Registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer or persons performing similar functions, which is included with this submission as Exhibit (a)(1) and posted on the
Registrant’s website at https://www.saturna.com/code-ethics
. Requests may also be made via telephone at 1-800-728-8762, and will be processed within one business day of receiving such request.
Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert
(a)(1)(i) The Trustees of Amana Mutual Funds Trust determined, at their quarterly meeting of June 12, 2003, that the Trust shall have at least one audit committee financial expert serving on its Audit & Compliance Committee.
(a)(2) Mr. Ron Fielding, independent Trustee (as defined for investment companies), presently serves as financial expert.
Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
For the fiscal years ending May 31, 2023, and 2022 the aggregate audit fees billed for professional services rendered by the principal accountant
were $87,000
and $87,000, respectively.
There were no fees billed by the principal accountant for assurance and related services that were not included under paragraph (a) for the fiscal years ending May 31, 2023, and 2022.
For the fiscal years ending May 31, 2023,
and 2022, the aggregate tax fees billed for professional tax preparation services rendered by the principal accountant were $13,000 and $13,000 respectively.
Service includes preparation of the Funds’ federal and state income tax returns.
There were no other fees billed by the principal accountant for the fiscal years ending May 31, 2023, and 2022.
(e)(1) Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
The following is an excerpt from the Amana Mutual Funds Trust Audit & Compliance Committee Charter:
D. Oversight of Independent Auditors
3. Pre-approval of Audit and Non-Audit Services. Except as provided below, the Committee’s prior approval is necessary for the engagement of the independent auditors to provide any audit or non-audit services for the Trust and any non-audit services for any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with Saturna that provides ongoing services to the Trust (Saturna and each such entity, an “Adviser Affiliate”) where the engagement relates directly to the operations or financial reporting of the Trust. Non-audit services that qualify under the de minimis exception described in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and applicable rules thereunder, that were not pre-approved by the Committee, must be approved by the Committee prior to the completion of the audit. Pre-approval by the Committee is not required for engagements entered into pursuant to (a) pre-approval policies and procedures established by the Committee, or (b) pre-approval granted by one or more members of the Committee to whom, or by a subcommittee to which, the Committee has delegated pre-approval authority, provided in either case, that the Committee is informed of each such service at its next regular meeting.
(e)(2) Percentages of Services
None of the services described in each of paragraphs (b) through (d) were approved by the audit committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.
(g) Aggregate Non-Audit Fees
The aggregate non-audit fees billed by the principal accountant for services rendered to the Registrant are shown above in the response to Item 4(b), (c) and (d) above.
(1) The aggregate non-audit fees billed by the principal accountant for services rendered to the Registrant’s investment adviser, Saturna Capital Corporation (“Saturna”), for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2023, and 2022 were:
The fees listed above consist of fees paid by Saturna to the Registrant’s principal accountant for its review and report on Saturna’s internal transfer agency control procedures and Saturna’s custody control procedures.
(2) The aggregate non-audit fees billed by the principal accountant for services rendered to entities controlling, controlled by, or under common control with Saturna, for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2022, and 2021 were:
(h) Registrant’s Audit Committee
The Registrant’s Audit Committee has considered the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to Saturna, and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with Saturna that provides ongoing services to the Registrant, that were not pre-approved pursuant to Rule 2-01 (c)(7)(ii) of Regulation S-X and has determined that the provision of such services is compatible with maintaining the independence of the Registrant’s principal accountant.
Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants
Item 6. Schedule of Investments
The schedule is included as part of the report to shareholders filed under Item 1 of this Form.
Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies
Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies
Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers
Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
Item11. Controls and Procedures
a. The Registrant’s President and Treasurer have concluded, based on their evaluation of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”)) as conducted within 90 days of the filing date of this report, that those disclosure controls and procedures provide reasonable assurance that the material information required to be disclosed by the Registrant on this report is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms.
b. There were no significant changes in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30e-3(d) under the Act) that occurred during the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
Item 12. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
Exhibits included with this filing:
(a)(2)
Certification pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30a-2(a)) is filed and attached hereto as Exhibit 99.CERT.
(b)
Certification pursuant to Rule 30a-2(b) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30a-2(b)) is furnished and attached hereto as Exhibit 99.906.CERT.
(c)
Registrant’s Rule 30e-3 Notice pursuant to Item 1(b) of Form N-CSR. Attached hereto as EX-99.30e-3Notice.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
/s/Nicholas F. Kaiser
, President
Nicholas F. Kaiser, President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated.
/s/Nicholas F. Kaiser
, President
Nicholas F. Kaiser, President
/s/ Christopher R. Fankhauser,
Treasurer
Christopher R. Fankhauser, Treasurer