commercial or savings banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained at a banking institution for a specified period of time at a specified interest rate.
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Savings Association Obligations. The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit (interest bearing time deposits) issued by savings banks or savings and loan associations that have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million, based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such obligations is fully insured by the U.S. Government.
Commercial Paper, Short Term Notes and Other Corporate Obligations. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in commercial paper and short term notes. Commercial paper consists of unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations. Issues of commercial paper and short term notes will normally have maturities of less than nine months and fixed rates of return, although such instruments may have maturities of up to one year.
Commercial paper and short term notes will consist of issues rated at the time of purchase “A-2” or higher by S&P, “Prime-1” by Moody’s, or similarly rated by another NRSRO or, if unrated, will be determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality.
Investment Restrictions
Fundamental Investment Restrictions
The Trust (on behalf of the Fund) has adopted the following restrictions as fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the affirmative vote of the holders of a “majority of the outstanding voting securities” of the Fund, as defined under the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the vote of the holders of a “majority of the outstanding voting securities” means the vote of the holders of the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of its outstanding shares are represented; or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.
The Fund may not:
1.With respect to 75% of its total assets, invest 5% or more of its total assets in securities of a single issuer or hold 10% or more of the voting securities of such issuer. (This restriction does not apply to investments in the securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.);
2.issue senior securities or borrow money, except that (i) the Fund may borrow from banks in amounts not exceeding one-third (33 1/3%) of its total assets (including the amount borrowed); and (ii) this restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from engaging in options transactions or short sales in accordance with its objectives and strategies;
3.act as underwriter (except to the extent the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter in connection with the sale of securities in its investment portfolio);
1.invest 25% or more of its net assets, calculated at the time of purchase and taken at market value, in securities of issuers in any one industry (other than U.S. Government securities)(1);
2.purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities (although the Fund may purchase and sell securities that are secured by real estate and securities of companies that invest or deal in real estate);
3.purchase or sell commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments and provided that this restriction does not prevent the Fund from engaging in transactions involving currencies and futures contracts and options thereon or investing in securities or other instruments that are secured by commodities; or
4.make loans of money (except for the lending of its portfolio securities, purchases of debt securities consistent with the investment policies of the Fund and except for repurchase agreements).
6.For purposes of complying with this restriction, the Fund will look through to the securities of any underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
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Non-Fundamental Investment Restriction
The following non-fundamental investment restrictions are applicable to the Fund. These restrictions can be changed by the Board of Trustees, but the change will only be effective after prior written notice is given to shareholders of the applicable Fund.
The Fund may not:
1.invest 15% or more of the value of its net assets, taken at the time of investment, in illiquid investments(1).
(1) The term “illiquid security” is defined as a security 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 security.
Management of the Fund
Board of Trustees
The management and affairs of the Fund are supervised by the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees consists of seven individuals. The Trustees are fiduciaries for the Fund’s shareholders and are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware in this regard. The Board of Trustees establishes policies for the operation of the Fund and appoints the officers who conduct the daily business of the Fund.
Trustees and Officers
The Trustees and the officers of the Trust are listed below with their addresses, present positions with the Trust and principal occupations over at least the last five years.
Name, Address and Year of Birth | Position(s) Held with the Trust | Term of Office and Length of Time Served | Number of Portfolios in the Trust Overseen by Trustee | Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years | Other Directorships Held by Trustee During the Past Five Years | ||||||||||||
Independent Trustees | |||||||||||||||||
Michael D. Akers, Ph.D. 615 E. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 Year of Birth: 1955 | Trustee | Indefinite Term; Since August 22, 2001 | [...] | Professor Emeritus, Department of Accounting (June 2019-present), Professor, Department of Accounting (2004-2019), Chair, Department of Accounting (2004-2017), Marquette University. | Independent Trustee, USA MUTUALS (an open-end investment company) (2001-2021). | ||||||||||||
Gary A. Drska 615 E. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 Year of Birth: 1956 | Trustee | Indefinite Term; Since August 22, 2001 | [...] | Retired; Former Pilot, Frontier/Midwest Airlines, Inc. (airline company) (1986-2021). | Independent Trustee, USA MUTUALS (an open-end investment company) (2001-2021). |
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Name, Address and Year of Birth | Position(s) Held with the Trust | Term of Office and Length of Time Served | Number of Portfolios in the Trust Overseen by Trustee | Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years | Other Directorships Held by Trustee During the Past Five Years | ||||||||||||
Vincent P. Lyles 615 E. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 Year of Birth: 1961 | Trustee | Indefinite Term; Since April 6, 2022 | [...] | Executive Director, Milwaukee Succeeds (education advocacy organization) (2023-present); System Vice President of Community Relations, Advocate Aurora Health Care (health care provider) (2019-2022); President and Chief Executive Officer, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee (2012-2018). | Independent Director, BMO Funds, Inc. (an open-end investment company) (2017-2022). | ||||||||||||
Erik K. Olstein 615 E. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 Year of Birth: 1967 | Trustee | Indefinite Term; Since April 6, 2022 | [...] | Retired; President and Chief Operating Officer (2000-2020), Vice President of Sales and Chief Operating Officer (1995-2000), Olstein Capital Management, L.P. (asset management firm); Secretary and Assistant Treasurer, The Olstein Funds (1995-2018). | Trustee, The Olstein Funds (an open-end investment company) (1995-2018). | ||||||||||||
Lisa Zúñiga Ramírez 615 E. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 Year of Birth: 1969 | Trustee | Indefinite Term; Since April 6, 2022 | [...] | Retired; Principal and Senior Portfolio Manager, Segall, Bryant & Hamill, LLC (asset management firm) (2018-2020); Partner and Senior Portfolio Manager, Denver Investments LLC (asset management firm) (2009-2018). | N/A | ||||||||||||
Gregory M. Wesley 615 E. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 Year of Birth: 1969 | Trustee | Indefinite Term; Since April 6, 2022 | [...] | Senior Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Business Development, Medical College of Wisconsin (2016-present). | N/A | ||||||||||||
Interested Trustee and Officers |
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Name, Address and Year of Birth | Position(s) Held with the Trust | Term of Office and Length of Time Served | Number of Portfolios in the Trust Overseen by Trustee | Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years | Other Directorships Held by Trustee During the Past Five Years | ||||||||||||
John P. Buckel* 615 E. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 Year of Birth: 1957 | Chairperson, Trustee, President and Principal Executive Officer | Indefinite Term Chairperson and Trustee (since January 19, 2023); President and Principal Executive Officer (since January 24, 2013) | N/A | Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2004-present). | N/A | ||||||||||||
Jennifer A. Lima 615 E. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 Year of Birth: 1974 | Vice President, Treasurer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer | Indefinite Term; Since January 24, 2013 | N/A | Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2002-present). | N/A | ||||||||||||
Deanna B. Marotz 615 E. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 Year of Birth: 1965 | Chief Compliance Officer, Vice President and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Indefinite Term; Since October 21, 2021 | N/A | Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2021-present); Chief Compliance Officer, Keeley-Teton Advisors, LLC and Teton Advisors, Inc (2017-2021); Chief Compliance Officer, Keeley Asset Management Corp. (2015-2017). | N/A | ||||||||||||
Jay S. Fitton 615 E. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 Year of Birth: 1970 | Secretary | Indefinite Term; Since July 22, 2019 | N/A | Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2019-present); Partner, Practus, LLP (2018-2019); Counsel, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2016-2018). | N/A | ||||||||||||
Kelly A. Strauss 615 E. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 Year of Birth: 1987 | Assistant Treasurer | Indefinite Term; Since April 23, 2015 | N/A | Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2011-present). | N/A | ||||||||||||
Laura A. Carroll 615 E. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 Year of Birth: 1985 | Assistant Treasurer | Indefinite Term; Since August 20, 2018 | N/A | Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2007-present). | N/A |
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Name, Address and Year of Birth | Position(s) Held with the Trust | Term of Office and Length of Time Served | Number of Portfolios in the Trust Overseen by Trustee | Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years | Other Directorships Held by Trustee During the Past Five Years | ||||||||||||
Shannon Coyle 615 E. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 Year of Birth: 1990 | Assistant Treasurer | Indefinite Term; Since August 26, 2022 | N/A | Officer, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2015-present). | N/A |
*Mr. Buckel is deemed to be an “interested person” of the Trust as defined by the 1940 Act due to his position and material business relationship with the Trust.
Role of the Board
The Board of Trustees provides oversight of the management and operations of the Trust. Like all funds, the day-to-day responsibility for the management and operation of the Trust is the responsibility of various service providers to the Trust and its individual series, such as the Adviser, Distributor, Custodian, and the Fund’s administrator and transfer agent, each of which are discussed in greater detail in this SAI. The Board approves all significant agreements with the Adviser, Distributor, Custodian, and the Fund’s administrator and transfer agent. The Board has appointed various individuals of certain of these service providers as officers of the Trust, with responsibility to monitor and report to the Board on the Trust’s day-to-day operations. In conducting this oversight, the Board receives regular reports from these officers and service providers regarding the Trust’s operations. The Board has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) who reports directly to the Board and who administers the Trust’s compliance program and regularly reports to the Board as to compliance matters, including an annual compliance review. Some of these reports are provided as part of formal Board meetings, which are generally held five times per year, and at such other times as the Board determines is necessary, and involve the Board’s review of recent Trust operations. From time to time, one or more members of the Board may also meet with Trust officers in less formal settings, between formal Board meetings, to discuss various topics. In all cases, however, the role of the Board and of any individual Trustee is one of oversight and not of management of the day-to-day affairs of the Trust and its oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Trust’s investments, operations or activities.
Board Leadership Structure
The Board has structured itself in a manner that it believes allows it to perform its oversight function effectively. The Board is composed of six Independent Trustees – Dr. Michael D. Akers, Gary A. Drska, Vincent P. Lyles, Erik K. Olstein, Lisa Zúñiga Ramírez and Gregory M. Wesley – and one Trustee who is an “interested person” (as defined by the 1940 Act) of the Trust (the “Interested Trustee”) – Mr. John P. Buckel. Accordingly, more than 85% of the members of the Board are Independent Trustees, Trustees who are not affiliated with the Adviser or its affiliates, or any other investment adviser or service provider to the Trust or any underlying fund. The Board of Trustees has established two standing committees, an Audit Committee and a Nominating Committee, which are discussed in greater detail under “Board Committees” below. Each of the Audit Committee and the Nominating Committee is composed entirely of Independent Trustees. The Independent Trustees have engaged their own independent counsel to advise them on matters relating to their responsibilities in connection with the Trust.
In accordance with the fund governance standards prescribed under the 1940 Act, the Independent Trustees on the Nominating Committee select and nominate all candidates for Independent Trustee positions. Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board because of his or her experience, qualifications, attributes and skills as set forth in the subsection “Trustee Qualifications” below.
The Board reviews its structure regularly in light of the characteristics and circumstances of the Trust, including: the unaffiliated nature of each investment adviser and the fund(s) managed by such adviser, the number of funds that comprise the Trust, the variety of asset classes that those funds reflect, the net assets of the Trust, the committee structure of the Trust, and the independent distribution arrangements of each of the Trust’s underlying funds.
The Board has determined that the function and composition of the Audit Committee and the Nominating Committee are appropriate to address any potential conflicts of interest that may arise from the Chairperson’s status as an Interested Trustee. In addition, the inclusion of all Independent Trustees as members of the Audit Committee and the Nominating Committee allows all such Trustees to participate in the full range of the Board’s oversight duties, including oversight of risk management processes discussed below. Given
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the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust as described above, the Trust has determined that the Board’s leadership structure is appropriate.
Board Oversight of Risk Management
As part of its oversight function, the Board receives and reviews various risk management reports and assessments and discusses these matters with appropriate management and other personnel, including personnel of the Trust’s service providers. Because risk management is a broad concept composed of many elements (such as, for example, investment risk, issuer and counterparty risk, compliance risk, operational risks, business continuity risks, etc.) the oversight of different types of risks is handled in different ways. For example, the CCO regularly reports to the Board during Board meetings and meets in executive session with the Independent Trustees and their legal counsel to discuss compliance and operational risks. In addition, the Independent Trustee designated as the Audit Committee’s “audit committee financial expert” meets with the Treasurer and the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to discuss, among other things, the internal control structure of the Trust’s financial reporting function. The full Board receives reports from the investment advisers to the underlying funds and the portfolio managers as to investment risks as well as other risks that may be discussed during Audit Committee meetings.
Trustee Qualifications
The Board believes that each of the Trustees has the qualifications, experience, attributes and skills appropriate to his or her continued service as a Trustee of the Trust in light of the Trust’s business and structure. The Trustees have substantial business and professional backgrounds that indicate they have the ability to critically review, evaluate and assess information provided to them. Certain of these business and professional experiences are set forth in detail in the table above. In addition, the Trustees have substantial board experience and, in their service to the Trust, have gained substantial insight as to the operation of the Trust. The Board annually conducts a “self-assessment” wherein the effectiveness of the Board and the individual Trustees is reviewed.
In addition to the information provided in the table above, below is certain additional information concerning each individual Trustee. The information provided below, and in the table above, is not all-inclusive. Many of the Trustees’ qualifications to serve on the Board involve intangible elements, such as intelligence, integrity, work ethic, the ability to work together, the ability to communicate effectively, the ability to exercise judgment, the ability to ask incisive questions, and commitment to shareholder interests. In conducting its annual self-assessment, the Board has determined that the Trustees have the appropriate attributes and experience to continue to serve effectively as Trustees of the Trust.
Michael D. Akers, Ph.D., CPA. Dr. Akers has served as an Independent Trustee of the Trust since 2001. Dr. Akers previously served as an independent trustee of USA Mutuals, an open-end investment company, from 2001 to June 2021. Dr. Akers has been a Professor Emeritus, Department of Accounting at Marquette University since June 2019, was Professor, Department of Accounting at Marquette University from 2004 to May 2019, was Chair of the Department of Accounting at Marquette University from 2004 to 2017, and was Associate Professor, Department of Accounting at Marquette University from 1996 to 2004. Dr. Akers is a certified public accountant, a certified fraud examiner, a certified internal auditor and a certified management accountant. Through his experience as an investment company trustee and his employment experience, Dr. Akers is experienced with financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters.
Gary A. Drska. Mr. Drska has served as an Independent Trustee of the Trust since 2001. Mr. Drska previously served as an independent trustee of USA Mutuals from 2001 to June 2021. Mr. Drska previously served as a Pilot of Frontier/Midwest Airlines, Inc., an airline company, from 1986 to September 2021. Through his experience as an investment company trustee, Mr. Drska is experienced with financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters.
Vincent P. Lyles. Mr. Lyles has served as an Independent Trustee of the Trust since 2022. Mr. Lyles has served as Executive Director of Milwaukee Succeeds since January, 2023. Mr. Lyles previously served as System Vice President of Community Relations at Advocate Aurora Health Care from 2019 to 2022. He served as an Independent Director of BMO Funds, Inc., an open-end investment company, from 2017 to 2022. Mr. Lyles is a board member and finance committee member of Badger Mutual Insurance Company and a Trustee and member of the Committee of Student Experience & Mission on the Board of Trustees at Marquette University. Mr. Lyles previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee from 2012 to 2018, President of M&I Community Development Corporation from 2006 to 2011, and as a Director of Public Finance of Robert W. Baird & Co. from 1995 to 2006. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School in 1987. Through his experience as an investment company trustee and his employment experience, Mr. Lyles is experienced with legal, financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters.
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Erik K. Olstein. Mr. Olstein has served as an Independent Trustee of the Trust since 2022. Mr. Olstein served as President and Chief Operating Officer from 2000 to 2020 and Vice President of Sales and Chief Operating Officer from 1995 to 2000 at Olstein Capital Management, L.P., an asset management firm he co-founded. During his time at Olstein Capital Management, L.P., Mr. Olstein was responsible for fiduciary oversight and management of The Olstein Funds, an open-end investment company, where he served as Trustee, Secretary and Assistant Treasurer from 1995 to 2018. Mr. Olstein currently serves as President and Trustee of the Board of Trustees of the Trinity-Pawling School and has previously held Board positions with the American Friends of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, National Maritime Historical Society and U.S. Naval Service Personal Education Assistance Fund. Through his experience as an investment company trustee and his employment experience, Mr. Olstein is experienced with financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters.
Lisa Zúñiga Ramírez, CFA®, FSA. Ms. Ramírez has served as an Independent Trustee of the Trust since 2022. Ms. Ramírez served as Senior Portfolio Manager at Segall Bryant & Hamill, LLC, an asset management firm, from 2018 to 2020. She served as Partner and Senior Portfolio Manager from 2009 to 2018, Partner and Senior Equity Analyst from 2002 to 2009 and Equity Analyst from 1997 to 2002 at Denver Investments, LLC, an asset management firm that was acquired by Segall Bryant & Hamill, LLC in 2018. Ms. Ramírez currently serves as an Independent Director on the Bow River Capital Advisory Board, an asset management firm, and is a Director of the Denver Employees Retirement Plan. In addition, she serves on the boards of The Denver Foundation, NACD (National Association of Corporate Directors) Colorado Chapter, Latinas First Foundation and Vuela for Health. Ms. Ramírez is a CFA® charterholder (CFA® is a registered trademark owned by the CFA Institute) and holds the Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) credential from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board. Through her employment experience, Ms. Ramírez is experienced with financial, accounting, ESG (environmental, social and governance), regulatory and investment matters.
Gregory M. Wesley. Mr. Wesley has served as an Independent Trustee of the Trust since 2022. Mr. Wesley has served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Business Development at the Medical College of Wisconsin since 2016. Prior to his current role at the Medical College of Wisconsin, he was a Partner at MWH Law Group LLP, a law firm during 2016, and a Partner at Gonzalez, Saggio & Harlan LLP, a law firm from 2002 to 2016. Mr. Wesley serves on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, MHS Health Wisconsin, Versiti, Inc., and the Greater Milwaukee Committee. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Johnson Foundation at Wingspread and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. He previously sat on the Board of Trustees of the Medical College of Wisconsin from 2009 to 2016 and the Board of Directors of Park Bank Milwaukee from 2015 to 2020. Mr. Wesley received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School in 1997. Through his sustained employment and board experience, Mr. Wesley is experienced with legal, financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters.
John P. Buckel. Mr. Buckel has served as a Trustee of the Trust since 2023. Mr. Buckel has served as a Vice President of Fund Services, a multi-line service provider to investment companies, since 2004. Through his experience as an investment company trustee and his employment experience, Mr. Buckel is experienced with financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters.
Trustee Ownership of Fund Shares
As of the date of this SAI, no Trustee or officer of the Trust beneficially owned shares of the Fund or any other series of the Trust.
Furthermore, as of the date of this SAI, neither the Trustees who are not “interested” persons of the Fund, nor members of their immediate families, owned securities beneficially, or of record, in the Adviser, the Distributor or any of their affiliates. Accordingly, neither the Trustees who are not “interested” persons of the Fund nor members of their immediate families, have a direct or indirect interest, the value of which exceeds $120,000, in the Adviser, the Distributor or any of their affiliates. In addition, during the two most recently completed calendar years, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate families have had a direct or indirect interest, the value of which exceeds $120,000 in (i) the Adviser, the Distributor or any of their affiliates. or (ii) any transaction or relationship in which such entity, the Fund, any officer of the Trust, or any of their affiliates was a party.
Board Committees
Audit Committee. The Trust has an Audit Committee, which is composed of the Independent Trustees, Dr. Michael D. Akers, Mr. Gary A. Drska, Mr. Vincent P. Lyles, Mr. Erik K. Olstein, Ms. Lisa Zúñiga Ramírez and Mr. Gregory M. Wesley. The Audit Committee reviews financial statements and other audit-related matters for the Fund. The Audit Committee also holds discussions with management and with the Fund’s independent auditor concerning the scope of the audit and the auditor’s independence. Dr.
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Akers is designated as the Audit Committee chairman and serves as the Audit Committee’s “audit committee financial expert,” as stated in the annual reports relating to the series of the Trust.
Nominating Committee. The Trust has a Nominating Committee, which is composed of the Independent Trustees, Dr. Michael D. Akers, Mr. Gary A. Drska, Mr. Vincent P. Lyles, Mr. Erik K. Olstein, Ms. Lisa Zúñiga Ramírez and Mr. Gregory M. Wesley. The Nominating Committee is responsible for seeking and reviewing candidates for consideration as nominees for the position of trustee and meets only as necessary. As part of this process, the Nominating Committee considers criteria for selecting candidates sufficient to identify a diverse group of qualified individuals to serve as trustees.
The Nominating Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders for vacancies on the Board of Trustees. Recommendations for consideration by the Nominating Committee should be sent to the President of the Trust in writing together with the appropriate biographical information concerning each such proposed nominee, and such recommendation must comply with the notice provisions set forth in the Trust’s Nominating Committee Charter. In general, to comply with such procedures, such nominations, together with all required information, must be delivered to and received by the President of the Trust at the principal executive office of the Trust not later than 60 days prior to the shareholder meeting at which any such nominee would be voted on. Shareholder recommendations for nominations to the Board of Trustees will be accepted on an ongoing basis and such recommendations will be kept on file for consideration when there is a vacancy on the Board of Trustees.
Trustee Compensation
The Independent Trustees receive from the Trust a retainer fee of $65,000 per year, $4,500 for each regular Board meeting attended and $1,000 for each special Board meeting attended telephonically, as well as reimbursement for expenses incurred in connection with attendance at Board meetings. Members of the Audit Committee receive $2,000 for each meeting of the Audit Committee attended. The chairman of the Audit Committee receives an annual retainer of $5,000. Interested Trustees do not receive any compensation for their service as Trustee. The following table shows the compensation estimated to be earned by each Trustee during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023:
Aggregate Compensation From the Fund(1) | Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses | Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement | Total Compensation from the Fund and the Trust(2) Paid to Trustees | |||||||||||
Name of Person/Position | ||||||||||||||
Dr. Michael D. Akers, Independent Trustee(3)(4) | $[...] | None | None | $[...] | ||||||||||
Gary A. Drska, Independent Trustee(3) | $[...] | None | None | $[...] | ||||||||||
Vincent P. Lyles Independent Trustee(3) | $[...] | None | None | $[...] | ||||||||||
Erik K. Olstein Independent Trustee(3) | $[...] | None | None | $[...] | ||||||||||
Lisa Zúñiga Ramírez Independent Trustee(3) | $[...] | None | None | $[...] | ||||||||||
Gregory M. Wesley Independent Trustee(3) | $[...] | None | None | $[...] | ||||||||||
John P. Buckel, Interested Trustee(5) | None | None | None | None |
1.Trustees’ fees and expenses are allocated among the Fund and any other series comprising the Trust.
2.There are currently [...] other series comprising the Trust.
3.Audit Committee member.
4.Audit Committee chairman.
5.Appointed an Interested Trustee and Chairperson of the Trust effective January 19, 2023.
Control Persons and Principal Shareholders
A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. A control person is one who owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund or acknowledges the existence of control. A controlling person possesses the ability to control the outcome of matters submitted for
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shareholder vote by the Fund. As of [ ], 2023, the following shareholders were considered to be control persons or principal shareholders of the Predecessor Fund:
[To Be Provided]
Investment Adviser
Investment advisory services are provided to the Fund by the Adviser, CrossingBridge Advisors, LLC, pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) between the Adviser and the Trust on behalf of the Fund. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ENDI Corp. (“ENDI”).
After an initial two-year period, the Advisory Agreement will continue in effect from year to year, only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by: (i) the Board of Trustees or the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund; and (ii) the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement nor interested persons thereof, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Advisory Agreement (or in another manner permitted by the 1940 Act or pursuant to exemptive relief therefrom). The Advisory Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, upon 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser, when authorized by either: (i) a majority vote of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund; or (ii) by a vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees, or by the Adviser upon 60 days’ written notice to the Trust. The Advisory Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment,” as defined under the 1940 Act. The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser under such agreement shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of portfolio transactions for the Fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties thereunder.
In consideration of the services provided by the Adviser pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive from the Fund a management fee computed daily and paid monthly, based on a rate equal to 0.65% of the Fund’s average daily net assets, as specified in the Prospectus. The Adviser may voluntarily agree to waive a portion of the management fees payable to it on a month-to-month basis, including additional fees above and beyond any contractual agreement the Adviser may have to waive management fees and/or reimburse Fund expenses. Prior to [ ], 2023, the Predecessor Fund paid a management fee equal to 0.65% of the Predecessor Fund’s average daily net assets to RiverPark Advisors, LLC (the “Predecessor Fund Adviser”), the investment adviser to the Predecessor Fund. The table below sets forth the amount of the advisory fees and Predecessor Fund operating expenses waived or recouped by the Predecessor Fund Adviser, and the total advisory fees paid by the Predecessor Fund to the Predecessor Fund Adviser for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2022, 2021 and 2020:
Fiscal Year | Advisory Fee | (Waiver) | Advisory Fee after Waiver & Recoupment | ||||||||
September 30, 2022 | $1,329,000 | - | $1,329,000 | ||||||||
September 30, 2021 | $1,318,000 | - | $1,318,000 | ||||||||
September 30, 2020 | $1,487,000 | - | $1,487,000 |
Fund Expenses. The Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses. The Adviser has agreed to waive management fees payable to it by the Fund and/or to reimburse the Fund’s operating expenses to the extent necessary to limit the Fund’s aggregate annual operating expenses (exclusive of front-end or contingent deferred loads, 12b-1 plan fees, shareholder-servicing plan fees, interest (including interest incurred in connection with bank and custody overdrafts), acquired fund fees and expenses, leverage (i.e. any expenses incurred in connection with borrowings made by the Fund) and tax expenses, dividends or interest on short positions, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation) to the limit set forth in the “Fees and Expenses of the Fund” table in the Prospectus. The Adviser may request recoupment of previously waived fees and paid expenses from the Fund for up to three years from the date such fees and expenses were waived or paid, subject to the operating expense limitation agreement, if such reimbursements will not cause the Fund’s expense ratio, after recoupment has been taken into account, to exceed the lesser of: (1) the expense limitation in place at the time of the waiver and/or expense payment; or (2) the expense limitation in place at the time of the recoupment. Any such reimbursement is also contingent upon the Board of Trustees’ subsequent review and ratification of the reimbursed amounts.
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Portfolio Manager
As disclosed in the Prospectus, David K. Sherman, Senior Portfolio Manager serves as the portfolio manager for the Fund. Mr. Sherman is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s investment portfolio.
Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Manager
The table below identifies, for the Portfolio Manager of the Fund, the number of accounts managed (excluding the Fund) and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. Asset amounts have been rounded and are approximate as of December 31, 2023.
Category of Account | Total Number of Accounts Managed | Total Assets in Accounts Managed | Number of Accounts for which Advisory Fee is Based on Performance | Assets in Accounts for which Advisory Fee is Based on Performance | ||||||||||
Other Registered Investment Companies | 8 | $2,449.1 million | 0 | $0 | ||||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 2 | $19.1 million | 2 | $19.1 million | ||||||||||
Other Accounts | 4 | $71.5 million | 0 | $0 |
Material Conflicts of Interest
Potential conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the Portfolio Manager’s management of the Fund’s investments and the management of the investments of “other accounts”. The other accounts may have the same investment objective as the Fund but may be subject to different management fee structures than the Fund. Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the similarities in investment objectives and strategies, whereby the Portfolio Manager could favor one account over another. Another potential conflict could include the Portfolio Manager’s knowledge about the size, timing and possible market impact of Fund trades, whereby the Portfolio Manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Fund. The Adviser has established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities among all accounts it manages are fairly and equitably allocated.
Conflicts of Interest Relating to Accounts Investing in the same Portfolio Company
Conflicts may arise in cases where different CrossingBridge clients as well as affiliate clients invest in different parts of an issuer’s capital structure, including circumstances in which one or more CrossingBridge clients as well as affiliate clients may own private securities of an issuer and other CrossingBridge clients as well as affiliate clients may own public securities of the same issuer. For example, a CrossingBridge client or an affiliate client may acquire a loan assignment or fixed income security of a particular borrower in which one or more CrossingBridge clients or affiliate clients have an equity investment. In negotiating the terms and conditions of any such investments, or any subsequent amendments, CrossingBridge may find that the interests of some clients may conflict with the interests of other CrossingBridge clients or affiliate clients. If an issuer in which a CrossingBridge client and one or more other CrossingBridge client as well as affiliate clients hold different classes of securities (or other assets, instruments, obligations issued by such issuer) encounters financial problems, decisions over the terms of any workout may raise conflicts of interest (including conflicts over proposed waivers and amendments to debt covenants). For example, a debt holder may be better served by a liquidation of the issuer in which it may be paid in full, whereas an equity holder might prefer a reorganization that holds the potential to create or retain value for the equity holders. Further, investing in different parts of the capital structure may also result in a conflict between clients with regards to corporate events and proxy voting. CrossingBridge clients that invest in different rankings within the capital structure may have different economic outcomes than originally expected.
CrossingBridge has adopted policies and procedures intended to prevent and mitigate such potential conflicts of interest. This includes, but is not limited to, the review of transactions by CrossingBridge’s compliance department. While CrossingBridge will attempt to resolve such matters fairly, Fund shareholders should be aware that conflicts will not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund or Fund shareholders’ interests.
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Portfolio Manager’s Compensation
Mr. Sherman receives a fixed base salary and incentive awards based on the profitability of the Adviser and the satisfaction of the account objectives. Further, Mr. Sherman, as Principal of the Adviser, participates in the overall profitability of the firm and may receive distributions. The Portfolio Manager also participates in a retirement plan.
Ownership of Securities in the Funds by the Portfolio Manager
As of December 31, 2023, the Portfolio Manager of the Fund did not beneficially own shares of the Predecessor Fund.
Service Providers
Fund Administrator, Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant
Pursuant to a fund administration and servicing agreement (the “Administration Agreement”) between the Trust and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Fund Services”), 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53202, Fund Services acts as the Fund’s administrator. Fund Services provides certain administrative services to the Fund, including, among other responsibilities, coordinating the negotiation of contracts and fees with, and the monitoring of performance and billing of, the Fund’s independent contractors and agents; preparing for signature by an officer of the Trust all of the documents required to be filed for compliance by the Trust and the Fund with applicable laws and regulations excluding those of the securities laws of various states; arranging for the computation of performance data, including NAV and yield; responding to shareholder inquiries; and arranging for the maintenance of books and records of the Fund, and providing, at its own expense, office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to carry out its duties. In this capacity, Fund Services does not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Fund, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of Fund shares.
Pursuant to the Administration Agreement, as compensation for its services, Fund Services receives from the Fund a combined fee for fund administration and fund accounting services based on the Fund’s current average daily net assets. Fund Services is also entitled to be reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket expenses. In addition to its role as Administrator, Fund Services also acts as fund accountant (“Fund Accountant”), transfer agent (“Transfer Agent”) and dividend disbursing agent under separate agreements with the Trust.
The Fund is new and Fund Services has not received any fees for administrative services to the Fund as of the date of this SAI. Prior to [ ], 2023, a separate entity provided administrative services to the Predecessor Fund pursuant to an administration agreement.
Custodian
U.S. Bank National Association, an affiliate of Fund Services (the “Custodian”), is the custodian of the assets of the Fund pursuant to a custody agreement between the Custodian and the Trust, whereby the Custodian charges fees on a transactional basis plus out-of-pocket expenses. The Custodian has custody of all assets and securities of the Fund, delivers and receives payments for securities sold, receives and pays for securities purchased, collects income from investments and performs other duties, all as directed by the officers of the Trust. The Custodian’s address is 1555 North River Center Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53212. The Custodian does not participate in decisions relating to the purchase and sale of securities by the Fund. The Custodian and its affiliates may participate in revenue sharing arrangements with service providers of mutual funds in which the Fund may invest.
Legal Counsel
Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., 833 East Michigan Street, Suite 1800, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as legal counsel to the Fund and the Independent Trustees.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
[...], serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund. [...] audits and reports on the Fund’s annual financial statements, reviews certain regulatory reports and the Fund’s federal income tax returns, and performs other auditing and tax services for the Fund when engaged to do so.
Distribution and Servicing of Fund Shares
The Trust has entered into a Distribution Agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with the Distributor, Quasar Distributors, LLC, 111 East Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, WI 53202, pursuant to which the Distributor acts as the Fund’s principal underwriter, provides certain administration services and promotes and arranges for the sale of the Fund’s shares. The offering of the
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Fund’s shares is continuous, and the Distributor distributes the Fund’s shares on a best efforts basis. The Distributor is not obligated to sell any certain number of shares of the Fund. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and the continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Distribution Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Distributor upon 60 days’ written notice to the Trust. The Distribution Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act), or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice.
Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan
The Fund has adopted a distribution plan pursuant to Rule 12b‑1 under the 1940 Act (the “Distribution Plan”) on behalf of the Retail Class shares of the Fund. Under the Distribution Plan, the Fund pays a Rule 12b-1 fee to the Distributor (the “Distribution Fee”) for promotion and distribution of Retail Class shares of the Fund. The Distribution Fee is an annual fee at the rate of 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Retail Class shares. The Distribution Plan provides that the Distributor may use all or any portion of such Distribution Fee to finance any activity that is principally intended to result in the sale of Fund shares, subject to the terms of the Distribution Plan. Institutional Class shares of the Fund are not subject to the Distribution Plan and do not pay Rule 12b-1 distribution fees.
The Distribution Fee is payable to the Distributor regardless of the distribution-related expenses actually incurred on behalf of Retail Class shares of the Fund. Because the Distribution Fee is not directly tied to expenses, the amount of distribution fees paid by the Retail Class shares of the Fund during any year may be more or less than actual expenses incurred pursuant to the Distribution Plan. For this reason, this type of distribution fee arrangement is characterized by the staff of the SEC as a “compensation” plan.
The Distributor may use the Distribution Fee to pay for services covered by the Distribution Plan including, but not limited to, advertising, compensating underwriters, dealers and selling personnel engaged in the distribution of Retail Class shares, the printing and mailing of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports to other than current Fund shareholders, the printing and mailing of ales literature pertaining to the Fund, and obtaining whatever information, analyses and reports with respect to marketing and promotional activities that the Fund may, from time to time, deem advisable.
As of the date of this SAI, the Retail Class shares of the Fund did not incur any Rule 12b-1 fees as it had not yet commenced operations.
The Distribution Plan provides that it will continue from year to year upon approval by the majority vote of the Board, including a majority of the trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act, and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Plan or in any agreement related to such plan (the “Independent Trustees”), as required by the 1940 Act, cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose. It is also required that the trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, select and nominate all other trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Fund. The Distribution Plan and any related agreements may not be amended to materially increase the amounts to be spent for distribution expenses without approval of shareholders holding a majority of the Fund’s outstanding Retail Class shares. All material amendments to the Distribution Plan or any related agreements must be approved by a vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on any such amendment.
The Distribution Plan requires that the Distributor provide to the Board, at least quarterly, a written report on the amounts and purpose of any payment made under the Distribution Plan. The Distributor is also required to furnish the Board with such other information as may reasonably be requested in order to enable the Board to make an informed determination of whether the Distribution Plan should be continued. The Distribution Plan may be continued from year-to-year only if the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, concludes at least annually that continuation of the Plan is reasonably likely to benefit shareholders. In particular, the Board of Trustees has determined that it believes that the Distribution Plan is reasonably likely to provide an incentive for brokers, dealers and other financial intermediaries to engage in sales and marketing efforts on behalf of the Fund and to provide enhanced services to
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holders of Retail Class shares. With the exception of the Adviser and the Distributor, in its capacity as the Fund’s principal underwriter, no “interested person” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act, and no Independent Trustee of the Fund has or had a direct or indirect financial interest in the Distribution Plan or any related agreement.
As noted above, the Distribution Plan provides for the ability to use Retail Class assets to pay financial intermediaries (including those that sponsor mutual fund supermarkets), plan administrators and other service providers to finance any activity that is principally intended to result in the sale of Retail Class shares (distribution services). The payments made by the Fund to these financial intermediaries are based primarily on the dollar amount of assets invested in the Retail Class shares of the Fund, through the financial intermediaries. These financial intermediaries may pay a portion of the payments that they receive from the Fund to its investment professionals. In addition to the ongoing asset-based fees paid to these financial intermediaries under the Distribution Plan, the Fund may, from time to time, make payments under the Distribution Plan that help defray the expenses incurred by these intermediaries for conducting training and educational meetings about various aspects of the Fund for its employees. In addition, the Fund may make payments under the Distribution Plan for exhibition space and otherwise help defray the expenses these financial intermediaries incur in hosting client seminars where the Fund is discussed.
To the extent these asset-based fees and other payments made under the Distribution Plan to these financial intermediaries for the distribution services they provide to the Fund’s Retail Class shareholders exceed the Distribution Fees available, these payments are made by the Adviser from its own resources, which may include its profits from the advisory fee it receives from the Fund. In addition, the Fund may participate in various “fund supermarkets” in which a mutual fund supermarket sponsor (usually a broker-dealer) offers many mutual funds to the sponsor’s customers without charging the customers a sales charge. In connection with its participation in such platforms, the Adviser may use all or a portion of the Distribution Fee to pay one or more supermarket sponsors a negotiated fee for distributing the Fund’s Retail Class shares. In addition, in its discretion, the Adviser may pay additional fees to such intermediaries from its own resources.
Shareholder Servicing Plan
The Fund has adopted a Shareholder Servicing Plan to pay for shareholder support services from the applicable Fund’s assets pursuant to a Shareholder Servicing Agreement in an amount not to exceed 0.15% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Institutional Class and Retail Class shares. Currently, the shareholder servicing fee authorized for the Fund is 0.10%; however, the fee may be increased to 0.15% of a Fund’s daily net assets, at any time. The Fund is responsible for paying a portion of shareholder servicing fees to each of the shareholder servicing agents who have written shareholder servicing agreements with the Fund, and perform shareholder servicing functions and maintenance of shareholder accounts on behalf of shareholders. The Predecessor Fund had adopted a shareholder servicing plan according to which the Predecessor Fund was permitted to pay shareholder servicing fees equal to up to 0.25% of the Retail Class shares and Institutional Class shares to various shareholder servicing agents for performing non-distribution related shareholder servicing functions and maintaining shareholder accounts on behalf of their clients who owned shares of the Predecessor Fund. For the fiscal years indicated below, the Predecessor Fund paid the following in shareholder servicing fees:
Shareholder Servicing Fees Paid During Fiscal Years Ended September 30 | ||||||||
2022 | 2021 | 2020 | ||||||
$40,000 | $29,000 | $34,000 |
Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage
Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser determines which securities are to be purchased and sold by the Fund and which broker-dealers are eligible to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions. Purchases and sales of securities in the OTC market will generally be executed directly with a “market-maker” unless, in the opinion of the Adviser, a better price or execution can otherwise be obtained by using a broker for the transaction.
Purchases of portfolio securities for the Fund will be effected through broker-dealers (including banks) that specialize in the types of securities that the Fund will be holding, unless the Adviser believes that better executions are available elsewhere. Dealers usually act as principal for their own accounts. Purchases from dealers will include a spread between the bid and the asked price. If the
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execution and price offered by more than one dealer are comparable, the order may be allocated to a dealer that has provided research or other services as discussed below.
In placing portfolio transactions, the Adviser will use reasonable efforts to choose broker-dealers capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable price and execution available. The full range and quality of services available, such as the size of the order, the difficulty of execution, the operational facilities of the firm involved, the firm’s risk in positioning a block of securities and other factors will be considered in making these determinations. In those instances where it is reasonably determined that more than one broker-dealer can offer the services needed to obtain the most favorable price and execution available, consideration may be given to those broker-dealers that furnish or supply research and statistical information to the Adviser that it may lawfully and appropriately use in its investment advisory capacities, as well as provide other brokerage services in addition to execution services. The Adviser considers such information, which is in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by it under its Advisory Agreement with the Fund, to be useful in varying degrees, but of indeterminable value. Portfolio transactions may be placed with broker-dealers who sell shares of the Fund subject to rules adopted by FINRA and the SEC. Portfolio transactions may also be placed with broker-dealers in which the Adviser has invested on behalf of the Fund and/or client accounts.
While it is the Fund’s general policy to first seek to obtain the most favorable price and execution available in selecting a broker-dealer to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, weight is also given to the ability of a broker-dealer to furnish brokerage and research services to the Fund or to the Adviser, even if the specific services are not directly useful to the Fund and may be useful to the Adviser in advising other clients. In negotiating commissions with a broker or evaluating the spread to be paid to a dealer, the Fund may therefore pay a higher commission or spread than would be the case if no weight were given to the furnishing of these supplemental services, provided that the amount of such commission or spread has been determined in good faith by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer. The standard of reasonableness is to be measured in light of the Adviser’s overall responsibilities to the Fund.
Investment decisions for the Fund are made independently from those of other client accounts. Nevertheless, it is possible that at times identical securities will be acceptable for both the Fund and one or more of such client accounts. In such event, the position of the Fund and such client account(s) in the same issuer may vary and the length of time that each may choose to hold its investment in the same issuer may likewise vary. However, to the extent any of these client accounts seek to acquire the same security as the Fund at the same time, the Fund may not be able to acquire as large a portion of such security as it desires, or it may have to pay a higher price or obtain a lower yield for such security. Similarly, the Fund may not be able to obtain as high a price for, or as large an execution of, an order to sell any particular security at the same time. If one or more of such client accounts simultaneously purchases or sells the same security that the Fund are purchasing or selling, each day’s transactions in such security will be allocated between the Fund and all such client accounts in a manner deemed equitable by the Adviser, taking into account the respective sizes of the accounts and the amount being purchased or sold. It is recognized that in some cases this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or value of the security insofar as the Fund are concerned. In other cases, however, it is believed that the ability of the Fund to participate in volume transactions may produce better executions for the Fund. Notwithstanding the above, the Adviser may execute buy and sell orders for accounts and take action in performance of their duties with respect to any of its accounts that may differ from actions taken with respect to another account, so long as the Adviser shall, to the extent practicable, allocate investment opportunities to accounts, including the Fund, over a period of time on a fair and equitable basis and in accordance with applicable law.
When buying or selling securities, the Adviser may execute trades for the Fund with broker-dealers that are affiliated with the Trust, the Adviser or their affiliates, and the Fund may pay commissions to such broker-dealers in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board. The Trust has adopted procedures to monitor and control such affiliated brokerage transactions, which are reported to and reviewed by the Board at least quarterly.
The Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers or dealers” that the Fund has acquired during its most recent fiscal year.
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The Fund is also required to identify any brokerage transactions during its most recent fiscal year that were directed to a broker because of research services provided, along with the amount of any such transactions and any related commissions paid by the Fund.
The Predecessor Fund paid the following amounts in brokerage commissions during each of the fiscal years indicated in the table below:
Brokerage Commissions Paid During Fiscal Years Ended September 30 | ||||||||
2022 | 2021 | 2020 | ||||||
$[ ] | $97,000 | $8,000 |
Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio securities may be sold without regard to the length of time they have been held when, in the opinion of the Adviser, investment considerations warrant such action. Portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing (1) the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by (2) the monthly average of the value of portfolio securities owned during the fiscal year. A 100% turnover rate would occur if all the securities in the Fund’s portfolio, with the exception of securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less, were sold and either repurchased or replaced within one year. A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) generally leads to above-average transaction and brokerage commission costs and may generate capital gains, including short-term capital gains taxable to shareholders at ordinary income rates. To the extent that the Fund experiences an increase in brokerage commissions due to a higher portfolio turnover rate, the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by the increased expenses incurred by the Fund. Furthermore, a high portfolio turnover rate may result in a greater number of taxable transactions.
The following table shows the portfolio turnover rates for the Predecessor Fund for the fiscal years indicated below:
Portfolio Turnover During Fiscal Year Ended September 30 | |||||
2022 | 2021 | ||||
72% | 89% |
Code of Ethics
The Trust and the Adviser have each adopted a Code of Ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These Codes of Ethics permit, subject to certain conditions, personnel of the Adviser to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. The Distributor relies on the principal underwriter’s exception under Rule 17j-1(c)(3) of the 1940 Act from the requirement to adopt a code of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 because the Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser, and no officer, director, or general partner of the Distributor serves as an officer, director or general partner of the Trust or the Adviser.
Proxy Voting Procedures
The Board of Trustees has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Proxy Policies”) on behalf of the Trust which delegate the responsibility for voting proxies to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustee’s continuing oversight. The Proxy Policies require that the Adviser vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. The Proxy Policies also require the Adviser to present to the Board of Trustees, at least annually, the Adviser’s Proxy Policies and a record of each proxy voted by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund, including a report on the resolution of all proxies identified by the Adviser as involving a conflict of interest.
The Adviser seeks to vote proxies in a manner reasonably believed to be in the best interests of shareholders and not affected by any material conflict of interest. The Adviser considers shareholders’ best economic interests over that long term, that is, the common interest of all shareholders over time. Unless instructed by a client to follow its own proxy voting policies and procedures, the Adviser generally will not consider a client’s individual characteristics or circumstances (including any social or political concerns)
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when determining how to vote proxies. Consequently, the Adviser typically votes solicited proxies identically for all client accounts for which they have discretionary authority. The Adviser’s general philosophy is to support management recommendations on routine matters such as approval of financial statements, director/trustee elections, and appointment of auditors.
The Adviser’s Proxy Voting Guidelines
The Adviser has adopted proxy voting guidelines to assist in making voting decisions on common issues. The guidelines are designed to address those securities in which the Fund generally invests and may be revised in the Adviser’s discretion. Any non-routine matters not addressed by the proxy voting guidelines are addressed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote, particularly where such matters have a potential for major economic impact on the issuer’s structure or operations. In making voting determinations, the Adviser may conduct research internally and/or use the resources of an independent research consultant. The Adviser may also consider other materials such as studies of corporate governance and/or analyses of shareholder and management proposals by a certain sector of companies and may engage in dialogue with an issuer’s management. To the extent that a client may direct the Adviser to vote according to its own proxy voting policies, the Adviser may vote that client’s securities differently than the same securities voted for other clients including the Fund.
In some cases, the cost of voting a proxy may outweigh the expected benefits. For example, casting a vote on a foreign security may involve additional costs such as hiring a translator or traveling to the foreign country to vote the security in person. The Adviser may abstain from voting a proxy if the effect on shareholders’ economic interests or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant.
In certain cases, securities on loan as part of a securities lending program may not be voted. Nothing in the proxy voting policies shall obligate the Adviser to exercise voting rights with respect to a portfolio security if it is prohibited by the terms of the security or by applicable law or otherwise. The Adviser will not discuss with members of the public how they intend to vote on any particular proxy proposal.
In the event of a conflict between the interests of the Adviser and the Fund, the Proxy Policies provide that the conflict may be disclosed to the Board of Trustees or its delegate, who shall provide direction on how to vote the proxy. The Board of Trustees has delegated this authority to the Independent Trustees, and the proxy voting direction in such a case shall be determined by a majority of the Independent Trustees.
The actual voting records relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free, 888-898-2780 or by accessing the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program
The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “USA PATRIOT Act”) and related anti-money laundering laws and regulations. To ensure compliance with these laws, the Trust’s Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program. Ms. Deanna B. Marotz has been designated as the Trust’s Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer.
Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to: determining that the Distributor and the Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money laundering procedures; and reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity.
Portfolio Holdings Information
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has adopted portfolio holdings disclosure policies (the “Disclosure Policies”) that govern the timing and circumstances of disclosure of portfolio holdings of the Fund. Information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings will not be distributed to any third party except in accordance with these Disclosure Policies. The Board of Trustees considered the circumstances under which the Fund’s portfolio holdings may be disclosed under the Disclosure Policies, considering actual and
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potential material conflicts that could arise in such circumstances between the interests of the Fund’s shareholders and the interests of the Adviser, Distributor or any other affiliated person of the Fund. After due consideration, the Board determined that the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for disclosing portfolio holdings to persons described in these Disclosure Policies.
Information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings will not be distributed to any third party except as described below:
•the disclosure is required to respond to a regulatory request, court order or other legal proceeding;
•the disclosure is to a mutual fund rating or evaluation services organization (such as Factset, Morningstar and Lipper), or statistical agency or person performing similar functions, or due diligence department of a broker-dealer or wirehouse, who has, if necessary, signed a confidentiality agreement, or is bound by applicable duties of confidentiality imposed by law, with the Fund;
•the disclosure is made to the Fund’s service providers who generally need access to such information in the performance of their contractual duties and responsibilities, and who are subject to duties of confidentiality imposed by law and/or contract, such as the Adviser, the Board of Trustees, the Fund’s independent registered public accountants, regulatory authorities, counsel to the Fund or the Board of Trustees, proxy voting service providers, financial printers involved in the reporting process, the fund administrator, fund accountant, transfer agent, or custodian of the Fund;
•the disclosure is made by the Adviser’s trading desk to broker-dealers in connection with the purchase or sale of securities or requests for price quotations or bids on one or more securities; in addition the Adviser’s trading desk may periodically distribute a holdings list (consisting of names only) to broker-dealers so that such brokers can provide the Adviser with order flow information;
•the disclosure is made to institutional consultants evaluating the Fund on behalf of potential investors;
•the disclosure is (a) in connection with a quarterly, semi-annual or annual report that is available to the public or (b) relates to information that is otherwise available to the public; or
•the disclosure is made pursuant to prior written approval of the Trust’s CCO, or other person so authorized, is for a legitimate business purpose and is in the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders.
For purposes of the Disclosure Policies, portfolio holdings information does not include descriptive information if that information does not present material risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading for the Fund. Information excluded from the definition of portfolio holdings information generally includes, without limitation: (i) descriptions of allocations among asset classes, regions, countries or industries/sectors; (ii) aggregated data such as average or median ratios, or market capitalization, performance attributions by industry, sector or country; or (iii) aggregated risk statistics. It is the policy of the Trust to prohibit any person or entity from receiving any direct or indirect compensation or consideration of any kind in connection with the disclosure of information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings.
The Trust’s CCO must document any decisions regarding non-public disclosure of portfolio holdings and the rationale therefor. In connection with the oversight responsibilities by the Board of Trustees, any documentation regarding decisions involving the non-public disclosure of portfolio holdings of the Fund to third parties must be provided to the full Board of Trustees or its authorized committee. In addition, on a quarterly basis, the Board will review any disclosures of portfolio holdings outside of the permitted disclosures described above to address any conflicts between the interests of Fund shareholders and those of the Adviser or any other Fund affiliate.
Currently, the Fund provides monthly portfolio holdings to rating and ranking organizations, including Lipper, a Thomson Reuters Company, Morningstar, Inc., Standard & Poor’s Financial Services, LLC, Bloomberg L.P., Thomson Reuters Corporation, Vickers Stock Research Corporation and Capital-Bridge, Inc. The Fund’s holdings will be posted monthly to the Fund’s website, www.crossingbridgefunds.com. The Fund’s top holdings will also be available in the Fund’s monthly Fact Sheets. Portfolio holdings disclosure may be approved under the Disclosure Policies by the Trust’s CCO. Disclosure of the Fund’s complete holdings is required to be made quarterly within 60 days of the end of each fiscal quarter, in the annual and semi-annual reports to Fund
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shareholders, and in the quarterly holdings report on Part F of Form N-PORT. These reports will be made available, free of charge, on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Any suspected breach of this policy must be reported immediately to the Trust’s CCO, or to the chief compliance officer of the Adviser who is to report it to the Trust’s CCO. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to amend the Disclosure Policies at any time without prior notice in its sole discretion.
Determination of Net Asset Value
The NAV of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate and is determined as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) each business day. The NYSE annually announces the days on which it will not be open for trading. The most recent announcement indicates that the NYSE will not be open on the following days: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. However, the NYSE may close on days not included in that announcement. If the NYSE closes early, the Fund will calculate the NAV as of the close of trading on the NYSE on that day. If an emergency exists as permitted by the SEC, the NAV may be calculated at a different time.
The NAV per share is computed by dividing the value of the securities held by the Fund plus any cash or other assets (including interest and dividends accrued but not yet received) minus all liabilities (including accrued expenses) by the total number of shares in the Fund outstanding at such time.
Net Assets | = | Net Asset Value Per Share | ||||||
Shares Outstanding |
Generally, the Fund’s investments are valued at market value or, in the absence of a market value, at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Adviser’s procedures subject to oversight by the Board of Trustees.
Each equity security owned by the Fund, including depositary receipts, that is traded on a national securities exchange, except for securities listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“NASDAQ”) is valued at its last sale price on the exchange on which such security is traded, as of the close of business on the day the security is being valued. All equity securities that are not traded on a listed exchange are valued at the last sales price at the close of the OTC market. If a non-exchange listed security does not trade on a particular day, then the mean between the last quoted bid and the asked prices will be used as long as it continues to reflect the value of the security.
Securities that are traded on more than one exchange are valued using the price of the exchange that the Fund generally considers to be the principal exchange on which the security is traded. Fund securities listed on NASDAQ shall be valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price, which may not necessarily represent the last sales price. If there has been no sale on such exchange or on NASDAQ on such day, the security will be valued at the mean between the most recent quoted bid and the asked prices at the close of the exchange on such day, or the security shall be valued at the latest sales price on the “composite market” for the day such security is being valued. The composite market is defined as a consolidation of the trade information provided by a national securities and foreign exchange and OTC markets as published by an approved independent pricing service (“Pricing Service”). Money market instruments are valued at cost. If cost does not represent current market value, the securities will be priced at fair value.
Debt securities, including short-term debt instruments having a maturity of 60 days or less, are valued at the mean in accordance with prices provided by a Pricing Service. Pricing Services may use various valuation methodologies such as the mean between the bid and the asked prices, matrix pricing method or other analytical pricing models as well as market transactions and dealer quotations. If a price is not available from a Pricing Service, the most recent quotation obtained from one or more broker-dealers known to follow the issue will be obtained. Pricing quotations will be valued at the mean between the bid and the offer. Fixed income securities purchased on a delayed-delivery basis are typically marked to market daily until settlement at the forward settlement date. Any
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discount or premium is accreted or amortized using the constant yield 2 method until maturity. In the absence of available quotations, the securities will be priced at fair value.
Foreign securities will be priced in their local currencies as of the close of their primary exchange or market or as of the time the Fund calculates its NAV, whichever is earlier. Foreign securities, currencies and other assets denominated in foreign currencies are then translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate of such currencies against the U.S. dollar, as provided by an approved pricing service or reporting agency. All assets denominated in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollars using the applicable currency exchange rates as of the close of the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Pursuant to Rule 2s-5 of the 1940 Act, all other assets of the Fund are valued in such manner as the Adviser in good faith deems appropriate to reflect their fair value.
Additional Purchase and Redemption Information
The information provided below supplements the information contained in the Prospectus regarding the purchase and redemption of Fund shares.
How to Purchase Shares
You may purchase shares of the Fund directly from the Fund, or from securities brokers, dealers or other financial intermediaries (collectively, “Financial Intermediaries”). Investors should contact their Financial Intermediary directly for appropriate instructions, as well as information pertaining to accounts and any service or transaction fees that may be charged. The Fund may enter into arrangements with certain Financial Intermediaries whereby such Financial Intermediaries (and other authorized designees) are authorized to accept your order on behalf of the Fund (each an “Authorized Intermediary”). If you transmit your purchase request to an Authorized Intermediary before the close of regular trading (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on a day that the NYSE is open for business, shares will be purchased at the next calculated NAV, after the Authorized Intermediary receives the request. Investors should check with their Financial Intermediary to determine if it is an Authorized Intermediary.
Shares are purchased at the next calculated NAV, after the Transfer Agent or Authorized Intermediary receives your purchase request in good order. In most cases, in order to receive that day’s NAV, the Transfer Agent must receive your order in good order before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time).
The Trust reserves the right in its sole discretion: (i) to suspend the continued offering of the Fund’s shares; (ii) to reject purchase orders in whole or in part when in the judgment of the Adviser or the Distributor such rejection is in the best interest of the Fund; and (iii) to reduce or waive the minimum for initial and subsequent investments for certain fiduciary accounts or under circumstances where certain economies can be achieved in sales of the Fund’s shares. The Adviser reserves the right to reject any initial or additional investments.
How to Redeem Shares and Delivery of Redemption Proceeds
You may redeem your Fund shares any day the NYSE is open for regular trading, either directly with the Fund or through your Financial Intermediary.
Payments to shareholders for shares of the Fund redeemed directly from the Fund will be made as promptly as possible, but no later than seven days after receipt by the Transfer Agent of the written request in proper form, with the appropriate documentation as stated in the Prospectus, except that the Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for more than seven calendar days as determined by the SEC during any period when (a) trading on the NYSE is restricted as determined by the SEC or the NYSE is closed for other than weekends and holidays; (b) an emergency exists as determined by the SEC making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable; or (c) for such other period as the SEC may permit for the protection of the Fund’s shareholders.
The value of shares on redemption or repurchase may be more or less than the investor’s cost, depending upon the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities at the time of redemption or repurchase.
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Telephone Redemptions
Shareholders with telephone transaction privileges established on their account may redeem Fund shares by telephone. Upon receipt of any instructions or inquiries by telephone from the shareholder, the Fund or its authorized agents may carry out the instructions and/or respond to the inquiry consistent with the shareholder’s previously established account service options. For joint accounts, instructions or inquiries from either party will be carried out without prior notice to the other account owners. In acting upon telephone instructions, the Fund and its agents use procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that such instructions are genuine. These include recording all telephone calls, requiring pertinent information about the account and sending written confirmation of each transaction to the registered owner.
The Transfer Agent will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. If the Transfer Agent fails to employ reasonable procedures, the Fund and the Transfer Agent may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. If these procedures are followed, however, to the extent permitted by applicable law, neither the Fund nor its agents will be liable for any loss, liability, cost or expense arising out of any redemption request, including any fraudulent or unauthorized request. For additional information, contact the Transfer Agent.
Redemption in Kind
The Fund does not intend to redeem shares in any form except cash. The Trust, however, has filed a notice of election under Rule 18f-1 of the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to redeem, in kind, redemption requests of a certain amount. Specifically, if the amount you are redeeming during any 90-day period is in excess of the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net assets of the Fund, valued at the beginning of such period, the Fund has the right to redeem your shares by giving you the amount that exceeds $250,000 or 1% of the net assets of the Fund in securities instead of cash. If the Fund pays your redemption proceeds by a distribution of securities, you could incur brokerage or other charges in converting the securities to cash, and will bear any market risks associated with such securities until they are converted into cash. For federal income tax purposes, redemptions made in-kind are taxed in the same manner to a redeeming shareholder as redemptions made in cash. In addition, sales of securities received in-kind may generate taxable gains.
Federal Income Tax Matters
This section is not intended to be a full discussion of federal income tax laws and the effect of such laws on you.
This section is based on the Code, Treasury Regulations, judicial decisions, and Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) guidance as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, and possibly with retroactive effect. These changes could impact the Fund’s investments or the tax consequences to you of investing in the Fund. Some of the changes could affect the timing, amount and tax treatment of Fund distributions made to shareholders. There may be other federal, state, foreign or local tax considerations to a particular shareholder. No assurance can be given that legislative, judicial, or administrative changes will not be forthcoming which could affect the accuracy of any statements made in this section. Please consult your tax adviser before investing.
Each series of the Trust is treated as a separate entity for federal income tax purposes. The Fund, as a series of the Trust, intends to qualify and elect to be treated as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subtitle A, Chapter 1, Subchapter M of the Code, provided it complies with all applicable requirements regarding the source of its income, diversification of its assets and timing and amount of its distributions. The Fund’s policy is to distribute to its shareholders all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain for each fiscal year in a manner that complies with the distribution requirements of the Code, so that the Fund will not be subject to any federal income or excise taxes on amounts distributed. However, the Fund can give no assurances that its anticipated distributions will be sufficient to eliminate all Fund level taxes. If the Fund does not qualify as a RIC and are unable to obtain relief from such failure, they would generally be taxed as a regular corporation and, in such case, it would generally be more beneficial for a shareholder to directly own the Fund’s underlying investments rather than indirectly owning them through the Fund.
To qualify as a RIC, the Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income from “good income,” which includes: (1) dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign
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currencies; (2) other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to the Fund’s business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies; and (3) net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. Although Code Section 851(b) authorizes the U.S. Treasury Department to issue Treasury Regulations excluding “foreign currency gains” that are not directly related to a RIC’s principal business of investing in stock or securities from qualifying income, Treasury Regulations currently provide that gains from the sale or other disposition of foreign currencies is qualifying income. Nevertheless, there can be no absolute assurances that future Treasury Regulations will not come to a different conclusion or that the Fund will satisfy all requirements to be taxed as a RIC.
Furthermore, the Fund must diversify its holdings such that at the end of each fiscal quarter, (i) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets consists of cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs, and other acceptable securities, with such other securities limited, in respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs), or of any two or more issuers that are controlled, as determined under applicable Code rules, by the Fund and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or of certain qualified publicly traded partnerships.
The Fund will be subject to a 4% federal excise tax if it fails to distribute (or be deemed to have distributed) by December 31 of each calendar year (i) at least 98% of its ordinary income for such year, (ii) at least 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the 12-month period ending on October 31 during such year (reduced by any net ordinary losses, but not below the Fund’s net capital gain for that period), and (iii) any amounts from the prior calendar year that were not distributed and on which the Fund paid no federal income tax.
The Fund may invest in MLPs that are treated as qualified publicly traded partnerships for federal income tax purposes. The income derived from such investments constitutes “good income” for purposes of satisfying the source of income requirement for the Fund to maintain its status as a RIC. However, no more than 25% of the value of a RIC’s total assets at the end of each fiscal quarter may be invested in securities of qualified publicly traded partnerships. If an MLP in which the Fund invests does not qualify as a qualified publicly traded partnership (and the MLP is not otherwise taxed as a corporation for federal income tax purposes), the Fund must look through to the character of the income generated by the MLP. Such income may not qualify as “good income” and could adversely affect the Fund’s status as a RIC.
If an MLP in which the Fund invests is taxed as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, the cash distributions received by the Fund from the MLP may not correspond to the amount of income allocated to the Fund by the MLP in any given taxable year. If the amount of income allocated to the Fund by an MLP exceeds the amount of cash received by the Fund from such MLP, the Fund may have difficulty making distributions to its shareholders in the amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements for maintaining the Fund’s status as a RIC and avoiding any federal income and excise taxes at the Fund level. Accordingly, the Fund may have to dispose of its portfolio investments under disadvantageous circumstances in order to generate sufficient cash to satisfy the distribution requirements. Distributions to the Fund from an MLP that is taxed as a partnership for federal income tax purposes will constitute a return of capital to the extent of the Fund’s basis in its interest in the MLP. If the Fund’s basis is reduced to zero, distributions in excess of basis will generally constitute capital gain for federal income tax purposes.
Investment company taxable income generally consists of interest, dividends, net short-term capital gain and net gain from foreign currency transactions, less expenses. Net capital gain is the excess of the net long-term gain from the Fund’s sales or exchanges of capital assets over the net short-term loss from such sales or exchanges, taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund. The Fund may elect to defer certain losses for tax purposes. At September 30, 2022, the Predecessor Fund had short-term capital loss carryforwards of $7,394,000 and long-term capital loss carryforwards of $56,438,000 which are available to the Fund.
Distributions of investment company taxable income are generally taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. For a non-corporate shareholder, a portion of the Fund’s distributions of investment company taxable income may consist of “qualified dividend income” eligible for taxation at the reduced federal income tax rates applicable to long-term capital gains to the extent that the amount distributed is attributable to and reported as “qualified dividend income” and the shareholder meets certain holding period requirements with respect to its Fund shares. For a corporate shareholder, a portion of the Fund’s distributions of investment company
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taxable income may qualify for the intercorporate dividends-received deduction to the extent the Fund receives dividends directly or indirectly from U.S. corporations, reports the amount distributed as eligible for deduction and the shareholder meets certain holding period requirements with respect to its shares. The aggregate amount so reported to either non-corporate or corporate shareholders, as applicable, cannot, however, exceed the aggregate amount of such dividends received by the Fund for its taxable year.
Distributions of net capital gain are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time that a shareholder has owned Fund shares. Distributions of net capital gain are not eligible for “qualified dividend income” treatment or the dividends-received deduction referred to above.
Distributions of any investment company taxable income and net capital gain will be taxable as described above whether received in additional Fund shares or in cash. Shareholders who choose to receive distributions in the form of additional Fund shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each share so received equal to the NAV of a share on the reinvestment date. Distributions are generally taxable when received. However, distributions declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record and paid the following January are taxable as if received on December 31. Distributions are generally includable in alternative minimum taxable income in computing a non-corporate shareholder’s liability for the alternative minimum tax.
Certain individuals, trusts and estates may be subject to a Net Investment Income (“NII”) tax of 3.8% (in addition to the regular income tax). The NII tax is imposed on the lesser of: (i) a taxpayer’s investment income, net of deductions properly allocable to such income; or (ii) the amount by which the taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds certain thresholds ($250,000 for married individuals filing jointly, $200,000 for unmarried individuals and $125,000 for married individuals filing separately). The Fund’s distributions are includable in a shareholder’s investment income for purposes of this NII tax. In addition, any capital gain realized by a shareholder upon the sale, exchange or redemption of Fund shares is includable in such shareholder’s investment income for purposes of this NII tax.
A sale, exchange or redemption of Fund shares, whether for cash or in-kind proceeds, may result in recognition of a taxable capital gain or loss. Gain or loss realized upon a sale, exchange or redemption will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year, and, if held for one year or less, as short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized upon a sale, exchange or redemption of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of net capital gain received or deemed to be received with respect to such shares. In determining the holding period of such shares for this purpose, any period during which your risk of loss is offset by means of options, short sales, or similar transactions is not counted. Any loss realized upon a sale, exchange or redemption of the Fund’s shares may be disallowed under certain wash sale rules to the extent shares of the same Fund are purchased (through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the sale, exchange or redemption. If a shareholder’s loss is disallowed under the wash sale rules, the basis of the new shares will be increased to preserve the loss until a future sale, exchange or redemption of the shares.
If more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of stock and securities in foreign corporations, the Fund will be eligible to, and may, file an election with the IRS that would enable the Fund’s shareholders, in effect, to receive the benefit of the foreign tax credit with respect to any income taxes paid by the Fund to foreign countries and U.S. possessions. Pursuant to the election, the Fund would treat those foreign taxes as distributions paid to its shareholders, and each shareholder would be required to (i) include in gross income, and treat as paid by him, his proportionate share of those taxes, (ii) treat his share of those taxes and of any distribution paid by the Fund that represents income from foreign countries or U.S. possessions as his own income from those sources, and (iii) either deduct the taxes deemed paid by him in computing his taxable income or, alternatively, claim the foreign tax credit against his federal income tax. If the Fund makes this election, it will report to its shareholders shortly after each taxable year their respective share of income from sources within, and taxes paid to, foreign countries and U.S. possessions. The Code may limit a shareholder’s ability to claim a foreign tax credit. Shareholders who elect to deduct their portion of the Fund’s foreign taxes rather than take the foreign tax credit must itemize deductions on their income tax returns.
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Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), the Fund may be required to withhold a generally nonrefundable 30% tax on (a) distributions of investment company taxable income and (b) distributions of net capital gain and the gross proceeds of a sale, exchange, or redemption of Fund shares paid to: (i) certain “foreign financial institutions” unless such foreign financial institution agrees to verify, monitor, and report to the IRS the identity of certain of its accountholders, among other things, (or unless such entity is otherwise deemed compliant under the terms of an intergovernmental agreement with the United States), and (ii) certain “non-financial foreign entities” unless such entity certifies to the Fund that it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or provides the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner, among other things. In December 2018, the IRS and Treasury Department released proposed Treasury Regulations that would eliminate FATCA withholding on Fund distributions of net capital gain and the gross proceeds from a sale, exchange or redemption of Fund shares. Although taxpayers are entitled to rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations until final Treasury Regulations are issued, these proposed Treasury Regulations have not been finalized, may not be finalized in their proposed form, and are potentially subject to change. This FATCA withholding tax could also affect the Fund’s return on its investments in foreign securities or affect a shareholder’s return if the shareholder holds its Fund shares through a foreign intermediary. You are urged to consult your tax adviser regarding the application of this FATCA withholding tax to your investment in the Fund and the potential certification, compliance, due diligence, reporting, and withholding obligations to which you may become subject in order to avoid this withholding tax.
The Fund’s transactions, if any, in options, futures contracts, swaps and other investments may be subject to special provisions of the Code that, among other things, may accelerate recognition of income to the Fund, defer the Fund’s losses, and affect whether capital gain and loss is characterized as long-term or short-term. These provisions could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also may require the Fund to “mark-to-market” certain positions (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out). This “mark-to-market” requirement may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash, and the Fund may have difficulty making distributions to its shareholders in the amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements for maintaining the Fund’s status as a RIC and avoiding any income and excise taxes at the Fund level. Accordingly, the Fund may have to dispose of its investments under disadvantageous circumstances in order to generate sufficient cash to satisfy the distribution requirements of the Code.
Except in the case of certain exempt shareholders, if a shareholder does not furnish the Fund with its correct Social Security Number or other applicable taxpayer identification number and certain certifications or the Fund receives notification from the IRS requiring backup withholding, the Fund is required by federal law to withhold federal income tax from the shareholder’s distributions and redemption proceeds at a rate set under Section 3406 of the Code for U.S. residents.
Foreign taxpayers (including nonresident aliens) are generally subject to a tax withholding at a flat rate of 30% on U.S. source income that is not effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the U.S. This withholding rate may be lower under the terms of a tax treaty or convention.
Distributions
The Fund will receive income primarily in the form of dividends and interest earned on its investments in securities. This income, less the expenses incurred in the Fund’s operations, is the Fund’s net investment income, substantially all of which will be distributed to the Fund’s shareholders.
The amount of the Fund’s distributions is dependent upon the amount of net investment income received by the Fund from its portfolio holdings, is not guaranteed and is subject to the discretion of the Board of Trustees. The Fund does not pay “interest” or guarantee any fixed rate of return on an investment in its shares.
The Fund may also realize capital gains or losses in connection with sales or other dispositions (either actual or deemed) of its portfolio securities. Any net gain that the Fund may realize from transactions involving investments held less than the period required for long-term capital gain or loss recognition or otherwise producing short-term capital gains and losses (taking into account any capital loss carryforward), will comprise part of net investment income. If during any year the Fund realizes a net gain on transactions involving investments held for the period required for long-term capital gain or loss recognition or otherwise producing long-term capital gains and losses, the Fund will have a net long-term capital gain. After deduction of the amount of any net short-term capital
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loss, the balance (to the extent not offset by any capital loss carryforward) will be distributed and treated as long-term capital gains in the hands of the shareholders regardless of the length of time that the shares may have been held by the shareholders. Net capital losses realized by the Fund may be carried forward indefinitely, and will generally retain their character as short-term or long-term capital losses. For more information concerning applicable capital gains tax rates, please consult your tax adviser.
Any distribution paid by the Fund reduces the Fund’s NAV per share on the date paid by the amount of the distribution per share. Accordingly, a distribution paid shortly after a purchase of shares by a shareholder would represent, in substance, a partial return of capital (to the extent it is paid on the shares so purchased), even though it would be subject to federal income taxes.
Distributions will be reinvested in the form of additional shares of the Fund unless the shareholder has otherwise indicated. Shareholders have the right to change their elections with respect to the reinvestment of distributions by notifying the Transfer Agent. However, any such change will be effective only as to distributions for which the record date is five or more calendar days after the Transfer Agent has received the request.
Cost Basis Reporting
The Fund is required to report to certain shareholders and the IRS the cost basis of Fund shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (“covered shares”) when the shareholder sells, exchanges or redeems such shares. This reporting requirement does not apply to shares acquired prior to January 1, 2012 or to shares held through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA, or to shares held by tax-exempt organizations, financial institutions, corporations (other than S corporations), banks, credit unions, and certain other entities and governmental bodies (“non-covered shares”). The Fund is not required to determine or report a shareholder’s cost basis in non-covered shares and are not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information provided for non-covered shares.
The cost basis of a share is generally its purchase price adjusted for distributions, returns of capital, and other corporate actions. Cost basis is used to determine whether the sale, exchange or redemption of a share results in a gain or loss. If you sell, exchange or redeem covered shares during any year, then the Fund will report the gain or loss, cost basis, and holding period of such shares to the IRS and you on a Form 1099.
A cost basis method is the method by which the Fund determines which specific covered shares are deemed to be sold, exchanged or redeemed when a shareholder sells, exchanges or redeems less than its entire holding of Fund shares and has made multiple purchases of Fund shares on different dates at differing net asset values. If a shareholder does not affirmatively elect a cost basis method, the Fund will use the average cost method, which averages the basis of all Fund shares in an account regardless of holding period, and shares sold, exchanged or redeemed are deemed to be those with the longest holding period first. Each shareholder may elect in writing (and not over the telephone) any alternate IRS-approved cost basis method to calculate the cost basis in its covered shares. The default cost basis method applied by the Fund or the alternate method elected by a shareholder may not be changed after the settlement date of a sale, exchange or redemption of Fund shares.
If you hold Fund shares through a financial intermediary (or another nominee), please contact that broker or nominee with respect to the reporting of cost basis and available elections for your account.
You are encouraged to consult your tax adviser regarding the application of these cost basis reporting rules and, in particular, which cost basis calculation method you should elect.
Financial Statements
The financial statements of the Predecessor Fund and the Predecessor Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm’s report appearing in the Predecessor Fund’s Annual Report for the period ended September 30, 2022 are hereby incorporated by reference.
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PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 15. Indemnification:
Reference is made to Article X of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust, filed as Exhibit 1(b) hereto, which is set forth below:
Section 10.01 Limitation of Liability.
Neither a Trustee nor an officer of the Trust, when acting in such capacity, shall be personally liable to any person other than the Trust or the Shareholders for any act, omission or obligation of the Trust, any Trustee or any officer of the Trust. Neither a Trustee nor an officer of the Trust shall be liable for any act or omission or any conduct whatsoever in his capacity as Trustee or as an officer of the Trust, provided that nothing contained herein or in the Delaware Act shall protect any Trustee or any officer of the Trust against any liability to the Trust or to Shareholders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee or officer of the Trust hereunder.
Section 10.02 Indemnification.
(a) Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in Subsection 10.02(b):
(i) every person who is, or has been, a Trustee or officer of the Trust (hereinafter referred to as a “Covered Person”) shall be indemnified by the Trust to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his being or having been a Trustee or officer and against amounts paid or incurred by him in the settlement thereof;
(ii) the words “claim,” “action,” “suit,” or “proceeding” shall apply to all claims, actions, suits or proceedings (civil, criminal or other, including appeals), actual or threatened while in office or thereafter, and the words “liability” and “expenses” shall include, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and other liabilities.
(b) No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered Person:
(i) who shall have been adjudicated by a court or body before which the proceeding was brought (A) to be liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office or (B) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Trust; or
(ii) in the event of a settlement, unless there has been a determination that such Covered Person did not engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office, (A) by the court or other body approving the settlement; (B) by at least a majority of those Trustees who are neither interested persons of the Trust nor are parties to the matter based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry); or (C) by written opinion of independent legal counsel based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry).
(c) The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust, shall be severable, shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or hereafter be entitled, shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Covered Person and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person. Nothing contained herein shall affect any
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rights to indemnification to which Trust personnel, other than Covered Persons, and other persons may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law.
(d) Expenses in connection with the preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit or proceeding of the character described in Subsection (a) of this Section 10.02 may be paid by the Trust or Series from time to time prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person that such amount will be paid over by him to the Trust or Series if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to indemnification under this Section 10.02; provided, however, that either (i) such Covered Person shall have provided appropriate security for such undertaking, (ii) the Trust is insured against losses arising out of any such advance payments or (iii) either a majority of the Trustees who are neither interested persons of the Trust nor parties to the matter, or independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall have determined, based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a trial-type inquiry or full investigation), that there is reason to believe that such Covered Person will be found entitled to indemnification under this Section 10.02.
Section 10.03 Shareholders.
In case any Shareholder of any Series shall be held to be personally liable solely by reason of his being or having been a Shareholder of such Series and not because of his acts or omissions or for some other reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives, or, in the case of a corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled out of the assets belonging to the applicable Series to be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability. The Trust, on behalf of the affected Series, shall, upon request by the Shareholder, assume the defense of any claim made against the Shareholder for any act or obligation of the Series and satisfy any judgment thereon from the assets of the Series.
Pursuant to Rule 484 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant furnishes the following undertaking: “Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”) may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.”
Item 16. Exhibits:
(1) | Declaration of Trust. | ||||||||||
(a) | |||||||||||
(b) | |||||||||||
(2) | |||||||||||
(3) | Not Applicable | ||||||||||
(4) | Form of Agreement and Plan of Reorganization filed herein as Appendix A. | ||||||||||
(5) | Reference is made to Exhibits (1) and (2) herein. | ||||||||||
(6) | (a) |
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(b) | |||||||||||
(c) | Form of Second Amendment to Investment Advisory Agreement — Filed Herewith. | ||||||||||
(7) | (a) | ||||||||||
(b) | |||||||||||
(c) | |||||||||||
(d) | Form of Second Amendment to Distribution Agreement — To Be Filed By Amendment. | ||||||||||
(8) | Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts — Not Applicable. | ||||||||||
(9) | (a) | ||||||||||
(b) | |||||||||||
(c) | |||||||||||
(d) | Form of Third Amendment to Custody Agreement — To Be Filed By Amendment. | ||||||||||
(10) | (a) | Form of Amended and Restated Rule 12b-1 Plan — Filed Herewith. | |||||||||
(b) | Form of Amended and Restated Shareholder Servicing Plan — Filed Herewith. | ||||||||||
(c) | Form of Amended and Restated Rule 18f-3 Plan — Filed Herewith. | ||||||||||
(11) | Opinion and Consent of Counsel — Filed Herewith. | ||||||||||
(12) | Opinion of Counsel regarding certain tax matters — To Be Filed By Amendment. | ||||||||||
(13) | (a) | (i) | |||||||||
(ii) | |||||||||||
(iii) | |||||||||||
(iv) | Form of Third Amendment to the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement — To Be Filed By Amendment. | ||||||||||
(b) | (i) | ||||||||||
(ii) | |||||||||||
(iii) | |||||||||||
(iv) | Third Amendment to the Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement — To Be Filed By Amendment. |
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(c) | (i) | ||||||||||
(ii) | |||||||||||
(iii) | |||||||||||
(iv) | Third Amendment to the Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement — To Be Filed By Amendment. | ||||||||||
(d) | (i) | ||||||||||
(ii) | |||||||||||
(iii) | |||||||||||
(iv) | Third Amendment to the Operating Expense Limitation Agreement — Filed Herewith. | ||||||||||
(14) | Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm — Filed Herewith. | ||||||||||
(15) | Not Applicable. | ||||||||||
(16) | |||||||||||
(17) | (a) | Form of Proxy Card — Filed Herewith. | |||||||||
(b) | |||||||||||
(c) | Code of Ethics for Principal Underwriter - not applicable per Rule 17j-1(c)(3). |
Item 17. Undertakings:
1.The undersigned Registrant agrees that prior to any public reoffering of the securities registered through the use of a prospectus which is a part of this registration statement by any person or party who is deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of Rule 145(c) under the Securities Act, the reoffering prospectus will contain the information called for by the applicable registration form for reofferings by persons who may be deemed underwriters, in addition to the information called for by the other items of the applicable form.
2.The undersigned Registrant agrees that every prospectus that is filed under paragraph (1) above will be filed as part of an amendment to the registration statement and will not be used until the amendment is effective, and that, in determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement for the securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering of them.
3.The undersigned Registrant undertakes to file the opinion of counsel supporting the tax consequences of the proposed reorganization required by Item 16(12) of Form N-14 through an amendment to this registration statement within a reasonable time after the closing of the reorganization.
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SIGNATURES
As required by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed on behalf of the Registrant in the City of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, on the 3rd day of March, 2023.
TRUST FOR PROFESSIONAL MANAGERS
By: /s/ John P. Buckel
John P. Buckel
Chairperson, President and Interested Trustee
As required by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on March 3, 2023.
Signature | Title | ||||
/s/ John P. Buckel John P. Buckel | Chairperson, President and Interested Trustee | ||||
Michael D. Akers* Michael D. Akers | Independent Trustee | ||||
Gary A. Drska* Gary A. Drska | Independent Trustee | ||||
Vincent P. Lyles* Vincent P. Lyles | Independent Trustee | ||||
Erik K. Olstein* Erik K. Olstein | Independent Trustee | ||||
Lisa Zúñiga Ramírez* Lisa Zúñiga Ramírez | Independent Trustee | ||||
Gregory M. Wesley* Gregory M. Wesley | Independent Trustee | ||||
Jennifer A. Lima* Jennifer A. Lima | Vice President, Treasurer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer | ||||
* By: /s/ John P. Buckel John P. Buckel * Attorney-in-Fact pursuant to Power of Attorney previously filed with Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 820 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A with the SEC on January 26, 2023, and is incorporated by reference. |
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