independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”). Any assets held by a Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that a Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when a Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of a Fund. Certain Funds invest in securities of other investment companies, which are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those investment companies each business day. OTC investments (including swap agreements) are generally valued by approved pricing services that use evaluated prices from various observable market factors.
Fair Value Measurements — The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure fair value of the Funds’ investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:
• Level 1 — quoted prices in active markets for identical securities;
• Level 2 — other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.); and
• Level 3 — significant unobservable inputs (including the Funds’ own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).
The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities. Transfers in and out are recognized at the value at the end of the period.
All financial instruments listed in the Portfolio of Investments are considered Level 1, measured at fair value on a recurring basis based on quoted prices for identical assets in active markets, except for the following: one long security was fair valued with an end of period value of $0, $0, and $0 held by the Absolute Return, Enhanced Return and Neutral, respectively; and total return swaps with an end of period unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of $56,161,953, $39,083,918, $9,278,143, $98,840,719, $4,016,037 and $(466,479) held by Absolute Return, Enhanced Return, Neutral, Index Plus, Defensive Long 500 and Short Strategies, respectively. These securities are considered Level 2 as of and for the six months ended March 31, 2023.
At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third-party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Level 1 and Level 2 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.
Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of a Funds’ investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Funds may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.
For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) require the Funds to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that present changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only when the Funds had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to net assets. The amounts and reasons for all transfers in and out of Level 3 are disclosed when the Funds had an amount of transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to net assets as of the end of the reporting period.
For the six months ended March 31, 2023, there were no transfers in or out of Level 3.
Use of Estimates — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes at the date of the