STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
March 31, 2014
AMI Large Cap Growth Fund
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Trading Symbol
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Institutional Class
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AMILX
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A Series of Trust for Advised Portfolios
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701
844-AMI-FUND (844-264-3863)
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and it should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus dated March 31, 2014, as may be revised, for the Institutional Class of the AMI Large Cap Growth Fund (the “Fund”), a series of Trust for Advised Portfolios (the “Trust”). AMI Asset Management Corporation (the “Adviser”) is the Fund’s investment adviser. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained by contacting the Fund at the address or telephone number above or by visiting the Fund’s website at www.amiassetmanagement.com/mutualfund.
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A-1
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B-1
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The Trust is a Delaware statutory trust organized under the laws of the State of Delaware on August 28, 2003, and is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as an open-end management investment company. Between March 5, 2013 and January 1, 2014, the Trust was named “Ziegler Capital Management Investment Trust”. Between August 1, 2011 and March 4, 2013, the Trust was named “Ziegler Lotsoff Capital Management Investment Trust”. Prior to August 1, 2011, the Trust was named “Lotsoff Capital Management Investment Trust”.
The Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”) permits the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board” or the “Trustees”) to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share, which may be issued in any number of series. The Trust consists of various series that represent separate investment portfolios. The Board may from time to time issue other series, the assets and liabilities of which will be separate and distinct from any other series. This SAI relates only to the AMI Large Cap Growth Fund.
The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this SAI.
Registration with the SEC does not involve supervision of the management or policies of the Fund. The Prospectus of the Fund and this SAI omit certain of the information contained in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC. Copies of such information may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the prescribed fee or may be accessed free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
The discussion below supplements information contained in the Fund’s Prospectus as to the investment policies and risks of the Fund.
Diversification
The Fund is diversified under applicable federal securities laws. This means that as to 75% of its total assets (1) no more than 5% may be invested in the securities of a single issuer, and (2) it may not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of a single issuer. However, the diversification of a mutual fund’s holdings is measured at the time the fund purchases a security and if the Fund purchases a security and holds it for a period of time, the security may become a larger percentage of the Fund’s total assets due to movements in the financial markets. If the market affects several securities held by the Fund, the Fund may have a greater percentage of its assets invested in securities of fewer issuers. Accordingly, the Fund is subject to the risk that its performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few securities despite qualifying as a diversified fund.
Percentage Limitations
Whenever an investment policy or limitation states a maximum percentage of the Fund’s assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such standard or percentage limitation will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund’s acquisition or sale of such security or other asset. Accordingly, except with respect to borrowing and illiquid securities, any subsequent change in values, net assets or other circumstances will not be considered in determining whether an investment complies with the Fund’s investment policies and limitations. In addition, if a bankruptcy or other extraordinary event occurs concerning a particular investment by the Fund, the Fund may receive stock, real estate or other investments that the Fund would not, or could not buy. If this happens the Fund would sell such investments as soon as practicable while trying to maximize the return to its shareholders.
Recent Regulatory Events
Legal, tax and regulatory changes could occur that may adversely affect the Fund and its ability to pursue its investment strategies and/or increase the costs of implementing such strategies. The U.S. Government, the Federal Reserve, the Treasury, the SEC, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and other governmental and regulatory bodies have recently taken or are considering taking actions in light of the recent financial crisis. These actions include, but are not limited to, the enactment by the United States Congress of the “Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act,” which was signed into law on July 21, 2010, and imposes a new regulatory framework over the U.S. financial services industry and the consumer credit markets in general, and proposed regulations by the SEC. Given the broad scope, sweeping nature, and relatively recent enactment of some of these regulatory measures, the potential impact they could have on securities held by the Fund is unknown. There can be no assurance that these measures will not have an adverse effect on the value or marketability of securities held by the Fund. Furthermore, no assurance can be made that the U.S. Government or any U.S. regulatory body (or other authority or regulatory body) will not continue to take further legislative or regulatory action in response to the continuing economic turmoil or otherwise, and the effect of such actions, if taken, cannot be known.
Recent Economic Events
Although the U.S. economy has seen gradual improvement since 2008, the effects of the global financial crisis that began to unfold in 2007 continue to exist and economic growth has been slow and uneven. In addition, the negative impacts and continued uncertainty stemming from the sovereign debt crisis and economic difficulties in Europe and U.S. fiscal and political matters, including deficit reduction and U.S. debt ratings, have impacted and may continue to impact the global economic recovery. These events and possible continuing market turbulence may have an adverse effect on the Fund. In response to the global financial crisis, the U.S. and other governments and the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks took steps to support financial markets. However, risks to a robust resumption of growth persist: a weak consumer weighed down by too much debt and increasing joblessness, the growing size of the federal budget deficit and national debt, and the threat of inflation. A number of countries in Europe have experienced severe economic and financial difficulties. Many non-governmental issuers, and even certain governments, have defaulted on or been forced to restructure their debts; many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit or refinancing existing obligations; financial institutions have in many cases required government or central bank support, have needed to raise capital, and/or have been impaired in their ability to extend credit; and financial markets in Europe and elsewhere have experienced extreme volatility and declines in asset values and liquidity. There is continued concern about national-level support for the euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among European Economic and Monetary Union (“EMU”) member countries. Member countries are required to maintain tight control over inflation, public debt, and budget deficit to qualify for membership in the European EMU. These requirements can severely limit European EMU member countries’ ability to implement monetary policy to address regional economic conditions. A return to unfavorable economic conditions could impair the Fund’s ability to execute its investment strategies.
The Fund may invest in the following types of investments, each of which is subject to certain risks, as discussed below:
Equity Securities
All investments in equity securities are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Historically, the equity markets have moved in cycles and the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may fluctuate substantially from day to day. Owning an equity security can also subject the Fund to the risk that the issuer may discontinue paying dividends
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Common Stocks.
A common stock represents a proportionate share of the ownership of a company and its value is based on the success of the company’s business, any income paid to stockholders, the value of its assets, and general market conditions. In addition to the general risks set forth above, investments in common stocks are subject to the risk that in the event a company in which the Fund invests is liquidated, the holders of preferred stock and creditors of that company will be paid in full before any payments are made to the Fund as a holder of common stock. It is possible that all assets of that company will be exhausted before any payments are made to the Fund.
Convertible Securities.
The Fund may invest in convertible securities. Traditional convertible securities include corporate bonds, notes and preferred stocks that may be converted into or exchanged for common stock, and other securities that also provide an opportunity for equity participation. These securities are convertible either at a stated price or a stated rate (that is, for a specific number of shares of common stock or other security). As with other fixed income securities, the price of a convertible security generally varies inversely with interest rates. While providing a fixed income stream, a convertible security also affords the investor an opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the common stock into which it is convertible. As the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis and so may not experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common stock. When the market price of the underlying common stock increases, the price of a convertible security tends to rise as a reflection of higher yield or capital appreciation. In such situations, the Fund may have to pay more for a convertible security than the value of the underlying common stock.
Rights and Warrants.
The Fund may invest in rights and warrants. A right is a privilege granted to existing shareholders of a corporation to subscribe to shares of a new issue of common stock and it is issued at a predetermined price in proportion to the number of shares already owned. Rights normally have a short life, usually two to four weeks, are freely transferable and entitle the holder to buy the new common stock at a lower price than the current market. Warrants are options to purchase equity securities at a specific price for a specific period of time. They do not represent ownership of the securities, but only the right to buy them. Hence, warrants have no voting rights, pay no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the corporation issuing them. The value of warrants is derived solely from capital appreciation of the underlying equity securities. Warrants differ from call options in that the underlying corporation issues warrants, whereas call options may be written by anyone.
An investment in rights and warrants may entail greater risks than certain other types of investments. Generally, rights and warrants do not carry the right to receive dividends or exercise voting rights with respect to the underlying securities, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. In addition, although their value is influenced by the value of the underlying security, their value 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.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in shares of other registered investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), money market mutual funds and other mutual funds in pursuit of its investment objective, in accordance with the limitations established under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). This may include investments in money market mutual funds in connection with the Fund’s management of daily cash positions. Investments in the securities of other investment companies may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. By investing in another investment company, the Fund becomes a shareholder of that investment company. As a result, Fund shareholders indirectly will bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by shareholders of the other investment company, in addition to the fees and expenses Fund shareholders directly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations.
Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act generally prohibits a fund from purchasing (1) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of another fund; (2) securities of another fund having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the acquiring fund; and (3) securities of the other fund and all other funds having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the acquiring fund. There are some exceptions, however, to these limitations pursuant to various rules promulgated by the SEC.
Foreign Investments
The Fund may make investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers (“foreign securities”). The Fund reserves the right to invest up to 5% of its net assets in Depositary Receipts (“DRs”), U.S. dollar-denominated securities, foreign securities and securities of companies incorporated outside the U.S.
Depositary Receipts.
Depositary Receipts include ADRs, European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) or other forms of DRs. DRs are receipts typically issued in connection with a U.S. or foreign bank or trust company which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a non-U.S. company.
ADRs are depositary receipts for foreign securities denominated in U.S. dollars and traded on U.S. securities markets. These securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities for which they may be exchanged. These are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign-based issuer held in trust by a bank or similar financial institutions. Designed for use in U.S. securities markets, ADRs are alternatives to the purchase of the underlying securities in their national market and currencies. ADRs may be purchased through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the underlying security and a depositary, whereas a depositary may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by the issuer of the depositary security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of such facilities and the depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through voting rights to the holders of such receipts of the deposited securities.
Risks of Investing in Foreign Securities.
Investments in foreign securities involve certain inherent risks, including the following:
Political and Economic Factors.
Individual economies of certain countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the United States’ economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, diversification and balance of payments position. The internal politics of certain foreign countries may not be as stable as those of the United States. Governments in certain foreign countries also continue to participate to a significant degree, through ownership interest or regulation, in their respective economies. Action by these governments could include restrictions on foreign investment, nationalization, expropriation of goods or imposition of taxes, and could have a significant effect on market prices of securities and payment of interest. The economies of many foreign countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by the trade policies and economic conditions of their trading partners. Enactment by these trading partners of protectionist trade legislation could have a significant adverse effect upon the securities markets of such countries.
Legal and Regulatory Matters.
Certain foreign countries may have less supervision of securities markets, brokers and issuers of securities, and less financial information available to issuers, than is available in the United States.
Currency Fluctuations.
A change in the value of any foreign currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding change in the U.S. dollar value of an ADR’s underlying portfolio securities denominated in that currency. Such changes will affect the Fund to the extent that the Fund is invested in ADRs comprised of foreign securities.
Foreign Taxes.
The interest and dividends payable to the Fund on certain of the Fund’s foreign securities may be subject to foreign taxes or withholding, thus reducing the net amount of income available for distribution to Fund shareholders. The Fund may not be eligible to pass through to its shareholders any tax credits or deductions with respect to such foreign taxes or withholding.
In considering whether to invest in the securities of a non-U.S. company, the Adviser considers such factors as the characteristics of the particular company, differences between economic trends and the performance of securities markets within the U.S. and those within other countries, and also factors relating to the general economic, governmental and social conditions of the country or countries where the company is located. The extent to which the Fund will be invested in non-U.S. companies, foreign countries and depositary receipts will fluctuate from time to time within any limitations described in the Prospectus, depending on the Adviser’s assessment of prevailing market, economic and other conditions.
Short-Term, Temporary, and Cash Investments
The Fund may invest in any of the following securities and instruments:
Bank Certificates of Deposit, Bankers’ Acceptances and Time Deposits.
The Fund may acquire certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers’ acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are “accepted” by a bank, meaning in effect that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances acquired by the Fund will be dollar denominated obligations of domestic or foreign banks or financial institutions which at the time of purchase have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (including assets of both domestic and foreign branches), based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such bank obligations are fully insured by the U.S. Government. If the Fund holds instruments of foreign banks or financial institutions, it may be subject to additional investment risks that are different in some respects from those incurred by a fund that invests only in debt obligations of U.S. domestic issuers. See “Foreign Securities” above. Such risks include future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes by the particular country in which the issuer is located on interest income payable on the securities, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, the possible establishment of exchange controls or the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on these securities.
Domestic banks and foreign banks are subject to different governmental regulations with respect to the amount and types of loans which may be made and interest rates which may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the banking industry depends largely upon the availability and cost of funds for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. General economic conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers play an important part in the operations of the banking industry.
As a result of federal and state laws and regulations, domestic banks are, among other things, required to maintain specified levels of reserves, limited in the amount which they can loan to a single borrower, and subject to other regulations designed to promote financial soundness. However, such laws and regulations do not necessarily apply to foreign bank obligations that the Fund may acquire.
In addition to purchasing certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances, to the extent permitted under its investment objectives and policies stated above and in its Prospectus, the Fund may make interest bearing time or other interest bearing deposits in commercial or savings banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained at a banking institution for a specified period of time at a specified interest rate.
Savings Association Obligations.
The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit (interest bearing time deposits) issued by savings banks or savings and loan associations that have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million, based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such obligations is fully insured by the U.S. Government.
Commercial Paper, Short Term Notes and Other Corporate Obligations.
The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in commercial paper and short term notes. Commercial paper consists of unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations. Issues of commercial paper and short term notes will normally have maturities of less than nine months and fixed rates of return, although such instruments may have maturities of up to one year.
Commercial paper and short term notes will consist of issues rated at the time of purchase “A-2” or higher by Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”), “Prime-1” by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or similarly rated by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization or, if unrated, will be determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. These rating symbols are described in
Appendix A
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Borrowing
Though the Fund does not currently intend to borrow money, the Fund is authorized to borrow money from time to time for temporary, extraordinary or emergency purposes or for clearance of transactions, and not for the purpose of leveraging its investments, in amounts not to exceed at any time 33-1/3% of the value of its total assets at the time of such borrowings, as allowed under the 1940 Act. The use of borrowing by the Fund involves special risk considerations that may not be associated with other funds having similar objectives and policies. Since substantially all of the Fund’s assets fluctuate in value, while the interest obligation resulting from a borrowing will be fixed by the terms of the Fund’s agreement with its lender, the NAV per share of the Fund will tend to increase more when its portfolio securities increase in value and to decrease more when its portfolio assets decrease in value than would otherwise be the case if the Fund did not borrow. In addition, interest costs on borrowings may fluctuate with changing market rates of interest and may partially offset or exceed the return earned on borrowed funds. Under adverse market conditions, the Fund might have to sell portfolio securities to meet interest or principal payments at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales.
The Trust (on behalf of the Fund) has adopted the following restrictions as fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the affirmative vote of the holders of a “majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities” as defined in the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the “vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” means the vote of the holders of the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of its outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.
The Fund may not:
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1.
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With respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in securities of a single issuer or hold more than 10% of the voting securities of such issuer. (Does not apply to investments in the securities of other investment companies or securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.)
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2.
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Borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
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3.
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Issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
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4.
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Engage in the business of underwriting securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 in the disposition of restricted securities.
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5.
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Invest more than 25% of the market value of its total assets in the securities of companies engaged in any one industry. (Does not apply to investments in the securities of other investment companies or securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.)
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6.
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Purchase or sell real estate, which term does not include securities of companies which deal in real estate and/or mortgages or investments secured by real estate, or interests therein, except that the Fund reserves freedom of action to hold and to sell real estate acquired as a result of the Fund’s ownership of securities.
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Purchase or sell physical commodities or contracts relating to physical commodities.
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8.
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Make loans to others, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
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The Fund observes the following policies, which are not deemed fundamental and which may be changed without shareholder vote. The Fund may not:
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Invest in any issuer for purposes of exercising control or management.
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2.
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Hold, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.
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3.
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Change its policy to invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of large capitalization companies without providing at least 60 days written notice to shareholders.
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Although the Fund generally will not invest for short-term trading purposes, portfolio securities may be sold without regard to the length of time they have been held when, in the opinion of the Adviser, investment considerations warrant such action. Portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing (1) the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by (2) the monthly average of the value of portfolio securities owned during the fiscal year. A 100% turnover rate would occur if all the securities in the Fund’s portfolio, with the exception of securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less, were sold and either repurchased or replaced within one year. A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) generally leads to higher transaction costs and generally reflects a greater number of taxable transactions. High portfolio turnover may result in larger amounts of short-term capital gains which, when distributed to shareholders, are generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates.
The Adviser and the Fund maintain portfolio holdings disclosure policies that govern the timing and circumstances of disclosure to shareholders and third parties of information regarding the portfolio investments held by the Fund. These portfolio holdings disclosure policies have been approved by the Board. Disclosure of the Fund’s complete holdings is required to be made quarterly within 60 days of the end of each fiscal quarter in the Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to Fund shareholders and in the quarterly holdings report on Form N-Q. These reports are available, free of charge, on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Pursuant to the Trust’s portfolio holdings disclosure policies, information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings is not distributed to any person unless:
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The disclosure is required pursuant to a regulatory request, court order or is legally required in the context of other legal proceedings;
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The disclosure is made to a mutual fund rating and/or ranking organization, or person performing similar functions, who is subject to a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on any non-public information;
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The disclosure is made to internal parties involved in the investment process, administration, operation or custody of the Fund, including, but not limited to the Fund’s administrator, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“USBFS”) and the Trust’s Board of Trustees, attorneys, auditors or accountants;
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§
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The disclosure is made: (a) in connection with a quarterly, semi-annual or annual report that is available to the public; or (b) relates to information that is otherwise available to the public; or
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The disclosure is made with the prior written approval of either the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer or his or her designee.
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Certain of the persons listed above receive information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings on an ongoing basis. The Fund believes that these third parties have legitimate objectives in requesting such portfolio holdings information and operate in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders. These persons include:
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A mutual fund rating and/or ranking organization, or person performing similar functions, who is subject to a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on any non-public information;
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Rating and/or ranking organizations, specifically: Lipper; Morningstar; Standard & Poor’s; Bloomberg; Vickers-Stock Research Corporation; Thomson Financial; and Capital-Bridge, all of which currently receive such information between the fifth and tenth business day of the month following the end of a calendar quarter; or
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Internal parties involved in the investment process, administration, operation or custody of the Fund, specifically: USBFS; the Trust’s Board of Trustees; and the Trust’s attorneys and accountants (currently, Bingham McCutchen LLP and BBD LLP, respectively), all of which typically receive such information after it is generated.
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Any disclosures to additional parties not described above is made with the prior written approval of either the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer or his or her designee, pursuant to the Trust’s Policy and Procedures Regarding Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings.
The Chief Compliance Officer or designated officer of the Trust will approve the furnishing of non-public portfolio holdings to a third party only if they consider the furnishing of such information to be in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders and if no material conflict of interest exists regarding such disclosure between shareholders interest and those of the Adviser, Distributor or any affiliated person of the Fund. No consideration may be received by the Fund, the Adviser, any affiliate of the Adviser or their employees in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information. The Board receives and reviews annually a list of the persons who receive non-public portfolio holdings information and the purpose for which it is furnished.
The overall management of the Trust’s business and affairs is invested with its Board. The Board approves all significant agreements between the Trust and persons or companies furnishing services to it, including the agreements with the Adviser, Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent, each as defined below. The day-to-day operations of the Trust are delegated to its officers, subject to the Fund’s investment objective, strategies and policies and to the general supervision of the Board. The Trustees and officers of the Trust, their ages, birth dates, and positions with the Trust, terms of office with the Trust and length of time served, their business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years and other directorships held are set forth in the table below.
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Name, Address
and Age
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Position(s) Held
with
Trust
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Term of Office
(1)
and Length of Time
Served
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Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
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Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen
by Trustee
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Other Directorships Held During Past 5 Years
by Trustee
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Independent Trustees
(2)
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John Chrystal
615 E. Michigan St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 54
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Trustee
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Since 2011
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Founder and Managing Partner of Bent Gate Advisors, LLC, a consulting firm that provides strategic advice and assistance to financial institutions. Previously a Partner at DiMaio Ahmad Capital, an investment management firm.
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1
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Director, Javelin Mortgage Investments, Inc.; Director, The Bancorp, Inc.; Trustee, Trust for Advised Portfolios (for series not affiliated with the Fund).
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Name, Address
and Age
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Position(s) Held
with
Trust
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Term of Office
(1)
and Length of Time
Served
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Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
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Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen
by Trustee
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Other Directorships Held During Past 5 Years
by Trustee
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Albert J. DiUlio, S.J.
615 E. Michigan St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 68
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Trustee
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Since 2011
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President Vatican Observatory. Previously, served five years as Secretary for Finance and Higher Education USA Jesuit Conference, followed by a one year Sabbatical.
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1
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Trustee, Trust for Advised Portfolios (for series not affiliated with the Fund).
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David S. Krause
615 E. Michigan St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 58
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Trustee
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Since 2011
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Director of the Applied Investment Management program and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Finance at Marquette University.
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1
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Trustee, Trust for Advised Portfolios (for series not affiliated with the Fund).
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Harry E. Resis
615 E. Michigan St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 67
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Trustee
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Since 2012
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Private investor. Previously served as Director of US Fixed Income for Henderson Global Investors.
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1
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Trustee, Trust for Advised Portfolios (for series not affiliated with the Fund).
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Interested Trustee
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Ian Martin
(3)
615 E. Michigan St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 45
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Trustee
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Since 2013
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Executive Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC.
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1
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Trustee, Trust for Advised Portfolios (for series not affiliated with the Fund).
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Name, Address and Age
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Position(s) Held
with Trust
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Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
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Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
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Officers
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Christopher E. Kashmerick
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 39
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President and Principal Executive Officer
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Since 2014
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Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC,
(2011 to present);
Vice President, Huntington Asset Services (2008 to 2011).
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Name, Address and Age
|
Position(s) Held
with Trust
|
Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
|
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
|
|
Robert M. Slotky
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 66
|
Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer and AML Officer
|
Since 2014
|
Senior Vice President,
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, (2001 to present).
|
|
Russell B. Simon
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 33
|
Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer
|
Since 2014
|
Assistant Vice President,
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, (2011 to present): Senior Fund Administrator, Huntington Asset Services (2002 to 2011).
|
|
Wendy M. Barron
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 35
|
Assistant Treasurer
|
Since 2014
|
Mutual Fund Administrator,
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, (2008 to present).
|
|
Jeanine M. Bajczyk, Esq.
615 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 48
|
Secretary
|
Since 2014
|
Senior Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (May 2006 to present).
|
|
(1)
|
Each Trustee serves an indefinite term until the election of a successor. Each officer serves an indefinite term until the election of a successor.
|
|
(2)
|
The Trustees of the Trust who are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”).
|
|
(3)
|
Mr. Martin is an “interested person” of the Trust as defined by the 1940 Act. Mr. Martin is an interested Trustee of the Trust by virtue of the fact that he is an interested person of Quasar Distributors, LLC, the Trust’s distributor.
|
Additional Information Concerning Our Board of Trustees
Board Leadership Structure
The Board has general oversight responsibility with respect to the operation of the Trust and the Fund. The Board has engaged the Adviser to manage the Fund and is responsible for overseeing the Adviser and other service providers to the Trust and the Fund in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act and other applicable laws. The Board has established an Audit Committee to assist the Board in performing its oversight responsibilities.
Given the fact there is only a small number of funds in the Trust, the Trust does not have a Chairman of the Board, nor does the Trust have a lead disinterested trustee. The President of the Trust is the presiding officer at all meetings of the Board
and sets the agenda for the Board meetings, with input from the trustees and other officers of the Trust.
The Trust has determined that its leadership structure is appropriate in light of, among other factors, the asset size and nature of the Trust, the arrangements for the conduct of the Trust’s operations, the number of Trustees, and the responsibilities of the Board.
Board Oversight of Risk
Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through the Audit Committee, and officers of the Fund and service providers, the Board performs a risk oversight function for the Fund. To effectively perform its risk oversight function, the Board, among other things, performs the following activities: receives and reviews reports related to the performance and operations of the Fund; reviews and approves, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Fund; approves the Fund’s principal investment policies; adopts policies and procedures designed to deter market timing; meets with representatives of various service providers, including the Adviser, to review and discuss the activities of the Fund and to provide direction with respect thereto; and appoints a chief compliance officer of the Fund who oversees the implementation and testing of the Fund’s compliance program and reports to the Board regarding compliance matters for the Fund and its service providers.
The Trust has an Audit Committee, which plays a significant role in the risk oversight of the Fund as it meets annually with the auditors of the Fund. The Board also meets quarterly with the Fund’s chief compliance officer.
Not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified nor can controls be developed to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. It may not be practical or cost effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, the processes and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness, and some risks are simply beyond the reasonable control of the, the Adviser or other service providers. Moreover, it is necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Fund’s goals. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Fund’s ability to manage risk is subject to substantial limitations.
Audit Committee
The Board has created an audit committee. The members consist of Messrs. Chrystal, DiUlio, Krause and Resis each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The primary functions of the audit committee are to select the independent registered public accounting firm to be retained to perform the annual audit of the Fund, to review the results of the audit, to review the Fund’s internal controls, to approve in advance all permissible non-audit services performed by the independent auditors and to review certain other matters relating to the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and financial records.
The Board has no other committees.
Board Oversight of Risk Management
As part of its oversight function, the Board receives and reviews various risk management reports and assessments and discusses these matters with appropriate management and other personnel. Because risk management is a broad concept comprised of many elements (such as, for example, investment risk, issuer and counterparty risk, compliance risk, operational risks, business continuity risks, etc.) the oversight of different types of risks is handled in different ways. For example, the Audit Committee meets regularly with the Chief Compliance Officer to discuss compliance and operational risks. The Audit Committee also meets with the Treasurer and the Trust’s independent public accounting firm to discuss, among other things, the internal control structure of the Trust’s financial reporting function. The full Board receives reports from the Adviser and portfolio managers as to investment risks as well as other risks that may be also discussed in Audit Committee.
Information about Each Trustee’s Qualification, Experience, Attributes or Skills
In addition to the information provided in the table above, below is certain additional information concerning each particular Trustee and certain of their Trustee Attributes. The information provided below, and in the table above, is not all-inclusive. Many Trustee attributes involve intangible elements, such as intelligence, integrity, work ethic, the ability to work together, the ability to communicate effectively, the ability to exercise judgment, the ability to ask incisive questions, and commitment to shareholder interests. In conducting its annual self-assessment, the Board has determined that the Trustees have the appropriate attributes and experience to continue to serve effectively as Trustees of the Trust.
Qualification of Trustees
John Chrystal’s experience as a partner of an investment management firm, and his experience as a partner of a consulting firm advising financial institutions, has provided him with an extensive knowledge of the highly regulated financial services industry, which knowledge he brings to the Board in a relatable, effective way.
Albert J. DiUlio, S.J.’s financing background, combined with his work experience, have provided him with a strong understanding of financial statements and experience addressing the complex issues that confront entities. As a trustee, Mr. DiUlio uses his financial background and experiences to enhance Board discussions with useful information and insights.
David S. Krause’s experience co-founding small businesses and as a professor in a graduate management program has honed his understanding of financial statements and the complex issues that confront businesses, making him a valuable resource to the Board.
Harry Resis’ background in fixed income securities analysis, with an emphasis on high yield securities, provides him with a practical knowledge of the underlying markets and strategies used by Funds in the Trust that will be useful to the Board in their analysis and oversight of the Funds.
Ian Martin has substantial mutual fund operations and shareholder servicing experience through his position as Executive Vice President and Director of Transfer Agent Operations of U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, a full service provider to mutual funds, which makes him a valuable resource to the Board as they contemplate shareholder servicing needs.
Each of Messrs. Chrystal, DiUlio, Krause, Resis and Martin takes a conservative and thoughtful approach to addressing issues facing the Fund. The combination of skills and attributes discussed above led to the conclusion that each of Messrs. Chrystal, DiUlio, Krause, Resis and Martin should serve as a trustee.
Trustee Ownership of Fund Shares and Other Interests
No Trustee owned shares of the Fund as of the calendar year ended December 31, 2013, which is prior to the inception date of the Fund.
As of December 31, 2013, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate family, own securities beneficially or of record in the Adviser, the Distributor, as defined below, or an affiliate of the Adviser or Distributor. Accordingly, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate family, have direct or indirect interest, the value of which exceeds $120,000, in the Adviser, the Distributor or any of their affiliates. In addition, during the two most recently completed calendar years, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate families have conducted any transactions (or series of transactions) in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and to which the Adviser, the Distributor or any affiliate thereof was a party.
Compensation
Set forth below is the anticipated compensation to be received by the Independent Trustees from the Fund for the fiscal year ending February 28, 2015. The Independent Trustees receive an annual retainer of $8,000 per year and a fee of $1,000 for each meeting of the Board of Trustees attended, including special meetings allocated among each of the various portfolios comprising the Trust. The Trustees also receive reimbursement from the Trust for expenses incurred in connection with attendance at meetings. The Trust has no pension or retirement plan. No other entity affiliated with the Trust pays any compensation to the Trustees.
|
|
Estimated Aggregate Compensation
from the Fund
(1)
|
Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses
|
Estimated Annual Benefits
Upon Retirement
|
Estimated Total Compensation from Fund Complex Paid to Trustees
(2)
|
|
Name of Independent Trustee
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Chrystal
|
$2,000
|
None
|
None
|
$2,000
|
|
Albert J. DiUlio, S.J.
|
$2,000
|
None
|
None
|
$2,000
|
|
David S. Krause
|
$2,000
|
None
|
None
|
$2,000
|
|
Harry Resis
|
$2,000
|
None
|
None
|
$2,000
|
|
Name of Interested Trustee
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ian Martin
|
$0
|
None
|
None
|
$0
|
|
(1)
|
For the Fund’s fiscal year ending February 28, 2015.
|
|
(2)
|
There are currently two portfolios comprising the Trust. The term “Fund Complex” applies only to the Fund. For the fiscal year ending February 28, 2015, Trustees’ fees are estimated in the amount of
$48,000
.
|
The Trust, the Adviser and the Distributor, as defined below, have each adopted separate Codes of Ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These Codes permit, subject to certain conditions, access persons of the Adviser and Distributor to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund.
The Board has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Policies”) on behalf of the Trust which delegate the responsibility for voting proxies to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight. The Policies require that the Adviser vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. The Policies also require the Adviser to present to the Board, at least annually, the Adviser’s Policies and a record of each proxy voted by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund, including a report on the resolution of all proxies identified by the Adviser as involving a conflict of interest.
A copy of the Adviser’s policies and procedures used to determine how to vote proxies related to portfolio securities can be found in
Appendix B.
The Trust is required to file a Form N-PX, with the Fund’s complete proxy voting record for the 12 months ended June 30, no later than August 31 of each year. The Fund’s proxy voting record will be available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free 844-AMI-FUND (844-264-3863) and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. A control person is one who owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. Shareholders with a controlling interest could affect the outcome of voting or the direction of management of the Fund.
Since the Fund was not operational prior to the date of this SAI, there were no principal shareholders or control persons and the Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group did not own more than 1% of the Fund’s outstanding shares.
AMI Asset Management Corporation, 10866 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 770, Los Angeles, California 90024, acts as investment adviser to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) with the Trust. William H. Tanner, Chairman and Co-Founder, Matthew T. Humiston, President, and Peter Mainstain, Equity Partner, each own more than 25% of the Adviser and each is therefore a control person of the Adviser. William H. Tanner and Matthew T. Humiston are portfolio managers of the Fund.
In consideration of the services to be provided by the Adviser pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive from the Fund an investment advisory fee computed daily and payable monthly, based on a rate equal to 0.74% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
After its initial two year term, the Advisory Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods so long as such continuation is specifically approved at least annually by the vote of (1) the Board (or a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund), and (2) a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of any party to the Advisory Agreement, in each case, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Advisory Agreement may be terminated at any time, without penalty, by either party to the Advisory Agreement upon a 60-day written notice and is automatically terminated in the event of its “assignment,” as defined in the 1940 Act.
In addition to the management fees payable to the Adviser, the Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses, including: fees and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance, registration and transfer of its shares; brokerage and commission expenses; all expenses of transfer, receipt, safekeeping, servicing and accounting for the cash, securities and other property of the Trust for the benefit of the Fund including all fees and expenses of its custodian and accounting services agent; interest charges on any borrowings; costs and expenses of pricing and calculating its daily NAV per share and of maintaining its books of account required under the 1940 Act; taxes, if any; a pro rata portion of expenditures in connection with meetings of the Fund’s shareholders and the Trust’s Board that are properly payable by the Fund; salaries and expenses of officers and fees and expenses of members of the Board or members of any advisory board or committee who are not members of, affiliated with or interested persons of the Adviser or Administrator; insurance premiums on property or personnel of the Fund which inure to their benefit, including liability and fidelity bond insurance; the cost of preparing and printing reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and the statement of additional information of the Fund or other communications for distribution to existing shareholders; legal counsel, auditing and accounting fees; trade association membership dues (including membership dues in the Investment Company Institute allocable to the Fund); fees and expenses (including legal fees) of registering and maintaining registration of its shares for sale under federal and applicable state and foreign securities laws; all expenses of maintaining shareholder accounts, including all charges for transfer, shareholder recordkeeping, dividend disbursing, redemption, and other agents for the benefit of the Fund, if any; and all other charges and costs of its operation plus any extraordinary and non-recurring expenses, except as otherwise prescribed in the Advisory Agreement.
Though the Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive a portion or all of the management fees payable to it by the Fund and/or to pay Fund operating expenses to the extent necessary to limit the Fund’s aggregate annual operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) to the limits set forth in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses table of the Prospectus. Any such waivers made by the Adviser in its management fees or payment of expenses which are the Fund’s obligation are subject to recoupment by the Adviser from the Fund, if so requested by the Adviser, in subsequent fiscal years if the aggregate amount actually paid by the Fund toward the operating expenses for such fiscal year (taking into account the recoupment) does not exceed the applicable limitation on Fund expenses. The Adviser is permitted to recoup only for management fee waivers and expense payments made in the previous three fiscal years. Any such recoupment is also contingent upon the Board’s subsequent review and ratification of the recouped amounts. Such recoupment may not be paid prior to the Fund’s payment of current ordinary operating expenses.
William H. Tanner, Christian R. Sessing, and Matthew T. Humiston are the portfolio managers principally responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio. The following table shows the number of other accounts managed by each portfolio manager and the total assets in the accounts managed within various categories as of December 31, 2013.
William H. Tanner
|
Type of Accounts
|
Number of Accounts
|
Total Assets
|
Number of Accounts with Advisory Fee
based on Performance
|
Total Assets
|
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
0
|
$0
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Pooled Investments
|
0
|
$0
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Accounts
|
773
|
$885,574,451
|
773
|
$885,574,451
|
Christian R. Sessing
|
Type of Accounts
|
Number of Accounts
|
Total Assets
|
Number of Accounts with Advisory Fee
based on Performance
|
Total Assets
|
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
0
|
$0
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Pooled Investments
|
0
|
$0
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Accounts
|
773
|
$885,574,451
|
773
|
$885,574,451
|
Matthew T. Humiston
|
Type of Accounts
|
Number of Accounts
|
Total Assets
|
Number of Accounts with Advisory Fee
based on Performance
|
Total Assets
|
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
0
|
$0
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Pooled Investments
|
0
|
$0
|
0
|
$0
|
|
Other Accounts
|
773
|
$885,574,451
|
773
|
$885,574,451
|
Material Conflicts of Interest.
The portfolio managers for the Fund also manage separate accounts with a substantially similar investment objective and strategy as the Fund (the AMI Large Cap Growth Equity SMA strategy), in addition to managing separate accounts using other strategies (the AMI Small Cap Growth Equity SMA strategy and the AMI SMID Cap Growth Equity SMA strategy). A conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio managers being responsible for multiple accounts, including the Fund, which have different investment guidelines and objectives. An investment opportunity may be suitable for the Fund as well as for any of the other separately managed accounts. However, the investment may not be available in sufficient quantity for all of the accounts to participate fully. In addition, there may be limited opportunity to sell an investment held by the Fund or the other account. The portfolio managers may be responsible for accounts that have different advisory fee schedules, which may create the incentive for the portfolio managers to favor one account over another in terms of access to investment opportunities.
To address and manage these potential conflicts of interest, the Adviser has adopted compliance policies and procedures to allocate investment opportunities and to ensure that each of its clients is treated on a fair and equitable basis. Such policies and procedures include, but are not limited to, investment and trade aggregation and allocation policies and oversight by the Adviser's compliance team.
Compensation.
The portfolio managers are compensated through a combination of salary and annual bonus. The bonus portion is based upon overall firm profitability, strategy performance, assets under management in the strategy for which that individual is responsible, and an individual’s contribution to the team. The Adviser periodically utilizes industry-wide salary surveys to ensure that the total benefits package is competitive with its peers. The Adviser generally does not make a practice of compensating its employees through the granting of equity stakes in the firm; however, annual meetings are held between the partners where they decide whether an equity interest should be granted to key employees, including the Fund’s portfolio managers, for retention or reward purposes.
Securities Owned in the Fund by the Portfolio Manager.
As of the date of this SAI, no portfolio manager of the Fund beneficially owned any shares of the Fund as it had not commenced operations.
Fund Administrator, Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant
Pursuant to an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”), U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“USBFS”), 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, acts as the administrator to the Fund. USBFS provides certain services to the Fund including, among other responsibilities, coordinating the negotiation of contracts and fees with, and the monitoring of performance and billing of, the Fund’s independent contractors and agents; preparation for signature by an officer of the Trust of all documents required to be filed for compliance by the Trust and the Fund with applicable laws and regulations, excluding those of the securities laws of various states; arranging for the computation of performance data, including NAV per share and yield; responding to shareholder inquiries; and arranging for the maintenance of books and records of the Fund, and providing, at its own expense, office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to carry out its duties. In this capacity, USBFS does not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Fund, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of Fund shares.
Pursuant to the Administration Agreement, as compensation for its fund administration, portfolio compliance and fund accounting services, USBFS receives from the Fund, a fee based on the Fund’s current average daily net assets of: 0.08% on the first $250 million, 0.05% on the next $250 million and 0.04% on the remaining assets, with a minimum initial annual fee of
$60,000
. USBFS also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses. USBFS also acts as fund accountant, transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”) and dividend disbursing agent under separate agreements. Additionally, the Administrator provides Chief Compliance Officer services to the Trust under a separate agreement. The cost of the Chief Compliance Officer’s services is charged to the Fund and approved by the Board annually.
Custodian
Pursuant to a Custody Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bank National Association, located at 1555 North River Center Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212 (the “Custodian”), the Custodian serves as the custodian of the Fund’s assets, holds the Fund’s portfolio securities in safekeeping, and keeps all necessary records and documents relating to its duties. The Custodian is compensated with an asset-based fee plus transaction fees and is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses.
The Custodian and Administrator do not participate in decisions relating to the purchase and sale of securities by the Fund. The Administrator, Transfer Agent, Custodian and the Fund’s Distributor (as defined below) are affiliated entities under the common control of U.S. Bancorp. The Custodian and its affiliates may participate in revenue sharing arrangements with the service providers of mutual funds in which the Fund may invest.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
BBD LLP, 1835 Market Street, 26
th
Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, is the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund, whose services include auditing the Fund’s financial statements and the performance of related tax services.
Legal Counsel
Bingham McCutchen LLP,
2020 K Street NW
,
Washington, DC 20006-1806
, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.
Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser determines which securities are to be purchased and sold by the Fund and which broker-dealers are eligible to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions. Purchases and sales of securities in the over-the-counter market will generally be executed directly with a “market-maker” unless, in the opinion of the Adviser, a better price and execution can otherwise be obtained by using a broker for the transaction.
Purchases of portfolio securities for the Fund also may be made directly from issuers or from underwriters. Where possible, purchase and sale transactions will be effected through dealers (including banks) which specialize in the types of securities which the Fund will be holding, unless better executions are available elsewhere. Dealers and underwriters usually act as principal for their own accounts. Purchases from underwriters will include a concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter and purchases from dealers will include the spread between the bid and the asked price. If the execution and price offered by more than one dealer or underwriter are comparable, the order may be allocated to a dealer or underwriter that has provided research or other services as discussed below.
In placing portfolio transactions, the Adviser will seek best execution. The full range and quality of services available will be considered in making these determinations, such as the size of the order, the difficulty of execution, the operational facilities of the firm involved, the firm’s risk in positioning a block of securities and other factors. In those instances where it is reasonably determined that more than one broker-dealer can offer the services needed to obtain the most favorable price and execution available, consideration may be given to those broker-dealers which furnish or supply research and statistical information to the Adviser that it may lawfully and appropriately use in its investment advisory capacities, as well as provide other services in addition to execution services. The Adviser considers such information, which is in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by it under its Agreement with the Fund, to be useful in varying degrees, but of indeterminable value. Portfolio transactions may be placed with broker-dealers who sell shares of the Fund subject to rules adopted by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and the SEC.
While it is the Fund’s general policy to first seek to obtain the most favorable price and execution available in selecting a broker-dealer to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, in accordance with Section 28(e) under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, when it is determined that more than one broker can deliver best execution, weight is also given to the ability of a broker-dealer to furnish brokerage and research services to the Fund or to the Adviser, even if the specific services are not directly useful to the Fund and may be useful to the Adviser in advising other clients. In negotiating commissions with a broker or evaluating the spread to be paid to a dealer, the Fund may therefore pay a higher commission or spread than would be the case if no weight were given to the furnishing of these supplemental services, provided that the amount of such commission or spread has been determined in good faith by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer.
Investment decisions for the Fund are made independently from those of other client accounts or mutual funds managed or advised by the Adviser. Nevertheless, it is possible that at times identical securities will be acceptable for both the Fund and one or more of such client accounts or mutual funds. In such event, the position of the Fund and such client account(s) or mutual funds in the same issuer may vary and the length of time that each may choose to hold its investment in the same issuer may likewise vary. However, to the extent any of these client accounts or mutual funds seek to acquire the same security as the Fund at the same time, the Fund may not be able to acquire as large a portion of such security as it desires, or it may have to pay a higher price or obtain a lower yield for such security. Similarly, the Fund may not be able to obtain as high a price for, or as large an execution of, an order to sell any particular security at the same time. If one or more of such client accounts or mutual funds simultaneously purchases or sells the same security that the Fund is purchasing or selling, each day’s transactions in such security will be allocated between the Fund and all such client accounts or mutual funds in a manner deemed equitable by the Adviser, taking into account the respective sizes of the accounts and the amount of cash available for investment, the investment objective of the account, and the ease with which a clients appropriate amount can be bought, as well as the liquidity and volatility of the account and the urgency involved in making an investment decision for the client. It is recognized that in some cases this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or value of the security insofar as the Fund is concerned. In other cases, however, it is believed that the ability of the Fund to participate in volume transactions may produce better executions for the Fund.
The Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest and to divide or combine the shares into a greater or lesser number of shares without thereby changing the proportionate beneficial interest in the Fund. Each share represents an interest in the Fund proportionately equal to the interest of each other share. Upon the Fund’s liquidation, all shareholders would share pro rata in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to shareholders.
With respect to the Fund, the Trust may offer more than one class of shares. The Trust reserves the right to create and issue additional series or classes. Each share of a series or class represents an equal proportionate interest in that series or class with each other share of that series or class. Currently, the Fund offers one share class–Institutional Class shares.
The Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders but will hold special meetings of shareholders of a series or class when, in the judgment of the Trustees, it is necessary or desirable to submit matters for a shareholder vote. Shareholders have, under certain circumstances, the right to communicate with other shareholders in connection with requesting a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of removing one or more Trustees. Shareholders also have, in certain circumstances, the right to remove one or more Trustees without a meeting. No material amendment may be made to the Declaration of Trust without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each portfolio affected by the amendment. The Declaration of Trust provides that, at any meeting of shareholders of the Trust or of any series or class, a Shareholder Servicing Agent may vote any shares as to which such Shareholder Servicing Agent is the agent of record and which are not represented in person or by proxy at the meeting, proportionately in accordance with the votes cast by holders of all shares of that portfolio otherwise represented at the meeting in person or by proxy as to which such Shareholder Servicing Agent is the agent of record. Any shares so voted by a Shareholder Servicing Agent will be deemed represented at the meeting for purposes of quorum requirements. Any series or class may be terminated (i) upon the merger or consolidation with, or the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of its assets to, another entity, if approved by the vote of the holders of two thirds of its outstanding shares, except that if the Board recommends such merger, consolidation or sale or disposition of assets, the approval by vote of the holders of a majority of the series’ or class’ outstanding shares will be sufficient, or (ii) by the vote of the holders of a majority of its outstanding shares, or (iii) by the Board by written notice to the series’ or class’ shareholders. Unless each series and class is so terminated, the Trust will continue indefinitely.
The Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall maintain appropriate insurance (for example, fidelity bonding and errors and omissions insurance) for the protection of the Trust, its shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees and agents covering possible tort and other liabilities. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate insurance existed and the Trust itself was unable to meet its obligations.
The Declaration of Trust does not require the issuance of stock certificates. If stock certificates are issued, they must be returned by the registered owners prior to the transfer or redemption of shares represented by such certificates.
Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that as to any investment company which has two or more series outstanding and as to any matter required to be submitted to shareholder vote, such matter is not deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a “majority” (as defined in the Rule) of the voting securities of each series affected by the matter. Such separate voting requirements do not apply to the election of Trustees or the ratification of the selection of accountants. The Rule contains special provisions for cases in which an advisory contract is approved by one or more, but not all, series. A change in investment policy may go into effect as to one or more series whose holders so approve the change even though the required vote is not obtained as to the holders of other affected series.
The information provided below supplements the information contained in the Prospectus regarding the purchase and redemption of Fund shares.
How to Buy Shares
You may purchase shares of the Fund from securities brokers, dealers or financial intermediaries (collectively, “Financial Intermediaries”). Investors should contact their Financial Intermediary directly for appropriate instructions, as well as information pertaining to accounts and any service or transaction fees that may be charged. The Fund may enter into arrangements with certain Financial Intermediaries whereby such Financial Intermediaries are authorized to accept your order on behalf of the Fund. If you transmit your order to these Financial Intermediaries before the close of regular trading (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on a day that the NYSE is open for business, shares will be purchased at the appropriate per share price next computed after it is received by the Financial Intermediary. Investors should check with their Financial Intermediary to determine if it participates in these arrangements.
The public offering price of Fund shares is the NAV per share. Shares are purchased at the public offering price next determined after the Transfer Agent receives your order in good order. In most cases, in order to receive that day’s public offering price, the Transfer Agent must receive your order in good order before the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
The Trust reserves the right in its sole discretion (i) to suspend the continued offering of the Fund’s shares, (ii) to reject purchase orders in whole or in part when in the judgment of the Adviser or the Distributor such rejection is in the best interest of the Fund, and (iii) to reduce or waive the minimum for initial and subsequent investments for certain fiduciary accounts or under circumstances where certain economies can be achieved in sales of the Fund’s shares.
In addition to cash purchases, Fund shares may be purchased by tendering payment in-kind in the form of shares of stock, bonds or other securities. Any securities used to buy Fund shares must be readily marketable, their acquisition consistent with the Fund’s objective and otherwise acceptable to the Adviser and the Board.
How to Sell Shares and Delivery of Redemption Proceeds
You can sell your Fund shares any day the NYSE is open for regular trading, either directly to the Fund or through your Financial Intermediary.
Payments to shareholders for shares of the Fund redeemed directly from the Fund will be made as promptly as possible, but no later than seven days after receipt by the Transfer Agent of the written request in proper form, with the appropriate documentation as stated in the Prospectus, except that the Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment during any period when (a) trading on the NYSE is restricted as determined by the SEC or the NYSE is closed for other than weekends and holidays; (b) an emergency exists as determined by the SEC making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable; or (c) for such other period as the SEC may permit for the protection of the Fund’s shareholders. Under unusual circumstances, the Fund may suspend redemptions, or postpone payment for more than seven days, but only as authorized by SEC rules.
The value of shares on redemption or repurchase may be more or less than the investor’s cost, depending upon the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities at the time of redemption or repurchase.
Telephone Redemptions
Shareholders with telephone transaction privileges established on their account may redeem Fund shares by telephone. Upon receipt of any instructions or inquiries by telephone from the shareholder, the Fund or its authorized agents may carry out the instructions and/or respond to the inquiry consistent with the shareholder’s previously established account service options. For joint accounts, instructions or inquiries from either party will be carried out without prior notice to the other account owners. In acting upon telephone instructions, the Fund and its agents use procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that such instructions are genuine. These include recording all telephone calls, requiring pertinent information about the account and sending written confirmation of each transaction to the registered owner.
USBFS will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. If USBFS fails to employ reasonable procedures, the Fund and USBFS may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. If these procedures are followed, however, to the extent permitted by applicable law, neither the Fund nor its agents will be liable for any loss, liability, cost or expense arising out of any redemption request, including any fraudulent or unauthorized request. For additional information, contact USBFS.
The NAV of the Fund is determined as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time), each day the NYSE is open for trading. The NYSE annually announces the days on which it will not be open for trading. It is expected that the NYSE will not be open for trading on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday/Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
NAV is calculated by adding the value of all securities and other assets attributable to the Fund (including interest and dividends accrued, but not yet received), then subtracting liabilities attributable to the Fund (including accrued expenses).
Generally, the Fund’s investments are valued at market value or, in the absence of a market value, at fair value as determined in good faith by the Fund’s Adviser with oversight by the Trust’s Valuation Committee pursuant to procedures approved by or under the direction of the Board. Pursuant to those procedures, the Adviser considers, among other things: (1) the last sales price on the securities exchange, if any, on which a security is primarily traded; (2) the mean between the bid and asked prices; (3) price quotations from an approved pricing service; and (4) other factors as necessary to determine a fair value under certain circumstances.
Securities primarily traded in the NASDAQ Global Market
®
for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the NASDAQ
®
Official Closing Price (“NOCP”). If the NOCP is not available, such securities shall be valued at the last sale price on the day of valuation, or if there has been no sale on such day, at the mean between the bid and asked prices. OTC securities which are not traded in the NASDAQ Global Market
®
shall be valued at the most recent sales price. Securities and assets for which market quotations are not readily available (including restricted securities which are subject to limitations as to their sale) are valued at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures approved by or under the direction of the Board.
Short-term debt obligations with remaining maturities in excess of 60 days are valued at current market prices, as discussed above. In order to reflect their fair value, short-term securities with 60 days or less remaining to maturity are, unless conditions indicate otherwise, amortized to maturity based on their cost to the Fund if acquired within 60 days of maturity or, if already held by the Fund on the 60th day, based on the value determined on the 61st day.
The Fund’s securities, including ADRs, EDRs and GDRs, which are traded on securities exchanges are valued at the last sale price on the exchange on which such securities are traded, as of the close of business on the day the securities are being valued or, lacking any reported sales, at the mean between the last available bid and asked price. Securities that are traded on more than one exchange are valued on the exchange determined by the Adviser to be the primary market.
In the case of foreign securities, the occurrence of certain events after the close of foreign markets, but prior to the time the Fund’s NAV is calculated (such as a significant surge or decline in the U.S. or other markets) often will result in an adjustment to the trading prices of foreign securities when foreign markets open on the following business day. If such events occur, the Fund will value foreign securities at fair value, taking into account such events, in calculating the NAV. In such cases, use of fair valuation can reduce an investor’s ability to seek to profit by estimating the Fund’s NAV in advance of the time the NAV is calculated. The Adviser anticipates that the Fund’s portfolio holdings will be fair valued only if market quotations for those holdings are considered unreliable or are unavailable.
An option that is written or purchased by the Fund shall be valued using composite pricing via the National Best Bid and Offer quotes. Composite pricing looks at the last trade on the exchange where the option is traded. If there are no trades for an option on a given business day, as of closing, the Fund will value the option at the mean of the highest bid price and lowest ask price across the exchanges where the option is traded. For options where market quotations are not readily available, fair value shall be determined by the Fund’s Adviser with oversight by the Trust’s Valuation Committee.
All other assets of the Fund are valued in such manner as the Board in good faith deems appropriate to reflect their fair value.
Redemptions In-Kind
The Trust has filed an election under SEC Rule 18f-1 committing to pay in cash all redemptions by a shareholder of record up to amounts specified by the rule (in excess of the lesser of (i) $250,000 or (ii) 1% of the Fund’s assets). The Fund has reserved the right to pay the redemption price of its shares in excess of the amounts specified by the rule, either totally or partially, by a distribution in-kind of portfolio securities (instead of cash). The securities so distributed would be valued at the same amount as that assigned to them in calculating the NAV per share for the shares being sold. If a shareholder receives a distribution in-kind, the shareholder could incur brokerage or other charges in converting the securities to cash.
The Fund does not intend to hold any significant percentage of its portfolio in illiquid securities, although the Fund, like virtually all mutual funds, may from time to time hold a small percentage of securities that are illiquid. In the unlikely event the Fund were to elect to make an in-kind redemption, the Fund expects that it would follow the normal protocol of making such distribution by way of a pro rata distribution based on its entire portfolio. If the Fund held illiquid securities, such distribution may contain a pro rata portion of such illiquid securities or the Fund may determine, based on a materiality assessment, not to include illiquid securities in the in-kind redemption. The Fund does not anticipate that it would ever selectively distribute a greater than pro rata portion of any illiquid securities to satisfy a redemption request. If such securities are included in the distribution, shareholders may not be able to liquidate such securities and may be required to hold such securities indefinitely. Shareholders’ ability to liquidate such securities distributed in-kind may be restricted by resale limitations or substantial restrictions on transfer imposed by the issuers of the securities or by law. Shareholders may only be able to liquidate such securities distributed in-kind at a substantial discount from their value, and there may be higher brokerage costs associated with any subsequent disposition of these securities by the recipient.
Distributions
Dividends from net investment income and distributions from net profits from the sale of securities are generally made annually. Also, the Fund typically distributes any undistributed net investment income on or about December 31 of each year. Any net capital gains realized through the period ended October 31 of each year will also be distributed by December 31 of each year.
Each distribution by the Fund is accompanied by a brief explanation of the form and character of the distribution. In January of each year, the Fund will issue to each shareholder a statement of the federal income tax status of all distributions.
Tax Information
Each series of the Trust is treated as a separate entity for federal income tax purposes. The Fund has elected, and intends to qualify each year, to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). To qualify as a regulated investment company, the Fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and 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 net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (
i.e.
, partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive 90% of their income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditionally permitted mutual fund income); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund’s assets is represented by cash, securities of other regulated investment companies, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the Fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, in the securities (other than the securities of other regulated investment companies) of any two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or in the securities of one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships.”
As a regulated investment company, the Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its taxable investment income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders, provided that it satisfies a minimum distribution requirement. To satisfy the minimum distribution requirement, the Fund must distribute to its shareholders at least the sum of (i) 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (
i.e.
, generally, its taxable income other than its net capital gain, plus or minus certain other adjustments), and (ii) 90% of its net tax-exempt income for the taxable year. The Fund will be subject to income tax at regular corporate tax rates on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its shareholders. The Fund’s policy is to distribute to its shareholders all of its investment company taxable income and any net realized long term capital gains for each fiscal year in a manner that complies with the distribution requirements of the Code, so that the Fund will not be subject to any federal income or excise taxes. However, the Fund can give no assurances that distributions will be sufficient to eliminate all taxes.
If, for any taxable year, the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code or were to fail to meet the distribution requirement, it 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, in the event of a failure to qualify, the 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 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, if the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company in any year, it would be required to pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a regulated investment company. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may cure a failure to qualify as a regulated investment company, but in order to do so the Fund may incur significant Fund-level taxes and may be forced to dispose of certain assets. If the Fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company 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 regulated investment company in a subsequent year.
To avoid a non-deductible excise tax, the Fund must also distribute (or be deemed to have distributed) by December 31 of each calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for such year, (ii) 98.2% of the excess of its realized capital gains over its realized capital losses for the 12 month period ending on October 31 during such year, and (iii) any amounts from the prior calendar year that were not distributed and on which no federal income tax was paid by the Fund or shareholders.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, unused capital loss carryforwards that arose in tax years that began on or before December 22, 2010 (“Pre-2011 Losses”) are available to be applied against future capital gains, if any, realized by the Fund prior to the expiration of the carryforwards. If the Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains) for a taxable year beginning after December 22, 2010 (a “Post-2010 Loss”), 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. Post-2010 Losses can be carried forward indefinitely to offset capital gains, if any, in years following the year of the loss, and such carryforwards must be utilized before the Fund can utilize any carryforwards of Pre-2011 Losses. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may elect to treat certain losses as though they were incurred on the first day of the taxable year following the taxable year in which they were actually incurred.
The Fund’s net investment income generally consists of interest and dividend income, less expenses. Net realized capital gains for a fiscal period are computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund. Taxable dividends and distributions are subject to tax whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares.
Distributions of net investment income and net short term capital gains are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income or, for noncorporate shareholders, as qualified dividend income. Distributions from the Fund’s net capital gain (
i.e.
, the excess of the Fund’s net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses) are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gains regardless of the length of time shares have been held. In general, to the extent that the Fund receives qualified dividend income, the Fund may report a portion of the dividends it pays as qualified dividend income, which for noncorporate shareholders is subject to tax at reduced tax rates. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations (
i.e.
, foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, and foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividend was paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States). A dividend will not be treated as qualified dividend income to the extent that (i) the shareholder has not held the shares on which the dividend was paid for more than 60 days during the 121-day period that begins on the date that is 60 days before the date on which the shares become “ex-dividend” (which is the day on which declared distributions are deducted from the Fund’s assets before it calculates the net asset value) with respect to such dividend (or the Fund fails to satisfy this holding period requirement with respect to the underlying dividend-paying stock), (ii) the shareholder is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to substantially similar or related property, or (iii) the shareholder elects to treat such dividend as investment income under section 163(d)(4)(B) of the Code. Distributions received by a Fund from another regulated investment company will be treated as qualified dividend income only to the extent so reported by such other regulated investment company. If 95% or more of the Fund’s gross income (calculated without taking into account net capital gain derived from sales or other dispositions of stock or securities) consists of qualified dividend income, the Fund may report all distributions of such income as qualified dividend income.
Dividends paid by the Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations may qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders of the Fund.
There is no requirement that the Fund take into consideration any tax implications when implementing its investment strategy. If the Fund’s distributions exceed its earnings and profits, all or a portion of the distributions may be treated as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution generally will not be taxable but will reduce each shareholder’s cost basis, resulting in a higher capital gain or lower capital loss when the shares on which the distribution was received are sold. After a shareholder’s basis in the shares has been reduced to zero, distributions in excess of earnings and profits will be treated as gain from the sale of the shareholder’s shares.
Shareholders who choose to receive taxable distributions in the form of additional shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each share so received equal to the NAV of a share on the reinvestment date.
A dividend or other distribution by the Fund is generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, distributions declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record on a date in such a month and paid the following January are taxable as if received on December 31. Distributions are includable in alternative minimum taxable income in computing a shareholder’s liability for the alternative minimum tax. Shareholders should note that the Fund may make taxable distributions of income and capital gains even when share values have declined.
The Fund may be subject to foreign withholding taxes on dividends and interest earned with respect to securities of foreign corporations. Tax conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. The Fund does not expect to be eligible to elect to pass through foreign taxes to its shareholders, who therefore will not be entitled to credits or deductions on their own tax returns for foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Foreign taxes paid by the Fund may reduce the return from the Fund’s investments.
A shareholder may recognize a taxable gain or loss on a redemption of Fund shares. Any loss realized upon redemption of shares within six months from the date of their purchase will be treated as a long term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions of long term capital gains during such six month period. Any loss realized upon a redemption may be disallowed under certain wash sale rules to the extent shares of the Fund are purchased (through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the redemption.
Dividends and distributions from the 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.
Under the Code, the Fund will be required to report to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) all distributions of taxable income and capital gains as well as gross proceeds from the redemption of Fund shares, except in the case of exempt shareholders, which includes most corporations. For redemptions of Fund shares purchased on or after January 1, 2012, the Fund will also be required to report cost basis information for such shares and indicate whether these shares had a short-term or long-term holding period. If a shareholder has a different basis for different shares of the Fund, acquired on or after January 1, 2012, in the same account (
e.g.
, if a shareholder purchased shares in the same account at different times for different prices), the Fund will calculate the basis of the shares sold using its default method unless the shareholder has properly elected to use a different method. The Fund’s default method for calculating basis will be the average basis method, under which the basis per share is reported as the average of the bases of all of the shareholder’s Fund shares in the account. A shareholder may elect, on an account-by-account basis, to use a method other than average basis by following procedures established by the Fund or its administrative agent. If such an election is made on or prior to the date of the first exchange or redemption of shares in the account and on or prior to the date that is one year after the shareholder receives notice of the Fund’s default method, the new election will generally apply as if the average basis method had never been in effect for such account. If such an election is not made on or prior to such dates, the shares in the account at the time of the election will retain their averaged bases. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers concerning the tax consequences of applying the average basis method or electing another method of basis calculation.
If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the Fund’s shares 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 IRS Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company 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.
Pursuant to the backup withholding provisions of the Code, distributions of any taxable income and capital gains and proceeds from the redemption of Fund shares may be subject to withholding of federal income tax at the rate of 28% in the case of non-exempt shareholders who fail to furnish the Fund with their taxpayer identification numbers or with required certifications regarding their status under the federal income tax law, or if the IRS notifies the Fund that such backup withholding is required. If the withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Corporate and other exempt shareholders should provide the Fund with their taxpayer identification numbers or certify their exempt status in order to avoid possible erroneous application of backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s ultimate federal income tax liability if proper documentation is provided. The Fund reserves the right to refuse to open an account for any person failing to provide a certified taxpayer identification number.
The foregoing discussion of U.S. federal income tax law relates solely to the application of that law to U.S. citizens or residents and U.S. domestic corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates. Each shareholder who is not a U.S. person should consider the U.S. and foreign tax consequences of ownership of shares of the Fund, including the possibility that such a shareholder may be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or at a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty).
This discussion and the related discussion in the Prospectus have been prepared by Fund management. The information above is only a summary of some of the tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders. No attempt has been made to discuss individual tax consequences and this discussion should not be construed as applicable to all shareholders’ tax situations. Investors should consult their own tax advisors to determine the suitability of the Fund and the applicability of any state, local or foreign taxation.
The Trust has entered into a Distribution Agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with Quasar Distributors, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 (the “Distributor”), pursuant to which the Distributor acts as the Fund’s distributor, provides certain administration services and promotes and arranges for the sale of Fund shares. The offering of the Fund’s shares is continuous. The Distributor, USBFS, and Custodian are all affiliated companies. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA.
The Distribution Agreement has an initial term of up to two years and will continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Distribution Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Fund’s shareholders or by vote of a majority of the Board, including a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust, or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).
The Adviser, out of its own resources and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may provide additional cash payments or other compensation to certain financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. Such payments may be divided into categories as follows:
Support Payments.
Payments may be made by the Adviser to certain financial intermediaries in connection with the eligibility of the Fund to be offered in certain programs and/or in connection with meetings between the Fund’s representatives and financial intermediaries and its sales representatives. Such meetings may be held for various purposes, including providing education and training about the Fund and other general financial topics to assist financial intermediaries’ sales representatives in making informed recommendations to, and decisions on behalf of, their clients.
Entertainment, Conferences and Events.
The Adviser also may pay cash or non-cash compensation to sales representatives of financial intermediaries in the form of (i) occasional gifts; (ii) occasional meals, tickets or other entertainments; and/or (iii) sponsorship support for the financial intermediary’s client seminars and cooperative advertising. In addition, the Adviser pays for exhibit space or sponsorships at regional or national events of financial intermediaries.
The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of additional payments or other compensation as described above by financial intermediaries may provide such intermediaries and/or their salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund, and other mutual funds whose affiliates make similar compensation available, over sale of shares of mutual funds (or non-mutual fund investments) not making such payments. You may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to the Fund shares.
The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Program (the “Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”). In order to ensure compliance with this law, the Trust’s Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.
Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that the Fund’s Distributor and Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity, checking shareholder names against designated government lists, including Office of Foreign Asset Control (“OFAC”), and a complete and thorough review of all new opening account applications. The Trust will not transact business with any person or entity whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.
Investors in the Fund will be informed of the Fund’s progress through periodic reports. Financial statements certified by an independent registered public accounting firm will be submitted to shareholders at least annually. Since the Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this SAI, no financial statements are available.
Description of Ratings
SHORT-TERM RATINGS
Standard & Poor’s Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings
A Standard & Poor’s issue credit rating is a current opinion of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion evaluates the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default. The issue credit rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold a financial obligation, inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for a particular investor.
Issue credit ratings are based on current information furnished by the obligors or obtained by Standard & Poor’s from other sources it considers reliable. Standard & Poor’s does not perform an audit in connection with any credit rating and may, on occasion, rely on unaudited financial information. Credit ratings may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn as a result of changes in, or unavailability of, such information, or based on other circumstances.
Issue credit ratings can be either long term or short term. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days including commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. The result is a dual rating, in which the short-term rating addresses the put feature, in addition to the usual long-term rating. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.
Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings
A-1
A short-term obligation rated ‘A-1’ is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
A-2
A short-term obligation rated ‘A-2’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.
A-3
A short-term obligation rated ‘A-3’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B
A short-term obligation rated ‘B’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. Ratings of ‘B-1’, ‘B-2’, and ‘B-3’ may be assigned to indicate finer distinctions within the ‘B’ category. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B-1
A short-term obligation rated ‘B-1’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, but the obligor has a relatively stronger capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.
B-2
A short-term obligation rated ‘B-2’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has an average speculative-grade capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.
B-3
A short-term obligation rated ‘B-3’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has a relatively weaker capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.
C
A short-term obligation rated ‘C’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
D
A short-term obligation rated ‘D’ is in payment default. The ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.
Dual Ratings
Standard & Poor’s assigns “dual” ratings to all debt issues that have a put option or demand feature as part of their structure. The first rating addresses the likelihood of repayment of principal and interest as due, and the second rating addresses only the demand feature. The long-term rating symbols are used for bonds to denote the long-term maturity and the short-term rating symbols for the put option (for example, ‘AAA/A-1+’). With U.S. municipal short-term demand debt, note rating symbols are used with the short-term issue credit rating symbols (for example, ‘SP-1+/A-1+’).
Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks
Country risk considerations are a standard part of Standard & Poor’s analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligor’s capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign government’s own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.
Moody’s Short-Term Debt Ratings
Short-Term Ratings
Moody’s short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs or to individual short-term debt instruments. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted.
Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
Prime-1
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
Prime-2
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
Prime-3
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
NP
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
Note:
Canadian issuers rated P-1 or P-2 have their short-term ratings enhanced by the senior-most long-term rating of the issuer, its guarantor or support-provider.
Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.: Corporate Bond Ratings
Aaa--Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality and carry the smallest degree of investment risk. Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin, and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa--Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities.
Moody’s applies numerical modifiers “1,” “2” and “3” to both the Aaa and Aa rating classifications. The modifier “1” indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier “2” indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier “3” indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its generic rating category.
A--Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
Baa--Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations,
i.e.
, they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great period of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.
Standard
& Poor’s Ratings Group: Corporate Bond Ratings
AAA--This is the highest rating assigned by S&P to a debt obligation and indicates an extremely strong capacity to pay principal and interest.
AA--Bonds rated AA also qualify as high-quality debt obligations. Capacity to pay principal and interest is very strong, and in the majority of instances they differ from AAA issues only in small degree.
A--Bonds rated A have a strong capacity to pay principal and interest, although they are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions.
BBB--Bonds rated BBB are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay principal and interest. Whereas they normally exhibit adequate protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay principal and interest for bonds in this category than for bonds in the A category.
Commercial Paper Ratings
Moody’s commercial paper ratings are assessments of the issuer’s ability to repay punctually promissory obligations. Moody’s employs the following three designations, all judged to be investment grade, to indicate the relative repayment capacity of rated issuers: Prime 1--highest quality; Prime 2--higher quality; Prime 3--high quality.
An S&P commercial paper rating is a current assessment of the likelihood of timely payment. Ratings are graded into four categories, ranging from “A” for the highest quality obligations to “D” for the lowest.
Issues assigned the highest rating, A, are regarded as having the greatest capacity for timely payment. Issues in this category are delineated with the numbers “1”, “2” and “3” to indicate the relative degree of safety. The designation A-1 indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is either overwhelming or very strong. A “+” designation is applied to those issues rated “A-1” which possess extremely strong safety characteristics. Capacity for timely payment on issues with the designation “A-2” is strong. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated A-1. Issues carrying the designation “A-3” have a satisfactory capacity for timely payment. They are, however, somewhat more vulnerable to the adverse effect of changes in circumstances than obligations carrying the higher designations.
AMI Asset Management Corporation, Inc.
Proxy Voting Policy
Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 requires an investment adviser that exercises voting authority over client proxies to adopt policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the adviser votes proxies in the best interests of clients, to disclose to clients information about those policies and procedures, and to disclose to clients how they may obtain information on how the adviser has voted their proxies.
1. POLICY
AMI’s policy is to vote proxies that are solicited for securities held in clients’ accounts, unless the client has retained the right, in writing, to vote such proxies. AMI’s general policy is described in the Firm’s standard Client Agreement and ADV Part 2A.
2. PROCEDURES
In order to implement AMI’s general policy to vote proxies for clients, the Firm has adopted the following procedures:
Responsible Voting Party:
The Equity Research Department (“Responsible Voting Party”) has been delegated the responsibility for monitoring and voting all required proxies and making sure that such proxies are voted in a timely manner and within the required time period.
AMI reserves the right to delegate to a non-affiliated third party vendor, the responsibility to review proxy proposals and make voting recommendations to the Firm. When this happens, AMI will ensure that any third party recommendations followed will be consistent with the Proxy Voting Guidelines outlined below.
Proxy Voting Guidelines:
The fundamental guideline followed by AMI in voting proxies is to make every effort to ensure that the manner in which shares are voted is in the best interest of clients and the value of their investment. AMI shall consider only those factors that relate to the client's investment, including how its vote will economically impact and affect the value of the client's investment.
Proxy votes generally will be cast in favor of proposals that maintain or strengthen the shared interests of shareholders and management, increase shareholder value, maintain or increase shareholder influence over the issuer's board of directors and management, and maintain or increase the rights of shareholders; proxy votes generally will be cast against proposals having the opposite effect.
In voting on each and every issue, AMI shall vote in a prudent and diligent fashion and only after a careful evaluation of the issue presented on the ballot.
AMI has adopted the following specific voting guidelines:
Corporate Governance:
Unless exceptional circumstances exist, AMI will vote against proposals that make it more difficult to replace Board members, including proposals to:
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b.
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Overweight management on the Board;
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c.
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Introduce cumulative voting;
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d.
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Introduce unequal voting rights;
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e.
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Create supermajority voting; or
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f.
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Establish pre-emptive rights.
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Takeovers:
AMI will generally vote against proposals that make it more difficult for a company to be taken over by outsiders, and in favor of proposals that attempt to do the opposite.
Compensation Plans:
AMI will vote in favor of proposals by management or shareholders concerning various compensation and stock option plans that will act to make management and employee compensation more dependent on long-term stock price performance. AMI will vote against incentive stock awards that act to concentrate significant amounts of stock in the hands of upper management.
Capital Structure:
AMI will generally vote against proposals to move the company to another state less favorable to shareholders interests, or to restructure classes of stock in such a way as to benefit one class of shareholders at the expense of another, such as dual classes (A and B shares) of stock.
Board Size
: AMI will vote against any proposals that act to increase the size of the board beyond 15 members.
Outside Directors:
AMI will vote against any proposal to allow the Chief Executive Officer to appoint outside directors, and in favor of any proposal to eliminate this ability. The Board’s outside directors should not owe their position or allegiance to a member of management, but to the shareholders and/or independent board members alone.
Multiple Director Positions:
AMI will generally vote against any Board member who is also a director of four or more different public companies.
Non AMI Core Holdings:
AMI will generally abstain on any proposal on the proxy of a company that is not on the AMI core holdings list.
It is intended that the Proxy Voting Guidelines will be applied with a measure of flexibility
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Accordingly, except as otherwise provided in these policies and procedures, the Responsible Voting Party (with the pre-approval of the CCO) may vote a proxy contrary to the Proxy Voting Guidelines if it is determined that such action is in the best interests of the clients. In the exercise of such discretion, the Responsible Voting Party may take into account a wide array of factors relating to the matter under consideration, the nature of the proposal, and the company involved. Similarly, poor past performance, uncertainties about management and future directions, and other factors may lead to a conclusion that particular proposals by an issuer present unacceptable investment risks and should not be supported. In addition, the proposals should be evaluated in context. For example, a particular proposal may be acceptable standing alone, but objectionable when part of an existing or proposed package, such as where the effect may be to entrench management. Special circumstances or instructions from clients may also justify casting different votes for different clients/beneficiaries with respect to the same proxy vote.
Conflicts of Interest:
AMI may occasionally be subject to conflicts of interest in the voting of proxies due to business or personal relationships it maintains with persons having an interest in the outcome of certain votes. For example, AMI and/or one or more of its affiliates or Associated Persons may occasionally have business or personal relationships with other proponents of proxy proposals, participants in proxy contests, corporate directors or candidates for directorships.
If at anytime, AMI and/or the Responsible Party become aware of any type of potential or actual conflict of interest relating to a particular proxy proposal, they will promptly report such conflict to AMI’s CCO. Conflicts of interest will be handled in various ways depending on the type and materiality. This includes:
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Where the Proxy Voting Guidelines outline AMI’s voting position, as either “for” or “against” such proxy proposal, voting will be in accordance with AMI’s Proxy Voting Guidelines.
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2.
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Where a proposal is not listed in the Proxy Voting Guidelines, then one of the two following methods will be selected by AMI depending upon the facts and circumstances of each situation and the requirements of applicable law:
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a.
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Voting the proxy in accordance with the voting recommendation of a non-affiliated third party vendor.
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b.
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Voting the proxy pursuant to client direction.
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ERISA Accounts:
Plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), are to be administered consistent with the terms of the governing plan documents and applicable provisions of ERISA. In cases where sole proxy voting discretion rests with AMI, the foregoing policies and procedures will be followed, subject to the fiduciary responsibility standards of ERISA. These standards generally require fiduciaries to act prudently and to discharge their duties solely in the interests of participants and beneficiaries. The Department of Labor has indicated that the voting decisions of ERISA fiduciaries must generally focus on the course that would most likely increase the value of the stock being voted.
The documents governing ERISA individual account plans may set forth various procedures for voting “employer securities” held by the plan. Where authority over the investment of plan assets is granted to plan participants, many individual account plans provide that proxies for employer securities will be voted in accordance with directions received from plan participants as to shares allocated to their plan accounts. In some cases, the governing plan documents may further provide that unallocated shares and/or allocated shares for which no participant directions are received will be voted in accordance with a proportional voting method in which such shares are voted proportionately in the same manner as are allocated shares for which directions from participants have been received. Consistent with Labor Department positions, it is the policy of AMI to follow the provisions of a plan’s governing documents in the voting of employer securities, unless it determines that to do so would breach its fiduciary duties under ERISA.
Other Special Situations:
AMI may choose not to vote proxies in certain situations or for certain accounts, such as: 1) where a client has informed AMI that it wishes to retain the right to vote the proxy, AMI will instruct the custodian to send the proxy material directly to the client, 2) where AMI deems the cost of voting would exceed any anticipated benefit to the client, 3) where a proxy is received for a client account that has been terminated with AMI, 4) where a proxy is received for a security that AMI no longer manages (
i.e.
, AMI had previously sold the entire position), and/or 5) where the exercise of voting rights could restrict the ability of an account's portfolio manager to freely trade the security in question.
Reconciliations:
The Responsible Voting Party or designee will perform a reconciling of proxies received from the custodian(s) to help ensure that AMI is receiving and voting all proxies. Any material discrepancies will be investigated and corrected promptly.
Proxy Voting Records:
AMI will maintain the following records under these policies and procedures:
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A copy of all policies and procedures.
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2.
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A copy of each proxy statement AMI receives regarding client’s securities.
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A record of each vote cast by AMI on behalf of a client.
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A copy of any document created by AMI that was material to making a decision on how to vote proxies on behalf of a client or that memorialize the basis for that decision.
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A copy of each written client request for information on how AMI voted proxies on behalf of the requesting client, and a copy of any written response by AMI to any (written or verbal) client request for information on how AMI voted proxies on behalf of the requesting client.
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The foregoing records will be retained for such period of time as is required to comply with applicable laws and regulations. AMI may rely on one or more third parties to create and retain the records referred to in items 2 and 3 above.
Client Disclosures:
A copy of these policies and procedures will be provided to clients upon request. In addition, copies of the above outlined records, as they relate to particular clients, will be provided to those clients upon request.
It is generally AMI’s policy not to disclose its proxy voting records to unaffiliated third parties or special interest groups.