As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on July 17, 2020
1933 Act Registration No. [ ]
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-14
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
o | Pre-Effective Amendment No. ____ | ||||
o | Post-Effective Amendment No. ____ | ||||
(Check appropriate box or boxes.) |
PACER FUNDS TRUST
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
500 Chesterfield Parkway
Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (610)-644-8100
Joe M. Thomson, Chairman and President
Pacer Funds Trust
500 Chesterfield Parkway
Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
With Copies to:
John Grady
Practus LLP
1062 East Lancaster Avenue, Sutie 15A
Rosemont, Pennsylvania 19010
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after the Registration Statement becomes effective under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
It is proposed that this filing will become effective on August 16, 2020 pursuant to Rule 488.
Title of Securities Being Offered: Shares of Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF
No filing fee is due because the Registrant is relying on Section 24(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, pursuant to which it has previously registered an indefinite number of securities.
PACER FUNDS TRUST
CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT
This Registration Statement is comprised of the following:
Cover Sheet
Contents of Registration Statement
Letter to Shareholders
Notice of Joint Special Meeting of Shareholders
Questions and Answers
Part A – Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus
Part B – Statement of Additional Information
Part C – Other Information Signature Page
Exhibit Index
Exhibits
The information 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This combined proxy statement and prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
COMBINED PROXY STATEMENT AND PROSPECTUS
For the Reorganization of
Salt High truBeta US Market ETF
a series of ETF Series Solutions
615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(800) 617-0004
into
Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF
a series of Pacer Funds Trust
500 Chesterfield Parkway, Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355
(610) 644-8100
and the Reorganization of
Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF
a series of ETF Series Solutions
615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(800) 617-0004
into
Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF
a series of Pacer Funds Trust
500 Chesterfield Parkway, Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355
(610) 644-8100
[August 17], 2020
Salt High truBeta US Market ETF (SLT)
Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (LSLT)
each a series of ETF Series Solutions
615 East Michigan Street | Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
[August 17, 2020]
Dear Shareholder:
On behalf of the Board of Trustees of ETF Series Solutions (“ESS”), we are pleased to invite you to a Joint Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) of the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF (ticker: SLT) and the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (ticker: LSLT) (together, the “Target Funds”), each a series of ETF Series Solutions, on September 29, 2020, at the principal executive offices of ESS, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, at 11:00 a.m. Central time.
We intend to hold the Special Meeting in person. However, we are sensitive to the public health and travel concerns our shareholders may have and recommendations that public health officials may issue in light of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we may impose additional procedures or limitations on Special Meeting attendees or may decide to hold the Special Meeting in a different location or solely by means of remote communication. We plan to announce any such updates on our proxy website [AST websites], and we encourage you to check this website prior to the Special Meeting if you plan to attend. We also encourage you to consider your options to vote by internet, telephone, or mail, as discussed below, in advance of the Special Meeting in the event that, as of September 29, 2020, in-person attendance at the Special Meeting is either prohibited under a federal, state, or local order or contrary to the advice of public health care officials.
As discussed in more detail in the enclosed Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus, at the Special Meeting, the shareholders of the Target Funds will be asked to consider and vote to approve an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”) to reorganize the Target Funds into corresponding new funds (“Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF” and “Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF”, collectively, the “Acquiring Funds”), which are newly created series of Pacer Funds Trust (“PFT”). Each Acquiring Fund will have an investment objective that seeks to track the returns of the same underlying index as the corresponding Target Fund. However, each Acquiring Fund will have a management fee of 0.60% of its average daily net assets, whereas each Target Fund has a management fee of 0.29% of its average daily net assets. The Reorganization will not result in any changes in service providers that execute the essential functions of administration, accounting, custody, and transfer agency.
The following table shows shares of the Acquiring Funds that will be issued to shareholders of the corresponding Target Funds.
Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | |||||||
Salt High truBeta US Market ETF | à | Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF | ||||||
Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF | à | Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF |
The Acquiring Funds were established solely for the purpose of acquiring the assets of the Target Funds and continuing the Target Funds’ business (the “Reorganization”). Upon shareholder approval and effectiveness of the Plan, you will receive shares of the Acquiring Funds equivalent to the value of your Target Fund shares as of the closing date of the Reorganization in complete liquidation and dissolution of the Target Funds, and you will no longer be a shareholder of the Target Funds, but will become a shareholder of the Acquiring Funds.
The Acquiring Funds will be managed by Pacer Advisors, Inc. (“Pacer”), whereas the Target Funds are managed by Salt Financial LLC (“Salt Financial”) and its sub-adviser, Penserra Capital Management, LLC.
Additional information about the Acquiring Funds is included in Appendix D of the Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information related to the Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT.
The Board of Trustees of ESS believes that the proposed Reorganization is in the best interest of the Target Funds’ shareholders and recommends that you vote “FOR” the approval of the Plan to authorize the Reorganization with respect to the Target Funds.
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 September 29, 2020.
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. If you have any questions about the proposal, please call our proxy solicitor, AST Fund Solutions at [AST phone number].
Your vote is very important to us. Thank you for your response and for your continued investment in the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF.
Respectfully,
Michael D. Barolsky
Vice President and Secretary
ETF Series Solutions
Salt High truBeta US Market ETF (SLT)
Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (LSLT)
each a series of ETF Series Solutions
615 East Michigan Street | Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
NOTICE OF JOINT SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD September 29, 2020
To the Shareholders of the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Joint Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) of the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (together, the “Target Funds”), each a series of ETF Series Solutions (“ESS”), is to be held on September 29, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. Central time, at the offices of ESS, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
We intend to hold the Special Meeting in person. However, we are sensitive to the public health and travel concerns our shareholders may have and recommendations that public health officials may issue in light of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we may impose additional procedures or limitations on Special Meeting attendees or may decide to hold the Special Meeting in a different location or solely by means of remote communication. We plan to announce any such updates on our proxy website [AST websites], and we encourage you to check this website prior to the Special Meeting if you plan to attend. We also encourage you to consider your options to vote by internet, telephone, or mail, as discussed below, in advance of the Special Meeting in the event that, as of September 29, 2020, in-person attendance at the Special Meeting is either prohibited under a federal, state, or local order or contrary to the advice of public health care officials.
At the Special Meeting, you and the other shareholders of the Target Funds will be asked to consider and vote to approve the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”) approved by the ESS Board of Trustees, which provides for the reorganization (the “Reorganization”) of the Target Funds, each a series of ESS, into the Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and the Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF, each a newly created series of Pacer Funds Trust (“PFT”). The persons designated as proxies may use their discretionary authority to vote as instructed by management of the Target Funds on any other proposals raised at the Special Meeting to the extent permitted by the proxy rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including proposals for which timely notice was not received, as set forth in the SEC’s proxy rules. The approval of each Target Fund’s Reorganization is not contingent upon the approval of the other Target Fund’s Reorganization.
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 Funds as of the close of business on July 31, 2020, 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 proposal 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 may adjourn the Special Meeting one or more times to permit, in accordance with applicable law, further solicitation of proxies with respect to the proposal.
This Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders and the Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus are available on the internet at [AST websites], or by calling (toll-free) [AST phone number]. On this webpage, you also will be able to access each Target Fund’s Prospectus, each 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 ESS,
Michael D. Barolsky
Vice President and Secretary
ETF Series Solutions
[August 17, 2020]
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 Funds the necessity of further solicitations to ensure a quorum at the Special Meeting. You may cast your vote by mail, by the internet, or 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. If you sign, date, and return the proxy card but give no voting instructions, the proxies will vote FOR the proposal.
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 have any questions regarding the proposal, the proxy card, or need assistance voting your shares, please contact the Target Funds’ proxy solicitor, AST Fund Solutions, at [AST phone number]. If the Target Funds do not receive your voting instructions after our original mailing, you may be contacted by AST Fund Solutions, ETF Series Solutions, Salt Financial LLC, or any of their affiliates, in any case, to remind you to vote.
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 intend to hold the Special Meeting in person. However, we are sensitive to the public health and travel concerns our shareholders may have and recommendations that public health officials may issue in light of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we may impose additional procedures or limitations on Special Meeting attendees or may decide to hold the Special Meeting in a different location or solely by means of remote communication. We plan to announce any such updates on our proxy website [AST websites], and we encourage you to check this website prior to the Special Meeting if you plan to attend. Accordingly, we encourage you to consider your other voting options, as discussed above, in the event that in-person attendance at the Special Meeting is either prohibited under a federal, state, or local order or contrary to the advice of public health care officials.
Salt High truBeta US Market ETF (SLT)
Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (LSLT)
each a series of ETF Series Solutions
615 East Michigan Street | Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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 Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (each, a “Target Fund”, and together, the “Target Funds”), each a series of ETF Series Solutions (“ESS”), and a joint prospectus for the shares of the Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and the Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (each, an “Acquiring Fund”, and together, the “Acquiring Funds”) (each of the Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds, a “Fund”, and together, the “Funds”), each a newly created series of Pacer Funds Trust (“PFT”), an open-end management investment company registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The purposes of the Proxy Statement are to (1) solicit votes from shareholders of each Target Fund to approve the proposed reorganization of that Target Fund into the corresponding Acquiring Fund (the “Reorganization”), as described in the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization between ESS and PFT (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 Funds. Approval of a Target Fund’s shareholders is required to proceed with the Reorganization. If the shareholders of a Target Fund do not approve the proposal, then the Reorganization will not be implemented with respect to that Target Fund and the Board of Trustees of ESS (the “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 Funds in Appendix D and the Statement of Additional Information related to the Proxy Statement. The Proxy Statement should be retained for future reference.
Question: How does the ESS Board of Trustees recommend that I vote?
Answer: After careful consideration, the Board unanimously recommends that shareholders of each Target Fund vote “FOR” the Plan.
Question: What is the purpose of the Reorganization?
Answer: The primary purpose of the Reorganization is to move the investment portfolios and shareholders presently associated with the Target Funds to the Acquiring Funds. Salt Financial LLC (“Salt Financial”), the investment adviser to the Target Funds, recommends that the Target Funds be reorganized with and into the Acquiring Funds. If the Reorganization is approved by Target Fund shareholders, Pacer Advisors, Inc. (“Pacer Advisors”) will serve as the investment adviser for the Acquiring Funds. In addition, the Reorganization will allow Pacer Advisors to leverage its resources for and focus its marketing and distribution efforts on the Acquiring Funds. Pacer Advisors is a strategy-driven ETF provider managing 22 ETFs with over $5.2 billion in assets under management as of May 2020. After careful consideration, the ESS Board approved the reorganization of the Target Funds into the Acquiring Funds.
Question: How will the Reorganization work?
Answer: As part of the Reorganization, new series of PFT, referred to as the “Acquiring Funds,” with substantially similar investment policies and strategies as the Target Funds, have been created. The Acquiring Funds are newly organized and have no assets or liabilities. If a Target Fund’s shareholders approve the Plan, such Target Fund will transfer all of its assets to the corresponding Acquiring Fund in return for shares of such Acquiring Fund and such 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 Acquiring Fund with a value equal to the aggregate net asset value of the Target Fund shares that the shareholder held immediately prior to the Reorganization. Subsequently, the Target Funds 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 Funds at the Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”), the Reorganization is expected to be effective on or about October 2, 2020.
Question: Will I become an Acquiring Fund shareholder as a result of the Reorganization?
Answer: Yes, you will become a shareholder of the applicable Acquiring Fund and will no longer be a shareholder of the applicable Target Fund. You will receive shares of the applicable Acquiring Fund with a value equal to the aggregate net asset value of your shares of the applicable Target Fund held immediately prior to the Reorganization.
Question: Will the underlying indexes of the Target Funds change as a result of the Reorganization?
Answer: No, each Acquiring Fund will have an investment objective that seeks to track the returns of the same underlying index as the corresponding Target Fund.
Question: Who will manage the Acquiring Funds?
Answer: The Reorganization will shift management responsibility from Salt Financial and its sub-adviser, Penserra Capital Management LLC, to Pacer Advisors, the investment adviser of the Acquiring Funds. Pacer Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser formed in 2005 and is led by its Founder and President, Joe Thompson. ESS and the Target Funds are not affiliated with Pacer Advisors, PFT, or the Acquiring Funds.
Question: Will there be changes to the Board of Trustees and service providers for the Acquiring Funds?
Answer: ESS and PFT have different Boards of Trustees, distributors, legal counsel, and independent registered public accounting firms, as set forth in the table below; however, ESS and PFT have the same administrator, fund accountant, transfer agent, and custodian.
Target Funds | Acquiring Funds | |||||||
Administrator and Fund Accounting Agent | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | ||||||
Transfer Agent | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | ||||||
Custodian | U.S. Bank National Association | U.S. Bank National Association | ||||||
Distributor and Principal Underwriter | Compass Distributors, LLC | Pacer Financial, Inc. | ||||||
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | Cohen & Company, Ltd. | Sanville & Company | ||||||
Legal Counsel | Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP | Practus LLP |
Question: Will the Reorganization affect the ongoing fees and expenses I pay as a shareholder of the Target Funds?
Answer: The ongoing fees and expenses you pay as a shareholder of the Target Funds will increase after you become a shareholder of the Acquiring Funds. Each Fund operates under a unitary fee contract structure whereby each Fund pays for its investment advisory and administrative services under what is essentially an “all-in” fee arrangement. The management fee and total annual fund operating expenses for each Target Fund is 0.29% per annum of its average daily net assets, while the management fee and estimated total annual fund operating expenses for each Acquiring Fund will be 0.60% per annum of its average daily net assets.
The Funds have each adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plan under which the applicable Fund may bear a Rule 12b-1 fee not to exceed 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. However, no such fee is currently expected to be paid by the Acquiring Funds, and the Board of Trustees of PFT has not approved the commencement of any payments under the plan. Similarly, no such fee is currently being paid by the Target Funds, and the Board of the Target Funds has not approved the commencement of any payments under the plan.
Question: Will I own the same number of shares of the Acquiring Funds as I currently own of the Target Funds?
Answer: Although the number of shares of the Acquiring Funds you receive may differ from the number of shares of the Target Funds that you hold, in exchange for your shares of the Target Funds, you will receive shares of the Acquiring Funds equal in value to the net asset value of your shares of the Target Funds 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 (the “Code”). In general, a Target Fund will not recognize any gain or loss as a direct result of the transfer of all of its assets and liabilities in exchange for shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund or as a result of its liquidation and termination, and shareholders of a Target Fund will not recognize any gain or loss upon receipt of shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund in connection with the Reorganization. Shareholders of the Target Funds 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 that you receive in the Reorganization will be the same as the basis of the Target Fund shares that you held immediately before the Reorganization.
Question: Will I be charged a commission or other fee 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 proposals 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: Who is paying for expenses related to the Special Meeting and the Reorganization?
Answer: The Funds and their shareholders will not incur any expenses in connection with the Reorganization. Salt Financial and Pacer Advisors will bear all direct expenses relating to the Reorganization, including the costs relating to the Special Meeting and Proxy Statement.
Question: Will the Reorganization affect my ability to buy and sell shares?
Answer: No. You may continue to make additional purchases or sales of Target Fund shares through your financial intermediary up to and including the day of the Reorganization, which is anticipated to be on or about October 2, 2020. Any purchases or sales of Target Fund shares made after the Reorganization will be purchases or sales of the Acquiring Funds. If the Reorganization is approved, your shares of the Target Funds will automatically be converted to shares of the Acquiring Funds.
Question: What will happen if the Plan is not approved by shareholders?
Answer: If shareholders of the Target Funds do not approve the Plan, then the Target Funds will not be reorganized into the Acquiring Funds and the Board will consider what further actions to take with respect to the Target Funds, including the closure and liquidation of the Target Funds. The approval of each Target Fund’s Reorganization is not contingent upon the approval of the other Target Fund’s Reorganization. Therefore, if the shareholders of one Target Fund approve the Plan, but shareholders of the other Target Fund have not approved the Plan, the Target Fund having received shareholder approval of the Plan may be reorganized into the applicable Acquiring Fund while shareholders of the other Target Fund may be solicited further.
Question: How do I vote my shares?
Answer: You can vote your shares as indicated under “HOW TO VOTE YOUR SHARES” which immediately precedes this Question and Answers section.
Question: Who do I call if I have questions?
Answer: If you have any questions regarding the proposals or the proxy card, or need assistance voting your shares, please call the Target Funds’ proxy solicitor, AST Fund Solutions, toll-free at [AST phone number].
COMBINED PROXY STATEMENT AND PROSPECTUS
[August 17, 2020]
For the Reorganization of
Salt High truBeta US Market ETF a series of ETF Series Solutions 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 (800) 617-0004 | Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF a series of ETF Series Solutions 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 (800) 617-0004 | |||||||
into | into | |||||||
Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF a series of Pacer Funds Trust 500 Chesterfield Parkway, Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355 (610) 644-8100 | Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF a series of Pacer Funds Trust 500 Chesterfield Parkway, Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355 (610) 644-8100 |
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 “Board”) of ETF Series Solutions (“ESS”) for use at a Joint Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) of the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF, each a series of ESS (each, a “Target Fund”, and together, the “Target Funds”), at the principal executive offices of ESS, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, on September 29, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. Central time. At the Special Meeting, shareholders of the Target Funds will be asked to consider and vote upon the following proposal:
Proposal | Funds Voting on Proposal Separately | ||||
To approve the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”) approved by the Board of Trustees of ESS, which provides for the reorganization of the Target Funds into the corresponding acquiring funds (together, the “Acquiring Funds”), each a newly created series of Pacer Funds Trust (“PFT”) (the “Reorganization”). | Salt High truBeta US Market ETF Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF |
After careful consideration, the Board unanimously recommends that shareholders vote “FOR” the proposal.
The Plan provides that all of the assets of the Target Funds will be transferred to the Acquiring Funds in exchange for shares of beneficial interest (“shares”) of the Acquiring Funds and the Acquiring Funds’ assumption of the Target Funds’ liabilities. If shareholders of a Target Fund vote to approve the Plan, shareholders of the Target Fund will receive shares of the Acquiring Fund with a value equal to the aggregate net asset value (“NAV”) of their shares of the Target Fund held immediately prior to the Reorganization in complete liquidation and termination of the Target Fund. The table below shows the Target Funds and corresponding Acquiring Funds.
Target Funds (each a series of ESS) | Acquiring Funds (each a series of PFT) | |||||||
Salt High truBeta US Market ETF (the “Target High truBeta Fund”) | à | Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF (the “Acquiring High truBeta Fund”) | ||||||
Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (the “Target Low truBeta Fund”) | à | Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (the “Acquiring Low truBeta 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 basic information you should know before voting on the proposal. You should read it and keep it for future reference.
The following documents containing additional information about the Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds, each having been filed with the SEC, are incorporated by reference into (legally considered to be part of) this Proxy Statement:
•the Statement of Additional Information dated [August 17, 2020], relating to this Proxy Statement (the “Proxy Statement SAI”);
•the Prospectus of the Target Funds, dated April 30, 2020, as amended and supplemented (the “Target Funds’ Prospectus”) (File Nos. 333-179562 and 811-22668);
•the Statement of Additional Information of the Target Funds, dated April 30, 2020, as amended and supplemented (the “Target Funds’ SAI”) (File Nos. 333-179562 and 811-22668); and
•the Annual Report for the Target Funds for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (the “Target Funds’ Annual Report”) (File No. 811-22668).
This Proxy Statement will be mailed on or about August 21, 2020 to shareholders of record of the Target Funds as of July 31, 2020.
The Target Funds’ Prospectus and the Target Funds’ Annual Report have previously been delivered to shareholders of the Target Funds. Additional information about the Acquiring Funds that will be included in the Acquiring Funds’ Prospectus, when available, is included in Appendix D to this Proxy Statement. The Acquiring Funds are newly-organized and currently have no assets or liabilities. The Acquiring Funds have been created in connection with the Reorganization for the purpose of acquiring the assets and liabilities of the Target Funds and will not commence operations until the date of the Reorganization.
Copies of the Proxy Statement, Proxy Statement SAI, and any of the foregoing documents relating to the Target Funds are available upon request and without charge by writing the Target Funds, c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701, by visiting the Target Funds’ website at www.salt-funds.com, or by calling (toll-free) at 1-800-617-0004. Copies of documents relating to the Acquiring Funds, when available, may be obtained upon request and without charge by writing to the Acquiring Funds at the same address, by calling (toll-free) at 1-800-617-0004, or visiting www.paceretfs.com.
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 Funds or the Acquiring Funds 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 – 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 | |||||
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 | |||||
INFORMATION FILED WITH THE SEC | |||||
APPENDIX A - FORM OF AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION | |||||
APPENDIX B - FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TARGET FUNDS | |||||
APPENDIX C - OWNERSHIP OF SHARES OF THE TARGET FUNDS | C-1 | ||||
APPENDIX D - SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION ON THE ACQUIRING FUNDS | D-1 |
PROPOSAL – TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION
OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION
The Board of Trustees of ETF Series Solutions, including all of the Trustees who are not “interested persons,” as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (the “Independent Trustees”), recommends that shareholders of the Target Funds approve the Plan, pursuant to which the Target Funds will reorganize into the Acquiring Funds and each Target Fund shareholder will become a shareholder of the corresponding Acquiring Fund. A form of the Plan is attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix A. The Board considered the Reorganization at a meeting held on June 8, 2020. Based upon the Board’s evaluation of the terms of the Plan and other relevant information presented to the Board in advance of the meeting, and in light of its fiduciary duties under federal and state law, the Board, including all of the Independent Trustees, determined that the Reorganization is in the best interests of each of the Target Funds and their shareholders. See the section entitled “Board Considerations” for a summary of the factors considered and conclusions drawn by the Board in approving the Plan and authorizing the submission of the Plan to shareholders for approval.
As part of the Reorganization, new series of PFT, referred to as the “Acquiring Funds,” with substantially similar investment policies and strategies as the Target Funds, have been created. If the shareholders of the Target Funds approve the Plan, the Reorganization will have these primary steps:
•All of the assets of the Target Funds will be transferred to the Acquiring Funds in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Funds and the Acquiring Funds’ assumption of the Target Funds’ liabilities;
•Immediately after the transfer of the Target Funds’ assets as provided for in the Plan, the Target Funds will distribute shares of the Acquiring Funds received by the Target Funds pro rata to their shareholders in redemption of the outstanding shares of the Target Funds; and
•The Target Funds will be liquidated and terminated.
Approval of the Plan will constitute approval of the transfer of the Target Funds’ assets to the Acquiring Funds, the assumption of the Target Funds’ liabilities by the Acquiring Funds, the distribution of the Acquiring Fund shares to Target Fund shareholders, and the liquidation and termination of the Target Funds. Shares of the Acquiring Funds issued in connection with the Reorganization will have an aggregate NAV equal to the aggregate value of the assets that the Target Funds transferred to the Acquiring Funds, less the Target Funds’ liabilities that the Acquiring Funds assume. As a result of the Reorganization, existing shareholders of the Target Fund will become shareholders of the Acquiring Funds. Shareholders of the Target Funds will receive shares of the Acquiring Funds with a value equal to the aggregate NAV of their shares of the Target Funds held immediately prior to the Reorganization. No commissions or other transaction fees will be charged to the Target Funds’ shareholders in connection with the Reorganization.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Reorganization is expected to qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code. In general, a Target Fund will not recognize any gain or loss as a result of the transfer of all of their assets and liabilities in exchange for shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund or as a result of its liquidation and termination, and shareholders of a Target Fund will not recognize any gain or loss upon receipt of shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund in connection with the Reorganization. ESS and PFT will receive an opinion from tax counsel to ESS confirming such tax treatment.
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EFFECT OF THE REORGANIZATION
The primary purpose of the Reorganization is to move the investment portfolios and shareholders presently associated with the Target Funds to the Acquiring Funds. Certain basic information about the Target Funds and Acquiring Funds is provided in the table below.
Target High truBeta Fund | Acquiring High truBeta Fund | |||||||
Identity of Fund | Salt High truBeta US Market ETF, a series of ETF Series Solutions (an open-end management investment company registered with the SEC) | Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF, a series of Pacer Funds Trust (an open-end management investment company registered with the SEC) | ||||||
Listing Exchange | Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (“Cboe”) | Same | ||||||
Ticker Symbol | SLT | Same following the Reorganization | ||||||
Fiscal Year-End | December 31 | October 31 | ||||||
Form of Organization | Series of a Delaware statutory trust | Same | ||||||
Diversification Status | Non-diversified | Same | ||||||
Management Fee | 0.29% | 0.60% |
Target Low truBeta Fund | Acquiring Low truBeta Fund | |||||||
Identity of Fund | Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF, a series of ETF Series Solutions (an open-end management investment company registered with the SEC) | Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF, a series of Pacer Funds Trust (an open-end management investment company registered with the SEC) | ||||||
Listing Exchange | Cboe | Same | ||||||
Ticker Symbol | LSLT | Same following the Reorganization | ||||||
Fiscal Year-End | December 31 | October 31 | ||||||
Form of Organization | Series of a Delaware statutory trust | Same | ||||||
Diversification Status | Non-diversified | Same | ||||||
Management Fee | 0.29% | 0.60% |
The Reorganization will shift management responsibility for the Target Funds from Salt Financial LLC (“Salt Financial”) and its sub-adviser, Penserra Capital Management LLC (“Penserra”), to Pacer Advisors, Inc. (“Pacer Advisors”) as investment adviser of the Acquiring Funds. None of ESS, Salt Financial, and Penserra is affiliated with PFT or Pacer Advisors. Each Acquiring Fund will have an investment objective that seeks to track the returns of the same underlying index as the corresponding Target Fund. The Acquiring Funds and the Target Funds are each non-diversified for purposes of the 1940 Act.
The Reorganization will result in a change in the management fee currently paid by the Target Funds.
The Target High truBeta Fund pays Salt Financial a unitary management fee on a monthly basis at the annual rate of 0.29% of the Target High truBeta Fund’s average daily net assets. After the Reorganization, the Acquiring High truBeta Fund will pay Pacer Advisors a unitary management fee on a monthly basis at the annual rate of 0.60% of the Acquiring High truBeta Fund’s average daily net assets.
The Target Low truBeta Fund pays Salt Financial a unitary management fee on a monthly basis at the annual rate of 0.29% of the Target Low truBeta Fund’s average daily net assets. After the Reorganization, the Acquiring Low truBeta Fund will pay Pacer Advisors a unitary management fee on a monthly basis at the annual rate of 0.60% of the Acquiring Low truBeta Fund’s average daily net assets.
Under the Target Funds’ advisory agreement, Salt Financial pays all expenses of the Target Funds, subject to certain exceptions, and under the Acquiring Funds’ advisory agreement, Pacer Advisors pays all expenses of the Target Funds, subject to certain exceptions. Both advisory agreements provide that the applicable adviser will not be responsible for paying for the advisory fee, payments under each Fund’s 12b-1 Plan (defined below), brokerage expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest (including borrowing costs and dividend expenses on securities sold short), litigation expenses, and other extraordinary expenses.
The Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds have each adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plan (each a “12b-1 Plan”) under which the Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds may bear a Rule 12b-1 fee not to exceed 0.25% per annum of the applicable Fund’s
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average daily net assets. However, no such fee is currently expected to be paid by the Acquiring Funds, and the Board of Trustees of PFT has not approved the commencement of any payments under the 12b-1 Plan. Similarly, no such fee is currently being paid by the Target Funds, and the Board has not approved the commencement of any payments under the 12b-1 Plan.
The total expense ratio of each Acquiring Fund is expected to be higher than that of the corresponding Target Fund. The total annual fund operating expenses for each Target Fund are 0.29% of its average daily net assets. The total annual fund operating expenses for each Acquiring Fund are projected to be 0.60% of its average daily net assets.
Shareholders will continue to be able to make additional purchases or sales of the Target Fund shares through their financial intermediary up to and including the day of the Reorganization. If the Reorganization is approved, the Target Fund shares will automatically be converted to the Acquiring Fund shares.
SUMMARY COMPARISON OF THE FUNDS
Fees and Expenses of the Funds
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of a Target Fund and the pro forma fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund after giving effect to the Reorganization. Expenses for each Target Fund are based on operating expenses of such Target Fund for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. Expenses for each Acquiring Fund are pro forma operating expenses of such Acquiring Fund for the same period, assuming the Reorganization had occurred prior to the start of the period. The table does not include brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that you may pay on your purchases and sales of Fund shares. Because the fees and expenses of each Target Fund are the same and the fees and expenses of each Acquiring Fund are the same, the information below applies to each Target Fund and each Acquiring Fund.
Fees and Expenses | Target Fund Shares | Acquiring Fund Shares (pro forma) | ||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||||||||
Management Fee | 0.29% | 0.60% | ||||||
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% | 0.00% | ||||||
Other Expenses | 0.00% | 0.00% | ||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.29% | 0.60% | ||||||
Example
The Example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of a Target Fund with the cost of investing in shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund on a pro forma basis. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in each Fund and then 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. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that you may pay on your purchases and sales of Fund shares. 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 shares | $30 | $93 | $163 | $368 | ||||||||||
Acquiring Fund shares – (pro forma) | $61 | $192 | $335 | $750 |
Fund Performance
The following performance information indicates some of the risks of investing in the Funds. The Acquiring Funds will not commence operations until after the closing of the Reorganization. At that time, the Acquiring Funds will adopt the performance history of the Target Funds.
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Target High truBeta Fund
The bar chart shows the Target High truBeta Fund’s performance for the calendar year ended December 31, 2019. The table illustrates how the Target High truBeta Fund’s average annual returns for the 1-year and since inception periods compared with a broad measure of market performance and the Fund’s underlying index. The Target High truBeta Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how it or the Acquiring High truBeta Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is also available on the Target High truBeta Fund’s website at www.salt-funds.com or by calling the Target High truBeta Fund toll free at 1-800-617-0004.
Calendar Year Total Return as of December 31
![chart-c0154e84aa564b62b8c11.jpg](https://capedge.com/proxy/N-14/0000894189-20-005490/chart-c0154e84aa564b62b8c11.jpg)
During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the Target High truBeta Fund’s highest quarterly return was 21.48% for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 and the lowest quarterly return was -1.66% for the quarter ended September 30, 2019. The calendar year-to-date total return of the Target High truBeta Fund as of June 30, 2020 was -8.28%.
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Target Salt High truBetaTM US Market ETF | 1 Year | Since Inception (5/15/18) | ||||||||||||||||||
Return Before Taxes | 37.32% | 8.55% | ||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions | 36.98% | 8.27% | ||||||||||||||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 22.34% | 6.52% | ||||||||||||||||||
Salt High truBetaTM US Market Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 38.03% | 9.13% | ||||||||||||||||||
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 31.49% | 13.60% |
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates during the period covered by the table above 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. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged accounts.
Target Low truBeta Fund
The Target Low truBeta Fund is the successor to the investment performance of the Salt Low truBetaTM US Market ETF, a series of Salt Funds Trust, as a result of the reorganization of the series of Salt Funds Trust into a series of ETF Series Solutions that occurred on December 16, 2019 (the “Predecessor Fund”). Accordingly, any performance for periods prior to December 16, 2019 is that of the series of Salt Funds Trust. The Predecessor Fund had the same investment objective, strategies, and policies as the Target Low truBeta Fund since the Predecessor Fund’s inception. The Predecessor Fund’s inception date is March 12, 2019.
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Because, taken together, the Target Low truBeta Fund and the Predecessor Fund have not operated for a full calendar year, performance for the Target Low truBeta Fund is not included. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.salt-funds.com or by calling the Target Low truBeta Fund toll free at 1-800-617-0004.
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 Funds are newly organized, no portfolio turnover data is available. For the fiscal period ended December 31, 2019, the Target High truBeta Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 202% of the average value of its portfolio and the Target Low truBeta Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 31% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Objectives, Strategies, and Policies
The Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds have substantially similar investment objectives and strategies, which are presented in the table below.
The Acquiring Funds have been created as new series of PFT solely for the purpose of acquiring the Target Funds’ assets and continuing their business and will not conduct any investment operations until after the closing of the Reorganization. Because the Acquiring Funds’ investment objectives, including their underlying indexes, are identical to those of the Target Funds, Pacer Advisors believes that, if the Reorganization is approved, all of the Target Funds’ assets will be transferred to and held by the Acquiring Funds.
Target High truBeta Fund | Acquiring High truBeta Fund | |||||||
Investment Objective | ||||||||
The Fund seeks to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of the Salt High truBetaTM US Market Index (the “Index”). | The Fund seeks to track the total return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Salt High truBeta™ US Market Index (the “Index”). | |||||||
The Fund’s investment objective has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment policy and may be changed without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. | Same | |||||||
Principal Investment Strategies | ||||||||
The Fund uses a “passive management” (or indexing) approach to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index. Salt Financial Indices LLC (“Index Provider”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Salt Financial LLC, the Fund’s investment adviser (“Adviser”), is responsible for maintaining the Index. | The Fund employs a “passive management” (or indexing) investment approach designed to track the total return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index. The Index is based on a proprietary methodology developed by Salt Financial Indices LLC (the “Index Provider”). | |||||||
The Index Provider uses an objective, rules-based methodology to measure the performance of an equal-weighted portfolio of approximately 100 large- and mid-capitalization U.S.-listed stocks with the highest forecasted systematic risk relative to the market (known as “beta”). The Index was developed in 2017. | The Index uses an objective, rules-based methodology to measure the performance of an equal-weighted portfolio of approximately 100 large- and mid-capitalization U.S.-listed stocks with the highest forecasted systematic risk relative to the market (known as “beta”). The Index was developed in 2017. |
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Target High truBeta Fund | Acquiring High truBeta Fund | |||||||
Construction of the Index begins with the constituents of the Solactive US Large & Mid Cap Index (the “Equity Universe”), generally the 1,000 largest U.S.-listed common stocks and real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). Companies in the Equity Universe are then screened to keep only the 500 stocks with the highest average daily traded value over the past 30 days. Those 500 stocks are then analyzed using a proprietary algorithm developed by the Adviser to calculate each stock’s truBetaTM forecast, i.e., its projected beta for the subsequent quarter, and to eliminate stocks whose performance is weakly correlated with the broader U.S. equity market (the remaining securities are referred to as the “Index Universe”). A stock’s truBeta forecast is calculated using a machine learning process (i.e., a quantitative model that is automatically adjusted based on past results to improve accuracy) that compares the stock’s historical long-, medium-, and short-term risk and returns to those of the broader U.S. equity market (using the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) as a market proxy). A stock with a truBeta of 1.00 would be expected to demonstrate a risk and return profile identical to that of the broader U.S. equity market. A stock with a truBeta of more than 1.00 would be expected to be more volatile than the broader U.S. equity market and consequently, exhibit outsized reactions to market events (i.e., outperform the market in a rising market and underperform the market in a declining market). As of April 6, 2020, the Index had an average truBeta of approximately 1.21. Consequently, the Index is expected to be significantly more volatile than the broader U.S. equity market. At the time of each rebalance of the Index, the Index is constructed of the 100 stocks in the Index Universe with the highest truBeta, equally weighted and subject to a maximum 30% of the number of constituents in the Index being from a single sector. If more than 30% of the constituents would be from a single sector, the stock with the lowest truBeta score in such sector will be removed from the Index and replaced with the stock with the next highest truBeta forecast not already included in the Index. This process is repeated until each sector complies with the sector concentration constraint. As of April 6, 2020, a significant portion of the Index was comprised of companies in the financial, technology, energy, and consumer discretionary sectors. The Index is rebalanced quarterly on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December (each, an “Effective Date”) based on truBeta forecasts utilizing data as of five business days prior to the Effective Date of the applicable rebalance month. Each rebalance of the Index utilizes constituent prices at the close of trading five business days prior to the Effective Date for weighting purposes. | Same, except the reference to the “Adviser” is replaced with “Index Provider”. | |||||||
The Fund’s Investment Strategy The Fund attempts to invest all, or substantially all, of its assets in the component securities that make up the Index. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s total assets (exclusive of any collateral held from securities lending) will be invested in the component securities of the Index. The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund’s performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. The Fund will generally use a “replication” strategy to achieve its investment objective, meaning it generally will invest in all of the component securities of the Index in approximately the same proportion as in the Index. However, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy, meaning it may invest in a sample of the securities in the Index whose risk, return and other characteristics closely resemble the risk, return and other characteristics of the Index as a whole, when the Fund’s sub-adviser believes it is in the best interests of the Fund (e.g., when replicating the Index involves practical difficulties or substantial costs, an Index constituent becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable, or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations that apply to the Fund but not to the Index). The Fund generally may invest up to 20% of its total assets (exclusive of any collateral held from securities lending) in securities or other investments not included in the Index, but which the Fund’s sub-adviser believes will help the Fund track the Index. For example, the Fund may invest in securities that are not components of the Index to reflect various corporate actions and other changes to the Index (such as reconstitutions, additions, and deletions). To the extent the Index concentrates (i.e., holds more than 25% of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the Index. The Fund is non-diversified and therefore may invest a larger percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or small number of issuers than diversified funds. | Same, except the reference to the “sub-adviser” is replaced with “adviser”. |
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Target Low truBeta Fund | Acquiring Low truBeta Fund | |||||||
Investment Objective | ||||||||
The Fund seeks to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of the Salt Low truBetaTM US Market Index (the “Index”). | The Fund seeks to track the total return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Salt Low truBeta™ US Market Index (the “Index”). | |||||||
The Fund’s investment objective has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment policy and may be changed without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. | Same | |||||||
Investment Strategies | ||||||||
The Fund uses a “passive management” (or indexing) approach to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index. Salt Financial Indices LLC (“Index Provider”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Salt Financial LLC, the Fund’s investment adviser (“Adviser”), is responsible for maintaining the Index. | The Fund employs a “passive management” (or indexing) investment approach designed to track the total return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index. The Index is based on a proprietary methodology developed by Salt Financial Indices LLC (the “Index Provider”). | |||||||
The Index Provider uses an objective, rules-based methodology to measure the performance of an equal-weighted portfolio of approximately 100 large and mid-capitalization U.S.-listed stocks with the lowest levels of variability in their historical beta calculations (“Beta Variability”) and forecasted beta of less than 1.00. “Beta” is a calculation of an investment’s systematic risk relative to the market. The Index was developed in 2018. | The Index uses an objective, rules-based methodology to measure the performance of an equal-weighted portfolio of approximately 100 large- and mid-capitalization U.S.-listed stocks with the lowest levels of variability in their historical beta calculations (“Beta Variability”) and forecasted beta of less than 1.00. “Beta” is a calculation of an investment’s systematic risk relative to the market. The Index was developed in 2018. |
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Target Low truBeta Fund | Acquiring Low truBeta Fund | |||||||
Construction of the Index begins with the constituents of the Solactive US Large & Mid Cap Index (the “Equity Universe”), generally the 1,000 largest U.S.-listed common stocks and real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). Companies in the Equity Universe are then screened to keep only the 500 stocks with the highest average daily traded value over the past 30 days. The remaining stocks (the “Index Universe”) are analyzed using a proprietary algorithm developed by the Adviser to calculate each stock’s truBeta forecast, i.e., its projected beta for the subsequent quarter. A stock’s truBeta forecast is calculated based on a stock’s historical long-, medium-, and short-term performance, combined with machine learning (i.e., a quantitative modeling process that is automatically adjusted based on past results in an attempt to improve accuracy), to evaluate and compare its risk and return to those of the broader U.S. equity market. A stock with a truBeta of 1.00 would be expected to demonstrate a risk and return profile equivalent with the broader U.S. equity market (i.e., the stock’s price will move proportionately with levels of the broader market). A stock with a truBeta of less than 1.00 would be expected to be less volatile than the broader U.S. equity market and consequently, outperform the market in a declining market and underperform the market in a rising market. The Index Universe is then further screened to keep only stocks with a truBeta score of less than 1.00. A Beta Variability score is calculated for the remaining stocks (the “Eligible Components”) based on the absolute difference between the short-term and medium-term data points used to generate the truBeta estimate. A lower score indicates less variability in beta over time. The Index is initially constructed of the 100 Eligible Components with the lowest Beta Variability score, equally-weighted, and subject to a maximum 30% of the number of constituents in the Index being from a single sector. If more than 30% of the constituents would be from a single sector, the Eligible Component with the next lowest Beta Variability score not from the sector is selected instead of the Eligible Component that would have caused the Index to exceed the 30% limit. As of April 6, 2020, a significant portion of the Index is comprised of companies in the consumer staples, financial, health care, and utilities sectors. The Index is rebalanced quarterly on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December (each, an “Effective Date”) based on truBeta forecasts and Beta Variability scores utilizing data as of five business days prior to the Effective Date of the applicable rebalance month (each, a “Selection Date”). Each rebalance of the Index utilizes constituent prices at the close of trading on the Selection Date for weighting purposes. To minimize turnover at each quarterly rebalance, stocks remain in the Index unless their truBeta score on the Selection Date is 1.00 or higher, regardless of their Beta Variability score. Additions to the Index at each rebalance are selected using the same process as the initial selection, ranking the Eligible Components not already in the Index by their Beta Variability score and selecting Eligible Components starting with the lowest Beta Variability score to arrive at a total of 100 components. As of April 6, 2020, the Index had an average truBeta of approximately 0.73. Consequently, the Index is expected to be less volatile than the broader U.S. equity market. | Same, except the reference to the “Adviser” is replaced with “Index Provider”. |
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Target Low truBeta Fund | Acquiring Low truBeta Fund | |||||||
The Fund’s Investment Strategy The Fund attempts to invest all, or substantially all, of its assets in the component securities that make up the Index. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s total assets (exclusive of any collateral held from securities lending) will be invested in the component securities of the Index. The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund’s performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. The Fund will generally use a “replication” strategy to achieve its investment objective, meaning it generally will invest in all of the component securities of the Index in approximately the same proportion as in the Index. However, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy, meaning it may invest in a sample of the securities in the Index whose risk, return and other characteristics closely resemble the risk, return and other characteristics of the Index as a whole, when the Fund’s sub-adviser believes it is in the best interests of the Fund (e.g., when replicating the Index involves practical difficulties or substantial costs, an Index constituent becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable, or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations that apply to the Fund but not to the Index). The Fund generally may invest up to 20% of its total assets (exclusive of any collateral held from securities lending) in securities or other investments not included in the Index, but which the Fund’s sub-adviser believes will help the Fund track the Index. For example, the Fund may invest in securities that are not components of the Index to reflect various corporate actions and other changes to the Index (such as reconstitutions, additions, and deletions). To the extent the Index concentrates (i.e., holds more than 25% of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the Index. The Fund is non-diversified and therefore may invest a larger percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or small number of issuers than diversified funds. | Same, except the reference to the “sub-adviser” is replaced with “adviser”. |
Principal Risks
Risk is the chance that you will lose money on your investment or that it will not earn as much as you expect. In general, the greater the risk, the more money your investment can earn for you and the more you can lose. Like other investment companies, the value of each Fund’s shares (the “Shares”) may be affected by its investment objective, principal investment strategies, and particular risk factors. The principal risks of investing in the Funds are discussed below. However, other factors may also affect each Fund’s NAV. There is no guarantee that a Fund will achieve its investment objective or that it will not lose principal value.
The principal risks of investing in the Funds are substantially similar, as each Acquiring Fund will seek to track the returns of the same underlying index as the corresponding Target Fund. Differences in the language of the risk disclosure for the Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds exist primarily based on the different approaches to such disclosure taken by ESS and PFT. The principal risks of investing in the Funds are set forth below. 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. As with any investment, there is a risk you could lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s NAV, trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its objectives.
Principal Risks of the Target High truBeta Fund & the Acquiring High truBeta Fund
Target High truBeta Fund | Acquiring High truBeta Fund | |||||||
See Models and Data Risk below | Calculation Methodology Risk. The Index relies directly or indirectly on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund, the Index Provider, the Adviser, nor the Fund’s distributor can offer assurances that the Index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers or a correct valuation of securities, nor can they guarantee the availability or timeliness of the production of the Index. |
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Target High truBeta Fund | Acquiring High truBeta Fund | |||||||||||||
Concentration Risk. The Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent that the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of the Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries. | Concentration Risk. If the Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries, the Fund’s investments may be concentrated accordingly. In such event, the value of the Fund’s shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries. In addition, at times, an industry or group of industries in which the Fund is concentrated may be out of favor and underperform other industries or groups of industries. | |||||||||||||
Equity Market Risk. The equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries, or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities, such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers. | Equity Market Risk. The equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries, or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. The trading prices of equity securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. The Fund’s NAV and market price may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time. | |||||||||||||
ETF Risks. The Fund is an ETF and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, is exposed to the following risks: | ||||||||||||||
Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”). In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions. | Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”). In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. APs are generally large institutional investors that have been authorized by the Fund’s distributor to purchase and redeem large blocks of Shares (known as “Creation Units”) pursuant to legal requirements by which the Fund may offer and redeem Shares. To the extent either of the following events occur, Shares of the Fund may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process Creation Units and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions. | |||||||||||||
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments. | Same | |||||||||||||
Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant. | Same | |||||||||||||
Trading. Although Shares are listed for trading on the Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Shares. | Same |
10
Target High truBeta Fund | Acquiring High truBeta Fund | |||||||
Index Provider Risk. The Index was created by and is owned and maintained by the Adviser, which has limited experience as an index provider or investment adviser for a registered fund, which may create additional risks for investing in the Fund. | Not applicable. | |||||||
Index Risk. Because the Index includes the securities in the Index Universe with the highest truBeta, the Index, and consequently the Fund, can be expected to be significantly more volatile than the broader U.S. equity market. As a result, the Index, and consequently the Fund, may significantly underperform the broader U.S. equity market over short or long periods of time. Additionally, the calculation of a security’s truBeta is based on past performance and may not be indicative of the extent to which the security will demonstrate a similar risk and return profile relative to the broader U.S. equity market in the future. Consequently, there can be no guarantee that the Index, or the Fund, will perform in the future the way the average truBeta suggests it would. | Same. | |||||||
See Portfolio Turnover Risk below. | High Portfolio Turnover Risk. At times, the Fund may have a portfolio turnover rate substantially greater than 100%. A high portfolio turnover rate would result in correspondingly greater transaction expenses, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark ups and other transaction costs, on the sale of securities and on reinvestment in other securities and may result in reduced performance and the distribution to shareholders of additional capital gains for tax purposes | |||||||
Limited Operating History. The Fund is a recently organized investment company with a limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decision. | Limited Operating History. The Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified management investment company with limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record on which to base their investment decision. An investment in the Fund may therefore involve greater uncertainty than an investment in a fund with a more established record of performance. | |||||||
Models and Data Risk. The composition of the Index is heavily dependent on proprietary quantitative models as well as information and data supplied by third parties (“Models and Data”). When Models and Data prove to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon may lead to securities being included in or excluded from the Index that would have been excluded or included had the Models and Data been correct and complete. If the composition of the Index reflects such errors, the Fund’s portfolio can be expected to reflect the errors, too. | See Calculation Methodology Risk above | |||||||
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is considered to be non-diversified, which means that it may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund. As a result, the Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a smaller number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively smaller number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance. | Non-Diversification Risk. Although the Fund intends to invest in a variety of securities and instruments, the Fund is considered to be non-diversified, which means that it may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund. | |||||||
Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed, and its sub-adviser would not sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security, industry, or sector, unless that security is removed from the Index or the selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a reconstitution or rebalancing of the Index in accordance with the Index methodology. | Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed, and the Fund’s investment adviser would not sell a security due to current or projected underperformance of a security, industry, or sector, unless that security is removed from the Index or the selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a reconstitution of the Index in accordance with the Index methodology. The Fund invests in securities included in the Index regardless of their investment merits. The Fund does not take defensive positions under any market conditions, including conditions that are adverse to the performance of the Fund. |
11
Target High truBeta Fund | Acquiring High truBeta Fund | |||||||||||||
Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may trade all or a significant portion of the securities in its portfolio in connection with each rebalance and reconstitution of its Index. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses. Frequent trading may also cause adverse tax consequences for investors in the Fund due to an increase in short-term capital gains. | See High Portfolio Turnover Risk above | |||||||||||||
REIT Investment Risk. Investments in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume, and may be more volatile than other securities. In addition, to the extent the Fund holds interests in REITs, it is expected that investors in the Fund will bear two layers of asset-based management fees and expenses (directly at the Fund level and indirectly at the REIT level). The risks of investing in REITs include certain risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate and the real estate industry in general, including, among other, risks related to general, regional and local economic conditions; fluctuations in interest rates and property tax rates; and shifts in zoning laws, environmental regulations and other governmental action. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and self-liquidation. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to qualify for the beneficial tax treatment available to REITs under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or fail to maintain their exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). | REIT Investment Risk. Investments in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume, and may be more volatile than other securities. In addition, to the extent the Fund holds interests in REITs, it is expected that investors in the Fund will bear two layers of asset-based management fees and expenses (directly at the Fund level and indirectly at the REIT level). The risks of investing in REITs include certain risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate and the real estate industry in general. These include risks related to general, regional and local economic conditions; fluctuations in interest rates and property tax rates; shifts in zoning laws, environmental regulations and other governmental action such as the exercise of eminent domain; cash flow dependency; increased operating expenses; lack of availability of mortgage funds; losses due to natural disasters; overbuilding; losses due to casualty or condemnation; changes in property values and rental rates; and other factors. In addition to these risks, REITs are dependent upon management skills and generally may not be diversified. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to qualify for the beneficial tax treatment available to REITs under the Code, or to maintain their exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Fund expects that dividends received from a REIT and distributed to Fund shareholders generally will be taxable to the shareholder as ordinary income, but may be taxable as return of capital. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting investments. | |||||||||||||
Sector Risk. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. | ||||||||||||||
Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk. The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of domestic and international economies, interest rates, exchange rates, competition, consumer confidence, changes in demographics and consumer preferences. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector depend heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending, and may be strongly affected by social trends and marketing campaigns. These companies may be subject to severe competition, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability. | Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk. The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of domestic and international economies, interest rates, exchange rates, competition, consumer confidence, changes in demographics, and consumer preferences. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector depend heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending, and may be strongly affected by social trends and marketing campaigns. |
12
Target High truBeta Fund | Acquiring High truBeta Fund | |||||||
Energy Sector Risk. The energy sector is comprised of energy, industrial, infrastructure, and logistics companies, and will therefore be susceptible to adverse economic, environmental, business, regulatory, or other occurrences affecting that sector. The energy sector has historically experienced substantial price volatility. At times, the performance of these investments may lag the performance of other sectors or the market as a whole. Companies operating in the energy sector are subject to specific risks, including, among others, fluctuations in commodity prices; reduced consumer demand for commodities such as oil, natural gas, or petroleum products; reduced availability of natural gas or other commodities for transporting, processing, storing, or delivering; slowdowns in new construction; extreme weather or other natural disasters; and threats of attack by terrorists on energy assets. Additionally, energy sector companies are subject to substantial government regulation and changes in the regulatory environment for energy companies may adversely impact their profitability. Over time, depletion of natural gas reserves and other energy reserves may also affect the profitability of energy companies. | Energy Sector Risk. The profitability of companies in the energy sector is related to worldwide energy prices, exploration, and production spending. Such companies also are subject to risks of changes in exchange rates, government regulation, world events, natural disasters, environmental damage claims, depletion of resources, and economic conditions, as well as market, economic, and political risks of the countries where energy companies are located or do business. | |||||||
Financial Sector Risk. This sector can be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, government regulation, the rate of defaults on corporate, consumer and government debt, the availability and cost of capital, and fallout from the housing and sub-prime mortgage crisis. Insurance companies, in particular, may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, catastrophic events, price and market competition, the imposition of premium rate caps, or other changes in government regulation or tax law and/or rate regulation, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability. This sector has experienced significant losses in the recent past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of recent or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses. | Financial Sector Risk. This sector can be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, government regulation, the rate of defaults on corporate, consumer, and government debt, the availability and cost of capital, and fallout from the housing and sub-prime mortgage crisis. Insurance companies, in particular, may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, catastrophic events, price and market competition, the imposition of premium rate caps, or other changes in government regulation or tax law and/or rate regulation, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability. In recent years, cyber attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses. | |||||||
Information Technology Sector Risk. Market or economic factors impacting information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability. | Same | |||||||
Tracking Error Risk. As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and its Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the Index. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the Index. | Same |
13
Principal Risks of the Target Low truBeta Fund & the Acquiring Low truBeta Fund
Target Low truBeta Fund | Acquiring Low truBeta Fund | |||||||||||||
See Models and Data Risk below | Calculation Methodology Risk. The Index relies directly or indirectly on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund, the Index Provider, The Adviser, nor the Fund’s distributor can offer assurances that the Index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers or a correct valuation of securities, nor can they guarantee the availability or timeliness of the production of the Index. | |||||||||||||
Concentration Risk. The Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent that the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of the Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries. | Concentration Risk. If the Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries, the Fund’s investments may be concentrated accordingly. In such event, the value of the Fund’s shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries. In addition, at times, an industry or group of industries in which the Fund is concentrated may be out of favor and underperform other industries or groups of industries. | |||||||||||||
Equity Market Risk. The equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries, or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities, such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers. | Equity Market Risk. The equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries, or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. The trading prices of equity securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. The Fund’s NAV and market price may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time. | |||||||||||||
ETF Risks. The Fund is an ETF and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, is exposed to the following risks: | ||||||||||||||
Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”). In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions. | Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”). In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. APs are generally large institutional investors that have been authorized by the Fund’s distributor to purchase and redeem large blocks of Shares (known as “Creation Units”) pursuant to legal requirements by which the Fund may offer and redeem Shares. To the extent either of the following events occur, Shares of the Fund may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process Creation Units and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions. | |||||||||||||
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments. | Same |
14
Target Low truBeta Fund | Acquiring Low truBeta Fund | |||||||
Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant. | Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant. | |||||||
Trading. Although Shares are listed for trading on the Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Shares. | Same | |||||||
Index Provider Risk. The Index was created by and is owned and maintained by the Adviser, which has limited experience as an index provider or investment adviser for a registered fund, which may create additional risks for investing in the Fund. | Not applicable. | |||||||
Index Risk. Because the Index includes the securities in the Index Universe with the lowest truBeta, the Index, and consequently the Fund, can be expected to be significantly less volatile than the broader U.S. equity market. As a result, the Index, and consequently the Fund, may significantly underperform the broader U.S. equity market over short or long periods of time. Additionally, the calculation of a security’s truBeta is based on past performance and may not be indicative of the extent to which the security will demonstrate a similar risk and return profile relative to the broader U.S. equity market in the future. Consequently, there can be no guarantee that the Index, or the Fund, will perform in the future the way the average truBeta suggests it would. | Same. | |||||||
Limited Operating History. The Fund is a recently organized investment company with a limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decision. | Limited Operating History. The Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified management investment company with limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record on which to base their investment decision. An investment in the Fund may therefore involve greater uncertainty than an investment in a fund with a more established record of performance. | |||||||
Models and Data Risk. The composition of the Index is heavily dependent on proprietary quantitative models as well as information and data supplied by third parties (“Models and Data”). When Models and Data prove to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon may lead to securities being included in or excluded from the Index that would have been excluded or included had the Models and Data been correct and complete. If the composition of the Index reflects such errors, the Fund’s portfolio can be expected to reflect the errors, too. | See Calculation Methodology Risk above. | |||||||
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is considered to be non-diversified, which means that it may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund. As a result, the Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a smaller number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively smaller number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance. | Non-Diversification Risk. Although the Fund intends to invest in a variety of securities and instruments, the Fund is considered to be non-diversified, which means that it may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund. |
15
Target Low truBeta Fund | Acquiring Low truBeta Fund | |||||||||||||
Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed, and its sub-adviser would not sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security, industry, or sector, unless that security is removed from the Index or the selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a reconstitution or rebalancing of the Index in accordance with the Index methodology. | Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed, and the Fund’s investment adviser would not sell a security due to current or projected underperformance of a security, industry, or sector, unless that security is removed from the Index or the selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a reconstitution of the Index in accordance with the Index methodology. The Fund invests in securities included in the Index regardless of their investment merits. The Fund does not take defensive positions under any market conditions, including conditions that are adverse to the performance of the Fund. | |||||||||||||
REIT Investment Risk. Investments in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume, and may be more volatile than other securities. In addition, to the extent the Fund holds interests in REITs, it is expected that investors in the Fund will bear two layers of asset-based management fees and expenses (directly at the Fund level and indirectly at the REIT level). The risks of investing in REITs include certain risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate and the real estate industry in general, including, among others, risks related to general, regional and local economic conditions; fluctuations in interest rates and property tax rates; and shifts in zoning laws, environmental regulations and other governmental action. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to qualify for the beneficial tax treatment available to REITs under the Code, or fail to maintain their exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). | REIT Investment Risk. Investments in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume, and may be more volatile than other securities. In addition, to the extent the Fund holds interests in REITs, it is expected that investors in the Fund will bear two layers of asset-based management fees and expenses (directly at the Fund level and indirectly at the REIT level). The risks of investing in REITs include certain risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate and the real estate industry in general. These include risks related to general, regional and local economic conditions; fluctuations in interest rates and property tax rates; shifts in zoning laws, environmental regulations and other governmental action such as the exercise of eminent domain; cash flow dependency; increased operating expenses; lack of availability of mortgage funds; losses due to natural disasters; overbuilding; losses due to casualty or condemnation; changes in property values and rental rates; and other factors. In addition to these risks, REITs are dependent upon management skills and generally may not be diversified. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to qualify for the beneficial tax treatment available to REITs under the Code, or to maintain their exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Fund expects that dividends received from a REIT and distributed to Fund shareholders generally will be taxable to the shareholder as ordinary income, but may be taxable as return of capital. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting investments. | |||||||||||||
Sector Risk. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. | ||||||||||||||
Consumer Staples Sector Risk. The Fund may invest in companies in the consumer staples sector, and therefore the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by events affecting this sector. Companies in the consumer staples sector, including those in the food and beverage industries, may be affected by general economic conditions, commodity production and pricing, consumer confidence and spending, consumer preferences, interest rates, product cycles, marketing campaigns, competition, and government regulations. | Consumer Staples Sector Risk. The permissibility of using various food additives and production methods, fads, marketing campaigns, and other factors affecting consumer demand is tied closely to the performance of companies in this sector. In particular, tobacco companies may be adversely affected by new laws, regulations and litigation. The consumer staples sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors. |
16
Target Low truBeta Fund | Acquiring Low truBeta Fund | |||||||
Financial Sector Risk. This sector can be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, government regulation, the rate of defaults on corporate, consumer and government debt, the availability and cost of capital, and fallout from the housing and sub-prime mortgage crisis. Insurance companies, in particular, may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, catastrophic events, price and market competition, the imposition of premium rate caps, or other changes in government regulation or tax law and/or rate regulation, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability. This sector has experienced significant losses in the recent past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of recent or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses. | Financial Sector Risk. This sector can be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, government regulation, the rate of defaults on corporate, consumer, and government debt, the availability and cost of capital, and fallout from the housing and sub-prime mortgage crisis. Insurance companies, in particular, may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, catastrophic events, price and market competition, the imposition of premium rate caps, or other changes in government regulation or tax law and/or rate regulation, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability. In recent years, cyberattacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses. | |||||||
Health Care Sector Risk. Companies in the health care sector are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines, an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services, loss or impairment of intellectual property rights and litigation regarding product or service liability. | Health Care Sector Risk. Companies in the health care sector are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines and an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services. | |||||||
Utilities Sector Risk. Utility companies are affected by supply and demand, operating costs, government regulation, environmental factors, liabilities for environmental damage and general civil liabilities, and rate caps or rate changes. Although rate changes of a regulated utility usually fluctuate in approximate correlation with financing costs, due to political and regulatory factors rate changes ordinarily occur only following a delay after the changes in financing costs. This factor will tend to favorably affect a regulated utility company’s earnings and dividends in times of decreasing costs, but conversely, will tend to adversely affect earnings and dividends when costs are rising. The value of regulated utility equity securities may tend to have an inverse relationship to the movement of interest rates. Certain utility companies have experienced full or partial deregulation in recent years. These utility companies are frequently more similar to industrial companies in that they are subject to greater competition and have been permitted by regulators to diversify outside of their original geographic regions and their traditional lines of business. These opportunities may permit certain utility companies to earn more than their traditional regulated rates of return. Some companies, however, may be forced to defend their core business and may be less profitable. In addition, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, government intervention or other factors may render a utility company’s equipment unusable or obsolete and negatively impact profitability. | Utilities Sector Risk. Utility stock prices tend not to fluctuate, which reduces the potential for capital gain. Utility stocks are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or protected by the government in any way. A foreseeable risk to investing in utilities is the rising market of renewable energy. The downside of the rising energy market is that it may threaten the futures of traditional utility companies. | |||||||
Tracking Error Risk. As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and its Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the Index. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the Index. | Same |
Funds’ Investment Limitations
The investment restrictions adopted by the Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds as fundamental investment restrictions (i.e., cannot be changed by either Fund’s Board of Trustees without affirmative shareholder approval) are materially identical. The Target Funds’ fundamental investment restrictions, as well as the Target Funds’ interpretations of those restrictions, are summarized under the section entitled “Investment Restrictions” in the Target Funds’ SAI, which is incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement. The Acquiring Funds’ fundamental investment restrictions, as well as the Acquiring Funds’ interpretations of those restrictions, are described in the Proxy Statement SAI.
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A fundamental investment restriction cannot be changed without the affirmative vote of the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the voting securities of a Fund present at the meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund. A non-fundamental limitation may be changed by a Fund’s Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
Portfolio Holdings Information
Information about the Target Funds’ daily portfolio holdings is available at www.salt-funds.com. A complete description of the Target Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Target Funds’ portfolio holdings is available in the Target Funds’ SAI, which is incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement. Information about the Acquiring Funds’ daily portfolio holdings will be available at www.paceretfs.com. In addition, each Fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings as of the end of its fiscal year and its second fiscal quarter in its reports to shareholders. No later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, each Fund files with the SEC on Form N-PORT a complete list of its portfolio holdings as of each month-end during the relevant quarter. You can find the SEC filings on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. A summarized description of the Acquiring Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Acquiring Funds’ portfolio holdings is included in the Proxy Statement SAI.
Management
Boards of Trustees
The business and affairs of ESS are managed by its officers under the oversight of the Board. The Board sets broad policies for ESS and may appoint ESS’s officers. The ESS Board oversees the performance of Salt Financial, Penserra, and ESS’s other service providers. ESS currently has four Trustees, one of whom is an “interested person,” as that term is defined under the 1940 Act. A list of the Trustees and officers of ESS, and their present positions and principal occupations, is provided under the section entitled “Management of the Trust” in the Target Funds’ SAI, which is incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement.
The management and affairs of PFT and its series are overseen by a Board of Trustees (the “PFT Board”). The PFT Board elects the officers of PFT who are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of PFT and the Acquiring Funds. PFT currently has four Trustees, one of whom is an “interested person,” as that term is defined under the 1940 Act. A list of the Trustees and officers of PFT, and their present positions and principal occupations, is provided under the section entitled “Management of the Trust” in the Proxy Statement SAI.
Investment Advisers
Salt Financial LLC is a registered investment adviser with offices located at 20 West 22nd Street, Suite 511, New York, New York 10010, and serves as the investment adviser to the Target Funds. Penserra Capital Management LLC is a registered investment adviser whose principal office is located at 4 Orinda Way, Suite 100-A, Orinda, California 94563, and serves as the investment sub-adviser to the Target Funds. Salt Financial provides oversight of Penserra, monitoring of Penserra’s buying and selling of securities for the Target Funds, and reviews Penserra’s performance.
Pacer Advisors, Inc. is a registered investment adviser with offices located at 500 Chesterfield Parkway, Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355. Pacer Advisors also arranges for transfer agency, custody, fund administration, securities lending, and all other related services necessary for each Acquiring Fund to operate. Pacer Advisors has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of PFT and each of its separate investment portfolios.
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Portfolio Managers
The following portfolio managers are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds:
Target Funds | Acquiring Funds | |||||||
Dustin Lewellyn, CFA, Managing Director of Penserra (since inception) Ernesto Tong, CFA, Managing Director of Penserra (since inception) Anand Desai, Associate of Penserra (since inception) | Bruce Kavanaugh, Vice President of Pacer Advisors (since inception) Michael Mack, Investment Analyst of Pacer Advisors (since inception) | |||||||
Dustin Lewellyn has been a Managing Director with Penserra since 2012. He was President and Founder of Golden Gate Investment Consulting LLC from 2011 through 2015. Prior to that, Mr. Lewellyn was a managing director at Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc. (“CSIM”), which he joined in 2009, and head of portfolio management for Schwab ETFs. Prior to joining CSIM, he worked for two years as director of ETF product management and development at a major financial institution focused on asset and wealth management. Prior to that, he was a portfolio manager for institutional clients at a financial services firm for three years. In addition, he held roles in portfolio accounting and portfolio management at a large asset management firm for more than 6 years. | Bruce Kavanaugh has been Vice President of Pacer Advisors since it began operations in 2004. He has been a portfolio manager with Pacer Advisors since 2013. Mr. Kavanaugh has more than 25 years of experience in financial services. Michael Mack has been an Investment Analyst for Pacer Advisors since joining it in 2012. Prior to his position with Pacer Advisors, Mr. Mack was an Associate with Cameron Capital Management from 2011 to 2012. He also served as an Analyst/Trader for Simitec Inc., a business and technology consulting firm, from 2005 to 2009. | |||||||
Ernesto Tong has been a Managing Director with Penserra since 2015. Prior to joining Penserra, Mr. Tong spent seven years as a vice president at Blackrock, where he was a portfolio manager for a number of the iShares ETFs, and prior to that, he spent two years in the firm’s index research group. | ||||||||
Anand Desai has been an Associate with Penserra since 2015. Prior to joining Penserra, Mr. Desai spent five years as a portfolio fund accountant at State Street. |
The Target Funds’ SAI, which is incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement, and the SAI to this Proxy Statement provide additional information about the Funds’ portfolio managers’ compensation structure, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of securities of the Funds.
Investment Advisory Fees
Pursuant to an advisory agreement between ESS, on behalf of the Target Funds, and Salt Financial (the “Salt Advisory Agreement”), the Target Funds pay Salt Financial a unitary management fee for the services and facilities it provides payable on a monthly basis at an annual rate of 0.29% of each Target Fund’s average daily net assets.
Out of the unitary management fee, Salt Financial pays all expenses of the Target Funds, including sub-advisory fees, the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, independent trustees and other services, but excluding the advisory fee, payments under the Target Funds’ 12b-1 Plan, brokerage expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest (including borrowing costs and dividend expenses on securities sold short), litigation expense and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation to which ESS or the Target Funds may be a party and indemnification of the Trustees and officers with respect thereto).
Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between PFT, on behalf of the Acquiring Funds, and Pacer Advisors (the “Pacer Advisory Agreement”), the Acquiring Funds pay Pacer Advisors an annual advisory fee based on their average daily net assets for the services and facilities it provides payable at the annual rate of 0.60% of each Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets. Pacer Advisors bears all the costs of the Acquiring Funds, except for the advisory fee, payments under the Acquiring Funds’ 12b-1 Plan, brokerage expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest (including borrowing costs and dividend expenses on securities sold short), litigation expenses and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation to which PFT or the Acquiring Funds may be a party and indemnification of the Trustees and officers with respect thereto).
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Salt Advisory Agreement with respect to the Target High truBeta Fund is available in the Target High truBeta Fund’s Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders for the period ended June 30, 2018. The basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Target Low truBeta Fund’s Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Target Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders for the period ended December 31, 2019.
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A discussion regarding the basis for PFT’s approval of the Pacer Advisory Agreement with respect to the Acquiring Funds will be available in the Acquiring Funds’ first semi-annual or annual report to shareholders following the Reorganization.
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 Funds | Acquiring Funds | |||||||
Administrator and Fund Accounting Agent | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | ||||||
Transfer Agent | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC | ||||||
Custodian | U.S. Bank National Association | U.S. Bank National Association | ||||||
Distributor and Principal Underwriter | Compass Distributors, LLC | Pacer Financial, Inc. | ||||||
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | Cohen & Company, Ltd. | Sanville & Company | ||||||
Legal Counsel | Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP | Practus LLP |
Purchase and Redemption of Shares in Creation Units
Each Fund issues and redeems shares at NAV only in a large specified number of shares called a “Creation Unit” or multiples thereof. For each Fund, a Creation Unit consists of 25,000 shares. Creation Unit transactions are typically conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of in-kind securities and/or cash. It is expected that only a limited number of institutional investors, called Authorized Participants or “APs,” will purchase and redeem shares directly from the Funds.
Individual shares of the Funds may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares can be bought or sold through an investor’s broker throughout the trading day like shares of any publicly traded issuer. When buying or selling shares through a broker, the investor will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered prices in the secondary market for shares. The price at which an investor buys or sells shares (i.e., the market price) may be more or less than the NAV of the shares. Unless imposed by the broker, there is no minimum dollar amount that shareholders must invest in the Funds and no minimum number of shares that shareholders must buy.
Shares of the Target High truBeta Fund are listed for trading on Cboe under the ticker symbol SLT. Shares of the Acquiring High truBeta Fund will be listed for trading on Cboe under the ticker symbol SLT. Shares of the Target Low truBeta Fund are listed for trading on Cboe under the ticker symbol LSLT. Shares of the Acquiring Low truBeta Fund will be listed for trading on Cboe under the ticker symbol LSLT.
For a discussion of how the Target Fund shares may be purchased and redeemed, as applicable, see “Purchase and Sale of Shares” and “How to Buy Sell the Funds” in the Target Funds’ Prospectus; which is incorporated by reference herein. For a discussion of how the Acquiring Fund shares may be purchased, exchanged, and redeemed, as applicable, see “Buying and Selling Shares” in Appendix D attached to this Proxy Statement.
Tax Information
Distributions shareholders receive from a Fund are generally taxable to them as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes, except that distributions may be taxed to shareholders at long-term capital gain rates to the extent reported by a Fund as “capital gain dividends” or “qualified dividend income,” and may also be subject to state or local taxes. Fund distributions may not be taxable to a shareholder if he/she/it is investing through a tax-advantaged retirement plan account or is a tax-exempt investor, although he/she/it may be taxed on withdrawals from his/her/its tax-advantaged account.
BOARD CONSIDERATIONS
Salt Financial, the investment adviser and index provider to the Target Funds, presented and recommended the proposed Reorganization and the Plan to the Board at a meeting held on June 8, 2020. The Board was asked to consider whether to approve and recommend the proposed Reorganization to shareholders in light of the Target Funds’ current operations, asset levels, and other solutions available to the Target Funds. As part of its consideration, the Board was made aware that, if the Reorganization was approved, it would result in a new investment advisory arrangement and an increased unitary fee for Target Fund shareholders. Accordingly, the Board considered these aspects of the Reorganization when determining whether to approve the Reorganization and recommend it to shareholders. To this end, the Board held discussions with, and requested information from, various parties involved in the Reorganization. These parties included Salt Financial, the Acquiring Funds, and the Acquiring Funds’ investment adviser, Pacer
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Advisors. Following a review of the information received, discussions with the parties listed above, and consideration of the totality of the circumstances, the Board, including all of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of ESS, concluded that the Reorganization is in the best interests of the Target Funds and their shareholders and determined to approve the Reorganization and recommend it to shareholders.
The Board considered the following factors, among others, in its evaluation of the Reorganization:
The Terms and Conditions of the Reorganization. The Board considered the terms of the Plan and, in particular, that the transfer of the assets of the Target Funds will be in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Funds and the Acquiring Funds’ assumption of the liabilities of the Target Funds. The Board also took into account the fact that no commission or other transactional fees would be imposed on the Target Funds’ shareholders in connection with the Reorganization. In addition, the Board noted that pursuant to the Plan, each Target Fund shareholder’s account will be credited with the number of corresponding Acquiring Fund shares equal to the value of the Target Fund shares that each shareholder holds immediately prior to the Reorganization. The Board also noted that the value of the Target Funds’ assets to be acquired and the amount of their liabilities to be assumed by the Acquiring Funds and the NAV of a share of the Target Funds will be determined in accordance with the valuation methodologies described in the Target Funds’ Prospectus and SAI, as may be supplemented. As a result, the Board noted that the interests of the Target Funds’ shareholders would not be diluted as a result of the Reorganization. The Board also noted that the Reorganization would be submitted to the Target Funds’ shareholders for approval.
Continuity of Underlying Indexes and Investment Expectations. The Board considered that each Acquiring Fund would continue to track the same underlying index as the corresponding Target Fund and use materially identical investment strategies as the corresponding Target Fund. The Board concluded that the Reorganization would allow for continuity of Target Fund shareholders’ investment expectations.
The Experience and Expertise of the Acquiring Funds’ Investment Adviser. The Board considered that Pacer Advisors is a strategy-driven ETF provider managing 22 ETFs with over $5.2 billion in assets under management as of May 2020, and that its key personnel have significant experience providing investment advisory services to ETFs, including index-based ETFs.
Continuity of Other Key Fund Services. The Board considered that the Reorganization will not result in any changes in service providers that execute the essential functions of administration, accounting, custody, and transfer agency. The Board determined that the continuity of those functions following the Reorganization mitigates operational risks that might otherwise surface.
Expenses Relating to Reorganization. The Board considered that the Target Funds’ shareholders will not incur any expenses in connection with the Reorganization. All expenses relating to the proposed Reorganization, which are estimated to be $50,000, whether or not consummated, will be equally borne by Salt Financial and Pacer Advisors, including expenses related to the Special Meeting and solicitation of proxies, preparing and filing the Proxy Statement, and the cost of copying, printing, and mailing proxy materials. The Board also considered that Pacer Advisors will bear its own legal expenses and those of PFT, including of counsel to the independent trustees of PFT, and that Salt Financial will bear its own legal expenses and those of ESS, other than legal fees with respect to an opinion regarding tax related matters, which will be equally borne by Salt Financial and Pacer Advisors.
Relative Expense Ratios. The Board reviewed information regarding comparative expense ratios (current and pro forma expense ratios are set forth in “Summary Comparison of the Funds—Fees and Expenses” section above), which indicated that the estimated total annual fund operating expense ratios of the Acquiring Funds are expected to be significantly higher than those of the Target Funds.
Acquiring High truBeta Fund. The Board considered a competitive analysis provided by Pacer Advisors of the Acquiring High truBeta Fund’s expense ratio as compared to other U.S.-listed ETFs and ETNs investing in U.S. large cap or broad market equities with a Bloomberg Adjusted beta of at least 1.2 relative to the S&P 500, excluding sector or thematic funds and leveraged funds (the “High truBeta Peer Group”). The Board noted that the Acquiring High truBeta Fund’s expense ratio, while higher than the Target High truBeta Fund’s expense ratio, was below the median for the High truBeta Peer Group, yet had a higher adjusted beta than the median for such peer group.
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Acquiring Low truBeta Fund. The Board considered a competitive analysis provided by Pacer Advisors of the Acquiring Low truBeta Fund’s expense ratio as compared to other U.S.-listed ETFs investing in U.S. large cap or broad market equities below the median for such group in volatility over the prior six months and above the median in their 12-month dividend yield, excluding sector or thematic funds and leveraged funds (the “Low truBeta Peer Group”). The Board noted that the Acquiring Low truBeta Fund’s expense ratio was higher than the Target Low truBeta Fund’s expense ratio, as well as the median for the Low truBeta Peer Group, but was within the range of the Low truBeta Peer Group. The Board further noted that the Acquiring Low truBeta Fund had volatility below the median for such peer group, although its 12-month dividend yield was also below the median for such peer group.
The Board also considered that Salt Financial had elected to aggressively set a relatively low management fee for the Target Funds in an effort to more rapidly attract assets. The Board further noted that the Target High truBeta Fund had a management fee of 0.50% of its average daily net assets at the Fund’s inception, but that fee had been lowered to 0.29% shortly after the commencement of the Fund’s operations at Salt Financial’s request.
Distribution; Distribution and Service Fees. The Board considered the distribution capabilities of Pacer Financial, Inc. and its commitment to distribute the shares of the Acquiring Funds. In addition, Board considered that the Reorganization will allow Pacer Advisors to leverage its resources for and focus its marketing and distribution efforts on the Acquiring Funds. The Board further considered that, like the Target Funds, the Acquiring Funds have adopted a 12b-1 Plan under which the Funds may bear a 12b-1 fee up to 0.25% annually of the Fund’s average daily net assets, and the Pacer Board has not currently approved any payments under the 12b-1 Plan. The Board further noted that the Pacer Board must approve any future commencement of payments under the 12b-1 Plan before any such payments can be made from Acquiring Fund assets.
Federal Income Tax Consequences. The Board considered that each Reorganization is expected to qualify as a “reorganization” for federal income tax purposes within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code and that shareholders of a Target Fund are not expected to recognize any gain or loss upon receipt of shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization.
Benefits to the Target Funds’ Sponsor. The Board recognized that, if the Reorganization is approved by Target Fund shareholders, Salt Financial, the investment adviser and index provider to the Target Funds, (i) will no longer be responsible for economically supporting the Target Funds under the unitary fee arrangement as that responsibility will shift to the Acquiring Funds’ sponsor and investment adviser, Pacer Advisors, and (ii) will continue to serve as index provider to the Acquiring Funds and receive a fee for providing the indexes.
Other Alternatives. The Board considered alternatives to the Reorganization that were identified by Salt Financial and the officers of ESS and discussed such alternatives with counsel. In particular, the Board considered that Salt Financial had stated its intention to propose the liquidation of the Target Funds in the event the Board or Target Fund shareholders declined to approve the Reorganization. The Board noted that Salt Financial had reported meeting with multiple firms about becoming the investment adviser to the Target Funds, but had determined that the proposed Reorganization was the alternative with highest likelihood of enabling shareholders to continue their investment exposure long-term and of increasing the size of each Fund to make it economically sustainable for its investment adviser. After considering the merits and viability of these other alternatives, the Board agreed with the assessment that such other possible alternatives were less desirable than the Reorganization.
In considering and deliberating on the proposed Reorganization, the Board concluded that the only practical alternative to the Reorganization was to liquidate the Target Funds. The Board considered each Target Fund’s relatively small size, its limited prospects for attracting significant new assets, and limitations on Salt Financial’s willingness to continue economically supporting the Target Funds. As a result, maintaining each Target Fund at the status quo did not seem in shareholders’ best interests. On the other hand, the Board considered that the Reorganization would provide shareholders with the option of: (i) transferring their investment, through the Reorganization, to a substantially similar fund on a tax-free basis with a sponsor, Pacer Advisors, that would be committed to supporting and growing the Fund; or (ii) selling their shares in the Target Fund, which may have tax consequences for them. The Board was cognizant that the liquidation and termination of the Target Funds would provide shareholders with only one option, which may have adverse tax consequences for them.
Based on the foregoing, the Board determined that the Reorganization is the best alternative for the Target Funds at this time and is in the best interests of the Target Funds and their shareholders. The Board approved the Reorganization, subject to approval by
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shareholders of the Target Funds and the solicitation of the shareholders of the Target Funds to vote “FOR” the approval of the Plan. These determinations were made on the basis of each Trustee’s business judgment after consideration of all of the factors taken as a whole, though individual Trustees may have placed different weight on various factors and assigned different degrees of materiality to various conclusions.
KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION
Shareholders of the Target Funds 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.
The Plan
The Plan provides for the transfer of all of the assets of the Target Funds to the Acquiring Funds in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Funds of equal value to the net assets of the Target Funds being acquired, and the Acquiring Funds’ assumption of the Target Funds’ liabilities, if any, as of the closing date of the Reorganization. The aggregate NAV of the Acquiring Fund shares issued in the exchange will equal the aggregate NAV of the Target Funds at the Closing (as defined in the Plan). Immediately after the transfer of the Target Funds’ assets as provided for in the Plan, the Target Funds will distribute the Acquiring Fund shares pro rata to their shareholders by PFT’s transfer agent establishing accounts on the Acquiring Funds’ share records in the names of those shareholders and transferring those shares of the Acquiring Funds to those accounts in redemption of the Target Fund shares and in complete liquidation of the Target Funds. The outstanding shares of the Target Funds held by the shareholders will then be canceled. As a result of the Reorganization, each shareholder of the Target Funds will receive the number of shares of the Acquiring Funds equal in value to his or her holdings in the Target Funds immediately before the Reorganization. Shares will be held in book entry form only.
The value of the Target Funds’ assets to be acquired and the liabilities to be assumed, if any, by the Acquiring Funds and the NAV per share of the Target Funds will be determined as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the business day immediately preceding the closing date of the Reorganization. The NAV per share amount will be determined in accordance with the valuation methodologies approved by the Board and described in the Target Funds’ Prospectus and SAI, as may be amended and supplemented. Salt Financial and Pacer Advisors will bear equally all expenses relating to the Reorganization, including expenses related to the Special Meeting and solicitation of proxies, preparing and filing this Proxy Statement, and the cost of copying, printing, and mailing proxy materials. Pacer Advisors will bear its own legal expenses and those of PFT, including of counsel to the independent trustees of PFT, and Salt Financial will bear its own legal expenses and those of ESS, other than legal fees with respect to an opinion regarding tax related matters, which Pacer Advisors and Salt Financial will bear equally.
The Reorganization is subject to a number of conditions, including the approval of the Plan by the shareholders of the Target Funds and the receipt of a legal opinion from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, counsel to ESS, with respect to certain tax matters (see “Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reorganization,” below). Assuming satisfaction of the conditions in the Plan, the closing date of the Reorganization is expected to be on or about October 2, 2020, or another date agreed to by PFT and ESS. The Plan may be amended or terminated and the Reorganization abandoned at any time by mutual consent of ESS, on behalf of the Target Funds, and PFT, on behalf of the Acquiring Funds.
Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reorganization
The following is a general summary of the material federal income tax consequences of each Reorganization and is based upon the current provisions of the Code, the existing U.S. Treasury Regulations thereunder, current administrative rulings of the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and published judicial decisions, all of which are subject to change. This discussion is limited to U.S. persons who hold shares of beneficial interest of the Target Funds as capital assets for federal income tax purposes. Shareholders who are not U.S. persons are strongly urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences of the Reorganization and of an investment in the shares of the Acquiring Funds. This summary does not address all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to a particular shareholder or to shareholders who may be subject to special treatment under federal income tax laws. Because the foregoing discussion only relates to the federal income tax consequences of the proposed Reorganization, shareholders should also consult their tax advisors as to state, local and foreign tax consequences, if any, of the proposed Reorganization.
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The Reorganization is intended to qualify as a tax-free reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code. As a condition to the Reorganization, the Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds have requested an opinion of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP substantially to the effect that with respect to each Reorganization, based on certain assumptions, facts, the terms of the Plan and representations set forth in the Plan or otherwise provided by the Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds and on the basis of the existing provisions of the Code, current administrative rules and court decisions, for federal income tax purposes:
1.the acquisition by an Acquiring Fund of all of the assets of the corresponding Target Fund, as provided for in the Agreement, in exchange solely for shares of the Acquiring Fund and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all of the liabilities of the corresponding Target Fund, followed by the distribution by the Target Fund to their shareholders of the Acquiring Fund shares in complete liquidation of the Target Fund, will qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1) of the Code, and a Target Fund and the corresponding Acquiring Fund each will be a “party to a reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code;
2.no gain or loss will be recognized by a Target Fund upon the transfer of all of its assets to and the assumption of all of its liabilities by, the corresponding Acquiring Fund in exchange solely for shares of the Acquiring Fund pursuant to Section 361(a) and Section 357(a) of the Code, except for (A) gain or loss that may be recognized on the transfer of “section 1256 contracts” as defined in Section 1256(b) of the Code, (B) gain that may be recognized on the transfer of stock in a “passive foreign investment company” as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code, and (C) any other gain or loss that may be required to be recognized upon the transfer of an asset regardless of whether such transfer would otherwise be a non-recognition transaction under the Code;
3.no gain or loss will be recognized by an Acquiring Fund upon the receipt by it of all of the assets of the corresponding Target Fund in exchange solely for the assumption of all of the liabilities of the Target Fund and issuance of the Acquiring Fund shares pursuant to Section 1032(a) of the Code;
4.no gain or loss will be recognized by a Target Fund upon the distribution of the corresponding Acquiring Fund shares to shareholders of the Target Fund in complete liquidation (in pursuance of the Agreement) of the Target Fund pursuant to Section 361(c)(1) of the Code;
5.the tax basis of the assets of a Target Fund received by the corresponding Acquiring Fund will be the same as the tax basis of such assets in the hands of the Target Fund immediately prior to the transfer of such assets, increased by the amount of gain (or decreased by the amount of loss), if any, recognized by the Target Fund on the transfer pursuant to Section 362(b) of the Code;
6.the holding periods of the assets of a Target Fund in the hands of the corresponding Acquiring Fund will include the periods during which such assets were held by the Target Fund pursuant to Section 1223(2) of the Code, other than assets with respect to which gain or loss is required to be recognized and except where investment activities of the Acquiring Fund have the effect of reducing or eliminating the holding period with respect to an asset;
7.no gain or loss will be recognized by the shareholders of a Target Fund upon the exchange of all of their Target Fund shares of beneficial interest of the Target Fund (“Target Fund Shares”) for shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund pursuant to Section 354(a) of the Code;
8.the aggregate tax basis of the Acquiring Fund shares received by a shareholder of a Target Fund will be the same as the aggregate tax basis of the Target Fund Shares exchanged therefor pursuant to Section 358(a)(1) of the Code;
9.the holding period of the Acquiring Fund shares received by a shareholder of a Target Fund will include the holding period of a Target Fund Shares exchanged therefor, provided that the shareholder held the Target Fund Shares as a capital asset on the date of the exchange pursuant to Section 1223(1) of the Code;
10.the consummation of the Reorganization will not terminate the taxable year of a Target Fund. The part of the taxable year of a Target Fund before the Reorganization and part of the taxable year of the corresponding Acquiring Fund after the Reorganization will constitute a single taxable year of the Acquiring Fund.
An opinion of counsel is not binding on the IRS or the courts and neither the Target Funds nor the Acquiring Funds have sought a ruling with respect to the tax treatment of the Reorganizations. The opinion of counsel, if delivered, will be based on the Code,
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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. The opinion will be conditioned upon, among other things, the accuracy, as of the Closing Date, of certain representations of the Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds upon which Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP will rely in rendering its opinion. Such opinion of counsel may state that no opinion is expressed as to the effect of a Reorganization on the Target Fund, its corresponding Acquiring Fund, or any Target Fund shareholder with respect to any other U.S. federal tax issues (except those set forth in the opinion) and all state, local or foreign tax issues of any kind. Such opinion will be conditioned upon the performance by the Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds of their respective undertakings in the Agreement and upon the representation letters provided by officers of ESS and PFT to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. A copy of the opinions will be filed with the SEC and will be available for public inspection.
By reason of the Reorganization, an Acquiring Fund will succeed to and take into account the corresponding Target Fund’s capital loss carryforwards, if any. The Reorganization is not expected to result in limitations on an Acquiring Fund’s ability to use the corresponding Target Fund’s capital loss carryforwards. The ability of an Acquiring Fund to use capital losses to offset gains (even in the absence of the Reorganization) depends on factors other than loss limitations, such as the future realization of capital gains or losses.
Significant holders of shares of a Target Fund (generally, those holders that own at least 1% of the total outstanding stock (by vote or value) of a Target Fund or that own Target Fund securities with an aggregate basis of $1 million or more immediately prior to the Reorganization) generally will be required to attach a statement to their U.S. federal income tax return for the year in which the Reorganization occurs that contains the information listed in U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.368-3(b).
If you acquired different blocks of shares of a Target Fund at different times or for different prices, you should consult your tax advisor concerning the treatment of the basis and holding period for the different blocks of stock in the Reorganization. You should also consult your tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to you, if any, of the Reorganizations in light of your particular circumstances, as well as the state and local tax consequences, if any, of the Reorganizations because this discussion is only a general summary of certain federal income tax consequences.
Description of the Acquiring Fund Shares
Shares of the Acquiring Funds issued to the shareholders of the Target Funds pursuant to the Reorganization will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable when issued in accordance with the Plan and will be transferable without restriction and will have no preemptive or conversion rights.
Capitalization
The capitalization of the Target Funds as of July 31, 2020 and the Acquiring Funds’ pro forma combined capitalization as of that date, after giving effect to the Reorganization, are as follows:
(unaudited) | Target High truBeta Fund Shares | Pro forma Acquiring High truBeta Fund Shares | ||||||
Net Assets | $[ ] | $[ ] | ||||||
Shares Outstanding | [ ] | [ ] | ||||||
Net Asset Value per Share | $[ ] | $[ ] |
(unaudited) | Target Low truBeta Fund Shares | Pro forma Acquiring Low truBeta Fund Shares | ||||||
Net Assets | $[ ] | $[ ] | ||||||
Shares Outstanding | [ ] | [ ] | ||||||
Net Asset Value per Share | $[ ] | $[ ] |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
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General
For a general discussion of the operation and organization of the Target Funds, see “General Information About the Trust” and “Exchange Listing and Trading” in the Target Funds’ SAI, which is incorporated by reference herein. For a general discussion of the operation and organization of the Acquiring Funds, see “General Information About the Trust” and “Exchange Listing and Trading” in the Proxy Statement SAI.
Rights of the Funds’ Shareholders
ESS is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders. Each Target Fund share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act. Target Fund shares have no preemptive, exchange, subscription, or conversion rights and are freely transferable. For a description of other significant attributes of shares of the Target Funds see “Description of Shares” in the Target Funds’ SAI, which is incorporated by reference herein.
PFT is not required to hold meetings of shareholders. Shares of the Acquiring Funds have equal voting rights. Acquiring Fund shares are freely transferable. Shares of the Acquiring Funds will not have preemptive rights or cumulative voting rights, and none of the shares will have any preference to conversion, exchange, dividends, retirements, liquidation, redemption, or any other feature. For a description of other significant attributes of shares of the Acquiring Funds see “Description of Shares” in the Proxy Statement SAI.
Pricing of Fund Shares
For information on how the NAV per share of each Fund is calculated, see “Determination of NAV” in the Target Funds’ Prospectus which is incorporated by reference herein, and, for the Acquiring Funds, see “Buying and Selling Shares” and “Determination of Net Asset Value” in Appendix D attached to this Proxy Statement.
Dividends, Other Distributions, and Taxes
The Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds each intend to pay out dividends, if any, and distribute any net realized capital gains to their applicable shareholders at least annually. A portion of the distributions made by a Fund may be treated as return of capital for federal income tax purposes. One or more additional distributions may be made generally in December or after a Fund’s fiscal year-end to comply with applicable law. Each Fund will declare and pay capital gain distributions in cash. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional Shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.
For a discussion of the Target Funds’ policies with respect to dividends and distributions, and federal income tax considerations, see “Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes” in the Target Funds’ Prospectus, which is incorporated by reference herein. For a discussion of the Acquiring Funds’ policies with respect to dividends and distributions, and federal income tax considerations, see “Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes” in Appendix D attached to this Proxy Statement.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings and Premium/Discount Information
For a description of the Target Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio holdings and premium/discount information, see “Portfolio Holdings Information” and “Premium/Discount Information” in the Target Funds’ Prospectus and “Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures” in the Target Funds’ SAI, which are incorporated by reference herein. For a description of the Acquiring Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio holdings and premium/discount information, see “Premium/Discount Information” in Appendix D attached to this Proxy Statement, and “Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures” in the Proxy Statement SAI.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions
For a discussion of the Target Funds’ policies with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions, see “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares” in the Target Funds’ Prospectus, which is incorporated by reference herein. For a discussion of the Acquiring Funds’ policies with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions, see “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares” in Appendix D attached to this Proxy Statement.
Investments by Registered Investment Companies
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including Shares. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Funds beyond the limits set forth in section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC exemptive orders issued to the Funds, including that such investment companies enter into agreements with the Funds.
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Purchases Through Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If shareholders purchase shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, a Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend Fund shares over another investment. Shareholders should ask their salespersons or visit their financial intermediary’s website for more information.
Financial Information
For certain financial information about the Target Funds, see “Financial Highlights” which are appended to this Proxy Statement as Appendix B.
VOTING INFORMATION
RECORD DATE, VOTING RIGHTS, AND VOTES REQUIRED
Proxies are being solicited from the shareholders of the Target Funds by ESS’s Board of Trustees for the Special Meeting to be held on September 29, 2020, 11:00 a.m. Central time at the principal executive offices of ESS, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, 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 July 31, 2020 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 High truBeta Fund was [ ] and of the Target Low truBeta Fund was [ ]. Shareholders of record who owned five percent or more of the shares of the Target Funds as of the Record Date are set forth on Appendix C to this Proxy Statement. Approval of the Plan will require the affirmative vote of the lesser of: (a) 67% of the applicable Target Fund’s shares present at the Meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of such Target Fund’s outstanding shares are present in person or represented by proxy; or (b) more than 50% of such Target Fund’s outstanding shares.
If the shareholders of one Target Fund approve the Plan, but shareholders of the other Target Fund have not approved the Plan, the Target Fund having received shareholder approval of the Plan may be reorganized into the applicable Acquiring Fund while shareholders of the other Target Fund may be solicited further.
HOW TO VOTE
You can vote your shares in person at the Special Meeting or 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. If you sign, date, and return the proxy card but give no voting instructions, the proxies will vote FOR the proposal.
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 intend to hold the Special Meeting in person. However, we are sensitive to the public health and travel concerns our shareholders may have and recommendations that public health officials may issue in light of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we may impose additional procedures or limitations on Special Meeting attendees or may decide to hold the Special Meeting in a different location or solely by means of remote communication. We plan to announce any such updates on our proxy website [AST websites], and we encourage you to check this website prior to the Special Meeting if you plan to attend. Accordingly, we encourage you to consider your other voting options, as discussed above, in the event that in-person attendance at the Special Meeting is either prohibited under a federal, state, or local order or contrary to the advice of public health care officials.
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PROXIES
All proxies solicited by the 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 Funds receive 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 Funds. 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 (33⅓%) of the outstanding shares of a Target Fund will be considered a quorum for the transaction of business with respect to such Target Fund. If a quorum of shareholders of a 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 Funds one or more times to permit further solicitation of proxies. Any business that might have been transacted at the Special Meeting with respect to the Target Funds 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 Funds 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 the proposals are 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 the proposal is non-discretionary, the Trust does not expect to receive broker non-votes. Abstentions will have the same effect as votes against the proposal.
SOLICITATION OF PROXIES
The Target Funds expect that the solicitation of proxies will be primarily by mail and telephone. The solicitation also may include facsimile, Internet, or oral communications. AST Fund Solutions has been retained to aid in the solicitation of proxies, at an anticipated cost of approximately [ ], exclusive of printing costs. Salt Financial and Pacer Advisors will bear equally the expenses relating to the Reorganization, including the costs of retaining AST Fund Solutions.
OTHER INFORMATION
OTHER BUSINESS
The Board knows of no other business to be brought before the Special Meeting. If any other matters come before the Special Meeting, the Board intends that proxies that do not contain specific restrictions to the contrary will be 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 Funds do 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 ESS, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, 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 ESS within a reasonable time before a solicitation is made. Timely submission of a proposal does not necessarily mean that the proposal will be included.
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LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters concerning the issuance of shares of the Acquiring Funds in connection with the Reorganization will be passed upon by Practus, LLP, and certain legal matters concerning the federal income tax consequences of the Reorganization will be passed upon by Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.
INFORMATION FILED WITH THE SEC AND CBOE
The Funds are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the 1940 Act, and in accordance therewith, file reports and other information, including proxy materials, with the SEC. Reports and other information filed by PFT and ESS may be inspected without charge and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20549, and at the following regional offices of the SEC: Northeast Regional Office, 3 World Financial Center, Suite 400, New York, New York 10281; Southeast Regional Office, 801 Brickell Avenue, Suite 1800, Miami, Florida 33131; Midwest Regional Office, 175 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 900, Chicago, Illinois 60604; Central Regional Office, 1801 California Street, Suite 1500, Denver, Colorado 80202; and Pacific Regional Office, 5670 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, California 90036. Copies of such materials may also be obtained from the Public Reference Branch, Office of Consumer Affairs and Information Services, Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, DC 20549 at prescribed rates. In addition, the Target Funds’ shares are listed and the Acquiring Fund shares will be listed on Cboe. Reports, proxy statements and other information that may be filed with Cboe also may be inspected at the offices of the exchange.
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APPENDIX A - FORM OF AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION
THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION (“Agreement”) is adopted as of this [ ] day of [ ], 2020 by and among (i) ETF Series Solutions (“ESS”), on behalf of its series, the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (collectively, the “Target Funds”), (ii) Pacer Funds Trust (“PFT”), on behalf of its series, the Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (collectively, the “Acquiring Funds”), and (iii) solely for the purposes of Section 9.1 of this Agreement, (a) Pacer Advisors, Inc., the investment adviser to the Acquiring Funds, and (b) Salt Financial LLC, the investment adviser to the Target Funds.
WHEREAS, the parties hereto intend for the Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF to enter into a transaction pursuant to which: (i) the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF will transfer all of its assets to the Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF in exchange for (a) the Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF’s assumption of all of the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF’s liabilities as described herein, and (b) shares of the Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF of equal value to the net assets of the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF being acquired, and (ii) the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF will distribute the shares of the Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF to shareholders of the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF, in connection with the liquidation and termination of the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF, all upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth in this Agreement (such transaction, a “Reorganization”);
WHEREAS, the parties hereto intend for the Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF and the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF to enter into a transaction pursuant to which: (i) the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF will transfer all of its assets to the Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF in exchange for (a) the Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF’s assumption of all of the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF’s liabilities as described herein, and (b) shares of the Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF of equal value to the net assets of the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF being acquired, and (ii) the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF will distribute the shares of the Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF to shareholders of the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF, in connection with the liquidation and termination of the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF, all upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth in this Agreement (such transaction, also a “Reorganization”);
WHEREAS, the Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds are open-end, registered investment companies of the management type; and
WHEREAS, this Agreement is intended to be and is adopted as a plan of reorganization with respect to the Reorganizations within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, and intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
1.DESCRIPTION OF THE REORGANIZATION
1.1. Plan of Transaction
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(a)Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth and on the basis of the representations and warranties contained herein, the Target Funds agree to transfer to the Acquiring Funds all of the Target Funds’ assets as set forth in Section 1.1(b), and the Acquiring Funds agree in consideration therefor (i) to deliver to the Target Funds that number of Acquiring Fund shares (“Acquiring Fund Shares”) determined by dividing the value of the Target Funds’ assets net of any liabilities assumed by the Acquiring Funds, computed in the manner and as of the time and date set forth in Section 2.1(a), by the net asset value of one share of the Acquiring Funds, computed in the manner and as of the time and date set forth in Section 2.1(a); and (ii) to assume all of the liabilities of the Target Funds (whether or not reflected in the Closing Statement of Assets and Liabilities defined in Section 1.1(b)).
The Target Funds will use commercially reasonable efforts to discharge all of their known liabilities and obligations prior to the closing provided for in Section 3.1 (the “Closing”) consistent with their obligation to continue to pursue their investment objectives and strategies in accordance with the terms of their prospectuses.
The Target Funds will distribute the Acquiring Fund Shares received by the Target Funds pro rata to the Target Funds’ shareholders of record determined as of the Closing (the “Target Fund Shareholders”). All Acquiring Fund Shares delivered to the Target Funds shall be delivered at net asset value without a sales load, commission, transaction fee or other similar fee being imposed. Such transactions shall take place at the Closing.
(b)The assets of the Target Funds to be acquired by the Acquiring Funds (the “Assets”) shall consist of all assets, including, without limitation, all cash, cash equivalents, securities, commodities and futures interests, collateral, claims (whether absolute, contingent, known or unknown, accrued or unaccrued, and including, without limitation, any interest in pending or future legal claims in connection with past or present holdings, whether in the form of class action claims, opt-out, or other direct litigation claims or regulator or government established investor recovery funds claims and any and all resulting recoveries), dividends or interest or other receivables that are owned by the Target Funds, copies of all books and records of the Target Funds on the closing date, as defined in Section 3.1 (the “Closing Date”), and any deferred or prepaid expenses shown on the unaudited statement of assets and liabilities of the Target Funds prepared as of the effective time of the Closing (the “Closing Statement of Assets and Liabilities”) in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) applied consistently with those of the Target Funds’ most recent audited statement of assets and liabilities, if any. The Assets of the Target Funds shall be delivered free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, hypothecations, and claims whatsoever, and there shall be no restrictions on the full transfer thereof.
(c)Any regulatory reporting responsibility of the Target Funds, including the responsibility for filing regulatory reports, tax returns, and other documents for periods ending on or prior to the Closing Date and such later date on which the Target Funds are terminated, is and shall remain the responsibility of the Target Funds. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Closing Date is on or after December 31, 2020, the Target Funds shall be responsible for (i) preparing and transmitting to each Target Fund Shareholder a report containing the information required to be included in such report by the Target Funds’ registration statement form under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”) (including financial statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm), (ii) preparing and filing the Target Funds’ Form N-CSR (including the annual report to shareholders) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, (iii) preparing and filing the Target Funds’ Form N-PX for the period July 1, 2020 through the Closing Date, and (iv) preparing and filing the Target Funds’ Form N-CEN for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.
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(d)Immediately after the transfer of Assets provided for in Section 1.1(a), the Target Funds will distribute to the Target Fund Shareholders determined as of the Closing, on a pro rata basis, the Acquiring Fund Shares received by the Target Funds pursuant to Section 1.1(a) and will completely liquidate, dissolve, and terminate. The distribution, liquidation, dissolution, and termination referenced in this Section 1.1(d) will be accomplished with respect to the shares of beneficial interest of the Target Funds (“Target Fund Shares”) by the transfer of the Acquiring Fund Shares received by the Target Funds then credited to the accounts of the Target Funds on the books of the Acquiring Funds in the names of the Target Fund Shareholders. The Acquiring Funds shall have no obligation to inquire as to the validity, propriety, or correctness of such records, but shall assume that such transaction is valid, proper, and correct.
(e)Prior to the Closing, the Acquiring Funds will each issue one share of beneficial interest of the applicable Acquiring Fund (the “Initial Shares”) to the investment adviser of the Acquiring Funds or an affiliate thereof (the “Sole Shareholder”) in exchange for a nominal amount for the sole purpose of allowing the Sole Shareholder to approve certain matters to facilitate the organization of the Acquiring Funds. Prior to the Closing, the Initial Shares will be redeemed and cancelled by the Acquiring Funds in exchange for an amount equal to the consideration received by the Acquiring Funds for such Initial Shares.
2.VALUATION
2.1. With respect to the Reorganizations:
(a)The value of the Assets and the liabilities of the Target Funds shall be computed as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) on the business day immediately preceding the Closing Date, as defined in Section 3.1 (the “Valuation Date”), using the valuation procedures approved by the Board of Trustees of ESS.
(b)The net asset value of the Acquiring Fund Shares shall be the net asset value computed as of the Valuation Date, after the declaration and payment of any dividends and/or other distributions on that date, using the valuation procedures of the Acquiring Funds.
3.CLOSING AND CLOSING DATE
3.1. The Closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time on [ ], 2020, or such other date to which the parties may agree in writing (the “Closing Date”). All acts taking place at the Closing shall be deemed to take place simultaneously as of immediately prior to the opening of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), on the Closing Date, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties.
3.2. With respect to the Reorganizations:
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(a)The Target Funds shall cause U.S. Bank National Association, the custodian for the Target Funds, to deliver at the Closing a certificate of an authorized officer stating that (a) the Assets shall have been delivered in proper form to the Acquiring Funds, immediately prior to the Closing and (b) all necessary taxes in connection with the delivery of the Assets, including all applicable federal and state stock transfer stamps, if any, have been paid or provision for payment has been made. The Target Funds’ portfolio securities represented by a certificate or other written instrument shall be presented by the custodian for the Target Funds to the custodian for the Acquiring Funds for examination no later than five business days preceding the Closing Date (unless the custodian for the Target Funds is also the custodian for the Acquiring Funds) and transferred and delivered by the Target Funds as of the Closing for the account of the Acquiring Funds duly endorsed in proper form for transfer in such condition as to constitute good delivery thereof. The Target Funds’ portfolio securities and instruments deposited with a securities depository, as defined in Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act, shall be delivered as of the Closing by book entry in accordance with the customary practices of such depositories and the custodian for the Acquiring Funds. The cash to be transferred by the Target Funds shall be delivered by wire transfer of federal funds as of the Closing (or such other suitable means if the custodian for the Target Funds is also the custodian for the Acquiring Funds). If the Target Funds are unable to make such delivery as of the Closing in the manner contemplated by this Section for the reason that any of such securities or other investments purchased prior to the Closing have not yet been delivered to the Target Funds or their broker, then the Acquiring Funds may, in their sole discretion, waive the delivery requirements of this Section with respect to said undelivered securities or other investments if the Target Funds have, by the Closing, delivered to the Acquiring Funds or the Acquiring Funds’ 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 Funds or the Acquiring Funds’ custodian, such as brokers’ confirmation slips.
(b)The Target Funds shall cause U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, the transfer agent for the Target Funds, to deliver at the Closing 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 (to three decimal places) of outstanding Target Fund Shares owned by the Target Fund Shareholders immediately prior to the Closing. The Acquiring Funds shall issue and deliver a confirmation evidencing the Acquiring Fund Shares or provide evidence satisfactory to the Target Funds that such Acquiring Fund Shares have been credited to the Target Funds’ accounts on the books of the Acquiring Funds. At the Closing, each party shall deliver to the other such bills of sale, checks, assignments, share certifications, if any, receipts or other documents as such other party or its counsel may reasonably request to effect the transaction contemplated by the Agreement. Any cash to be transferred by the Acquiring Funds shall be delivered by wire transfer of federal funds as of the Closing (or such other suitable means if the custodian for the Target Funds is also the custodian for the Acquiring Funds).
(c)In the event that immediately prior to the Valuation Date (a) the NYSE or another primary trading market for portfolio securities of the Target Funds shall be closed to trading or trading thereupon shall be restricted, or (b) trading or the reporting of trading on such Exchange or elsewhere shall be disrupted so that, in the judgment of the Board of Trustees of either party to this Agreement, accurate appraisal of the value of the Target Fund Shares 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.
4.REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
4.1. ESS, on behalf of itself or, where applicable, the Target Funds, represents and warrants to PFT and the Acquiring Funds as follows:
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(a)ESS is a Delaware statutory trust duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware with power under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of ESS, as amended (the “Declaration of Trust”), to own all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted and, subject to approval of the shareholders of the Target Funds, to carry out the Agreement. The Target Funds are separate series of ESS duly designated in accordance with the applicable provisions of ESS’s Declaration of Trust. ESS and the Target Funds are qualified to do business in all jurisdictions in which they are required to be so qualified, except jurisdictions in which the failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse effect on ESS or the Target Funds. The Target Funds have all material federal, state, and local authorizations necessary to own all of their properties and assets and to carry on their business as now being conducted, except authorizations which the failure to so obtain would not have a material adverse effect on the Target Funds;
(b)ESS is a registered investment company classified as a management company of the open-end type, and its registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) as an investment company under the 1940 Act, and the registration of the shares of the Target Funds under the Securities Act of 1933 (“1933 Act”), are in full force and effect, and no action or proceeding to revoke or suspend such registrations is pending or, to the knowledge of ESS, threatened;
(c)No consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court, Governmental Authority (as defined below), or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) is required for the consummation by the Target Funds and ESS of the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained or will be obtained at or prior to the Closing under the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“1934 Act”), the 1940 Act, state securities laws, and the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976;
(d)The Target Funds are not, and the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement by the Target Funds will not result (i) in a violation of Delaware law or of ESS’s Declaration of Trust or Amended and Restated By-laws, (ii) in a violation or breach of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement, indenture, exemptive order, instrument, contract, lease, or other undertaking to which the Target Funds are a party or by which they are bound, and the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement by the Target Funds will not result in 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 Funds are a party or by which they are bound, or (iii) in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge, or encumbrance on any property or assets of the Target Funds;
(e)Except as otherwise disclosed to and accepted, in writing, by or on behalf of the Acquiring Funds, all material contracts or other commitments (other than this Agreement), including without limitation the contracts set forth in Schedule 7.1(h), will be terminated with respect to the Target Funds at or prior to the Closing without liability to the Target Funds and such termination shall not result in the acceleration of any obligations of the Target Funds on or prior to the Closing.
(f)The current prospectus and statement of additional information of each of the Target Funds and each prospectus and statement of additional information of the Target Funds used at all times between the commencement of operations of the Target Funds and the date of this Agreement conform or conformed at the time of their 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 do not or did not at the time of their 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;
(g)The Target Funds are in compliance in all material respects with, and since their commencement of operations through the date of this Agreement have been in compliance in all material respects with, the investment policies and restrictions set forth in each Target Fund’s then applicable prospectus and statement of additional information;
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(h)The Target Funds are in compliance in all material respects with, and since their commencement of operations through the date of this Agreement have been in compliance in all material respects with, the requirements of the 1933 Act, 1934 Act, and the 1940 Act and all rules and regulations under each of the foregoing, and state securities laws and regulations;
(i)The Target Funds have been, through the life of their operation, and currently are, in compliance with the terms of their index-based ETF exemptive order received pursuant to the 1940 Act, all applicable listing and conduct rules of the national securities exchange on which the Target Funds’ shares are listed and any exemptive or no-action relief from any provisions of, or rules or regulations under, the 1934 Act or 1933 Act, upon which the Target Funds rely;
(j)The Target Funds are in compliance in all material respects with, and since their commencement of operations through the date of this Agreement have been in compliance in all materials respects with, their policies and procedures adopted pursuant to Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act including without limitation the valuation policies and procedures of ESS, and during the twelve-month period preceding the date of this Agreement, there have been no material miscalculations of the net asset value of the Target Funds or the net asset value per share of the Target Funds that have not been remedied or will not be remedied prior to the Closing in accordance with industry practices and the policies of ESS;
(k)Except as otherwise disclosed to and accepted, by or on behalf of the Acquiring Funds, the Target Funds will as of the Closing have good title to the Assets, and full right, power, and authority to sell, assign, transfer, and deliver such Assets, free of adverse claims, including any liens or other encumbrances, and upon delivery and payment for such Assets, the Acquiring Funds will acquire good title thereto, free of adverse claims and subject to no restrictions on the full transfer thereof, including, without limitation, such restrictions as might arise under the 1933 Act;
(l)The financial statements of the Target Funds for the Target Funds’ most recently completed fiscal year, if any, have been (or, if such fiscal year-end is within the last sixty (60) days, will be) audited by the independent registered public accounting firm identified in the Target Funds’ prospectus or statement of additional information included in the Target Funds’ registration statement on Form N-1A (the “Prospectus” and “Statement of Additional Information”). Such statements, as well as the unaudited, semi-annual financial statements for the semi-annual period next succeeding Target Funds’ most recently completed fiscal year, if any, were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, and such statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition of the Target Funds as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and there are no known contingent liabilities of the Target Funds required to be reflected on a balance sheet (including the notes thereto) in accordance with GAAP as of such date not disclosed therein. No significant deficiency, material weakness, fraud, significant change, or other factor that could significantly affect the internal controls of the Target Funds has been disclosed or is required to be disclosed in the Target Funds’ reports on Form N-CSR and, to the knowledge of the Target Funds, no such disclosure will be required as of the Closing;
(m)Since the last day of the Target Funds’ most recently completed fiscal year, there has not been any material adverse change in the Target Funds’ financial condition, assets, liabilities or business, other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business;
(n)(i) For each taxable year of its operation (including that portion of such taxable year ending on the Closing Date), each of the Target Funds has been, and will be, treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section 851(g) of the Code, has met and will meet the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code for qualification as a regulated investment company and has elected to be treated as such, has been eligible to and has computed its federal income tax under Section 852 of the Code, and has not been, and will not be, liable for any material income or excise tax under Section 852 or 4982 of the Code. The Target Funds have no earnings and profits accumulated with respect to any taxable year in which the provisions of Subchapter M of the Code did not apply to the Target Funds. The Target Funds will not be subject to corporate-level taxation on the sale of any assets currently held by them as a result of the application of Section 337(d) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.
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(ii) All federal, state, local, and foreign income Tax Returns and other material Tax Returns (including, for the avoidance of doubt, dividend reporting forms, and other Tax-related reports) of the Target Funds required by law to have been filed on or before the Closing Date or for periods ending on or before the Closing Date have been (or will be) duly and timely filed (taking into account any permitted extensions) and are or will be correct in all material respects, and all federal, state, local, foreign, and other Taxes of the Target Funds (whether or not shown as due or required to be shown as due on said Tax Returns) for Tax periods ending on or before the Closing Date have been (or will be) duly and timely paid or provision has been (or will be) made by the Target Funds for the payment thereof and any such unpaid Taxes as of the date of the financial statements referred to in paragraph (i) above are properly reflected on such financial statements.
(iii) There are no audits, examinations, investigations, or other proceedings pending or threatened by any Taxing Authority in writing with respect to the Target Funds, and no waivers or extensions of any statute of limitations that remain open with respect to Taxes have been granted or requested in writing or, to the best knowledge of the Target Funds, in any other manner with respect to the Target Funds.
(iv) No Taxing Authority with which the Target Funds do not file Tax Returns has claimed in writing or, to the best knowledge of the Target Funds, in any other manner that the Target Funds are or may be subject to taxation by that Taxing Authority, and no Taxing Authority with which the Target Funds do not file a particular Tax Return has claimed in writing or, to the best knowledge of the Target Funds, in any other manner that the Target Funds are or may be required to file such Tax Return. No issue has been raised by any Tax Authority in any prior examination of the Target Funds which, by application of the same or similar principles, could reasonably be expected to result in a material proposed deficiency for any subsequent taxable period. The Target Funds have delivered a disclosure schedule to the Acquiring Funds listing (A) all jurisdictions in which the Target Funds pay Taxes and/or file Tax Returns and (B) all federal, state, and local income and franchise Tax Returns filed by, or on behalf of, the Target Funds, and each such disclosure schedule is accurate and complete;
(v) The Target Funds have maintained since their formation their December 31 fiscal year-end for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and have never changed their December 31 fiscal year-end for U.S. federal income tax purposes, by for example, filing Internal Revenue Service Form 1128 “Application to Adopt, Change, or retain a Tax Year”;
As used in this Agreement:
“Governmental Authority” means any nation, state, territory, province, county, city, or other unit or subdivision thereof or any entity, authority, agency, department, board, commission, instrumentality, court, or other judicial body authorized on behalf of any of the foregoing to exercise legislative, judicial, regulatory, or administrative functions of or pertaining to government, and any governmental or non-governmental self-regulatory organization.
“Tax” or “Taxes” means (i) any and all federal, state, local, foreign, and other taxes, assessments, levies, duties, fees, and other governmental or similar charges, including without limitation income, profits, gross receipts, net proceeds, alternative or add-on minimum, ad valorem, value added, turnover, sales, use, property, unclaimed property, personal property (tangible and intangible), environmental, stamp, leasing, lease, user, excise, duty, franchise, capital, capital stock, transfer, registration, license, withholding, social security (or similar), unemployment, disability, payroll, employment, fuel, excess profits, occupational, premium, windfall profit, severance, estimated, or other governmental charge of any kind whatsoever and (ii) any liability related to an item described in clause (i) of this definition and arising (a) from being or having been a member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined, unitary group, or similar group for federal, state, local, or foreign tax purposes or (b) as a result of being a successor to another person or transferee thereof, or pursuant to contract (other than pursuant to a contract the principal purpose of which is not allocation of an item described in clause (i) of this definition), in all cases together with any interest, penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed in connection with any of the foregoing.
“Taxing Authority” means, with respect to any Tax, the Governmental Authority that imposes such Tax and the agency (if any) charged with the collection of such Tax for such Governmental Authority.
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“Tax Return” means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund, information return, or any similar filing or statement filed with any Taxing Authority (domestic, foreign, or otherwise) that is related to Taxes, including any form, schedule, or attachment thereto and any amendment or supplement thereof;
(o)All issued and outstanding shares of the Target Funds are duly authorized and validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable by ESS and, in every state where offered or sold, such offers and sales have been in compliance in all material respects with applicable registration and/or notice requirements of the 1933 Act and state and local regulatory authorities and will be held at the time of closing by the persons and in the amounts set forth in the records of the transfer agent of the Target Funds;
(p)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 ESS, on behalf of the Target Funds, and subject to the due authorization, execution, and delivery of this Agreement by the other parties hereto, this Agreement will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Target Funds, 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;
(q)The books and records of the Target Funds are true and correct in all material respects and contain no material omissions with respect to information required to be maintained under the laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the Target Funds;
(r)The Target Funds are 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;
(s)The Target Funds have no unamortized or unpaid organizational fees or expenses;
(t)The information to be furnished by the Target Funds for use in applications for orders, registration statements, or proxy materials or for use in any other document filed or to be filed with any federal, state, or local regulatory authority (including any national securities exchange or 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 securities and other laws and regulations applicable thereto;
(u)The combined proxy statement and prospectus on Form N-14 (the “Proxy Statement”) referred to in Section 5.1(c), only insofar as it relates to ESS and the Target Funds, will, on the effective date of the Proxy Statement and on the Closing Date, (i) comply in all material respects with the provisions and regulations of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act, as applicable, and (ii) 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 are made, not materially misleading; provided, however, that the representations and warranties in this paragraph shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Proxy Statement made in reliance upon and in conformity with the information that was furnished by PFT on behalf of the Acquiring Funds for use therein; and
(v)There is no action, suit, proceeding, claim, arbitration, matter, or investigation pending or threatened against or affecting the Target Funds at law, in equity, or otherwise, in, before, or by any court, Governmental Authority, or arbitrator, and there is no unsatisfied judgment, injunction, decree, or regulatory restriction imposed specifically upon the Target Funds or any of their properties, assets, trustees, officers, employees, or agents that could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect its business or its ability to consummate the Reorganizations.
4.2. PFT, on behalf of itself or, where applicable, the Acquiring Funds represents and warrants to ESS and the Target Funds as follows:
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(a)PFT is a Delaware statutory trust duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware with power under PFT’s Declaration of Trust to own all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted and to carry out the Agreement. The Acquiring Funds are separate series of PFT duly designated in accordance with the applicable provisions of PFT’s Declaration of Trust. PFT and the Acquiring Funds are qualified to do business in all jurisdictions in which they are required to be so qualified, except jurisdictions in which the failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse effect on PFT or the Acquiring Funds. Each of the Acquiring Funds has all material federal, state, and local authorizations necessary to own all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business as now being conducted, except authorizations which the failure to so obtain would not have a material adverse effect on the Acquiring Funds;
(b)PFT is a registered investment company classified as a management company of the open-end type, and its registration with the Commission as an investment company under the 1940 Act and the registration of the shares of the Acquiring Funds under the 1933 Act are in full force and effect, and no action or proceeding to revoke or suspend such registrations is pending or, to the knowledge of PFT, threatened;
(c)No consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court, Governmental Authority, or FINRA is required for the consummation by the Acquiring Funds and PFT of the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been or will be obtained at or prior to the Closing under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, state securities laws, and the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976;
(d)The Acquiring Funds are not, and the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement by the Acquiring Funds will not result (i) in a violation of Delaware law or of PFT’s Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, (ii) in a violation or breach of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement, indenture, exemptive order, instrument, contract, lease, or other undertaking to which the Acquiring Funds are a party to or by which they are bound, and the execution, delivery, and performance of the Agreement by the Acquiring Funds will not result in 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 Funds are a party or by which they are bound, or (iii) in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge, or encumbrance on any property or assets of the Acquiring Funds;
(e)The Acquiring Funds are, and will be at the time of Closing, new series of PFT formed for the purpose of receiving the assets and assuming the liabilities of the Target Funds in connection with the Reorganizations and, accordingly, the Acquiring Funds will not have commenced operations, prepared books of account and related records or financial statements, or carried on any business activities, except as necessary to facilitate the organization of the Acquiring Funds as new series of PFT prior to their commencement of operations. Except with respect to the consideration received in exchange for the issuance of the Initial Shares, the Acquiring Funds have not owned any assets and will not own any assets prior to the Closing. As of the time immediately prior to the Closing, there will be no issued or outstanding securities issued by the Acquiring Funds, other than the Initial Shares issued to the Sole Shareholder for the purpose set forth in Section 1.1(f) above. The Initial Shares will be redeemed and cancelled prior to the Closing;
(f)By the Closing, PFT’s Board of Trustees and officers shall have taken all actions as are necessary under the 1933 Act, 1934 Act, 1940 Act, and any applicable state securities laws for the Acquiring Funds to commence operations as registered open-end management investment companies, including, without limitation, approving and authorizing the execution of investment advisory contracts in the manner required by the 1940 Act and approving and authorizing the execution of such other contracts as are necessary for the operation of the Acquiring Funds;
(g)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 PFT, on behalf of the Acquiring Funds, and subject to the due authorization, execution, and delivery of this Agreement by the other parties hereto, this Agreement will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Acquiring Funds, 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;
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(h)The shares of the Acquiring Funds to be issued and delivered to the Target Funds, for the account of the Target Fund Shareholders, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, have been duly authorized and, when so issued and delivered, will be duly and validly issued Acquiring Fund Shares, and, upon receipt of the Target Funds’ Assets in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be fully paid and non-assessable by PFT;
(i)The Acquiring Funds (i) will elect to be taxed as regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Code, will qualify for the tax treatment afforded regulated investment companies under the Code for their taxable year that includes the Closing Date, and intend to continue to qualify for such treatment for their subsequent taxable years, (ii) will be eligible to compute their federal income tax under Section 852 of the Code for the taxable year that includes the Closing Date, and (iii) will be treated as separate corporations for federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section 851(g) of the Code for the taxable year that includes the Closing Date. The Acquiring Funds have not taken any action, caused any action to be taken, or caused any action to fail to be taken, which action or failure could cause the Acquiring Funds to fail to qualify as regulated investment companies for their taxable year that includes the Closing Date. The Acquiring Funds have no earnings and profits accumulated in any taxable year;
(j)The books and records of the Acquiring Funds are true and correct in all material respects and contain no material omissions with respect to information required to be maintained under laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the Acquiring Funds;
(k)The Acquiring Funds are 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;
(l)The Acquiring Funds have no unamortized or unpaid organizational fees or expenses for which they do not expect to be reimbursed;
(m)The information to be furnished by the Acquiring Funds for use in applications for orders, registration statements, or proxy materials or for use in any other documents filed or to be filed with any federal, state, or local regulatory authority (including any national securities exchange or 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 securities and other laws and regulations applicable thereto; provided, however, that the representation and warranties in this paragraph shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Proxy Statement made in reliance upon and in conformity with information that was furnished by or on behalf of the Target Funds for use therein;
(n)At the Closing, the current prospectus and statement of additional information of each 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;
(o)The Proxy Statement referred to in Section 5.1(c), only insofar as it relates to PFT and the Acquiring Funds, will, on the effective date of the Proxy Statement and on the Closing Date, (i) comply in all material respects with the provisions and regulations of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, and the 1940 Act and (ii) 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; provided, however, that the representation and warranties in this paragraph shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Proxy Statement made in reliance upon and in conformity with information that was furnished by or on behalf of the Target Funds for use therein; and
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(p)There is no action, suit, proceeding, claim, arbitration, matter, or investigation pending or threatened against or affecting the Acquiring Funds at law, in equity, or otherwise, in, before, or by any court, Governmental Authority, or arbitrator, and there is no unsatisfied judgment, injunction, decree, or regulatory restriction imposed specifically upon the Acquiring Funds or any of their properties, assets, trustees, officers, employees, or agents that could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect their business or their ability to consummate the Reorganizations.
5.COVENANTS OF THE ACQUIRING FUNDS AND THE TARGET FUNDS
5.1. With respect to the Reorganizations:
(a)The Target Funds: (i) will operate their business in the ordinary course and substantially in accordance with past practices between the date hereof and the Closing, it being understood that such ordinary course of business may include the declaration and payment of customary dividends and distributions, and any other distribution that may be advisable, and (ii) shall use their reasonable best efforts to preserve intact their business organization and material assets and maintain the rights, franchises, and business and customer relations necessary to conduct the business operations of the Target Funds in the ordinary course in all material respects. Prior to the Closing, the Acquiring Funds will carry on no business activities, other than as are necessary in connection with the organization of new series of an investment company prior to their commencement of operations.
(b)ESS will call a meeting of the Target Fund Shareholders to consider and act upon this Agreement and to take all other action necessary to obtain approval of the transactions contemplated herein.
(c)In connection with the meeting of the Target Fund Shareholders referred to in Section 5.1(b) above, the Target Funds will provide the Acquiring Funds with information regarding the Target Funds, and the Acquiring Funds will provide the Target Funds with information regarding the Acquiring Funds, reasonably necessary for the preparation of the Proxy Statement, in compliance with the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, and the 1940 Act. PFT will file the Proxy Statement with the Commission.
(d)Each Target Fund covenants that the Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement are not being acquired for the purpose of making any distribution thereof, other than in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(e)The Target Funds will assist the Acquiring Funds in obtaining such information as the Acquiring Funds reasonably request concerning the beneficial ownership of the Target Funds’ shares.
(f)If requested by the Acquiring Funds, ESS, on behalf of the Target Funds, will provide the Acquiring Funds with (1) a statement of the respective tax basis and holding period of all investments to be transferred by the Target Funds to the Acquiring Funds, (2) a copy (which may be in electronic form) of the shareholder ledger accounts including, without limitation, the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of each shareholder of record, the number of shares of beneficial interest held by each shareholder, the dividend reinvestment elections applicable to each shareholder, and the backup withholding and nonresident alien withholding certifications, notices, or records on file with the Target Funds with respect to each shareholder, for all of the shareholders of record of the Target Funds as of the Closing, who are to become holders of either or both of the Acquiring Funds as a result of the transfer of Assets (the “Target Fund Shareholder Documentation”), certified by the Target Funds’ transfer agent or the Target Funds’ President or Vice-President to the best of their knowledge and belief, (3) copies of the tax books and records of the Target Funds for purposes of preparing any returns required by law to be filed for tax periods ending after the Closing Date, and (4) all FASB ASC 740-10- 25 (formerly FIN 48) workpapers and supporting statements pertaining to the Target Funds (the “FIN 48 Workpapers”). The foregoing information to be provided within such timeframes as is mutually agreed by the parties.
(g)Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Acquiring Funds and the Target Funds will each 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.
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(h)Promptly after the Closing, the Target Funds will make one or more liquidating distributions to their shareholders consisting of the Acquiring Fund Shares received at the Closing, as set forth in Section 1.1(d) hereof.
(i)If requested by the Acquiring Funds, ESS, on behalf of the Target Funds, shall deliver to the Acquiring Funds a statement of the earnings and profits (accumulated and current) of the Target Funds for federal income tax purposes that will be carried over to the Acquiring Funds as a result of Section 381 of the Code. The information to be provided under this paragraph shall be provided within such timeframes as is mutually agreed by the parties.
(j)It is the intention of the parties that each Reorganization will qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code. None of the parties to each Reorganization 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) of the Code.
(k)Any reporting responsibility of the Target Funds, including, but not limited to, the responsibility for filing regulatory reports, Tax Returns relating to tax periods ending on or prior to the Closing Date (whether due before or after the Closing Date), or other documents with the Commission, any state securities commission, and any federal, state, or local Taxing Authorities, or any other relevant regulatory authority, is and shall remain the responsibility of the Target Funds, except as otherwise is mutually agreed by the parties.
(l)If requested by the Acquiring Funds, ESS, on behalf of the Target Funds, shall deliver to the Acquiring Funds copies of: (1) the federal, state, and local income Tax Returns filed by or on behalf of the Target Funds for the prior three (3) taxable years; and (2) any of the following that have been issued to or for the benefit of or that otherwise affect the Target Funds and which have continuing relevance: (a) rulings, determinations, holdings, or opinions issued by any federal, state, local, or foreign Taxing Authority and (b) legal opinions.
6.CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE TARGET FUNDS
6.1. With respect to the Reorganizations, the obligations of ESS, on behalf of the Target Funds, to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject, at the Target Funds’ election, to the performance by the Acquiring Funds of all of the obligations to be performed by them hereunder on or before the Closing and, in addition thereto, the following conditions:
(a)All representations and warranties of the Acquiring Funds and PFT 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 Closing, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing;
(b)PFT shall have delivered to ESS as of the Closing a certificate executed in its name by its President and Treasurer, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to ESS and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of or with respect to the Acquiring Funds made in this Agreement are true and correct at and as of the Closing, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(c)PFT and the Acquiring Funds 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 PFT and the Acquiring Funds, on or before the Closing, unless waived pursuant to the terms hereof;
(d)Prospectuses of each Acquiring Fund relating to the continuous offering of the Acquiring Fund Shares in Creation Units shall have become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop orders suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued and, to the best knowledge of the Acquiring Funds, no investigation or proceeding for that purpose shall have been instituted or be pending, threatened, or contemplated under the 1933 Act; and
(e)The Target Funds shall have received at the Closing an opinion of Practus LLP, counsel to PFT, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Target Funds, and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that:
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(i) the Agreement has been duly authorized, executed, and delivered by PFT, on behalf of the Acquiring Funds, and, assuming due authorization, execution, and delivery of the Agreement by ESS, on behalf of the Target Funds, is a valid and binding obligation of PFT, on behalf of the Acquiring Funds, enforceable against the Acquiring Funds in accordance with its terms; and
(ii) to the knowledge of such counsel, no consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court or governmental authority is required for the consummation by PFT or the Acquiring Funds of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement, except such as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations under those Acts (it being understood that counsel has made no independent investigation or analysis with respect to state securities laws and is not opining thereon).
7.CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE ACQUIRING FUNDS
7.1. With respect to the Reorganizations, the obligations of PFT, on behalf of the Acquiring Funds, to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject, at the Acquiring Funds’ election, to the performance by the Target Funds of all of the obligations to be performed by them hereunder on or before the Closing and, in addition thereto, the following conditions:
(a)All representations and warranties of ESS and the Target Funds 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 Closing, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing;
(b)Each of the Target Funds shall have delivered to the Acquiring Funds a Closing Statement of Assets and Liabilities, certified by the Treasurer of the Target Funds;
(c)ESS shall have delivered to PFT as of the Closing a certificate executed in its name by its President or Vice President and Treasurer, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to PFT and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of or with respect to the Target Funds made in this Agreement are true and correct at and as of the Closing, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(d)If requested by the Acquiring Funds, ESS, on behalf of the Target Funds, shall have delivered to PFT (i) a statement of the Target Funds’ Assets, together with a list of portfolio securities of the Target Funds showing the adjusted tax basis of such securities by lot and the holding periods of such securities, as of the Closing, certified by the Treasurer of ESS, (ii) the Target Fund Shareholder Documentation, (iii) the FIN 48 Workpapers, (iv) to the extent permitted by applicable law, all information pertaining to, or necessary or useful in the calculation or demonstration of, the investment performance of the Target Funds, and/or (v) a statement of earnings and profits as provided in Section 5.1(i);
(e)U.S. Bank National Association, the Target Funds’ custodian shall have delivered the certificate contemplated by Sections 3.2(a) of this Agreement, duly executed by an authorized officer of U.S. Bank National Association;
(f)U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, the Target Funds’ transfer agent, shall have delivered the certificates contemplated by Sections 3.2(b) of this Agreement, duly executed by an authorized officer of U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC;
(g)ESS and the Target Funds 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 ESS and the Target Funds, on or before the Closing;
(h)The Acquiring Funds shall have received evidence that the contracts set forth on Schedule 7.1(h) shall have been terminated with respect to the Target Funds; and
(i)The Acquiring Funds shall have received at the Closing an opinion of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, counsel to ESS, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Acquiring Funds, and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that:
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(i) the Agreement has been duly authorized, executed, and delivered by ESS, on behalf of the Target Funds, and, assuming due authorization, execution, and delivery of the Agreement by PFT, on behalf of the Acquiring Funds, is a valid and binding obligation of ESS, on behalf of the Target Funds, enforceable against ESS and the Target Funds in accordance with its terms; and
(ii) to the knowledge of such counsel, no consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court or governmental authority is required for the consummation by ESS or the Target Funds of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement, except such as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations under those Acts (it being understood that counsel has made no independent investigation or analysis with respect to state securities laws and is not opining thereon).
8.FURTHER CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE ACQUIRING FUNDS AND THE TARGET FUNDS
With respect to the Reorganizations, if any of the conditions set forth below have not been satisfied on or before the Closing with respect to the Target Funds or the Acquiring Funds, ESS or PFT, respectively, shall, at its or their option, not be required to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement:
8.1. The Agreement shall have been approved by the requisite vote of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Target Funds in accordance with the provisions of ESS’s Declaration of Trust, Delaware law, and the 1940 Act. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the Target Funds nor the Acquiring Funds may waive the condition set forth in this Section 8.1;
8.2. On the Closing Date, no action, suit, or other proceeding shall be pending or, to ESS’s or PFT’s knowledge, 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, the transactions contemplated herein;
8.3. All consents of other parties and all other consents, orders, and permits of federal, state, and local regulatory authorities deemed necessary by the Acquiring Funds or the Target Funds 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 Funds or the Target Funds, provided that either party hereto may for itself waive any of such conditions;
8.4. ESS and PFT shall have received a favorable opinion of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP addressed to the Acquiring Funds and the Target Funds substantially to the effect that with respect to the Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds for federal income tax purposes:
(i) the acquisition by the Acquiring Funds of all of the assets of the Target Funds, as provided for in the Agreement, in exchange solely for Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Funds of all of the liabilities of the Target Funds, followed by the distribution by the Target Funds to its shareholders of the Acquiring Fund Shares in complete liquidation of the Target Funds, will qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1) of the Code, and the Target Funds and the Acquiring Funds each will be a “party to a reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code;
(ii) no gain or loss will be recognized by the Target Funds upon the transfer of all of their assets to, and assumption of all of their liabilities by, the Acquiring Funds in exchange solely for Acquiring Fund Shares pursuant to Section 361(a) and Section 357(a) of the Code, except for (A) gain or loss that may be recognized on the transfer of “section 1256 contracts” as defined in Section 1256(b) of the Code, (B) gain that may be recognized on the transfer of stock in a “passive foreign investment company” as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code, and (C) any other gain or loss that may be required to be recognized upon the transfer of an asset regardless of whether such transfer would otherwise be a non-recognition transaction under the Code;
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(iii) no gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquiring Funds upon the receipt by them of all of the assets of the Target Funds in exchange solely for the assumption of all of the liabilities of the Target Funds and issuance of the Acquiring Fund Shares pursuant to Section 1032(a) of the Code;
(iv) no gain or loss will be recognized by the Target Funds upon the distribution of Acquiring Fund Shares to shareholders of the Target Funds in complete liquidation (in pursuance of the Agreement) of the Target Funds pursuant to Section 361(c)(1) of the Code;
(v) the tax basis of the assets of the Target Funds received by the Acquiring Funds will be the same as the tax basis of such assets in the hands of the Target Funds immediately prior to the transfer of such assets, increased by the amount of gain (or decreased by the amount of loss), if any, recognized by the Target Funds on the transfer pursuant to Section 362(b) of the Code;
(vi) the holding periods of the assets of the Target Funds in the hands of the Acquiring Funds will include the periods during which such assets were held by the Target Funds pursuant to Section 1223(2) of the Code, other than assets with respect to which gain or loss is required to be recognized and except where investment activities of the Acquiring Funds have the effect of reducing or eliminating the holding period with respect to an asset;
(vii) no gain or loss will be recognized by the shareholders of the Target Funds upon the exchange of all of their shares of beneficial interest of the Target Funds for Acquiring Fund Shares pursuant to Section 354(a) of the Code;
(viii) the aggregate tax basis of the Acquiring Fund Shares received by a shareholder of the Target Funds will be the same as the aggregate tax basis of the Target Fund Shares exchanged therefor pursuant to Section 358(a)(1) of the Code;
(ix) the holding period of the Acquiring Fund Shares received by a shareholder of the Target Funds will include the holding period of the Target Fund Shares exchanged therefor, provided that the shareholder held the Target Fund Shares as capital assets on the date of the exchange pursuant to Section 1223(1) of the Code; and
(x) the consummation of the Reorganizations will not terminate the taxable year of the Target Funds. The part of the taxable year of the Target Funds before each Reorganization and part of the taxable year of the Acquiring Funds after each Reorganization will constitute a single taxable year of the Acquiring Funds.
Such opinion shall be based on customary assumptions, limitations and such representations as Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP may reasonably request, as well as the representations and warranties made in this Agreement which counsel may treat as representations and warranties made to it. The Target Funds and Acquiring Funds will cooperate to make and certify the accuracy of such representations. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the Acquiring Funds nor the Target Funds may waive the conditions set forth in this Section 8.4; and
8.5. All invoices related to expenses incurred in connection with the operation of the Target Funds that are required to be paid by Salt Financial LLC, as described in the Investment Advisory Agreement pertaining to the Target Funds, shall have been paid, and a prepayment of any estimated expenses expected to be incurred in connection with the operation of the Target Funds for which an invoice has not been received, shall have been received by the applicable service provider. For the avoidance of doubt, such expenses incurred by the Target Funds shall include, without limitation, fees payable to (or expected to be payable to) the Target Funds’ administrator, fund accountant, transfer agent, custodian, and independent registered public accounting firm, but shall not include legal counsel to the Target Funds.
9.FEES AND EXPENSES; INDEMNIFICATION
9.1. Salt Financial LLC and Pacer Advisors, Inc. will equally bear the expenses relating to the Reorganizations, whether or not the Reorganizations are consummated. The costs of the Reorganizations shall include, but shall not be limited to, costs associated with organizing the Acquiring Funds, preparation, printing and distribution of the Proxy
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Statement for the Reorganizations, legal fees solely with respect to an opinion regarding tax related matters, accounting fees, fees and expenses of a special meeting of the Board of Trustees of ESS, and expenses of soliciting Target Fund Shareholders and holding meetings of the Target Fund Shareholders (and adjournments thereof). Pacer Advisors, Inc. will bear the expenses relating to legal fees of such firm and legal fees of PFT, including of counsel to the independent trustees of PFT. Salt Financial LLC will bear the expenses relating to legal fees of such firm and legal fees of ESS, other than legal fees with respect to an opinion regarding tax related matters. For the avoidance of doubt, neither the Acquiring Funds nor the Target Funds will bear the expenses relating to the Reorganizations.
9.2. PFT, out of the Acquiring Funds’ assets and property (including any amounts paid to the Acquiring Funds pursuant to any applicable liability insurance policies), agrees to indemnify and hold harmless ESS and the members of ESS’s Board of Trustees and ESS’s officers 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 ESS and those board members and officers may become subject, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions with respect thereto) arises out of or is based on (a) any breach by PFT, on behalf of the Acquiring Funds, of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement or (b) insofar as they relate to the Reorganizations, any act, error, omission, neglect, misstatement, materially misleading statement, breach of duty or other act wrongfully done or attempted to be committed by PFT or the members of PFT’s Board of Trustees or its officers prior to the Closing, provided that such indemnification by PFT is not (i) in violation of any applicable law or (ii) otherwise prohibited as a result of any applicable order or decree issued by any governing regulatory authority or court of competent jurisdiction.
9.3. ESS, out of the Target Funds’ assets and property (including any amounts paid to the Target Funds pursuant to any applicable liability insurance policies), agrees to indemnify and hold harmless PFT and the members of PFT’s Board of Trustees and its officers 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 PFT and those board members and officers may become subject, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions with respect thereto) arises out of or is based on (a) any breach by ESS, on behalf of the Target Funds, of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement or (b) insofar as they relate to the Reorganizations, any act, error, omission, neglect, misstatement, materially misleading statement, breach of duty or other act wrongfully done or attempted to be committed by ESS or the members of ESS’s Board of Trustees or its officers prior to the Closing, provided that such indemnification by ESS is not (i) in violation of any applicable law or (ii) otherwise prohibited as a result of any applicable order or decree issued by any governing regulatory authority or court of competent jurisdiction. For the avoidance of doubt, any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses arising hereunder will not constitute liabilities of the Target Funds for purposes of Section 1.1(a) and thus, would not be eligible to be assumed by the Acquiring Funds.
10.ENTIRE AGREEMENT; SURVIVAL OF WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS
Each party agrees that no party has made any representation, warranty, or covenant not set forth herein and that this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties. The representations, warranties, and covenants contained in this Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant hereto or in connection herewith shall not survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder. The covenants to be performed after the Closing shall survive the Closing. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions in Section 9 of this Agreement shall survive the Closing.
11.TERMINATION
This Agreement may be terminated and the transactions contemplated hereby may be abandoned by mutual agreement of the parties.
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12.AMENDMENTS
This Agreement may be amended, modified, or supplemented in a writing signed by the parties hereto to be bound by such Amendment.
13.HEADINGS; GOVERNING LAW; COUNTERPARTS; ASSIGNMENT; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
13.1. The Article and Section headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
13.2. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware and applicable federal law, without regard to its principles of conflicts of laws.
13.3. 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 parties. 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.
13.4. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered an original.
13.5. It is expressly agreed that the obligations of the parties hereunder shall not be binding upon any of their respective directors or trustees, shareholders, nominees, officers, agents, or employees personally, but shall bind only the property of the Target Funds or the Acquiring Funds as provided in ESS’s Declaration of Trust or PFT’s Declaration of Trust, respectively. The execution and delivery by such officers shall not be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the property of such party.
[Signature Page follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be approved on behalf of the Acquiring Funds and Target Funds.
ETF SERIES SOLUTIONS, | ||||||||
on behalf of its series the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF | ||||||||
By: | ||||||||
Name: | ||||||||
Title: |
PACER FUNDS TRUST, | ||||||||
on behalf of its series the Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and the Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF | ||||||||
By: | ||||||||
Name: | ||||||||
Title: |
Pacer Advisors, Inc. | ||||||||
solely for the purposes of Section 9.1 of this Agreement | ||||||||
By: | ||||||||
Name: | ||||||||
Title: |
Salt Financial LLC | ||||||||
solely for the purposes of Section 9.1 of this Agreement | ||||||||
By: | ||||||||
Name: | ||||||||
Title: |
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Schedule 7.1(h)
1. Investment Advisory Agreement between ETF Series Solutions and Salt Financial LLC, dated January 18, 2018, as amended October 3, 2019, solely with respect to the Target Funds.
2. Distribution Agreement between ETF Series Solutions and Compass Distributors, LLC, dated October 15, 2018, as amended thereafter, solely with respect to the Target Funds.
3. Custody Agreement between ETF Series Solutions and U.S. Bank National Association, dated May 16, 2012, as amended thereafter, solely with respect to the Target Funds.
4. Transfer Agent Agreement between ETF Series Solutions and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, dated May 16, 2012, as amended thereafter, solely with respect to the Target Funds.
5. Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between ETF Series Solutions and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, dated May 16, 2012, as amended thereafter, solely with respect to the Target Funds.
6. Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between ETF Series Solutions and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, dated May 16, 2012, as amended thereafter, solely with respect to the Target Funds.
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APPENDIX B - FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TARGET FUNDS
The Acquiring Funds will adopt the financial statements of the Target Funds, the accounting survivor of the Reorganization. The audited financials of the Target Funds are included in the Target Funds’ Annual Report, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand each Target Funds’ financial performance for the period of each Fund’s operations. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total return in the table represents the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). Information for the periods ended December 31 has been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Target Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Target Funds’ financial statements for such period, is included in the Target Funds’ annual report, which is available upon request.
Target High truBeta Fund
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
For a capital share outstanding throughout each year/period
Year Ended December 31, 2019 | Period Ended December 31, 20181 | |||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of year/period | $ | 20.69 | $ | 25.00 | ||||||||||
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS: | ||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss)2 | 0.32 | 0.14 | ||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 7.40 | (4.32) | ||||||||||||
Total from investment operations | 7.72 | (4.18) | ||||||||||||
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS: | ||||||||||||||
From net investment income | (0.30) | (0.07) | ||||||||||||
From net realized gains | — | (0.06) | ||||||||||||
Total distributions | (0.30) | (0.13) | ||||||||||||
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS: | ||||||||||||||
Transaction fees | — | 0.00 | 3 | |||||||||||
Net asset value, end of year/period | $ | 28.11 | $ | 20.69 | ||||||||||
Total return | 37.32 | % | -16.76 | % | 4 | |||||||||
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA: | ||||||||||||||
Net assets at end of year/period (000’s) | $ | 15,463 | $ | 8,275 | ||||||||||
RATIOS TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS: | ||||||||||||||
Expenses to average net assets | 0.30 | % | 7 | 0.50 | % | 5 | ||||||||
Net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 1.28 | % | 0.97 | % | 5 | |||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate6 | 202 | % | 145 | % | 4 |
1The Fund commenced operations on May 15, 2018. The information presented is for the period from May 15, 2018 to December 31, 2018.
2Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.
3Represents less than $0.005 per share.
4Not annualized.
5Annualized.
6Excludes the impact of in-kind transactions.
7Effective January 14, 2019, the Adviser reduced its management fee from 0.50% to 0.29%.
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Target Low truBeta Fund
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
For a capital share outstanding throughout the period
Period Ended December 31, 20191 | ||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 25.00 | ||||||
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS: | ||||||||
Net investment income (loss)2 | 0.62 | |||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 3.40 | |||||||
Total from investment operations | 4.02 | |||||||
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS: | ||||||||
From net investment income | (0.43) | |||||||
From net realized gains | — | |||||||
Total distributions | (0.43) | |||||||
Net asset value, end of period | $ | 28.59 | ||||||
Total return | 16.09 | % | 3,7 | |||||
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA: | ||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000’s) | $ | 9,293 | ||||||
RATIOS TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS: | ||||||||
Expenses to average net assets before fees waived | 0.29 | % | 4 | |||||
Expenses to average net assets after fees waived | 0.03 | % | 4,6 | |||||
Net investment income (loss) to average net assets before fees waived | 2.54 | % | 4 | |||||
Net investment income (loss) to average net assets after fees waived | 2.79 | % | 4 | |||||
Portfolio turnover rate5 | 31 | % | 3 |
1The Fund commenced operations on March 12, 2019. The information presented is for the period from March 12, 2019 to December 31, 2019. Shares of the Predecessor Fund converted to shares of the Fund on December 16, 2019.
2Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.
3Not annualized.
4Annualized.
5Excludes the impact of in-kind transactions.
6Effective May 13, 2019, the Adviser agreed to waive the Fund’s full unitary management fee of 0.29% on the first $100 million in net assets.
7Net increase from contributions contributed 0.04% to this return.
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APPENDIX C - OWNERSHIP OF SHARES OF THE TARGET FUND
As of July 31, 2020, the Target High truBeta Fund’s shareholders of record and/or beneficial owners (to ESS’s knowledge) who owned 5% or more of the Target High truBeta Fund’s shares are set forth below. As of July 31, 2020, the Officers and Trustees of ESS, as a group, owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Target High truBeta Fund.
Name and Address | No. of Shares Owned | % of Shares | Type of Ownership | ||||||||
Record | |||||||||||
Record | |||||||||||
Record | |||||||||||
Record |
As of July 31, 2020, the Target Low truBeta Fund’s shareholders of record and/or beneficial owners (to ESS’s knowledge) who owned 5% or more of the Target Low truBeta Fund’s shares are set forth below. As of July 31, 2020, the Officers and Trustees of ESS, as a group, owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Target Low truBeta Fund.
Name and Address | No. of Shares Owned | % of Shares | Type of Ownership | ||||||||
Record | |||||||||||
Record | |||||||||||
Record | |||||||||||
Record |
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APPENDIX D - SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION FOR THE ACQUIRING FUNDS
Buying and Selling Shares
Each Acquiring Fund (for purposes of this Appendix D, a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”) is an ETF. This means that Shares of each Fund are listed on a national securities exchange, the Exchange, and individual Shares trade at market prices. Most investors will buy and sell Shares of a Fund through brokers. Because Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
A Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks of Shares (“Creation Units”), which only institutions or large investors may purchase or redeem. Currently, Creation Units generally consist of 25,000 Shares, though this may change from time to time. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash that the Fund specifies each day.
Share Trading Prices
Transactions in each Fund’s Shares will be priced at NAV only if you purchase Shares directly from each Fund in Creation Units. As with other types of securities, the trading prices of Shares in the secondary market can be affected by market forces such as supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors. The price you pay or receive when you buy or sell your Shares in the secondary market may be more or less than the NAV of such Shares.
The approximate value of Shares of each Fund is disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading day by the Exchange or by other information providers. This approximate value should not be viewed as a real-time update of each Fund’s NAV, because (i) the approximate value may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed once a day, generally at the end of the business day; (ii) the calculation of NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the approximate value; (iii) unlike the calculation of NAV, the approximate value does not take into account Fund expenses; and (iv) the approximate value is based on the published basket of portfolio securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash and not on the Fund’s actual holdings. The approximate value is not related to the price at which a Fund’s Shares are trading on the Exchange and is different from the Fund’s NAV. The approximate value calculations are based on local market prices and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market’s close, which could affect premiums and discounts between the approximate value and the market price of a Fund’s Shares. The Funds, the Pacer Advisors (for purposes of this Appendix D, the “Adviser”), the Funds’ distributor, the Funds’ administrator and their affiliates are not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the approximate value, and the Funds, the Adviser, the Funds’ distributor, the Funds’ administrator and their affiliates do not make any warranty as to the accuracy of the approximate value.
Determination of Net Asset Value
The NAV of each Fund’s Shares is calculated each day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for trading as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (the “NAV Calculation Time”). If the NYSE closes before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, as it occasionally does, the NAV Calculation Time will be the time the NYSE closes. In addition, any U.S. fixed-income assets may be valued as of the announced closing time of trading in fixed income instruments on any day that the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association announces an early closing time. Each Fund’s NAV per share is calculated by dividing the Fund’s net assets by the number of Fund Shares outstanding.
In calculating its NAV, each Fund generally values its assets on the basis of market quotations, last sale prices, or estimates of value furnished by a pricing service or brokers who make markets in such instruments. Debt obligations with maturities of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost.
Fair Value Pricing
The PFT Board has adopted procedures and methodologies to fair value Fund securities whose market prices are not “readily available” or are deemed to be unreliable. For example, such circumstances may arise when: (i) a security has been de-listed or has had its trading halted or suspended; (ii) a security’s primary pricing source is unable or unwilling to provide a price; (iii) a security’s primary trading market is closed during regular market hours; or (iv) a security’s value is materially affected by events occurring after the close of the security’s primary trading market. Generally, when fair valuing a security, the Adviser will take into account all reasonably available information that may be relevant to a particular valuation including, but not limited to, fundamental analytical data regarding the issuer, information relating to the issuer’s business, recent trades or offers of the security, general and/or specific market conditions and the specific facts giving rise to the need to fair value the security. The Adviser makes fair value determinations in good faith and in accordance with the fair value methodologies included in the Board-adopted valuation procedures. Due to the
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subjective and variable nature of fair value pricing, there can be no assurance that the Adviser will be able to obtain the fair value assigned to the security upon the sale of such security.
Dividends and Distributions
The Funds intend to pay out dividends, if any, at least annually. Nonetheless, each Fund may make more frequent dividend payments. Each Fund expects to distribute its net realized capital gains to investors annually. Each Fund occasionally may be required to make supplemental distributions at some other time during the year. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.
Book Entry
Shares of each Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding Shares of each Fund.
Investors owning Shares of each Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all Shares of each Fund. Participants include DTC, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of Shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have Shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of Shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of Shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form. Your broker will provide you with account statements, confirmations of your purchases and sales, and tax information.
Delivery of Shareholder Documents – Householding
Householding is an option available to certain investors of each Fund. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents can be delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Householding for each Fund is available through certain broker-dealers. If you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, please contact your broker-dealer. If you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status, please contact your broker-dealer.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
Each Fund imposes no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of Fund Shares. In determining not to impose such restrictions, the Board evaluated the risks of market timing activities by Fund shareholders. Purchases and redemptions by APs, who are the only parties that may purchase or redeem Shares directly with a Fund, are an essential part of the ETF process and help keep Fund share trading prices in line with NAV. As such, each Fund accommodates frequent purchases and redemptions by APs. However, the Board has also determined that frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase tracking error and portfolio transaction costs and may lead to the realization of capital gains. To minimize these potential consequences of frequent purchases and redemptions, each Fund imposes transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in effective trades. In addition, each Fund and the Adviser reserve the right to reject any purchase order at any time.
Investments by Registered Investment Companies
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including Shares of each Fund. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in each Fund beyond the limits set forth in section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Trust, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the applicable Fund(s).
ADDITIONAL TAX INFORMATION
The following discussion is a summary of some important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Funds. Your investment in the Funds may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax advisor about the tax consequences of an investment in Shares, including the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws.
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The Funds intend to qualify each year for treatment as a registered investment company (“RIC”). If it meets certain minimum distribution requirements, a RIC is not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, a Fund’s failure to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements would result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in fund-level taxation and, consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.
Unless you are a tax-exempt entity or your investment in Fund Shares is made through a tax advantaged retirement account, such as an IRA, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when:
•A Fund makes distributions;
•You sell Fund Shares; and
•You purchase or redeem Creation Units (institutional investors only).
Taxes on Distributions
For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income or “qualified dividend income.” Taxes on distributions of capital gains (if any) depend on how long a Fund owned the assets that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Fund Shares. Sales of assets held by a Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by a Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of a Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are properly reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) are taxable as long-term capital gains. For non-corporate shareholders, long-term capital gains are generally subject to tax at reduced rates and currently set at a maximum rate of 20%. Distributions of short-term capital gain are generally taxable as ordinary income. Distributions of investment income reported by the Fund as derived from “qualified dividend income” will be taxed at long term capital gain rates for non-corporate shareholders.
U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (generally including capital gain distributions and capital gains realized on the sale or exchange of Fund Shares).
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. Certain distributions paid in January, however, may be treated as paid on December 31 of the prior year. Distributions are generally taxable even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Funds before your investment (and thus were included in the Fund Shares’ NAV when you purchased your Fund Shares).
A Fund may include a payment of cash in addition to, or in place of, the delivery of a basket of securities upon the redemption of Creation Units. The Funds may sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Funds to recognize investment income and/or capital gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had completely satisfied the redemption in-kind. As a result, the Funds may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of Creation Units.
Nonresident aliens, foreign corporations and other foreign shareholders in the Funds will generally be exempt from U.S. federal income tax on Capital Gain Dividends. The exemption may not apply, however, if the investment in a Fund is connected to a trade or business for the foreign shareholder in the United States or if the foreign shareholder is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a year and certain other conditions are met.
Distributions (other than Capital Gain Dividends) paid to individual shareholders that are neither citizens nor residents of the U.S. or to foreign entities will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. The Funds may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Short-term capital gain dividends received by a nonresident alien individual who is present in the U.S. for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year are not exempt from this 30% withholding tax. Gains realized by foreign shareholders from the sale or other disposition of Shares of a Fund generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless the recipient is an individual who is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year.
The Funds (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which shareholders own Fund Shares) generally are required to withhold and to remit to the US Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and the sale or redemption proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that he, she or it is not subject to such withholding.
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A U.S. withholding tax at a 30% rate will be imposed on dividends received by Fund shareholders who own their Shares through foreign accounts or foreign intermediaries if certain disclosure requirements related to U.S. accounts or ownership are not satisfied. The Funds will not pay any additional amounts in respect to any amounts withheld.
To the extent a Fund invests in foreign securities, it may be subject to foreign withholding taxes with respect to dividends or interest the Fund received from sources in foreign countries. If more than 50% of the total assets of a Fund consists of foreign securities, such Fund will be eligible to elect to treat some of those taxes as a distribution to shareholders, which would allow shareholders to offset some of their U.S. federal income tax. The Funds (or its administrative agent) will notify you if it makes such an election and provide you with the information necessary to reflect foreign taxes paid on your income tax return.
Taxes When Fund Shares Are Sold
Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund Shares is generally treated as a long-term gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund Shares held for one year or less is generally treated as a short-term gain or loss, except that any capital loss on a sale of Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that Capital Gain Dividends were paid with respect to such Shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited depending on your circumstances.
A foreign shareholder will generally not be subject to U.S. tax on gains realized on sales or exchange of Fund Shares unless the investment in a Fund is connected to a trade or business of the investor in the United States or if the shareholder is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a year and certain other conditions are met. All foreign shareholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences in their country of residence of an investment in a Fund.
Creation and Redemption Units
An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales” (for an Authorized Participant that does not mark-to-market its holdings), or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses will be treated as short-term capital gains or losses. Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.
The Funds have the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the Fund would have a basis in the deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Funds also have the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial Share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Funds. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You also may be subject to state and local tax on Fund distributions and sales of Shares. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Shares under all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the section entitled “Federal Income Taxes” in the Proxy Statement SAI.
State and Local Taxes
Shareholders may also be subject to state and local taxes on income and gain attributable to your ownership of Fund Shares. State income taxes may not apply, however, to the portions of a Fund’s distributions, if any, that are attributable to interest earned by a Fund on U.S. government securities. You should consult your tax professional regarding the tax status of distributions in your state and locality.
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DISTRIBUTION
The Distributor, Pacer Financial, Inc., is a broker-dealer registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for each Fund on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of each Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by each Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is 16 Industrial Blvd, Suite 201, Paoli, Pennsylvania, 19301. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. In accordance with the Plan, each Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year for certain distribution-related activities and shareholder services.
No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Funds, and there are no plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because the fees are paid out of a Fund’s assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.
PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION
Information regarding how often Shares of each Fund traded on the Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the fund will be available in the future on the Funds’ website at www.PacerETFs.com.
ADDITIONAL NOTICES
Shares are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Shares or any member of the public regarding the ability of the Funds to track the total return performance of their respective Index or the ability of the Indexes identified herein to track the performance of their constituent securities. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the compilation or the calculation of the Indexes, nor in the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the Shares to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Shares are redeemable. The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of the Shares in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the Shares.
The Exchange does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Indexes or the data included therein. The Exchange makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Funds, owners of the Shares, or any other person or entity from the use of the Indexes or the data included therein. The Exchange makes no express or implied warranties, and hereby expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose with respect to the Indexes or the data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.
The Adviser, the Index Provider, the Exchange, and the Funds make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Shares or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly. The Funds do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or performance of the Indexes or the data included therein and shall have no liability in connection with the Indexes or Index calculation. The Index Provider owns the Indexes and each Index methodology and is a licensor of the Indexes to the Adviser and index receipt agent. The Index Provider has contracted with the Index Calculation Agent to maintain and calculate the Indexes used by the Funds. The Index Calculation Agent maintains and calculates the Indexes used by the Funds. The index calculation agent shall have no liability for any errors or omissions in calculating the Indexes.
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
The Pacer Funds Trust (the “Trust”) and Pacer Financial, Inc. (the “Distributor”), an affiliate of the Adviser, are parties to a distribution agreement (“Distribution Agreement”), whereby the Distributor acts as principal underwriter for the Trust and distributes the Shares of the Fund. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units. Each Creation Unit is generally comprised of 25,000 Shares, though this may change from time to time. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit. The principal business address of the Distributor is 500 Chesterfield Parkway, Malvern, Pennsylvania, 19355.
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Fund Services” or the “Transfer Agent”), serves as administrator, transfer agent, and index receipt agent for the Fund.
U.S. Bank National Association, 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the custodian of the Fund’s assets.
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Practus LLP, 1062 East Lancaster Avenue, Suite 15A, Pennsylvania 19010, serves as legal counsel for the Trust. Duane Morris LLP, 30 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, serves as legal counsel for the Independent Trustees.
Sanville & Company, 1514 Old York Road, Abington, Pennsylvania 19001, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
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Statement of Additional Information
[August 17, 2020]
For the Reorganization of
Salt High truBeta US Market ETF a series of ETF Series Solutions 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 (800) 617-0004 | Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF a series of ETF Series Solutions 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 (800) 617-0004 | |||||||
into | into | |||||||
Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF a series of Pacer Funds Trust 500 Chesterfield Parkway, Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355 (610) 644-8100 | Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF a series of Pacer Funds Trust 500 Chesterfield Parkway, Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355 (610) 644-8100 |
Acquisition of the Assets and Assumption of the Liabilities of: Salt High truBeta US Market ETF, a series of ETF Series Solutions | Acquisition of the Assets and Assumption of the Liabilities of: Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF, a series of ETF Series Solutions | ||||
By and in Exchange for Shares of: Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF, a series of Pacer Funds Trust | By and in Exchange for Shares of: Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF, a series of Pacer Funds Trust |
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) relates specifically to the proposed reorganization of the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (together, the “Target Funds”), each a series of ETF Series Solutions, into the Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and the Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (each, a “Fund”, and together, the “Funds” or the “Acquiring Funds”), each a series of Pacer Funds Trust (the “Trust”).
In connection with the Reorganization, the Target Funds will transfer all of their assets to the Acquiring Funds in return for shares of the Acquiring Funds and the Acquiring Funds’ assumption of certain of the Target Funds’ liabilities.
This SAI, which is not a prospectus, supplements and should be read in conjunction with the Proxy Statement and Prospectus dated [August 17, 2020] (the “Proxy Statement”), relating to the Reorganization. To obtain a copy of the Proxy Statement, without charge, please write to the Target Funds at the address set forth above or call [AST phone number].
CONTENTS OF THE SAI
This SAI consists of the cover page and the information set forth below. The Acquiring Funds have not commenced operations as of the date hereof. Accordingly, financial statements for the Acquiring Funds are not available. Copies of the Acquiring Funds’ annual and semi-annual reports, may be obtained when available, without charge, upon request by calling (800)-617-0004 or visiting www.paceretfs.com.
SAI-1
INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
This SAI incorporates by reference the following documents, each of which was filed electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission:
as amended and supplemented (File Nos. 333-179562 and 811-22668); and
(File No. 811-22668).
PRO FORMA FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Pro forma financial statements are not presented as the Target Funds are being combined with the Acquiring Funds, each a newly created series of the Trust, which do not have any assets or liabilities.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND THE FUNDS
The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 12, 2014 and is authorized to issue multiple series or portfolios. The Trust is an open-end, management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The offering of the Trust’s shares is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
The Funds described in this SAI seek to track the total return performance, before fees and expenses, of their respective indices (each an “Index”).
The Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF (the “High truBeta Fund”) is the successor in interest to the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF, a series of ETF Series Solutions (the “High truBeta Predecessor Fund”), which was managed by Salt Financial LLC and sub-advised by Penserra Capital Management LLC and had a materially identical investment objective, strategies, and policies as the High truBeta Fund since the High truBeta Predecessor Fund’s inception on May 15, 2018.
The Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF (the “Low truBeta Fund”) is the successor in interest to the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF, a series of ETF Series Solutions, which, in turn, was the successor in interest to (and the successor to the investment performance of) the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF, a series of Salt Funds Trust (together, the “Low truBeta Predecessor Fund”) following a tax-free reorganization on December 16, 2019. The Low truBeta Predecessor Fund was managed by Salt Financial LLC and sub-advised by Penserra Capital Management LLC and had a materially identical investment objective, strategies, and policies as the Low truBeta Fund since the Fund’s inception on March 12, 2019.
Pacer Advisors, Inc. (“Pacer” or the “Adviser”) is the investment adviser to the Funds. Pacer Financial, Inc. is the distributor (the “Distributor”) of the shares of the Funds and is an affiliate of the Adviser.
The Funds issue and redeem shares (“Shares”) at net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in large blocks of Shares (“Creation Units” or “Creation Unit Aggregations”). Currently, Creation Units generally consist of 25,000 Shares, though this may change from time to time. These transactions are usually in exchange for a basket of securities included in its portfolio and an amount of cash. As a practical matter, only institutions or large investors (authorized participants) who have entered into agreements with the Trust’s distributor, can purchase or redeem Creation Units. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares of the Funds are not redeemable securities.
Shares of the Funds are or will be listed on a national securities exchange, such as Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange”), and trade throughout the day on the Exchange and other secondary markets at market prices that may differ from NAV. As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the prices of Shares in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the applicable Fund.
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INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS
Each Fund’s investment objective, principal investment strategies and associated risks are described in the Funds’ Prospectus. The sections below supplement these principal investment strategies and risks and describe each Fund’s additional investment policies and the different types of investments that may be made by a Fund as a part of its non-principal investment strategies. With respect to each Fund’s investments, unless otherwise noted, if a percentage limitation on investment is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a subsequent increase or decrease as a result of market movement or redemption will not result in a violation of such investment limitation.
Each Fund intends to qualify each year as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), so that it will not be subject to federal income tax on income and gains that are timely distributed to Fund shareholders. The Funds will invest their assets, and otherwise conduct their operations, in a manner that is intended to satisfy the qualifying income, diversification and distribution requirements necessary to establish and maintain RIC qualification under Subchapter M of the Code.
GENERAL RISKS
An investment in a Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of that Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific economic, political, public health or cyber conditions that affect a particular security or issuer and changes in general economic, political, public health or cyber conditions. An investor in the Funds could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Although all of the equity securities in the Indexes are listed on major U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges, there can be no guarantee that a liquid market for the securities held by the Funds will be maintained. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of the Shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for a Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent, or if bid/ask spreads are wide.
Cyber Security Risk. As the use of technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Funds may be more susceptible to operational and financial risks associated with cyber security, including: theft, loss, misuse, improper release, corruption and destruction of, or unauthorized access to, confidential or highly restricted data relating to a Fund and its shareholders; and compromises or failures to systems, networks, devices and applications relating to the operations of a Fund and its service providers. Cyber security risks may result in financial losses to a Fund and its shareholders; the inability of a Fund to transact business with its shareholders; delays or mistakes in the calculation of a Fund’s NAV or other materials provided to shareholders; the inability to process transactions with shareholders or other parties; violations of privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties and reputational damage; and compliance and remediation costs, legal fees and other expenses. A Fund’s service providers (including, but not limited to, its investment adviser, any sub-advisers, administrator, transfer agent, and custodian or their agents), financial intermediaries, companies in which a Fund invests and parties with which a Fund engages in portfolio or other transactions also may be adversely impacted by cyber security risks in their own businesses, which could result in losses to a Fund or its shareholders. While measures have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there is no guarantee that those measures will be effective, particularly since the Funds do not directly control the cyber security defenses or plans of their service providers, financial intermediaries and companies in which they invest or with which they do business.
Pandemic Risk. Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, financial markets in the United States and around the world experienced extreme and in many cases unprecedented volatility and severe losses due to the global pandemic caused by COVID‑19, a novel coronavirus. The pandemic has resulted in a wide range of social and economic disruptions, including closed borders, voluntary or compelled quarantines of large populations, stressed healthcare systems, reduced or prohibited domestic or international travel, supply chain disruptions, and so-called “stay-at-home” orders throughout much of the United States and many other countries. The fall-out from these disruptions has included the rapid closure of businesses deemed “non-essential” by federal, state, or local governments and rapidly increasing unemployment, as well as greatly reduced liquidity for certain instruments at times. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced particularly large losses. Such disruptions may continue for an extended period of time or reoccur in the future to a similar or greater extent. In response, the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve have taken extraordinary actions to support the domestic economy and financial markets, resulting in very low interest rates and in some cases negative yields. It is unknown how long circumstances related to the pandemic will persist, whether they will reoccur in the future, whether efforts to support the economy and financial markets will be successful, and what additional implications may follow from the pandemic. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the future could adversely affect Fund performance.
A discussion of some of the other risks associated with investments in the Funds is contained in the Funds’ Prospectus.
SAI-3
SPECIFIC INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The following are descriptions of the Funds’ permitted investments and investment practices and the associated risk factors. A Fund will only invest in any of the following instruments or engage in any of the following investment practices if such investment or activity is consistent with a Fund’s investment objective and permitted by a Fund’s stated investment policies.
BORROWING. Although the Funds do not intend to borrow money, the Funds may do so to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, a Fund may borrow up to one-third of its total assets. A Fund will borrow money only for short-term or emergency purposes. Such borrowing is not for investment purposes and will be repaid by the Fund promptly. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of a Fund’s portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs that may or may not be recovered by earnings on the securities purchased. A Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with a borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS. To the extent the Funds invest in stocks of foreign corporations, a Fund’s investment in securities of foreign companies may be in the form of depositary receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) are dollar-denominated receipts representing interests in the securities of a foreign issuer, which securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by United States banks and trust companies which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. Generally, ADRs in registered form are designed for use in domestic securities markets and are traded on exchanges or over-the-counter in the United States. Depositary receipts will not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as their underlying securities.
The Funds will not invest in any unlisted Depositary Receipts or any Depositary Receipt that the Adviser deems to be illiquid or for which pricing information is not readily available. In addition, all Depositary Receipts generally must be sponsored; however, the Funds may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts under certain limited circumstances. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States, and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts. The use of Depositary Receipts may increase tracking error relative to an underlying Index.
EQUITY SECURITIES. Equity securities, such as the common stocks of an issuer, are subject to stock market fluctuations and therefore may experience volatile changes in value as market conditions, consumer sentiment or the financial condition of the issuers change. A decrease in value of the equity securities in the Fund’s portfolio may also cause the value of Shares to decline.
An investment in a Fund should be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in equity securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the stock market may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities and therefore a decrease in the value of Shares). Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence and perceptions change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic, public health, cyber or banking crises.
All countries are vulnerable economically to the impact of a public health crisis, which could depress consumer demand, reduce economic output, and potentially lead to market closures, travel restrictions, and quarantines, all of which would negatively impact the country’s economy and could affect the economies of its trading partners.
Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks. Further, unlike debt securities, which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, is subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stocks, which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stocks have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity. Common stock values are subject to market fluctuations as long as the common stock remains outstanding.
When-Issued Securities - A when-issued security is one whose terms are available and for which a market exists, but which has not been issued. When the Fund engages in when-issued transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the sale. If the other party fails to complete the sale, the Fund may miss the opportunity to obtain the security at a favorable price or yield.
SAI-4
When purchasing a security on a when-issued basis, a Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield changes. At the time of settlement, the value of the security may be more or less than the purchase price. The yield available in the market when the delivery takes place also may be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself. Because a Fund does not pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with its other investments.
Decisions to enter into “when-issued” transactions will be considered on a case-by-case basis when necessary to maintain continuity in a company’s index membership. The Fund will segregate cash or liquid securities equal in value to commitments for the when-issued transactions. The Fund will segregate additional liquid assets daily so that the value of such assets is equal to the amount of the commitments.
Types of Equity Securities:
Common Stocks — Common stocks represent units of ownership in a company. Common stocks usually carry voting rights and earn dividends. Unlike preferred stocks, which are described below, dividends on common stocks are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the company’s board of directors.
Preferred Stocks — Preferred stocks are also units of ownership in a company. Preferred stocks normally have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of the company. However, in all other respects, preferred stocks are subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer. Unlike common stocks, preferred stocks are generally not entitled to vote on corporate matters. Types of preferred stocks include adjustable-rate preferred stock, fixed dividend preferred stock, perpetual preferred stock, and sinking fund preferred stock.
Generally, the market values of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element vary inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk.
Rights and Warrants — A right is a privilege granted to existing shareholders of a corporation to subscribe to shares of a new issue of common stock before it is issued. Rights normally have a short life of usually two to four weeks, are freely transferable and entitle the holder to buy the new common stock at a lower price than the public offering price. Warrants are securities that are usually issued together with a debt security or preferred stock and that give the holder the right to buy proportionate amount of common stock at a specified price. Warrants are freely transferable and are traded on major exchanges. Unlike rights, warrants normally have a life that is measured in years and entitles the holder to buy common stock of a company at a price that is usually higher than the market price at the time the warrant is issued. Corporations often issue warrants to make the accompanying debt security more attractive.
An investment in warrants and rights may entail greater risks than certain other types of investments. Generally, rights and warrants do not carry the right to receive dividends or exercise voting rights with respect to the underlying securities, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. In addition, their value does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities, and they cease to have value if they are not exercised on or before their expiration date. Investing in rights and warrants increases the potential profit or loss to be realized from the investment as compared with investing the same amount in the underlying securities.
Smaller Companies — The securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, public health, cyber, or economic developments than securities of larger-capitalization companies. The securities of small- and mid- capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Some small- or mid-capitalization companies have limited product lines, markets, and financial and managerial resources and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets relative to larger capitalization companies. There is typically less publicly available information concerning small- and mid-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies. Small- and mid-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs, and earnings.
Tracking Stocks — The Funds may invest in tracking stocks. A tracking stock is a separate class of common stock whose value is linked to a specific business unit or operating division within a larger company and which is designed to “track” the performance of such business unit or division. The tracking stock may pay dividends to shareholders independent of the parent company. The parent company, rather than the business unit or division, generally is the issuer of tracking stock. However, holders of the tracking stock may not have the same rights as holders of the company’s common stock.
ETFs. ETFs are pooled investment vehicles whose ownership interests are purchased and sold on a securities exchange. ETFs may be structured investment companies, depositary receipts or other pooled investment vehicles. As shareholders of an ETF, the Funds will
SAI-5
bear their pro rata portion of any fees and expenses of the ETFs. Although shares of ETFs are traded on an exchange, shares of certain ETFs may not be redeemable to the ETF. In addition, ETFs may trade at a price below their net asset value (also known as a discount).
The Funds may use ETFs to help replicate their respective indexes. By way of example, ETFs may be structured as broad based ETFs that invest in a broad group of stocks from different industries and market sectors; select sectors; or market ETFs that invest in debt securities from a select sector of the economy (e.g., Treasury securities) a single industry or related industries; other types of ETFs continue to be developed and the Funds may invest in them to the extent consistent with their investment objectives, policies and restrictions. The ETFs in which the Funds invest are subject to the risks applicable to the types of securities and investments used by the ETFs.
ETFs may be actively managed or index-based. Actively managed ETFs are subject to management risk and may not achieve their objective if the ETF’s manager’s expectations regarding particular securities or markets are not met. An index based ETF’s objective is to track the performance of a specified index. Index based ETFs invest in a securities portfolio that includes substantially all of the securities in substantially the same amount as the securities included in the designated index. Because passively managed ETFs are designed to track an index, securities may be purchased, retained and sold at times when an actively managed ETF would not do so. As a result, shareholders of a Fund that invest in such an ETF can expect greater risk of loss (and a correspondingly greater prospect of gain) from changes in the value of securities that are heavily weighted in the index than would be the case if ETF were not fully invested in such securities. This risk is increased if a few component securities represent a highly concentrated weighting in the designated index.
Unless permitted by the 1940 Act or an order or rule issued by the SEC, (see “Investment Companies” below for more information), the Funds’ investments in unaffiliated ETFs that are structured as investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act are subject to certain percentage limitations of the 1940 Act regarding investments in other investment companies. As a general matter, these percentage limitations currently require a Fund to limit its investments in any one issue of ETFs to 5% of the Fund’s total assets and 3% of the outstanding voting securities of the ETF issue. Moreover, a Fund’s investments in all ETFs may not currently exceed 10% of the Fund’s total assets under the 1940 Act, when aggregated with all other investments in investment companies. ETFs that are not structured as investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act are not subject to these percentage limitations.
SEC exemptive orders granted to various iShares funds (which are ETFs) and other ETFs and their investment advisers permit the Funds to invest beyond the 1940 Act limits, subject to certain terms and conditions, including a finding of the Board of Trustees that the advisory fees charged by the Adviser to the Funds are for services that are in addition to, and not duplicative of, the advisory services provided to those ETFs.
FIXED INCOME SECURITIES. The Funds may invest in fixed income securities. Even though interest-bearing securities are investments that promise a stable stream of income, the prices of such securities are affected by changes in interest rates. In general, fixed income security prices rise when interest rates fall and fall when interest rates rise. Securities with shorter maturities, while offering lower yields, generally provide greater price stability than longer term securities and are less affected by changes in interest rates. The values of fixed income securities also may be affected by changes in the credit rating or financial condition of the issuing entities. Once the rating of a portfolio security has been changed, the Funds will consider all circumstances deemed relevant in determining whether to continue to hold the security.
Fixed income investments bear certain risks, including credit risk, or the ability of an issuer to pay interest and principal as they become due. Generally, higher yielding bonds are subject to more credit risk than lower yielding bonds. Interest rate risk refers to the fluctuations in value of fixed income securities resulting from the inverse relationship between the market value of outstanding fixed income securities and changes in interest rates. An increase in interest rates will generally reduce the market value of fixed income investments and a decline in interest rates will tend to increase their value.
A number of factors, including changes in a central bank’s monetary policies or general improvements in the economy, may cause interest rates to rise. Fixed income securities with longer durations are more sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with shorter durations, making them more volatile. This means their prices are more likely to experience a considerable reduction in response to a rise in interest rates.
FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES RATINGS. Nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (together, rating agency) publish ratings based upon their assessment of the relative creditworthiness of rated fixed-income securities. Generally, a lower rating indicates higher credit risk, and higher yields are ordinarily available from fixed-income securities in the lower rating categories to compensate investors for the increased credit risk. Any use of credit ratings in evaluating fixed-income securities can involve certain risks. For example, ratings assigned by the rating agencies are based upon an analysis completed at the time of the rating of the obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal, typically relying to a large extent on historical data. Rating agencies typically rely
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to a large extent on historical data which may not accurately represent present or future circumstances. Ratings do not purport to reflect to risk of fluctuations in market value of the fixed-income security and are not absolute standards of quality and only express the rating agency’s current opinion of an obligor’s overall financial capacity to pay its financial obligations. A credit rating is not a statement of fact or a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a fixed-income obligation. Also, credit quality can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and credit ratings may not reflect the issuer’s current financial condition or events since the security was last rated. Rating agencies may have a financial interest in generating business, including the arranger or issuer of the security that normally pays for that rating, and a low rating might affect future business. While rating agencies have policies and procedures to address this potential conflict of interest, there is a risk that these policies will fail to prevent a conflict of interest from impacting the rating. Additionally, legislation has been enacted in an effort to reform rating agencies. The SEC has also adopted rules to require rating agencies to provide additional disclosure and reduce conflicts of interest, and further reform has been proposed. It is uncertain how such legislation or additional regulation might impact the ratings agencies business and the Adviser’s investment process.
Prepayment risk occurs when a fixed-income investment held by a Fund may be repaid in whole or in part prior to its maturity. The amount of prepayable obligations a Fund invests in from time to time may be affected by general business conditions, market interest rates, borrowers’ financial conditions and competitive conditions among lenders. In a period of declining interest rates, borrowers may repay investments more quickly than anticipated, reducing the yield to maturity and the average life of the relevant investment. Moreover, when a Fund reinvests the proceeds of a prepayment in these circumstances, it will likely receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the security that was prepaid. To the extent that a Fund purchases a relevant investment at a premium, prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. If a Fund buys such investments at a discount, both scheduled payments and unscheduled prepayments will increase current and total returns and unscheduled prepayments will also accelerate the recognition of income. In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments of investments may occur at a slower than expected rate, creating maturity extension risk. This particular risk may effectively change an investment that was considered short- or intermediate-term at the time of purchase into a longer-term investment. Since the value of longer-term investments generally fluctuates more widely in response to changes in interest rates than short-term investments, maturity extension risk could increase the volatility of a Fund. When interest rates decline, the value of an investment with prepayment features may not increase as much as that of other fixed-income securities and, as noted above, changes in market rates of interest may accelerate or delay prepayments and thus affect maturities.
ILLIQUID INVESTMENTS. Each Fund may invest up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, as such term is defined by Rule 22e-4 of the 1940 Act. The Funds may not invest in illiquid investments if, as a result of such investment, more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets would be invested in illiquid investments. Illiquid investments include securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that lack readily available markets. The inability of a Fund to dispose of illiquid investments readily or at a reasonable price could impair the Fund’s ability to raise cash for redemptions or other purposes. The liquidity of securities purchased by a Fund that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A, except for certain 144A bonds, will be monitored by the Funds on an ongoing basis. In the event that more than 15% of its net assets are invested in illiquid investments, the Funds, in accordance with Rule 22e-4(b)(1)(iv), will report the occurrence to both the Board and the SEC and seek to reduce its holdings of illiquid investments within a reasonable period of time.
INVESTMENT COMPANIES. The Funds may invest in the securities of other investment companies, including money market funds and ETFs, subject to applicable limitations under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. Pursuant to Section 12(d)(1), the Funds may invest in the securities of another investment company (the “acquired company”) provided that each Fund, immediately after such purchase or acquisition, does not own in the aggregate: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired company; (ii) securities issued by the acquired company having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund; or (iii) securities issued by the acquired company and all other investment companies (other than treasury stock of the Fund) having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the Fund. These limitations do not apply to money market funds subject to certain conditions.
If a Fund invests in and, thus, is a shareholder of, another investment company, the Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by such other investment company, including advisory fees, in addition to both the management fees payable directly by the Fund to the Fund’s own investment adviser and the other expenses that the Fund bears directly in connection with the Fund’s own operations.
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in securities of other registered investment companies, including the Funds. The acquisition of a Fund’s Shares by other registered investment companies is subject to the restrictions of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except as may be permitted by exemptive rules under the 1940 Act or as may at some future time be permitted by an exemptive order that permits registered investment companies to invest in a Fund beyond the limits of
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Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company enter into an agreement with the Fund regarding the terms of the investment.
The Funds may rely on Section 12(d)(1)(F) and Rule 12d1-3 of the 1940 Act, which provide an exemption from Section 12(d)(1) that allows a Fund to invest all of its assets in other registered funds, including ETFs, if, among other conditions: (a) the Fund, together with its affiliates, acquires no more than three percent of the outstanding voting stock of any acquired fund, and (b) the sales load charged on the Fund’s Shares is no greater than the limits set forth in Rule 2830 of the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). Additionally, the Fund may rely on exemptive relief issued by the SEC to other registered funds, including ETFs, to invest in such other funds in excess of the limits of Section 12(d)(1) if the Fund complies with the terms and conditions of such exemptive relief.
MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS. The Funds may invest a portion of their assets in high-quality money market instruments or in money market mutual funds on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. The instruments in which each Fund or money market mutual fund may invest include: (i) short-term obligations issued by the U.S. Government; (ii) negotiable certificates of deposit (“CDs”), fixed time deposits and bankers’ acceptances of U.S. and foreign banks and similar institutions; (iii) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase “Prime-1” by Moody’s or “A-1+” or “A-1” by Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Fund; and (iv) repurchase agreements. CDs are short-term negotiable obligations of commercial banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Banker’s acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.
NON-DIVERSIFICATION. Each Fund is classified as a non-diversified investment company under the 1940 Act. A “non-diversified” classification means that a Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the percentage of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. This means that a Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. The securities of a particular issuer may constitute a greater portion of the Index and, therefore, those securities may constitute a greater portion of a Fund’s portfolio. This may have an adverse effect on a Fund’s performance or subject a Fund’s Shares to greater price volatility than more diversified investment companies. Moreover, in pursuing its objective, a Fund may hold the securities of a single issuer in an amount exceeding 10% of the value of the outstanding securities of the issuer, subject to restrictions imposed by the Code. In particular, as a Fund’s size grows and its assets increase, it will be more likely to hold more than 10% of the securities of a single issuer if the issuer has a relatively small public float as compared to other components in the Index.
Although each Fund is non-diversified for purposes of the 1940 Act, each Fund intends to maintain the required level of diversification and otherwise conduct its operations so as to qualify as a RIC for purposes of the Code, and to relieve the Fund of any liability for federal income tax to the extent that its earnings are distributed to shareholders. Compliance with the diversification requirements of the Code may limit the investment flexibility of a Fund and may make it less likely that a Fund will meet its investment objectives. See “Federal Income Taxes” in this SAI for further discussion
NON-U.S. SECURITIES. The Funds may invest in non-U.S. securities. Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present in investments in U.S. securities. For example, non-U.S. securities may be subject to currency risks or to political, social, or economic instability. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than about a U.S. issuer, and a foreign issuer may or may not be subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those in the U.S. Investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. Other risks of investing in such securities include political, social, or economic instability in the country involved, the difficulty of predicting international trade patterns and the possibility of imposition of exchange controls. The prices of such securities may be more volatile than those of domestic securities. With respect to certain foreign countries, there is a possibility of expropriation of assets or nationalization, imposition of withholding taxes on dividend or interest payments, difficulty in obtaining and enforcing judgments against foreign entities or diplomatic developments which could affect investment in these countries. Losses and other expenses may be incurred in converting between various currencies in connection with purchases and sales of foreign securities. Because foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Funds do not price their Shares, the value of the securities in a Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell Shares. Conversely, Shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Each of these factors can make investments in the Funds more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.
Non-U.S. stock markets may not be as developed or efficient as, and may be more volatile than, those in the U.S. While the volume of shares traded on non-U.S. stock markets generally has been growing, such markets usually have substantially less volume than U.S. markets. Therefore, a Fund’s investment in non-U.S. equity securities may be less liquid and subject to more rapid and erratic price
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movements than comparable securities listed for trading on U.S. exchanges. Non-U.S. equity securities may trade at price/earnings multiples higher than comparable U.S. securities and such levels may not be sustainable. There may be less government supervision and regulation of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, banks and listed companies abroad than in the U.S. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets. Such differences may include delays beyond periods customary in the U.S. and practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, that increase the likelihood of a failed settlement, which can result in losses to the Funds. The value of non-U.S. investments and the investment income derived from them may also be affected unfavorably by changes in currency exchange control regulations. Foreign brokerage commissions, custodial expenses and other fees are also generally higher than for securities traded in the U.S. This may cause the Funds to incur higher portfolio transaction costs than domestic equity funds. Fluctuations in exchange rates may also affect the earning power and asset value of the foreign entity issuing a security, even one denominated in U.S. dollars. Dividend and interest payments may be repatriated based on the exchange rate at the time of disbursement, and restrictions on capital flows may be imposed.
Investing in emerging markets can have more risk than investing in developed foreign markets. The risks of investing in these markets may be exacerbated relative to investments in foreign markets. Governments of developing and emerging market countries may be more unstable as compared to more developed countries. Developing and emerging market countries may have less developed securities markets or exchanges, and legal and accounting systems. It may be more difficult to sell securities at acceptable prices and security prices may be more volatile than in countries with more mature markets. Currency values may fluctuate more in developing or emerging markets. Developing or emerging market countries may be more likely to impose government restrictions, including confiscatory taxation, expropriation or nationalization of a company’s assets, and restrictions on foreign ownership of local companies. In addition, emerging markets may impose restrictions on the Funds’ ability to repatriate investment income or capital and thus, may adversely affect the operations of the Funds. Certain emerging markets may impose constraints on currency exchange and some currencies in emerging markets may have been devalued significantly against the U.S. dollar. For these and other reasons, the prices of securities in emerging markets can fluctuate more significantly than the prices of securities of companies in developed countries. The less developed the country, the greater effect these risks may have on the Funds.
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS. The Funds may invest in the securities of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) to the extent allowed by law. Risks associated with investments in securities of REITs include decline in the value of real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, variations in rental income, changes in neighborhood values, the appeal of properties to tenants, and increases in interest rates. In addition, equity REITs may be affected by changes in the values of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs are also subject to heavy cash-flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for the favorable United States federal income tax treatment generally available to REITs under the Code, and failing to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act. If an issuer of debt securities collateralized by real estate defaults, it is conceivable that the REITs could end up holding the underlying real estate.
OTHER SHORT-TERM INSTRUMENTS. In addition to repurchase agreements, the Funds may invest in short-term instruments, including money market instruments, on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. Money market instruments are generally short-term investments that may include but are not limited to: (i) shares of money market funds; (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises); (iii) negotiable certificates of deposit (“CDs”), bankers’ acceptances, fixed time deposits and other obligations of U.S. and foreign banks (including foreign branches) and similar institutions; (iv) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase “Prime-1” by Moody’s or “A-1” by S&P or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser; (v) non-convertible corporate debt securities (e.g., bonds and debentures) with remaining maturities at the date of purchase of not more than 397 days and that satisfy the rating requirements set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; and (vi) short-term U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign banks (including U.S. branches) that, in the opinion of the Adviser , are of comparable quality to obligations of U.S. banks which may be purchased by a Fund. Any of these instruments may be purchased on a current or a forward-settled basis. Money market instruments also include shares of money market funds. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers’ acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. Each Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with counterparties that are deemed to present acceptable credit risks. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases securities or other obligations from a bank or securities dealer (or its affiliate) and simultaneously commits to resell them to a counterparty at an agreed-upon date or upon demand and at a price reflecting a market rate of interest unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased obligations. The
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Fund maintains custody of the underlying obligations prior to their repurchase, either through its regular custodian or through a special “tri-party” custodian or sub-custodian that maintains separate accounts for both the Fund and its counterparty. Thus, the obligation of the counterparty to pay the repurchase price on the date agreed to or upon demand is, in effect, secured by such obligations.
Repurchase agreements carry certain risks not associated with direct investments in securities, including a possible decline in the market value of the underlying obligations. If their value becomes less than the repurchase price, plus any agreed-upon additional amount, the counterparty must provide additional collateral so that at all times the collateral is at least equal to the repurchase price plus any agreed- upon additional amount. The difference between the total amount to be received upon repurchase of the obligations and the price that was paid by the Fund upon acquisition is accrued as interest and included in its net investment income. Repurchase agreements involving obligations other than U.S. Government securities (such as commercial paper and corporate bonds) may be subject to special risks and may not have the benefit of certain protections in the event of the counterparty’s insolvency. If the seller or guarantor becomes insolvent, the Fund may suffer delays, costs and possible losses in connection with the disposition of collateral.
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Funds may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which involve the sale of securities held by a Fund subject to its agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon date or upon demand and at a price reflecting a market rate of interest. Reverse repurchase agreements are subject to a Fund’s limitation on borrowings and may be entered into only with banks or securities dealers or their affiliates. While a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding, a Fund will maintain the segregation, either on its records or with the Trust’s custodian, of cash or other liquid securities, marked-to-market daily, in an amount at least equal to its obligations under the reverse repurchase agreement.
Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the buyer of the securities sold by a Fund might be unable to deliver them when that Fund seeks to repurchase. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the buyer or trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce a Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities, and the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision.
SECURITIES LENDING. Each Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain creditworthy borrowers, including the Fund’s securities lending agent. Loans of portfolio securities provide a Fund with the opportunity to earn additional income on the Fund’s portfolio securities. All securities loans will be made pursuant to agreements requiring the loans to be continuously secured by collateral in cash, or money market instruments, or money market funds at least equal at all times to the market value of the loaned securities. The borrower pays to the Fund an amount equal to any dividends or interest received on loaned securities. The Fund retains all or a portion of the interest received on investment of cash collateral or receives a fee from the borrower. Lending portfolio securities involves risks of delay in recovery of the loaned securities or in some cases loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. Furthermore, because of the risks of delay in recovery, the Fund may lose the opportunity to sell the securities at a desirable price. The Fund will generally not have the right to vote securities while they are being loaned.
U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. A Fund may invest in U.S. government securities to the extent consistent with its investment objective and strategies. Not all U.S. government obligations carry the same credit support. Although many U.S. government securities in which the fund may invest, such as those issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may be chartered or sponsored by Acts of Congress, their securities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury and, therefore, are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Some, such as those of Ginnie Mae, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Other obligations, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; and others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agency’s obligations. Still others are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality or sponsored enterprise. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.
As agency of the U.S. government has placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorship, a statutory process with the objective of returning the entities to normal business operations. It is unclear what effect this conservatorship will have on the securities issued or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. As a result, these securities are subject to more credit risk than U.S. government securities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (e.g., U.S. Treasury bonds).
To the extent the Fund invests in debt instruments or securities of non-U.S. government entities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is a possibility that such guarantee may be discontinued or modified at a later date.
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The total public debt of the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product has grown rapidly since the beginning of the 2008-2009 financial downturn and is expected to grow even greater as a result of efforts to support the U.S. economy during the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2020. Although high debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, they may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high national debt can raise concerns that the U.S. government will not be able to make principal or interest payments when they are due. This increase has also necessitated the need for the U.S. Congress to negotiate adjustments to the statutory debt ceiling to increase the cap on the amount the U.S. government is permitted to borrow to meet its existing obligations and finance current budget deficits. In August 2011, S&P lowered its long term sovereign credit rating on the U.S. In explaining the downgrade at that time, S&P cited, among other reasons, controversy over raising the statutory debt ceiling and growth in public spending. On August 2, 2019, following passage by Congress, the President of the United States signed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019, which suspends the statutory debt limit through July 31, 2021. Any controversy or ongoing uncertainty regarding the statutory debt ceiling negotiations may impact the U.S. long-term sovereign credit rating and may cause market uncertainty. As a result, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government may be adversely affected.
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. The Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) may, in the future, authorize a Fund to invest in securities contracts and investments other than those listed in this SAI and in the Fund’s Prospectus, provided they are consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and do not violate any investment restrictions or policies.
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
The Trust has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to the Funds. These restrictions cannot be changed with respect to a Fund without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. For the purposes of the 1940 Act, a “majority of outstanding shares” means the vote of the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the voting securities of the Fund present at the meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, each Fund may not:
1.Concentrate its investments (i.e., hold more than 25% of its total assets) in any industry or group of related industries, except that each Fund will concentrate to approximately the same extent that its index concentrates in the securities of such particular industry or group of related industries. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), registered investment companies, repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities, and tax-exempt securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
2.Borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
3.Make loans, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
4.Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. This shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate, real estate investment trusts or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
5.Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. This shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities.
6.Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
In addition to the investment restrictions adopted as fundamental policies as set forth above, the Funds observe the following non- fundamental restrictions, which may be changed without a shareholder vote.
1.Each Fund will not invest in illiquid investments if, as a result of such investment, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is 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 disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment.
2.Each Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending) in the component securities of the Fund’s respective Index or in ETFs that track that track the performance of a group of securities included in such Index in approximately the same proportion as in such Index.
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3.Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of each Fund’s net assets, plus borrowings for investment purposes, will be invested in securities that are traded principally in the United States.
If a percentage limitation is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from any change in value or total or net assets will not result in a violation of such restriction, except with respect to the borrowing of money. With respect to the limitation on illiquid investments, in the event that a subsequent change in net assets or other circumstances cause a Fund to exceed its limitation, the Fund will take steps to bring the aggregate amount of illiquid instruments back within the limitations as soon as reasonably practicable. With respect to the limitation on borrowing, in the event that a subsequent change in net assets or other circumstances cause a Fund to exceed its limitation, the Fund will take steps to bring the aggregate amount of borrowing back within the limitations within three days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays).
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Trust’s Board of Trustees has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about the Funds’ security holdings. As exchange-traded funds, information about each Fund’s portfolio holdings is made available on a daily basis in accordance with the provisions of an Order of the SEC applicable to the Funds, regulations of the Exchange and other applicable SEC regulations, orders and no-action relief. Such information typically reflects all or a portion of each Fund’s anticipated portfolio holdings as of the next Business Day. A “Business Day” is any day on which the Exchange is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the Exchange observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day (observed), Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. This information is used in connection with the creation and redemption process and is disseminated on a daily basis through the Exchange, the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) and/or third-party service providers.
The Funds will disclose on their website at the start of each Business Day the identities and quantities of the securities and other assets held by each Fund that will form the basis of the Fund’s calculation of its NAV on that Business Day. The portfolio holdings so disclosed will be based on information as of the close of business on the prior Business Day and/or trades that have been completed prior to the opening of business on that Business Day and that are expected to settle on that Business Day.
Each Fund may disclose its complete portfolio holdings or a portion of its portfolio holdings online at www.PacerETFs.com. Each Fund will disclose its complete portfolio holdings schedule in public filings with the SEC on a quarterly basis, based on the Fund’s fiscal year, within sixty (60) days of the end of the quarter, and will provide that information to shareholders, as required by federal securities laws and regulations thereunder.
The Trust’s portfolio holdings policy provides that neither the Funds nor their Adviser, distributor or any agent, or any employee thereof (“Fund Representative”) will disclose a Fund’s portfolio holdings information to any person other than in accordance with the policy. For purposes of the policy, “portfolio holdings information” means a Fund’s actual portfolio holdings, as well as non-public information about its trading strategies or pending transactions including the portfolio holdings, trading strategies or pending transactions of any commingled fund portfolio which contains identical holdings as the Fund. Under the policy, neither a Fund nor any Fund Representative may solicit or accept any compensation or other consideration in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information. A Fund Representative may provide portfolio holdings information to third parties if such information has been included in a Fund’s public filings with the SEC or is disclosed on the Fund’s publicly accessible website. Information posted on a Fund’s website may be separately provided to any person commencing the day after it is first published on the Fund’s website.
Under the policy, each business day each Fund’s portfolio holdings information will be provided to the distributor or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) and/or other fee based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee based subscription services, including Authorized Participants (defined below), and to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading Shares of Funds in the secondary market. The distributor may also make available portfolio holdings information to other institutional market participants and entities that provide information services. This information typically reflects each Fund’s anticipated holdings on the following business day. “Authorized Participants” are generally large institutional investors that have been authorized by the distributor to purchase and redeem large blocks of Shares (known as Creation Units) pursuant to legal requirements, including the exemptive order granted by the SEC, to which the Funds offer and redeem Shares.
Other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, portfolio holdings information that is not filed with the SEC or posted on the publicly available website may be provided to third parties only in limited circumstances. Third-party recipients will be required to keep all portfolio holdings information confidential and prohibited from trading on the information they receive. Disclosure to such third parties must be approved in advance by the Trust’s President or one of the principal officers of the Adviser. Disclosure to providers of auditing, custody, proxy voting and other
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similar services for the Funds, as well as rating and ranking organizations, will generally be permitted; however, information may be disclosed to other parties (including, without limitation, individuals, institutional investors, and Authorized Participants that sell Shares of a Fund) only upon approval by the Trust’s President or one of the principal officers of the Adviser, who must first determine that the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for doing so. In general, each recipient of non-public portfolio holding information must sign a confidentiality and non-trading agreement, although this requirement will not apply when the recipient is otherwise subject to a duty of confidentiality as determined by the Trust’s President or one of the principal officers of the Adviser.
CONTINUOUS OFFERING
The method by which Creation Unit Aggregations of Shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Unit Aggregations of Shares are issued and sold on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Unit Aggregations after placing an order with the Trust’s Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares of a Fund are reminded that, pursuant to Rule 153 under the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with the sale on the Listing Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Listing Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Board Responsibilities. The management and affairs of the Trust and its series are overseen by a Board of Trustees. The Board elects the officers of the Trust who are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the Trust and the Funds. The Board has approved contracts, as described below, under which certain companies provide essential services to the Trust.
Like most ETFs, the day-to-day business of the Trust, including the management of risk, is performed by third party service providers, such as the Adviser, the Distributor and the Administrator. The Trustees are responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, have oversight responsibility with respect to risk management performed by those service providers. Risk management seeks to identify and address risks, i.e., events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance or reputation of the Funds. The Funds and their service providers employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various of those possible events or circumstances, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each service provider is responsible for one or more discrete aspects of the Trust’s business (e.g., the Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds’ portfolio investments) and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that business. The Board has emphasized to the Funds’ service providers the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management.
The Board’s role in risk oversight begins before the inception of a Fund, at which time certain of the Fund’s service providers present the Board with information concerning the investment objectives, strategies and risks of the Fund as well as proposed investment limitations for the Fund. Additionally, the Adviser provides the Board with an overview of, among other things, its investment philosophy, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructure. Thereafter, the Board continues its oversight function as various personnel, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, as well as personnel of the Adviser, and other service providers such as the Fund’s independent accountants, make periodic reports to the Audit Committee or to the Board with respect to various aspects of risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee oversee efforts by management and service providers to manage risks to which a Fund may be exposed.
The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided to the Funds by the Adviser and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis (following the initial two-year
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period), in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the Investment Advisory Agreements with the Adviser, the Board meets with the Adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Adviser’s adherence to the Funds’ investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about each Fund’s performance and the Fund’s investments, including, for example, portfolio holdings schedules.
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues and Fund and Adviser risk assessments. At least annually, the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, as well as personnel of the Adviser, provides the Board with a report reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust’s policies and procedures and those of its service providers, including the Adviser. The report addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Trust and each service provider since the date of the last report; any material changes to the policies and procedures since the date of the last report; any recommendations for material changes to the policies and procedures; and any material compliance matters since the date of the last report.
The Board receives reports from the Funds’ service providers regarding operational risks and risks related to the valuation and liquidity of portfolio securities. Annually, the independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of each Fund’s financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Fund and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Fund’s internal controls. Additionally, in connection with its oversight function, the Board oversees Fund management’s implementation of disclosure controls and procedures, which are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in its periodic reports with the SEC are recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the required time periods. The Board also oversees the Trust’s internal controls over financial reporting, which comprise policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Trust’s financial reporting and the preparation of the Trust’s financial statements.
From their review of these reports and discussions with the Adviser, the Chief Compliance Officer, the independent registered public accounting firm and other service providers, the Board and the Audit Committee learn in detail about the material risks of each Fund, thereby facilitating a dialogue about how management and service providers identify and mitigate those risks.
The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect a Fund can be identified and/or quantified, that it may not be practical or cost- effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve a Fund’s goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Trustees as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. Most of the Funds’ investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through the Adviser and other service providers, each of which has an independent interest in risk management but whose policies and the methods by which one or more risk management functions are carried out may differ from a Fund’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s ability to monitor and manage risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.
Members of the Board and Officers of the Trust. There are four members of the Board of Trustees (each, a “Trustee”), three of whom are not interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”). Joe M. Thomson serves as Chairman of the Board, and Deborah G. Wolk serves as the Trust’s Lead Independent Trustee. The Board of Trustees is comprised of a super-majority (75 percent) of Independent Trustees. There is an Audit Committee of the Board that is chaired by an Independent Trustee and comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee chair presides at the Committee meetings, participates in formulating agendas for Committee meetings, and coordinates with management to serve as a liaison between the Independent Trustees and management on matters within the scope of responsibilities of the Committee as set forth in its Board-approved charter. The Trust has determined its leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust. The Trust made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the number of Independent Trustees that constitute the Board, the amount of assets under management in the Trust, and the number of Funds overseen by the Board. The Board also believes that its leadership structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Independent Trustees from Fund management.
The Board of Trustees has two standing committees: the Audit Committee and Nominating Committee. Each Committee is chaired by an Independent Trustee and composed of Independent Trustees.
The Audit Committee is comprised of all of the Independent Trustees. The function of the Audit Committee is to review the scope and results of the annual audit of the Funds and any matters bearing on the audit or a Fund’s financial statements and to ensure the integrity of the Funds’ financial reporting. The Audit Committee also recommends to the Board of Trustees the annual selection of the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds and it reviews and pre-approves audit and certain non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm.
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The Nominating Committee, comprised of all the Independent Trustees, is responsible for seeking and reviewing candidates for consideration as nominees for Trustees. The Committee meets on an as needed basis.
Additionally, the Trust has a Fair Value Pricing Committee, appointed by the Board, comprised of certain officers of the Trust and employees of the Adviser. The Fair Value Pricing Committee is responsible for valuing securities held by the Funds for which current and reliable market quotations are not readily available.
Additional information about each Trustee of the Trust is set forth below. The address of each Trustee of the Trust is c/o Pacer Advisors, Inc., 500 Chesterfield Parkway, Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355.
Name and Year of Birth | Position(s) Held with the Trust | Term of Office and Length of Time Served | Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years | Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen By Trustee | Other Directorships held by Trustee During Past Five Years | |||||||||||||||
Interested Trustee | ||||||||||||||||||||
Joe M. Thomson Born: 1944 | Trustee, Chairman, President, and Principal Executive Officer | Indefinite Term; since 2014 | Founder/President at Pacer Advisors, Inc. (since 2005) | 29 | Director, First Cornerstone Bank (2000–2016) | |||||||||||||||
Independent Trustees | ||||||||||||||||||||
Deborah G. Wolk Born: 1950 | Lead Independent Trustee | Indefinite Term; since 2015 | Self-employed providing accounting services and computer modeling (since 1997) | 29 | None | |||||||||||||||
Jonathan H. Newman, Sr. Born: 1962 | Trustee | Indefinite Term; since 2015 | CEO and Chairman, Newman Wine & Spirits (since 2007) | 29 | None | |||||||||||||||
Dennis J. Ryan Born: 1947 | Trustee | Indefinite Term; since 2017 | Principal/Owner, Brendan Abstract Company, Inc. (title insurance) (since 1999) | 29 | None |
Individual Trustee Qualifications
The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve on the Board because of their ability to review and understand information about the Funds provided to them by management, to identify and request other information they may deem relevant to the performance of their duties, to question management and other service providers regarding material factors bearing on the management and administration of the Funds, and to exercise their business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of each Fund’s shareholders. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve as a Trustee based on their own experience, qualifications, attributes and skills as described below.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Thomson should serve as Trustee because of the experience he has gained as Founder and President of Pacer Advisors, Inc., Pacer Financial, Inc., and in his past roles with various registered broker-dealers and investment management firms. In addition, he holds the Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®), Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®), Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), and Chartered Mutual Fund Counselor (CMFC®) designations, the FINRA General Principal’s license, and the Pennsylvania Life & Annuity Insurance license.
The Trust has concluded that Ms. Wolk should serve as Trustee because of the experience she has gained during the past nineteen years providing accounting services and computer modeling expertise to small business clients, as well as her prior positions in the corporate finance field. In addition, she holds the Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) designation. The Trust believes that Ms. Wolk’s extensive experience in accounting and finance provides an appropriate background in areas applicable to investment company oversight.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Newman should serve as Trustee because of his experience as a successful entrepreneur and as a lawyer. The Trust believes that Mr. Newman’s business acumen and legal expertise provide an appropriate background in areas applicable to investment company oversight.
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The Trust has concluded that Mr. Ryan should serve as Trustee because of his experience as a successful entrepreneur in the title insurance industry. The Trust believes that Mr. Ryan’s business acumen and understanding of financial issues and risk management provide an appropriate background in areas applicable to investment company oversight.
In its periodic assessment of the effectiveness of the Board, the Board considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition so that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Funds.
Principal Officers of the Trust
The officers of the Trust conduct and supervise its daily business. The address of each officer of the Trust, unless otherwise indicated below, is c/o Pacer Advisors, Inc., 500 Chesterfield Parkway, Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355.
Name and Year of Birth | Position(s) Held with Funds | Term of Office and Length of Time Served | Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years | ||||||||
Joe M. Thomson Born: 1944 | Trustee, Chairman, President, and Principal Executive Officer | Indefinite Term; since 2014 | Founder/President, Pacer Advisors, Inc. (since 2005); President and Chief Compliance Officer, Pacer Financial, Inc. (since 2005) | ||||||||
Sean E. O’Hara Born: 1962 | Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer | Indefinite Term; since 2014 | Director, Index Design Group (since 2015); Director, Pacer Financial, Inc. (since 2007); Director, Pacer Advisors, Inc. (since 2007) | ||||||||
Bruce Kavanaugh Born: 1964 | Secretary and Portfolio Manager | Indefinite Term; since 2016 | Vice President, Pacer Advisors, Inc. (since 2004); Vice President, Pacer Financial, Inc. (since 2004) | ||||||||
Perpetua Seidenberg Gateway Corporate Center Suite 216 223 Wilmington West Chester Pike Chadds Ford, PA 19317 Born: 1990 | Chief Compliance Officer and AML Officer | Indefinite Term; since 2018 | Compliance Director, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (an investment management services company) (since 2014); Auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (2012–2014) |
Shares Owned by Board Members. The Funds are required to show the dollar amount ranges of each Trustee’s “beneficial ownership” of Shares of the Funds and each other series of the Trust as of the end of the most recently completed calendar year. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Exchange Act.
Because the Funds are new, the Trustees and officers did not own any Shares of either Fund as of the date of this SAI.
Board Compensation. Independent Trustees are paid by the Adviser from the unified management fee paid to the Advisor and not by the Funds. The Independent Trustees each receive a per meeting trustee fee of $1,500, as well as reimbursement for travel and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attendance at Board meetings. The Trust has no pension or retirement plan. No officer, director or employee of the Adviser, including Mr. Thomson, receives any compensation from the Funds for acting as a Trustee or officer of the Trust. The following table shows the compensation estimated to be earned by each Trustee for the Funds’ fiscal year ending October 31, 2020. Trustee compensation does not include reimbursed out-of-pocket expenses in connection with attendance at meetings.
Name | Aggregate Compensation From Each Fund | Total Compensation From Fund Complex Paid to Trustees | ||||||||||||
Interested Trustee | ||||||||||||||
Joe M. Thomson | $0 | $0 | ||||||||||||
Independent Trustees | ||||||||||||||
Deborah G. Wolk | $0 | $6,000 | ||||||||||||
Jonathan H. Newman, Sr. | $0 | $6,000 | ||||||||||||
Dennis J. Ryan | $0 | $6,000 |
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Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities. A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding Shares of a Fund. A control person is a shareholder that owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of a Fund or acknowledges the existence of control. Shareholders owning voting securities in excess of 25% may determine the outcome of any matter affecting and voted on by shareholders of a Fund. As of June 10, 2020, there were no shares of either Fund outstanding.
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Pacer Advisors, Inc. serves as investment adviser to the Funds pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and the Adviser (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”). The Adviser is a Pennsylvania company located at 500 Chesterfield Parkway, Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355. The Adviser is majority owned by Joe M. Thomson.
Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser provides investment advice to the Funds and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Funds, subject to the direction and control of the Board and the officers of the Trust. The Adviser also arranges for transfer agency, custody, fund administration and all other non-distribution-related services necessary for the Funds to operate. Each Fund pays the Adviser a fee equal to 0.60% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of the Funds, except for: the fees paid to the Adviser pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, and distribution (12b-1) fees and expenses, if any.
The Adviser, from its own resources, including profits from advisory fees received from the Funds, provided such fees are legitimate and not excessive, may make payments to broker-dealers and other financial institutions for their expenses in connection with the distribution of Shares, and otherwise currently pays all distribution costs for Shares.
The Investment Advisory Agreement, with respect to the Funds, continues in effect for two years from its effective date, and thereafter is subject to annual approval by (i) the Board of Trustees of the Trust or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Funds, provided that in either event such continuance also is approved by a vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Funds, by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. If the shareholders of a Fund fail to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser may continue to serve in the manner and to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and regulations thereunder.
The Investment Advisory Agreement with respect to the Funds is terminable without any penalty, by vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Funds, or by the Adviser, in each case on not less than thirty (30) days’ nor more than sixty (60) days’ prior written notice to the other party; provided that a shorter notice period shall be permitted for the Funds in the event Shares are no longer listed on a national securities exchange. The Investment Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically and immediately in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).
Management fees paid by each Predecessor Fund to the Funds’ previous investment adviser for the fiscal year/period ended December 31 were as follows:
Name of Fund | 2019 | 2018 | ||||||
Salt High truBeta US Market ETF | $35,882 | $13,618(1) | ||||||
Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF | $1,529(2) | N/A |
(1) For the fiscal period May 15, 2018 (commencement of operations of the Predecessor Fund) through December 31, 2018.
(2) For the fiscal period March 12, 2019 (commencement of operations of the Predecessor Fund) through December 31, 2019. The total management fees earned by the Predecessor Fund’s investment adviser during this period was $14,101 subject to fee waivers of $12,572.
Portfolio Managers. Each Fund employs a rules-based, passive investment strategy. The Adviser uses a committee approach to managing the Funds. Bruce Kavanaugh, Vice President of the Adviser, and Michael Mack, Investment Analyst for the Adviser, have primary responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Funds and have served as Fund portfolio managers since each Fund’s inception.
In addition to the Funds, the portfolio managers each co-manage the following other accounts (collectively, the “Other Accounts”) as of April 30, 2020:
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Type of Accounts | Total Number of Accounts | Total Assets of Accounts | Total Number of Accounts with Performance Based Fees | Total Assets of Accounts with Performance Based Fees | ||||||||||
Registered Investment Companies | 23 | $5,221,126,791 | 0 | $0 | ||||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
Portfolio Managers Fund Ownership. The Funds are required to show the dollar range of each portfolio manager’s “beneficial ownership” of Shares as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the 1934 Act. As of the date of this SAI, the portfolio managers did not own Shares of the Funds.
Portfolio Managers Compensation. Mr. Kavanaugh and Mr. Mack each receive a fixed salary from the Adviser.
Description of Material Conflicts of Interest. A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio managers’ management of a Fund and Other Accounts, which, in theory, may allow them to allocate investment opportunities in a way that favors Other Accounts over a Fund. This conflict of interest may be exacerbated to the extent that the Adviser or a portfolio manager receives, or expects to receive, greater compensation from their management of the Other Accounts (some of which may receive a base and incentive fee) than from a Fund. Notwithstanding this theoretical conflict of interest, it is the Adviser’s policy to manage each account based on its investment objectives and related restrictions, and the Adviser has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to allocate investment opportunities on a fair and equitable basis over time and in a manner consistent with each account’s investment objectives and related restrictions.
Codes of Ethics. The Trust, the Adviser, and the Distributor (as defined under “The Distributor”) have each adopted a code of ethics, including an insider trading policy, pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act and Rule 204A-1 of the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, as applicable. These codes of ethics are designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Trust, the Adviser and the Distributor from engaging in deceptive, manipulative or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by the Funds (which may also be held by persons subject to the codes of ethics).
There can be no assurance that the codes of ethics will be effective in preventing such activities. Each code of ethics may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C. or on the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
Proxy Voting Policy. The Funds have delegated proxy voting responsibilities to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s oversight. In delegating proxy responsibilities, the Board has directed that proxies be voted consistent with a Fund’s and its shareholders’ best interests and in compliance with all applicable proxy voting rules and regulations. The Adviser has adopted proxy voting policies and guidelines for this purpose (“Proxy Voting Policies”) and has engaged a third party proxy solicitation firm to assist with voting proxies in a timely manner. The Trust’s chief compliance officer is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of the Proxy Voting Policies.
Under the Proxy Voting Policies, in the absence of specific voting guidelines from the client, the Adviser will vote proxies in the best interest of each particular client. The Adviser has adopted the Glass Lewis Investment Manager Guidelines attached as Appendix A. They are designed to vote in a manner consistent with the Adviser’s investment decision making. The Adviser’s policy is to vote all proxies from a specific issuer the same way for each client, absent qualifying restrictions from a client. Clients are permitted to place reasonable restrictions on our voting authority in the same manner that they may place such restrictions on the actual selection of account securities. Clients may direct the vote in a particular solicitation.
The Adviser will generally vote in favor of routine corporate housekeeping proposals such as the election of directors and selection of auditors absent conflicts of interest raised by an auditor’s non-audit services. The Adviser will generally vote against proposals that cause board members to become entrenched or cause unequal voting rights. In reviewing proposals, the Adviser will further consider the opinion of management, the effect on management, the effect on shareholder value and the issuer’s business practices.
When available, information on how a Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12 month period ended June 30 will be available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-617-0004 and (2) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
THE ADMINISTRATOR, TRANSFER AGENT, AND INDEX RECEIPT AGENT
Pursuant to a fund administration servicing agreement and a fund accounting servicing agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), Fund Services provides the Trust with administrative and management services (other than
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investment advisory services) and accounting services, including portfolio accounting services, tax accounting services and furnishing financial reports. In this capacity, Fund Services does not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Funds, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of Fund Shares. As compensation for the administration, accounting and management services, the Adviser pays Fund Services a fee based on each Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee.
Fund Services also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses for the services mentioned above, including pricing expenses. The table below shows fees earned by Fund Services for services provided to each Predecessor Fund for the fiscal year/period ended December 31.
Name of Fund | 2019 | 2018 | ||||||
Salt High truBeta US Market ETF | $97,918 | $68,896(1) | ||||||
Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF | $113,687(2) | N/A |
(1) For the fiscal period May 15, 2018 (commencement of operations of the Predecessor Fund) through December 31, 2018.
(2) For the fiscal period March 12, 2019 (commencement of operations of the Predecessor Fund) through December 31, 2019.
THE CUSTODIAN
Pursuant to a Custody Agreement, U.S. Bank National Association, 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the custodian of each Fund’s assets. The custodian holds and administers the assets in a Fund’s portfolios. Pursuant to the Custody Agreement, the custodian receives an annual fee from the Adviser based on the Trust’s total average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee and certain settlement charges. The custodian also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses.
SECURITIES LENDING ACTIVITIES
U.S. Bank (the “Securities Lending Agent”) serves as securities lending agent to the Funds. The Securities Lending Agent is responsible for the implementation and administration of the Funds’ securities lending program pursuant to an agreement between the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, and the Securities Lending Agent (the “Securities Lending Agreement”). The Securities Lending Agent acts as agent to the Funds to lend available securities with any person on the Securities Lending Agent’s list of approved borrowers and (i) determines whether a loan shall be made and negotiates and establishes the terms and conditions of the loan with the borrower; (ii) ensures that all substitute interest, dividends, and other distributions paid with respect to loan securities is credited to the Fund’s relevant account on the date such amounts are delivered by the borrower to the Securities Lending Agent; (iii) receives and holds, on a Fund’s behalf, collateral from borrowers to secure obligations of borrowers with respect to any loan of available securities; (iv) marks loaned securities and collateral to their market value each business day based upon the market value of the loaned securities and collateral at the close of business employing the most recently available pricing information and receives and delivers collateral to maintain the value of the collateral at no less than 100% of the market value of the loaned securities; (v) at the termination of a loan, returns the collateral to the borrower upon the return of the loaned securities to the Securities Lending Agent; (vi) invests cash collateral in accordance with the Securities Lending Agreement; and (viii) maintains such records as are reasonably necessary to account for loans that are made and the income derived therefrom and makes available to the Funds a monthly statement describing the loans outstanding, including an accounting of all securities lending transactions.
THE DISTRIBUTOR
The Trust and Pacer Financial, Inc. (the “Distributor”), an affiliate of the Adviser, are parties to a distribution agreement (“Distribution Agreement”), whereby the Distributor acts as principal underwriter for the Trust and distributes the Shares of the Funds. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units. Each Creation Unit is generally comprised of 50,000 Shares, though this may change from time to time. Creation Units are not expected to consist of less than 25,000 Shares. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit. The principal business address of the Distributor is 500 Chesterfield Parkway, Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355.
Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Trust, will solicit orders for the purchase of the Shares, provided that any subscriptions and orders will not be binding on the Trust until accepted by the Trust. The Distributor will deliver Prospectuses and, upon request, SAIs to persons purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of orders placed with it. The Distributor is a broker- dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and a member of FINRA.
The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of Shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units” below) or DTC participants (as defined below).
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The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable thereafter. The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of each Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Agreement or any related agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on sixty (60) days’ written notice when authorized either by majority vote of its outstanding voting Shares or by a vote of a majority of its Board (including a majority of the Independent Trustees), or by the Distributor on sixty (60) days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Distribution Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Distributor, or reckless disregard by it of its obligations thereunder, the Distributor shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder.
Intermediary Compensation. The Adviser or its affiliates, out of their own resources and not out of the Funds’ assets (i.e., without additional cost to the Funds or their shareholders), may pay certain broker dealers, banks and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”) for certain activities related to the Funds, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Funds, or for other activities, such as marketing and educational training or support. These arrangements are not financed by the Funds and, thus, do not result in increased Fund expenses. They are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fees and expenses sections of the Funds’ Prospectus and they do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of Fund Shares or the amount received by a shareholder as proceeds from the redemption of Fund Shares.
Such compensation may be paid to Intermediaries that provide services to the Funds, including marketing and education support (such as through conferences, webinars and printed communications). The Adviser periodically assesses the advisability of continuing to make these payments. Payments to an Intermediary may be significant to the Intermediary, and amounts that Intermediaries pay to your adviser, broker or other investment professional, if any, may also be significant to such adviser, broker or investment professional. Because an Intermediary may make decisions about what investment options it will make available or recommend, and what services to provide in connection with various products, based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive, such payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients. For example, these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend the Funds over other investments. The same conflict of interest exists with respect to your financial adviser, broker or investment professionals if he or she receives similar payments from his or her Intermediary firm.
Intermediary information is current only as of the date of this SAI. Please contact your adviser, broker or other investment professional for more information regarding any payments his or her Intermediary firm may receive. Any payments made by the Adviser or its affiliates to an Intermediary may create the incentive for an Intermediary to encourage customers to buy Shares of the Funds.
Distribution and Service Plan. The Trust has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which regulates circumstances under which an investment company may directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of its Shares. No payments pursuant to the Plan are expected to be made during the twelve (12) month period from the date of this SAI. Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by a Fund under the Plan may only be imposed after approval by the Board.
Continuance of the Plan must be approved annually by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and by a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan or in any agreements related to the Plan (“Qualified Trustees”). The Plan requires that quarterly written reports of amounts spent under the Plan and the purposes of such expenditures be furnished to and reviewed by the Trustees. The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount that may be spent thereunder without approval by a majority of the outstanding Shares of the Fund. All material amendments of the Plan will require approval by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and of the Qualified Trustees.
The Plan provides that each Fund pays the Distributor an annual fee of up to a maximum of 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Shares. Under the Plan, the Distributor may make payments pursuant to written agreements to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations and insurance companies including, without limit, investment counselors, broker-dealers and the Distributor’s affiliates and subsidiaries (collectively, “Agents”) as compensation for services and reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance. The Plan is characterized as a compensation plan since the distribution fee will be paid to the Distributor without regard to the distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor or the amount of payments made to other financial institutions and intermediaries. The Trust intends to operate the Plan in accordance with its terms and with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) rules concerning sales charges.
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Under the Plan, subject to the limitations of applicable law and regulations, each Fund is authorized to compensate the Distributor up to the maximum amount to finance any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units of the Fund or for providing or arranging for others to provide shareholder services and for the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Such activities may include, but are not limited to: (i) delivering copies of a Fund’s then current reports, prospectuses, notices, and similar materials, to prospective purchasers of Creation Units; (ii) marketing and promotional services, including advertising; (iii) paying the costs of and compensating others, including APs with whom the Distributor has entered into written Authorized Participant Agreements, for performing shareholder servicing on behalf of a Fund; (iv) compensating certain APs for providing assistance in distributing the Creation Units of a Fund, including the travel and communication expenses and salaries and/or commissions of sales personnel in connection with the distribution of the Creation Units of a Fund; (v) payments to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations, insurance companies and investment counselors, broker-dealers, mutual fund supermarkets and the affiliates and subsidiaries of the Trust’s service providers as compensation for services or reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance; (vi) facilitating communications with beneficial owners of Shares, including the cost of providing (or paying others to provide) services to beneficial owners of Shares, including, but not limited to, assistance in answering inquiries related to Shareholder accounts; and (vi) such other services and obligations as are set forth in the Distribution Agreement.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Practus, LLP, 1062 East Lancaster Avenue, Suite 15A, Rosemont, Pennsylvania 19010, serves as legal counsel for the Trust. Duane Morris LLP, 30 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, serves as legal counsel for the Independent Trustees.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Sanville & Company, 1514 Old York Road, Abington, PA 19001, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds.
BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS
The policy of the Trust regarding purchases and sales of securities for the Funds is that primary consideration will be given to obtaining the most favorable prices and efficient executions of transactions. Consistent with this policy, when securities transactions are effected on a stock exchange, the Trust’s policy is to pay commissions which are considered fair and reasonable without necessarily determining that the lowest possible commissions are paid in all circumstances. The Trust believes that a requirement always to seek the lowest possible commission cost could impede effective portfolio management and preclude the Funds from obtaining a high quality of brokerage and research services. In seeking to determine the reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid in any transaction, the Adviser will rely upon its experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and on its judgment in evaluating the brokerage services received from the broker effecting the transaction. Such determinations are necessarily subjective and imprecise, as in most cases, an exact dollar value for those services is not ascertainable. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that prohibit the consideration of sales of Fund Shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer to execute its portfolio transactions.
The Adviser owes a fiduciary duty to its clients to seek to provide best execution on trades effected. In selecting a broker/dealer for each specific transaction, the Adviser chooses the broker/dealer deemed most capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable execution. “Best execution” is generally understood to mean the most favorable cost or net proceeds reasonably obtainable under the circumstances. The full range of brokerage services applicable to a particular transaction may be considered when making this judgment, which may include, but is not limited to: liquidity, price, commission, timing, aggregated trades, capable floor brokers or traders, competent block trading coverage, ability to position, capital strength and stability, reliable and accurate communications and settlement processing, use of automation, knowledge of other buyers or sellers, arbitrage skills, administrative ability, underwriting and provision of information on a particular security or market in which the transaction is to occur. The specific criteria will vary depending upon the nature of the transaction, the market in which it is executed, and the extent to which it is possible to select from among multiple broker/dealers. The Adviser will also use electronic crossing networks (“ECNs”) when appropriate.
Subject to the foregoing policies, brokers or dealers selected to execute a Fund’s portfolio transactions may include the Fund’s Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units” below) or their affiliates. An Authorized Participant or its affiliates may be selected to execute a Fund’s portfolio transactions in conjunction with an all-cash creation unit order or an order including “cash-in-lieu” (as described below under “Purchase and Redemption of Shares in Creation Units”), so long as such selection is in keeping with the foregoing policies. As described below under “Purchase and Redemption of Shares in Creation Units—Creation Transaction Fee” and “—Redemption Transaction Fee”, a Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for creation orders that facilitate the rebalance of a Fund’s portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order, even if the
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decision to not charge a variable fee could be viewed as benefiting the Authorized Participant or its affiliate selected to executed the Fund’s portfolio transactions in connection with such orders.
The Adviser may use a Fund’s assets for, or participate in, third party soft dollar arrangements, in addition to receiving proprietary research from various full service brokers, the cost of which is bundled with the cost of the broker’s execution services. The Adviser does not “pay up” for the value of any such proprietary research. Section 28(e) of the Exchange Act permits the Adviser, under certain circumstances, to cause a Fund to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction in recognition of the value of brokerage and research services provided by the broker or dealer. The Adviser may receive a variety of research services and information on many topics, which it can use in connection with its management responsibilities with respect to the various accounts over which it exercises investment discretion or otherwise provides investment advice. The research services may include qualifying order management systems, portfolio attribution and monitoring services and computer software and access charges which are directly related to investment research. Accordingly, a Fund may pay a broker commission higher than the lowest available commission in recognition of the broker’s provision of such services to the Adviser, but only if the Adviser determines the total commission (including the soft dollar benefit) is comparable to the best commission rate that could be expected to be received from other brokers. The amount of soft dollar benefits received depends on the amount of brokerage transactions effected with the brokers. A conflict of interest exists because there is an incentive to: 1) cause clients to pay a higher commission than the firm might otherwise be able to negotiate; 2) cause clients to engage in more securities transactions than would otherwise be optimal; and 3) only recommend brokers that provide soft dollar benefits.
The Adviser faces a potential conflict of interest when it uses client trades to obtain brokerage or research services. This conflict exists because the Adviser is able to use the brokerage or research services to manage client accounts without paying cash for such services, which reduces the Adviser’s expenses to the extent that the Adviser would have purchased such products had they not been provided by brokers. Section 28(e) permits the Adviser to use brokerage or research services for the benefit of any account it manages. Certain accounts managed by the Adviser may generate soft dollars used to purchase brokerage or research services that ultimately benefit other accounts managed by the Adviser, effectively cross subsidizing the other accounts managed by the Adviser that benefit directly from the product. The Adviser may not necessarily use all of the brokerage or research services in connection with managing a Fund whose trades generated the soft dollars used to purchase such products.
The Adviser is responsible, subject to oversight by the Board, for placing orders on behalf of the Funds for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. If purchases or sales of portfolio securities of a Fund and one or more other investment companies or clients supervised by the Adviser are considered at or about the same time, transactions in such securities are allocated among the several investment companies and clients in a manner deemed equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to all by the Adviser. In some cases, this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security so far as a Fund is concerned. However, in other cases, it is possible that the ability to participate in volume transactions and to negotiate lower brokerage commissions will be beneficial to the Funds. The primary consideration is prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price.
A Fund may deal with affiliates in principal transactions to the extent permitted by exemptive order or applicable rule or regulation.
Brokerage with Fund Affiliates. The Funds may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Funds, the Adviser, or the Distributor for a commission in conformity with the 1940 Act, the Exchange Act and rules promulgated by the SEC. These rules require that commissions paid to the affiliate by a Fund for exchange transactions not exceed “usual and customary” brokerage commissions. The rules define “usual and customary” commissions to include amounts which are “reasonable and fair compared to the commission, fee or other remuneration received or to be received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a securities exchange during a comparable period of time.” The Trustees, including those who are not “interested persons” of the Funds, have adopted procedures for evaluating the reasonableness of commissions paid to affiliates and review these procedures periodically. The Funds are new and have not paid any commissions to affiliated brokers.
Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealers.” Each Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) which it may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. “Regular brokers and dealers” of the Trust are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year: (i) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Trust’s portfolio transactions; (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of portfolio transactions of the Trust; or (iii) sold the largest dollar amounts of the Trust’s Shares. Because the Funds are new, as of the date of this SAI, the Funds do not have securities of “regular broker and dealers” to report.
Brokerage Commissions. The Funds are new and have not paid any brokerage commissions.
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Directed Brokerage. The Funds are new and did not pay any commissions on brokerage transactions directed to brokers pursuant to an agreement or understanding whereby the broker provides research or other brokerage services to the Adviser.
Portfolio Turnover. Portfolio turnover may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. High turnover rates are likely to result in comparatively greater brokerage expenses. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions is evaluated by the Adviser based upon its knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by the other institutional investors for comparable services.
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, the portfolio turnover rate for the High truBeta Predecessor Fund was 202% of the average value of its portfolio. During the fiscal period May 15, 2018 (commencement of the High truBeta Predecessor Fund’s operations) through December 31, 2018, the portfolio turnover rate for the High truBeta Predecessor Fund was 145% of the average value of its portfolio.
During the fiscal period March 12, 2019 (commencement of the Low truBeta Predecessor Fund’s operations) through December 31, 2019, the portfolio turnover rate for the Low truBeta Predecessor Fund was 31% of the average value of its portfolio.
High portfolio turnover levels - those in excess of 100% - can lead to additional transaction costs and possible tax consequences.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TRUST
The Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of funds and Shares of each Fund. Each Share of each Fund represents an equal proportionate interest in any given Fund with any given Share. Shares are entitled upon liquidation to a pro rata share in the net assets of the Funds. Shareholders have no preemptive rights. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees may create additional series or classes of shares. All consideration received by the Trust for shares of any additional funds and all assets in which such consideration is invested would belong to that fund and would be subject to the liabilities related thereto. Share certificates representing shares will not be issued. Each Fund’s Shares, when issued, are fully paid and non-assessable.
Each Share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required, consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of all funds of the Trust vote together as a single class, except that if the matter being voted on affects only a particular fund it will be voted on only by that fund and if a matter affects a particular fund differently from other funds, that fund will vote separately on such matter. As a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust is not required, and does not intend, to hold annual meetings of shareholders. Approval of shareholders will be sought, however, for certain changes in the operation of the Trust and for the election of Trustees under certain circumstances. Upon the written request of shareholders owning at least 10% of the Trust’s shares, the Trust will call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more Trustees and other certain matters. In the event that such a meeting is requested, the Trust will provide appropriate assistance and information to the shareholders requesting the meeting.
Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the power to liquidate a Fund without shareholder approval. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising this power, they may do so if a Fund fails to reach a viable size within a reasonable amount of time or for such other reasons as may be determined by the Board.
Role of the Depositary Trust Company (“DTC”). DTC acts as Securities Depository for the Shares of the Trust. Shares of the Funds are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC.
DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, was created to hold securities of its participants (“DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities’ certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of which (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation, which is owned by its member firms, including international broker dealers, correspondent and clearing banks, mutual fund companies and investment banks. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (“Indirect Participants”).
Beneficial ownership of Shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in Shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that
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are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of Shares. No Beneficial Owner shall have the right to receive a certificate representing such Shares.
Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to the Depositary Agreement between the Trust and DTC, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the Shares of the Funds held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding Shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form and number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all Shares of the Trust. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall immediately credit DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in Shares of the Funds as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of Shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.
The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such Shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants. DTC may decide to discontinue its service with respect to Shares of the Trust at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost.
LIMITATION OF TRUSTEES’ LIABILITY
The Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee shall be liable only for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall indemnify each person who is, or has been, a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, any person who is serving or has served at the Trust’s request as a Trustee, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise to the fullest extent provided by law and in the manner provided in the By-laws. However, nothing in the Declaration of Trust shall protect or indemnify a Trustee against any liability for his or her willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee. Nothing contained in this section attempts to disclaim a Trustee’s individual liability in any manner inconsistent with the federal securities laws.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES IN CREATION UNITS
The Trust issues and sells Shares of the Funds only: (i) in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees, if applicable), at their NAV per share next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day, in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement (“Participant Agreement”); or (ii) pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Service (defined below). The NAV of a Fund’s Shares is calculated each Business Day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. The Funds will not issue fractional Creation Units. A “Business Day” is any day on which the New York Stock Exchange and Trust are open for business.
Fund Deposits. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of a Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) per each Creation Unit and the Cash Component (defined below), computed as described below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount (“Deposit Cash”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for all or a portion of Deposit Cash, a Fund may incur additional costs associated with the acquisition of Deposit Securities that would otherwise be provided by an in-kind purchaser.
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Together, the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of a Fund. The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the Shares (per Creation Unit) and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit
Cash, as applicable. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit exceeds the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such positive amount. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit is less than the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such negative amount and the creator will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the Cash Component. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. Computation of the Cash Component excludes any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities, if applicable, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).
The Funds, through NSCC, will make available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the list of the names and the required number of Shares of each Deposit Security or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, to be included in the current Fund Deposits (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for each Fund. Such Fund Deposits are subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, to effect purchases of Creation Units of a Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, is made available.
The identity and number of Shares of the Deposit Securities or the amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, required for a Fund Deposit for a Creation Unit changes as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser with a view to the investment objective of a Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities of a Fund’s Index. However, there will be no intraday changes to Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash except to correct errors in the published list.
The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (that is a “cash in lieu” amount) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC, the Clearing Process (discussed below), the Federal Reserve System for U.S. Treasury Securities (discussed below) or for other similar reasons. The Trust also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount where the delivery of Deposit Securities by the Authorized Participant (as described below) would be restricted under the securities laws or where delivery of Deposit Securities to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of Deposit Securities by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under the securities laws, and in certain other situations. The adjustments described above will reflect changes, known to the Adviser on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Fund Deposit, resulting from certain corporate actions.
On a given Business Day, the Trust may require all Authorized Participants purchasing Creation Units on that day to deposit an amount of cash (that is a “cash in lieu” amount) to replace any Deposit Security that may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the Clearing Process (discussed below). The Trust also reserves the right to permit a “cash in lieu” to replace any Deposit Security which may not be available in sufficient quantity or which may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor on whose behalf the Authorized Participant is acting (“custom orders”). The Trust may in its discretion require an Authorized Participant to purchase Creation Units of the Fund in cash, rather than in-kind. On a given Business Day, the Trust may announce before the open of trading that all purchases of Creation Units of the Fund on that day will be made entirely in cash or, upon receiving a purchase order for Creation Units of the Fund from an Authorized Participant, the Trust may determine to require that purchase to be made entirely in cash.
Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units. To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor to purchase a Creation Unit of the Funds, an entity must be (i) a “Participating Party”, i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC Participant (see “BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM”). In addition, each Participating Party or DTC Participant (each, an “Authorized Participant”) must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by the Transfer Agent and the Trust, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of a Participant Agreement, on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that it will pay to the Trust, an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component together with the creation transaction fee (described below) and any other applicable fees and taxes.
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All orders to purchase Shares directly from the Funds must be placed for one or more Creation Units and in the manner and by the time set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The date on which an order to purchase Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as set forth below) of such Funds is received and accepted is referred to as the “Order Placement Date.”
The order cut-off time for orders to purchase Creation Units for each Fund is expected to be 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, which time may be modified by a Fund from time-to-time by amendment to the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. In the case of custom orders, the order must be received by the Distributor no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time or such earlier time as may be designated by a Fund and disclosed to Authorized Participants.
An Authorized Participant may require an investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order, (e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required). Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to purchase Shares directly from the Funds in Creation Units have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement and only a small number of such Authorized Participants may have international capabilities.
On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Funds may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which the Funds’ investments are primarily traded is closed, the Funds will also generally not accept orders on such day(s). Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the applicable order form. On behalf of the Funds, the Distributor will notify the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to the appropriate local sub-custodian(s). Those placing orders through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor by the cut-off time on such Business Day, as designated in the Participant Agreement. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an Authorized Participant.
Fund Deposits must be delivered by an Authorized Participant through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a sub-custody agent (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Trust or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Securities, the Custodian shall cause the sub-custodian of the Funds to maintain an account into which the Authorized Participant shall deliver, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, such Deposit Securities (or Deposit Cash for all or a part of such securities, as permitted or required), with any appropriate adjustments as advised by the Trust. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local sub-custodian. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the Authorized Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of a Fund or its agents by no later than 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If a Fund or its agents do not receive all of the Deposit Securities, or the required Deposit Cash in lieu thereof, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to a Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. The “Settlement Date” for the Funds is generally the second Business Day after the Order Placement Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash to be delivered, as applicable, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities or cash, as applicable, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash represented by the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, are not received by the Custodian in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of a Fund.
The order shall be deemed to be received on the Order Placement Date provided that the order is placed in proper form prior to the applicable cut-off time and the Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component in the appropriate amount are deposited by 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time (as set forth on the applicable order form), with the Custodian on the Settlement Date. If the order is not placed in proper form as required, or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component in the appropriate amount are not received by 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time (as set forth on the applicable order form) on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Funds for losses, if any, resulting there from. A creation request is considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, order form and this SAI are properly followed.
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Issuance of a Creation Unit. Except as provided in this SAI, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the sub-custodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant sub-custodian or sub-custodians, the Distributor and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery, and the Trust will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the second Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor. The Authorized Participant shall be liable to a Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.
Creation Units may be issued in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the net asset value of the Shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since, in addition to available Deposit Securities, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the market value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”), which shall be maintained in a separate non-interest bearing collateral account. The Authorized Participant must deposit with the Custodian the Additional Cash Deposit, as applicable, by 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If a Fund or its agents do not receive the Additional Cash Deposit in the appropriate amount, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Participant Agreement will permit the Trust to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Trust for the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Securities exceeds the market value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Distributor plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a transaction fee, as described below under “Creation Transaction Fee” may be charged. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.
Acceptance of Orders of Creation Units. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted to it by the Distributor with respect to a Fund including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the Fund; (d) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to a Fund; (e) the acceptance of a Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (f) the acceptance of a Fund Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Trust or the rights of beneficial owners; (g) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; or (h) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent and/or the Adviser make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process orders for Creation Units.
Examples of such circumstances include acts of God or public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, the Custodian, a sub- custodian, the Transfer Agent, DTC, NSCC, Federal Reserve System, or any other participant in the creation process, and other extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of the creator of a Creation Unit of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall either of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian and the Distributor shall not be liable for the rejection of any purchase order for Creation Units.
All questions as to the number of Shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
Creation Transaction Fee. A fixed purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee, payable to the Funds’ custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units (“Creation Order Costs”). The standard fixed creation transaction fee for each Fund, regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction, is $250. A Fund may adjust the standard fixed creation transaction fee from time to time. The fixed creation fee may be waived on certain orders if a Fund’s
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custodian has determined to waive some or all of the Creation Order Costs associated with the order or another party, such as the Adviser, has agreed to pay such fee.
In addition, a variable fee, payable to a Fund, of up to a maximum of 2% of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction may be imposed for cash purchases, non-standard orders, or partial cash purchases of Creation Units. The variable charge is primarily designed to cover additional costs (e.g., brokerage, taxes) involved with buying the securities with cash. A Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for creation orders that facilitate the rebalance of the Fund’s portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Fund to their account or on their order.
Risks of Purchasing Creation Units. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from a Fund. Because Shares may be issued on an ongoing basis, a “distribution” of Shares could be occurring at any time. Certain activities that a shareholder performs as a dealer could, depending on the circumstances, result in the shareholder being deemed a participant in the distribution in a manner that could render the shareholder a statutory underwriter and subject to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a shareholder could be deemed a statutory underwriter if it purchases Creation Units from a Fund, breaks them down into the constituent Shares, and sells those Shares directly to customers, or if a shareholder chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary-market demand for Shares. Whether a person is an underwriter depends upon all of the facts and circumstances pertaining to that person’s activities, and the examples mentioned here should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could cause you to be deemed an underwriter.
Dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as opposed to engaging in ordinary secondary-market transactions), and thus dealing with Shares as part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act.
Redemption. Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their net asset value next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Funds through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. Redemption requests must be placed by or through an Authorized Participant. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF A FUND, THE TRUST WILL NOT REDEEM SHARES IN AMOUNTS LESS THAN CREATION UNITS. Investors must accumulate enough Shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit to have such Shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.
With respect to the Funds, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time) on each Business Day, the list of the names and Share quantities of each Fund’s portfolio securities that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”). Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities.
Redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit are paid either in-kind or in cash, or combination thereof, as determined by the Trust. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the Funds, redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will consist of Fund Securities -- as announced by the Custodian on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper form plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the Shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less a fixed redemption transaction fee as set forth below. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the net asset value of the Shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Trust’s discretion, an Authorized Participant may receive the corresponding cash value of the securities in lieu of the in-kind securities value representing one or more Fund Securities.
Redemption Transaction Fee. A fixed redemption transaction fee, payable to the Funds’ custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units (“Redemption Order Costs”). The standard fixed redemption transaction fee for each Fund, regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed in the transaction, is $250. A Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time. The fixed redemption fee may be waived on certain orders if the Fund’s custodian has determined to waive some or all of the Redemption Order Costs associated with the order or another party, such as the Adviser, has agreed to pay such fee.
In addition, a variable fee, payable to a Fund, of up to a maximum of 2% of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction may be imposed for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are available) of
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Creation Units. The variable charge is primarily designed to cover additional costs (e.g., brokerage, taxes) involved with selling portfolio securities to satisfy a cash redemption. A Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for redemption orders that facilitate the rebalance of the Fund’s portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order.
Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Fund to their account or on their order.
Procedures for Redemption of Creation Units. Orders to redeem Creation Units of the each Fund must be submitted in proper form to the Transfer Agent prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Trust’s Transfer Agent the Creation Unit(s) being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement and (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Trust is received by the Transfer Agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified in the Participant Agreement. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor’s Shares through DTC’s facilities by the times and pursuant to the other terms and conditions set forth in the Participant Agreement, the redemption request shall be rejected.
The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption, in the form required by the Trust, to the Transfer Agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement, and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the Shares to the Trust’s Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.
In connection with taking delivery of Shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, a redeeming shareholder or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Shareholder must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker- dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Fund Securities are customarily traded, to which account such Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within two business days of the trade date.
Additional Redemption Procedures. In connection with taking delivery of Shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, a redeeming shareholder or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Shareholder must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Fund Securities are customarily traded, to which account such Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within three business days of the trade date. The Trust may, in its discretion, exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming Shareholders will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash.
In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash that a Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its Shares based on the NAV of Shares of the Funds next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). A Fund may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities but does not differ in net asset value.
Redemptions of Shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and each Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of Creation Units may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming investor of the Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” (“QIB”) as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive Fund Securities that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A. An Authorized Participant may be required by the Trust to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status to receive Fund Securities.
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Because the portfolio securities of the Funds may trade on other exchanges on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Funds, shareholders may not be able to redeem their Shares of the Funds, or to purchase or sell Shares of the Funds on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of the Funds could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to each Fund (1) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares of the Funds or determination of the NAV of the Shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.
Required Early Acceptance of Orders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, as described in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form, a Fund may require orders to be placed or notification of orders to be received prior to the trade date, as described in the Participant Agreement or the applicable order form, to receive the trade date’s net asset value. Orders to purchase Shares of the Funds that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) that the equity markets in the relevant foreign market are closed will not be accepted. Authorized Participants may be notified that the cut-off time for an order may be earlier on a particular business day, as described in the Participant Agreement and the order form.
DETERMINATION OF NAV
Net asset value per Share for the Funds is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of a Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of Shares outstanding, rounded to the nearest cent. Expenses and fees, including the management fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining net asset value. The net asset value of a Fund is calculated by the Custodian and determined at the close of the regular trading session on the New York Stock Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day that such exchange is open, provided that fixed-income assets may be valued as of the announced closing time for trading in fixed-income instruments on any day that the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) announces an early closing time.
In calculating a Fund’s net asset value per Share, the Fund’s investments are generally valued using market valuations. A market valuation generally means a valuation (i) obtained from an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer), (ii) based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of value supplied by an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer) or (iii) based on amortized cost. In the case of shares of other funds that are not traded on an exchange, a market valuation means such fund’s published net asset value per share. A price obtained from a pricing service based on such pricing service’s valuation matrix may be considered a market valuation. Any assets or liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted into U.S. dollars at the current market rates on the date of valuation as quoted by one or more sources.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes.”
General Policies. Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid annually by each Fund. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Funds may make distributions on a more frequent basis to improve index tracking or to comply with the distribution requirements of the Code, in all events in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act.
Dividends and other distributions on Shares are distributed, as described below, on a pro rata basis to Beneficial Owners of such Shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners then of record with proceeds received from the Trust.
The Trust makes additional distributions to the extent necessary (i) to distribute the entire annual taxable income of the Funds, plus any net capital gains and (ii) to avoid imposition of the excise tax imposed by Section 4982 of the Code. Management of the Funds reserves the right to declare special dividends if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve the status of each Fund as a RIC or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.
Dividend Reinvestment Service. The Trust will not make the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service available for use by Beneficial Owners for reinvestment of their cash proceeds, but certain individual broker-dealers may make available the DTC book- entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by Beneficial Owners of the Funds through DTC Participants for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Investors should contact their brokers to ascertain the availability and description of these services. Beneficial Owners should be aware that each broker may require investors to adhere to specific procedures and timetables to participate in the
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dividend reinvestment service and investors should ascertain from their brokers such necessary details. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole Shares issued by the Trust of the Funds at NAV per Share. Distributions reinvested in additional Shares of the Funds will nevertheless be taxable to Beneficial Owners acquiring such additional Shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.
FEDERAL INCOME TAXES
The following discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund is based on the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations, and other applicable authority, all as in effect as of the date of the filing of this SAI. These authorities are subject to change by legislative or administrative action, possibly with retroactive effect. The following discussion is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. There may be other tax considerations applicable to particular shareholders. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding their particular situation and the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws.
Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company (RIC). Each Fund intends to elect to be treated and qualify each year as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. To qualify for the special tax treatment accorded RICs and their shareholders, a Fund must, among other things:
(a)derive at least 90% of its gross income each year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (as defined below);
(b)diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of its taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of a Fund’s total assets consists of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with investments in such other securities limited with respect to any one issuer to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of a Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of a Fund’s total assets is invested, including through corporations in which the Fund owns a 20% or more voting stock interest, in (1) the securities (other than those of the U.S. government or other RICs) of any one issuer or two or more issuers that are controlled by a Fund and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses or (2) the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships; and
(c)distribute with respect to each taxable year an amount at least equal to the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code without regard to the deduction for dividends paid – generally taxable ordinary income and the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income.
In general, for purposes of the 90% of gross income requirement described in (a) above, income derived from a partnership will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership that would be qualifying income if realized directly by a Fund. However, 100% of the net income derived from an interest in a “qualified publicly traded partnership” (generally, a partnership (i) interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (ii) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in (a)(i) of the prior paragraph) will be treated as qualifying income. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership.
The U.S. Treasury Department has authority to issue regulations that would exclude foreign currency gains from the 90% test described in (a) above if such gains are not directly related to a fund’s business of investing in stock or securities. Accordingly, regulations may be issued in the future that could treat some or all of a Fund’s non-U.S. currency gains as non-qualifying income, thereby potentially jeopardizing the Fund’s status as a RIC for all years to which the regulations are applicable.
Taxation of the Funds. If the Funds qualify for treatment as RICs, the Funds will not be subject to federal income tax on income and gains that are distributed in a timely manner to their shareholders in the form of dividends.
If, for any taxable year, a Fund was to fail to qualify as a RIC or was to fail to meet the distribution requirement, they would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. In addition, a Fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, including any distributions of net long-term capital gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividend income for
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federal income tax purposes. However, such dividends would be eligible, subject to any generally applicable limitations, (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals and (ii) for the dividends-received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. Moreover, a Fund would be required to pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year to qualify for treatment as a RIC in a subsequent year. Under certain circumstances, a Fund may be able to cure a failure to qualify as a RIC, but to do so that Fund may incur significant Fund-level taxes and may be forced to dispose of certain assets. If a Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, the Fund would generally be required to recognize any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.
The Funds intend to distribute, at least annually, substantially all of their five company taxable income and net capital gains. Investment company taxable income that is retained by a Fund will be subject to tax at the regular corporate rate. If a Fund retains any net capital gain, that gain will be subject to tax at the corporate rate, but the Fund may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (i) will be required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their Shares of such undistributed amount, (ii) will be deemed to have paid their proportionate Shares of the tax paid by the Fund on such undistributed amount against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and (iii) will be entitled to claim refunds on a properly filed U.S. tax return to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of Shares owned by a shareholder of a Fund will be increased by an amount equal to the difference between the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder.
If a Fund fails to distribute in a calendar year an amount at least equal to the sum of 98% of its ordinary income for such year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 of such year, plus any retained amount from the prior year, the Fund will be subject to a non-deductible 4% excise tax on the undistributed amount. For these purposes, a Fund will be treated as having distributed any amount on which it has been subject to corporate income tax for the taxable year ending within the calendar year. The Funds intend to declare and pay dividends and distributions in the amounts and at the times necessary to avoid the application of the 4% excise tax, although there can be no assurance that they will be able to do so. The Funds may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate Fund investments to make sufficient distributions to avoid federal excise tax liability at a time when the investment adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so, and liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Funds to satisfy the requirement for qualification as a RIC.
A Fund may elect to treat part or all of any “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund’s taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and profits. A “qualified late year loss” generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year, and certain other late-year losses.
The treatment of capital loss carryovers for the Funds is similar to the rules that apply to capital loss carryovers of individuals, which provide that such losses are carried over indefinitely. If a Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains) the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year. The carryover of capital losses may be limited under the general loss limitation rules if a Fund experiences an ownership change as defined in the Code.
At December 31, 2019, the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF had $544,211 in short-term capital loss carryforwards, which do not expire. The Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF did not have any capital loss carryforwards as of such date.
Fund Distributions. Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional Shares. Moreover, distributions of a Fund’s Shares are generally subject to federal income tax as described herein to the extent they do not exceed the Fund’s realized income and gains, even though such distributions may economically represent a return of a particular shareholder’s investment. Investors may therefore wish to avoid purchasing Shares at a time when a Fund’s NAV reflects gains that are either unrealized, or realized but not distributed. Realized gains must generally be distributed even when a Fund’s NAV also reflects unrealized losses.
Dividends and other distributions are generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, if any dividend or distribution is declared by a Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to its shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month but is actually paid during the following January, such dividend or distribution will be deemed to have been received by each shareholder on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.
Distributions by a Fund of investment income is generally taxable as ordinary income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains are determined by how long a Fund owned the investments that generated those gains, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his
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or her Shares. Sales of assets held by a Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by a Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions from a Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of a Fund’s net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss) that are properly reported by a Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains. For individuals, long-term capital gains are subject to a reduced maximum tax rate of 20%. Distributions of gains from the sale of investments that a Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income.
Distributions of investment income reported by a Fund as derived from “qualified dividend income” will be taxed in the hands of non- corporate shareholders at the rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided holding period and other requirements are met at both the shareholder and Fund level. If the aggregate qualified dividends received by a Fund during any taxable year are 95% or more of its gross income (excluding net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), then 100% of the Fund’s dividends (other than Capital Gain Dividends) will be eligible to be reported as qualified dividend income.
A dividend will not be treated as qualified dividend income (at either a Fund or shareholder level) (1) if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (or, in the case of certain preferred stock, 91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before the ex-dividend date), (2) to the extent that the recipient is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property, (3) if the recipient elects to have the dividend income treated as investment income for purposes of the limitation on deductibility of investment interest, or (4) if the dividend is received from a foreign corporation that is (a) not eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States (with the exception of dividends paid on stock of such a foreign corporation that is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States) or (b) treated as a passive foreign investment company. In addition, distributions that the Funds receive from an ETF or an underlying fund taxable as a RIC, or a REIT will be treated as qualified dividend income only to the extent so reported by such ETF or underlying fund or REIT.
Dividends of net investment income received by corporate shareholders of a Fund will qualify for the 50% dividends-received deduction generally available to corporations to the extent of the amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations for the taxable year. A dividend received by a Fund will not be treated as a qualifying dividend (1) if the stock on which the dividend is paid is considered to be “debt-financed” (generally, acquired with borrowed funds), (2) if it has been received with respect to any share of stock that a Fund has held for less than 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before the ex-dividend date in the case of certain preferred stock) or (3) to the extent that a Fund is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. Moreover, the dividends- received deduction may be disallowed or reduced (1) if the corporate shareholder fails to satisfy the foregoing requirements with respect to its Shares of the Fund or (2) by application of the Code.
To the extent that a Fund makes a distribution of income received by the Fund in lieu of dividends (a “substitute payment”) with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction, such income will not constitute qualified dividend income to individual shareholders and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders.
Dividends and distributions from a Fund will generally be taken into account in determining a shareholder’s “net investment income” for purposes of the Medicare contribution tax applicable to certain individuals, estates and trusts.
If a Fund makes distributions to a shareholder in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits in any taxable year, the excess distribution will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of that shareholder’s tax basis in its Shares, and thereafter as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her Shares as capital assets. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder’s tax basis in its Shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of its Shares.
The Funds will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income, and capital gain distributions shortly after the close of each calendar year.
Sale, Exchange or Redemption of Shares. A sale or exchange of Shares in the Funds may give rise to a gain or loss. For tax purposes, an exchange of Shares of a Fund for shares of a different fund is the same as a sale. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of Shares will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term, rather than short-term, to the
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extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by the shareholder with respect to the Shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares will be disallowed if other substantially identical Shares of the Funds are purchased within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased Shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize gain or loss from the exchange. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. The ability of Authorized Participants to receive a full or partial cash redemption of Creation Units of the Fund may limit the tax efficiency of the Fund. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units and the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS), however, may assert that an Authorized Participant may not be permitted to currently deduct losses realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units under the rules governing “wash sales” (for an Authorized Participant that does not mark-to-market its holdings), or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
Any gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year and were held as capital assets in the hands of the exchanging Authorized Participant. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses will be treated as short-term capital gains or losses. Any loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six months or less should be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable Authorized Participant of long-term capital gains with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the Authorized Participant as undistributed capital gains).
Real Estate Investment Trusts. The Funds may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require a Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, a Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. A Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in such Fund’s receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to Fund shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends paid by a REIT, other than capital gain distributions, will be taxable as ordinary income up to the amount of the REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Capital gain dividends paid by a REIT to a Fund will be treated as long-term capital gains by such Fund and, in turn, may be distributed by such Fund to its shareholders as a capital gain distribution. Dividends received by a Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income or qualify for the dividends received deduction.
If a REIT is operated in a manner such that it fails to qualify as a REIT, an investment in the REIT would become subject to double taxation, meaning the taxable income of the REIT would be subject to federal income tax at the regular corporate rate without any deduction for dividends paid to shareholders and the dividends would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income (or possibly as qualified dividend income) to the extent of the REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.
“Qualified REIT dividends” (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income eligible for capital gain tax rates) are eligible for a 20% deduction by non-corporate taxpayers. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). Distributions by a Fund to its shareholders that are attributable to qualified REIT dividends received by the Fund and which the Fund properly reports as “section 199A dividends,” are treated as “qualified REIT dividends” in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. A Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.
REITs in which a Fund invests often do not provide complete and final tax information to a Fund until after the time that a Fund issues a tax reporting statement. As a result, a Fund may at times find it necessary to reclassify the amount and character of its distributions to you after it issues your tax reporting statement. When such reclassification is necessary, a Fund (or your broker) will send you a
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corrected, final Form 1099-DIV to reflect the reclassified information. If you receive a corrected Form 1099-DIV, use the information on this corrected form, and not the information on the previously issued tax reporting statement, in completing your tax returns.
Backup Withholding. A Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder holds Shares) generally is required to withhold and to remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and sale or redemption proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that he, she or it is not subject to such withholding.
Tax-Exempt Shareholders. Under current law, income of a RIC that would be treated as unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) if earned directly by a tax-exempt entity generally will not be attributed as UBTI to a tax-exempt entity that is a shareholder in the RIC. Notwithstanding this “blocking” effect, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in a Fund if Shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b).
Non-U.S. Shareholders. In general, dividends other than Capital Gain Dividends paid by a Fund to a shareholder that is not a “U.S. person” within the meaning of the Code (a “foreign person”) are subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) even if they are funded by income or gains (such as portfolio interest, short-term capital gains, or foreign- source dividend and interest income) that, if paid to a foreign person directly, would not be subject to withholding.
A beneficial holder of Shares who is a non-U.S. person is not, in general, subject to U.S. federal income tax on gains (and is not allowed a U.S. income tax deduction for losses) realized on a sale of Shares of the Funds or on Capital Gain Dividends unless (i) such gain or dividend is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by such holder within the United States or (ii) in the case of an individual holder, the holder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale or the receipt of the Capital Gain Dividend and certain other conditions are met. A Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Short-term capital gain dividends received by a nonresident alien individual who is present in the U.S. for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year are not exempt from this 30% withholding tax.
A U.S. withholding tax at a 30% rate will be imposed on dividends received by Fund shareholders who own their Shares through foreign accounts or foreign intermediaries if certain disclosure requirements related to U.S. accounts or ownership are not satisfied. A Fund will not pay any additional amounts in respect to any amounts withheld.
For a non-U.S. person to qualify for an exemption from backup withholding, the foreign investor must comply with special certification and filing requirements. Foreign investors in the Funds should consult their tax advisors in this regard. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the IRS.
A beneficial holder of Shares who is a non-U.S. person may be subject to the U.S. federal estate tax in addition to the federal income tax consequences referred to above. If a shareholder is eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty, any effectively connected income or gain will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis only if it is also attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the shareholder in the United States.
Section 351. The Trust on behalf of the Funds has the right to reject an order for a purchase of Shares of the Trust if the purchaser (or any group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares of a given Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, that Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination.
Foreign Investments. Income received by the Funds from sources within foreign countries and U.S. possessions (including, for example, dividends or interest on stock or securities of non-U.S. issuers) may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries and U.S. possessions that would reduce the yield on a Fund’s stock or securities. Tax treaties between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. Foreign countries generally do not impose taxes on capital gains with respect to investments by foreign investors.
If as of the end of a Fund’s taxable year more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets consist of the securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may elect to permit shareholders who are U.S. citizens, resident aliens, or U.S. corporations to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction (but not both) on their income tax returns for their pro rata portions of qualified taxes paid by the Fund during that taxable year to foreign countries in respect of foreign securities the Fund has held for at least the minimum period specified in the
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Code. In such a case, a Fund will treat those taxes as dividends paid to its shareholders who must include in gross income from foreign sources their pro rata shares of such taxes and must treat the amount so included as if the shareholder had paid the foreign tax directly. The shareholder may then either deduct the taxes deemed paid by him or her in computing his or her taxable income or, alternatively, use the foregoing information in calculating any foreign tax credit they may be entitled to use against the shareholders’ federal income tax. If the Fund makes the election, the Fund (or its administrative agent) will report annually to its shareholders the respective amounts per share of the Fund’s income from sources within, and taxes paid to, foreign countries and U.S. possessions. A shareholder’s ability to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction in respect of foreign taxes paid by a Fund may be subject to certain limitations imposed by the Code, which may result in the shareholder not getting a full credit or deduction for the amount of such taxes. Shareholders who do not itemize on their federal income tax returns may claim a credit, but not a deduction, for such foreign taxes.
If a Fund owns shares in certain foreign investment entities, referred to as “passive foreign investment companies” or “PFICs,” the Fund will generally be subject to one of the following special tax regimes: (i) the Fund may be liable for U.S. federal income tax, and an additional interest charge, on a portion of any “excess distribution” from such foreign entity or any gain from the disposition of such shares, even if the entire distribution or gain is paid out by the Fund as a dividend to its shareholders; (ii) if the Fund were able and elected to treat a PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” or “QEF,” the Fund would be required each year to include in income, and distribute to shareholders in accordance with the distribution requirements set forth above, the Fund’s pro rata share of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the PFIC, whether or not such earnings or gains are distributed to the Fund; or (iii) the Fund may be entitled to mark- to-market annually shares of the PFIC, and in such event would be required to distribute to shareholders any such mark-to-market gains in accordance with the distribution requirements set forth above. In such instances, the Funds intend to make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effect of these rules. Amounts included in income each year by a Fund arising from a QEF election will be “qualifying income” under the test for qualifying as a RIC described above even if not distributed to the Fund, if the Fund derives such income from its business of investing in stock, securities or currencies.
Certain Reporting Regulations. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Cost Basis. The cost basis of shares of a Fund acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for the shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.
General Considerations. The federal income tax discussion set forth above is for general information only. Shares of the Fund held in a tax-qualified retirement account will generally not be subject to federal taxation on income and capital gains distributions from a Fund until a shareholder begins receiving payments from their retirement account. Because each shareholder’s tax situation is different, prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the specific federal income tax consequences of purchasing, holding and disposing of Shares of the Funds, as well as the effect of state, local and foreign tax law and any proposed tax law changes.
State Taxes. Depending upon state and local law, distributions by a Fund to its shareholders and the ownership of Shares may be subject to state and local taxes. Rules of state and local taxation of dividend and capital gains distributions from RICs often differ from the rules for federal income taxation described above. It is expected that a Fund will not be liable for any corporate tax in Delaware if it qualifies as a RIC for federal income tax purposes.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Annual Report for the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF and the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF, each a series of ETF Series Solutions, for the fiscal period ended December 31, 2019 is a separate document, and the financial statements and accompanying notes appearing therein are incorporated by reference into this SAI. You may request a copy of such Annual Report at no charge by calling 1-800-617-0004 or through the Funds’ website at www.PacerETFs.com.
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SAI-37
APPENDIX A
The Adviser has adopted the following guidelines with respect to the Adviser’s proxy voting responsibilities for the Funds.
GLASS LEWIS INVESTMENT MANAGER GUIDELINES
The Glass Lewis Investment Manager Guidelines are designed to maximize returns for investment managers by voting in a manner consistent with such managers’ active investment decision-making. The guidelines are designed to increase investor’s potential financial gain through the use of the shareholder vote while also allowing management and the board discretion to direct the operations, including governance and compensation, of the firm.
The guidelines will ensure that all issues brought to shareholders are analyzed in light of the fiduciary responsibilities unique to investment advisors and investment companies on behalf of individual investor clients including mutual fund shareholders. The guidelines will encourage the maximization of return for such clients through identifying and avoiding financial, audit and corporate governance risks.
MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
In analyzing directors and boards, Glass Lewis’ Investment Manager Guidelines generally support the election of incumbent directors except when a majority of the company’s directors are not independent or where directors fail to attend at least 75% of board and committee meetings. In a contested election, we will apply the standard Glass Lewis recommendation.
AUDITOR
The Glass Lewis Investment Manager Guidelines will generally support auditor ratification except when the non-audit fees exceed the audit fees paid to the auditor.
COMPENSATION
Glass Lewis recognizes the importance in designing appropriate executive compensation plans that truly reward pay for performance. We evaluate equity compensation plans based upon their specific features and will vote against plans than would result in total overhang greater than 20% or that allow the repricing of options without shareholder approval.
The Glass Lewis Investment Manager Guidelines will follow the general Glass Lewis recommendation when voting on management advisory votes on compensation (“say-on-pay”) and on executive compensation arrangements in connection with merger transactions (i.e., golden parachutes). Further, the Investment Manager Guidelines will follow the Glass Lewis recommendation when voting on the preferred frequency of advisory compensation votes.
AUTHORIZED SHARES
Having sufficient available authorized shares allows management to avail itself of rapidly developing opportunities as well as to effectively operate the business. However, we believe that for significant transactions management should seek shareholder approval to justify the use of additional shares. Therefore shareholders should not approve the creation of a large pool of unallocated shares without some rational of the purpose of such shares. Accordingly, where we find that the company has not provided an appropriate plan for use of the proposed shares, or where the number of shares far exceeds those needed to accomplish a detailed plan, we typically vote against the authorization of additional shares. We also vote against the creation of or increase in (i) blank check preferred shares and (ii) dual or multiple class capitalizations.
SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS
Glass Lewis Investment Manager Guidelines will generally support proposals increasing or enhancing shareholder rights such as declassifying the board, allowing shareholders to call a special meeting, eliminating supermajority voting and adopting majority voting for the election of directors. Similarly, the Investment Manager Guidelines will generally vote against proposals to eliminate or reduce shareholder rights.
MERGERS/ACQUISITIONS
Glass Lewis undertakes a thorough examination of the economic implications of a proposed merger or acquisition to determine the transaction’s likelihood of maximizing shareholder return. We examine the process used to negotiate the transaction as well as the terms of the transaction in making our voting recommendation.
Appendix A-1
SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS
We review and vote on shareholder proposals on a case-by-case basis. We recommend supporting shareholder proposals if the requested action would increase shareholder value, mitigate risk or enhance shareholder rights but generally recommend voting against those that would not ultimately impact performance.
GOVERNANCE
The Glass Lewis Investment Manager Guidelines will support reasonable initiatives that seek to enhance shareholder rights, such as the introduction of majority voting to elect directors, elimination in/reduction of supermajority provisions, the declassification of the board and requiring the submission of shareholder rights’ plans to a shareholder vote. The guidelines generally support reasonable, well- targeted proposals to allow increased shareholder participation at shareholder meetings through the ability to call special meetings and ability for shareholders to nominate director candidates to a company’s board of directors. However, the Investment Manager Guidelines will vote against proposals to require separating the roles of CEO and chairman.
COMPENSATION
The Glass Lewis Investment Manager Guidelines will generally oppose any shareholder proposals seeking to limit compensation in amount or design. However, the guidelines will vote for reasonable and properly-targeted shareholder initiatives such as to require shareholder approval to reprice options, to link pay with performance, to eliminate or require shareholder approval of golden coffins, to allow a shareholder vote on excessive golden parachutes (i.e., greater than 2.99 times annual compensation) and to claw back unearned bonuses. The Investment Manager Guidelines will vote against requiring companies to allow shareholders an advisory compensation vote.
ENVIRONMENT
Glass Lewis’ Investment Manager Guidelines vote against proposals seeking to cease a certain practice or take certain action related to a company’s activities or operations with environmental. Further, the Glass Lewis’ Investment Manager Guidelines generally vote against proposals regarding enhanced environment disclosure and reporting, including those seeking sustainability reporting and disclosure about company’s greenhouse gas emissions, as well as advocating compliance with international environmental conventions and adherence to environmental principles like those promulgated by CERES.
SOCIAL
Glass Lewis’ Investment Manager Guidelines generally oppose proposals requesting companies adhere to labor or worker treatment codes of conduct, such as those espoused by the International Labor Organization, relating to labor standards, human rights conventions and corporate responsibility at large conventions and principles. The guidelines will also vote against proposals seeking disclosure concerning the rights of workers, impact on local stakeholders, workers’ rights and human rights in general. Furthermore, the Investment Manager Guidelines oppose increased reporting and review of a company’s political and charitable spending as well as its lobbying practices.
Appendix A-2
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 15. Indemnification:
Reference is made to Article VII, Section III of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust, which was filed with the Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on January 15, 2015. The general effect of this provision is to indemnify the Trustees, officers, employees and other agents of the Trust who are parties pursuant to any proceeding by reason of their actions performed in their scope of service on behalf of the Trust.
Pursuant to Rule 484 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Registrant furnishes the following undertaking: “Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 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 Securities 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 trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.”
Item 16. Exhibits:
(1) | (a) | |||||||
(b) | ||||||||
(2) | ||||||||
(3) | Not applicable. | |||||||
(4) | Form of Agreement and Plan of Reorganization is filed herewith as Appendix A to Part A of this Registration Statement on N-14. | |||||||
(5) | Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders—Incorporated by reference to Articles III, V, VI, VII and VIII of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws. | |||||||
(6) | (a) | |||||||
(b) | ||||||||
(7) | (a) | |||||||
(b) | ||||||||
(8) | Bonus, profit sharing contracts—None. | |||||||
(9) | (a) |
Part C-1
(b) | ||||||||
(c) | ||||||||
(10) | (a) | |||||||
(b) | ||||||||
(11) | ||||||||
(12) | ||||||||
(13) | (a) | |||||||
(b) | ||||||||
(c) | ||||||||
(d) | ||||||||
(e) | ||||||||
(f) | ||||||||
(g) | ||||||||
(h) | ||||||||
(i) | ||||||||
(14) | Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – filed herewith. | |||||||
(15) | Not Applicable. | |||||||
(16) | (a) |
Part C-2
(b) | ||||||||
(17) | (a) | |||||||
(b) | ||||||||
(c) |
Item 17. Undertakings:
(1)The 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) of the Securities Act, the reoffering prospectus will contain the information called for by the applicable registration form for the 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 Registrant agrees that every prospectus that is filed under paragraph (1) above will be filed as a 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 1933 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 Registrant agrees to file by PEA the opinion and consent of counsel regarding the tax consequences at the proposed Reorganization required by item 16(12) of Form N-14 upon the closing of the Reorganization.
Part C-3
SIGNATURES
As required by the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed on behalf of the Registrant, in the City of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin, on July 17, 2020.
PACER FUNDS TRUST | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Joe M. Thomson | |||||||
Name: | Joe M. Thompson | |||||||
Title: | President |
Pursuant to the requirements of the 1933 Act, this registration statement has been signed as of July 17, 2020 by the following persons in the capacities indicated.
Signature | Title | ||||
/s/ Deborah G. Wolk* | Lead Independent Trustee | ||||
Deborah G. Wolk | |||||
/s/ Dennis J. Ryan* | Trustee | ||||
Dennis J. Ryan | |||||
/s/ Jonathan H. Newman, Sr.* | Trustee | ||||
Jonathan H. Newman, Sr. | |||||
/s/ Joe M. Thomson | Trustee and President | ||||
Joe M. Thomson | |||||
/s/ Sean E. O’Hara | Treasurer | ||||
Sean E. O’Hara |
*By: | /s/ Joe M. Thomson | ||||
Joe M. Thompson Attorney-in-Fact pursuant to Powers of Attorney |
Part C-4
[LOGO] PROXY CARD
SIGN, DATE AND VOTE ON THE REVERSE SIDE
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT NO MATTER HOW MANY SHARES YOU OWN. PLEASE CAST YOUR PROXY VOTE TODAY! [Shareholder registration printed here] | PROXY VOTING OPTIONS 1. MAIL your signed and voted proxy back in the postage paid envelope provided 2. ONLINE at proxyonline.com using your proxy control number found below 3. By PHONE when you dial toll-free [ ] to reach an automated touchtone voting line CONTROL NUMBER > [12345678910] |
Salt High truBeta US Market ETF
PROXY FOR A SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON September 29, 2020
The undersigned hereby appoints each of Michael A. Castino, Kristina R. Nelson, Kristen M. Weitzel, Brett M. Wickmann, and Michael D. Barolsky, as Proxy of the undersigned, with full power of substitution, and hereby authorizes any of them to vote on behalf of the undersigned all shares of the Fund that the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Special Meeting of Shareholders of the Fund to be held 11:00 a.m. Central time, on September 29, 2020 at the principal executive offices of ESS, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 and at any postponements or adjournments thereof, as fully as the undersigned would be entitled to vote if personally present. This proxy will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware and applicable federal securities laws. The execution of this proxy is not intended to, and does not, revoke any prior proxies or powers of attorney other than the revocation, in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware and applicable federal securities laws, of any proxy previously granted specifically in connection with the voting of the shares subject hereto. This proxy may be revoked at any time prior to the exercise of the powers conferred thereby.
Do you have questions? If you have any questions about how to vote your proxy or about the meeting in general, please call toll-free [AST phone number]. Representatives are available to assist you Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for this Special Meeting of Shareholders to Be Held on September 29, 2020. The proxy statement for this meeting is available at: [AST websites].
Salt High truBeta US Market ETF
PROXY CARD
YOUR SIGNATURE IS REQUIRED FOR YOUR VOTE TO BE COUNTED. Please sign your name exactly as it appears on this card. If you are a joint owner, any one of you may sign. When signing as executor, administrator, attorney, trustee, or guardian, or as custodian for a minor, please give your full title as such. If you are signing for a corporation, please sign the full corporate name and indicate the signer’s office. If you are a partner, sign in the partnership name. | ________________________________________________________SIGNATURE (AND TITLE IF APPLICABLE) ________________________________________________________DATE | ||||
________________________________________________________SIGNATURE (IF HELD JOINTLY) ________________________________________________________ DATE |
This proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Trustees of ETF Series Solutions (the “Trust”), and the Proposal has been unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees and recommended for approval by shareholders. This proxy when properly executed will be voted in the manner directed herein by the undersigned shareholder. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR the Proposal. In his or her discretion, the Proxy is authorized to vote upon such other matters as may properly come before the meeting.
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE PROPOSAL.
TO VOTE, MARK CIRCLES BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS. Example: ●
FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | ||||||||||||
1. | To approve the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization approved by the Board of Trustees of ETF Series Solutions, which provides for the reorganization of the Salt High truBeta US Market ETF into the Pacer Salt High truBeta US Market ETF, a newly created series of Pacer Funds Trust. | ○ | ○ | ○ |
THANK YOU FOR VOTING
[LOGO] PROXY CARD
SIGN, DATE AND VOTE ON THE REVERSE SIDE
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT NO MATTER HOW MANY SHARES YOU OWN. PLEASE CAST YOUR PROXY VOTE TODAY! [Shareholder registration printed here] | PROXY VOTING OPTIONS 1. MAIL your signed and voted proxy back in the postage paid envelope provided 2. ONLINE at proxyonline.com using your proxy control number found below 3. By PHONE when you dial toll-free [ ] to reach an automated touchtone voting line CONTROL NUMBER > [12345678910] |
Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF
PROXY FOR A SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON September 29, 2020
The undersigned hereby appoints each of Michael A. Castino, Kristina R. Nelson, Kristen M. Weitzel, Brett M. Wickmann, and Michael D. Barolsky, as Proxy of the undersigned, with full power of substitution, and hereby authorizes any of them to vote on behalf of the undersigned all shares of the Fund that the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Special Meeting of Shareholders of the Fund to be held 11:00 a.m. Central time, on September 29, 2020 at the principal executive offices of ESS, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 and at any postponements or adjournments thereof, as fully as the undersigned would be entitled to vote if personally present. This proxy will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware and applicable federal securities laws. The execution of this proxy is not intended to, and does not, revoke any prior proxies or powers of attorney other than the revocation, in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware and applicable federal securities laws, of any proxy previously granted specifically in connection with the voting of the shares subject hereto. This proxy may be revoked at any time prior to the exercise of the powers conferred thereby.
Do you have questions? If you have any questions about how to vote your proxy or about the meeting in general, please call toll-free [AST phone number]. Representatives are available to assist you Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for this Special Meeting of Shareholders to Be Held on September 29, 2020. The proxy statement for this meeting is available at: [AST websites].
Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF
PROXY CARD
YOUR SIGNATURE IS REQUIRED FOR YOUR VOTE TO BE COUNTED. Please sign your name exactly as it appears on this card. If you are a joint owner, any one of you may sign. When signing as executor, administrator, attorney, trustee, or guardian, or as custodian for a minor, please give your full title as such. If you are signing for a corporation, please sign the full corporate name and indicate the signer’s office. If you are a partner, sign in the partnership name. | ________________________________________________________SIGNATURE (AND TITLE IF APPLICABLE) ________________________________________________________DATE | ||||
________________________________________________________SIGNATURE (IF HELD JOINTLY) ________________________________________________________ DATE |
This proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Trustees of ETF Series Solutions (the “Trust”), and the Proposal has been unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees and recommended for approval by shareholders. This proxy when properly executed will be voted in the manner directed herein by the undersigned shareholder. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR the Proposal. In his or her discretion, the Proxy is authorized to vote upon such other matters as may properly come before the meeting.
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE PROPOSAL.
TO VOTE, MARK CIRCLES BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS. Example: ●
FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | ||||||||||||
1. | To approve the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization approved by the Board of Trustees of ETF Series Solutions, which provides for the reorganization of the Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF into the Pacer Salt Low truBeta US Market ETF, a newly created series of Pacer Funds Trust. | ○ | ○ | ○ |
THANK YOU FOR VOTING