Filed Pursuant to Rule 497(c)
File No. 333-292057
COMBINED PROXY STATEMENT AND PROSPECTUS
For the Reorganization of
| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF | into | Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF |
| a series of ETF Opportunities Trust | a series of Wedbush Series Trust |
January 21, 2026
LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (TGLR)
a series of ETF Opportunities Trust
Listed on Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.
ETF Opportunities Trust
Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc.
8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205
Richmond, Virginia 23235
January 21, 2026
Dear Shareholder:
On behalf of the Board of Trustees of ETF Opportunities Trust (the “ETFOT Board”), we invite you to a Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) of the LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (Ticker: TGLR) (the “Target Fund”), a series of ETF Opportunities Trust, to be held on February 27, 2026, at the offices of Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., 8730 Stoney Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235, at 11:00 A.M. Eastern time.
As discussed in more detail in the enclosed Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus, at the Special Meeting, the shareholders of the Target Fund will be asked to consider and vote to approve the following:
| • | the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”) by and among ETF Opportunities Trust, on behalf of the Target Fund, Wedbush Series Trust, on behalf of Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (the “Acquiring Fund”), Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC (“Wedbush Adviser”) and Laffer Tengler Investments, Inc. (“Laffer Tengler”); and |
| • | to transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof. |
The Acquiring Fund will have substantially similar investment policies and strategies as the Target Fund. If the Reorganization is approved, Wedbush Adviser will serve as the investment adviser to the Acquiring Fund and Laffer Tengler will serve as investment sub-adviser. Tuttle Capital Management LLC (“Tuttle Capital”) is the investment adviser to the Target Fund, and Laffer Tengler is the sub-adviser.
The Acquiring Fund is established solely for the purpose of acquiring the assets of the Target Fund and continuing the Target Fund’s business. The Acquiring Fund will commence operations upon the closing of the Reorganization and the Target Fund will then be dissolved. Upon shareholder approval and effectiveness of the Plan with respect to the Target Fund, you will receive shares of the Acquiring Fund equivalent to the value of your Target Fund shares as of the closing date of the Reorganization in complete liquidation and dissolution of the Target Fund, and you will no longer be a shareholder of the Target Fund but will become a shareholder of the Acquiring Fund. The Reorganization is not expected to result in the recognition of gain or loss by the Target Fund or its shareholders for federal income tax purposes, and no sales loads, commissions, or other transactional fees will be imposed on shareholders in connection with the tax-free exchange of their shares.
If shareholders of the Target Fund do not approve the Reorganization, then the Reorganization will not be implemented. In that case, if the shareholders of the Target Fund do not approve the Reorganization, the ETFOT Board will consider what further actions to take with respect to the Target Fund, including but not limited to, continuing operations of the Target Fund, alternative reorganizations with different acquiring funds and the liquidation of the Target Fund.
Additional information about the Acquiring Fund is included in Appendix D of the Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information related to the Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT.
The ETFOT Board believes that the proposed Reorganization is in the best interest of the Target Fund’s shareholders and recommends that you vote “FOR” the approval of the Plan to authorize the Reorganization with respect to the Target Fund.
You can vote in one of four ways:
| • | By mail with the enclosed proxy card; |
| • | By internet through the website listed in the proxy voting instructions; |
| • | By automated touchtone using the toll-free number listed in the proxy voting instructions; or |
| • | In person at the special shareholders meeting on February 27, 2026. |
Thank you for your consideration of this important proposal. Your vote is extremely important, so please read the enclosed Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus carefully and submit your vote. If you have any questions about the proposal, please call our proxy solicitor, EQ Fund Solutions at 888-540-8736.
Your vote is very important to us. Thank you for your response.
Respectfully,
| /s/ David Bogaert | |
| David Bogaert, President | |
| ETF Opportunities Trust |
LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (TGLR)
a series of ETF Opportunities Trust
Listed on Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.
ETF Opportunities Trust
Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc.
8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205
Richmond, Virginia 23235
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD FEBRUARY 27, 2026
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) of the LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (the “Target Fund”), a series of ETF Opportunities Trust, is to be held on February 27, 2026, at the offices of Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., 8730 Stoney Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235, at 11:00 A.M. Eastern time.
At the Special Meeting, you and the other shareholders of the Target Fund will be asked to consider and vote to approve the following:
| • | The Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”) approved by the ETF Opportunities Trust Board of Trustees, which provides for the reorganization (the “Reorganization”) of the Target Fund, a series of ETF Opportunities Trust, into the Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (the “Acquiring Fund”), a newly created series of Wedbush Series Trust; and |
| • | To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof. |
The persons designated as proxies may use their discretionary authority to vote as instructed by management of the Target Fund on any other proposals raised at the Special Meeting to the extent permitted by the proxy rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including proposals for which timely notice was not received, as set forth in the SEC’s proxy rules.
Those present and the appointed proxies also will transact such other business, if any, as may properly come before the Special Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof.
Holders of record of the shares of beneficial interest in the Target Fund as of the close of business on January 5, 2026, are entitled to vote at the Special Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof.
If the necessary quorum to transact business or the vote required to approve any proposal is not obtained at the Special Meeting, or if a quorum is obtained but sufficient votes required to approve the Plan are not obtained, the chairman of the Special Meeting may adjourn the Special Meeting one or more times to permit, in accordance with applicable law, further solicitation of proxies with respect to the proposal. This Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders and the Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus are available on the internet at https://vote.proxyonline.com/etfopps/docs/laffertengler2026.pdf or by calling (toll-free) 888-540-8736. On this webpage, you also will be able to access the Target Fund’s Prospectus, the Acquiring Fund’s Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements to the foregoing material that are required to be furnished to shareholders. We encourage you to access and review all of the important information contained in the proxy materials before voting.
By order of the Board of Trustees of ETF Opportunities Trust,
| /s/ David Bogaert | |
| David Bogaert, President | |
| ETF Opportunities Trust | |
| January 21, 2026 |
LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (TGLR)
a series of ETF Opportunities Trust
Listed on Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.
ETF Opportunities Trust
Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc.
8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205
Richmond, Virginia 23235
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Question: What is this document and why did you send it to me?
Answer: The attached Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus (the “Proxy Statement”) is a proxy statement for the LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (the “Target Fund”), a series of ETF Opportunities Trust (“ETFOT”), and a prospectus for the shares of the Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (the “Acquiring Fund”) (each of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund, a “Fund”, and together, the “Funds”), a newly created series of Wedbush Series Trust (“Wedbush Trust”), an open-end management investment company registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The purposes of the Proxy Statement are to (1) solicit votes from shareholders of the Target Fund to approve the proposed reorganization of the Target Fund into the Acquiring Fund (the “Reorganization”), as described in the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization between ETFOT and Wedbush Trust (the “Plan”), a copy of which is attached to the Proxy Statement as Appendix A, and (2) provide information regarding the shares of the Acquiring Fund. Approval of the Target Fund’s shareholders is required to proceed with the Reorganization of the Target Fund. If the shareholders of the Target Fund do not approve the proposal, then the Reorganization will not be implemented with respect to the Target Fund and the Board of Trustees of ETFOT (the “ETFOT Board”) will consider what further actions to take with respect to the Target Fund, including, but not limited to, continuing operations of the Target Fund, alternative reorganizations with different acquiring funds and the liquidation of the Target Fund.
The Proxy Statement contains information that you should know before voting on the proposals including additional information about the Acquiring Fund in Appendix D and the Statement of Additional Information related to the Proxy Statement. The Proxy Statement should be retained for future reference.
Question: How does the ETFOT Board recommend that I vote?
Answer: After careful consideration, the ETFOT Board recommends that shareholders vote “FOR” the Plan and the proposed Reorganization.
Question: What is the reason for the Reorganization?
Answer: Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC (“Wedbush Adviser”) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wedbush Financial Services, LLC (“Wedbush”), a financial services holding company with subsidiaries engaged in retail and high net worth brokerage and advisory activities. As of October 15, 2025, Wedbush Adviser provided discretionary advisory services to approximately $887 million in exchange-traded fund assets. Wedbush seeks to continue building the Wedbush Trust platform through strategic acquisitions of ETFs. Wedbush Adviser believes that the addition of a core equity value oriented ETF, managed by Laffer Tengler Investments, Inc. (“Laffer Tengler”), under its oversight, to the Wedbush Trust is a compelling proposition. The success Wedbush Adviser has had promoting the research based fundamental analysis supporting its differentiated products has been seen in its inaugural launch, and it is anticipated that the Target Fund will benefit from complimentary marketing and sales support, and other economies of scale. The Acquiring Fund is a newly created series of Wedbush Trust that was created specifically for the purpose of acquiring the assets and assuming the liabilities as set forth in the Plan of the Target Fund. The Reorganization will allow Laffer Tengler to continue implementing the Target Fund’s investment strategies under the oversight of Wedbush Adviser, and ultimately the Wedbush Trust Board of Trustees (“Wedbush Trust Board”).
Question: How will the Reorganization work?
Answer: As part of the Reorganization, a new series of the Wedbush Trust, referred to as the “Acquiring Fund,” with substantially similar investment policies and strategies as the Target Fund, has been created. The Acquiring Fund is newly organized and has no assets or liabilities. If the Target Fund’s shareholders approve the Plan, the Target Fund will transfer all of its assets to the Acquiring Fund in return for shares of such Acquiring Fund and such Acquiring Fund’s assumption of the Target Fund’s liabilities as set forth in the Plan. Existing shareholders of the Target Fund will become shareholders of the Acquiring Fund and, immediately after the Reorganization, each shareholder will hold shares of the Acquiring Fund with a value equal to the aggregate net asset value of the Target Fund shares that the shareholder held immediately prior to the Reorganization. Subsequently, the Target Fund will be liquidated and terminated.
Please refer to the Proxy Statement for a detailed explanation of the proposal. If the Plan is approved by shareholders of the Target Fund at the Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”), the Reorganization is expected to be effective on or about March 9, 2026.
Question: Will I become an Acquiring Fund shareholder as a result of the Reorganization?
Answer: Yes, you will become a shareholder of the Acquiring Fund and will no longer be a shareholder of the Target Fund. You will receive shares of the Acquiring Fund with a value equal to the aggregate net asset value of your shares of the Target Fund held immediately prior to the Reorganization.
Question: Will the investment strategies of the Target Fund change as a result of the Reorganization?
Answer: No, the Acquiring Fund will have substantially similar policies and strategies as the Target Fund.
Question: Who will manage the Acquiring Fund?
Answer: The Reorganization will shift management responsibility from Tuttle Capital Management LLC (“Tuttle Capital”) to Wedbush Adviser, the investment adviser of the Acquiring Fund, however, Laffer Tengler Investments, Inc., the sub-adviser to the Target Fund will remain the sub-adviser to the Acquiring Fund.
Question: Will there be changes to the Board of Trustees and service providers for the Acquiring Fund?
Answer: Yes, ETFOT and Wedbush Trust have different Boards of Trustees. In addition to the change of investment advisers, ETFOT and Wedbush Trust also have different service providers, as set forth in the table below.
| Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | |||
| Administrator | Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. | Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC | ||
| Sub-Administrator | - | The Bank of New York Mellon | ||
| Fund Accounting | Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. | The Bank of New York Mellon | ||
| Transfer Agent | Citibank, N.A. | The Bank of New York Mellon | ||
| Custodian | Citibank, N.A. | The Bank of New York Mellon | ||
| Distributor and Principal Underwriter | Foreside Fund Services LLC | Foreside Fund Services LLC | ||
| Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | Cohen & Company, Ltd. | Cohen & Company, Ltd. | ||
| Legal Counsel | Practus, LLP | Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP |
Question: Will the Reorganization affect the ongoing fees and expenses I pay as a shareholder of the Target Fund?
Answer: The ongoing fees and expenses you pay as a shareholder of the Target Fund are expected to decrease after you become a shareholder of the Acquiring Fund. The Target Fund and Acquiring Fund both operate under a unitary fee structure, pursuant to which the Fund’s investment adviser pays the operating expenses of the Fund out of the unitary fee. Wedbush Adviser will charge the Fund a unitary fee at the following rates, based on the Fund’s average daily net assets, which rate will be lower than the fee that is charged by Tuttle Capital to the Target Fund.
| Fund Assets | Advisory Fee Rate |
| Up to $225 million | 0.85% |
| $225 million – $500 million | 0.80% |
| Over $500 million | 0.75% |
The Acquiring Fund has adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plan under which the Acquiring Fund may bear a Rule 12b-1 fee not to exceed 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. However, no such fee is currently expected to be paid by the Acquiring Fund, and the Wedbush Trust Board has not approved the commencement of any payments under the plan. The Target Fund has not adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plan, and the Board of the Target Fund has not approved such a plan.
Question: Are there any other changes of note in connection with the Reorganization?
Answer: Yes, the Acquiring Fund will have a different fiscal year end than the Target Fund. The Target Fund has a July 31 fiscal year end, while the Acquiring Fund is expected to have a April 30 fiscal year end.
Question: Will I own the same number of shares of the Acquiring Fund as I currently own of the Target Fund?
Answer: Although the number of shares of the Acquiring Fund you receive may differ from the number of shares of the Target Fund that you hold, in exchange for your shares of the Target Fund, you will receive shares of the Acquiring Fund equal in value to the net asset value of your shares of the Target Fund immediately prior to the Reorganization.
Question: Will the Reorganization result in any taxes?
Answer: The conversion of the Target Fund into the Acquiring Fund as part of the Reorganization is expected to qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of section 368(a)(1)(F) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Target Fund is not expected to recognize any gain or loss as a direct result of the transfer of all of its assets and liabilities as set forth in the Plan in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund or as a result of its liquidation and termination, and shareholders of the Target Fund are not expected to recognize any gain or loss upon receipt of shares of the Acquiring Fund in connection with the Reorganization. Shareholders of the Target Fund should consult their own tax advisers regarding the federal, state, local, and other tax treatment and implications of the Reorganization in light of their individual circumstances.
Question: Will my basis change as a result of the Reorganization?
Answer: No, your aggregate tax basis for federal income tax purposes of the Acquiring Fund shares that you receive in the Reorganization is expected to be the same as the basis of the Target Fund shares that you held immediately before the Reorganization.
Question: Will I incur any direct or indirect fees or expenses as a result of the Reorganization?
Answer: No commission or other direct transactional fees will be imposed on shareholders in connection with the Reorganization.
Question: Why do I need to vote?
Answer: Your vote is needed to ensure that a quorum and sufficient votes are present at the Special Meeting so that the proposals can be acted upon. Your immediate response on the enclosed Proxy Card will help prevent the need for any further solicitations for a shareholder vote. Your vote is very important to us regardless of the number of shares you own.
Question: Who is paying expenses related to the Special Meeting and the Reorganization?
Answer: Wedbush Adviser will bear all direct expenses relating to the Reorganization, including the costs relating to the Special Meeting and Proxy Statement.
Question: Will the Reorganization affect my ability to buy and sell shares?
Answer: No. You may continue to make additional purchases or sales of Target Fund shares through your financial intermediary up to and including the day of the Reorganization, which is anticipated to be on or about March 9, 2026. Any purchases or sales of Target Fund shares made after the Reorganization will be purchases or sales of the Acquiring Fund. If the Reorganization is approved, your shares of the Target Fund will automatically be converted to shares of the Acquiring Fund.
Question: What will happen if the Plan is not approved by shareholders?
Answer: If shareholders of the Target Fund do not approve the Plan, then the Target Fund will not be reorganized into the Acquiring Fund and the Board will consider what further actions to take with respect to the Target Fund. In such event, the Target Fund will continue to operate and Tuttle Capital will continue to serve as investment adviser and Laffer Tengler will continue to serve as sub-adviser to the Target Fund while the Board considers other alternatives in the best interest of the Target Fund’s shareholders, including, but not limited to, continuing operations of the Target Fund, alternative reorganizations with different acquiring funds and the liquidation of the Target Fund
Question: How do I vote my shares?
Answer: You can vote your shares as indicated under “HOW TO VOTE YOUR SHARES” which immediately precedes this Question and Answers section.
Question: Who do I call if I have questions?
Answer: If you have any questions regarding the proposals or the proxy card, or need assistance voting your shares, please call the Target Fund’s proxy solicitor, EQ Fund Solutions at 888-540-8736.
COMBINED PROXY STATEMENT AND PROSPECTUS
January 21, 2026
For the Reorganization of
| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (TGLR) | into | Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF |
| a series of ETF Opportunities Trust | a series of Wedbush Series Trust |
This Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus (the “Proxy Statement”) is being sent to you in connection with the solicitation of proxy by the Board of Trustees (the “ETFOT Board”) of ETF Opportunities Trust (“ETFOT”), a Delaware statutory trust registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) as an open-end management investment company, for use at a Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) of the LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (the “Target Fund”), at the principal executive offices of Commonwealth Fund Services, 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, VA 23235, on February 27, 2026 at 11:00 A.M. Eastern time. At the Special Meeting, shareholders of the Target Fund will be asked to consider and vote upon the following proposals, as applicable:
| Proposal | ||
| 1. | To approve the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”) approved by the ETFOT Board, which provides for the reorganization of the Target Fund into the Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (the “Acquiring Fund”, together with the Target Fund, each a “Fund”), a newly created series of Wedbush Series Trust (the “Wedbush Trust”). | |
| 2. | To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof. |
After careful consideration and upon the recommendation of Laffer Tengler, the ETFOT Board recommends that shareholders of the Target Fund vote “FOR” the applicable proposals.
The Plan provides that all of the assets of the Target Fund will be transferred to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for shares of beneficial interest (“shares”) of the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Fund’s assumption of the Target Fund’s liabilities as set forth in the Plan. If shareholders of the Target Fund vote to approve the Plan, shareholders of the Target Fund will receive shares of the Acquiring Fund with a value equal to the aggregate net asset value (“NAV”) of their shares of the Target Fund held immediately prior to the Reorganization in complete liquidation and termination of the Target Fund.
Those present and the appointed proxies also will transact such other business, if any, as may properly come before the Special Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof. This Proxy Statement sets forth concisely the basic information you should know before voting on the proposal. You should read it and keep it for future reference.
The following documents containing additional information about the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund, each having been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), are incorporated by reference into (legally considered to be part of) this Proxy Statement:
| · | the Statement of Additional Information dated January 21, 2026, relating to this Proxy Statement (the “Proxy Statement SAI”); |
| · | the Prospectus of the Target Fund, dated November 30, 2025, as amended and supplemented (the “Target Fund’s Prospectus”) (File Nos. 333-234544 and 811-23439); |
| · | the Statement of Additional Information of the Target Fund dated November 30, 2025, as amended and supplemented (the “Target Fund’s SAI”) (File Nos. 333-234544 and 811-23439); and |
| · | the Annual Report for the Target Fund for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2025 (the “Target Fund’s Annual Report”) (File No. 811-23439). |
This Proxy Statement will be mailed on or about January 23, 2026 to shareholders of record of the Target Fund as of January 5, 2026.
The Target Fund’s Prospectus and the Target Fund’s Annual Report have previously been delivered to shareholders of the Target Fund. Additional information about the Acquiring Fund that will be included in the Acquiring Fund’s Prospectus, when available, is included in Appendix D to this Proxy Statement. The Acquiring Fund is newly-organized and currently has no assets or liabilities. The Acquiring Fund has been created in connection with the Reorganization for the purpose of acquiring the assets and liabilities of the Target Fund as set forth in the Plan and will not commence operations until the date of the Reorganization.
Copies of the Proxy Statement, Proxy Statement SAI, and any of the foregoing documents relating to the Target Fund are available upon request and without charge by writing the Target Fund’s distributor, Foreside Fund Services LLC, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101, by visiting the Target Fund’s website at www.tglretf.com, or by calling (833) 759-6110. Copies of documents relating to the Acquiring Fund, when available, may be obtained upon request and without charge by writing to the Acquiring Fund at Wedbush Series Trust, 225 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101, by calling (toll-free) at (866) 597-9452 or visiting www.wedbushfunds.com/funds/tglr. The principal listing exchange for the Target Fund is Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (“Cboe”), and the principal listing exchange for the Acquiring Fund will be NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”).
No person has been authorized to give any information or make any representation not contained in this Proxy Statement and, if so given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorized. This Proxy Statement does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction in which, or to any person to whom, it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.
THE SEC HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES NOR HAS IT PASSED ON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROXY STATEMENT. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
An investment in the Target Fund or the Acquiring Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. An investment in any fund involves investment risk, including the possible loss of principal.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PROPOSAL NO. 1: TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION
OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION
The ETFOT Board, including a majority of the trustees who are not “interested persons” as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “ETFOT Independent Trustees”), recommends that shareholders of the Target Fund approve the Plan, pursuant to which the Target Fund will reorganize into the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund shareholders will become shareholders of the Acquiring Fund (the “Reorganization”). The Form of the Plan is attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix A. The ETFOT Board considered the Reorganization at a meeting held on October 29, 2025. Based upon the recommendation of Laffer Tengler, the ETFOT Board’s evaluation of the terms of the Plan and other relevant information presented to the ETFOT Board in advance of the meeting, and in light of its fiduciary duties under federal and state law, the ETFOT Board, including a majority of the ETFOT Independent Trustees, determined that the Reorganization was in the best interests of the Target Fund and its shareholders. See the section titled “Board Considerations” for a summary of the factors considered and conclusions drawn by the ETFOT Board in approving the Plan and authorizing the submission of the Plan to shareholders for approval.
As part of the Reorganization, a new series of the Wedbush Trust (i.e., the Acquiring Fund) with substantially similar investment policies and strategies as the Target Fund, has been created.
If the shareholders of the Target Fund approve the Plan, the Reorganization will have these primary steps:
| • | All of the assets of the Target Fund will be transferred to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Fund’s assumption of the Target Fund’s liabilities as set forth in the Plan; |
| • | Immediately after the transfer of the Target Fund’s assets as provided for in the Plan, the Target Fund will distribute shares of the Acquiring Fund received by the Target Fund pro rata to its shareholders in redemption of the outstanding shares of the Target Fund; and |
| • | The Target Fund will eventually be liquidated and terminated. |
Approval of the Plan with respect to the Reorganization will constitute approval of the transfer of the Target Fund’s assets to the Acquiring Fund, the assumption of the Target Fund’s liabilities by the Acquiring Fund as set forth in the Plan, the distribution of the Acquiring Fund shares to Target Fund shareholders, and the liquidation and termination of the Target Fund. Shares of the Acquiring Fund issued in connection with the Reorganization will have an aggregate NAV equal to the aggregate value of the assets that the Target Fund transferred to the Acquiring Fund, less the Target Fund’s liabilities that the Acquiring Fund assumes. As a result of the Reorganization, existing shareholders of the Target Fund will become shareholders of the Acquiring Fund. Shareholders of the Target Fund will receive shares of the Acquiring Fund with a value equal to the aggregate NAV of their shares of the Target Fund held immediately prior to the Reorganization.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the conversion of the Target Fund into the Acquiring Fund that is part of the Reorganization is expected to qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code. The Target Fund is not expected to recognize any gain or loss as a result of the transfer of all of its assets and liabilities as set forth in the Plan in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund or as a result of its liquidation and termination, and shareholders of the Target Fund are not expected to recognize any gain or loss upon receipt of shares of the Acquiring Fund in connection with the Reorganization. ETFOT and Wedbush Trust will receive an opinion from tax counsel to the Wedbush Trust confirming such tax treatment.
1
The primary purpose of the Reorganization is for the Acquiring Fund to acquire the assets of the Target Fund and continue the business of the Target Fund. Certain basic information about the Target Fund and Acquiring Fund is provided in the table below.
| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (Target Fund) |
Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (Acquiring Fund) | |
| Investment Objective | Income and long-term capital appreciation. | Same |
| Management Fee | 0.95% |
Up to $225 million: 0.85% $225 million – $500 million: 0.80% Over $500 million: 0.75%% |
| Listing Exchange | Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. | NYSE Arca |
| Ticker Symbol | TGLR | TGLR |
| Fiscal Year End | July 31 | April 30 |
| Diversification Status | Non-Diversified | Non-Diversified |
| Investment Adviser | Tuttle Capital Management, LLC (“Tuttle Capital”) | Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC (“Wedbush Adviser”) |
| Investment Sub-Adviser | Laffer Tengler Investments, Inc. (“Laffer Tengler”) | Laffer Tengler |
The Reorganization will shift management responsibility for the Target Fund from Tuttle Capital to Wedbush Adviser, as investment adviser of the Acquiring Fund, however, Laffer Tengler, the sub-adviser for the Target Fund will remain the sub-adviser for the Acquiring Fund. None of Laffer Tengler, Tuttle Capital or ETFOT are affiliated with the Wedbush Trust or Wedbush Advisers.
The Reorganization will result in lower management fees than the Target Fund.
Under the Target Fund’s advisory agreement, Tuttle Capital pays the sub-advisory fee and substantially all expenses of the Target Fund, subject to certain exceptions, and under the Acquiring Fund’s advisory agreement, Wedbush Adviser pays the sub-advisory fee and substantially all expenses of the Acquiring Fund, subject to certain exceptions.
The Acquiring Fund has adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plan (each a “12b-1 Plan”) under which the Acquiring Fund may bear a Rule 12b-1 fee not to exceed 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. However, no such fee is currently expected to be paid by the Acquiring Fund, and the Board of Trustees of the Wedbush Trust (“Wedbush Trust Board”) has not approved the commencement of any payments under the 12b-1 Plan. The Target Fund has not adopted a 12b-1 Plan, and the ETFOT Board has not approved a 12b-1 Plan.
Shareholders will continue to be able to make additional purchases or sales of the Target Fund shares through their financial intermediary up to and including the day of the Reorganization. If the Reorganization is approved, the Target Fund shares will automatically be converted to the Acquiring Fund shares.
SUMMARY COMPARISON OF THE FUNDS
Fees and Expenses of the Funds
The Acquiring Fund has a lower management fee than the Target Fund and has lower total annual fund operating expenses.
LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF and Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Target Fund and the pro forma fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Acquiring Fund after giving effect to the Reorganization. Expenses for the Target Fund are based on operating expenses of the Target Fund for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2025. Expenses for the Acquiring Fund are pro forma operating expenses of the Acquiring Fund for the twelve months ended April 30, 2025, assuming consummation of the Reorganization as of April 30, 2024. This table and the Example below do not include the brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that investors may pay on their purchases and sales of Fund shares.
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| Fees and Expenses | LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF | Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (pro forma) | ||||||
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | ||||||||
| (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||||||||
| Management Fee | 0.95 | %(1) | 0.85 | %(2) | ||||
| Other Expenses | 0.00 | % | 0.00 | % | ||||
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.95 | % | 0.85 | % | ||||
| (1) | Under the investment advisory agreement between Tuttle Capital and the Target Fund, Tuttle Capital, at its own expense, and without reimbursement from the Target Fund pays all expenses of the Target Fund, excluding (i) the advisory fee, (ii) distribution fees or expenses under the Fund’s 12b-1 plan (if any), (iii) interest expenses, (iv) taxes, (v) acquired fund fees and expenses, (vi) brokers’ commissions and any other portfolio transaction-related expenses and fees arising out of transactions effected on behalf of the Target Fund, (vii) credit facility fees and expenses, including interest expenses and (viii) litigation and indemnification expenses and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Target Fund’s business. | |
| (2) | Under the investment advisory agreement between Wedbush Adviser and the Acquiring Fund, Wedbush Adviser, at its own expense, and without reimbursement from the Acquiring Fund will pay all expenses of the Acquiring Fund, excluding the advisory fee, interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, securities lending fees and expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, distribution fees and expenses paid by the Fund under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and litigation expenses, and other non-routine or extraordinary expenses. |
Example
The Example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Target Fund with the cost of investing in shares of the Acquiring Fund on a pro forma basis. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in each Fund and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that operating expenses remain the same. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you may pay on your purchases and sales of shares of the Funds. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
| One Year | Three Years | Five Years | Ten Years | |||||||||||||
| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF | $ | 97 | $ | 303 | $ | 525 | $ | 1,166 | ||||||||
| Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF – (pro forma) | $ | 87 | $ | 271 | $ | 471 | $ | 1,049 | ||||||||
Principal Investment Objectives, Strategies, and Policies
The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund have substantially similar investment policies and strategies, which is presented in the table below.
The Acquiring Fund has been created as a new series of the Wedbush Trust solely for the purpose of acquiring the Target Fund’s assets and continuing their business and will not conduct any investment operations until after the closing of the Reorganization. Because the Acquiring Fund has substantially similar investment policies and strategies to those of the Target Fund, if the Reorganization is approved, all of the Target Fund’s portfolio holdings will be transferred to the Acquiring Fund.
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| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (Target Fund) |
Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (Acquiring Fund) |
| Investment Objective | Investment Objective |
| The Fund seeks income and long-term capital appreciation. | Same |
| The Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the ETFOT Board without shareholder approval upon 60 days written notice to shareholders. | The Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Wedbush Trust Board without shareholder approval upon 60 days written notice to shareholders. |
| Principal Investment Strategies | Principal Investment Strategies |
| The Fund is an actively managed Fund that seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in high-quality, large-cap stocks that Laffer Tengler believes have strong earnings and dividend growth potential and an above market dividend yield. The strategy utilizes two valuation metrics that Laffer Tengler believes are consistent indicators of value: Relative Dividend Yield (RDY) and Relative Price-to-Sales Ratio (RPSR). These indicators, both pioneered by Laffer Tengler, are used to identify discreet periods of over- and under-valuation, security by security, and are supported by Laffer Tengler’s rigorous and proprietary 12 Fundamental Factor research approach. The Fund will typically hold 25-35 positions, and seeks to produce an above-market dividend yield with low turnover. No assurance can be given that the Fund will achieve its investment objective and you could lose all your investment in the Fund. | The Fund is an actively managed Fund that seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in high-quality, large-cap stocks that Laffer Tengler believes have strong earnings and dividend growth potential and an above market dividend yield. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, including borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of companies that meet Laffer Tengler’s definition of “value companies.” Laffer Tengler defines “value companies” as companies with a growing and safe dividend that reflects Laffer Tengler’s view of the company’s future earnings power, balance sheet strength and growing free cash flow. To identify value companies, Laffer Tengler utilizes two valuation metrics that Laffer Tengler believes are consistent indicators of value: Relative Dividend Yield (“RDY”) and Relative Price-to-Sales Ratio (“RPSR”). These indicators, both pioneered by the Laffer Tengler team, are used to identify discreet periods of over- and under-valuation, security by security, and are supported by Laffer Tengler’s rigorous and proprietary 12 Fundamental Factor research approach. The Fund will typically hold 25-35 positions, and seeks to produce an above-market dividend yield with low turnover. No assurance can be given that the Fund will achieve its investment objective and you could lose all your investment in the Fund. |
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| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (Target Fund) |
Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (Acquiring Fund) |
| Investment Process | Investment Process |
| Laffer Tengler intends to invest in high-quality, U.S. Large-Cap equities using its proprietary valuation metrics, Relative Dividend Yield (RDY) and Relative Price-to-Sales Ratio (RPSR). After identifying companies with attractive valuations that fit Laffer Tengler’s portfolio requirements, Laffer Tengler conducts further research using a 12 Fundamental Factor research model (both qualitative and quantitative) to avoid owning stocks that are undervalued for legitimate reasons. The 12 Fundamental Factor research model involves the analysis of the following factors: Qualitative Factors: Catalyst for Outperformance Franchise Value & Market Growth Top Management/Board of Directors Quantitative Factors: Sales/Revenue Growth Operating Margins Relative P/E Positive Free Cash Flow Dividend Coverage/Growth Asset Turnover Ratio Use of Cash (buyback, debt, dividend) Leverage Financial Risk The Fund uses a fundamental evaluation process that primarily considers a company’s dividend yield compared to the historical yield of the stock and also compared to the yield of the S&P 500, while also considering the company’s relative price-to-sales ratio as a secondary indicator. The Relative Dividend Yield, or RDY, allows us to identify equities that are temporarily underperforming, and as a result may be attractively valued. The dividend income generated by these companies allows Laffer Tengler to wait for the stock price to rebound and valuations to normalize, all while collecting a dividend that is yielding above and growing faster than the market rate. Other fundamental factors that are included in considering a stock for purchase are an analysis of the quantitative factors listed above, evaluation of the management team, and a qualitative look at factors such as market dominance, franchise value, and a catalyst for outperformance. The primary indicator that a company’s stock has entered its “sell range” is when the stock’s dividend yield is lower than that of the S&P 500, on a relative basis and one standard deviation away from its historical mean. Using a customized range for each position individually, the current relative yield is measured, and a sell range is established to indicate when a position has become overvalued, or fairly valued, in relation to both its own long- term averages and the market overall. Other fundamental factors that are included in the sell consideration are an analysis of the quantitative factors listed above, evaluation of the management team, and a qualitative look at factors such as market dominance, franchise value, and a catalyst for outperformance. |
Same. |
|
Non-Diversification
The Fund intends to operate as a “non-diversified” fund for purposes of the 1940 Act, which means it can take larger positions in a limited number of holdings.
Securities Lending |
Non-Diversification
Same
Securities Lending |
| The Target Fund does not engage in securities lending. | The Fund may engage in securities lending. |
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Distribution and Purchase Procedures, Exchange Rights and Redemption Procedures
The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund have substantially similar distribution procedures and exchange rights and redemption procedures. See “Purchase and Redemption of Shares in Creation Units” below for more information.
Principal Risks
Risk is the chance that you will lose money on your investment or that it will not earn as much as you expect. In general, the greater the risk, the more money your investment can earn for you and the more you can lose. Like other investment companies, the value of each Fund’s shares may be affected by its investment objective, principal investment strategies, and particular risk factors. The principal risks of investing in the Funds are discussed below. However, other factors may also affect each Fund’s NAV. There is no guarantee that a Fund will achieve its investment objective or that it will not lose principal value.
The principal risks of investing in the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund are substantially similar, as their investment policies and the investment strategies are substantially similar. Because the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund have similar investment policies and strategies, they are, except as described below, subject to the same principal risks.
Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in a Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. As with any investment, there is a risk you could lose all or a portion of your investment in a Fund. Some or all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s NAV, trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its investment objectives.
| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (Target Fund) |
Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (Acquiring Fund) |
| Active Management Risk. As an actively managed investment portfolio, the Fund is subject to decisions made by the Adviser’s portfolio managers. The Adviser’s investment decisions about individual securities impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. The Adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness and potential returns for specific investments in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and there is no guarantee that the Adviser’s investment strategy will produce the desired results. | Active Management Risk. As an actively managed investment portfolio, the Fund is subject to decisions made by the Adviser’s or Sub-Adviser’s portfolio managers. The Adviser’s or Sub-Adviser’s investment decisions about individual securities impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. The Adviser’s or Sub-Adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness and potential returns for specific investments in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and there is no guarantee that the Adviser’s or Sub-Adviser’s investment strategy will produce the desired results. |
| Cash and Cash Equivalents Risk. Holding cash or cash equivalents rather than securities or other instruments in which the Fund primarily invests, even strategically, may cause the Fund to risk losing opportunities to participate in market appreciation, and may cause the Fund to experience potentially lower returns than the Fund’s benchmark or other funds that remain fully invested. In rising markets, holding cash or cash equivalents will negatively affect the Fund’s performance relative to its benchmark. | Same. |
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| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (Target Fund) |
Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (Acquiring Fund) |
| Cyber Security Risk. Failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser and/or the Fund’s other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and their shareholders. While the Fund have established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems of the Fund’s service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or issuers of securities in which the Fund invests. | Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser, and/or other service providers (including custodians and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches or data corruption. Additionally, cybersecurity failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, or the Fund’s other service providers, market makers, authorized participants (“APs”), the Fund’s primary listing exchange, or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to disrupt and negatively affect the Fund’s business operations, including the ability to purchase and sell Shares, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. |
| Equity Securities Risk. Equity prices may fall over short or extended periods of time. Historically, the equity markets have moved in cycles, and the value of equity securities may fluctuate from day to day. Individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends and developments. The prices of securities issued by such companies may suffer a decline in response. These factors contribute to price volatility, which is a principal risk of investing in the Fund. | Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than those of other asset classes. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that may directly relate to the issuer as well as due to general industry or market conditions. The Fund will primarily invest in common stock equity securities. Common stock is subordinated to preferred stock and debt in a company’s capital structure. Common stock has the lowest priority, and the greatest risk, with respect to dividends and any liquidation payments in the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy. |
|
ETF Structure Risk. The Fund is structured as an ETF and is therefore subject to special risks. Such risks include:
· Trading Issues Risk. Trading in ETF shares on an exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the exchange, make trading in the ETF’s shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that an ETF’s shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of its exchange or will trade with any volume. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for shares of an ETF. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of shares of an ETF may begin to mirror the liquidity of the ETF’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than shares of the ETF. This adverse effect on liquidity for the ETF’s shares in turn could lead to differences between the market price of the ETF’s shares and the underlying value of those shares. |
ETF Risk. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the following risks:
· Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions. |
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| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (Target Fund) |
Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (Acquiring Fund) |
|
· Market Price Variance Risk. The market prices of shares of an ETF will fluctuate in response to changes in the ETF’s NAV, and supply and demand for ETF shares and will include a “bid-ask spread” charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that ETF shares may trade at a discount to NAV. The market price of an ETF’s shares may deviate from the value of the ETF’s underlying portfolio holdings, particularly in times of market stress, with the result that investors may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the shares of the ETF bought or sold.
· Authorized Participants (“APs”), Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Risk. ETFs have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, shares of an ETF may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
· Costs of Buying or Selling Shares of an ETF. Due to the costs of buying or selling shares of an ETF, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of shares of an ETF may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in shares of an ETF may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments. |
· Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
· Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant. To the extent securities held by the Fund may trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, the Fund is likely to experience premiums and discounts greater than those of ETFs that invest in and hold only securities and other investments that are listed and trade in the U.S.
· Trading. Although Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca (the “Exchange”) and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Shares. |
| Growth Stock Investment Risk. The Fund may invest in certain dividend-paying stocks generally viewed by the market as “growth stocks” but which, as a result of market events or events relating specifically to that stock, have become undervalued in the Sub-Adviser’s opinion. Growth-oriented common stocks may involve larger price swings and greater potential for loss than other types of investments. Growth stocks tend to trade at a premium when analyzed using traditional valuation metrics such as price-to-earnings ratio and price-to-book ratio. Due to this premium valuation, growth stocks tend to be more susceptible to big price swings. In bull markets, they tend to rise at a much faster pace than the overall market, and they tend to decline at a more rapid rate in bear markets. | Same. |
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| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (Target Fund) |
Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (Acquiring Fund) |
| High Dividend Style Risk. While the Fund may hold securities of companies that have historically paid a high dividend yield or the Sub-Adviser determines appears likely to pay a high dividend in the future, those companies may reduce or discontinue their dividends, thus reducing the yield of the Fund. Low priced securities in the Fund may be more susceptible to these risks. Past dividend payments are not a guarantee of future dividend payments. Also, the market return of high dividend yield securities, in certain market conditions, may be worse than the market return of other investment strategies or the overall stock market. | Same. |
| Large Capitalization Securities Risk. Larger, more established companies may be unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies during periods of economic expansion. Large cap companies may be less able than mid and small capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions. | Large-Capitalization Investing Risk. The Fund may invest in the securities of large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected if securities of large-capitalization companies underperform securities of smaller-capitalization companies or the market as a whole. The securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion. |
| Market Risk. The market price of securities owned by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Securities may decline in value due to factors affecting securities markets generally or particular industries represented in the securities markets. The value of a security may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest rates, adverse changes to credit markets or adverse investor sentiment generally. The value of a security may also decline due to factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. | Market Risk. The trading prices of securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. These factors include events impacting the entire market or specific market segments, such as political, market and economic developments, as well as events that impact specific issuers. The Fund’s NAV and market price, like security and commodity prices generally, may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time. U.S. and international markets have experienced significant periods of volatility in recent years due to a number of these factors, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related public health issues, growth concerns in the U.S. and overseas, uncertainties regarding interest rates and trade tensions. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, recessions, rising inflation, or other events could have a significant negative impact on the Fund and its investments. These developments as well as other events could result in further market volatility and negatively affect financial asset prices, the liquidity of certain securities and the normal operations of securities exchanges and other markets. |
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| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (Target Fund) |
Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (Acquiring Fund) |
| Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer than a diversified fund. Non-diversification increases the risk that the value of the Fund could go down because of the poor performance of a single investment or limited number of investments. | Non-Diversification Risk. Although the Fund intends to invest in a variety of securities and instruments, the Fund is considered to be non-diversified, which means that it may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund. As a result, the Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a smaller number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively smaller number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance. |
| The Fund does not engage in securities lending. | Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may engage in securities lending. The Fund may lose money if the borrower of the loaned securities delays returning in a timely manner or fails to return the loaned securities. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund could lose money in the event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities. In addition, the Fund bears the risk of loss in connection with its investment of the cash collateral it receives from a borrower. To the extent that the value or return of the Fund’s investment of the cash collateral declines below the amount owed to the borrower, the Fund may incur losses that exceed the amount it earned on lending the security. |
| Value Stock Investment Risk. Value stocks may have experienced adverse business, industry or other developments or may be subject to special risks that have caused the securities to be out of favor and, in turn, potentially undervalued. The market value of a value stock may not meet portfolio management’s perceived value assessment of that stock, or may decline in price, even though portfolio management believes the securities are already undervalued. There is also a risk that it may take longer than expected for the value of these investments to rise to portfolio management’s perceived value. In addition, value stocks, at times, may not perform as well as growth stocks or the stock market in general, and may be out of favor with investors for varying periods of time. | Same. |
10
| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (Target Fund) |
Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (Acquiring Fund) |
| None. | Tax Risk. To qualify as a regulated investment company (“RIC”), the Fund must satisfy certain source-of-income, asset diversification and distribution requirements. In particular, the Fund must diversify its holdings so that at the end of each quarter of its taxable year: (A) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets consists of by cash, cash items, U.S. government securities, the securities of other RICs and “other securities,” provided that such “other securities” do not include the securities of any one issuer that represent more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (B) no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s assets may be invested in (i) securities (excluding U.S. government securities and securities of other RICs) of any one issuer, (ii) the securities (excluding securities of other RICs) of any two or more issuers that are controlled, as determined under applicable Code rules, by the Fund and are engaged in the same or similar or related trades or business, (iii) or the securities of one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships.” The Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements may affect the Fund’s execution of its investment strategy. If the Fund were to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements, it may be forced to dispose of certain assets at prices that, from an investment standpoint, are not advantageous. If the Fund were to fail to satisfy the diversification or other requirements to be treated as a RIC and certain relief provisions were unable to be satisfied, it would be subject to U.S. federal income tax imposed at corporate rates, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. |
Comparison of Investment Restrictions
The fundamental policies of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund are set forth below. The fundamental policies of the Target Fund and Acquiring Fund are substantially the same. The fundamental policies may only be amended with shareholder approval.
The Target Fund and Acquiring Fund observe the following restrictions as a matter of fundamental policy:
| Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | |||||
| The Target Fund: | The Acquiring Fund may not: | |||||
| 1. | May not borrow money except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction. | 1. | Borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. | |||
| 2. | May not issue any senior securities to others, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction. | |||||
| 3. | May not underwrite securities issued by others except to the extent the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter under the federal securities laws, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities. | 2. | Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. | |||
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| Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | |||||
| 4. | May not invest more than 25% of the value of its net assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry or group of industries. The limitation against industry concentration does not apply to investments in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or to shares of investment companies; however, the Fund will not invest more than 25% of its net assets in any investment company that so concentrates. In complying with this restriction, the Fund will not consider a bank-issued guaranty or financial guaranty insurance as a separate security. | 3. | Invest more than 25% of the value of its net assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry or group of industries. The limitation against industry concentration does not apply to investments in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or to shares of investment companies; however, the Fund will not invest more than 25% of its net assets in any investment company that so concentrates. | |||
| 5. | May not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction. | 4. | Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. This shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate, real estate investment trusts or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business. | |||
| 6. | May not make loans to others, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction. | 5. | Lend any security or make any other loan, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time. | |||
| 7. | May invest in commodities only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund. | 6. | Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. This shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities. | |||
Fund Performance and Portfolio Turnover
The Acquiring Fund will not commence operations until after the closing of the Reorganization. At that time, the Acquiring Fund will adopt the performance history of the Target Fund.
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Target Fund by showing changes in the Target Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing the Target Fund’s average annual returns for certain time periods as compared to a broad measure of market performance. Investors should be aware that past performance before and after taxes is not necessarily an indication of how the Target Fund will perform in the future.
12
Updated performance information for the Target Fund, including its current NAV per share, is available by calling toll-free (833) 759-6110.
Annual Total Returns (calendar year ended 12/31)

For the period January 1, 2025 through September 30, 2025, the total return for the Target Fund was 20.47%.
During the periods shown, the highest quarterly return was 8.40% (quarter ended 9/30/2024) and the lowest quarterly return was 0.02% (quarter ended 12/31/2024).
Average Annual Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2024
| Return Before Taxes | 1 Year | Since Inception* |
| Target Fund | 18.66% | 16.02% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 18.36% | 15.67% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 11.24% | 12.26% |
| S&P 500 Total Return PRIMARY INDEX | 25.02% | 22.93% |
| Russell 1000 Value Secondary Index | 14.33% | 12.74% |
| * | Fund commenced operations on August 8, 2023. |
Portfolio Turnover
The Target Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Target Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Target Fund’s performance. As of the fiscal period ended July 31, 2025, the Target Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 14.85% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Holdings Information
Information about the Target Fund’s daily portfolio holdings is available at www.tgrletf.com. A complete description of the Target Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Target Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Target Fund’s SAI, dated November 30, 2025, which is incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement. Information about the Acquiring Fund’s daily portfolio holdings will be available at www.wedbushfunds.com/funds/tglr. In addition, each Fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings as of the end of its fiscal year and its second fiscal quarter in its reports to shareholders. No later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, each Fund files with the SEC on Form N-PORT a complete list of its portfolio holdings as of each month-end during the relevant quarter. You can find the SEC filings on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. A summarized description of the Acquiring Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Acquiring Fund’s portfolio holdings is included in the Proxy Statement SAI.
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Management of the Fund
Board of Trustees
Overall responsibility for oversight of ETFOT rests with the ETFOT Board. The ETFOT Board is responsible for overseeing Tuttle Capital and other service providers in the operations of ETFOT in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act, applicable provisions of state and other laws and ETFOT’s governing documents. ETFOT currently has four trustees, none of whom are an “interested person,” as that term is defined under the 1940 Act. A list of the trustees and officers of ETFOT, and their present positions and principal occupations, is provided under “Trustees and Officers of the Trust” in the Target Fund’s SAI, which is incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement.
The business and affairs of Wedbush Trust are managed by its officers under the oversight of the Wedbush Trust Board. The Wedbush Trust Board sets broad policies for the Wedbush Trust and may appoint the Wedbush Trust’s officers. The Wedbush Trust Board oversees the performance of Wedbush Adviser and the Wedbush Trust’s other service providers. The Wedbush Trust currently has four trustees, one of whom is an “interested person,” as that term is defined under the 1940 Act. A list of the trustees and officers of the Wedbush Trust, and their present positions and principal occupations, is provided under the section titled “Management of the Trust” in the Proxy Statement SAI.
Investment Advisers
Tuttle Capital, a Delaware limited liability company located at 155 Lockwood Road, Riverside, Connecticut 06878, is an investment adviser registered with the SEC and serves as the investment adviser to the Target Fund. Tuttle Capital is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Target Fund’s investments. Tuttle Capital also: (i) furnishes the Target Fund with office space and certain administrative services; (ii) provides guidance and policy direction in connection with its daily management of the Target Fund’s assets, subject to the authority of the ETFOT Board; and (iii) is responsible for oversight of the Laffer Tengler, the Target Fund’s sub-adviser.
Laffer Tengler, a Tennessee corporation located at 103 Murphy Court, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, is an investment adviser registered with the SEC and provides sub-advisory services to the Target Fund, and will provide sub-advisory services to the Acquiring Fund.
Wedbush Adviser located at 225 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101, is an investment adviser registered with the SEC and serves as the investment adviser to the Acquiring Fund. Wedbush Adviser is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the Acquiring Fund, including oversight of Laffer Tengler, the sub-adviser to the Acquiring Fund.
Manager of Managers Arrangement
Section 15(a) of the 1940 Act requires that all contracts pursuant to which persons serve as investment advisers to investment companies be approved by shareholders. This requirement also applies to the appointment of sub-advisers to the Fund. The Wedbush Trust and the Wedbush Adviser have obtained exemptive relief from the SEC that permits the Wedbush Adviser, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and subject to the approval of the Wedbush Trust Board, including a majority of the independent members of the Board, to hire, and to modify any existing or future sub-advisory agreements without the approval of shareholders (“Manager of Managers Structure”). The Target Fund does not operate under a Manager of Managers Structure.
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Portfolio Managers
The following portfolio managers are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds:
| Target Fund | Acquiring Fund |
| Matthew Tuttle, Chief Executive Officer of Tuttle Capital and a Portfolio Manager of the Target Fund (since 2023) | Cullen Rogers, portfolio manager of the Acquiring Fund. |
| Nancy Tengler, Chief Executive Officer of Tengler Laffer and Portfolio Manager of the Target Fund (since 2023) | Same. |
Matthew Tuttle Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser, has served as the Target Fund’s portfolio manager since its inception in 2023. Matthew Tuttle has been involved in the financial services industry since 1990. He has an MBA in finance from Boston University and is the author of two financial books, Financial Secrets of My Wealthy Grandparents and How Harvard and Yale Beat the Market. He has been launching and managing ETFs since 2015.
Nancy Tengler CEO and Chief Investment Officer of the Sub-Adviser, has served as the Target Fund’s portfolio manager since its inception in 2023, and will serve as a portfolio manager of the Acquiring Fund upon the completion of the Reorganization. Prior to joining Laffer Tengler, Nancy had a distinguished investment management career in several senior leadership roles. Most recently, she served as Chief Investment Officer at Heartland Financial where she was also a Director of Arizona Bank & Trust. Nancy has also served as President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Fremont Investment Advisors in San Francisco. Prior to that, she founded Global Alliance Value Investors. She also worked for UBS Asset Management as Head of the Value Equities Group and with Spare, Tengler, Kaplan and Bischel, Ltd. as President and Senior Portfolio Manager.
Cullen Rogers has served as the portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in March 2026. Cullen Rogers is a portfolio manager for ETFs and innovation-driven strategies at the Adviser. In this role, he leads the team responsible for portfolio oversight, trading execution, and strategy development. Cullen has also served as the Chief Investment Officer of Qapital Invest, LLC, since June, 2017. Qapital Invest, LLC is a registered investment adviser under common ownership with the Adviser. Prior to joining Wedbush, Cullen served as Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager at Ascendant Advisors, where he led the management of actively traded mutual fund strategies, specializing in U.S. equities and opportunistic credit. Additionally, he has developed and implemented multiple quantitative investment frameworks and systematic trading platforms within the fintech investment management space. Cullen began his career as an analyst at Salient Partners (now Westwood Group). Cullen received his B.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.
The Target Fund’s SAI, which is incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement, and the SAI to this Proxy Statement provide additional information about the Fund’s portfolio managers’ compensation structure, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of securities of the Fund.
Investment Advisory Fees
Pursuant to an advisory agreement between ETFOT, on behalf of the Target Fund, and Tuttle Capital (the “Tuttle Capital Advisory Agreement”), the Target Fund pays Tuttle Capital a management fee for the services and facilities it provides, payable on a monthly basis at the annual rates based on the Target Fund’s average daily net assets as set forth in the chart below:
| Target Fund | Management Fee |
| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF | 0.95% |
Tuttle Capital at its own expense and without reimburse from the Target Fund, pays all expenses of the Target Fund excluding the advisory fees, interest expenses, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions and any other portfolio transaction-related expenses and fees arising out of transactions effected on behalf of the Target Fund, credit facility fees and expenses, including interest expenses, and litigation and indemnification expenses and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business.
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Pursuant to an investment sub-advisory agreement between the Tuttle Capital and Laffer Tengler, Laffer Tengler assists Tuttle Capital in providing day-to-day management of the Target Fund’s portfolios. For its services, Laffer Tengler is paid a fee by Tuttle Capital, which is calculated daily and payable monthly as a percentage of the Target Fund’s average daily net assets, at the annual rate of 0.475%.
Pursuant to an investment management agreement between the Wedbush Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and Wedbush Adviser (the “Wedbush Advisory Agreement”), the Acquiring Fund pays Wedbush Adviser an annual advisory fee based on their average daily net assets for the services and facilities it provides. The annual rates based on the Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets are set forth in the chart below:
| Acquiring Fund | Management Fee | |
| Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF |
Up to $225 million: $225 million – $500 million: Over $500 million: |
0.85% 0.80% 0.75% |
Wedbush Adviser bears all expenses of the Acquiring Fund except the fee payable to Wedbush Adviser under the Wedbush Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, securities lending fees and expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, distribution fees and expenses paid by the Fund under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and litigation expenses, and other non-routine or extraordinary expenses.
Pursuant to an investment sub-advisory agreement between the Wedbush Adviser and Laffer Tengler, Laffer Tengler assists Tuttle Capital in providing day-to-day management of the Acquiring Fund’s portfolios. For its services, Laffer Tengler is paid a fee by Wedbush Adviser, which is calculated daily and payable monthly as a percentage of the Acquiring Fund’s average daily net assets, at the annual rate set forth below.
| Acquiring Fund | Sub-Advisory Fee | |
| Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF |
Up to $50 million: $50 million – $225 million: $225 million – $500 million: Over $500 million: |
0.18% 0.27% 0.25% 0.36% |
A discussion regarding the basis for the ETFOT Board’s approval of the advisory agreement between Tuttle Capital and ETFOT on behalf of the Target Fund, and the sub-advisory agreement between Tuttle Capital and Laffer Tengler with respect to the Target Fund is available in the Target Fund’s Annual Report for the period ended July 31, 2025. A discussion regarding the basis for Wedbush Trust Board’s approval of the advisory agreement between Wedbush Adviser and the Wedbush Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and the sub-advisory agreement between Wedbush Trust and Laffer Tengler with respect to the Acquiring Fund will be available in the Acquiring Fund’s first semi-annual or annual report filed on Form N-CSR following the Reorganization.
Other Service Providers
The following table identifies the principal service providers that service the Target Fund and that are expected to service the Acquiring Fund:
| Target Fund | Acquiring Fund | |
| Administrator | Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. | Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC |
| Sub-Administrator | - | The Bank of New York Mellon |
| Fund Accounting | Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. | The Bank of New York Mellon |
| Transfer Agent | Citibank, N.A. | The Bank of New York Mellon |
| Custodian | Citibank, N.A. | The Bank of New York Mellon |
| Distributor and Principal Underwriter | Foreside Fund Services, LLC | Foreside Fund Services, LLC |
| Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | Cohen & Company, Ltd. | Cohen & Company, Ltd. |
| Legal Counsel | Practus LLP | Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP |
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Purchase and Redemption of Shares in Creation Units
Each Fund issues and redeems shares at NAV only in a large, specified number of shares called a “Creation Unit” or multiples thereof. Creation Unit transactions are typically conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of in-kind securities and/or cash. It is expected that only a limited number of institutional investors, called Authorized Participants or “APs,” will purchase and redeem shares directly from the Funds.
Individual shares of the Funds may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares can be bought or sold through an investor’s broker throughout the trading day like shares of any publicly traded issuer. When buying or selling shares through a broker, the investor will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered prices in the secondary market for shares. The price at which an investor buys or sells shares (i.e., the market price) may be more or less than the NAV of the shares. Unless imposed by the broker, there is no minimum dollar amount that shareholders must invest in the Funds and no minimum number of shares that shareholders must buy.
Shares of the Target Fund are listed for trading on Cboe under the ticker TGLR. Shares of the Acquiring Fund will be listed for trading on NYSE Arca under the symbol TGLR.
Tax Information
Distributions shareholders receive from a Fund are generally taxable to them as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes, except that distributions may be taxed to shareholders at long-term capital gain rates to the extent reported by a Fund as “capital gain dividends” or “qualified dividend income,” and may also be subject to state or local taxes. Fund distributions may not be taxable to a shareholder if he/she/it is investing through a tax-advantaged retirement plan account or is a tax-exempt investor, although he/she/it may be taxed on withdrawals from his/her/its tax-advantaged account.
KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION
Reasons for the Proposed Reorganization
Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC (“Wedbush Adviser”) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wedbush Financial Services, LLC (“Wedbush”), a financial services holding company with subsidiaries engaged in, retail and high net worth brokerage and advisory activities. As of October 15, 2025, Wedbush Adviser provided discretionary advisory services to approximately $887 million in exchange-traded fund assets. Wedbush seeks to continue building the Wedbush Trust platform through strategic acquisitions of ETFs. Wedbush Adviser believes that the addition of a core equity value oriented ETF, managed by Laffer Tengler Investments, Inc. (“Laffer Tengler”), under its oversight, to the Wedbush Trust is a compelling proposition. The success Wedbush Adviser has had promoting the research based fundamental analysis supporting its differentiated products has been seen in its inaugural launch, and it is anticipated that the Target Fund will benefit from complimentary marketing and sales support, and other economies of scale.
Wedbush Adviser believes the Reorganization may result in certain benefits to shareholders, including:
| · | Compatibility of Investment Objectives and Strategies – The Acquiring Fund has the same investment objective and substantially the same principal investment strategies and principal risks as the Target Fund. |
| · | Continuity of Portfolio Management Team – The portfolio managers affiliated with Laffer Tengler that were portfolio managers of the Target Fund will continue as portfolio managers of the Acquiring Fund. |
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| · | Economies of Scale – Wedbush Adviser believes the Reorganization may provide an opportunity for shareholders to benefit from potential future economies of scale and a larger shareholder base through Wedbush Adviser’s existing client channels and relationships. |
| · | Tax-free Reorganization – The Reorganization is anticipated to be a tax-free reorganization for federal income tax purposes. |
Board Considerations
The ETFOT Board considered the Reorganization at a meeting held on October 29, 2025. Upon the recommendation of Laffer Tengler, the ETFOT Board evaluated the terms of the Plan, the Fund’s investment objective and strategies, the expenses relating to the Reorganization, the Fund’s fees and expenses (including the total annual fund operating expense ratio and the Rule 12b-1 fee that has been approved by the Wedbush Trust Board but is not expected to be implemented upon the commencement of operations of the Acquiring Fund), the experience and expertise of the Acquiring Fund’s investment adviser, the continuity of Laffer Tengler as the Acquiring Fund’s sub-adviser, and federal income tax consequences of the Reorganization. The ETFOT Independent Trustees determined that the Reorganization is in the best interests of the Target Fund and its shareholders and approved the Reorganization and the Plan subject to shareholder approval.
In advance of the Board meeting, the ETFOT Independent Trustees submitted a questionnaire and supplemental questions to Wedbush Adviser. The ETFOT Independent Trustees requested and received information from Wedbush Adviser relating to particular aspects of the proposed transaction. Based on a comprehensive evaluation of all of the information provided, the ETFOT Independent Trustees approved the Reorganization and recommended that shareholders vote for its approval.
During its review, the ETFOT Board did not identify any particular information or consideration that was all-important or controlling, and each trustee attributed different weights to various factors. The ETFOT Independent Trustees considered the following factors, among others, in its evaluation of the Reorganization:
The Terms and Conditions of the Reorganization. The ETFOT Board considered the terms of the Plan and, in particular, that the transfer of the assets of the Target Fund will be in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Fund’s assumption of the liabilities of the Target Fund as set forth in the Plan. The ETFOT Board also took note of the fact that no commissions or other direct transactional fees would be imposed on the Target Fund’s shareholders in connection with the Reorganization. The ETFOT Board noted Wedbush Adviser’s statement that it has developed strategies and possesses the requisite securities trading expertise to mitigate the potential for commissions or other direct transactional fees. In addition, the ETFOT Board noted that pursuant to the Plan, the Target Fund shareholder’s account will be credited with the number of Acquiring Fund shares equal to the value of the Target Fund shares that each shareholder holds immediately prior to the Reorganization. The ETFOT Board also noted that the value of the Target Fund’s assets to be acquired and the amount of their liabilities to be assumed, if any, by the Acquiring Fund will be determined as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the business day immediately preceding the closing date of the Reorganization. The Board further noted that the NAV of a share of the Target Fund will be determined in accordance with the valuation methodologies described in the Target Fund’s Prospectus and SAI, as may be supplemented. As a result, the ETFOT Independent Trustees noted that the interests of the Target Fund’s shareholders would not be diluted as a result of a Reorganization. The ETFOT Board also noted that the Reorganization would be submitted to the Target Fund’s shareholders for approval.
Similar Investment Objective and Investment Strategies. The ETFOT Board considered that the investment objective of the Acquiring Fund is identical to that of the Target Fund. The ETFOT Board also considered that the principal investment strategies and principal risks of the Acquiring Fund are substantially similar to those of the Target Fund, with no material differences.
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Management of the Acquiring Fund. The ETFOT Board considered that the portfolio managers of Laffer Tengler, the current investment sub-adviser to the Target Fund, will continue to manage the Acquiring Fund on a day-to-day basis. The ETFOT Board noted that Laffer Tengler has managed the Target Fund’s portfolios on a day-to-day basis since the Target Fund’s inception in 2023. Consequently, the ETFOT Board was familiar with portfolio manager’s investment processes with respect to the Target Fund. The ETFOT Independent Trustees considered information provided with respect to the reputation, financial strength and resources of Wedbush Adviser. In evaluating the resources of Wedbush Adviser and the rationale for the Reorganization, the ETFOT Board also considered that Wedbush Adviser is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wedbush Financial Services, LLC, a financial services holding company with subsidiaries engaged in retail and high net worth brokerage and advisory activities. The ETFOT also noted that as of October 15, 2025, Wedbush Adviser provided discretionary advisory services to approximately $887 million in exchange-traded fund assets. The ETFOT Independent Trustees considered that Cullen Rogers, an employee of Wedbush Adviser, would serve as a portfolio manager to the Fund. The ETFOT Independent Trustees reviewed Mr. Rogers’ experience and background and considered Wedbush Adviser’s ability to oversee Laffer Tengler.
Key Fund Services. The ETFOT Independent Trustees considered that the Reorganization will not result in changes to the Target Fund’s principal underwriter and independent registered public accounting firm. The ETFOT Independent Trustees considered that Fund administration would be performed by Wedbush Adviser, and The Bank of New York Mellon would serve as sub-administrator, transfer agent, fund accountant and custodian.
Expenses Relating to Reorganization. The ETFOT Board considered that the Target Fund’s shareholders will not incur any direct expenses in connection with the Reorganization. The ETFOT Independent Trustees considered that Wedbush Adviser will bear all direct expenses relating to the proposed Reorganization, whether or not consummated, including expenses related to the Special Meeting and solicitation of proxies, preparing and filing the Proxy Statement, and the cost of copying, printing, and mailing proxy materials.
Relative Expense Ratios. The ETFOT Board reviewed information regarding comparative expense ratios (current and pro forma expense ratios are set forth in “Summary Comparison of the Funds — Fees and Expenses” section above) and considered that Wedbush Adviser has proposed management fees that are lower than those of the Target Fund and, as a result, the estimated total annual fund operating expense ratios for the shares of the Acquiring Fund will be lower than those of the Target Fund.
Distribution; Distribution and Service Fees. The ETFOT Board considered the distribution capabilities of Foreside Fund Services, LLC and its commitment to distribute the shares of the Acquiring Fund. The ETFOT Board further considered that, unlike the Target Fund, the Acquiring Fund has adopted a 12b-1 Plan under which the Fund may bear a 12b-1 fee up to 0.25% annually of the Fund’s average daily net assets although the Wedbush Trust Board has not currently approved any payments under the 12b-1 Plan. The ETFOT Board further noted that the Wedbush Trust Board will consider the approval of any future commencement of payments under the 12b-1 Plan.
Compliance. The ETFOT Independent Trustees had an opportunity to review information provided by Wedbush Trust with respect to its compliance policies and procedures and risk programs.
Federal Income Tax Consequences. The ETFOT Board considered that the Reorganization is expected to qualify as a reorganization for federal income tax purposes and that shareholders of the Target Fund are not expected to recognize any gain or loss upon receipt of shares of the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization.
Governance. The ETFOT Independent Trustees considered information regarding the governance of Wedbush Trust and its oversight by the trustees of the Wedbush Trust Board including, among other things, the experience, qualifications and expertise of the members of the Wedbush Trust Board, the composition and committee structure of the Wedbush Trust Board, and the Wedbush Trust Board’s oversight processes with respect to fund expenses, performance, and compliance.
Based on the foregoing, the ETFOT Independent Trustees determined that the Reorganization is in the best interests of the Target Fund and their shareholders. The ETFOT Board approved the Reorganization, subject to approval by shareholders of the Target Fund and the solicitation of the shareholders of the Target Fund to vote “FOR” the approval of the Plan. These determinations were made on the basis of each trustee’s business judgment after consideration of all of the factors taken as a whole, though individual trustees may have placed different weight on various factors and assigned different degrees of materiality to various conclusions.
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The Plan
The Plan provides for the transfer of all of the assets of the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund of equal value to the net assets of the Target Fund, and the Acquiring Fund’s assumption of the Target Fund’s liabilities as set forth in the Plan, if any, as of the closing date of the Reorganization. The aggregate NAV of the Acquiring Fund shares issued in the exchange will equal the aggregate NAV of the Target Fund at the Closing (as defined in the Plan). Immediately after the transfer of the Target Fund’s assets as provided for in the Plan, the Target Fund will distribute the Acquiring Fund shares pro rata to its shareholders by Wedbush Trust’s transfer agent establishing accounts on the Acquiring Fund’s share records in the names of those shareholders and transferring those shares of the Acquiring Fund to those accounts in redemption of the Target Fund shares and in complete liquidation of the Target Fund. The outstanding shares of the Target Fund held by the shareholders will then be canceled. As a result of the Reorganization, each shareholder of the Target Fund will receive the number of shares of the Acquiring Fund equal in value to his or her holdings in the Target Fund immediately before the Reorganization. Shares will be held in book entry form only.
The value of the Target Fund’s assets to be acquired and the liabilities to be assumed, if any, by the Acquiring Fund and the NAV per share of the Target Fund will be determined as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the business day immediately preceding the closing date of the Reorganization. The NAV per share amount will be determined in accordance with the valuation methodologies approved by the ETFOT Board and described in the Target Fund’s Prospectus and SAI, as may be amended and supplemented. Wedbush Adviser will bear all expenses relating to the Reorganization, including expenses related to the Special Meeting and solicitation of proxies, preparing and filing this Proxy Statement, and the cost of copying, printing, and mailing proxy materials. Promptly after the close of the Reorganization of the Target Fund, Wedbush Adviser anticipates purchasing or receiving in-kind in exchange for the issuance of creation orders, or selling or delivering in-kind to satisfy redemption orders, securities of the Acquiring Fund as necessary to implement the Acquiring Fund’s investment strategies. The expenses associated with such purchases and sales will be borne by the Acquiring Fund and, indirectly, its shareholders. It is possible that there will be other indirect costs associated with the transition to the new investment strategies and underlying indexes following a Reorganization that will be borne by the Acquiring Fund and, indirectly, its shareholders. It is not possible to ascertain in advance any indirect costs and, while they could be significant, Wedbush Adviser has developed strategies, and possesses the requisite securities trading expertise, to mitigate any such costs.
The Reorganization are subject to a number of conditions, including the approval of the Plan by the shareholders of the Target Fund and the receipt of a legal opinion from Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, counsel to Wedbush Trust, with respect to certain tax matters (see “Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reorganization,” below). Assuming satisfaction of the conditions in the Plan, the closing date of the Reorganization is expected to be on or about March 6, 2026, or another date agreed to by ETFOT and Wedbush Trust. The Plan may be amended or terminated and the Reorganization abandoned at any time by mutual consent of ETFOT, on behalf of the Target Fund, and the Wedbush Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund.
Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reorganization
The following is a general summary of the material federal income tax consequences of the Reorganization and is based upon the current provisions of the Code, the existing U.S. Treasury Regulations thereunder, current administrative rulings of the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and published judicial decisions, all of which are subject to change. This discussion is limited to U.S. persons who hold shares of beneficial interest of the Target Fund as capital assets for federal income tax purposes. Shareholders who are not U.S. persons are strongly urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences of the Reorganization and of an investment in the shares of the Acquiring Fund. This summary does not address all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to a particular shareholder or to shareholders who may be subject to special treatment under federal income tax laws. Because the foregoing discussion only relates to the federal income tax consequences of the proposed Reorganization, shareholders should also consult their tax advisors as to state, local and foreign tax consequences, if any, of the proposed Reorganization.
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The Reorganization is intended to qualify as a tax-free reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1) of the Code. As a condition to the Reorganization, the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund have requested an opinion of Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP substantially to the effect that with respect to the Reorganization, based on certain assumptions, facts, the terms of the Plan and representations set forth in the Plan or otherwise provided by the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund and on the basis of the existing provisions of the Code, current administrative rules and court decisions, for federal income tax purposes:
| 1. | The Reorganization will constitute a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code, and the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund will each be a “party to a reorganization,” within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code; |
| 2. | No gain or loss will be recognized by the Target Fund upon the transfer of all of the Target Fund’s assets (the “Acquired Assets”) to the Acquiring Fund solely in exchange for the Acquiring Fund shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all the liabilities as set forth in the Plan of the Target Fund, or upon the distribution of the Acquiring Fund shares to the Target Fund shareholders, except for any gain or loss that may be required to be recognized upon the transfer of an asset regardless of whether such transfer would otherwise be a non-recognition transaction under the Code; |
| 3. | The tax basis in the hands of the Acquiring Fund of each Acquired Asset transferred from the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization will be the same as the tax basis of such Acquired Asset in the hands of the Target Fund immediately prior to the transfer thereof, increased by the amount of gain (or decreased by the amount of loss), if any, recognized by the Target Fund on the transfer; |
| 4. | The holding period in the hands of the Acquiring Fund of each Acquired Asset transferred from the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization, other than Acquired Assets with respect to which gain or loss is required to be recognized, will include the Target Fund’s holding period for such Acquired Assets (except where investment activities of the Acquiring Fund have the effect of reducing or eliminating the holding period with respect to an asset); |
| 5. | No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquiring Fund upon receipt of all the Acquired Assets solely in exchange for Acquiring Fund shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all the liabilities as set forth in the Plan of the Target Fund as part of the Reorganization; |
| 6. | No gain or loss will be recognized by the Target Fund shareholders upon the exchange of their Target Fund shares for Acquiring Fund shares as part of the Reorganization; |
| 7. | The aggregate tax basis of the Acquiring Fund shares that the Target Fund shareholder receives in the Reorganization will be the same as the aggregate tax basis of the Target Fund shares exchanged therefor; |
| 8. | The Target Fund shareholder’s holding period for the Acquiring Fund shares received in the Reorganization will include the Target Fund shareholder’s holding period for the Target Fund shares exchanged therefor, provided that the Target Fund shareholder held such Target Fund shares as capital assets on the date of the exchange; and |
| 9. | The taxable year of the Target Fund will not end as a result of the Reorganization. |
An opinion of counsel is not binding on the IRS or the courts and neither the Target Fund nor the Acquiring Fund have sought a ruling with respect to the tax treatment of the Reorganization. The opinion of counsel, if delivered, will be based on the Code, regulations issued by the Treasury Department under the Code, court decisions, and administrative pronouncements issued by the IRS with respect to all of the foregoing, all as in effect on the date of the opinion, and all of which may be repealed, revoked or modified thereafter, possibly on a retroactive basis.
Description of Acquiring Fund Shares
Shares of the Acquiring Fund issued to the shareholders of the Target Fund pursuant to the Reorganization will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable when issued in accordance with the Plan and will be transferable without restriction and will have no preemptive or conversion rights, except as discussed below in “Comparison of Forms of Organization and Shareholder Rights — Shareholder Liability.”
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Capitalization
The capitalization of the Target Fund as of December 1, 2025 and the Acquiring Fund’s pro forma combined capitalization as of that date, after giving effect to the Reorganization, are as follows:
| (unaudited) | Target Fund Shares | Pro Forma Acquiring Fund Shares |
| Net Assets | $22,733,991 | $22,733,991 |
| Shares Outstanding | 630,000 | 630,000 |
| Net Asset Value per Share | $36.09 | $36.09 |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
General
For a general discussion of the operation and organization of the Target Fund, see “The Trust” in the Target Fund’s SAI, which is incorporated by reference herein. For a general discussion of the operation and organization of the Acquiring Fund, see “General Information About the Trust” and “Continuous Offering” in the Proxy Statement SAI.
Rights of the Fund’s Shareholders
ETFOT is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders. The Target Fund share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act. Target Fund shares have no preemptive, exchange, subscription, or conversion rights and are freely transferable. For a description of other significant attributes of shares of the Target Fund see “Description of Shares” in the Target Fund’s SAI, which is incorporated by reference herein.
Wedbush Trust is not required to hold meetings of shareholders. Shares of the Acquiring Fund have equal voting rights. Acquiring Fund shares are freely transferable. Shares of the Acquiring Fund will not have preemptive rights or cumulative voting rights, and none of the shares will have any preference to conversion, exchange, dividends, retirements, liquidation, redemption, or any other feature. For a description of other significant attributes of shares of the Acquiring Fund see “Description of Shares” in the Proxy Statement SAI.
Pricing of Fund Shares
For information on how the NAV per share of each Fund is calculated, see “Determination of Net Asset Value” in the Target Fund’s Prospectus and SAI, each of which is incorporated by reference herein, and, for the Acquiring Fund, see “Determination of Net Asset Value” in Appendix D attached to this Proxy Statement.
Dividends, Other Distributions and Taxes
The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund each intend to pay out dividends, if any, and distribute any net realized capital gains to their applicable shareholders at least annually. A portion of the distributions made by a Fund may be treated as return of capital for federal income tax purposes. One or more additional distributions may be made generally in December or after a Fund’s fiscal year-end to comply with applicable law. Each Fund will declare and pay capital gain distributions in cash. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional Fund shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Fund shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings and Premium/Discount Information
For a description of the Target Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio holdings and premium/discount information, see “Management – Portfolio Holdings” and “Premium/Discount Information” in the Target Fund’s Prospectus and “Disclosure of Portfolio Securities Holdings” in the Target Fund’s SAI, which are incorporated by reference herein. For a description of the Acquiring Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio holdings and premium/discount information, see “Premium/Discount Information” in Appendix D attached to this Proxy Statement, and “Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures” in the Proxy Statement SAI.
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Frequent Purchases and Redemptions
For a discussion of the Target Fund’s policies with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions, see “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares” in the Target Fund’s Prospectus, which is incorporated by reference herein. For a discussion of the Acquiring Fund’s policies with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions, see “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares” in Appendix D attached to this Proxy Statement.
Investments by Registered Investment Companies
Section 12 of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of the Funds. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Funds beyond the limits set forth in section 12 when they comply with rules adopted by the SEC and comply with the necessary conditions.
Purchases Through Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If shareholders purchase shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, a Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend Fund shares over another investment. Shareholders should ask their salespersons or visit their financial intermediary’s website for more information.
Financial Information
For certain financial information about the Target Fund, see “Financial Highlights” which are appended to this Proxy Statement as Appendix B.
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Proxies are being solicited from the shareholders of the Target Fund by the ETFOT Board for the Special Meeting to be held on February 27, 2026, 11:00 A.M. Eastern time at principal executive offices of Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, VA 23235 or at such later time made necessary by adjournment. Unless revoked, all valid proxies will be voted in accordance with the specification thereon or, in the absence of specifications, “FOR” approval of the proposal.
The ETFOT Board has fixed the close of business on January 5, 2026 as the record date (the “Record Date”) for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Special Meeting and any adjournments thereof. Shareholders of record as of the Record Date will be entitled to one vote for each share held and to a proportionate fractional vote for each fractional share held. Shareholders shall not be entitled to cumulative voting on any matter. As of the Record Date, the total number of issued and outstanding shares of the Target Fund was 670,000.
Shareholders of record who owned five percent or more of the shares of the Target Fund as of the Record Date are set forth on Appendix C to this Proxy Statement.
You can vote your shares in person at the Special Meeting or by mail, by the internet, and by automated touchtone as set forth below:
| · | Mail: To vote your proxy by mail, check the appropriate voting box on your proxy card, sign and date the card and return it in the enclosed postage-prepaid envelope. If you sign, date, and return the proxy card but give no voting instructions, the proxies will vote FOR the proposal. |
The options below are available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.
| · | Internet: The web address and instructions for voting online can be found on the enclosed proxy card. You will be required to provide your control number found on your proxy card. |
| · | Automated Touchtone: The toll-free number for automated touchtone telephone voting can be found on the enclosed proxy card. You must have the control number found on your proxy card. |
If you can attend the Special Meeting and wish to vote your shares in person at that time, you will be able to do so. If you hold your shares in “street name” through a broker, bank, or other nominee, you should contact your nominee about voting in person at the Special Meeting.
Forty percent (40%) of the outstanding shares of the Target Fund entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the Special Meeting. Approval of the Proposal will require the affirmative vote of the lesser of: (a) 67% of the Target Fund’s shares present at the Special Meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of such Target Fund’s outstanding shares are present in person or represented by proxy; or (b) more than 50% of such Target Fund’s outstanding shares.
For the purposes of determining the presence of a quorum and counting votes on the Proposal, shares of the Target Fund represented by abstentions will be counted as present, but not as votes cast for or against a proposal at the Special Meeting. Therefore, abstentions may have the same effect as a vote “against” the Proposal. It is the Target Fund’s understanding that because broker-dealers (in the absence of specific authorization from their customers) will not have discretionary authority to vote any Fund shares held beneficially by their customers on the Proposal, there are unlikely to be any “broker non-votes” at the Special Meeting.
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If you are a beneficial owner whose shares are held of record by a broker, your broker does not have discretionary authority under New York Stock Exchange rules to vote on the Proposal without instructions from you. We urge you to provide instructions to your broker or nominee so that your votes may be considered with respect to the Proposal.
If you appoint a proxy by signing and returning your proxy card, you can revoke that appointment at any time before it is exercised. A valid proxy which does not state that it is irrevocable shall continue in full force and effect unless (i) revoked by the person executing it before the vote pursuant to that proxy is taken (a) by a writing delivered to the Trust stating that the proxy is revoked, (b) by a subsequent proxy executed by such person, (c) attendance at the meeting and voting in person by the person executing that proxy, or (d) revocation by such person using any electronic, telephonic, computerized or other alternative means authorized by the ETFOT Board for authorizing the proxy to act; or (ii) written notice of the death or incapacity of the maker of that proxy is received by the Target Fund before the vote pursuant to that proxy is counted. ETFOT’s address is: ETF Opportunities Trust, c/o Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., Attn: President, ETF Opportunities Trust, 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, VA 23235.
Any shareholders’ meeting may be adjourned by the chairman of the meeting one or more times for any reason, including the failure of a quorum to be present at the meeting with respect to any proposal or the failure of any proposal to receive sufficient votes for approval. No shareholder vote shall be required for any adjournment. No notice of adjournment of a meeting to another time or place need be given to shareholders if such time and place are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken or notice is given to persons present at the meeting. Any adjourned meeting may be held at such time and place as determined by the ETFOT Board in its sole discretion. Any business that might have been transacted at the original meeting may be transacted at any adjourned meeting.
Shareholders will have no appraisal rights in connection with the Reorganization.
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The ETFOT Board knows of no other business to be brought before the Special Meeting. If any other matters come before the Special Meeting, the ETFOT Board intends that proxies that do not contain specific restrictions to the contrary will be voted on those matters in accordance with the judgment of the persons named in the enclosed proxy card.
The costs of solicitation of proxies and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation of proxy materials are being borne by Wedbush Adviser. It is expected that proxies will be solicited by mail and by telephone. EQ Fund Solutions has been retained to aid in the solicitation of proxies, at an anticipated cost of approximately $31,261, exclusive of printing costs. By voting immediately, you can help avoid the additional expense and burden of a second proxy solicitation.
ETFOT is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders but will hold special meetings of shareholders when, in the judgment of the ETFOT Board, it is necessary or desirable to submit matters for a shareholder vote. Any shareholder who wishes to submit proposals to be considered at a special shareholder meeting of ETFOT should send such proposals to ETF Opportunities Trust, Attn: President, c/o Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235. Any shareholder proposals to be included in the proxy statement for the Trust’s next meeting of shareholders must be received by the Trust within a reasonable period of time before the proxy solicitation for such meeting is made.
Certain legal matters concerning the issuance of shares of the Acquiring Fund in connection with the Reorganization and the federal income tax consequences of the Reorganization will be passed upon by Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP.
The Funds are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the 1940 Act, and in accordance therewith, file reports and other information, including proxy materials, with the SEC. Reports and other information filed by ETFOT and Wedbush Trust, including the proxy materials, are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. In addition, the Target Fund’s shares are listed on Cboe. The Acquiring Fund shares will be listed on NYSE Arca. Reports, proxy statements and other information that may be filed with NYSE Arca also may be inspected at the offices of the exchanges.
Only one copy of this Proxy Statement may be mailed to a shareholder holding shares in multiple accounts with the Fund. Unless ETFOT has received contrary instructions, only one copy of this Proxy Statement will be mailed to a given address where two or more shareholders share that address. Additional copies of the Proxy Statement will be delivered promptly upon request. Requests may be sent to Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235 or made by telephone by calling 1-800-673-0550.
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APPENDIX A – FORM OF AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION
THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION (the “Agreement”) is made as of this _____ day of _____, 2026, by and among ETF Opportunities Trust (“ETFOT”), a Delaware statutory trust, with its principal place of business at 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235, on behalf of LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (Ticker: TGLR), a series of ETFOT (the “Acquired Fund”); Wedbush Series Trust (the “Wedbush Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust, with its principal place of business at 225 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101, on behalf of Wedbush Laffer Tengler New Era Value ETF, a series of Wedbush Trust (the “Acquiring Fund” and, together with the Acquired Fund, the “Funds”); and, solely with respect to Article IX, each of Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC (“Wedbush Advisers”), with its principal place of business at 225 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101, and Laffer Tengler Investments, Inc., with its principal place of business at 103 Murphy Court, Nashville, Tennessee 37203 (“Laffer Tengler”).
WHEREAS, the parties intend that: (i) the Acquired Fund will transfer of all of its property and assets to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for (A) shares of beneficial interest, par value of $0.01 per share, of the Acquiring Fund (the “Acquiring Fund Shares”) and (B) the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all liabilities of the Acquired Fund; and (ii) the Acquired Fund will thereafter distribute the Acquiring Fund Shares pro rata to its shareholders in exchange for their shares in the Acquired Fund (the “Acquired Fund Shares”) in liquidation of the Acquired Fund as provided herein, all upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement ((i) and (ii) collectively, the “Reorganization”).
WHEREAS, it is intended that the Reorganization constitute a “reorganization” as defined in Section 368(a) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the Treasury regulations thereunder.
WHEREAS, the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund is a separate series of ETFOT and Wedbush Trust, respectively, ETFOT and Wedbush Trust are open-end, registered management investment companies, and the Acquired Fund owns securities and other investments that are assets of the character in which the Acquiring Fund is permitted to invest;
WHEREAS, the Acquiring Fund is authorized to issue its shares of beneficial interest;
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of ETFOT (the “ETFOT Board”) has determined that the Reorganization is in the best interests of the Acquired Fund’s shareholders and that the interests of the existing shareholders of the Acquired Fund will not be diluted as a result of the Reorganization; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of Wedbush Trust (the “Wedbush Board”) has determined that the Reorganization, with respect to the Acquiring Fund, is in the best interests of the Acquiring Fund and, there being no existing shareholders of the Acquiring Fund, that the Reorganization will not result in dilution of the Acquiring Fund’s shareholders’ interests;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, covenants, and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
TRANSFER OF ASSETS OF THE ACQUIRED FUND IN EXCHANGE FOR ACQUIRING FUND SHARES AND THE ASSUMPTION OF THE ACQUIRED FUND’s LIABILITIES
AND TERMINATION OF THE ACQUIRED FUND
1.1 THE EXCHANGE. Subject to the terms and conditions contained herein and on the basis of the representations and warranties contained herein, the Acquired Fund agrees to sell, assign, convey, transfer and deliver all of its assets, as set forth in paragraph 1.2, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances, except those liens and encumbrances as to which the Acquiring Fund has received notice, to the Acquiring Fund. In exchange, the Acquiring Fund agrees (a) to issue and deliver to the Acquired Fund the number of Acquiring Fund Shares having an aggregate net asset value (“NAV”) equal to the aggregate NAV of the Acquired Fund Shares, as determined in the manner set forth in paragraphs 2.1 and 2.2; and (b) to assume the liabilities of the Acquired Fund as set forth in paragraph 1.3. Such transactions shall take place on the date of the Closing provided for in paragraph 3.1 (the “Closing Date”).
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1.2 ASSETS TO BE ACQUIRED. The assets of the Acquired Fund to be sold, assigned, transferred and delivered to and acquired by the Acquiring Fund shall consist of all assets and property of every kind and nature, including, without limitation, all cash, cash equivalents, securities, goodwill, commodities, interests in futures and dividends or interest receivables, receivables for shares sold, any intellectual property rights owned or licensed by the Acquired Fund necessary or desirable for the Acquiring Fund to implement its investment objective and investment strategy as described in the N-14 Registration Statement (as defined in paragraph 5.6), and other rights that are owned by the Acquired Fund on the Closing Date, and any prepaid expenses shown as an asset on the books of the Acquired Fund on the Closing Date (the “Acquired Assets”). For the sake of clarity, the Acquired Assets include, but are not limited to, all rights (including rights to indemnification and contribution) and claims (including, but not limited to, claims for breach of contract, violation of standards of care and claims in connection with past or present portfolio holdings, whether in the form of class action claims, opt-out or other direct litigation claims or regulator or government established investor recovery fund claims, and any and all resulting recoveries, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims whatsoever, except those liens and encumbrances as to which the Acquiring Fund has received notice) of the Acquired Fund against any party with whom the Acquired Fund has contracted for any actions or omissions up to the Closing Date.
The Acquired Fund has provided the Acquiring Fund with its most recent audited financial statements, which contain a list of all of the Acquired Fund’s assets as of the date of such statements. The Acquired Fund hereby represents that, as of the date of the execution of this Agreement, there have been no changes in its financial position as reflected in such financial statements other than those occurring in the ordinary course of business in connection with the purchase and sale of securities, creation and redemption transactions of the Acquired Fund Shares with authorized participants, payment of normal operating expenses and the payment of dividends and capital gains distributions. The Acquired Fund reserves the right to sell any of such securities or other investments in accordance with the investment strategy described in the current prospectus and statement of additional information included in the registration statement of the Acquired Fund (the “Acquired Fund Prospectus”).
1.3 LIABILITIES TO BE ASSUMED. The Acquired Fund will endeavor, consistent with its obligation to continue to pursue its investment objective and employ its investment strategies in accordance with the terms of the Acquired Fund Prospectus in good faith to discharge all of its known liabilities and obligations to the extent practicable prior to the Closing Date. The Acquiring Fund shall assume all liabilities of the Acquired Fund not discharged prior to the Closing Date, whether known or unknown, contingent, accrued or otherwise (excluding Reorganization Expenses (as defined in Article IX) borne by Wedbush Advisers pursuant to Article IX), and investment contracts entered into in accordance with the terms of the Acquired Fund Prospectus, including options, futures, forward contracts, and swap agreements.
1.4 LIQUIDATION AND DISTRIBUTION. On the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund will distribute, in liquidation, all of the Acquiring Fund Shares received by the Acquired Fund pursuant to paragraph 1.1, pro rata to its shareholders of record, determined as of the Valuation Date (as defined in paragraph 2.1) (the “Acquired Fund Shareholders”). Each Acquired Fund Shareholder will receive the number of Acquiring Fund Shares that has an aggregate NAV equal to the aggregate NAV of the Acquired Fund Shares held of record by such Acquired Fund Shareholder on the Closing Date. Such liquidation and distribution will be accomplished by the transfer of Acquiring Fund Shares credited to the account of the Acquired Fund on the books of the Acquiring Fund to open accounts on the share records of the Acquiring Fund in the names of the Acquired Fund Shareholders, representing the numbers of Acquiring Fund Shares due such shareholders. All issued and outstanding Acquired Fund Shares will simultaneously be canceled on the books of the Acquired Fund, and the Acquired Fund will thereupon proceed to terminate as set forth in paragraph 1.7 below. The Acquiring Fund shall not issue certificates representing Acquiring Fund Shares in connection with such exchange. Each Acquired Fund Shareholder shall have the right to receive any unpaid dividends or other distributions that were declared by the Acquired Fund before the Effective Time (as defined in paragraph 3.1) with respect to Acquired Fund Shares that are held of record by such Acquired Fund Shareholder at the Effective Time on the Closing Date.
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1.5 OWNERSHIP OF SHARES. Ownership of Acquiring Fund Shares will be shown on the books of the Acquiring Fund’s transfer agent.
1.6 TRANSFER TAXES. Any transfer taxes payable upon the transfer of Acquiring Fund Shares in a name other than that of the registered holder of the Acquired Fund Shares on the books of the Acquired Fund as of that time shall, as a condition of such issuance and transfer, be paid by the person to whom such Acquiring Fund Shares are to be transferred.
1.7 TERMINATION. As soon as practicable on or after the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund shall make all filings and take all other steps as shall be necessary and proper to effect its complete dissolution under Delaware law, and termination of its registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and The Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (“Cboe”). After the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund shall not conduct any business except in connection with its dissolution.
1.8 BOOKS AND RECORDS. The Acquired Fund shall have arranged for the availability prior to and the transfer as soon as practicable following the Closing Date to the Acquiring Fund, or its designated agent, of the Acquired Fund’s books and records required to be maintained under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder.
ARTICLE II
VALUATION
2.1 VALUATION OF ASSETS. The value of the Acquired Fund’s Acquired Assets and liabilities to be acquired by the Acquiring Fund hereunder shall be the value of such Acquired Assets and liabilities computed as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) on the Closing Date (such time and date being hereinafter called the “Valuation Date”). The value of the Acquired Fund’s Acquired Assets and liabilities, and the NAV per share of the Acquired Fund Shares, shall be determined in the manner set forth in ETFOT’s Agreement Declaration of Trust, ETFOT’s By-Laws, the Acquired Fund’s then-current prospectus and statement of additional information, and the valuation policies and procedures adopted by the ETFOT Board, each as in effect on the Valuation Date. On the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund shall record the value of the Acquired Assets and liabilities, as valued pursuant to this paragraph 2.1, on the valuation report (the “Valuation Report”) and deliver a copy of the Valuation Report to the Acquiring Fund by 7:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on the Closing Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter. The NAV per share of the Acquiring Fund Shares issued in connection with the Reorganization shall be the NAV per share of the Acquired Fund Shares as of the close of business on the Closing Date. All Acquiring Fund Shares delivered to an Acquired Fund Shareholder will be delivered at NAV without the imposition of a sales load, commission, transaction fee or other similar fee.
2.2 VALUATION OF SHARES AND CALCULATION OF NUMBERS OF SHARES. The NAV per share of Acquiring Fund Shares and the NAV per share of Acquired Fund Shares shall, in each case, be computed as of the close of normal trading on the NYSE on the Valuation Date. The number of Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued in the Reorganization in exchange for the Acquired Fund’s net assets as described in Article I shall be determined by the Bank of New York Mellon (“BNYM”) by dividing the NAV of the Acquired Fund Shares, as determined in accordance with paragraph 2.1, by the NAV of one Acquiring Fund Shares, as determined in accordance with paragraph 2.1 hereof. Shareholders of record of the Acquired Fund at the Closing (as defined in paragraph 3.1) will be credited with full shares of the Acquiring Fund.
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2.3 DETERMINATION OF VALUE. All computations of value with respect to the Acquired Fund shall be made by Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., in accordance with its regular practice in pricing the shares and assets of the Acquired Fund, and confirmed by BNYM. Wedbush Trust and ETFOT agree to use commercially reasonable efforts to resolve prior to the Valuation Date any material valuation differences with respect to portfolio securities of the Acquired Fund that will be transferred to the Acquiring Fund.
ARTICLE III
CLOSING AND CLOSING DATE
3.1 CLOSING DATE. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Articles VI, VII and VIII of this Agreement, the closing (the “Closing”) will be on the Closing Date, which will be on or about March 6, 2026 or such other date as the parties may agree to in writing. The Closing shall be held as of the close of business at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (the “Effective Time”) at the offices of ETFOT at 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235 or at such other time and/or place as the parties may agree. All acts taking place at the Closing shall be deemed to take place simultaneously immediately at the Effective Time, unless otherwise provided.
3.2 CUSTODIAN’S CERTIFICATE. The portfolio securities and other investments of the Acquired Fund shall be made available by the Acquired Fund to the Acquiring Fund’s custodian for examination no later than five business days preceding the Closing Date. BNYM, as custodian for the Acquired Fund, shall deliver at the Closing a certificate of an authorized officer stating that: (a) the Acquired Fund’s portfolio securities, cash, and any other assets shall have been delivered in proper form to the Acquiring Fund on the Closing Date; and (b) all necessary Taxes (as defined below), including all applicable federal and state stock transfer stamps, if any, shall have been paid, or provision for payment shall have been made, in conjunction with the delivery of portfolio securities by the Acquired Fund.
3.3 EFFECT OF SUSPENSION IN TRADING. In the event that on the Valuation Date, either: (a) NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”) or Cboe or another primary exchange on which the portfolio securities of the Acquired Fund are purchased or sold, shall be closed to trading or trading on such exchange shall be restricted; or (b) trading or the reporting of trading on NYSE, NASDAQ, NYSE Arca or Cboe or elsewhere shall be disrupted so that accurate appraisal of the value of the net assets of the Acquired Fund is impracticable as mutually determined by the parties, the Valuation Date shall be postponed until the first business day after the day when trading is fully resumed and reporting is restored.
3.4 TRANSFER AGENT’S CERTIFICATE. The Acquired Fund shall cause Citibank, N.A., as its transfer agent, as of the Closing Date to deliver at the Closing to the Secretary of Wedbush Trust a certificate of an authorized officer stating that its records contain the names and addresses of Acquired Fund Shareholders, and the number and percentage ownership of outstanding Acquired Fund Shares owned by the Acquired Fund Shareholder immediately prior to the Closing. The Acquiring Fund shall issue and deliver or cause BNYM, its transfer agent, to issue and deliver to the Secretary of ETFOT a confirmation evidencing the number of Acquiring Fund Shares to be credited on the Closing Date or provide evidence satisfactory to the Acquired Fund that the Acquiring Fund Shares have been credited to the Acquired Fund’s account on the books of the Acquiring Fund. At the Closing, each party shall deliver to the other such bills of sale, checks, assignments, share certificates, receipts and other documents, if any, as such other party or its counsel may reasonably request.
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ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
4.1 REPRESENTATIONS OF THE ACQUIRED FUND. ETFOT and the Acquired Fund represent and warrant to Wedbush Trust and the Acquiring Fund as follows:
(a) The Acquired Fund is a series of ETFOT, a statutory trust duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. ETFOT has the power to own all of its properties and assets and, subject to approval by the Acquired Fund’s shareholders, to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
(b) The Acquired Fund is registered as an open-end management investment company, and its registration with the SEC as an investment company under the 1940 Act, is in full force and effect.
(c) The Acquired Fund Prospectus conforms in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) and the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and does not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) The Acquired Fund is not currently engaged in, and the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement (subject to shareholder approval) will not result in, the violation of any material provision of the Agreement Declaration of Trust of ETFOT or its By-Laws, or of any material agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease, or other undertaking to which the Acquired Fund is a party or by which it is bound.
(e) The Acquired Fund Shares are the only outstanding equity interests in the Acquired Fund.
(f) The Acquired Fund has no material contracts or other commitments (other than this Agreement and agreements for the purchase and sale of securities or other permitted investments) that if terminated will result in material liability to the Acquired Fund.
(g) Except as otherwise disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund, no litigation, administrative proceeding, or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or to its knowledge threatened against the Acquired Fund or any of its properties or assets, which, if adversely determined, would materially and adversely affect their financial condition, the conduct of their business, or the ability of the Acquired Fund to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Acquired Fund knows of no facts that might form the basis for the institution of such proceedings and are not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree, or judgment of any court or governmental body that materially and adversely affects the Acquired Fund’s business or its ability to consummate the transactions contemplated herein.
(h) The financial statements of the Acquired Fund for the most recently completed fiscal year are in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and such statements (copies of which have been furnished to the Acquiring Fund) fairly reflect the financial condition of the Acquired Fund as of the end of such fiscal year, in all material respects as of that date, and there are no known contingent liabilities of the Acquired Fund as of that date not disclosed in such statements.
(i) Since the end of the Acquired Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year, there have been no material adverse changes in the Acquired Fund’s financial condition, assets, liabilities or business (other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business), or any incurrence by the Acquired Fund of material indebtedness, except as otherwise disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund. For the purposes of this subparagraph (i), distributions of net investment income and net realized capital gains, changes in portfolio securities, changes in market value of portfolio securities, or creating or redemption activity by authorized participants shall not constitute a material adverse change.
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(j) All Tax (as defined below) returns and reports (including, but not limited to, information returns) that are required to have been filed by the Acquired Fund have been duly and timely filed. All such returns and reports were true, correct and complete as of the time of their filing, and accurately state the amount of Tax (if any) owed for the periods covered by the returns, or, in the case of information returns, the amount and character of income or other information required to be reported by the Acquired Fund. All Taxes due or properly shown to be due on such returns and reports have been paid, or provision has been made and properly accounted therefor. To the knowledge of ETFOT, no such return is currently being audited by any federal, state, local or foreign taxing authority. To the knowledge of ETFOT, there are no deficiency assessments (or deficiency assessments proposed in writing) with respect to any Taxes of the Acquired Fund. As used in this Agreement, “Tax” or “Taxes” means all federal, state, local and foreign (whether imposed by a country or political subdivision or authority thereunder) income, gross receipts, excise, sales, use, value added, employment, franchise, profits, property, ad valorem, escheat, unclaimed property or other taxes, stamp taxes and duties, fees, assessments or charges, whether payable directly or by withholding, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed by any taxing authority (foreign or domestic) with respect thereto, and including any obligations to indemnify or otherwise assume or succeed to such a liability of any other person. There are no levies, liens or encumbrances relating to Taxes existing, pending or threatened in writing with respect to the assets of the Acquired Fund (other than liens for Taxes not yet due and payable). The Acquired Fund has not changed its annual accounting period within the 60-month period ending on the Closing Date.
(k) All issued and outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund are, and at the Closing Date will be, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Acquired Fund and will have been issued in compliance with all applicable registration or qualification requirements of federal and state securities laws. All of the issued and outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund will, at the time of the Closing Date, be held by the persons and in the amounts set forth in the records of the Acquired Fund’s transfer agent as provided in paragraph 3.4. The Acquired Fund has no outstanding options, warrants, or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any Acquired Fund Shares, and there are no outstanding securities convertible into any Acquired Fund Shares.
(l) At the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund will have good and valid title to the Acquired Fund’s Acquired Assets to be transferred to the Acquiring Fund pursuant to paragraph 1.2, and full right, power, and authority to sell, assign, transfer, and deliver such Acquired Assets hereunder. Upon delivery and payment for such Acquired Assets, the Acquiring Fund will acquire good and valid title, subject to no restrictions on the full transfer of such Acquired Assets, including such restrictions as might arise under the 1933 Act, other than as disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund.
(m) The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Acquired Fund. Subject to approval by the Acquired Fund’s shareholders, this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Acquired Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.
(n) The information to be furnished by the Acquired Fund for use in no-action letters, applications for orders, registration statements, proxy materials, and other documents that may be necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated herein shall be accurate and complete in all material respects and shall comply in all material respects with federal securities laws and other laws and regulations.
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(o) From the mailing of the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the N-14 Registration Statement (as defined in paragraph 5.6), through the time of the meeting of the Acquired Fund’s shareholders and on the Closing Date, any written information furnished by ETFOT with respect to the Acquired Fund for use in the N-14 Registration Statement, the N-1A Registration Statement (as defined in paragraph 4.3) or any other materials provided in connection with the Reorganization, does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not materially misleading.
(p) ETFOT has in effect an election to treat the Acquired Fund as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) for federal income tax purposes under Part I of Chapter 1, Subchapter M of the Code. The Acquired Fund is a fund that is treated as a corporation separate from each other series of ETFOT under Section 851(g) of the Code. The Acquired Fund has no earnings and profits accumulated in any taxable year for which the provisions of Part I of Chapter 1, Subchapter M of the Code (or the corresponding provisions of prior law) did not apply to it. The Acquired Fund has qualified for treatment as a RIC for each taxable year since its formation (or since it was first treated as a separate corporation under Section 851(g) of the Code) that has ended prior to the Closing Date and, subject to the accuracy of the representations set forth in paragraph 4.2(m), expects to satisfy the requirements of Part I of Chapter 1, Subchapter M of the Code to maintain qualification for such treatment for the taxable year that includes the Closing Date. Subject to the accuracy of the representations set forth in paragraph 4.2(m), the Acquired Fund does not expect that the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will cause it to fail to qualify for treatment as a RIC as of the Closing Date or as of the end of its taxable year that includes the Closing Date. The Acquired Fund has not at any time since its inception been liable for any income or excise tax pursuant to Sections 852 or 4982 of the Code that has not been timely paid. The Acquired Fund is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Code and all applicable Treasury regulations pertaining to the reporting of dividends and other distributions on and redemptions of its shares of beneficial interest and to withholding in respect of dividends and other distributions to shareholders and redemption of shares, and is not liable for any material penalties that could be imposed thereunder.
(q) The Acquired Fund’s investment operations from inception to the date hereof have been in compliance in all material respects with the investment policies and investment restrictions set forth in the Acquired Fund Prospectus, except as previously disclosed in writing to the Acquiring Fund.
(r) The Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued to the Acquired Fund pursuant to paragraph 1.1 will not be acquired for the purpose of making any distribution thereof other than to the Acquired Fund Shareholders as provided in paragraph 1.4.
(s) No consents, approvals, authorizations or filings from any governmental entity or FINRA are required under the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), the 1940 Act or Delaware law for the execution of this Agreement by ETFOT, for itself and on behalf of the Acquired Fund, except for the effectiveness of the N-1A Registration Statement and the N-14 Registration Statement and such other consents, approvals, authorizations and filings as have been made or received, and such consents, approvals, authorizations and filings as may be required subsequent to the Closing Date, it being understood, however, that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein must be approved by the Acquired Fund’s shareholders as described in paragraph 5.2.
(t) The books and records of the Acquired Fund, including FASB ASC 740-10-25 workpapers and supporting statements, made available to the Acquiring Fund and/or its counsel, are substantially true and correct and contain no material misstatements or omissions with respect to the operations of the Acquired Fund.
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(u) The Acquired Fund would not be subject to corporate-level taxation on the sale of any assets currently held by it as a result of the application of Section 337(d) of the Code and the Treasury regulations thereunder.
(v) The Acquired Fund has not waived or extended any applicable statute of limitations with respect to the assessment or collection of Taxes.
(w) The Acquired Fund has not received written notification from any taxing authority that asserts a position contrary to any of the representations set forth in paragraphs (j), (p), (t), (u), and (v) of this Section 4.1.
4.2 REPRESENTATIONS OF THE ACQUIRING FUND. Wedbush Trust and the Acquiring Fund represent and warrant to ETFOT and the Acquired Fund as follows:
(a) The Acquiring Fund is a series of Wedbush Trust, a Delaware statutory trust duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. Wedbush Trust has the power to own all of its properties and assets and to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
(b) Wedbush Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company, and its registration with the SEC as an investment company under the 1940 Act is in full force and effect (or will be in full force and effect prior to the Closing Date).
(c) The current Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information of the Acquiring Fund conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and do not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated or necessary to make such statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) The Acquiring Fund is not currently engaged in, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will not result in, a violation of any material provision of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Wedbush Trust or its By-Laws, as each may be amended, or of any material agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease, or other undertaking to which the Acquiring Fund is a party or by which they are bound.
(e) Except as otherwise disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Acquired Fund, no litigation, administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending, or to its knowledge, threatened against the Acquiring Fund or any of their properties or assets, which, if adversely determined, would materially and adversely affect its financial condition and the conduct of their business or the ability of the Acquiring Fund to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Acquiring Fund knows of no facts that might form the basis for the institution of such proceedings and it is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree, or judgment of any court or governmental body that materially and adversely affects its business or its ability to consummate the transactions contemplated herein.
(f) There shall be no issued and outstanding shares of the Acquiring Fund prior to the Closing Date other than a nominal number of shares (“Initial Shares”) issued to a seed capital investor (which shall be the investment advisor of the Acquiring Fund or an affiliate thereof) to vote on the investment advisory and sub-advisory contracts, distribution and service plan under Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act, and other agreements and plans as may be required by the 1940 Act and to take whatever action it may be required to take as the Acquiring Fund’s sole shareholder. The Initial Shares have been or will be redeemed by the Acquiring Fund prior to the Closing for the price for which they were issued, and any price paid for the Initial Shares shall at all times have been held by the Acquiring Fund in a non-interest bearing account.
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(g) All issued and outstanding Acquiring Fund Shares will be, at the Closing Date, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Acquiring Fund. The Acquiring Fund has no outstanding options, warrants, or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any Acquiring Fund Shares, and there are no outstanding securities convertible into any Acquiring Fund Shares.
(h) The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Acquiring Fund, and this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Acquiring Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.
(i) The information to be furnished by the Acquiring Fund for use in no-action letters, applications for orders, registration statements, proxy materials, and other documents that may be necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated herein shall be accurate and complete in all material respects and shall comply in all material respects with federal securities laws and other laws and regulations.
(j) From the mailing of the proxy statement/prospectus contained in the N-14 Registration Statement through the time of the meeting of the Acquired Fund’s shareholders and on the Closing Date, any written information furnished by Wedbush Trust with respect to the Acquiring Fund for use in the N-14 Registration Statement, the N-1A Registration Statement or any other materials provided in connection with the Reorganization, does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not materially misleading.
(k) The Acquiring Fund agrees to use all reasonable efforts to obtain the approvals and authorizations required by the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, and any state blue sky or securities laws as it may deem appropriate in order to continue its operations after the Closing Date.
(l) No governmental consents, approvals, authorizations or filings are required under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act or Delaware law for the execution of this Agreement by Wedbush Trust, for itself and on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, or the performance of the Agreement by Wedbush Trust, for itself and on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, except for the effectiveness of the N-1A Registration Statement and the N-14 Registration Statement and such other consents, approvals, authorizations and filings as have been made or received, and except for such consents, approvals, authorizations and filings as may be required subsequent to the Closing Date.
(m) Subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties in paragraph 4.1(p), , Wedbush Trust expects that for the taxable year that includes the Closing Date the Acquiring Fund will meet the requirements of Chapter 1, Part I of Subchapter M of the Code for qualification as a RIC and will be eligible to, and will, compute its federal taxable income as a RIC under the Code. After the Closing, the Acquiring Fund will be a fund that is treated as a separate corporation under Section 851(g) of the Code.
(n) The Acquiring Fund is, and will be at the time of Closing, a newly created series without assets (other than the seed capital provided in exchange for Initial Shares) and without liabilities, created for the purpose of acquiring the assets and assuming the liabilities of the Acquired Fund and, prior to the Closing, (i) will not commence operations or carry on any business activities (other than such activities as are customary to the organization of a new series of a registered investment company prior to its commencement of investment operations); (ii) will not have held any property, and immediately following the Reorganization, the Acquiring Fund will possess solely assets and liabilities that were possessed by the Acquired Fund immediately prior to the Reorganization; and (iii) will not have prepared books of account and related records or financial statements or issued any shares, other than the Initial Shares. Immediately following the liquidation of the Acquired Fund as contemplated herein, 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Acquiring Fund will be held by the Acquired Fund Shareholders.
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4.3 REPRESENTATIONS OF WEDBUSH TRUST. Wedbush Trust represents and warrants to ETFOT as follows:
(a) Wedbush Trust has filed a registration statement on Form N-1A (“N-1A Registration Statement”) for the purpose of registering the Acquiring Fund under the 1940 Act.
(b) Wedbush Trust has adopted compliance policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to prevent violation of the federal securities laws.
4.4 REPRESENTATIONS OF ETFOT. ETFOT represents and warrants to Wedbush Trust that ETFOT has adopted compliance policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to prevent violation of the federal securities laws. There have been no Material Compliance Matters (as such term is defined in Rule 38a-1(e)(2) under the 1940 Act) for the Acquired Fund other than those which: (i) have been reported to the ETFOT Board, or (ii) will be reported to the ETFOT Board at the next scheduled meeting of the ETFOT Board in the ordinary course of business by the chief compliance officer of ETFOT and, in both cases, to the extent necessary, satisfactorily remedied or are in the process of being satisfactorily remedied. There have been no Material Compliance Matters (as such term is defined in Rule 38a-1(e)(2) under the 1940 Act) that have a continuing effect on the Acquired Fund.
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS
5.1 OPERATION IN ORDINARY COURSE. The Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund will operate their businesses in the ordinary course between the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date, it being understood that such ordinary course of business may include payment of customary dividends and distributions and creation and redemption activity of authorized participants in the case of the Acquired Fund and redemptions of the Initial Shares in the case of the Acquiring Fund.
5.2 APPROVAL OF SHAREHOLDERS. ETFOT will call a special meeting of the Acquired Fund’s shareholders to consider and act upon this Agreement and to take all other action necessary to obtain approval of the transactions contemplated herein.
5.3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. The Acquired Fund will assist the Acquiring Fund in obtaining such information as the Acquiring Fund may reasonably request concerning the beneficial ownership of the Acquired Fund Shares.
5.4 FURTHER ACTION. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund will take or cause to be taken, all action, and do or cause to be done, all things reasonably necessary, proper or advisable to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including any actions required to be taken after the Closing Date.
5.5 STATEMENT OF EARNINGS AND PROFITS. As promptly as practicable, but in any case within 60 days after the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund shall furnish the Acquiring Fund, in such form as is reasonably satisfactory to the Acquiring Fund, a statement of the earnings and profits of the Acquired Fund for federal income tax purposes that will be carried over to the Acquiring Fund, as well as any capital loss carryovers that will be carried over to the Acquiring Fund as a result of Section 381 of the Code, and which will be certified by ETFOT’s Treasurer.
5.6 PREPARATION OF N-14 REGISTRATION STATEMENT. Wedbush Trust will prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement on Form N-14, including any amendments thereto (the “N-14 Registration Statement”) relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in compliance with the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act. The Acquired Fund will provide the Acquiring Fund with the materials and information necessary to prepare the N-14 Registration Statement.
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5.7 INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Acquiring Fund (solely out of the Acquiring Fund’s assets and property, including any amounts paid to the Acquiring Fund pursuant to any applicable liability insurance policies or indemnification agreements) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Acquired Fund and the Acquired Fund’s trustees and officers (collectively, “Acquired Fund Indemnified Persons”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including, without limitation, the payment of reasonable legal fees and reasonable costs of investigation) to which the Acquired Fund or any of the Acquired Fund Indemnified Persons may become subject, insofar as any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions with respect thereto) arises out of or is based on any material breach by the Acquiring Fund of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement.
(b) The Acquired Fund (solely out of the Acquired Fund’s assets and property, including any amounts paid to the Acquired Fund pursuant to any applicable liability insurance policies or indemnification agreements) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Fund’s trustees and officers (collectively, “Acquiring Fund Indemnified Persons”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including, without limitation, the payment of reasonable legal fees and reasonable costs of investigation) to which the Acquiring Fund Indemnified Persons may become subject, insofar as any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions with respect thereto) arises out of or is based on any material breach by the Acquired Fund of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement.
5.8 TAX RETURNS. ETFOT covenants that by the time of the Closing, all of the Acquired Fund’s federal and other Tax returns and reports required by law to have been filed on or before the Closing Date (taking extensions into account) shall have been filed and all federal and other Taxes (if any) shown as due on said returns shall have either been paid or, if not yet due, adequate liability reserves shall have been provided for the payment of such Taxes.
5.9 CLOSING DOCUMENTS. At the Closing, ETFOT will provide Wedbush Trust with the following:
(a) A certificate, signed by the President and the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer of ETFOT on behalf of the Acquired Fund, stating the Acquired Fund’s known assets and liabilities, together with information concerning the tax basis and holding period of the Acquired Fund in all securities or investments transferred to the Acquiring Fund.
(b) A copy of any Tax books and records of the Acquired Fund necessary for purposes of preparing any Tax returns, schedules, forms, statements or related documents (including but not limited to any income, excise or information returns, as well as any transfer statements (as described in Treasury regulation Section 1.6045A-1)) required by law to be filed by the Acquiring Fund after the Closing.
(c) A copy (which may be in electronic form) of the shareholder ledger accounts of the Acquired Fund, including, without limitation, the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each shareholder of record; the number of shares of beneficial interest held by each such shareholder; the dividend reinvestment elections applicable to each shareholder; the backup withholding certifications (e.g., IRS Form W-9) or foreign person certifications (e.g., IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, W-8ECI, or W-8IMY), notices or records on file with the Acquired Fund with respect to each shareholder; and such information as Wedbush Trust may reasonably request concerning Acquired Fund Shares or Acquired Fund Shareholders in connection with the Acquiring Fund’s cost basis reporting and related obligations under Sections 1012, 6045, 6045A, and 6045B of the Code and related Treasury regulations following the Closing for all of the Acquired Fund Shareholders, certified by ETFOT’s transfer agent or its President or its Vice President to the best of their knowledge and belief.
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(d) All FASB ASC 740-10-25 work papers and supporting statements pertaining to the Acquired Fund.
5.10 TAX TREATMENT.
(a) The Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund intend that the Reorganization will qualify as a reorganization described in Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code. Neither the Acquiring Fund nor the Acquired Fund shall take any action or cause any action to be taken (including, without limitation the filing of any Tax return) that is inconsistent with such treatment or results in the failure of the Reorganization to qualify as a reorganization described in Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code.
(b) The parties hereby adopt this Agreement as a “plan of reorganization” within the meaning of Treasury regulations Sections 1.368-2(g) and 1.368-3(a).
ARTICLE VI
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE ACQUIRED FUND
The obligations of the Acquired Fund to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject, at its election, to the performance by the Acquiring Fund of all the obligations to be performed by the Acquiring Fund pursuant to this Agreement on or before the Closing Date, and, in addition, subject to the following conditions:
6.1 All representations, covenants, and warranties of the Acquiring Fund contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of that Closing Date. The Acquiring Fund shall have delivered to the Acquired Fund a certificate executed in the Acquiring Fund’s name by Wedbush Trust’s President or Vice President and its Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Acquired Fund and dated as of the Closing Date, to such effect and as to such other matters as the Acquired Fund shall reasonably request.
6.2 Wedbush Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, shall have executed and delivered to ETFOT an Assumption of Liabilities dated as of the Closing Date pursuant to which the Acquiring Fund will assume all of the liabilities of the Acquired Fund not discharged prior to the Closing Date in accordance with Section 1.3 of this Agreement.
6.3 The Acquired Fund shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Acquired Fund, and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that:
(i) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed, and delivered by Wedbush Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and, assuming due authorization, execution, and delivery of the Agreement by ETFOT, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, is a valid and binding obligation of Wedbush Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, enforceable against the Acquiring Fund in accordance with its terms; and
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(ii) to the knowledge of such counsel, no consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court or governmental authority is required for the consummation by Wedbush Trust or the Acquiring Fund of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations under those Acts (it being understood that counsel has made no independent investigation or analysis with respect to state securities laws and is not opining thereon).
6.4 In connection with the opinions contemplated by Section 6.3, it is understood that counsel may reasonably rely upon the representations made in this Agreement as well as certificates of officers of Wedbush Trust.
6.5 The N-1A Registration Statement filed by Wedbush Trust with the SEC to register the offer of the sale of the Acquiring Fund Shares will be in effect on the Closing Date.
6.6 As of the Closing Date with respect to the Reorganization of the Acquired Fund, there shall have been no material change in the investment objective, policies and restrictions nor any material change in the investment management fees, fee levels payable pursuant to the distribution and service plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, other fees payable for services provided to the Acquiring Fund, or fee waiver or expense reimbursement undertakings of the Acquiring Fund from those fee amounts and undertakings of the Acquiring Fund described in the N-14 Registration Statement or N-1A Registration Statement.
6.7 The Wedbush Board, including a majority of trustees who are not “interested persons” of Wedbush Trust as defined under the 1940 Act, has determined that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are in the best interests of the Acquiring Fund and that the interests of the existing shareholders of the Acquiring Fund would not be diluted as a result of such transactions.
ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE ACQUIRING FUND
The obligations of the Acquiring Fund to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject, at its election, to the performance by the Acquired Fund of all the obligations to be performed by the Acquired Fund pursuant to this Agreement, on or before the Closing Date and, in addition, shall be subject to the following conditions:
7.1 All representations, covenants, and warranties of the Acquired Fund contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of such Closing Date. The Acquired Fund shall have delivered to the Acquiring Fund on such Closing Date a certificate executed in the Acquired Fund’s name by ETFOT’s President or Vice President and its Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Acquiring Fund and dated as of such Closing Date, to such effect and as to such other matters as the Acquiring Fund shall reasonably request.
7.2 ETFOT, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, shall have duly executed and delivered to Wedbush Trust such bills of sale, assignments, certificates and other instruments of transfer as may be necessary or desirable to transfer all right, title and interest of the Acquired Fund in and to the Acquired Assets.
7.3 The Acquiring Fund shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Practus, LLP, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Acquiring Fund, and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that:
(i) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed, and delivered by ETFOT, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, and, assuming due authorization, execution, and delivery of the Agreement by Wedbush Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, is a valid and binding obligation of ETFOT, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, enforceable against ETFOT and the Acquired Fund in accordance with its terms; and
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(ii) to the knowledge of such counsel, no consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court or governmental authority is required for the consummation by ETFOT or the Acquired Fund of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations under those Acts (it being understood that counsel has made no independent investigation or analysis with respect to state securities laws and is not opining thereon).
7.4 In connection with the opinions contemplated by Section 7.3, it is understood that counsel may reasonably rely upon the representations made in this Agreement as well as certificates of officers of ETFOT.
7.5 The Acquired Fund shall have delivered to the Acquiring Fund the documents and information described in Article III and in paragraphs 5.5 and 5.9 as well as any other certificates or documents as may be deemed necessary or desirable by the Acquiring Fund in connection with the Closing.
7.6 The ETFOT Board, including a majority of trustees who are not “interested persons” of ETFOT as defined under the 1940 Act, has determined that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are in the best interests of the Acquired Fund and that the interests of the existing shareholders of the Acquired Fund would not be diluted as a result of such transactions.
ARTICLE VIII
FURTHER CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE
ACQUIRING FUND AND ACQUIRED FUND
If any of the conditions set forth below do not exist on or before the Closing Date with respect to the Acquired Fund or the Acquiring Fund, the other party to this Agreement shall, at its option, not be required to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, if the conditions stated in paragraphs 8.1 and 8.5 below do not exist on or before the Closing Date with respect to the Acquired Fund or the Acquiring Fund, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall not be consummated:
8.1 This Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein, with respect to the Acquired Fund, shall have been approved by the requisite vote of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund in accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of ETFOT. Certified copies of the resolutions evidencing such approval shall have been delivered to the Acquiring Fund. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the Acquiring Fund nor the Acquired Fund may waive the conditions set forth in this paragraph 8.1.
8.2 On the Closing Date, the SEC shall not have issued an unfavorable report under Section 25(b) of the 1940 Act, or instituted any proceeding seeking to enjoin the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement under Section 25(c) of the 1940 Act. Furthermore, no action, suit or other proceeding shall be threatened or pending before any court or governmental agency in which it is sought to restrain or prohibit, or obtain damages or other relief in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein.
8.3 All required consents of other parties and all other consents, orders, and permits of federal, state and local regulatory authorities (including those of the SEC and of state blue sky securities authorities, including any necessary no-action positions and exemptive orders from such federal and state authorities) to permit consummation of the transactions contemplated herein shall have been obtained, except where failure to obtain any such consent, order, or permit would not involve a risk of a material adverse effect on the assets or properties of the Acquiring Fund or the Acquired Fund, provided that either party hereto may waive any such conditions for itself.
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8.4 Each of the N-1A Registration Statement and the N-14 Registration Statement shall have become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop orders suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued. To the best knowledge of the parties to this Agreement, no investigation or proceeding for that purpose shall have been instituted or be pending, threatened or contemplated under the 1933 Act.
8.5 ETFOT and Wedbush Trust shall have received the opinion of Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP dated as of the Closing Date and addressed to Wedbush Trust and ETFOT, in a form satisfactory to them, substantially to the effect that, based upon certain facts, qualifications, certifications, representations and assumptions, for federal income tax purposes:
(a) The Reorganization will constitute a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code, and the Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund will each be a “party to a reorganization,” within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code;
(b) No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquired Fund upon the transfer of all the Acquired Assets to the Acquiring Fund solely in exchange for the Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all the liabilities of the Acquired Fund, or upon the distribution of the Acquiring Fund Shares to the Acquired Fund Shareholders, except for any gain or loss that may be required to be recognized upon the transfer of an asset regardless of whether such transfer would otherwise be a non-recognition transaction under the Code;
(c) The tax basis in the hands of the Acquiring Fund of each Acquired Asset transferred from the Acquired Fund to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization will be the same as the tax basis of such Acquired Asset in the hands of the Acquired Fund immediately prior to the transfer thereof, increased by the amount of gain (or decreased by the amount of loss), if any, recognized by the Acquired Fund on the transfer;
(d) The holding period in the hands of the Acquiring Fund of each Acquired Asset transferred from the Acquired Fund to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization, other than Acquired Assets with respect to which gain or loss is required to be recognized, will include the Acquired Fund’s holding period for such Acquired Asset (except where investment activities of the Acquiring Fund have the effect of reducing or eliminating the holding period with respect to an asset);
(e) No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquiring Fund upon receipt of all the Acquired Assets solely in exchange for Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all the liabilities of the Acquired Fund as part of the Reorganization;
(f) No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquired Fund Shareholders upon the exchange of their Acquired Fund Shares for Acquiring Fund Shares as part of the Reorganization;
(g) The aggregate tax basis of the Acquiring Fund Shares that an Acquired Fund Shareholder receives in the Reorganization will be the same as the aggregate tax basis of the Acquired Fund Shares exchanged therefor;
(h) Each Acquired Fund Shareholder’s holding period for the Acquiring Fund Shares received in the Reorganization will include the Acquired Fund Shareholder’s holding period for the Acquired Fund Shares exchanged therefor, provided that the Acquired Fund Shareholder held such Acquired Fund Shares as capital assets on the Closing Date; and
(i) The taxable year of the Acquired Fund will not end as a result of the Reorganization.
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Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the Acquiring Fund nor the Acquired Fund may waive the conditions set forth in this paragraph 8.5.
ARTICLE IX
EXPENSES
9.1 Except as otherwise provided for herein, Wedbush Advisers will pay all expenses associated with the reorganization (“Reorganization Expenses”). Such Reorganization Expenses include, without limitation: (a) expenses associated with the preparation and filing of the N-14 Registration Statement and other proxy materials; (b) postage; (c) printing; and (d) solicitation costs of the transactions; provided, however, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, each of Wedbush Trust and ETFOT shall be solely responsible for the payment of its own respective legal fees, including fees of the counsel to Wedbush Trust and ETFOT, respectively (including, if applicable, counsel Wedbush Trust’s and ETFOT’s trustees who are not “interested persons” as that term is defined in the 1940 Act), fees of its respective service providers in connection with the conversion and any fees of its respective auditors and accountants.
Wedbush Advisers and Laffer Tengler have entered into, or will enter into prior to the Closing, a reimbursement agreement whereby Laffer Tengler agrees to reimburse Wedbush Advisers for up to fifty percent (50%) of the Reorganization Expenses pursuant to the terms of such reimbursement agreement.
Wedbush Advisers (or any affiliate thereof) shall remain so liable for the Reorganization Expenses, regardless of whether the transactions contemplated by this Agreement occur, and this Section 9.1 shall survive the Closing and any termination of this Agreement pursuant to paragraph 11.1. Notwithstanding the foregoing, expenses will in any event be paid by the party directly incurring such expenses if and to the extent that the payment by another person of such expenses would result in a failure by either the Acquired Fund or the Acquiring Fund to qualify for treatment as a RIC within the meaning of Section 851 of the Code or would prevent the Reorganization from qualifying as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code or otherwise result in the imposition of tax on either the Acquired Fund or the Acquiring Fund or on any of their respective shareholders.
9.2 At the Closing, Wedbush Advisers (or any affiliate thereof) shall pay the estimated Reorganization Expenses to be paid by it pursuant to paragraph 9.1, and any remaining balance of Reorganization Expenses when finally calculated and delivered to Wedbush Advisers shall be paid by Wedbush Advisers (or any affiliate thereof), within thirty (30) days after receipt thereof.
ARTICLE X
ENTIRE AGREEMENT; SURVIVAL
10.1 Wedbush Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and ETFOT, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, agree that neither party has made to the other party any representation, warranty and/or covenant not set forth herein and that this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties.
10.2 The representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement, including, without limitation, the indemnification obligations under Section 5.7, shall survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder. The covenants to be performed after the Closing Date, and the obligations of the Acquiring Fund, shall continue in effect beyond the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder.
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ARTICLE XI
TERMINATION
11.1 This Agreement may be terminated by the mutual agreement of Wedbush Trust and ETFOT. In addition, either Wedbush Trust or ETFOT may at its option terminate this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date due to:
(a) a breach by the other of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained herein to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date, if not cured within 30 days or, in the sole discretion of the non-breaching party’s board of trustees, prior to the Closing Date;
(b) a condition herein expressed to be precedent to the obligations of the terminating party that has not been met and it reasonably appears to the terminating party’s board of trustees that it will not or cannot be met; or
(c) a determination by the terminating party’s board of trustees that the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein is not in the best interest of the party, and to give notice to the other party hereto.
11.2 In the event of any such termination, in the absence of willful default, there shall be no liability for damages on the part of the Acquiring Fund, the Acquired Fund, Wedbush Trust, ETFOT, or the respective trustees or officers to the other party or its trustees or officers, but paragraph 9.1 shall continue to apply.
ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENTS
12.1 This Agreement may be amended, modified, or supplemented in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon in writing by the authorized officers of the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund; provided, however, that following the meeting of the Acquired Fund’s shareholders pursuant to paragraph 5.2 of this Agreement, no such amendment may have the effect of changing any provisions to the detriment of such shareholders.
ARTICLE XIII
HEADINGS; COUNTERPARTS; GOVERNING LAW; ASSIGNMENT;
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
13.1 The Article and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
13.2 This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original.
13.3 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof.
13.4 This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, but, except as provided in this paragraph, no assignment or transfer hereof or of any rights or obligations hereunder shall be made by any party without the written consent of the other party. Nothing herein expressed or implied is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any person, firm, or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement.
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13.5 It is expressly agreed that the obligations of the Acquiring Fund hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the trustees, shareholders, officers, agents, or employees of Wedbush Trust personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Acquiring Fund, as provided in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Wedbush Trust, as may be amended. The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the trustees of Wedbush Trust on behalf of the Acquiring Fund and signed by authorized officers of Wedbush Trust, acting as such. Such authorization by such trustees and such execution and delivery by such officers shall not be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Acquiring Fund as provided in Wedbush Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as may be amended.
13.6 It is expressly agreed that the obligations of the Acquired Fund hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the trustees, shareholders, officers, agents, or employees of ETFOT personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Acquired Fund, as provided in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of ETFOT. The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the trustees of ETFOT on behalf of the Acquired Fund and signed by authorized officers of ETFOT, acting as such. Such authorization by such trustees and such execution and delivery by such officers shall not be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Acquired Fund as provided in ETFOT’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust.
13.7 Except as provided in Section 5.7(b), each of Wedbush Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and ETFOT, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, specifically acknowledges and agrees that any liability under this Agreement with respect to the Acquiring Fund or Acquired Fund or in connection with the transactions contemplated herein with respect to the Acquiring Fund or Acquired Fund shall be discharged only out of the assets of the Acquiring Fund or Acquired Fund and that no other series of Wedbush Trust or ETFOT shall be liable with respect thereto.
13.8 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the obligations, agreements, representations and warranties with respect to each Fund shall be the obligations, agreements, representations and warranties of that Fund only, and in no event shall any other series of ETFOT or any other series of Wedbush Trust or the assets of any other series of ETFOT or any other series of Wedbush Trust be held liable with respect to the breach or other default by an obligated Fund or Wedbush Advisers or Laffer Tengler of its obligations, agreements, representations and warranties as set forth herein.
ARTICLE XIV
CONFIDENTIALITY
14.1 Each Fund agrees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the other Fund all records and other information, including any information relating to portfolio holdings, of such other Fund and not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its duties under this Agreement; provided, however, that after prior notification of and written approval by such other Fund (which approval shall not be withheld if the disclosing Fund would be exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities having proper jurisdiction, and which approval shall not be withheld unreasonably in any other circumstance), a Fund may disclose such records and/or information as so approved.
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ARTICLE XV
COOPERATION AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION
15.1 ETFOT and Wedbush Trust will provide each other and their respective representatives with such cooperation, assistance and information as either of them reasonably may request of the other in filing any Tax returns, amended Tax returns or claims for Tax refunds, determining a liability for Taxes or a right to a refund of Taxes, requesting a closing agreement or similar relief from a taxing authority or participating in or conducting any audit or other proceeding in respect of Taxes, or in determining the financial reporting of any Tax position. Each party or its respective agents will retain for a period of six (6) years following the Closing all returns, schedules and work papers and all material records or other documents relating to Tax matters and financial reporting of Tax positions of the Acquired Fund and Acquiring Fund for its taxable period first ending after the Closing and for prior taxable periods for which the party is required to retain records as of the Closing, provided that the Acquired Fund shall not be required to maintain any such documents that it has delivered to the Acquiring Fund.
15.2 Any reporting responsibility of the Acquired Fund is and shall remain the responsibility of the Acquired Fund, up to and including the date of the Closing, and such later date on which the Acquired Fund is terminated including, without limitation, responsibility for (i) preparing and filing any Tax returns relating to Tax periods ending on or prior to the date of the Closing (whether due before or after the Closing); and (ii) preparing and filing other documents with the SEC, any state securities commission, and any federal, state or local tax authorities or any other relevant regulatory authority, except as otherwise is mutually agreed by the parties.
***Signature Page Follows***
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Agreement, all as of the date first written above.
| ETF OPPORTUNITIES TRUST on behalf of the Acquired Fund |
WEDBUSH SERIES TRUST on behalf of the Acquiring Fund |
|||
| By: | By: | |||
| Name: | Name: | |||
| Title: | Title: | |||
| LAFFER TENGLER INVESTMENTS, LLC solely with respect to Article IX |
WEDBUSH FUND ADVISERS LLC solely with respect to Article IX |
|||
| By: | By: | |||
| Name: | Name: | |||
| Title: | Title: | |||
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APPENDIX B – FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TARGET FUND
The Acquiring Fund will adopt the financial statements of the Target Fund, the accounting survivor of the Reorganization. The audited and unaudited financials of the Target Fund are included in the Target Fund’s Annual Report which is incorporated herein by reference.
The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Target Fund’s financial performance for the period of the Fund’s operations. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total return in the table represents the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). Information for the periods ended July 31 has been audited by Cohen & Company Ltd., the Target Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Target Fund’s financial statements for such period, is included in the Target Fund’s annual report, which is available upon request.
LAFFER|TENGLER EQUITY INCOME ETF
| Financial Highlights | Selected Per Share Data Throughout Each Period |
| Year Ended July 31, 2025 | Period Ended July 31, 2024* | |||||||
| Net asset value, beginning of period | $ | 28.39 | $ | 25.00 | ||||
| Investment activities | ||||||||
| Net investment income (loss)(1) | 0.31 | 0.35 | ||||||
| Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | 4.73 | 3.39 | ||||||
| Total from investment activities | 5.04 | 3.74 | ||||||
| Distributions | ||||||||
| Net investment income | (0.30 | ) | (0.35 | ) | ||||
| Net realized gain | (0.03 | ) | - | |||||
| Total distributions | (0.33 | ) | (0.35 | ) | ||||
| Net asset value, end of period | $ | 33.10 | $ | 28.39 | ||||
| Total Return(2) | 17.87 | % | 15.11 | % | ||||
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | ||||||||
| Ratios to average net assets(3) | ||||||||
| Expenses | 0.95 | % | 0.95 | % | ||||
| Net investment income (loss) | 1.02 | % | 1.37 | % | ||||
| Portfolio turnover rate(4) | 14.85 | % | 26.48 | % | ||||
| Net assets, end of period (000’s) | $ | 16,879 | $ | 12,773 | ||||
| (1) | Per share amounts calculated using the average shares outstanding during the period. |
| (2) | Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized for periods less than one year. |
| (3) | Ratios to average net assets have been annualized for periods less than a year. |
| (4) | Portfolio turnover rate excludes the effect of securities received or delivered from processing in-kind creations or redemptions, and has not been annualized for periods less than one year. |
| * | The Fund commenced operations on August 8, 2023. |
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APPENDIX C – OWNERSHIP OF SHARES OF THE TARGET FUND
| Name and Address | Number of Shares | Percentage Ownership |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. c/o Christina Young 2423 E Lincoln Dr Phoenix AX 85016 |
340,068 | 50.76% |
|
National Financial Services LLC c/o Peter Closs 499 Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
193,460 | 28.87% |
|
Pershing LLC c/o Joseph Lavara One Pershing Plaza Jersey City, NJ 07399 |
47,197 | 7.04% |
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APPENDIX D – SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION ON THE ACQUIRING FUND
In this Appendix D, the term “Fund” refers to Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF, the “Acquiring Fund.”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON BUYING AND SELLING FUND SHARES
The Fund issues and redeems shares (“Shares”) at net asset value (“NAV”) only in large blocks known as “Creation Units”. Only authorized participants (“APs”) may acquire Shares directly from the Fund, and only APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV. APs must be a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and must execute a participant agreement that has been agreed to by the Fund’s distributor, and that has been accepted by the Fund’s transfer agent, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Once created, Shares trade in the secondary market in quantities less than a Creation Unit.
The Fund’s shares are listed for secondary trading on NYSE Arca (the “Exchange”). When you buy or sell the Fund’s shares on the secondary market, you will pay or receive the market price. You may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. The shares will trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to varying degrees from the daily NAV of the shares. The Exchange is generally open Monday through Friday and is closed weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day (Washington’s Birthday), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
NAV per share for the Fund is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of the Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by its total number of shares outstanding. Expenses and fees, including management and distribution fees, if any, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. NAV is determined each business day, normally as of the close of regular trading of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern time).
When determining NAV, the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities is based on market prices of the securities, which generally means a valuation obtained from an exchange or other market (or based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of the value supplied by an exchange or other market) or a valuation obtained from an independent pricing service. If a security’s market price is not readily available or does not otherwise accurately reflect the fair value of the security, the security will be valued by another method that the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of Wedbush Series Trust (the “Trust”) believes will better reflect fair value in accordance with the Trust’s valuation policies and procedures. Fair value pricing may be used in a variety of circumstances, including, but not limited to, situations when the value of a security in the Fund’s portfolio has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which the security is principally traded but prior to the close of the Exchange (such as in the case of a corporate action or other news that may materially affect the price of a security) or trading in a security has been suspended or halted. Accordingly, the Fund’s NAV may reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair values rather than their market prices.
Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that a fair value determination for a security will materially differ from the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security.
The Fund invest in non-U.S. securities. Non-U.S. securities held by the Fund may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change on days when APs will not be able to purchase or redeem Fund shares.
Determination of Net Asset Value
The NAV of the Fund’s Shares is calculated each day the NYSE is open for trading as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (the “NAV Calculation Time”). If the NYSE closes before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, as it occasionally does, the NAV Calculation Time will be the time the NYSE closes. The Fund’s NAV per share is calculated by dividing the Fund’s net assets by the number of the Fund Shares outstanding.
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In calculating its NAV, the Fund generally values its assets on the basis of market quotations, last sale prices, or estimates of value furnished by a pricing service or brokers who make markets in such instruments. Debt obligations with maturities of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost.
Fair Value Pricing
The Board designated the Adviser as the “valuation designee” for the Fund under Rule 2a-5 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) subject to its oversight. Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC (the “Adviser”) and the Trust have adopted procedures and methodologies fair value of Fund securities whose market prices are not “readily available” or are deemed to be unreliable. For example, such circumstances may arise when: (i) a security has been de-listed or has had its trading halted or suspended; (ii) a security’s primary pricing source is unable or unwilling to provide a price; (iii) a security’s primary trading market is closed during regular market hours; or (iv) a security’s value is materially affected by events occurring after the close of the security’s primary trading market. Generally, when fair valuing a security, the valuation designee will take into account all reasonably available information that may be relevant to a particular valuation including, but not limited to, fundamental analytical data regarding the issuer, information relating to the issuer’s business, recent trades or offers of the security, general and/or specific market conditions and the specific facts giving rise to the need to fair value the security. Fair value determinations are made in good faith and in accordance with the fair value methodologies included in the Adviser-approved valuation procedures. Due to the subjective and variable nature of fair value pricing, there can be no assurance that the Adviser will be able to obtain the fair value assigned to the security upon the sale of such security.
Dividends and Distributions
The Fund expects to pay out dividends, if any, on an annual basis, however, the Fund may make more frequent dividend payments. The Fund expects to distribute its net realized capital gains to investors annually. The Fund occasionally may be required to make supplemental distributions at some other time during the year. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.
Book Entry
Shares of the Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund.
Investors owning shares of the Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all shares of the Fund. Participants include DTC, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of Shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have Shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of Shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of Shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form. Your broker will provide you with account statements, confirmations of your purchases and sales, and tax information.
Delivery of Shareholder Documents – Householding
Householding is an option available to certain investors of the Fund. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents can be delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Householding for the Fund is available through certain broker-dealers. If you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, please contact your broker-dealer. If you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status, please contact your broker-dealer.
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Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
The Fund imposes no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of Fund Shares. In determining not to impose such restrictions, the Board evaluated the risks of market timing activities by Fund shareholders. Purchases and redemptions by APs, who are the only parties that may purchase or redeem Shares directly with the Fund, are an essential part of the ETF process and help keep Fund share trading prices in line with NAV. As such, the Fund accommodates frequent purchases and redemptions by APs. However, the Board has also determined that frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase tracking error and portfolio transaction costs and may lead to the realization of capital gains. To minimize these potential consequences of frequent purchases and redemptions, the Fund imposes transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in effective trades. In addition, the Fund and the Adviser reserve the right to reject any purchase order at any time.
Investments by Registered Investment Companies
Section 12 of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of the Fund. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in section 12 when they comply with rules adopted by the SEC and comply with the necessary conditions.
ADDITIONAL TAX INFORMATION
The following discussion is a summary of some important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. Your investment in the Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax advisor about the tax consequences of an investment in Shares, including the possible application of non-U.S., state, and local tax laws. This summary does not apply to Shares held in an IRA or other tax-qualified plans, which are generally not subject to current tax. Transactions relating to Shares held in such accounts may, however, be taxable at some time in the future. This summary is based on current tax laws, which may change.
The Fund intends to elect to be treated and intends to continue to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company (“RIC”). If the Fund meets certain minimum distribution requirements, a RIC is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to its shareholders as dividends. As a RIC, the Fund is subject to U.S. federal income tax imposed at corporate rates on any income or gains that are not timely distributed to shareholders. However, the Fund’s failure to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements would result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in the income and gains of the Fund being subject to U.S. federal income tax imposed at corporate rates and, consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.
Taxes on Distributions
The Fund intends to distribute, at least annually, substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income to the extent such distributions are paid out of the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings. Taxes on distributions of capital gains (if any) are determined by how long the Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Shares. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains, which for non-corporate shareholders are subject to tax at reduced rates. Distributions of short-term capital gain will generally be taxable as ordinary income. Dividends and distributions are generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional Shares.
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Distributions reported by the Fund as “qualified dividend income” are generally taxed to non-corporate shareholders at rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided holding period and other requirements are met. “Qualified dividend income” generally is income derived from dividends paid by U.S. corporations or certain non-U.S. corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for tax benefits under certain U.S. income tax treaties. In addition, dividends that the Fund received in respect of stock of certain non-U.S. corporations may be qualified dividend income if that stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market. Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from the Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. The Fund’s investment strategy may limit the amount of distributions eligible for treatment as qualified dividend income in the hands of non-corporate shareholders or eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders.
For the taxable years beginning after 2017 and on or before December 31, 2025, non-corporate taxpayers generally may deduct 20% of “qualified business income” derived either directly or through partnerships or S corporations. For this purpose, “qualified business income” generally includes ordinary dividends paid by a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) and certain income from publicly traded partnerships. Regulations adopted by the United States Treasury allow non-corporate shareholders of the Fund to benefit from the 20% deduction with respect to net REIT dividends received by the Fund if the Fund meets certain reporting requirements, but do not permit any such deduction with respect to publicly traded partnerships.
Shortly after the close of each calendar year, you will be informed of the amount and character of any distributions received from the Fund.
U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% surtax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (generally including capital gains distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Shares). This 3.8% surtax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
In general, your distributions are subject to U.S. federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. For the purpose of determining (i) whether the annual distribution requirement is satisfied for any year and (ii) the amount of capital gain dividends paid for that year, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, elect to treat a dividend that is paid during the following taxable year as if it had been paid during the taxable year in question. If the Fund makes such an election, you will be treated as receiving the dividend in the taxable year in which the distribution is made. However, if the Fund pays a dividend in January that was declared by the Fund in October, November, or December and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month, then such dividend may be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as paid by the Fund and received by you on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared. Distributions are generally taxable even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the Shares’ NAV when you purchased your Shares).
You may wish to avoid investing in the Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because such a distribution will generally be taxable even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of your investment.
Subject to discussions concerning FATCA (defined below), distributions to Non-U.S. Shareholders will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, (or a lower treaty rate provided by an applicable treaty). No withholding will be required on such distributions to the extent that (i) such distributions are properly reported to the Fund’s Non-U.S. Shareholders as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” (ii) the distributions are derived from sources specified in the Code for such dividends and (iii) certain other requirements are satisfied. No assurance can be given as to whether any significant amount of a Fund’s distributions with respect to its shares would be reported as eligible for this exemption from withholding. Gains from the sale or other disposition of your Shares generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless you are a nonresident alien individual who is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. Different tax consequences may result if you are a Non-U.S. Shareholder engaged in a trade or business within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, maintain a permanent establishment in the United States).
For a corporate Non-U.S. Shareholder, distributions and gains realized upon the sale of Shares of a Fund that are effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business may, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate (or at a lower rate if provided for by an applicable treaty).
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Legislation commonly referred to as the “Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act,” or “FATCA,” generally imposes a 30% withholding tax on payments of certain types of income to foreign financial institutions (“FFIs”) unless such FFIs either: (i) enter into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury to report certain required information with respect to accounts held by certain specified U.S. persons (or held by foreign entities that have certain specified U.S. persons as substantial owners) or (ii) reside in a jurisdiction that has entered into an intergovernmental agreement (“IGA”) with the United States to collect and share such information and are in compliance with the terms of such IGA and any enabling legislation or regulations. The types of income subject to the tax include U.S. source interest and dividends. While the Code would also require withholding on payments of the gross proceeds from the sale of any property that could produce U.S. source interest or dividends, the U.S. Treasury has indicated its intent to eliminate this requirement in proposed regulations, which state that taxpayers may rely on the proposed regulations until final regulations are issued. The information required to be reported includes the identity and taxpayer identification number of each account holder that is a specified U.S. person and certain financial information associated with the holder’s account. In addition, subject to certain exceptions, FATCA also imposes a 30% withholding on certain payments to certain foreign entities that are not FFIs unless such foreign entities certify that they do not have a greater than 10% owner that is a specified U.S. person or provide the withholding agent with identifying information on each greater than 10% owner that is a specified U.S. person. Depending on the status of a Non-U.S. Shareholder and the status of the intermediaries through which the Non-U.S. Shareholder holds its Shares, Non-U.S. shareholders could be subject to this 30% withholding tax with respect to distributions on their Shares. Under certain circumstances, a non-U.S. shareholder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes.
The Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns Shares) will be required in certain cases to withhold on the taxable distributions and sale proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has underreported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that the shareholder is not subject to such withholding.
Taxes When Fund Shares Are Sold
A sale, redemption, or exchange of Shares may give rise to a gain or loss. For tax purposes, an exchange of your Shares for shares of a different fund generally is treated as a sale for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Shares generally is treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for one year or less. However, any capital loss on a sale of Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of Capital Gain Dividends paid with respect to such Shares. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent Shares are acquired, including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of Shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited.
The adjusted tax basis of Shares acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for the Shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the adjusted tax basis of Shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of Shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your Shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.
A Non-U.S. Shareholder will generally not be subject to U.S. tax on gains realized on sales or exchange of Fund Shares unless the investment in the Fund is connected to a trade or business of the investor in the United States or if the shareholder is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a year and certain other conditions are met. All Non-U.S. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences in their country of residence of an investment in the Fund.
Creation and Redemption Units
An AP who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. An AP who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales” (for an AP that does not mark-to-market its holdings), or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisors with respect to whether the wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
D-5
Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses will be treated as short-term capital gains or losses. Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.
The Fund has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares and if, pursuant to section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Fund also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial Share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination.
The Fund may include a payment of cash in addition to, or in place of, the delivery of a basket of securities upon the redemption of Creation Units. The Fund may sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize investment income and/or capital gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had completely satisfied the redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of Creation Units.
Non-U.S. Investments by the Fund
Interest and other income received by the Fund with respect to non-U.S. securities may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by non-U.S. countries. Tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If as of the close of a taxable year more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets consists of certain non-U.S. stock or securities, the Fund will be eligible to elect to “pass through” to investors the amount of non-U.S. income and similar taxes (including withholding taxes) paid by the Fund during that taxable year. This means that investors would be considered to have received as additional income their respective Shares of such non-U.S. taxes, but may be entitled to either a corresponding tax deduction in calculating taxable income, or, subject to certain limitations, a credit in calculating U.S. federal income tax. If the Fund does not so elect, the Fund will be entitled to claim a deduction for certain non-U.S. taxes incurred by the Fund. The Fund (or your broker) will notify you if it makes such an election and provide you with the information necessary to reflect non-U.S. taxes paid on your income tax return.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current U.S. federal income tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. For more information, please see the section titled “U.S. Federal Income Taxes” in the Statement of Additional Information and consult your tax advisor.
State and Local Taxes
Shareholders may also be subject to state and local taxes on income and gain attributable to your ownership of Fund Shares. State income taxes may not apply, however, to the portions of the Fund’s distributions, if any, that are attributable to interest earned by the Fund on U.S. government securities. You should consult your tax professional regarding the tax status of distributions in your state and locality.
PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION
When available, information regarding how often Shares of the Fund traded on the Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Fund can be found on the Fund’s website at www.wedbushfunds.com/funds/tglr.
D-6
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
January 21, 2026
For the Reorganization of
| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF | into | Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF |
| a series of ETF Opportunities Trust | a series of Wedbush Series Trust |
This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) is not a prospectus, and it should be read in conjunction with the Combined Proxy Statement/Prospectus dated January 21, 2026, as may be amended from time to time, (the “Prospectus”) for the Special Meeting of Shareholders of the LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF (the “Target Fund”), a series of ETF Opportunities Trust (“ETFOT”), a Delaware statutory trust, to be held on February 27, 2026. A copy of the Combined Proxy Statement/Prospectus is available by calling 888-540-8736. Please retain this document for future reference.
This SAI, relating specifically to the proposed reorganization of the Target Fund into the Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF (the “Acquiring Fund”), a newly established series of Wedbush Series Trust (the “Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust, consists of this document and the following documents of the Target Fund, each of which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and is incorporated by reference into this SAI (which means these documents are considered legally to be part of this SAI):
| · | the Statement of Additional Information of the Target Fund, dated November 30, 2025, as amended and supplemented (File Nos. 333-234544 and 811-23439); and |
| · | the Annual Report for the Target Fund for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2025 (File No. 811-23439). |
The Acquiring Fund currently has no assets or liabilities. The Acquiring Fund will commence operations upon the completion of the Reorganization and will continue the operations of the Target Fund. For this reason, the financial statements of the Acquiring Fund and the pro forma financial statements of the Acquiring Fund have not been included herein.
The term “Fund” as used in this SAI, refers to the Acquiring Fund. The term “Predecessor Fund” as used in this SAI, refers to the Target Fund.
SAI-1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | |
| THE TRUST | SAI-3 |
| INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS | SAI-3 |
| GENERAL RISKS | SAI-3 |
| NON-DIVERSIFICATION | SAI-5 |
| SPECIFIC INVESTMENT STRATEGIES | SAI-5 |
| INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS | SAI-16 |
| PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES | SAI-17 |
| CONTINUOUS OFFERING | SAI-18 |
| MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST | SAI-18 |
| INVESTMENT ADVISER | SAI-23 |
| ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT | SAI-27 |
| THE SUB-ADMINISTRATOR, TRANSFER AGENT, AND CUSTODIAN | SAI-27 |
| THE DISTRIBUTOR | SAI-28 |
| LEGAL COUNSEL | SAI-29 |
| INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM | SAI-29 |
| BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS | SAI-30 |
| ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TRUST | SAI-32 |
| LIMITATION OF TRUSTEES’ LIABILITY | SAI-33 |
| PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES IN CREATION UNITS | SAI-33 |
| DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE | SAI-40 |
| DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS | SAI-40 |
| U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAXES | SAI-41 |
| FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | SAI-49 |
| SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION | SAI-49 |
| APPENDIX A | SAI-50 |
SAI-2
The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on November 13, 2024 and is authorized to issue multiple series or portfolios. The Trust is an open-end, non-diversified, management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The offering of the Fund’s shares (the “Shares”) is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Fund’s ticker symbol is “TGLR.” This SAI relates only to the Fund.
On or about March 9, 2026, the Fund will acquire all the assets and liabilities of the Predecessor Fund (the “Reorganization”). The Fund will adopt the prior performance and financial history of the Predecessor Fund. The Fund, as a series of the Trust, represents a beneficial interest in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets, with its own objective and policies.
Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as the Fund’s investment adviser. Laffer Tengler Investments Inc. serves as the Fund’s sub-adviser (the “Sub-Adviser”). Foreside Fund Services LLC is the distributor (the “Distributor”) of the shares of the Fund.
The Fund issues and redeem Shares (“Shares”) at net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in large blocks of Shares (“Creation Units” or “Creation Unit Aggregations”). Currently, Creation Units generally consist of 20,000 Shares, though these amounts may change from time to time. These transactions are usually in exchange for a basket of securities and an amount of cash. As a practical matter, only institutions or large investors (APs) who have entered into agreements with the Trust’s distributor, can purchase or redeem Creation Units. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares of the Fund are not redeemable securities.
Shares of the Fund are listed on a national securities exchange, NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), as indicated on the cover of this SAI, and trade throughout the day on the Exchange and other secondary markets at market prices that may differ from NAV. As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the prices of Shares in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS
The Fund’s investment objective, principal investment strategies and associated risks are described in the Fund’s Prospectus. The sections below supplement these principal investment strategies and risks and describe the Fund’s additional investment policies and the different types of investments that may be made by the Fund as a part of its non-principal investment strategies. With respect to the Fund’s investments, unless otherwise noted, if a percentage limitation on investment is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a subsequent increase or decrease as a result of market movement or redemption will not result in a violation of such investment limitation.
The Fund intends to elect to be treated as and qualify each year as a RIC under subchapter M of the Code, and consequently it will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on income and gains that are timely distributed to Fund shareholders. The Fund will invest their assets, and otherwise conduct its operations, in a manner that is intended to satisfy the qualifying income, diversification and distribution requirements necessary to establish and maintain RIC qualification under subchapter M of the Code.
An investment in the Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific economic or political conditions that affect a particular security or issuer and changes in general economic or political conditions. An investor in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
SAI-3
An investment in the Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in equity securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the stock market may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities and therefore a decrease in the value of Shares of the Fund). Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence and perceptions change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic or banking crises.
Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks. Further, unlike debt securities, which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, is subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stocks, which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stocks have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity. Common stock values are subject to market fluctuations as long as the common stock remains outstanding.
The Fund may invest in equity securities listed on major U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges, but there can be no guarantee that a liquid market for such securities will be maintained. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of the Fund’s Shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent, or if bid/ask spreads are wide.
Recent Events. Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, financial markets in the United States and around the world experienced extreme and, in many cases, unprecedented volatility and severe losses due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus. The pandemic resulted in a wide range of social and economic disruptions, including closed borders, voluntary or compelled quarantines of large populations, stressed healthcare systems, reduced or prohibited domestic or international travel, and supply chain disruptions affecting the United States and many other countries. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers experienced particularly large losses as a result of these disruptions. Although the immediate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have dissipated, global markets and economies continue to contend with the ongoing and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant market volatility and economic disruptions. It is unknown how long events related to the pandemic will persist, whether they will reoccur in the future, whether efforts to support the economy and financial markets will be successful, and what additional implications may follow from the pandemic. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the future could adversely affect Fund performance.
Geopolitical tensions introduce uncertainty into global markets. Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the resulting responses by the United States and other countries, and the potential for wider conflict could increase volatility and uncertainty in the financial markets and adversely affect regional and global economies. The United States and other countries have imposed broad-ranging economic sanctions on Russia, certain Russian individuals, banking entities and corporations, and Belarus as a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and may impose sanctions on other countries that provide military or economic support to Russia. The extent and duration of Russia’s military actions and the repercussions of such actions (including any retaliatory actions or countermeasures that may be taken by those subject to sanctions, including cyber-attacks) are impossible to predict, but could result in significant market disruptions, including in certain industries or sectors, such as the oil and natural gas markets, and may negatively affect global supply chains, inflation and global growth.
Similarly, escalations beginning in October 2023 of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict present a potential risk for wider conflict that could negatively affect financial markets due to a myriad of interconnected factors. This conflict could disrupt regional trade and supply chains, potentially affecting U.S. businesses with exposure to the region. For example, the Red Sea crisis has led to disruption of international maritime trade and the global supply chain, which has had a direct impact on countries and regions that rely on such routes for the supply of energy and/or food and companies that typically ship goods or receive components by way of the Red Sea. Additionally, the Middle East plays a pivotal role in the global energy sector, and prolonged instability could impact oil prices, leading to increased costs for businesses and consumers. Furthermore, the U.S.’s diplomatic ties and commitments in the region mean that it might become more directly involved, either diplomatically or militarily, diverting attention and resources. These and any related events could significantly impact the Fund’s performance and the value of an investment in the Fund, even if the Fund does not have direct exposure.
SAI-4
A discussion of some of the other risks associated with investments in the Fund is contained in the Fund’s Prospectus.
Absence of a Prior Active Market. Although the Fund’s Shares are approved for listing on a national securities exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop and be maintained for Fund Shares. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, and the Fund may ultimately liquidate.
The Fund is classified as a non-diversified investment company under the 1940 Act. A “non-diversified” classification means that the Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the percentage of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. This means that the Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. This may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s performance or subject the Fund’s Shares to greater price volatility than more diversified investment companies. Moreover, in pursuing its objective, the Fund may hold the securities of a single issuer in an amount exceeding 10% of the value of the outstanding securities of the issuer, subject to restrictions imposed by the Code. In particular, as the Fund’s size grows and its assets increase, it will be more likely to hold more than 10% of the securities of a single issuer if the issuer has a relatively small public float as compared to other holdings of the Fund.
Although the Fund is non-diversified for purposes of the 1940 Act, the Fund intends to maintain the required level of diversification and otherwise conduct its operations so as to qualify as a RIC for purposes of the Code. Compliance with the diversification requirements of the Code may limit the investment flexibility of the Fund and may make it less likely that the Fund will meet its investment objectives. See “U.S. Federal Income Taxes” in this SAI for further discussion.
Cyber Security Risk
As the use of technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund may be more susceptible to operational and financial risks associated with cyber security, including: theft, loss, misuse, improper release, corruption and destruction of, or unauthorized access to, confidential or highly restricted data relating to the Fund and its shareholders; and compromises or failures to systems, networks, devices and applications relating to the operations of the Fund and its service providers. Cyber security risks may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders; the inability of the Fund to transact business with its shareholders; delays or mistakes in the calculation of the Fund’s NAV or other materials provided to shareholders; the inability to process transactions with shareholders or other parties; violations of privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties and reputational damage; and compliance and remediation costs, legal fees and other expenses. The Fund’s service providers (including, but not limited to, its investment adviser, its sub-adviser, administrator, sub-administrator transfer agent, and custodian or their agents), financial intermediaries, companies in which the Fund invests and parties with which the Fund engages in portfolio or other transactions also may be adversely impacted by cyber security risks in their own businesses, which could result in losses to the Fund or its shareholders. While measures have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there is no guarantee that those measures will be effective, particularly since the Fund does not directly control the cyber security defenses or plans of their service providers, financial intermediaries and companies in which they invest or with which they do business.
SPECIFIC INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The following are descriptions of the Fund’s permitted investments and investment practices and the associated risk factors. The Fund will only invest in any of the following instruments or engage in any of the following investment practices if such investment or activity is consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and permitted by the Fund’s stated investment policies.
SAI-5
BORROWING. While the Fund does not intend to borrow for investment purposes, the Fund reserves the right to do so. Borrowing for investment purposes is a form of leverage. Leveraging investments, by purchasing securities with borrowed money, is a speculative technique that increases investment risk, but also increases investment opportunity. The Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including reverse repurchase agreements, which can be viewed as constituting a form of leveraging by the Fund. Leveraging will exaggerate the effect on the NAV of the Fund of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio. Because substantially all of the Fund’s assets will fluctuate in value, whereas the interest obligations on borrowings may be fixed, the NAV of the Fund will increase more when the Fund’s portfolio assets increase in value and decrease more when the Fund’s portfolio assets decrease in value than would otherwise be the case. Moreover, interest costs on borrowings may fluctuate with changing market rates of interest and may partially offset or exceed the returns on the borrowed funds. Under adverse conditions, the Fund might have to sell portfolio securities to meet interest or principal payments at a time when investment considerations would not favor such sales. Generally, the Fund would use this form of leverage during periods when the Adviser or Sub-Adviser believes that the Fund’s investment objective would be furthered.
The Fund also may borrow money to facilitate management of the Fund’s portfolio by enabling the Fund to meet redemption requests when the liquidation of portfolio instruments would be inconvenient or disadvantageous. Such borrowing is not for investment purposes and will be repaid by the Fund promptly. As required by the 1940 Act, the Fund must maintain continuous asset coverage (total assets, including assets acquired with borrowed funds, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of all amounts borrowed. If, at any time, the value of the Fund’s assets should fail to meet this 300% coverage test, the Fund, within three days (not including Sundays and holidays), will reduce the amount of the Fund’s borrowings to the extent necessary to meet this 300% coverage requirement. Maintenance of this percentage limitation may result in the sale of portfolio securities at a time when investment considerations otherwise indicate that it would be disadvantageous to do so.
In addition to the foregoing, the Fund is authorized to borrow money as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes in amounts not in excess of 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets. Borrowings for extraordinary or emergency purposes are not subject to the foregoing 300% asset coverage requirement. While the Fund does not anticipate doing so, the Fund is authorized to pledge (i.e., transfer a security interest in) portfolio securities in an amount up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets in connection with any borrowing.
COMMERCIAL PAPER. The Fund may invest in high-quality, short-term commercial paper. Commercial paper is the term used to designate unsecured, short-term promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities. Maturities on these issues vary from a few days up to 270 days. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in commercial paper.
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 or other equity securities, 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 equity securities). 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 therefore 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 price of a convertible security may be greater than the value of the underlying common stock.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS. To the extent the Fund invests in stocks of foreign corporations, the Fund’s investment in such stocks may be in the form of Depositary Receipts or other similar securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. Depositary Receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) are receipts typically issued by an American bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) are receipts issued in Europe that evidence a similar ownership arrangement. Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) are receipts issued throughout the world that evidence a similar arrangement. Non-Voting Depository Receipts (“NVDRs”) are receipts issued in Thailand that evidence a similar arrangement. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets, and EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and in Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. NVDRs are tradable on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
SAI-6
The Fund will not invest in any unlisted Depositary Receipts or any Depositary Receipt that the Adviser or Sub-Adviser deems to be illiquid or for which pricing information is not readily available. In addition, all Depositary Receipts generally must be sponsored; however, the Fund may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts under certain limited circumstances. If a Depositary Receipt does not exist for that issuer and they are unwilling to support the creation of the Depositary Receipt the Registrant may seek the support of a bank in order to gain this exposure. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States, and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts.
EQUITY SECURITIES. Equity securities, such as common stock, represent ownership interests in a company. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds and preferred stock take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock. Investments in equity securities are subject to market risks, which may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Further, fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which the Fund invests will cause the net asset value of the Fund to fluctuate.
While investing in stocks allows investors to participate in the benefits of owning a company, such investors must accept the risks of ownership. Unlike bondholders, who have preference to a company’s earnings and cash flow, preferred stockholders, followed by common stockholders in order of priority, are entitled only to the residual amount after a company meets its other obligations. For this reason, the value of a company’s stock will usually react more strongly to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects than its debt obligations. Stockholders of a company that fares poorly can lose money.
Stock markets tend to move in cycles with short or extended periods of rising and falling stock prices. The value of a company’s stock may fall because of:
| · | Factors that directly relate to that company, such as decisions made by its management or lower demand for the company’s products or services; |
| · | Factors affecting an entire industry, such as increases in production costs; and |
| · | Changes in general financial market conditions that are relatively unrelated to the company or its industry, such as changes in interest rates, currency exchange rates or inflation rates. |
When-Issued Securities – A when-issued security is one whose terms are available and for which a market exists, but which has not been issued. When the Fund engages in when-issued transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the sale. If the other party fails to complete the sale, the Fund may miss the opportunity to obtain the security at a favorable price or yield.
When purchasing a security on a when-issued basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield changes. At the time of settlement, the value of the security may be more or less than the purchase price. The yield available in the market when the delivery takes place also may be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself. Because the Fund does not pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with its other investments.
Types of Equity Securities:
Common Stocks — Common stocks represent units of ownership in a company. Common stocks usually carry voting rights and earn dividends. Unlike preferred stocks, which are described below, dividends on common stocks are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the company’s board of directors.
Preferred Stocks — Preferred stocks are also units of ownership in a company. Preferred stocks normally have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of the company. However, in all other respects, preferred stocks are subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer. Unlike common stocks, preferred stocks are generally not entitled to vote on corporate matters. Types of preferred stocks include adjustable-rate preferred stock, fixed dividend preferred stock, perpetual preferred stock, and sinking fund preferred stock.
SAI-7
Generally, the market values of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element vary inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk.
Rights and Warrants — A right is a privilege granted to existing shareholders of a corporation to subscribe to shares of a new issue of common stock before it is issued. Rights normally have a short life of usually two to four weeks, are freely transferable and entitle the holder to buy the new common stock at a lower price than the public offering price. Warrants are securities that are usually issued together with a debt security or preferred stock and that give the holder the right to buy proportionate amount of common stock at a specified price. Warrants are freely transferable and are traded on major exchanges. Unlike rights, warrants normally have a life that is measured in years and entitles the holder to buy common stock of a company at a price that is usually higher than the market price at the time the warrant is issued. Corporations often issue warrants to make the accompanying debt security more attractive.
An investment in warrants and rights may entail greater risks than certain other types of investments. Generally, rights and warrants do not carry the right to receive dividends or exercise voting rights with respect to the underlying securities, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. In addition, their value does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities, and they cease to have value if they are not exercised on or before their expiration date. Investing in rights and warrants increases the potential profit or loss to be realized from the investment as compared with investing the same amount in the underlying securities.
Smaller Companies — The securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of larger-capitalization companies. The securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Some small- or mid-capitalization companies have limited product lines, markets, and financial and managerial resources and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets relative to larger capitalization companies. There is typically less publicly available information concerning small- and mid-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies. Small- and mid-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs, and earnings.
Larger Companies — Investments in large capitalization securities as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Fund to underperform investments that focus on small- or medium-capitalization securities. Larger, more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow more slowly than smaller companies.
ETFs. ETFs are pooled investment vehicles whose ownership interests are purchased and sold on a securities exchange. ETFs may be structured investment companies, depositary receipts or other pooled investment vehicles. As shareholders of an ETF, the Fund will bear their pro rata portion of any fees and expenses of the ETFs. Although shares of ETFs are traded on an exchange, shares of certain ETFs may not be redeemable to the ETF. In addition, ETFs may trade at a price below their net asset value (also known as a discount).
ETFs may be structured as broad based ETFs that invest in a broad group of stocks from different industries and market sectors; select sectors; or market ETFs that invest in debt securities from a select sector of the economy (e.g., Treasury securities) a single industry or related industries; other types of ETFs continue to be developed and the Fund may invest in them to the extent consistent with their investment objectives, policies and restrictions. The ETFs in which the Fund invest are subject to the risks applicable to the types of securities and investments used by the ETFs.
ETFs may be actively managed or index-based. Actively managed ETFs are subject to management risk and may not achieve their objective if the ETF’s manager’s expectations regarding particular securities or markets are not met. An index based ETF’s objective is to track the performance of a specified index. Index based ETFs invest in a securities portfolio that includes substantially all of the securities in substantially the same amount as the securities included in the designated index. Because passively managed ETFs are designed to track an index, securities may be purchased, retained and sold at times when an actively managed ETF would not do so. As a result, shareholders of the Fund that invest in such an ETF can expect greater risk of loss (and a correspondingly greater prospect of gain) from changes in the value of securities that are heavily weighted in the index than would be the case if ETF were not fully invested in such securities. This risk is increased if a few component securities represent a highly concentrated weighting in the designated index.
SAI-8
Unless permitted by the 1940 Act or an order or rule issued by the SEC (see “Investment Companies” below for more information), the Fund’s investments in unaffiliated ETFs that are structured as investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act are subject to certain percentage limitations of the 1940 Act regarding investments in other investment companies. As a general matter, these percentage limitations currently require the Fund to limit its investments in any one issue of ETFs to 5% of the Fund’s total assets and 3% of the outstanding voting securities of the ETF issue. Moreover, the Fund’s investments in all ETFs may not currently exceed 10% of the Fund’s total assets under the 1940 Act, when aggregated with all other investments in investment companies. ETFs that are not structured as investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act are not subject to these percentage limitations.
FIXED INCOME SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in fixed income securities. Even though interest-bearing securities are investments that promise a stable stream of income, the prices of such securities are affected by changes in interest rates. In general, fixed income security prices rise when interest rates fall and fall when interest rates rise. Securities with shorter maturities, while offering lower yields, generally provide greater price stability than longer term securities and are less affected by changes in interest rates. The values of fixed income securities also may be affected by changes in the credit rating or financial condition of the issuing entities. Once the rating of a portfolio security has been changed, the Fund will consider all circumstances deemed relevant in determining whether to continue to hold the security.
Fixed income investments bear certain risks, including credit risk, or the ability of an issuer to pay interest and principal as they become due. Generally, higher yielding bonds are subject to more credit risk than lower yielding bonds. Interest rate risk refers to the fluctuations in value of fixed income securities resulting from the inverse relationship between the market value of outstanding fixed income securities and changes in interest rates. An increase in interest rates will generally reduce the market value of fixed income investments and a decline in interest rates will tend to increase their value.
Call risk is the risk that an issuer will pay principal on an obligation earlier than scheduled or expected, which would accelerate cash flows from, and shorten the average life of, the security. Bonds are typically called when interest rates have declined because the issuer can refinance at a lower rate, similar to a homeowner refinancing a mortgage. In the event of a bond being called, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser may have to reinvest the proceeds in lower yielding securities to the detriment of the Fund.
Extension risk is the risk that an issuer may pay principal on an obligation slower than expected, having the effect of extending the average life and duration of the obligation. This typically happens when interest rates have increased.
Duration is a calculation that seeks to measure the price sensitivity of a debt security, or the Fund that invests in debt securities, to changes in interest rates. It measures sensitivity more accurately than maturity because it takes into account the time value of cash flows generated over the life of a debt security. Future interest payments and principal payments are discounted to reflect their present value and then are multiplied by the number of years they will be received to produce a value expressed in years – the duration. Effective duration takes into account call features and sinking Fund prepayments that may shorten the life of a debt security. A number of factors, including changes in a central bank’s monetary policies or general improvements in the economy, may cause interest rates to rise. Fixed income securities with longer durations are more sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with shorter durations, making them more volatile. This means their prices are more likely to experience a considerable reduction in response to a rise in interest rates.
When investing in fixed income securities, the Fund may purchase securities regardless of their rating, including fixed income securities rated below investment grade – securities rated below investment grade are often referred to as high yield securities or “junk bonds”. High yield securities or “junk bonds,” are usually issued by smaller, less credit-worthy and/or highly leveraged (indebted companies) and involve special risks in addition to the risks associated with investments in higher rated fixed income securities. While offering a greater potential opportunity for capital appreciation and higher yields, high yield securities may be subject to greater levels of interest rate, credit and liquidity risk, may entail greater potential price volatility, and may be less liquid than higher rated fixed income securities. High yield securities may be regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. They may also be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than higher rated securities. Fixed income securities rated in the lowest investment grade categories by the rating agencies may also possess speculative characteristics. If securities are in default with respect to the payment of interest or the repayment of principal, or present an imminent risk of default with respect to such payments, the issuer of such securities may fail to resume principal or interest payments, in which case the Fund may lose its entire investment in the high yield security. In addition, to the extent that there is no established retail secondary market, there may be thin trading of high yield securities, and this may have an impact on the Fund’s ability to accurately value high yield securities and the Fund’s assets and on the Fund’s ability to dispose of the securities. Adverse publicity and investor perception, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of high yield securities especially in a thinly traded market.
SAI-9
FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES RATINGS. Nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (together, rating agency) publish ratings based upon their assessment of the relative creditworthiness of rated fixed-income securities. Generally, a lower rating indicates higher credit risk, and higher yields are ordinarily available from fixed-income securities in the lower rating categories to compensate investors for the increased credit risk. Any use of credit ratings in evaluating fixed-income securities can involve certain risks. For example, ratings assigned by the rating agencies are based upon an analysis completed at the time of the rating of the obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal, typically relying to a large extent on historical data. Rating agencies typically rely to a large extent on historical data which may not accurately represent present or future circumstances. Ratings do not purport to reflect to risk of fluctuations in market value of the fixed-income security and are not absolute standards of quality and only express the rating agency’s current opinion of an obligor’s overall financial capacity to pay its financial obligations. A credit rating is not a statement of fact or a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a fixed-income obligation. Also, credit quality can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and credit ratings may not reflect the issuer’s current financial condition or events since the security was last rated. Rating agencies may have a financial interest in generating business, including the arranger or issuer of the security that normally pays for that rating, and a low rating might affect future business. While rating agencies have policies and procedures to address this potential conflict of interest, there is a risk that these policies will fail to prevent a conflict of interest from impacting the rating. Additionally, legislation has been enacted in an effort to reform rating agencies. The SEC has also adopted rules to require rating agencies to provide additional disclosure and reduce conflicts of interest, and further reform has been proposed. It is uncertain how such legislation or additional regulation might impact the ratings agencies business and the Adviser’s or Sub-Adviser’s investment process.
Prepayment risk occurs when a fixed-income investment held by the Fund may be repaid in whole or in part prior to its maturity. The amount of prepayable obligations the Fund invests in from time to time may be affected by general business conditions, market interest rates, borrowers’ financial conditions and competitive conditions among lenders. In a period of declining interest rates, borrowers may repay investments more quickly than anticipated, reducing the yield to maturity and the average life of the relevant investment. Moreover, when the Fund reinvests the proceeds of a prepayment in these circumstances, it will likely receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the security that was prepaid. To the extent that the Fund purchases a relevant investment at a premium, prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. If the Fund buys such investments at a discount, both scheduled payments and unscheduled prepayments will increase current and total returns and unscheduled prepayments will also accelerate the recognition of income. In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments of investments may occur at a slower than expected rate, creating maturity extension risk. This particular risk may effectively change an investment that was considered short- or intermediate-term at the time of purchase into a longer-term investment. Since the value of longer-term investments generally fluctuates more widely in response to changes in interest rates than short-term investments, maturity extension risk could increase the volatility of the Fund. When interest rates decline, the value of an investment with prepayment features may not increase as much as that of other fixed-income securities and, as noted above, changes in market rates of interest may accelerate or delay prepayments and thus affect maturities.
ILLIQUID INVESTMENTS. The Fund may invest up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, as such term is defined by Rule 22e-4 of the 1940 Act. The Fund may not invest in illiquid investments if, as a result of such investment, more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets would be invested in illiquid investments. Illiquid investments include securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that lack readily available markets. The inability of the Fund to dispose of illiquid or not readily marketable investments readily or at a reasonable price could impair the Fund’s ability to raise cash for redemptions or other purposes. The liquidity of securities purchased by the Fund which are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A, except for certain 144A bonds, will be monitored by the Fund on an ongoing basis. In the event that more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets are invested in illiquid investments, the Fund, in accordance with Rule 22e-4(b)(1(iv), will report the occurrence to both the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) and the SEC and seek to reduce its holdings of illiquid investments within a reasonable period of time. Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act, the Fund has adopted a liquidity risk management program to assess and manage its liquidity risk. This program is intended to reduce liquidity risk, but may not achieve the desired results. Analyses and judgments made under the program may be incorrect, and changes in market conditions, which may be rapid and unexpected, may adversely affect the program.
SAI-10
INVESTMENT COMPANIES. The Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies, including money market funds and ETFs, subject to applicable limitations under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act and Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. Investing in another pooled vehicle exposes the Fund to all the risks of that pooled vehicle. Pursuant to Section 12(d)(1), the Fund may invest in the securities of another investment company (the “acquired company”) provided that the Fund, immediately after such purchase or acquisition, does not own in the aggregate: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired company; (ii) securities issued by the acquired company having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund; or (iii) securities issued by the acquired company and all other investment companies (other than treasury stock of the Fund) having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the Fund. To the extent allowed by law or regulation, the Fund may invest its assets in securities of investment companies that are money market funds in excess of the limits discussed above.
If the Fund invests in and, thus, is a shareholder of, another investment company, the Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by such other investment company, including advisory fees, in addition to both the management fees payable directly by the Fund to the Fund’s own investment adviser and the other expenses that the Fund bears directly in connection with the Fund’s own operations.
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in securities of other registered investment companies, including the Fund. The acquisition of Shares by registered investment companies is subject to the restrictions of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except as may be permitted by exemptive rules under the 1940 Act or as may be permitted by an exemptive order that permits registered investment companies to invest in the Fund beyond the limits of Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company enter into an agreement with the Fund regarding the terms of the investment.
The Fund may rely on Section 12(d)(1)(F) and Rule 12d1-3 of the 1940 Act, which provide an exemption from Section 12(d)(1) that allows the Fund to invest all of its assets in other registered funds, including ETFs, if, among other conditions: (a) the Fund, together with its affiliates, acquires no more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any acquired fund, and (b) the sales load charged on Shares is no greater than the limits set forth in Rule 2341 of the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). Additionally, the Fund may rely on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act to invest in such other funds in excess of the limits of Section 12(d)(1) if the Fund complies with the terms and conditions of the rule.
LENDING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain creditworthy borrowers in U.S. and non-U.S. markets in an amount not to exceed one third (33 1/3%) of the value of its total assets. The borrowers provide collateral that is maintained in an amount at least equal to the current value of the securities loaned. The Fund may terminate a loan at any time and obtain the return of the securities loaned. The Fund receives the value of any interest or cash or non-cash distributions paid on the loaned securities. Distributions received on loaned securities in lieu of dividend payments (i.e., substitute payments) would not be considered qualified dividend income.
With respect to loans that are collateralized by cash, the borrower will be entitled to receive a fee based on the amount of cash collateral. The Fund is compensated by the difference between the amount earned on the reinvestment of cash collateral and the fee paid to the borrower. In the case of collateral other than cash, the Fund is compensated by a fee paid by the borrower equal to a percentage of the value of the loaned securities. Any cash collateral may be reinvested in certain short-term instruments either directly on behalf of the lending fund or through one or more joint accounts, money market funds, or other investment companies (including ETFs) which may include those managed by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser.
SAI-11
The Fund may pay a portion of the interest or fees earned from securities lending to a borrower as described above, and to one or more securities lending agents approved by the Board who administer the lending program for the Fund in accordance with guidelines approved by the Board. In such capacity, the lending agent causes the delivery of loaned securities from the Fund to borrowers, arranges for the return of loaned securities to the Fund at the termination of a loan, requests deposit of collateral, monitors the daily value of the loaned securities and collateral, requests that borrowers add to the collateral when required by the loan agreements, and provides recordkeeping and accounting services necessary for the operation of the program.
Securities lending involves exposure to certain risks, including operational risk (i.e., the risk of losses resulting from problems in the settlement and accounting process), “gap” risk (i.e., the risk of a mismatch between the return on cash collateral reinvestments and the fees the Fund has agreed to pay a borrower), and credit, legal, counterparty and market risk. In the event a borrower does not return the Fund’s securities as agreed, the Fund may experience losses if the proceeds received from liquidating the collateral do not at least equal the value of the loaned security at the time the collateral is liquidated plus the transaction costs incurred in purchasing replacement securities.
The Fund will generally seek to recall securities on loan to vote on matters if the result of the vote may materially affect the investment. However, in some circumstances the Fund may be unable to recall the securities in time to vote or may determine that the benefits to the Fund of voting are outweighed by the direct or indirect costs of such a recall. In these circumstances, loaned securities may be voted or not voted in a manner adverse to the best interests of the Fund.
MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS. The Fund may invest a portion of their assets in high-quality money market instruments or in money market mutual funds on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. The instruments in which the Fund or money market mutual fund may invest include: (i) short-term obligations issued by the U.S. Government; (ii) negotiable certificates of deposit (“CDs”), fixed time deposits and bankers’ acceptances of U.S. and foreign banks and similar institutions; (iii) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase “Prime-1” by Moody’s or “A-1+” or “A-1” by Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Fund; and (iv) repurchase agreements. CDs are short-term negotiable obligations of commercial banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Banker’s acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.
NON-U.S. SECURITIES. Investments in non-U.S. equity securities involve certain risks that may not be present in investments in U.S. securities. For example, non-U.S. securities may be subject to currency risks or to foreign government taxes. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than about a U.S. issuer, and a foreign issuer may or may not be subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those in the U.S. Other risks of investing in such securities include political or economic instability in the country involved, the difficulty of predicting international trade patterns and the possibility of imposition of exchange controls. The prices of such securities may be more volatile than those of domestic securities. With respect to certain foreign countries, there is a possibility of expropriation of assets or nationalization, imposition of withholding taxes on dividend or interest payments, difficulty in obtaining and enforcing judgments against foreign entities or diplomatic developments which could affect investment in these countries. Losses and other expenses may be incurred in converting between various currencies in connection with purchases and sales of foreign securities.
Non-U.S. stock markets may not be as developed or efficient as, and may be more volatile than, those in the U.S. While the volume of shares traded on non-U.S. stock markets generally has been growing, such markets usually have substantially less volume than U.S. markets. Therefore, the Fund’s investment in non-U.S. equity securities may be less liquid and subject to more rapid and erratic price movements than comparable securities listed for trading on U.S. exchanges. Non-U.S. equity securities may trade at price/earnings multiples higher than comparable U.S. securities and such levels may not be sustainable. There may be less government supervision and regulation of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, banks and listed companies abroad than in the U.S. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets. Such differences may include delays beyond periods customary in the U.S. and practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, that increase the likelihood of a failed settlement, which can result in losses to the Fund. The value of non-U.S. investments and the investment income derived from them may also be affected unfavorably by changes in currency exchange control regulations. Foreign brokerage commissions, custodial expenses and other fees are also generally higher than for securities traded in the U.S. This may cause the Fund to incur higher portfolio transaction costs than domestic equity funds. Fluctuations in exchange rates may also affect the earning power and asset value of the foreign entity issuing a security, even one denominated in U.S. dollars. Dividend and interest payments may be repatriated based on the exchange rate at the time of disbursement, and restrictions on capital flows may be imposed.
SAI-12
Investing in emerging markets (i.e. those that generally are in the early stages of their industrial cycles) can have more risk than investing in developed foreign markets. The risks of investing in these markets may be exacerbated relative to investments in foreign markets. Governments of developing and emerging market countries may be more unstable as compared to more developed countries. Developing and emerging market countries may have less developed securities markets or exchanges, and legal and accounting systems. It may be more difficult to sell securities at acceptable prices and security prices may be more volatile than in countries with more mature markets. Currency values may fluctuate more in developing or emerging markets. Developing or emerging market countries may be more likely to impose government restrictions, including confiscatory taxation, expropriation or nationalization of a company’s assets, and restrictions on foreign ownership of local companies. In addition, emerging markets may impose restrictions on the Fund’s ability to repatriate investment income or capital and thus, may adversely affect the operations of the Fund. Certain emerging markets may impose constraints on currency exchange and some currencies in emerging markets may have been devalued significantly against the U.S. dollar. For these and other reasons, the prices of securities in emerging markets can fluctuate more significantly than the prices of securities of companies in developed countries. The less developed the country, the greater effect these risks may have on the Fund.
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS. A REIT is a corporation or business trust (that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation) which meets the definitional requirements of the Code. The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct from its taxable income the dividends it paid, thereby effectively eliminating U.S. federal income tax. To meet the definitional requirements of the Code, a REIT must, among other things: invest substantially all of its assets in interests in real estate (including mortgages and other REITs), cash and government securities; derive most of its income from rents from real property or interest on loans secured by mortgages on real property; and, in general, distribute annually 90% or more of its taxable income (other than net capital gains) to shareholders.
REITs are sometimes informally characterized as Equity REITs and Mortgage REITs. An Equity REIT invests primarily in the fee ownership or leasehold ownership of land and buildings (e.g., commercial equity REITs and residential equity REITs); a Mortgage REIT invests primarily in mortgages on real property, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans.
REITs may be affected by changes in underlying real estate values, which may have an exaggerated effect to the extent that REITs in which the Fund invests may concentrate investments in particular geographic regions or property types. Additionally, rising interest rates may cause investors in REITs to demand a higher annual yield from future distributions, which may in turn decrease market prices for equity securities issued by REITs. Rising interest rates also generally increase the costs of obtaining financing, which could cause the value of the Fund’s investments to decline. During periods of declining interest rates, certain Mortgage REITs may hold mortgages that the mortgagors elect to prepay, which prepayment may diminish the yield on securities issued by such Mortgage REITs. In addition, Mortgage REITs may be affected by the ability of borrowers to repay when due the debt extended by the REIT and Equity REITs may be affected by the ability of tenants to pay rent.
Certain REITs have relatively small market capitalization, which may tend to increase the volatility of the market price of securities issued by such REITs. Furthermore, REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. By investing in REITs indirectly through the Fund, a shareholder will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the REITs. REITs depend generally on their ability to generate cashflow to make distributions to shareholders.
In addition to these risks, Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while Mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. Further, Equity and Mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skills and generally may not be diversified. Equity and Mortgage REITs are also subject to heavy cashflow dependency defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, Equity and Mortgage REITs could possibly fail to qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally available to REITs under the Code or fail to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. The above factors may also adversely affect a borrower’s or a lessee’s ability to meet its obligations to the REIT. In the event of default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments.
SAI-13
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with counterparties that are deemed to present acceptable credit risks. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases securities or other obligations from a bank or securities dealer (or its affiliate) and simultaneously commits to resell them to a counterparty at an agreed-upon date or upon demand and at a price reflecting a market rate of interest unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased obligations. The Fund maintains custody of the underlying obligations prior to their repurchase, either through its regular custodian or through a special “tri-party” custodian or sub-custodian that maintains separate accounts for both the Fund and its counterparty. Thus, the obligation of the counterparty to pay the repurchase price on the date agreed to or upon demand is, in effect, secured by such obligations.
Repurchase agreements carry certain risks not associated with direct investments in securities, including a possible decline in the market value of the underlying obligations. If their value becomes less than the repurchase price, plus any agreed-upon additional amount, the counterparty must provide additional collateral so that at all times the collateral is at least equal to the repurchase price plus any agreed-upon additional amount. The difference between the total amount to be received upon repurchase of the obligations and the price that was paid by the Fund upon acquisition is accrued as interest and included in its net investment income. Repurchase agreements involving obligations other than U.S. Government securities (such as commercial paper and corporate bonds) may be subject to special risks and may not have the benefit of certain protections in the event of the counterparty’s insolvency. If the seller or guarantor becomes insolvent, the Fund may suffer delays, costs and possible losses in connection with the disposition of collateral.
TEMPORARY INVESTMENTS. The Fund may take temporary defensive measures that are inconsistent with the Fund’s normal fundamental or non–fundamental investment policies and strategies in response to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions as determined by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser. Such measures could include, but are not limited to, investments in (1) highly liquid short–term fixed income securities issued by or on behalf of municipal or corporate issuers, obligations of the U.S. Government and its agencies, commercial paper, and bank certificates of deposit; (2) repurchase agreements involving any such securities; and (3) other money market instruments. The Fund may also invest in shares of money market mutual funds to the extent permitted under applicable law. Money market mutual funds are investment companies, and the investments in those companies by the Fund are in some cases subject to certain fundamental investment restrictions. As a shareholder in a mutual fund, the Fund will bear their ratable share of their expenses, including management fees, and will remain subject to payment of the fees to the Adviser, with respect to assets so invested. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective during temporary defensive periods.
TRACKING STOCKS. The Fund may invest in tracking stocks. A tracking stock is a separate class of common stock whose value is linked to a specific business unit or operating division within a larger company and which is designed to “track” the performance of such business unit or division. The tracking stock may pay dividends to shareholders independent of the parent company. The parent company, rather than the business unit or division, generally is the issuer of tracking stock. However, holders of the tracking stock may not have the same rights as holders of the company’s common stock.
U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in U.S. government securities to the extent consistent with its investment objective and strategies. Not all U.S. government obligations carry the same credit support. Although many U.S. government securities in which the fund may invest, such as those issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may be chartered or sponsored by Acts of Congress, their securities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury and, therefore, are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Some, such as those of Ginnie Mae, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Other obligations, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; and others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agency’s obligations. Still others are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality or sponsored enterprise. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.
SAI-14
As agency of the U.S. government has placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorship, a statutory process with the objective of returning the entities to normal business operations. It is unclear what effect this conservatorship will have on the securities issued or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. As a result, these securities are subject to more credit risk than U.S. government securities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (e.g., U.S. Treasury bonds).
To the extent the Fund invests in debt instruments or securities of non-U.S. government entities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is a possibility that such guarantee may be discontinued or modified at a later date.
On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury announced a federal takeover of Fannie Mae and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), placing the two federal instrumentalities in conservatorship. Under the takeover, the U.S. Treasury agreed to acquire $1 billion of senior preferred stock of each instrumentality and obtained warrants for the purchase of common stock of each instrumentality (the “Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement” or “Agreement”). Under the Agreement, the U.S. Treasury pledged to provide up to $200 billion per instrumentality as needed, including the contribution of cash capital to the instrumentalities in the event their liabilities exceed their assets. This was intended to ensure that the instrumentalities maintain a positive net worth and meet their financial obligations, preventing mandatory triggering of receivership. On December 24, 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was amending the Agreement to allow the $200 billion cap on the U.S. Treasury’s funding commitment to increase as necessary to accommodate any cumulative reduction in net worth over the next three years. As a result of this Agreement, the investments of holders, including the Fund, of mortgage-backed securities and other obligations issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are protected.
The total public debt of the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product has grown rapidly since the beginning of the 2008-2009 financial downturn. Although high debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, they may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high national debt can raise concerns that the U.S. government will not be able to make principal or interest payments when they are due. In August 2011, S&P lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating on the U.S. In explaining the downgrade at that time, S&P cited, among other reasons, controversy over raising the statutory debt limit and growth in public spending. In August 2023, Fitch Ratings also downgraded its U.S. debt rating from AAA to AA+, citing expected fiscal deterioration over the next three years and repeated down-to-the-wire debt ceiling negotiations. While Moody’s sovereign credit rating for the U.S. remains AAA, the agency changed the outlook from stable to negative in November 2023, signaling an increased risk of the potential for a downgrade.
An increase in national debt levels also may necessitate the need for the U.S. Congress to negotiate adjustments to the statutory debt ceiling to increase the cap on the amount the U.S. government is permitted to borrow to meet its existing obligations and finance current budget deficits. Future downgrades could increase volatility in domestic and foreign financial markets, result in higher interest rates, lower prices of U.S. Treasury securities and increase the costs of different kinds of debt. Any controversy or ongoing uncertainty regarding the statutory debt ceiling negotiations may impact the U.S. long-term sovereign credit rating and may cause market uncertainty. As a result, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government may be adversely affected.
Risk of Investing in the United States. Certain changes in the U.S. economy, such as when the U.S. economy weakens or when its financial markets decline, may have an adverse effect on the securities to which the Fund have exposure. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations, and/or an economic recession in the United States may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative changes in the United States are changing many aspects of financial and other regulation and may have a significant effect on the U.S. markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities. In addition, a continued rise in the U.S. public debt level or the imposition of U.S. austerity measures may adversely affect U.S. economic growth and the securities to which the Fund has exposure. The United States has developed increasingly strained relations with a number of foreign countries. If relations with certain countries continue to worsen, it could adversely affect U.S. issuers as well as non-U.S. issuers that rely on the United States for trade. The United States has also experienced increased internal unrest and discord. If this trend were to continue, it may have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy and the issuers in which the Fund invests.
SAI-15
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. The Board may, in the future, authorize the Fund to invest in securities contracts and investments other than those listed in this SAI and in the Fund’s Prospectus, provided they are consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and do not violate any investment restrictions or policies.
The Trust has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to the Fund. These restrictions cannot be changed with respect to the Fund without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. For the purposes of the 1940 Act, a “majority of outstanding shares” means the vote of the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the voting securities of the Fund present at the meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, the Fund may not:
| 1. | Invest more than 25% of the value of its net assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry or group of industries. The limitation against industry concentration does not apply to investments in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or to shares of investment companies; however, the Fund will not invest more than 25% of its net assets in any investment company that so concentrates. In complying with this restriction, the Fund will not consider a bank-issued guaranty or financial guaranty insurance as a separate security. |
| 2. | Borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. |
| 3. | Lend any security or make any other loan, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time. |
| 4. | Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. This shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate, real estate investment trusts or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business. |
| 5. | Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. This shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities. |
| 6. | Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. |
If a percentage or rating restriction on an investment or use of assets set forth herein or in the Prospectus is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected and later changes in such percentages or restrictions resulting from any cause other than actions by the Fund, it will not be considered a violation. Currently, subject to modification to conform to the 1940 Act as interpreted or modified, the Fund is permitted, consistent with the 1940 Act, to borrow, and pledge its shares to secure such borrowing, provided, that immediately thereafter there is asset coverage of at least 300% for all borrowings by the Fund from a bank. If borrowings exceed this 300% asset coverage requirement by reason of a decline in net assets of the Fund, the Fund will reduce its borrowings within three days (not including Sundays and holidays) to the extent necessary to comply with the 300% asset coverage requirement. The 1940 Act also permits the Fund to borrow for temporary purposes only in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time when the loan is made. A loan shall be presumed to be for temporary purposes if it is repaid within 60 days and is not extended or renewed. To the extent outstanding borrowings of the Fund exceed 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund, the Fund will not make additional purchases of securities - the foregoing shall not be construed to prevent the Fund from settling portfolio transactions or satisfying shareholder redemptions orders.
SAI-16
Currently, with respect to senior securities, the 1940 Act and regulatory interpretations of relevant provisions of the 1940 Act establish the following general limits, subject to modification to conform to the 1940 Act as interpreted or modified: open-end registered investment companies, such as the Fund, are not permitted to issue any class of senior security or to sell any senior security of which they are the issuers. The Trust is, however, permitted to issue separate series of shares and to divide those series into separate classes. The Fund currently offers one class of shares. The Fund has no intention of issuing senior securities, except that the Trust has issued its shares in separate series and may divide those series into classes of shares. Collateral arrangements with respect to forward contracts, futures contracts or options, including deposits of initial and variation margin, are not considered to be the issuance of a senior security for purposes of this restriction.
With respect to the Fund’s Investment Limitation #1 as described above, the Fund will consider, to the extent practicable and consistent with applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and applicable guidance from the staff of the SEC, investments of its underlying investment companies when determining its compliance with the policy.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing limitations, any investment company, whether organized as a trust, association or corporation, or a personal holding company, may be merged or consolidated with or acquired by the Trust, provided that if such merger, consolidation or acquisition results in an investment in the securities of any issuer prohibited by said paragraphs, the Trust shall, within ninety days after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or acquisition, dispose of all of the securities of such issuer so acquired or such portion thereof as shall bring the total investment therein within the limitations imposed by said paragraphs above as of the date of consummation.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Board has adopted a policy on disclosure of portfolio holdings, which it believes is in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders. The policy requires that the Fund’s portfolio holdings be disclosed in a manner that: (i) is consistent with applicable legal requirements and is in the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders; (ii) does not put the interests of the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, or the Distributor, or any affiliated person of the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, or the Distributor, above those of the Fund’s shareholders; (iii) does not advantage any current or prospective Fund shareholder over any other current or prospective Fund shareholder, except to the extent that certain entities (as described below) may receive portfolio holdings information not available to other current or prospective Fund shareholders in connection with the dissemination of information necessary for transactions in Creation Units; and (iv) does not provide selective access to portfolio holdings information except pursuant to the procedures outlined below and to the extent appropriate confidentiality arrangements limiting the use of such information are in effect.
The “entities” referred to in sub-section (iii) above are generally limited to National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) members and subscribers to various fee-based subscription services, including Authorized Participants, and other institutional market participants and entities that provide information services.
Each business day portfolio holdings information will be provided to the Fund’s transfer agent or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee based subscription services, including Authorized Participants, and to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. Information with respect to a Fund’s portfolio holdings is also disseminated daily on the Fund’s website.
The transfer agent may also make available portfolio holdings information to other institutional market participants and entities that provide information services. This information typically reflects the Fund’s anticipated holdings on the following business day. Other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, portfolio holdings information that is not filed with the SEC or posted on the publicly available website may be provided to third parties only in limited circumstances, as described above.
SAI-17
Disclosure to providers of auditing, custody, proxy voting, liquidity risk management and other similar services for the Fund, broker-dealers that are involved in executing portfolio transactions on behalf of the Fund, as well as rating and ranking organizations, will generally be permitted; however, information may be disclosed to other third parties (including, without limitation, individuals, institutional investors, and Authorized Participants that sell shares of the Fund) only upon approval by the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”). The recipients who may receive non-public portfolio holdings information are as follows: the Adviser and its affiliates, the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, the Fund’s distributor, administrator, sub-administrator and custodian, the Fund’s legal counsel, the Fund’s financial printer and the Fund’s proxy voting service. These entities are obligated to keep such information confidential. Third-party providers of custodial or accounting services to the Fund may release non-public portfolio holdings information of the Fund only with the permission of the CCO.
The Fund will disclose its complete portfolio holdings in public filings with the SEC on a quarterly basis within 60 days of the end of the quarter, and will provide that information to shareholders, as required by federal securities laws and regulations thereunder. These filings are available, free of charge, on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Under the policy, the Board is to receive information, on a quarterly basis, regarding any other disclosures of non-public portfolio holdings information that were permitted during the preceding quarter.
In no event shall the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, or any other party receive any direct or indirect compensation in connection with the disclosure of information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings.
The method by which Creation Unit Aggregations of Shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Unit Aggregations of Shares are issued and sold on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Unit Aggregations after placing an order with the Trust’s Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares of the Fund are reminded that, pursuant to Rule 153 under the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with the sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.
Board Responsibilities. The management and affairs of the Trust and its series are overseen by the Board. The Board elects the officers of the Trust who are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the Trust and the Fund. The Board has approved contracts, as described below, under which certain companies provide essential services to the Trust.
SAI-18
Like most ETFs, the day-to-day business of the Trust, including the management of risk, is performed by third party service providers, such as the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Distributor and the administrator. The Trustees are responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, have oversight responsibility with respect to risk management performed by those service providers. Risk management seeks to identify and address risks, i.e., events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance or reputation of the Fund. The Fund and its service providers employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various of those possible events or circumstances, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each service provider is responsible for one or more discrete aspects of the Trust’s business (e.g., the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio investments) and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that business. The Board has emphasized to the Fund’s service providers the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management.
The Board’s role in risk oversight begins before the inception of the Fund, at which time certain of the Fund’s service providers present the Board with information concerning the investment objectives, strategies and risks of the Fund as well as proposed investment limitations for the Fund. Additionally, the Adviser and Sub-Adviser provide the Board with an overview of, among other things, its investment philosophy, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructure. Thereafter, the Board continues its oversight function as various personnel, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”), and other service providers such as the Fund’s independent accountants, make periodic reports to the Audit Committee or to the Board with respect to various aspects of risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee oversee efforts by management and service providers to manage risks to which the Fund may be exposed.
The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided to the Fund by the Adviser and Sub-Adviser and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis, in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Adviser and the Sub-Advisory Agreement with the Sub-Adviser, the Board meets with the Adviser and Sub-Adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Adviser’s and Sub-Adviser’s adherence to the Fund’s investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about the Fund’s performance and the Fund’s investments, including, for example, portfolio holdings schedules.
The Trust’s CCO reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues and Fund and adviser risk assessments. At least annually, the Trust’s CCO provides the Board with a report reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust’s policies and procedures and those of its service providers, including the Adviser and Sub-Adviser. The report addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Trust and each service provider since the date of the last report; any material changes to the policies and procedures since the date of the last report; any recommendations for material changes to the policies and procedures; and any material compliance matters since the date of the last report.
The Board receives reports from the Fund’s service providers regarding operational risks and risks related to the valuation and liquidity of portfolio securities. Annually, the independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of the Fund’s financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Fund and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Fund’s internal controls. Additionally, in connection with its oversight function, the Board oversees Fund management’s implementation of disclosure controls and procedures, which are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in its periodic reports with the SEC are recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the required time periods. The Board also oversees the Trust’s internal controls over financial reporting, which comprise policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Trust’s financial reporting and the preparation of the Trust’s financial statements.
From their review of these reports and discussions with the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, the CCO, the independent registered public accounting firm and other service providers, the Board and the Audit Committee learn in detail about the material risks of the Fund, thereby facilitating a dialogue about how management and service providers identify and mitigate those risks.
SAI-19
The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified and/or quantified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Fund’s goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Trustees as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. Most of the Fund’s investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, and other service providers, each of which has an independent interest in risk management but whose policies and the methods by which one or more risk management functions are carried out may differ from the Fund’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s ability to monitor and manage risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.
Members of the Board and Officers of the Trust. There are 4 members of the Board of Trustees, 3 of whom are not interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”). John F. de Benedetti serves as Chairman of the Board. There is an Audit Committee of the Board that is chaired by an Independent Trustee and comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee chair presides at the Committee meetings, participates in formulating agendas for Committee meetings, and coordinates with management to serve as a liaison between the Independent Trustees and management on matters within the scope of responsibilities of the Committee as set forth in its Board-approved charter. The Trust has determined its leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust. The Trust made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the number of Independent Trustees that constitute the Board, the amount of assets under management in the Trust, and the number of funds overseen by the Board. The Board also believes that its leadership structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Independent Trustees from Fund management.
The Board of Trustees has two standing committees: the Audit Committee and Nominating/Governance Committee. Each Committee is chaired by an Independent Trustee and composed of Independent Trustees.
The Audit Committee is comprised of all of the Independent Trustees. The function of the Audit Committee is to review the scope and results of the annual audit of the Fund and any matters bearing on the audit or the Fund’s financial statements and to ensure the integrity of the Fund’s financial reporting. The Audit Committee also recommends to the Board of Trustees the annual selection of the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund and it reviews and pre-approves audit and certain non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm.
The Nominating/Governance Committee, comprised of all the Independent Trustees, is responsible for seeking and reviewing candidates for consideration as nominees for Trustees. The Committee meets on an as needed basis. The Nominating/Governance Committee will accept and review shareholder nominations for Trustees, which may be submitted to the Trust by sending the nomination to the Trust’s Secretary, c/o Wedbush Series Trust, 225 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101.
Additional information about each Trustee of the Trust is set forth below. The address of each Trustee of the Trust is Secretary c/o Wedbush Series Trust, 225 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101.
| Name and Year of Birth |
Position(s) Held with the Trust |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen By Trustee |
Other Directorships held by Trustee During Past Five Years |
| Interested Trustee | |||||
| Geoff Bland* Born: 1962 |
Trustee | Indefinite; Since 2025 |
Chief Investment Officer, Wedbush Capital (since 2019); Board Member, Wedbush Financial Services (since 2020); Advisor, Wedbush Ventures (since 2020); Managing Director, Wedbush Capital Partners (2000-2023) | 2 | None |
SAI-20
| Name and Year of Birth |
Position(s) Held with the Trust |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen By Trustee |
Other Directorships held by Trustee During Past Five Years |
| Independent Trustees | |||||
| John F. de Benedetti Born: 1962 |
Trustee | Indefinite; Since 2025 |
Principal, JFD Advisors (since 2023); President and CEO, California Center for Sleep Disorders (2006-2023). | 2 | None |
|
J. Philip Ferguson Born: 1945 |
Trustee | Indefinite; Since 2025 |
Member, Investment Committee, Silver Ventures (since 2012-2024); Member, Board of Managers, Salient Partners (since 2012); Member, Investment Committee, Houston Endowment, Inc. (since 2014); Member, Investment Committee, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians (since 2016); Member, Investment Committee, Texas Health Resources (since 2016); Trustee USCA Fund Trust (2016-2024). |
2 | USCA Fund Trust |
|
Jennifer E. Hoopes Born: 1965 |
Trustee | Indefinite; Since 2025 |
Chief Legal Officer, Member of the Board, Surus, Inc./Surus Trust Company (asset management) (since 2024); General Counsel, Farm Together, Inc. (farmland asset management) (2022-2024); General Counsel, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (2007-2021). | 2 | Man ETF Series Trust; Oak Associates Funds; Liberty All-Star Equity Fund; Liberty All-Star Growth Fund |
*Mr. Bland is an interested Trustee because of his role as Chief Investment Officer at Wedbush Capital, an affiliate of the Adviser.
Individual Trustee Qualifications. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve on the Board because of their ability to review and understand information about the Fund provided to them by management, to identify and request other information they may deem relevant to the performance of their duties, to question management and other service providers regarding material factors bearing on the management and administration of the Fund, and to exercise their business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders. Additional considerations that led the Board to conclude that each individual serving as a Trustee of the Trust should so serve included the following: (i) the individual’s business and professional experience and accomplishments; (ii) the individual’s ability to work effectively with the other members of the Board; (iii) the individual’s prior experience, if any, serving on company boards (including public companies and, where relevant, other investment companies) and the boards of other complex enterprises and organizations; and (iv) how the individual’s skills, experiences and attributes would contribute to an appropriate mix of relevant skills and experience on the Board.
SAI-21
In respect of each current Trustee, the individual’s professional accomplishments and prior experience, including, in some cases, in fields related to the operations of the Trust, were a significant factor in the determination that the individual should serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition to the general considerations described above the Board also considered the following individual qualities when selecting each Trustee.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Bland should serve as Trustee because of his significant investment experience and executive experience as Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director of Wedbush Capital, and his experience on serving on boards. The Trust has concluded that Mr. de Benedetti should serve as a Trustee because of his significant executive experience including as an adviser to corporate and non-profit boards. The Trust has concluded that Mr. Ferguson should serve as a Trustee because of his extensive finance and investment management background and his experience serving as an executive and on corporate boards. The Trust has concluded that Ms. Hoopes should serve as a Trustee because of her risk management, governance and regulatory expertise, specifically related to investment companies, and her experience serving on investment company boards.
In its periodic assessment of the effectiveness of the Board, the Board considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition so that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Fund.
Principal Officers of the Trust. The officers of the Trust conduct and supervise its daily business. The address of each Officer of the Trust is Secretary c/o Wedbush Series Trust, 225 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101.
| Name and Year of Birth |
Position(s) Held with Fund |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
|
Matthew Bromberg Born: 1973 |
President, Principal Executive Officer and Secretary | Indefinite; Since 2024 | Corporate Counsel, Wedbush Securities (since 2024); Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel of ETF Managers Group, LLC (2020-2024); Partner of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (law firm) (2019-2020); General Counsel of WBI Investments, Inc. (2016-2019); Millington Securities, Inc. (2016-2019). |
|
Samantha Kirkman Born: 1980 |
Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer and Accounting Officer | Indefinite; Since 2025 | Managing Director and Controller, Wedbush Securities (since 2017). |
|
Michael Minella Born: 1971 |
Chief Compliance Officer | Indefinite; Since 2025 | Director and Fund Chief Compliance Officer, ACA (since 2022); Director of Audit and Risk Strategy & Planning (2021-2022), Vice President and Director, Funds’ Treasurer’s Office and Investment & Adviser Compliance (2009-2021), Fidelity Investments. |
|
Melissa Beuther Born: 1971
|
Assistant Secretary | Indefinite; Since 2025 | Senior Associate of ETF Governance and Operations, Wedbush Securities (since 2025); Executive Assistant, Datasite (2024-2025); Corporate Services and Administration Manager, ETF Managers Group, LLC (2021-2024); Executive Assistant, Central Jersey Medical Center (2020-2021). |
|
Gregory Nakamura Born: 1987
|
Assistant Secretary | Indefinite; Since 2025 | Vice President, Product Control, Wedbush Securities (since 2019) |
SAI-22
Fund Shares Owned by Board Members. The Fund is required to show the dollar amount ranges of each Trustee’s “beneficial ownership” of Shares of the Fund and each other series of the Trust as of the end of the most recently completed calendar year. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Exchange Act. As of the date of this SAI, no Trustee or officer of the Trust owned Shares.
Board Compensation.
Independent Trustees are paid by the Adviser from the unified management fee paid to the Adviser and not by the Fund. The Independent Trustees each receive an annual fee of $20,000, paid quarterly in arrears, as well as reimbursement for travel and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attendance at Board meetings. The Trust has no pension or retirement plan. Additionally, the chair of the Audit Committee shall receive additional annual compensation of $5,000 per year, and the chair of the Nominating Committee shall receive additional compensation $2,500 per year. No officer, director or employee of the Adviser, including Interested Trustee, receives any compensation from the Fund for acting as a Trustee or officer of the Trust.
The following table shows the estimated compensation to be earned by each Trustee for the Fund’s first fiscal year. Independent Trustee fees are paid by the Adviser from the unified management fees paid to the Adviser and not by the Fund. Trustee compensation does not include reimbursed out-of-pocket expenses in connection with attendance at meetings.
| Name | Aggregate Compensation From The Fund |
Total Compensation From Fund Complex Paid to Trustees |
| Interested Trustee | ||
| Geoff Bland | None | None |
| Independent Trustees | ||
| John F. de Benedetti | None | $20,000 |
| J. Philip Ferguson | None | $25,000 |
| Jennifer E. Hoopes | None | $22,500 |
Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities. A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Fund. A control person is a shareholder that owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund or acknowledges the existence of control. Shareholders owning voting securities in excess of 25% may determine the outcome of any matter affecting and voted on by shareholders of the Fund. As of the date of this SAI, the Fund has not commenced operations, and consequently, there were no Shares outstanding.
Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC serves as investment adviser to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and the Adviser (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”). The Adviser is a Delaware limited liability company located at 225 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101. The Adviser is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wedbush Financial Services, LLC, which is majority owned by Wedbush Capital (“Wedbush”). Wedbush is a large securities brokerage, clearing, wealth management, and investment banking firm headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with 100 registered offices and nearly 900 colleagues. Matthew Bromberg, who is the General Counsel, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary of the Adviser is also the President and Principal Executive Officer of the Trust. Geoff Bland, the Chief Investment Officer of Wedbush is also an interested Trustee of the Trust.
SAI-23
Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser provides investment advice to the Fund and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Fund, subject to the direction and control of the Board and the officers of the Trust. The Adviser also arranges for transfer agency, custody, fund administration and all other non-distribution-related services necessary for the Fund to operate. The Predecessor Fund paid its investment adviser, Tuttle Capital Management, LLC (“Tuttle”), an annual management fee equal to 0.95% of its average daily net assets. The Fund has agreed to pay the Adviser an annual management fee equal to a percentage of its average daily net assets as follows:
| Up to $225 million: | 0.85 | % | ||
| $225 million – $500 million: | 0.80 | % | ||
| Over $500 million: | 0.75 | % |
For services rendered during the fiscal periods set forth below, the following table sets forth the management fee paid by the Predecessor Fund to Tuttle.
| Aggregate Advisory Fees Paid to Tuttle | |
| Fiscal year ended July 31, 2024* | $81,257 |
| Fiscal year ended July 31, 2025 | $134,032 |
* Predecessor Fund commenced operations on August 8, 2023
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of the Fund (except for advisory fees and sub-advisory fees, as the case may be) excluding interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, securities lending fees and expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, distribution fees and expenses paid by the Fund under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and litigation expenses, and other non-routine or extraordinary expenses.
The Investment Advisory Agreement, with respect to the Fund, continues in effect for two years from its effective date, and thereafter is subject to annual approval by (i) the Board or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, provided that in either event such continuance also is approved by a vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. If the shareholders of the Fund fail to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser may continue to serve in the manner and to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and regulations thereunder.
The Investment Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund is terminable without any penalty, by vote of the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, or by the Adviser, in each case on not less than thirty (30) days’ nor more than sixty (60) days’ prior written notice to the other party; provided that a shorter notice period shall be permitted for the Fund in the event Shares are no longer listed on a national securities exchange. The Investment Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically and immediately in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).
The Fund has not commenced operations and has not paid management fee to the Adviser as of the date of this SAI.
Sub-Adviser
The Adviser has retained Laffer Tengler Investments, Inc., an investment adviser registered with the SEC, to provide sub-advisory services for the Fund. The Sub-Adviser is organized as a Tennessee corporation with its principal offices located at 103 Murphy Court, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, and was established in 1999.
SAI-24
Pursuant to an Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”), the Sub-Adviser assists the Adviser in providing day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolios. For its services, the Sub-Adviser is paid a fee by the Adviser, which is calculated daily and payable monthly as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets, at the annual rates set forth below:
| Fund | Sub-Advisory Fee | |
| Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF |
Up to $50 million: $50 million – $225 million: $225 million – $500 million: Over $500 million: |
0.18% 0.27% 0.25% 0.36% |
The Sub-Advisory Agreement was approved by the Trustees (including all the Independent Trustees) in compliance with the 1940 Act. The Sub-Advisory Agreement will continue in force for an initial period of up to two years. Thereafter, the Sub-Advisory Agreement is renewable from year to year with respect to the Fund, so long as its continuance is approved at least annually (1) by the vote, cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose, of a majority of those Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust; and (2) by the majority vote of either the full Board or the vote of a majority of the outstanding Shares of the Fund. The Sub-Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment, and is terminable at any time without penalty by the Board or by a majority of the Fund’s outstanding Shares or by the Adviser on not less than 60 days’ written notice to the Sub-Adviser, or by the Sub-Adviser on 90 days’ written notice to the Adviser and the Trust. The Sub-Advisory Agreement provides that the Sub-Adviser shall not be protected against any liability to the Trust or its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard of its obligations or duties thereunder.
Manager of Managers Arrangement
Section 15(a) of the 1940 Act requires that all contracts pursuant to which persons serve as investment advisers to investment companies be approved by shareholders. This requirement also applies to the appointment of sub-advisers to the Fund. The Trust and the Adviser have received exemptive relief from the SEC (the “Order”), which permits the Adviser, on behalf of the Fund and subject to the approval of the Board, including a majority of the independent members of the Board, to hire, and to modify any existing or future sub-advisory agreement with, unaffiliated sub-advisers and affiliated sub-advisers, including sub-advisers that are wholly-owned subsidiaries (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or its parent company and sub-advisers that are partially-owned by, or otherwise affiliated with, the Adviser or its parent company (the “Manager-of-Managers Structure”). The Adviser has the ultimate responsibility for overseeing the Fund’s sub-advisers and recommending their hiring, termination and replacement, subject to oversight by the Board. The Order provides relief from certain disclosure obligations with regard to sub-advisory fees. With this relief, the Fund may elect to disclose the aggregate fees payable to the Adviser and wholly-owned sub-advisers and the aggregate fees payable to unaffiliated sub-advisers and sub-advisers affiliated with Adviser or its parent company, other than wholly-owned sub-advisers. The Order is subject to various conditions, including that the Fund will notify shareholders and provide them with certain information required by the exemptive order within 90 days of hiring a new sub-adviser.
The Fund may also rely on any other current or future laws, rules or regulatory guidance from the SEC or its staff applicable to the Manager-of-Managers Structure. The sole initial shareholder of the Fund has approved the operation of the Fund under a Manager-of-Managers Structure with respect to any affiliated or unaffiliated sub-adviser, including in the manner that is permitted by the Order.
The Manager-of-Managers Structure enables the Trust to operate with greater efficiency by not incurring the expense and delays associated with obtaining shareholder approvals for matters relating to sub-advisers or sub-advisory agreements. Operation of the Fund under the Manager-of-Managers Structure will not permit management fees paid by the Fund to the Adviser to be increased without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be notified of any changes made to the Sub-Adviser or material changes to sub-advisory agreements within 90 days of the change.
SAI-25
Portfolio Managers.
The portfolio managers each manage the following other accounts (collectively, the “Other Accounts”) as of July 31, 2025
Cullen Rogers
| Type of Accounts | Total Number of Accounts |
Total Assets of ($ millions) |
Total Number of Accounts with Performance Based Fees |
Total Assets of Accounts with Performance Based Fees |
| Registered Investment Companies | 1 | $431.68 | 0 | $0 |
| Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| Other Accounts | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
Nancy Tengler
| Type of Accounts | Total Number of Accounts |
Total Assets of ($ millions) |
Total Number of Accounts with Performance Based Fees |
Total Assets of Accounts with Performance Based Fees |
| Registered Investment Companies | 1 | $16.89 | 0 | $0 |
| Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| Other Accounts | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
Portfolio Manager Compensation. Portfolio manager compensation includes a salary and discretionary bonus based on the profitability of the Adviser/Sub-Adviser. No compensation is directly related to the performance of the Fund.
Portfolio Manager Fund Ownership. As of the date of this SAI, the Portfolio Managers did not beneficially own any Shares.
Description of Material Conflicts of Interest. A portfolio manager’s management of “other accounts” may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with his/her management of the Fund’s investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts, on the other. The other accounts may have similar investment objectives or strategies as the Fund. Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result, whereby a portfolio manager could favor one account over another. Another potential conflict could include a portfolio manager’s knowledge about the size, timing, and possible market impact of Fund trades, whereby the portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Fund.
Codes of Ethics. The Trust, the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser have each adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics are designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Trust, the Adviser, and the Sub-Adviser from engaging in deceptive, manipulative or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by the Fund (which may also be held by persons subject to the codes of ethics). Each Code of Ethics permits personnel subject to that Code of Ethics to invest in securities for their personal investment accounts, subject to certain limitations, including limitations related to securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. The Distributor (as defined below) relies on the principal underwriters exception under Rule 17j-1(c)(3), specifically where the Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust, the Adviser, or the Sub-Adviser and no officer, director, or general partner of the Distributor serves as an officer, director, or general partner of the Trust, the Adviser, or the Sub-Adviser.
There can be no assurance that the codes of ethics will be effective in preventing such activities. Each code of ethics may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C. or on the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
SAI-26
Proxy Voting Policy. The Fund has delegated proxy voting responsibilities to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s oversight. In delegating proxy responsibilities, the Board has directed that proxies be voted consistent with the Fund’s and its shareholders’ best interests and in compliance with all applicable proxy voting rules and regulations. The Adviser has adopted proxy voting policies and guidelines for this purpose (“Proxy Voting Policies”) and has engaged a third party proxy solicitation firm to assist with voting proxies in a timely manner. The Trust’s chief compliance officer is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of the Proxy Voting Policies. Under the Proxy Voting Policies, in the absence of specific voting guidelines from the client, the Adviser will vote proxies in the best interest of each particular client. The Adviser has adopted the proxy voting guidelines attached as Appendix A. They are designed to vote in a manner consistent with the Adviser’s investment decision making. The Adviser’s policy is to vote all proxies from a specific issuer the same way for each client, absent qualifying restrictions from a client. Clients are permitted to place reasonable restrictions on the Adviser’s voting authority in the same manner that they may place such restrictions on the actual selection of account securities. Clients may direct the vote in a particular solicitation.
The Adviser will generally vote in favor of routine corporate housekeeping proposals such as the election of directors and selection of auditors absent conflicts of interest raised by an auditor’s non-audit services. The Adviser will generally vote against proposals that cause board members to become entrenched or cause unequal voting rights. In reviewing proposals, the Adviser will further consider the opinion of management, the effect on management, the effect on shareholder value and the issuer’s business practices.
When available, information on how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 will be available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling (866) 597-9452 and (2) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
The Trust entered into an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”) with Wedbush Fund Advisers LLC (in its capacity as such, the “Administrator”), pursuant to which the Administrator acts as the Fund’s administrator and provides the Trust with, or arranges for, administrative and management services (other than investment advisory services) to be provided to the Trust and the Board. Wedbush Fund Advisers LLC receives no additional compensation for its services as the Fund’s administrator. For a description of the fee payable to Wedbush Fund Advisers LLC for its services as the Fund’s investment adviser, see above under the caption “Investment Adviser.”
THE SUB-ADMINISTRATOR, TRANSFER AGENT, AND CUSTODIAN
The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNY”), serves as sub-administrator, fund accountant, transfer agent, and custodian for the Fund. BNY’s principal address is 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286. Pursuant to the Sub-Administration Agreement between the Adviser and BNY, the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between the Trust and BNY, and the Fund Accounting Agreement between the Trust and BNY, BNY provides the Trust with administrative, transfer agency and accounting services, respectively, including portfolio accounting services, tax accounting services and furnishing financial reports. In this capacity, BNY 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. As compensation for the administration, accounting and management services, the Adviser pays BNY a fee based on the Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee. BNY also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses for the services mentioned above.
Pursuant to a Custody Agreement, BNY serves as the custodian of the Fund’s assets. The custodian holds and administers the assets in the Fund’s portfolios. Pursuant to the Custody Agreement, the custodian receives an annual fee from the Adviser based on the Trust’s total average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee and certain settlement charges. The custodian also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses.
The Adviser has not paid any fees to BNY, with respect to the Fund as of the date of this SAI. The Predecessor Adviser was responsible for paying the amounts in the table below to U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, the transfer agent for the Predecessor Fund for the fiscal years ended July 31, as applicable to the Predecessor Fund:
| Predecessor Fund | 2025 | 2024* |
| LAFFER | TENGLER Equity Income ETF | $25,000 | $22,545 |
*Includes the period of August 8, 2023 (commencement of operations of the Predecessor Fund) to July 31, 2024.
SAI-27
The Trust, and Foreside Fund Services LLC (the “Distributor”), are parties to a distribution agreement (“Distribution Agreement”), whereby the Distributor acts as principal underwriter for the Fund and distributes Shares. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit and does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The principal business address of the Distributor is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101. The Predecessor Fund used the same principal underwriter.
Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Trust, will review orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units, provided that any subscriptions and orders will not be binding on the Trust until accepted by the Trust. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and a member of FINRA.
The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of Shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units” below) or DTC participants (as defined below).
The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable annually thereafter. The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the majority of the Trustees or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding Shares of the Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Distribution Agreement or interested persons of any such party cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Distribution Agreement may be terminated at any time without penalty by the vote of majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Distribution Agreement or interested persons of any such party or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding Shares of the Fund, or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Distribution Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Distributor, or reckless disregard by it of its obligations thereunder, the Distributor shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder.
Intermediary Compensation. The Adviser, or its affiliates, out of their own resources and not out of the Fund’s assets (i.e., without additional cost to the Fund or their shareholders), may pay certain broker dealers, banks and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”) for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing and educational training or support. These arrangements are not financed by the Fund and, thus, do not result in increased Fund expenses. They are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fees and expenses sections of the Fund’s Prospectus and they do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of Fund Shares or the amount received by a shareholder as proceeds from the redemption of Fund Shares.
Such compensation may be paid to Intermediaries that provide services to the Fund, including marketing and education support (such as through conferences, webinars and printed communications). The Adviser periodically assesses the advisability of continuing to make these payments. Payments to an Intermediary may be significant to the Intermediary, and amounts that Intermediaries pay to your adviser, broker or other investment professional, if any, may also be significant to such adviser, broker or investment professional. Because an Intermediary may make decisions about what investment options it will make available or recommend, and what services to provide in connection with various products, based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive, such payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients. For example, these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend the Fund over other investments. The same conflict of interest exists with respect to your financial adviser, broker or investment professionals if he or she receives similar payments from his or her Intermediary firm.
SAI-28
Intermediary information is current only as of the date of this SAI. Please contact your adviser, broker or other investment professional for more information regarding any payments his or her Intermediary firm may receive. Any payments made by the Adviser or its affiliates to an Intermediary may create the incentive for an Intermediary to encourage customers to buy Shares of the Fund.
Distribution Plan. The Trust has adopted a Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which regulates circumstances under which an investment company may directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of its shares. No payments pursuant to the Plan are expected to be made during the twelve (12) month period from the date of this SAI. Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by the Fund under the Plan may only be imposed after approval by the Board. The Predecessor Fund did not have a 12b-1 Plan.
Continuance of the Plan must be approved annually by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and by a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan or in any agreements related to the Plan (“Qualified Trustees”). The Plan requires that quarterly written reports of amounts spent under the Plan and the purposes of such expenditures be furnished to and reviewed by the Trustees. The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount that may be spent thereunder without approval by a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund. All material amendments of the Plan will require approval by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and of the Qualified Trustees.
The Plan provides that the Fund pays the Distributor an annual fee of up to a maximum of 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Shares. Under the Plan, the Distributor may make payments pursuant to written agreements to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations and insurance companies including, without limit, investment counselors, broker-dealers and the Distributor’s affiliates and subsidiaries (collectively, “Agents”) as compensation for services and reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance. The Plan is characterized as a compensation plan since the distribution fee will be paid to the Distributor without regard to the distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor or the amount of payments made to other financial institutions and intermediaries. The Trust intends to operate the Plan in accordance with its terms and with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) rules concerning sales charges.
Under the Plan, subject to the limitations of applicable law and regulations, the Fund is authorized to compensate the Distributor up to the maximum amount to finance any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units of the Fund or for providing or arranging for others to provide shareholder services and for the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Such activities may include, but are not limited to: (i) delivering copies of the Fund’s then current reports, prospectuses, notices, and similar materials, to prospective purchasers of Creation Units; (ii) marketing and promotional services, including advertising; (iii) paying the costs of and compensating others, including Authorized Participants with whom the Distributor has entered into written Authorized Participant Agreements, for performing shareholder servicing on behalf of the Fund; (iv) compensating certain Authorized Participants for providing assistance in distributing the Creation Units of the Fund, including the travel and communication expenses and salaries and/or commissions of sales personnel in connection with the distribution of the Creation Units of the Fund; (v) payments to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations, insurance companies and investment counselors, broker-dealers, mutual fund supermarkets and the affiliates and subsidiaries of the Trust’s service providers as compensation for services or reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance; (vi) facilitating communications with beneficial owners of Shares, including the cost of providing (or paying others to provide) services to beneficial owners of Shares, including, but not limited to, assistance in answering inquiries related to shareholder accounts; and (vi) such other services and obligations as are set forth in the Distribution Agreement.
Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, located at 700 6th St NW, Washington, DC 20001-3980, serves as legal counsel for the Trust.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Cohen & Company, Ltd., located at 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
SAI-29
The policy of the Trust regarding purchases and sales of securities for the Fund is that primary consideration will be given to obtaining the most favorable prices and efficient executions of transactions. Consistent with this policy, when securities transactions are effected on a stock exchange, the Trust’s policy is to pay commissions which are considered fair and reasonable without necessarily determining that the lowest possible commissions are paid in all circumstances. The Trust believes that a requirement always to seek the lowest possible commission cost could impede effective portfolio management and preclude the Fund from obtaining a high quality of brokerage and research services. In seeking to determine the reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid in any transaction, the Adviser and Sub-Adviser will rely upon their experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and on its judgment in evaluating the brokerage services received from the broker effecting the transaction. Such determinations are necessarily subjective and imprecise, as in most cases, an exact dollar value for those services is not ascertainable. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that prohibit the consideration of sales of Fund Shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer to execute its portfolio transactions.
The Adviser and Sub-Adviser owe a duty to the Fund to seek best execution on trades effected. “Best execution” is generally understood to mean the most favorable cost or net proceeds reasonably obtainable under the circumstances. The full range of brokerage services applicable to a particular transaction may be considered when making this judgment, which may include, but is not limited to: liquidity, price, commission, timing, aggregated trades, capable floor brokers or traders, competent block trading coverage, ability to position, capital strength and stability, reliable and accurate communications and settlement processing, use of automation, knowledge of other buyers or sellers, arbitrage skills, administrative ability, underwriting and provision of information on a particular security or market in which the transaction is to occur. The specific criteria will vary depending upon the nature of the transaction, the market in which it is executed, and the extent to which it is possible to select from among multiple broker/dealers. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser will also use electronic crossing networks (“ECNs”) when appropriate.
Subject to the foregoing policies, brokers or dealers selected to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions may include the Fund’s Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units” below) or their affiliates. An Authorized Participant or its affiliates may be selected to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions in conjunction with an all-cash creation unit order or an order including “cash-in-lieu” (as described below under “Purchase and Redemption of Shares in Creation Units”), so long as such selection is in keeping with the foregoing policies. As described below under “Purchase and Redemption of Shares in Creation Units—Creation Transaction Fee” and “—Redemption Transaction Fee”, the Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser or Sub-Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for creation orders that facilitate the rebalance of the Fund’s portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order, even if the decision to not charge a variable fee could be viewed as benefiting the Authorized Participant or its affiliate selected to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions in connection with such orders.
The Adviser and Sub-Adviser may use the Fund’s assets for, or participate in, third party soft dollar arrangements, in addition to receiving proprietary research from various full service brokers, the cost of which is bundled with the cost of the broker’s execution services. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser do not “pay up” for the value of any such proprietary research. Section 28(e) of the Exchange Act permits the Adviser and Sub-Adviser, under certain circumstances, to cause the Fund to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction in recognition of the value of brokerage and research services provided by the broker or dealer. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser may receive a variety of research services and information on many topics, which it can use in connection with its management responsibilities with respect to the various accounts over which it exercises investment discretion or otherwise provides investment advice. The research services may include qualifying order management systems, portfolio attribution and monitoring services and computer software and access charges which are directly related to investment research. Accordingly, the Fund may pay a broker commission higher than the lowest available commission in recognition of the broker’s provision of such services to the Adviser or Sub-Adviser. The amount of soft dollar benefits received depends on the amount of brokerage transactions effected with the brokers. A conflict of interest exists because there is an incentive to: 1) cause clients to pay a higher commission than the firm might otherwise be able to negotiate; 2) cause clients to engage in more securities transactions than would otherwise be optimal; and 3) only use brokers that provide soft dollar benefits.
SAI-30
The Adviser and Sub-Adviser face a potential conflict of interest when they use client trades to obtain brokerage or research services. This conflict exists because the Adviser or Sub-Adviser is able to use the brokerage or research services to manage client accounts without paying cash for such services, which reduces the Adviser’s or Sub-Adviser’s expenses to the extent that the Adviser or Sub-Adviser would have purchased such products had they not been provided by brokers. Section 28(e) permits the Adviser and Sub-Adviser to use brokerage or research services for the benefit of any account it manages. Certain accounts managed by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser may generate soft dollars used to purchase brokerage or research services that ultimately benefit other accounts managed by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, effectively cross subsidizing the other accounts managed by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser that benefit directly from the product. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser may not necessarily use all of the brokerage or research services in connection with managing the Fund whose trades generated the soft dollars used to purchase such products. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser are responsible, subject to oversight by the Board, for placing orders on behalf of the Fund for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. If purchases or sales of portfolio securities of the Fund and one or more other investment companies or clients supervised by the Adviser and Sub-Adviser are considered at or about the same time, transactions in such securities are allocated among the several investment companies and clients in a manner deemed equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to all by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser. In some cases, this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security so far as the Fund is concerned. However, in other cases, it is possible that the ability to participate in volume transactions and to negotiate lower brokerage commissions will be beneficial to the Fund. The primary consideration is prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price.
The Fund may deal with affiliates in principal transactions to the extent permitted by exemptive order or applicable rule or regulation.
Brokerage with Fund Affiliates. The Fund may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, or the Distributor for a commission in conformity with the 1940 Act, the Exchange Act and rules promulgated by the SEC. These rules require that commissions paid to the affiliate by the Fund for exchange transactions not exceed “usual and customary” brokerage commissions. The rules define “usual and customary” commissions to include amounts which are “reasonable and fair compared to the commission, fee or other remuneration received or to be received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a securities exchange during a comparable period of time.” The Trustees, including those who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, have adopted procedures for evaluating the reasonableness of commissions paid to affiliates and review these procedures periodically. The Fund has not paid brokerage commissions to any registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or the Distributor as of the date of this SAI.
Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealers.” The Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) which it may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. “Regular brokers and dealers” of the Trust are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year: (i) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Trust’s portfolio transactions; (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of portfolio transactions of the Trust; or (iii) sold the largest dollar amounts of the Trust’s Shares. No fund owned any securities of its “regular broker dealers” during the most recent fiscal year.
Brokerage Commissions. The Fund has not paid any brokerage commissions as of the date of this SAI. The table below shows the aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the Predecessor Fund for the following fiscal periods ended July 31:
| Predecessor Fund | 2025 | 2024* |
| LAFFER | TENGLER Equity Income ETF | $340 | $411 |
*Includes the period of August 8, 2023 (commencement of operations of the Predecessor Fund) through July 31, 2024.
Directed Brokerage. The Fund is also required to identify any brokerage transactions during its most recent fiscal year that were directed to a broker because of research services provided, along with the amount of any such transactions and any related commissions paid by the Fund. The Fund has not paid any directed brokerage as of the date of this SAI.
SAI-31
Portfolio Turnover. Portfolio turnover may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. High turnover rates are likely to result in comparatively greater brokerage expenses. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions is evaluated by the Adviser and Sub-Adviser based upon its knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by other institutional investors for comparable services.
The Fund has not yet commenced operations, and as such, has no portfolio turnover rate to report. For the fiscal years ended July 31, the Predecessor Fund’s portfolio turnover rates were:
| Predecessor Fund | 2025 | 2024* |
| LAFFER | TENGLER Equity Income ETF | 14.85% | 26.48% |
*Includes the period of August 8, 2023 (commencement of operations of the Predecessor Fund) through July 31, 2024.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TRUST
The Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of series and shares of each series. Each share of each fund represents an equal proportionate interest in any given fund with any given share. Shares are entitled upon liquidation to a pro rata share in the net assets of the Fund. Shareholders have no preemptive rights. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees may create additional series or classes of shares. All consideration received by the Trust for shares of any additional funds and all assets in which such consideration is invested would belong to that fund and would be subject to the liabilities related thereto. Share certificates representing shares will not be issued. The Fund’s Shares, when issued, are fully paid and non-assessable.
Each Share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required, consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of all funds of the Trust vote together as a single class, except that if the matter being voted on affects only a particular fund it will be voted on only by that fund and if a matter affects a particular fund differently from other funds, that fund will vote separately on such matter. As a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust is not required, and does not intend, to hold annual meetings of shareholders. Approval of shareholders will be sought, however, for certain changes in the operation of the Trust and for the election of Trustees under certain circumstances. Upon the written request of shareholders owning at least a majority of the outstanding shares of the Trust, the Trust will call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more Trustees and other certain matters. In the event that such a meeting is requested, the Trust will provide appropriate assistance and information to the shareholders requesting the meeting.
Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the power to liquidate the Fund without shareholder approval. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising this power, they may do so if the Fund fails to reach a viable size within a reasonable amount of time or for such other reasons as may be determined by the Board.
Role of the Depositary Trust Company (“DTC”). DTC acts as Securities Depository for the Shares of the Trust. Shares of the Fund are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC. DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, was created to hold securities of its participants (“DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities’ certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of which (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation, which is owned by its member firms, including international broker dealers, correspondent and clearing banks, mutual fund companies and investment banks. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (“Indirect Participants”).
SAI-32
Beneficial ownership of Shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in Shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of Shares. No Beneficial Owner shall have the right to receive a certificate representing such Shares.
Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to the Depositary Agreement between the Trust and DTC, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the Shares of the Fund held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding Shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form and number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all Shares of the Trust. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall immediately credit DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in Shares of the Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of Shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.
The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such Shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants. DTC may decide to discontinue its service with respect to Shares of the Trust at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost.
LIMITATION OF TRUSTEES’ LIABILITY
The Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee shall be liable only for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall indemnify each person who is, or has been, a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, any person who is serving or has served at the Trust’s request as a Trustee, Director, partner, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another domestic or foreign corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or employee benefit plan to the fullest extent provided by law and in the manner provided in the By-laws. However, nothing in the Declaration of Trust shall protect or indemnify a Trustee against any liability for his or her willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee. Nothing contained in this section attempts to disclaim a Trustee’s individual liability in any manner inconsistent with the federal securities laws.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES IN CREATION UNITS
The Trust issues and sells Shares of the Fund only: (i) in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees, if applicable), at their NAV per share next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day, in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement (“Participant Agreement”); or (ii) pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Service (defined below). The NAV of the Fund’s Shares is calculated each Business Day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. The Fund will not issue fractional Creation Units. A “Business Day” is any day on which the New York Stock Exchange and Trust are open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the NYSE observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day (Washington’s Birthday), Good Friday, Memorial Day (observed), Juneteenth Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
SAI-33
Fund Deposits. The Fund has adopted policies and procedures governing the process of constructing baskets of Deposit Securities (defined below), Fund Securities (defined below) and/or cash, and acceptance of the same (the “Basket Procedures”). The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of either: (i) the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) per each Creation Unit and the Cash Component (defined below), computed as described below, or (ii) the cash value of the Deposit Securities (“Deposit Cash”) and the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for all or a portion of Deposit Cash, the Fund may incur additional costs associated with the acquisition of Deposit Securities that would otherwise be provided by an in-kind purchaser. Together, the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of the Fund. The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the Shares (per Creation Unit) and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit exceeds the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such positive amount. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit is less than the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such negative amount and the creator will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the Cash Component. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. Computation of the Cash Component excludes any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities, if applicable, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).
The Fund, through NSCC, will make available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the list of the names and the required number of Shares of each Deposit Security or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, to be included in the current Fund Deposits (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Fund. Such Fund Deposits are subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, to effect purchases of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, is made available.
The identity and number of Shares of the Deposit Securities or the amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, required for the Fund Deposit for the Fund may be changed from time to time by the Adviser, in accordance with the Basket Procedures, with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. Information regarding the Fund Deposit necessary for the purchase of a Creation Unit is made available to Authorized Participants and other market participants seeking to transact in Creation Unit aggregations. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to interest payments and corporate action events.
The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Cash to replace any Deposit Security, which shall be added to the Cash Component, including, without limitation, in situations where the Deposit Security: (i) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery; (ii) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities; (iii) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor for which it is acting; (iv) would be restricted under the securities laws or where the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under the securities laws; or (v) in certain other situations (collectively, “custom orders”). The Trust also reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Securities in lieu of Deposit Cash.
Cash Purchase. The Trust may at its discretion permit full or partial cash purchases of Creation Units of the Fund. When full or partial cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for the Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases thereof. In the case of a full or partial cash purchase, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser together with a creation transaction fee and non-standard charges, as may be applicable.
SAI-34
Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units. To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor to purchase a Creation Unit of the Fund, an entity must be (i) a “Participating Party”, i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC Participant (see “BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM”). In addition, each Participating Party or DTC Participant (each, an “Authorized Participant”) must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by the Transfer Agent and the Trust, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of a Participant Agreement, on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that it will pay to the Trust, an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component together with the creation transaction fee (described below) and any other applicable fees and taxes.
All orders to purchase Shares directly from the Fund must be placed for one or more Creation Units and in the manner and by the time set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The order cut-off time for the Fund for orders to purchase Creation Units is expected to be 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, which time may be modified by the Fund from time-to-time by amendment to the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The date on which an order to purchase Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as set forth below) is received and accepted is referred to as the “Order Placement Date.”
An Authorized Participant may require an investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order, (e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required). Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to purchase Shares directly from the Fund in Creation Units have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement and only a small number of such Authorized Participants may have international capabilities.
On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which the Fund’s investments are primarily traded is closed, the Fund will also generally not accept orders on such day(s). Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the applicable order form. On behalf of the Fund, the Distributor will notify the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to the appropriate local sub-custodian(s). Those placing orders through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor by the cut-off time on such Business Day, as designated in the Participant Agreement. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an Authorized Participant.
Fund Deposits must be delivered by an Authorized Participant through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a sub-custody agent (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Trust or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Securities, the Custodian shall cause the sub-custodian of the Fund to maintain an account into which the Authorized Participant shall deliver, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, such Deposit Securities (or Deposit Cash for all or a part of such securities, as permitted or required), with any appropriate adjustments as advised by the Trust. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local sub-custodian. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the Authorized Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of the Fund or its agents by no later than 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If the Fund or its agents do not receive all of the Deposit Securities, or the required Deposit Cash in lieu thereof, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. The “Settlement Date” for the Fund is generally the second Business Day after the Order Placement Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash to be delivered, as applicable, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities or cash, as applicable, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash represented by the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, are not received by the Custodian in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund.
SAI-35
The order shall be deemed to be received on the Order Placement Date provided that the order is placed in proper form prior to the applicable cut-off time and the Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component in the appropriate amount are deposited with the Custodian on the Settlement Date. If the order is not placed in proper form as required, or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component in the appropriate amount are not received on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting there from. A creation request is considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, order form and this SAI are properly followed.
Issuance of a Creation Unit. Except as provided in this SAI, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Distributor and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery, and the Trust will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the second Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor. The Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.
Creation Units may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the NAV of Shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since, in addition to available Deposit Securities, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”), which shall be maintained in a separate non-interest bearing collateral account. The Authorized Participant must deposit with the Custodian the Additional Cash Deposit, as applicable, by 12:00 p.m. Eastern time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If the Fund or its agents do not receive the Additional Cash Deposit in the appropriate amount, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Participant Agreement will permit the Trust to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Trust for the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Securities exceeds the value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Transfer Agent plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a transaction fee, as described below under “Creation Transaction Fee,” may be charged. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.
Acceptance of Orders of Creation Units. The Trust reserves the right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted to it by the Distributor with respect to the Fund including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; or the Fund Deposit delivered does not consist of the securities the Custodian specified; (b) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the Fund; (c) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Authorized Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (d) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (e) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; or (f) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent and/or the Adviser make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process orders for Creation Units.
SAI-36
Examples of such circumstances include acts of God or public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, the Custodian, a sub-custodian, the Transfer Agent, DTC, NSCC, Federal Reserve System, or any other participant in the creation process, and other extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of the creator of a Creation Unit of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall either of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian and the Distributor shall not be liable for the rejection of any purchase order for Creation Units.
All questions as to the number of Shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
Creation Transaction Fee. A fixed purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee, payable to the Fund’s custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units (“Creation Order Costs”). The standard fixed creation transaction fee for the Fund is $500, regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. The Fund may adjust the standard fixed creation transaction fee from time to time. The fixed creation fee may be waived on certain orders if the Fund’s custodian has determined to waive some or all of the Creation Order Costs associated with the order or another party, such as the Adviser, has agreed to pay such fee.
In addition, a variable fee, payable to the Fund, of up to a maximum of 2% of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction may be imposed for cash purchases, non-standard orders, or partial cash purchases of Creation Units. The variable charge is primarily designed to cover additional costs (e.g., brokerage, taxes) involved with buying the securities with cash. The Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for creation orders that facilitate the rebalance of the Fund’s portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order. The fees discussed above may not be enough to cover the costs associated with the transaction. In this instance the costs would be borne by the Fund and would decrease the Fund’s net asset value.
Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order.
Risks of Purchasing Creation Units. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from the Fund. Because Shares may be issued on an ongoing basis, a “distribution” of Shares could be occurring at any time. Certain activities that a shareholder performs as a dealer could, depending on the circumstances, result in the shareholder being deemed a participant in the distribution in a manner that could render the shareholder a statutory underwriter and subject to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a shareholder could be deemed a statutory underwriter if it purchases Creation Units from the Fund, breaks them down into the constituent Shares, and sells those Shares directly to customers, or if a shareholder chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary-market demand for Shares. Whether a person is an underwriter depends upon all of the facts and circumstances pertaining to that person’s activities, and the examples mentioned here should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could cause you to be deemed an underwriter.
Dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as opposed to engaging in ordinary secondary-market transactions), and thus dealing with Shares as part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act.
Redemption. Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their net asset value next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. Redemption requests must be placed by or through an Authorized Participant. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF THE FUND, THE TRUST WILL NOT REDEEM SHARES IN AMOUNTS LESS THAN CREATION UNITS. Investors must accumulate enough Shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit to have such Shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.
SAI-37
With respect to the Fund, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time) on each Business Day, the list of the names and Share quantities of the Fund’s portfolio securities that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”). Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities.
Redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit are paid either in-kind or in cash, or combination thereof, as determined by the Trust, in accordance with the Basket Procedures. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the Fund, redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will consist of Fund Securities -- as announced by the Custodian on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper form plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the Shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less a fixed redemption transaction fee as set forth below. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the net asset value of the Shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Trust’s discretion, an Authorized Participant may receive the corresponding cash value of the securities in lieu of the in-kind securities value representing one or more Fund Securities.
Cash Redemption. Full or partial cash redemptions of Creation Units will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the case of full or partial cash redemptions, the Authorized Participant receives the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Redemption Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer.
Redemption Transaction Fee. A fixed redemption transaction fee, payable to the Fund’s custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units (“Redemption Order Costs”). The standard fixed redemption transaction fee for the Fund is $500. This is regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed in the transaction. The Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time. The fixed redemption fee may be waived on certain orders if the Fund’s custodian has determined to waive some or all of the Redemption Order Costs associated with the order or another party, such as the Adviser, has agreed to pay such fee.
In addition, a variable fee, payable to the Fund, of up to a maximum of 2% of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction may be imposed for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are available) of Creation Units. The variable charge is primarily designed to cover additional costs (e.g., brokerage, taxes) involved with selling portfolio securities to satisfy a cash redemption. The Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for redemption orders that facilitate the rebalance of the Fund’s portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order.
Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Fund to their account or on their order.
Procedures for Redemption of Creation Units. Orders to redeem Creation Units must be submitted in proper form to the Transfer Agent prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Trust’s Transfer Agent the Creation Unit(s) being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement and (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Trust is received by the Transfer Agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified in the Participant Agreement. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor’s Shares through DTC’s facilities by the times and pursuant to the other terms and conditions set forth in the Participant Agreement, the redemption request shall be rejected.
SAI-38
The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption, in the form required by the Trust, to the Transfer Agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement, and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed a Participant Agreement. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of Shares to the Trust’s Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.
Additional Redemption Procedures. In connection with taking delivery of Shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, a redeeming shareholder or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such shareholder must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Fund Securities are customarily traded, to which account such Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within two business days of the trade date.
However, due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, the different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (that is the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold), and in certain other circumstances, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds by the Fund may take longer than two Business Days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. If neither the redeeming shareholder nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming shareholder has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Trust may, in its discretion, exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming shareholders will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash.
The Trust may in its discretion, and in accordance with the Basket Procedures, exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming investor will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash that the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its Shares based on the NAV of Shares next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee, if applicable, and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). The Fund may also, in its sole discretion, and in accordance with the Basket Procedures, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities but does not differ in NAV.
Redemptions of Shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of Creation Units may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming investor of Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” (“QIB”), as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive Fund Securities that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A. An Authorized Participant may be required by the Trust to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status to receive Fund Securities.
Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on other exchanges on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their Shares, or to purchase or sell Shares on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.
SAI-39
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Fund (1) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of Shares or determination of the NAV of Shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
Net asset value per Share for the Fund is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of the Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of Shares outstanding, rounded to the nearest cent. Expenses and fees, including the management fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining net asset value. The net asset value of the Fund is calculated by the Adviser and determined at the close of the regular trading session on the New York Stock Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day that such exchange is open, provided that fixed-income assets may be valued as of the announced closing time for trading in fixed-income instruments on any day that the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) announces an early closing time.
In calculating the Fund’s net asset value per Share, the Fund’s investments are generally valued using market valuations. A market valuation generally means a valuation (i) obtained from an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer), (ii) based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of value supplied by an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer) or (iii) based on amortized cost. In the case of shares of other funds that are not traded on an exchange, a market valuation means such fund’s published net asset value per share. A price obtained from a pricing service based on such pricing service’s valuation matrix may be considered a market valuation. The values of non-U.S. dollar denominated securities are converted to U.S. dollars using foreign currency exchange rates generally determined as of 3:00 p.m. Hong Kong time. Any assets or liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted into U.S. dollars at the current market rates on the date of valuation as quoted by one or more sources.
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes.”
General Policies. Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid at least annually by the Fund Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid annually, but the Fund may make distributions on a more frequent basis to comply with the distribution requirements of the Code to preserve the Fund’s eligibility for treatment as a RIC, in all events in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act.
Dividends and other distributions on Shares are distributed, as described below, on a pro rata basis to Beneficial Owners of such Shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners then of record with proceeds received from the Trust.
The Trust makes additional distributions to the extent necessary (i) to distribute the entire annual taxable income of the Fund, plus any net capital gains and (ii) to avoid imposition of the excise tax imposed by Section 4982 of the Code. Management of the Fund reserves the right to declare special dividends if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve the status of the Fund as a RIC or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.
Dividend Reinvestment Service. The Trust will not make the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service available for use by Beneficial Owners for reinvestment of their cash proceeds, but certain individual broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by Beneficial Owners of the Fund through DTC Participants for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Investors should contact their brokers to ascertain the availability and description of these services. Beneficial Owners should be aware that each broker may require investors to adhere to specific procedures and timetables to participate in the dividend reinvestment service and investors should ascertain from their brokers such necessary details. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole Shares issued by the Trust of the Fund at NAV per Share. Distributions reinvested in additional Shares of the Fund will nevertheless be taxable to Beneficial Owners acquiring such additional Shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.
SAI-40
The following is only a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders that supplements the discussion in the Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a comprehensive explanation of the U.S. federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax treatment of the Fund or its shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended to be a substitute for careful tax planning.
The following general discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences is based on provisions of the Code and the regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this SAI. New legislation, as well as administrative changes or court decisions, may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein, and may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein.
Shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of the provisions of tax law described in this SAI in light of the particular tax situations of the shareholders and regarding specific questions as to federal, state, local or non-U.S. taxes.
For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. Shareholder” generally is a beneficial owner of a Share that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes: (i) a citizen or individual resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation (or other entity or arrangement treated as a corporation) organized in or under the laws of the United States or of any political subdivision thereof; (iii) a trust that is subject to the supervision of a court within the United States and the control of one or more U.S. persons or that has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person; or (iv) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source.
A “Non-U.S. Shareholder” is a beneficial owner of a Share that is neither a U.S. Shareholder nor a partnership for U.S. tax purposes.
If a partnership (including an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds Shares, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Any partner of a partnership holding Shares should consult its tax advisors with respect to the purchase, ownership and disposition of such Shares.
Taxation of the Fund. The Fund intends to elect to be treated and intends to continue to qualify each year to be treated as a separate RIC under the Code; however no assurance can be given that the Fund will be able to maintain its RIC tax treatment. As a RIC, the Fund generally should not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes on its net investment income and capital gains, if any, to the extent that it timely distributes such income and capital gains to its shareholders. To qualify as a RIC, the Fund must distribute annually to its shareholders at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (generally its taxable income including the excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income, if any (the “Distribution Requirement”) and also must meet several additional requirements. Among these requirements are the following: (i) at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income each taxable year must be derived from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies and net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Qualifying Income Requirement”); and (ii) at the end of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, the Fund’s assets must be diversified so that (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs, and other securities, if such other securities of any one issuer do not represent more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested, including through corporations in which the Fund owns a 20% or more voting stock interest, in (1) the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer, (2) the securities (other than securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same, similar, or related trades or businesses, or (3) the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Diversification Requirement”).
SAI-41
To the extent the Fund makes investments that may generate income that is not qualifying income, including certain derivatives, the Fund may take actions to ensure that the Fund’s income that does not count towards the Qualifying Income Requirement does not exceed 10% of its gross income, such as transferring such investments to a subsidiary that is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Although the Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and may distribute its capital gains for any taxable year, the Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income taxation to the extent any such income or gains are not distributed. The Fund is treated as a separate corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Fund therefore is considered to be a separate entity in determining its treatment under the rules for RICs described herein. The requirements (other than certain organizational requirements) for qualifying RIC status are determined at the Fund level rather than at the Trust level.
If a Fund fails to qualify for treatment as a RIC, and certain relief provisions are not applicable, it would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on all of its taxable income (including net capital gains) imposed at regular corporate rates. Such Fund would not be able to deduct distributions to stockholders, nor would they be required to be made. Distributions, including distributions of net long-term capital gain, would generally be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividend income to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Subject to certain holding period and other limitations under the Code, corporate shareholders would be eligible to claim a dividend received deduction with respect to such dividend and non-corporate shareholders would generally be able to treat such dividends as “qualified dividend income,” which is subject to reduced rates of U.S. federal income tax. To requalify for treatment as a RIC in a subsequent taxable year, the Fund would be required to satisfy the RIC qualification requirements for that year and to distribute any earnings and profits from any year in which the Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. If the Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, it would generally be required to pay the Fund-level tax on certain net built in gains recognized with respect to certain of its assets upon disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year. The Board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of the Fund for treatment as a RIC if it determines such course of action to be beneficial to shareholders. If the Fund determines that it will not qualify as a RIC, the Fund will establish procedures to reflect the anticipated tax liability in the Fund’s NAV.
Capital losses in excess of capital gains (“net capital losses”) are not permitted to be deducted against a RIC’s net investment income. Instead, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, potentially subject to certain limitations, the Fund may carry a net capital loss from any taxable year forward indefinitely to offset its capital gains, if any, in years following the year of the loss. To the extent subsequent capital gains are offset by such losses, they will not result in U.S. federal income tax liability to the Fund and may not be distributed as capital gains to its shareholders. Generally, the Fund may not carry forward any losses other than net capital losses. The carryover of capital losses may be limited under the general loss limitation rules if the Fund experiences an ownership change as defined in the Code.
The Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% U.S. federal excise tax on certain undistributed income if it does not distribute to its shareholders in each calendar year an amount at least equal to 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98.2% of the amount by which the Fund’s capital gains exceed its capital losses (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the one-year period ending on October 31 of the calendar year, and (3) certain undistributed amounts from the previous years on which the Fund paid no U.S. federal income tax. For this purpose, any ordinary income or capital gain net income retained by the Fund and subject to U.S. federal income tax will be considered to have been distributed. The Fund intends to declare and distribute dividends and distributions in the amounts and at the times necessary to avoid the application of the excise tax, but can make no assurances that all such tax liability will be eliminated. The Fund may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate Fund investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid U.S. federal excise tax liability at a time when the investment adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so, and the Fund may make such dispositions at times that, from an investment standpoint, are not advantageous.
If the Fund meets the Distribution Requirement but retains some or all of its income or gains, it will be subject to U.S. federal income tax to the extent any such income or gains are not distributed. The Fund may designate certain amounts retained as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who (i) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount so designated, (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the income tax paid by the Fund on that undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities and to claim refunds to the extent such credits exceed their tax liabilities, and (iii) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in their Shares by an amount equal to the excess of the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in their respective income over their respective income tax credits.
SAI-42
For the purpose of determining (i) whether the annual distribution requirement is satisfied for any year and (ii) the amount of capital gain dividends paid for that year, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, elect to treat a dividend that is paid during the following taxable year as if it had been paid during the taxable year in question. If the Fund makes such an election, you will be treated as receiving the dividend in the taxable year in which the distribution is made. However, if the Fund pays a dividend in January that was declared by the Fund in October, November or December and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month, it is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as paid by the Fund and received by shareholders on December 31 of the calendar year in which it was declared.
Shareholders who have not held Shares for a full year should be aware that the Fund may report and distribute, as ordinary dividends or capital gain dividends, a percentage of income that is not equal to the percentage of the Fund’s ordinary income or net capital gain, respectively, actually earned during the applicable shareholder’s period of investment in the Fund. A taxable shareholder may wish to avoid investing in the Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because the distribution will generally be taxable even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of the shareholder’s investment.
Tax Treatment of Complex Securities. The Fund may invest in complex securities and these investments may be subject to numerous special and complex tax rules. These rules could affect the Fund’s ability to qualify as a RIC, affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Fund and/or defer the Fund’s ability to recognize losses, and, in limited cases, subject the Fund to U.S. federal income tax on income from certain of their non-U.S. securities. In turn, these rules may affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to you by the Fund.
Some debt obligations that are acquired by the Fund may be treated as having original issue discount (“OID”). Generally, the Fund will be required to include OID in taxable income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of the OID is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. If the Fund holds such debt instruments, it may be required to pay out as distributions each year an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. For example, distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary.
The Fund may invest in inflation-linked debt securities. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-linked debt security will be OID, which is taxable as ordinary income and is required to be distributed, even though the Fund will not receive the principal, including any increase thereto, until maturity. If the Fund invests in securities that have OID, it may be required to liquidate other investments, including at times when it is not advantageous to do so, to satisfy its distribution requirements and to eliminate any possible taxation at the Fund level. Moreover, the Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes net gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive larger distributions than they would have in the absence of such transactions.
Non-U.S. Investments. Dividends and interest received by the Fund from sources within non-U.S. countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. The Fund does not expect to satisfy the requirements for passing through to its shareholders any share of non-U.S. taxes paid by the Fund, with the result that shareholders will not include such taxes in their gross incomes and will not be entitled to a tax deduction or credit for such taxes on their own tax returns.
If more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets at the close of any taxable year consists of stock or securities of non-U.S. corporations, which for this purpose may include obligations of non-U.S. governmental issuers, the Fund may elect, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to treat any non-U.S. income or withholding taxes paid by the Fund as paid by its shareholders. For any year that the Fund is eligible for and makes such an election, each shareholder of the Fund will be required to include in income an amount equal to his or her allocable share of qualified non-U.S. income taxes paid by the Fund, and shareholders will be entitled, subject to certain holding period requirements and other limitations, to credit their portions of these amounts against their U.S. federal income tax due, if any, or to deduct their portions from their U.S. taxable income, if any. No deductions for non-U.S. taxes paid by the Fund may be claimed, however, by non-corporate shareholders who do not itemize deductions. No deduction for such taxes will be permitted to individuals in computing their alternative minimum tax liability. Non-U.S. taxes paid by the Fund will reduce the return from the Fund’s investments.
SAI-43
If the Fund holds shares in a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”), it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any “excess distribution” received on or any gain from the disposition of such shares. Additional charges in the nature of interest generally will be imposed on the Fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from any such excess distributions or gains.
This additional tax and interest may apply even if the Fund makes a distribution as a taxable dividend to its shareholders in an amount equal to (1) any excess distribution or (2) the gain from the dispositions of such shares. Provided that the PFIC agrees to provide the Fund with adequate information regarding its annual results and other aspects of its operations, the Fund can elect to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” (“QEF”). In lieu of the foregoing requirements, the Fund will be required to include in income each year its proportionate share of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the QEF, even if not distributed to the Fund and such amounts will be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. To make this election, the Fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain. Alternatively, the Fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in the Fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased its PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the Fund would report any gains resulting from such deemed sales as ordinary income and would deduct any losses resulting from such deemed sales as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the Fund and, once made, is effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the IRS. By making the election, the Fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The Fund may have to distribute this excess income to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax. To distribute this income and avoid a tax at the Fund level, the Fund might be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss. Amounts included in income each year by the Fund arising from a QEF election, will be “qualifying income” under the Qualifying Income Requirement (as described above) even if not distributed to the Fund, if the Fund derives such income from its business of investing in stock, securities or currencies.
If the Fund holds more than 10% of the shares in a non-U.S. corporation that is treated as a controlled foreign corporation (“CFC”) it may be treated as receiving a deemed distribution (taxable as ordinary income) each year from such CFC in an amount equal to the Fund’s pro rata share of certain of the corporation’s income for the tax year (including both ordinary earnings and capital gains), whether or not the corporation makes an actual distribution during such year. In general, a non-U.S. corporation will be classified as a CFC if more than 50% of the shares of the corporation, measured by reference to combined voting power or value, is owned (directly, indirectly or by attribution) by U.S. shareholders. A “U.S. shareholder,” for this purpose, is any U.S. person that possesses (actually or constructively) 10% or more of the combined voting power or 10% or more of the total value of all classes of shares of a corporation. If the Fund is treated as receiving a deemed distribution from a CFC, it will be required to include such distribution in its investment company taxable income regardless of whether it receives any actual distributions from such CFC, and such income will be subject to the Distribution Requirement and will be taken into account for purposes of the 4% U.S. federal excise tax. Income inclusions from a CFC will be “qualifying income” under the Qualifying Income Requirement provided that they are derived in connection with the Fund’s business of investing in stocks and securities or the CFC distributes such income to the Fund in the same taxable year to which the income is included in the Fund’s income.
Taxation of U.S. Shareholders. Distributions to U.S. Shareholders by the Fund of ordinary income, and of net short-term capital gains, if any, realized by the Fund will generally be treated as ordinary income to U.S. Shareholders to the extent such distributions are paid out of such Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits. Distributions, if any, of net capital gains properly reported as “capital gain dividends” will be treated as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time the U.S. Shareholder has owned the Shares. A distribution of an amount in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) will be treated by a U.S. Shareholder as a return of capital which will be applied against and reduce the U.S. Shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in his or her Shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the U.S. Shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in his or her Shares, the excess will be treated by the U.S. Shareholder as gain from a sale or exchange of the Shares.
SAI-44
The Fund (or the applicable broker) will report to U.S. Shareholders annually the amounts of dividends paid from ordinary income, the amount of distributions of net capital gain, the portion of dividends which may qualify for the dividends received deduction for corporations, and the portion of dividends which may qualify for treatment as qualified dividend income.
Distributions will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or invested in additional Shares pursuant to a distribution reinvestment plan. U.S. Shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional Shares will generally be treated as receiving a distribution in the amount of the fair market value of the distributed Shares. The additional Shares received by a U.S. Shareholder pursuant to the distribution reinvestment plan will have a new holding period commencing on the day following the day on which the Shares were credited to the U.S. Shareholder’s account.
The Fund may elect to retain its net capital gain or a portion thereof for investment and be subject to U.S. federal income tax imposed at corporate rates, as well as any applicable U.S. federal excise tax, on the amount retained. In such case, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its U.S. Shareholders, who will be treated as if each received a distribution of his pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each U.S. Shareholder will (i) be required to report its pro rata share of such gain on its tax return as long-term capital gain, (ii) receive a refundable tax credit for its pro rata share of tax paid by the Fund on the gain and (iii) increase the adjusted tax basis for its Shares by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit.
Upon the sale or other disposition of Shares, a U.S. Shareholder will generally realize a capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and the U.S. Shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the Shares sold. Such gain or loss will be long-term or short-term, depending upon the U.S. Shareholder’s holding period for the Shares. Generally, a U.S. Shareholder’s gain or loss will be a long-term gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year. For non-corporate taxpayers, long-term capital gains are currently eligible for reduced rates of taxation.
No loss will be allowed on the sale or other disposition of Shares if the owner acquires (including pursuant to the distribution reinvestment plan) or enters into a contract or option to acquire securities that are substantially identical to such Shares within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the adjusted tax basis of the securities acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Losses realized by a U.S. Shareholder on the sale or exchange of Shares held for six months or less are treated as long-term capital losses to the extent of any distribution of long-term capital gain received (or amounts designated as undistributed capital gains) with respect to such Shares.
The Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold (as “backup withholding”) on amounts payable to any U.S. Shareholder who is not otherwise exempt from backup withholding, such as a corporation, and (1) such U.S. Shareholder fails to provide a correct taxpayer identification number certified under penalty of perjury; (2) the IRS notifies the payor that such U.S. Shareholder furnished an incorrect taxpayer identification number; (3) the Fund is notified by the IRS that the U.S. Shareholder has failed to properly report payments of interest or dividends; or (4) such U.S. Shareholder fails to certify, under penalties of perjury, on an IRS Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification) or a suitable substitute form (or other applicable certificate) that the U.S. Shareholder has furnished a correct taxpayer identification number and that the IRS has not notified such U.S. Shareholder that the U.S. Shareholder is subject to backup withholding. The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s ultimate U.S. tax liability.
Individuals that are U.S. Shareholders with a modified adjusted gross income (subject to certain adjustments) exceeding $200,000 (other thresholds apply depending on the individual U.S. Shareholder’s filing status) are subject to a 3.8% surtax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes taxable interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (generally including capital gain distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Shares). This 3.8% surtax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
SAI-45
Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a U.S. Shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to Shares of $2 million or more for an individual U.S. Shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate U.S. Shareholder (or a greater loss over a combination of years), the U.S. Shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct U.S. Shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, U.S. Shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to U.S. Shareholders of most or all RICs. 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. U.S. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Taxation of APs. An AP who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate adjusted tax basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. The ability of APs to receive a full or partial cash redemption of Creation Units of the Fund may limit the tax efficiency of the Fund. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s adjusted tax basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot currently be deducted under the rules governing “wash sales” (for a person who does not mark-to-market its portfolio) or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if Shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses will generally be treated as short-term capital gains or losses. Any loss upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six months or less may be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable AP of long-term capital gain with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the AP as undistributed capital gains).
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have an adjusted tax basis in the deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require the provision of information necessary to determine beneficial Share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Fund does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares, the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) generally will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.
AP purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction and whether the wash sales rule applies and when a loss may be deductible.
Taxation of Tax-Exempt Shareholders. Certain tax-exempt shareholders, including qualified pension plans, individual retirement accounts, salary deferral arrangements, 401(k) plans, and other tax-exempt entities, generally are exempt from U.S. federal income taxation except with respect to their unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”). Tax-exempt entities are not permitted to offset losses from one unrelated trade or business against the income or gain of another unrelated trade or business. Under current law, the Fund generally serves to block UBTI from being realized by its tax-exempt shareholders with respect to their shares of Fund income. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, tax-exempt shareholders could realize UBTI by virtue of their investment in the Fund if, for example, (i) the Fund invests in residual interests of Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”), (ii) the Fund invests in a REIT that is a taxable mortgage pool (“TMP”) or that has a subsidiary that is a TMP or that invests in the residual interest of a REMIC, or (iii) Shares constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholders within the meaning of section 514(b) of the Code. Charitable remainder trusts are subject to special rules and should consult their tax advisors. The IRS has issued guidance with respect to these issues and prospective shareholders, especially charitable remainder trusts, are strongly encouraged to consult with their tax advisors regarding these issues.
SAI-46
Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders. Subject to the discussions below concerning backup withholding and FATCA (defined below), distributions of the Fund’s investment company taxable income to Non-U.S. Shareholders will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax imposed at a 30% rate (or lower rate provided by an applicable treaty) to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits unless an applicable exception applies. No withholding will be required on such distributions to the extent that (i) such distributions are properly reported to the Fund’s Non-U.S. Shareholders as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” (ii) the distributions are derived from sources specified in the Code for such dividends and (iii) certain other requirements are satisfied. No assurance can be given as to whether any significant amount of the Fund’s distributions with respect to its Shares would be reported as eligible for this exemption from withholding.
If the distributions with respect to the Shares are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. Shareholder (and, if an income tax treaty applies, attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Shareholder in the United States), no amount of U.S. federal tax will be required to be withheld from such distributions if the Non-U.S. Shareholder complies with applicable certification and disclosure requirements, although such distributions will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. persons. Special certification requirements apply to a Non-U.S. Shareholder that is a foreign partnership or a foreign trust, and such entities are urged to consult their own tax advisors.
Subject to the discussion below concerning FATCA, actual or deemed distributions of the Fund’s net capital gains to a Non-U.S. Shareholder, and gains realized by a Non-U.S. Shareholder upon the sale of Shares, will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax and generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax unless (i) the distributions or gains, as the case may be, are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. Shareholder (and, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Shareholder in the United States), or (ii) such Non-U.S. Shareholder is an individual present in the United States for 183 days or more during the year of the distribution or gain.
For a corporate Non-U.S. Shareholder, distributions and gains realized upon the sale of shares of shares of the Fund that are effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business may, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate (or at a lower rate if provided for by an applicable treaty).
The Fund must generally report to its documented Non-U.S. Shareholders and the IRS the amount of dividends paid during each calendar year and the amount of any tax withheld. Information reporting requirements may apply even if no withholding was required because the distributions were effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Shareholder’s conduct of a United States trade or business or withholding was reduced or eliminated by an applicable income tax treaty. This information also may be made available under a specific treaty or agreement with the tax authorities in the country in which the Non-U.S. Shareholder resides or is established.
Under U.S. federal income tax law, interest, dividends and other reportable payments may, under certain circumstances, be subject to “backup withholding” at the then applicable rate (currently 24%). Backup withholding, however, generally will not apply to distributions to a Non-U.S. Shareholder, provided the Non-U.S. Shareholder furnishes to the Fund the required certification as to its non-U.S. status, such as by providing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, or certain other requirements are met. Backup withholding is not an additional tax but can be credited against a Non-U.S. Shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax, and may be refunded to the extent it results in an overpayment of tax and the appropriate information is timely supplied to the IRS.
Non-U.S. Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.
SAI-47
Legislation commonly referred to as the “Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act,” or “FATCA,” generally imposes a 30% withholding tax on payments of certain types of income to foreign financial institutions (“FFIs”) unless such FFIs either (i) enter into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury to report certain required information with respect to accounts held by certain specified U.S. persons (or held by foreign entities that have certain specified U.S. persons as substantial owners) or (ii) reside in a jurisdiction that has entered into an intergovernmental agreement (“IGA”) with the United States to collect and share such information and are in compliance with the terms of such IGA and any enabling legislation or regulations. The types of income subject to the tax include U.S. source interest and dividends. While the Code would also require withholding on payments of the gross proceeds from the sale of any property that could produce U.S. source interest or dividends, the U.S. Treasury Department has indicated its intent to eliminate this requirement in subsequent proposed regulations, which state that taxpayers may rely on the proposed regulations until final regulations are issued. The information required to be reported includes the identity and taxpayer identification number of each account holder that is a specified U.S. person and certain financial information associated with the holder’s account. In addition, subject to certain exceptions, this legislation also imposes a 30% withholding on certain payments to certain foreign entities that are not financial institutions unless the foreign entity certifies that it does not have a greater than 10% owner that is a specified U.S. person or provides the withholding agent with identifying information on each greater than 10% owner that is a specified U.S. person. Depending on the status of a Non-U.S. Shareholder and the status of the intermediaries through which they hold their Shares, Non-U.S. Shareholders could be subject to this 30% withholding tax with respect to distributions on their Shares. Under certain circumstances, a Non-U.S. Shareholder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes.
Certain Potential Tax Reporting Requirements. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss on disposition of Shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), 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 RIC are not excepted. Significant penalties may be imposed for the failure to comply with the reporting requirements. 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.
Other Issues. In those states which have income tax laws, the tax treatment of the Fund and of Fund shareholders with respect to distributions by the Fund may differ from federal tax treatment.
Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors concerning their specific situations and the application of state, local and foreign taxes.
Assuming the Reorganization qualifies as a tax-free reorganization, as expected, the Acquiring Fund will succeed to the tax attributes of the Predecessor Fund upon the closing of the Reorganization, including any capital loss carryovers that could have been used by the Predecessor Fund to offset its future realized capital gains, if any, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The capital loss carryovers of the Predecessor Fund, if any, will be available to offset future gains recognized by the Acquiring Fund. Capital losses of the Predecessor Fund or the Acquiring Fund may generally be carried forward indefinitely to offset future capital gains, subject to certain limitations.
As of July 31, 2025, the Predecessor Fund had accumulated capital loss carryovers of $92,076, of which $82,246 is considered short term and $9,830 is considered long term.
Capital losses of the Acquiring Fund, as the successor in interest to the Predecessor Fund, may subsequently become subject to an annual limitation as a result of sales of the Acquiring Fund shares or other transactions occurring post-Reorganization to the extent that they are deemed to result in a change of ownership of the Acquiring Fund.
General Considerations. The U.S. federal income tax discussion set forth above is for general information only. Shares held in a tax-qualified retirement account will generally not be subject to federal taxation on income and capital gains distributions from the Fund until a shareholder begins receiving payments from their retirement account. Because each shareholder’s tax situation is different, prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the specific U.S. federal income tax consequences of purchasing, holding and disposing of Shares, as well as the effect of state, local and foreign tax law and any proposed tax law changes.
SAI-48
The Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm, Cohen & Company, Ltd., audits and reports on the Fund’s annual financial statements. The Fund has adopted the financial statements of the Predecessor Fund. The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Predecessor Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2025 (the “Annual Report”) are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The financial statements include the “Schedule of Investments”, “Statement of Assets and Liabilities”, “Statement of Operations”, “Statements of Changes in Net Assets”, “Financial Highlights” and “Notes to Financial Statements”. No other parts of the Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein. The financial statements included in the Annual Report have been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Predecessor Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, whose report thereon also appears in the Annual Report and is incorporated by reference into this SAI.
SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION
A table showing the fees and expenses of the Predecessor Fund and the fees and expenses of the Fund on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the proposed Reorganization, is included in the Prospectus.
The Reorganization will not result in a material change to the Predecessor Fund’s investment portfolios. As a result, a schedule of investments the Predecessor Fund modified to show the effects of such change is not required and is not included.
There are no material differences in accounting policies of the Predecessor Fund as compared to those of the Fund.
SAI-49
WEDBUSH FUND ADVISERS, LLC
Proxy Voting Policy
Introduction
Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC (“WFA”) has adopted this Proxy Voting Policy (“Policy”) pursuant to Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“Advisers Act”), Rule 30b1-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and other fiduciary obligations. The Policy describes the Adviser’s proxy voting duty and obligation to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of WFA’s fund(s).1
Statement of Policy
It is WFA’s policy, where proxy voting authority has been delegated to WFA by the fund(s), that all proxies are voted in the best interest of the fund without regard to the interests of WFA or other related parties. For purposes of the Policy, the “best interests of fund” shall mean, unless otherwise specified by the fund offering documents, the funds’ best economic interests over the long term. It is further the policy of WFA that complete and accurate disclosure concerning its proxy voting policies and procedures and proxy voting records, as required by the Advisers Act, be made available to fund shareholders.
Procedures
Subject to the procedures set forth below, WFA’s chief compliance officer maintains responsibility for reviewing all proxies and ensuring that proxies are voted timely in accordance with this Policy.
Use of Third-Party Proxy Service
In connection with its responsibilities expressed herein, WFA may utilize the services of third- party service providers to assist it in researching and voting proxies and development of proxy voting guidelines (“Service Provider”). If a Service Provider is used, they help institutional investors research the financial implications of proxy proposals and cast votes that will protect and enhance investor returns. WFA will utilize the research and analytical services, operational implementation and recordkeeping and reporting services provided by Service Provider. Service Provider will research each proxy and provide a recommendation to WFA as to how to vote on each issue based on its research of the individual facts and circumstances of the proxy issue and its application of its research findings to the Guidelines. Service Provider will cast votes in accordance with its recommendations unless instructed otherwise by the CCO or other designed personnel as set forth below. The current service providers are Broadridge and Glass Lewis.
Review of Recommendations
WFA’s CCO (or other designated personnel) have the ultimate responsibility to accept or reject any Service Provider voting recommendation (“Recommendation”). Consequently, the CCO or other appointed staff is responsible for understanding and reviewing how proxies are voted for the fund(s), taking into account the Policy, the Guidelines and the best interest of the fund shareholders. The CCO may override the Recommendation should he/she not believe that such Recommendation, based on all facts and circumstances, is in the best interests of the fund(s). WFA will memorialize the basis for any decision to override a Recommendation or to abstain from voting, including the resolution of any conflicts, as further discussed below. WFA may choose not to vote proxies under the following circumstances:
| ● | if the effect on the shareholders economic interests or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant; |
| 1 | WFA typically has responsibility to vote proxies on behalf of all Funds, subject to the terms of each Fund’s advisory agreement. |
SAI-50
| ● | if the cost of voting the proxy outweighs the possible benefit; or |
| ● | if a jurisdiction whose laws or regulations govern the voting of proxies with respect to the portfolio holding impose share blocking restrictions which prevent WFA from exercising its voting authority. |
Addressing Material Conflicts of Interest
Prior to overriding a Recommendation, the CCO (or other designated personnel) must memorialize the determination and document whether a potential material conflict of interest exists between WFA and the fund on whose behalf the proxy is to be voted (“Material Conflict”). The CCO or any person so designated has an affirmative duty to disclose any potential Material Conflicts known to them related to a proxy vote. Material Conflicts may exist in situations where WFA is called to vote on a proxy involving an issuer or proponent of a proxy proposal regarding the issuer where WFA or an affiliated person of the WFA also:
| ● | manages the issuer’s or proponent’s pension plan; |
| ● | administers the issuer’s or proponent’s employee benefit plan; |
| ● | provided brokerage, underwriting, insurance or banking services to the issuer or proponent; or |
| ● | manages money for an employee group. |
Additional Material Conflicts may exist if an executive of WFA or its control affiliates is a close relative of, or has a personal or business relationship with:
| ● | an executive of the issuer or proponent; |
| ● | a director of the issuer or proponent; |
| ● | a person who is a candidate to be a director of the issuer; |
| ● | a participant in the proxy contest; or |
| ● | a proponent of a proxy proposal. |
Material Conflicts based on business relationships or dealings of affiliates of WFA will only be considered to the extent that the applicable CCO has actual knowledge of such business relationships. Whether a relationship creates a Material Conflict will depend on the facts and circumstances. Even if these parties do not attempt to influence WFA with respect to voting, the value of the relationship to WFA can create a Material Conflict.
Material Conflicts may exist when WFA manages a separate account, a fund or other collective investment vehicle that invests in affiliated funds. When WFA receives proxies in its capacity as a shareholder of an underlying fund, WFA will vote in accordance with the recommendation of an independent service provider applying WFA’s predetermined guidelines. If there is no relevant predetermined guideline, WFA will vote in accordance with the recommendation of the independent service provider. If the independent service provider does not provide a recommendation, WFA then may address the conflict by “echoing” or “mirroring” the vote of the other shareholders in those underlying funds.
If the CCO determines that there is no potential Material Conflict, the CCO may override the Recommendation and vote the proxy issue as he/she determines is in the best interest of fund(s) shareholders. If the CCO determines that there exists or may exist a Material Conflict, it will consider the following facts and circumstances of the pending proxy vote and the potential or actual Material Conflict and make a determination as to how to vote the proxy:
| ● | the percentage of outstanding securities of the issuer held on behalf of funds advised by WFA; |
| ● | the nature of the relationship of the issuer with WFA, its affiliates or its executive officers; |
| ● | whether there has been any attempt to directly or indirectly influence WFA’s decision; |
| ● | whether the direction (for or against) of the proposed vote would appear to benefit WFA or a related party; and |
| ● | whether an objective decision to vote in a certain way will still create a strong appearance of a conflict. |
SAI-51
WFA may not abstain from voting any such proxy for the purpose of avoiding conflict.
In the event Service Provider itself has a conflict and thus, is unable to provide a recommendation, the CCO will make a voting recommendation and submit the proxy.
Lending
WFA will monitor upcoming meetings and call stock loans, if applicable, in anticipation of an important vote to be taken among holders of the securities or of the giving or withholding of their consent on a material matter affecting the investment. In determining whether to call stock loans, WFA shall consider whether the benefit to the fund in voting the matter outweighs the benefit to the fund in keeping the stock on loan.
Compliance Monitoring
CCO Reporting
Each quarter, the CCO will report to the Board, with respect to proxy votes on behalf of an ETF, all proxy votes involving the fund in which WFA has overridden the Recommendation and include a description of the reason for the override and whether such override involved a potential Material Conflict and participation of the CCO.
Annually, CCO will provide the Board with a report of relevant proxy voting matters, such as any proposed changes to the proxy voting policy or guidelines and any votes presenting Material Conflicts.
Investment Company Disclosures
For each investment company that WFA manages, WFA will ensure that the proxy voting record for the twelve-month period ending June 30 for each registered investment company is properly reported on Form N-PX no later than August 31 of each year. WFA will also ensure that each such fund states in its Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) and its annual and semi-annual report to shareholders that information concerning how the fund voted proxies relating to its portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ending June 30 is available through the fund’s website and on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) website.
WFA ensures that proper disclosure is made in each fund’s SAI describing the policies and procedures used to determine how to vote proxies relating to such fund’s portfolio securities. WFA will further ensure that the annual and semi-annual report to for each fund states that a description of the fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures is available: (1) without charge, upon request, by calling a specified toll-free telephone number; (2) on the fund’s website; and (3) on the SEC’s website.
Recordkeeping
Either WFA or Service Provider, or both, as indicated below, will maintain the following records:
| ● | a copy of the Policy and Guidelines (both); |
| ● | a copy of each proxy statement received by WFA regarding fund securities (Service Provider); |
| ● | a record of each vote cast by WFA on behalf of a fund (Service Provider); |
| ● | a copy of all documents created by WFA that were material to making a decision on the proxy voting (or abstaining from voting) and all supporting documents; and |
Such records must be maintained for at least six years.
SAI-52

LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF
PROXY FOR A SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 27, 2026
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The undersigned, revoking prior proxies, hereby appoints (names of officers acting as proxies) as attorney-in-fact and proxy of the undersigned, granted in connection with the voting of the shares subject hereto with full power of substitution, to vote shares held in the name of the undersigned on the record date at the Special Meeting of Shareholders of LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF, a series of ETF Opportunities Trust (the “Trust”) to be held on February 27, 2026 at Meeting Time at offices of Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., 8730 Stoney Point Parkway, Suite 2025, Richmond, Virginia 23235, or at any adjournment thereof, upon the Proposals described in the Notice of Meeting and accompanying Proxy Statement, which have been received by the undersigned.
Do you have questions? If you have any questions about how to vote your proxy or about the meeting in general, please call toll-free 1-888-540-8736. Representatives are available to assist you Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for this Special Meeting of Shareholders to Be Held on February 27, 2026. The proxy statement for this meeting is available at:
https://vote.proxyonline.com/etfopps/docs/laffertengler2026.pdf
| [PROXY ID NUMBER HERE] | [BAR CODE HERE] | [CUSIP HERE] |
| LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF | PROXY CARD | ||
YOUR SIGNATURE IS REQUIRED FOR YOUR VOTE TO BE COUNTED. The signer(s) acknowledges receipt with this Proxy Statement of the Board of Trustees. Your signature(s) on this should be exactly as your name(s) appear on this Proxy (reverse side). If the shares are held jointly, each holder should sign this Proxy. Attorneys-in-fact, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians should indicate the full title and capacity in which they are signing.
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| SIGNATURE (AND TITLE IF APPLICABLE) | DATE | ||
SIGNATURE (IF HELD JOINTLY)
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DATE | ||
This proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, and the Proposals have been unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees and recommended for approval by shareholders. When properly executed, this proxy will be voted as indicated or “FOR” the proposals if no choice is indicated. The proxy will be voted in accordance with the proxy holders’ best judgment as to any other matters that may arise at the Special Meeting.
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE PROPOSALS.
TO VOTE, MARK CIRCLES BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS. Example: ●
| FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | ||
| 1. | The Agreement and Plan of Reorganization by and among ETF Opportunities Trust, on behalf of the LAFFER|TENGLER Equity Income ETF, Wedbush Series Trust, on behalf of Wedbush LAFFER|TENGLER New Era Value ETF, Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC and Laffer Tengler Investments, Inc. | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| 2. | To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof. |
THANK YOU FOR VOTING
| [PROXY ID NUMBER HERE] | [BAR CODE HERE] | [CUSIP HERE] |