03/26/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/26/2026 08:56
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 26, 2026
Securities Act Registration No. 333-206306
Investment Company Act Reg. No. 811-23086
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM N-1A
| REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 | [X] | |
| Pre-Effective Amendment No. __ | [ ] | |
| Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 | [X] | |
| and/or | ||
| REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 | [X] | |
| Amendment No. 42 | [X] | |
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
WP TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
127 NW 13th Street, Suite 13
Boca Raton, FL 33432
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (800) 950-9112
The Corporation Trust Company
Corporation Trust Center
1209 Orange Street
Wilmington, Delaware 19801
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
With Copies To:
| John H. Lively |
| Practus, LLP |
| 11300 Tomahawk Creek Parkway, Suite 310 |
| Leawood, KS 66211 |
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)
| |_| | immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) |
| |X| | on March 27, 2026 pursuant to paragraph (b) |
| |_| | 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) |
| |_| | on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) |
| |_| | 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) |
| |_| | on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485. |
If appropriate, check the following box:
| |_| | This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment. |
WP Large Cap Income Plus Fund
Class A Shares*
Class C Shares*
Institutional Class Shares (Ticker Symbol: WPLCX)
a series of the
WP Trust
PROSPECTUS
March 27, 2026
This Prospectus relates to WP Large Cap Income Plus Fund (the "Fund"). For questions or for Shareholder Services, please call (866) 959-9260.
These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities commission passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
* Share class not presently offered for sale.
Table of Contents
Page
| LARGE CAP FUND SUMMARY | 1 | |
| GENERAL SUMMARY SECTION | 7 | |
| INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES, RISKS AND PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS | 8 | |
| MANAGEMENT | 15 | |
| ADMINISTRATION | 16 | |
| INVESTING IN THE FUND | 18 | |
| PURCHASING SHARES | 20 | |
|
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS |
28 | |
| OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION | 30 | |
Summary
Investment Objective. The investment objective of the Fund is total return.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund. This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your household invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section captioned "Purchasing Shares" on page 20 of this prospectus and the section captioned "Purchases" beginning on page 32 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
| Class A shares | Class C shares | Institutional Class shares | |
| Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) | 5.50% | None |
None |
| Maximum Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or the amount redeemed, whichever is less) | 1.00%1 | 1.00% |
None |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
Class A shares2 |
Class C shares2 | Institutional Class shares | |
| Management Fees | 1.35% | 1.35% | 1.35% |
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% | 0.10% |
| Other Expenses3 | 0.76% | 0.76% | 0.76% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 2.36% | 3.11% | 2.21% |
1. Contingent Deferred Sales Charge applies to Class A shares only when a Shareholder purchase in the Fund totals $1 million or more and the shareholder redeems within 1 year of purchase.
2. Expenses for Class A shares and Class C shares are based on estimates since those classes have not yet commenced operations.
3. "Other Expenses" include 0.07% for payment of interest expenses related to the Fund's option investing.
Example. The following Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
This expense example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The expense example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Contingent Deferred Sales Charges (the "CDSCs") are not included in these calculations for Class A Shares and Class C shares. If the CDSCs were included, your costs would be higher. See "Purchasing Shares - Choosing a Share Class" below. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your cost would be:
| Period Invested | 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| Class A Shares | $776 | $1,246 | $1,741 | $3,098 |
| Class C Shares | $314 | $960 | $1,630 | $3,420 |
| Institutional Class Shares | $224 | $691 | $1,185 | $2,544 |
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Portfolio Turnover. The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2025, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 3.80%of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy of the Fund. The Fund's investment objective is total return. To meet its investment objective, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in large cap domestic equity securities and exchange traded funds ("ETFs") that primarily invest in large cap domestic equity securities.The Fund will seek income through dividends paid on such securities. The Fund will also seek to produce income (e.g., premium income on the sale of an option) and return stability through an options strategy.
The Advisor intends to sell covered call options on a portion of the Fund's stock holdings. The extent of option selling will depend on market conditions and the Advisor's consideration of the advantages of selling call options on the Fund's equity investments.
The Fund may also sell put options on stocks and ETFs the Advisor believes are attractive for purchase at prices at or above the exercise price of the put options sold. The Fund may, in certain circumstances, purchase put options on the S&P 500 Composite Stock Price Index (the "S&P 500") and on individual stocks to protect against a loss of principal value due to stock price decline. The extent of option selling and purchasing activity depends on market conditions and the Advisor's judgment. The Fund may also seek to pursue its investment objective by selling a series of call and put option spread combinations on the S&P 500.
The Fund may be appropriate for investors with long-term horizons who are not sensitive to short-term losses and want to participate in the long-term growth of the financial markets. The Fund seeks to minimize the effects of inflation on its portfolio.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is subject to investment risks, including the possible loss of some or all of the principal amount invested. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be successful in meeting its investment objective. Generally, the Fund will be subject to the following additional risks:
| · | Market risk -Market risk refers to the risk that the value of securities in the Fund's portfolio may decline due to daily fluctuations in the securities markets, including fluctuation in interest rates, national and international economic conditions and general equity market conditions. |
· Dividend strategy risk- There can be no assurances that the Advisor will be able to correctly anticipate the level of dividends that companies will pay in any given timeframe. If the Advisor's expectations as to potential dividends are wrong, the Fund's performance may be adversely affected.
| · | Management style risk - To the extent the Fund focuses on a particular style of stocks, such as growth or value, its performance may at times be better or worse than that of similar funds with other focuses or that have a broader investment style. |
| · | Large company risk - The Fund will invest in larger, more established companies, which may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges such as changes in consumer tastes or innovative smaller competitors. Also, large companies are sometimes unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansions. |
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| · | Interest rate risk - Increases in interest rates typically lower the present value of a company's future earnings stream. Accordingly, stock prices will generally decline when investors anticipate or experience rising interest rates. |
| · | Issuer risk - The value of an individual security or particular type of security can be more volatile and thus perform differently than the market as a whole. |
| · | Equity risk - Equity risk is the risk that securities held by the Fund will fall due to general market or economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, and the particular circumstances and performance of those companies whose securities the Fund holds. |
| · | Shares of other investment companies and ETFs risk - You will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the underlying funds in which the Fund may invest in addition to the Fund's direct fees and expenses and, as a result, your cost of investing in the Fund will generally be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying fund shares. Investments in ETFs bear the risk that the market price of the ETF's shares may trade at a discount to their net asset value or that an active trading market for an ETF's shares may not develop or be maintained. The Fund may place otherwise uninvested cash in money market mutual funds. |
| · | Sector Risk-The Fund may, at times, have significant investments in the securities of issuers in industries within a particular sector, any development affecting that sector will have a greater impact on the value of the net assets of the Fund than would be the case if the Fund did not have significant investments in that sector. In addition, this may increase the risk of loss of an investment in the Fund and increase the volatility of the Income Fund's NAV per share. From time to time, circumstances may affect a particular sector and the companies within such sector. For instance, economic or market factors, regulation or deregulation, and technological or other developments may negatively impact all companies in a particular sector and therefore the value of the Fund's portfolio will be adversely affected. As of the Fund's latest fiscal year end, it had 38.65% of the value of its net assets invested in stocks within the Information Technology sector, and 37.57% of the value of its net assets invested in stocks within the Financials sector. |
Information Technology Companies Risk. Information technology companies are generally subject to the following risks: rapidly changing technologies; short product life cycles; fierce competition; aggressive pricing and reduced profit margins; the loss of patent, copyright and trademark protections; cyclical market patterns; evolving industry standards; and frequent new product introductions. Information technology companies may be smaller and less experienced companies, with limited product lines, markets or financial resources and fewer experienced management or marketing personnel. Information technology company stocks have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that are often unrelated to their operating performance.
Financial Companies Risk. Financial companies, such as retail and commercial banks, insurance companies and financial services companies, are especially subject to the adverse effects of economic recession, currency exchange rates, extensive government regulation, decreases in the availability of capital, volatile interest rates, portfolio concentrations in geographic markets, industries or products (such as commercial and residential real estate loans) and competition from new entrants and blurred distinctions in their fields of business.
| · | Options risk - Purchasing and selling put and call options are highly specialized activities and entail greater than ordinary investment risks. The successful use of options depends in part on the ability of the Advisor to manage future price fluctuations and the degree of correlation between the options and securities (or currency) markets. By selling put options on equity securities, the Fund gives up the opportunity to benefit from potential increases in the value of |
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the underlying securities above the strike prices of the sold put options, but continues to bear the risk of declines in the value of underlying securities held by the Fund. The Fund will receive a premium from the purchaser of a covered call option sold by the Advisor, which it retains whether or not the option is exercised. The premium received from the sold options may not be sufficient to offset any losses sustained from the volatility of the underlying equity securities over time.
| · | Limits on option selling risk - The number of call options the Fund can sell is limited by the number of shares of common stock or ETFs or other securities the Fund holds and is further subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options are traded. |
| · | Options strategy risk - The Fund's option strategy consists of selling and purchasing put and call options on equity indexes and ETFs. The sale of put options generates income for the Fund but exposes it to the risk of declines in the value of the underlying assets. The risk in purchasing options is limited to the premium paid by the Fund for the options. The sale of call options generates income for the Fund but may limit the Fund's participation in equity market gains. |
| · | Derivatives risk - The use of derivatives can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price. Losses may also occur because the value of the asset, index, rate or instrument underlying a derivative loses value, or due to failure of a counterparty or due to tax or regulatory constraints. Derivatives may create economic leverage in the Fund, which magnifies the Fund's exposure to the underlying investment. The loss on derivative transactions may significantly exceed the initial investment. |
| · | Transaction cost risk - Transaction costs refer to the charges that are associated with buying and selling securities for the Fund. As a result of the Fund's options strategy, the Fund may incur higher brokerage and transactional related charges than those associated with an average equity fund. These transaction costs increase the cost of your investment in the Fund. |
| · | General fund investing risk- The Fund is not a complete investment program and you may lose money by investing in the Fund. All investments carry a certain amount of risk and there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to achieve its investment objective. Additionally, unexpected local, regional or global events, such as war; acts of terrorism; financial, political or social disruptions; natural, environmental or man-made disasters; the spread of infectious illnesses or other public health issues (such as COVID-19); and recessions and depressions could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and may impair market liquidity. Such events can cause investor fear, which can adversely affect the economies of nations, regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. |
Performance.
The bar chart and performance table on the next page provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund's performance has varied over time. The performance shown for the Institutional Class shares for periods prior to August 20, 2018 reflects the performance of a series of 360 Funds, a Delaware statutory trust (the "Predecessor Fund") that was reorganized into the Fund's Institutional Class shares. While the Fund is substantially similar to the Predecessor Fund, the Fund's performance may be different than the performance of the Predecessor Fund due to, among other things, differences in fees and expenses.
The bar chart depicts the change in performance from year to year during the periods indicated. The performance table compares the Fund's average annual returns for the periods indicated to a broad-based securities market index. The bar charts and performance tables assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) may not be an indication of how it will perform in the future.
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Updated performance information will be available at no cost by calling (866) 959-9260. Performance is not presented for Class A and Class C shares because they have not begun operations.
Year-by-Year Total Return (for periods ended December 31)
The Fund's Institutional Class Shares year-to-date total returnthrough December 31, 2024was 19.35%. During the period shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarterwas 26.81%during the quarter ended March 31, 2019and the lowest return for a quarterwas -55.69%during the quarter ended March 31, 2020.
Average Annual Total Returns
(for periods ended December 31, 2025)
| Institutional Shares | 1 Year | 5 Year | 10 Year |
| Return Before Taxes | 16.54% | 6.74% | 7.18% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 16.54% | 6.71% | 6.94% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 9.79% | 5.27% | 5.72% |
| S&P 500 Index | 17.88% | 14.42% | 14.82% |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average Index | 14.92% | 11.58% | 13.11% |
After-taxreturns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal incometax rates in effectas of December31, 2025 and do not reflectthe impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-taxreturns depend on an investor's tax situation andmay differ from those shown. After-taxreturns shown arenot relevantto investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirements accounts ("IRAs").
Current performance of the Fund may be lower or higher than the performance quoted above.
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Management. Winning Points Advisors, LLC is the Fund's investment adviser.
Portfolio Managers.
For important information about purchase and sale of Fund shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to the section of this prospectus titled "General Summary Section" and subsections titled "Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares," "Tax Information" and "Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries" beginning on page 7 of the prospectus.
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GENERAL SUMMARY SECTION
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares. The minimum initial investment in the Fund's Institutional Share Class is generally $2,000 and the minimum subsequent investment is $100 ($25 under an automatic investment plan). The Advisor can waive the minimum initial investment requirement. You can purchase or redeem shares directly from a Fund on any business day the New York Stock Exchange is open directly by calling the Fund at (866) 959-9260, where you may also obtain more information about purchasing or redeeming shares by mail, facsimile or bank wire. The Fund has also authorized certain broker-dealers to accept purchase and redemption orders on its behalf. Investors who wish to purchase or redeem Fund shares through a broker-dealer should contact their broker-dealer directly.
Tax Information. The Fund's distributions will generally be taxed to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA. Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or IRAs may be taxed later upon a withdrawal of assets from those accounts.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund 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 the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES, RISKS AND PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total assets in large cap domestic equity securities and ETFs that primarily invest in large cap domestic equity securities. The Fund will seek income through dividends paid on such securities. The Fund will also seek to produce income (e.g., premium income on the sale of an option) and return stability through an options strategy. The Fund's investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval; however, the Fund will provide 60 days' advance notice to shareholders before implementing a change in the Fund's investment objective.
The Fund will primarily invest in large capitalization stocks with a history of strong earnings and dividend growth. These stocks typically have established markets and operations and generate excess cash flow. The Fund looks for stocks with attributes which suggest they will thrive in good markets and survive potential economic setbacks. The Fund employs detailed quantitative assessments to construct its equity portfolio. Portfolio parameters include, but are not limited to, steady growing earnings, dividend yield with a tendency to raise such yield and availability at reasonable price-earnings ratios. The Fund seeks to invest in stocks that are undervalued by the market, but with strong business models, which provides for lower levels of market volatility or non-correlated volatility, higher dividend returns and are generally less expensive to purchase. The Fund also prefers to invest in equity stocks that have options traded on them. The Fund will rebalance and adjust its equity portfolio as the Advisor deems necessary and appropriate.
To meet its investment objective, the Fund will also invest in ETFs. The underlying ETFs will invest primarily in large cap domestic equity securities.
The Fund also seeks to generate income for shareholders by selling options against the risk taken by owning common stocks and ETFs. This income is designed to, over time, add to portfolio stability and improve returns. The Fund uses an option strategy in an effort to limit market exposure and volatility.
The Fund intends to sell covered call options on a portion of its holdings. The Advisor generally sells covered call options to provide the income component of the options strategy described in the Fund's investment objective. The extent of option selling will depend upon market conditions and the Advisor's judgment of the advantages of selling call options on the Fund's investments.
The Fund may also sell put options on ETFs that the Advisor believes are attractive for purchase at prices at or above the exercise price of the put options sold. The Advisor generally will sell put options to increase the total return component of the options strategy described in the Fund's investment objective. The Fund may, in certain circumstances, purchase put options on the S&P 500 (or another broad-based securities index deemed suitable for this purpose) to protect against a loss of principal value due to stock price decline. The Advisor generally purchases put options to protect the total return component of the options strategy described in the Fund's investment objective. The extent of option selling or purchasing activity will depend upon market conditions and the Advisor's assessment of the advantages of selling index call options, purchasing index put options and selling put options on individual stocks.
Additionally, the Fund will enter into call spreads and put spreads that are out of the money. A spread is an options position established by purchasing one option and selling another option of the same class, but of a different series. So, the exercise price of the call options sold will be above the current level of the index when sold and the exercise price of the call options bought will be above the exercise price of the call options sold. The exercise price of put options sold generally will be below the current level of the index when sold and the exercise price of the put options bought will be below the exercise price of put options sold.
The Fund may be appropriate for investors with long-term time horizons who are not sensitive to short-term losses and want to participate in the long-term growth of the financial markets.
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Temporary Defensive Positions. The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies in an attempt to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. During such an unusual set of circumstances, the Fund may hold up to 100% of its portfolio in cash or cash equivalent positions. When the Fund takes a temporary defensive position, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective.
Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may, from time to time, have a high portfolio turnover when the Advisor's implementation of the Fund's investment strategy or a temporary defensive position results in frequent trading. Additionally, the Fund may experience high portfolio turnover due to the Fund's options strategy. Since the Fund's trades cost the Fund a brokerage commission, high portfolio turnover may have a significant adverse impact on the Fund's performance. In addition, because sales of securities in the Fund's portfolio may result in taxable gain or loss, high portfolio turnover may result in significant tax consequences for shareholders.
| "Portfolio Turnover" is a ratio that indicates how often the securities in a mutual fund's portfolio change during a year's time. In general, higher numbers indicate a greater number of changes, and lower numbers indicate a smaller number of changes. |
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund. All investments carry risks, and investment in the Fund is no exception. No investment strategy works all the time, and past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance. You may lose money on your investment in the Fund. To help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund, the principal risks of an investment in the Fund are generally set forth below:
Dividend strategy risk - There can be no assurances that the Advisor will be able to correctly anticipate the level of dividends that companies will pay in any given timeframe. If the Advisor's expectations as to potential dividends are wrong, the Fund's performance may be adversely affected. In addition, the dividend policies of the Fund's target companies are heavily influenced by the current economic climate and the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment afforded to dividends. Any change in the favorable provisions of the U.S. federal income tax laws may limit the ability of the Fund to take advantage of further income enhancing strategies utilizing dividend paying securities.
Management style risk - Different styles of management tend to shift into and out of favor with stock market investors depending on market and economic conditions. To the extent the Fund focuses on a particular style of stocks, such as growth or value, its performance may at times be better or worse than the performance of similar funds that focus on other types of stocks or that have a broader investment style.
Large company risk - The Fund will invest in larger, more established companies, which may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges such as changes in consumer tastes or innovative smaller competitors. Also, large companies are sometimes unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansions.
Interest rate risk - Increases in interest rates typically lower the present value of a company's future earnings stream. Since the market price of a stock changes continuously based upon investors' collective perceptions of future earnings, stock prices will generally decline when investors anticipate or experience rising interest rates. The level of premiums from call options selling and the amounts available for distribution from the Fund's options activity may decrease in declining interest rate environments. Any preferred stocks paying fixed dividend rates in which the Fund invests will likely change in value as market interest rates move. When interest rates rise, the market value of such securities generally falls. If the Fund invests in preferred stocks, the net asset value and price of the common stock may decline if market interest rates rise. During periods of declining interest rates, an issuer of preferred stock may exercise its option to
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redeem securities prior to maturity, forcing the Fund to reinvest in lower yielding securities.
Issuer risk - The value of an individual security or particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. When the Fund sells shares they may be worth more or less than what the Fund paid for them, which means that the Fund could lose money and the value of your investment in the Fund could decrease.
Equity risk - Equity risk is the risk that securities held by the Fund will fall due to general market or economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, and the particular circumstances and performance of particular companies whose securities the Fund holds. Although common stocks have historically generated higher average returns than fixed-income securities over the long term, common stocks also have experienced significantly more volatility in returns. An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of equity securities of an issuer held by the Fund; the price of common stock of an issuer may be particularly sensitive to general movements in the stock market; or a drop in the stock market may depress the price of most or all of the common stocks and other equity securities held by the Fund. Also, common stock of an issuer in the Fund's portfolio may decline in price if the issuer fails to make anticipated dividend payments because, among other reasons, the issuer of the security experiences a decline in its financial condition. Common equity securities in which the Fund will invest are structurally subordinated to preferred stocks, bonds and other debt instruments in a company's capital structure, in terms of priority to corporate income and liquidation preference, and therefore will be subject to greater dividend risk than preferred stocks or debt instruments of such issuers. Additionally, common stock prices may be sensitive to rising interest rates, as the costs of capital rise and borrowing costs increase.
Sector Risk-The Fund may, at times, have significant investments in the securities of issuers in industries within a particular sector, any development affecting that sector will have a greater impact on the value of the net assets of the Fund than would be the case if the Fund did not have significant investments in that sector. In addition, this may increase the risk of loss of an investment in the Fund and increase the volatility of the Income Fund's NAV per share. From time to time, circumstances may affect a particular sector and the companies within such sector. For instance, economic or market factors, regulation or deregulation, and technological or other developments may negatively impact all companies in a particular sector and therefore the value of the Fund's portfolio will be adversely affected.
Information Technology Companies Risk. Information technology companies are generally subject to the following risks: rapidly changing technologies; short product life cycles; fierce competition; aggressive pricing and reduced profit margins; the loss of patent, copyright and trademark protections; cyclical market patterns; evolving industry standards; and frequent new product introductions. Information technology companies may be smaller and less experienced companies, with limited product lines, markets or financial resources and fewer experienced management or marketing personnel. Information technology company stocks have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that are often unrelated to their operating performance.
Financial Companies Risk. Financial companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation and intervention, which may adversely affect the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, the amount and types of capital they must maintain and, potentially, their size. Governmental regulation may change frequently and may have significant adverse consequences for financial companies, including effects not intended by such regulation. The impact of more stringent capital requirements, or recent or future regulation in various countries, on any individual financial company or on financial companies as a whole cannot be predicted. Certain risks may impact the value of investments in financial companies more severely than those of investments in other issuers, including the risks associated with companies that operate with substantial financial leverage. Financial companies may also be adversely affected by volatility in interest rates, loan losses and other customer defaults,
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decreases in the availability of money or asset valuations, credit rating downgrades and adverse conditions in other related markets. Insurance companies in particular may be subject to severe price competition and/or rate regulation, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability. Financial companies are also a target for cyber-attacks and may experience technology malfunctions and disruptions as a result.
Shares of other investment companies' risk - The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, including ETFs, as a means to pursue its investment objective. Federal law generally prohibits the Fund from acquiring shares of an investment company if, immediately after such acquisition, the Fund and its affiliated persons would hold more than 3% of such investment company's total outstanding shares. This prohibition may prevent the Fund from allocating its investments in an optimal manner. You will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the underlying funds in addition to the Fund's direct fees and expenses and, as a result, your cost of investing in the Fund will generally be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying fund shares. The Fund may place otherwise uninvested cash in money market mutual funds.
ETFs and other funds risk -
| · | Limits of investing in ETFs. The Fund's investment strategy involves, among other things, investing in other investment companies, such as ETFs and other investment companies that track broad market indices or specific industries or sectors. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund may not acquire shares of an ETF or other investment company if, immediately after such acquisition, the Fund and its affiliated persons would hold more than 3% of the ETF's or investment company's total outstanding stock unless (i) the ETF or the Fund has received an order for exemptive relief from the 3% limitation from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") that is applicable to the Fund (generally permitting the Fund and its affiliates to hold up to 25% of the ETF's total outstanding stock); and (ii) the ETF and the Fund enter into an agreement to comply with any conditions in such order (an "ETF Agreement"). Accordingly, the 25% limitation (or, in cases where the Fund has not entered into an ETF Agreement, the 3% limitation) may prevent the Fund from allocating its investments in the manner the Advisor considers optimal. |
| · | Indirect costs of fund investments in ETFs. To the extent the Fund invests in ETFs or other investment companies, your cost of investing in the Fund will generally be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs or other investment company shares. By investing in the Fund, you will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the underlying ETFs and investment companies in which the Fund invests in addition to the Fund's direct fees and expenses. Furthermore, these types of investments by the Fund could affect the timing, amount and character of distributions to you and therefore may increase the amount of taxes payable by you. |
| · | Risks related to ETF net asset value and market price. The market value of an ETF's shares may differ from its net asset value. This difference in price may be due to the fact that the supply and demand in the market for ETF shares at any point in time is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the ETF's underlying basket of securities. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF trades at a premium (creating the risk that the Fund pays more than net asset value for an ETF when making a purchase) or discount (creating the risks that the Fund's net asset value is reduced for undervalued ETFs it holds, and that the Fund receives less than net asset value when selling an ETF). |
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Options risk - Purchasing and selling put and call options are highly specialized activities and entail greater than ordinary investment risks. The successful use of options depends in part on the ability of the Advisor to manage future price fluctuations and the degree of correlation between the options and securities (or currency) markets. By selling put options on equity securities, the Fund gives up the opportunity to benefit from potential increases in the value of the underlying securities above the strike prices of the sold put options, but continues to bear the risk of declines in the value of the underlying securities held by the Fund. The Fund will receive a premium from the purchaser of a covered call option sold by the Advisor, which it retains whether or not the option is exercised. The premium received from the sold options may not be sufficient to offset any losses sustained from the volatility of the underlying equity securities over time. As the seller of a call option, the Fund gives up, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the option premium received and the exercise price of the call, but has retained the risk of loss, minus, the option premium received, should the price of the underlying security decline. The seller of an option has no control over when during the exercise period of the option it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a seller of the option. Once an option seller receives an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price. So, the use of options may require the Fund to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices other than current market values, may limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on an investment, or may cause the Fund to hold a security that it might otherwise sell.
The value of options may also be adversely affected if the market for such options becomes less liquid or smaller. There are no assurances that the market will be liquid when the Fund seeks to close out an option position either, in the case of a call option sold, by buying the option, or, in the case of a purchased put option, by selling the option. There are several possible reasons for the absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange, including but not limited to, the following: insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions on opening or closing transactions, or both, which are imposed by the exchange; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions imposed on a particular class or series of options; unusual or unforeseen circumstances which may interrupt an exchange's normal operations; inadequate exchange facilities or inability of the Options Clearing Corporation (the "OCC") to handle current trading volume; and/or the decision of an exchange to discontinue trading options or a specific class or series of options at some future date, whether for economic or other reasons. If trading were discontinued, the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist. However, outstanding options on that exchange issued as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms. The Fund's ability to terminate over-the-counter options will be more limited than with exchange traded options and could involve the risk that broker-dealers participating in such transactions will not fulfill their obligations. If the Fund were unable to close out a covered call option that it wrote on a security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise.
Additionally, the hours of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, substantial price and rate movement may take place in the underlying markets that would not be reflected concurrently in the options markets. Call options are marked to market daily and their value will be affected by changes in the value of and dividend rates of the underlying common stocks, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the stock market and the underlying common stocks and the remaining time to the options' expiration. Further, the exercise price of an option may be adjusted downward before the option's expiration as a result of the occurrence of certain corporate events affecting the underlying equity security, such as extraordinary dividends, stock splits, merger or other extraordinary distributions or events. A reduction in the exercise price of an option would reduce the Fund's capital appreciation potential on the underlying security.
If the Fund purchases put options for hedging risk or management purposes, the Fund will be subject to additional risks. For example, a put option acquired by the Fund and not sold prior to expiration will expire
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worthless if the price of the stock or index at expiration exceeds the exercise price of the option, thus causing the Fund to lose its investment in the option. If restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it purchased. If the Fund were unable to close out an option that it had purchased, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless. Stock market indices on which the Fund may purchase options positions may not mirror the Fund's actual portfolio holdings. The effectiveness of index put options as hedges against declines in the Fund's stock portfolio will be limited to the extent that the performance of the underlying index does not correlate with that of the Fund's holdings.
Limits on option selling risk - The number of call options the Fund can sell is limited by the number of shares of common stock the Fund holds, and further limited by the fact that the listed call options on individual common stocks generally trade in units representing 100 shares of the underlying stock. Furthermore, the Fund's options transactions will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options are traded. Such limitations govern the maximum number of options in each class which may be sold or purchased by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options are sold or purchased on the same or different exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities or are held or sold in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. So, the number of options which the Fund may sell or purchase may be affected by options sold or purchased by other investment advisory clients of the Advisor. An exchange, board of trade or other trading facility may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and may impose certain other sanctions.
Options strategy risk - The Fund's option strategy consists of selling and purchasing put and call options on equity indexes and ETFs. The sale of put options generates income for the Fund, but exposes it to the risk of declines in the value of the underlying assets. The risk in purchasing options is limited to the premium paid by the Fund for the options. The sale of call options generates income for the Fund, but may limit the Fund's participation in equity market gains.
Derivatives risk - The use of derivatives can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the asset, index, rate or instrument underlying a derivative or due to failure of a counterparty or due to tax or regulatory constraints. Derivatives may create economic leverage in the Fund, which magnifies the Fund's exposure to the underlying investment. Derivatives risk may be more significant when derivatives are used to enhance return or as a substitute for a cash investment position, rather than solely to hedge the risk of a position held by the Fund. When derivatives are used to gain or limit exposure to a particular market or market segment, their performance may not correlate as expected to the performance of such market, thereby causing the Fund to fail to achieve its original purpose for using such derivatives. The use of derivatives involves the exercise of specialized skill and judgment, and a transaction may be unsuccessful in whole or in part because of market behavior or unexpected events. Derivative instruments may be difficult to value, may be illiquid, and may be subject to wide swings in valuation caused by changes in value of the underlying instrument. If a derivative's counterparty is unable to honor its commitments, the value of the Fund shares may decline and the Fund could experience delays in the return of collateral or other assets held by the counterparty. The loss on derivative transactions may significantly exceed the initial investment.
Transaction cost risk - Transaction costs refer to the charges that are associated with buying and selling securities and/or options contracts for the Fund. As a result of the Fund's options strategy, the Fund may incur higher brokerage and transactional related charges than those associated with an average equity fund. These transaction costs increase the cost of your investment in the Fund.
General fund investing risk - The Fund is not a complete investment program and you may lose money by investing in the Fund. All investments carry a certain amount of risk and there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to achieve its investment objective. Annual Fund operating expenses expressed as a
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percentage of the Fund's average daily net assets may change as Fund assets increase and decrease, and Annual Fund operating expenses may differ in the future. Purchase and redemption activities by Fund shareholders may impact the management of the Fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective. Also, the redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the Fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the Fund. Investors in the Fund should have a long-term investment perspective and should be able to tolerate potentially sharp declines in value. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency, entity or individual. Mutual funds, investment advisers, other market participants and many securities markets are subject to rules and regulations and the jurisdiction of one or more regulators. Changes to applicable rules and regulations could have an adverse impact on securities markets and market participants, as well as on the Fund's ability to execute its investment strategy.
General Information Regarding Investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund should not be considered a complete investment program. Your investment needs will depend largely on your financial resources and individual investment goals and objectives, and you should consult with your financial professional before making an investment in the Fund.
Additionally, unexpected local, regional or global events, such as war; acts of terrorism; financial, political or social disruptions; natural, environmental or man-made disasters; the spread of infectious illnesses or other public health issues; and recessions and depressions could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and may impair market liquidity. Such events can cause investor fear, which can adversely affect the economies of nations, regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. These risks may be magnified if certain events or developments adversely interrupt the global supply chain; in these and other circumstances, such risks might affect companies worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions or other events could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions. It is not known how long such impacts, or any future impacts of other significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may be expected to impact the Fund and its investments.
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MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser. Winning Points Advisors, LLC, a Florida limited liability company, serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Advisor's principal office is located at 127 NW 13th Street, Suite 13, Boca Raton, Florida 33432. The Advisor is a registered investment adviser which offers investment advisory services to individuals including high net worth individuals and investment companies. As of December 31, 2025, the Advisor managed approximately $157 million in client assets on a discretionary basis.
The Advisor has entered into Investment Advisory Agreement (the "Advisory Agreement") with the Fund, under which the Advisor selects the securities and manages the investments for the Fund, subject to the oversight of the Fund's Board of Trustees (the "Board"). Under the Advisory Agreement, the Fund pays the Advisor a monthly fee based on an annualized rate of 1.35% of the average daily net asset value of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2025, the Advisor received an aggregate fee of 1.35%, for investment advisory services performance, expressed as a percentage of average net assets of the Fund. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board's approval of the Advisory Agreement of the Fund, is available in the Fund's semi-annual shareholder report filed on Form N-CSR for the six-month period ended May 31, 2025.
In addition to the advisory fees described above, the Advisor may also receive certain benefits from its management of the Fund in the form of brokerage or research services received from brokers under arrangements under Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Act, as amended, and the terms of the Advisory Agreement. For a description of these potential benefits, see the description under "Portfolio Transactions And Brokerage Allocation - Brokerage Selection" in the SAI.
Portfolio Managers.
Mr. Charles Stoll, CFP, has served as the managing member of the Advisor since 1989. Mr. Stoll obtained a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration in accounting in 1977 from Stetson University. Mr. Stoll is certified by the CFP Board as a Certified Financial Planner and by the AICPA as a Personal Financial Specialist.
The SAI provides additional information about the compensation of Mr. Stoll, other accounts managed and his ownership of securities in the Fund.
Board of Trustees. The Fund is a series of the WP Trust, an open-end management investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust on June 4, 2015. The Board supervises the operations of the Fund according to applicable state and federal law and is responsible for the overall management of the Fund's business affairs.
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ADMINISTRATION
Custodian. Fifth Third Bank (the "Custodian") serves as the custodian for the Fund.
Fund Administrator: Premier Fund Solutions, Inc., 1939 Friendship Drive, Suite C, El Cajon, CA 92020, will provide the Fund with administrative services, including regulatory reporting and necessary office equipment, personnel and facilities.
Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant: Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC. ("MSS"), 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, OH 44147, will act as the Fund's transfer agent. MSS maintains the records of the shareholder's account, answers shareholders' inquiries concerning their accounts, processes purchases and redemptions of the Fund's shares, acts as dividend and distribution disbursing agent and performs other transfer agent and shareholder service functions. In addition, MSS will provide the Fund with fund accounting services, which includes certain monthly reports, record-keeping and other management-related services.
Distributor: Arbor Court Capital, LLC (the "Distributor"), located at 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147, will serve as the principal underwriter and distributor of the Fund's shares pursuant to an agreement with the Trust. The Distributor promotes and sells shares of the Fund on a continuous basis.
The Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan in accordance with Rule 12b-1 ("Distribution Plan") under the 1940 Act. The Distribution Plan provides that the Fund may compensate or reimburse the Distributor for services rendered and expenses borne in connection with activities primarily intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Shares (this compensation is commonly referred to as "12b-1 fees"). Sales charges (including without limitation, sales loads, CDSCs and 12b-1 fees) may be paid to broker-dealers, banks and any other financial intermediary eligible to receive such fees for sales of the Fund's shares and for services provided to shareholders. The Distributor may also retain a portion of these fees as the Fund's distributor. Pursuant to the Distribution Plan, the Fund may annually pay the Distributor up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Class A shares and up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Class C shares. The 0.25% fee for the Class A shares and Institutional shares is a service fee. The 1.00% fee for the Fund's Class C shares is comprised of a 0.25% service fee and a 0.75% distribution fee. The 0.25% fee for the Institutional shares service fee was reduced to 0.10% in February 2024. Because 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an on-going basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Subject to the supervision of the Trustees of the Trust, the Trust may, directly or indirectly, engage in activities primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the Fund, which activities may include, without limitation: (i) payments to the Distributor and to securities dealers and others in respect of the sale of the Fund's shares; (ii) the payment of compensation to and expenses of personnel who engage in or support distribution of the Fund's shares; (iii) formulation and implementation of marketing and promotional activities with respect to the Fund's shares; (iv) preparation, printing and distribution of the Fund's prospectuses and statements of additional information to a prospective investor; (v) holding seminars and sales meetings designed to promote the distribution of the Fund's shares; (vi) obtaining information and providing explanations to wholesale and retail distributors of the Fund's investment objectives and policies and other information about the Fund; (vii) training sales personnel regarding the Fund; and (viii) obtaining such information, analyses and reports with respect to marketing and promotional activities with respect to the Fund as the Trust may, from time to time, deem advisable.
The Fund has three classes of shares (Class A shares, Class C shares, and Institutional Class shares). Class A shares and Class C shares are presently not available for purchase. Institutional Class shares are available for purchase. Each class represents interests in the same portfolio of investments and has the same rights,
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but the classes differ with respect to sales loads and expenses to which they are subject. The decision as to whether Class A shares, Class C shares, or Institutional Class shares are more beneficial to you generally depends on the amount and intended length of time of your investment.
Certain Expenses. In addition to the investment advisory fees, the Fund pays all expenses not assumed by the Advisor, including, without limitation, the fees and expenses of its independent accountants and of its legal counsel; the costs of printing and mailing to shareholders annual and semi-annual reports, proxy statements, prospectuses, statements of additional information and supplements thereto; bank transaction charges and custodian's fees; any proxy solicitors' fees and expenses; filing fees; any federal, state or local income or other taxes; any interest; any membership fees of the Investment Company Institute and similar organizations; fidelity bond and Board's liability insurance premiums; and any extraordinary expenses, such as indemnification payments or damages awarded in litigation or settlements made.
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INVESTING IN THE FUND
Minimum Initial Investment. The Fund's shares are sold and redeemed at net asset value. Shares may be purchased by any account managed by the Advisor and any other institutional investor or any broker-dealer authorized to sell Shares in the Fund. The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares of the Fund is generally $2,000 and the minimum subsequent investment for such shares is $100 ($25 under an automatic investment plan). The minimum initial investment for the Class A or Class C shares of the Fund is generally $1,000. Class A and Class C shares are currently not available for purchase. The Fund may, at the Advisor's sole discretion, accept accounts with less than the minimum investment.
Determining the Fund's Net Asset Value. The price at which you purchase or redeem Shares is based on the next calculation of net asset value after an order is accepted in good form. An order is considered to be in good form if it includes a complete application and payment in full of the purchase amount. The Fund's net asset value per share is calculated by dividing the value of the Fund's total assets, less liabilities (including Fund expenses, which are accrued daily), by the total number of outstanding Shares of the Fund. The net asset value per Share of the Fund is normally determined at the time regular trading closes on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, except when the NYSE closes earlier. The Fund does not calculate net asset value on days when the NYSE is closed. Fund securities primarily traded on foreign markets may trade on days that are not business days of the Fund. Because the net asset value of Fund shares is determined only on business days of the Fund, the value of the portfolio securities of the Fund that invests in foreign securities may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or redeem shares of the Fund.
The valuation of portfolio securities is determined in accordance with procedures established by, and under the direction of, the Board. In determining the value of the Fund's total assets, portfolio securities are generally valued at market value by quotations from the primary market in which they are traded. Options held by the Fund are valued at the mean of the bid and ask price on the primary exchange on which the option trades. The Fund normally uses pricing services to obtain market quotations. Securities and assets for which representative market quotations are not readily available or that cannot be accurately valued using the Fund's normal pricing procedures are valued at fair value as determined in good faith under policies approved by the Board. The Board has designated the Advisor as "Valuation Designee" for purposes of overseeing the valuation of the Fund's assets and making fair value determinations. Fair value pricing may be used, for example, in situations where (i) a portfolio security, such as a small-cap stock, is so thinly traded that there have been no transactions for that stock over an extended period of time or the validity of a market quotation received is questionable; (ii) the exchange on which the portfolio security is principally traded closes early; (iii) trading of the particular portfolio security is halted; (iv) the security is a restricted security not registered under federal securities laws purchased through a private placement not eligible for resale; or (v) the security is purchased on a foreign exchange.
Pursuant to policies adopted by the Board, the Valuation Designee is responsible for determining whether fair value pricing is required for a particular security. The Fund's policies regarding fair value pricing are intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's net asset value that fairly reflects portfolio security values as of the time of pricing. A portfolio security's fair value price may differ from the price next available for that portfolio security using the Fund's normal pricing procedure, and may differ substantially from the price at which the portfolio security may ultimately be traded or sold. If such fair value price differs from the price that would have been determined using the Fund's normal pricing procedures, a shareholder may receive more or less proceeds or shares from redemptions or purchases of Fund shares, respectively, than a shareholder would have otherwise received if the portfolio security was priced using the Fund's normal pricing procedures. The performance of the Fund may also be affected if a portfolio security's fair value price were to differ from the security's price using the Fund's normal pricing procedures. The Board monitors and evaluate the Fund's use of fair value pricing.
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Other Matters. Purchases and redemptions of Shares by the same shareholder on the same day will be netted for the Fund. All redemption requests will be processed and payment with respect thereto will normally be made within seven days after tender. The Fund may suspend redemption, if permitted by the 1940 Act, for any period during which the NYSE is closed or during which trading is restricted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") or if the SEC declares that an emergency exists. Redemptions may also be suspended during other periods permitted by the SEC for the protection of the Fund's shareholders. Additionally, during drastic economic and market changes, telephone redemption privileges may be difficult to execute. Also, if the Board determines that it would be detrimental to the best interest of the Fund's remaining shareholders to make payment in cash, the Fund may pay redemption proceeds in whole or in part by a distribution-in-kind of readily marketable securities.
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PURCHASING SHARES
Opening a New Account. To open an account with the Fund, take the following steps:
1. Complete an Account Application. Be sure to indicate the type of account you wish to open and the amount of money you wish to invest. The application must contain your name, date of birth, address, and Social Security Number ("SSN") or Taxpayer Identification Number ("TIN"). If you have applied for an SSN or TIN prior to completing your account application but you have not received your number, please indicate this on the application and include a copy of the form applying for the SSN or TIN. Taxes are not withheld from distributions to U.S. investors if certain IRS requirements regarding the SSN or TIN are met.
2. Write a check or prepare a money order from a U.S. financial institution and payable in U.S. dollars. For regular mail orders, mail your completed application along with your check or money order made payable to your Fund to:
[Insert name of the Fund and Share Class]
c/o Mutual Shareholder Services
8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400
Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147
If checks are returned due to insufficient funds or other reasons, the purchase order will not be accepted. The Fund will charge the prospective investor a $20 fee for cancelled checks and may redeem Shares of the Fund already owned by the prospective investor or another identically registered account for such fee. The prospective investor will also be responsible for any losses or expenses incurred by the Fund or the Administrator in connection with any cancelled check.
Bank Wire Purchases. Purchases may also be made through bank wire orders. To establish a new account or add to an existing account by wire, please call (866) 959-9260 for instructions.
Additional Investments. You may add to your account by mail or wire at any time by purchasing Shares at the then current public offering price. The minimum additional investment is $100, except under the automatic investment plan discussed below. Before adding funds by bank wire, please call (866) 959-9260 and follow the above directions for bank wire purchases. Please note that in most circumstances, there will be a bank charge for wire purchases. Mail orders should include, if possible, the "Invest by Mail" stub that is attached to your confirmation statement. Otherwise, please identify your account in a letter accompanying your purchase payment. The Fund may, at the Advisor's sole discretion, accept additional investments for less than the minimum additional investment.
Automatic Investment Plan. Shareholders who have met the Fund's minimum investment criteria may participate in the Fund's automatic investment plan. The automatic investment plan enables shareholders to make regular monthly or quarterly investments in shares through automatic charges to shareholders' checking account. With shareholder authorization and bank approval, the Fund will automatically charge the shareholder's checking account for the amount specified ($25.00 minimum for shares of the Fund), which will automatically be invested in his or her account, at the public offering price on or about the 21st day of the month. The shareholder may change the amount of the investment or discontinue the plan at any time by notifying the Fund in writing.
Important Information about Procedures for Opening a New Account. Under the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA Patriot Act of 2001), the Fund is required to obtain, verify, and record information to enable the Fund to form a reasonable belief as to the identity of each customer who opens an account.
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Consequently, when an investor opens an account, the Fund will ask for, among other things, the investor's name, street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or other tax identification number (or proof that the investor has filed for such a number), and other information that will allow the Fund to identify the investor. The Fund may also ask to see the investor's driver's license or other identifying documents. An investor's account application will not be considered "complete" and, therefore, an account will not be opened and the investor's money will not be invested until the Fund receives this required information. In addition, if after opening the investor's account, the Fund is unable to verify the investor's identity after reasonable efforts, as determined by the Fund in its sole discretion, the Fund may (i) restrict redemptions and further investments until the investor's identity is verified; and (ii) close the investor's account without notice and return the investor's redemption proceeds to the investor. If the Fund closes an investor's account because the Fund was unable to verify the investor's identity, the Fund will value the account in accordance with the Fund's next net asset value calculated after the investor's account is closed. In that case, the investor's redemption proceeds may be worth more or less than the investor's original investment. The Fund will not be responsible for any losses incurred due to the Fund's inability to verify the identity of any investor opening an account.
Other Information. In connection with all purchases of Fund Shares, we observe the following policies and procedures:
·We price direct purchases based on the next public offering price (net asset value) computed after your order is received. Direct purchase orders received by Mutual Shareholder Services as the Fund's transfer agent by the close of the regular session of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) are confirmed at that day's public offering price. Purchase orders received by dealers prior to the close of the regular session of the NYSE on any business day and transmitted to Mutual Shareholder Services on that day are confirmed at the public offering price determined as of the close of the regular session of trading on the NYSE on that day.
·We do not accept third party checks for any investments.
·We may open accounts for less than the minimum investment or change minimum investment requirements at any time.
·We may refuse to accept any purchase request for any reason or no reason.
·We mail you confirmations of all your purchases or redemptions of Fund Shares.
·Certificates representing Shares are not issued.
Choosing a Share Class. The Fund has established three classes of shares, Class A shares, Class C shares, and Institutional Class shares. Currently, Institutional Class shares is the only class available for purchase. In the future it is anticipated that Class A shares and Class C shares will be available for purchase by all investors. The discussion that follows regarding Class A shares and Class C shares will apply when these share classes are opened for investment. Institutional Class shares are currently available to all investors. Each class represents interests in the same portfolio of investments and has the same rights, but the classes differ with respect to sales loads and ongoing expenses. The decision as to whether Class A or Class C shares are more beneficial to you generally depends on your purchase amount, the length of time you expect to hold your investment, and the sales charges and total operating expenses associated with each class.
Class A shares generally have an initial sales load but are subject to lower ongoing expenses than Class C shares. Class C shares are sold without any initial sales load, so the entire purchase price is immediately invested in the Fund, but Class C shares are subject to higher ongoing expenses than Class A
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shares. Since the entire amount of the purchase price of Class C shares is immediately invested in the Fund, any investment return on Class C shares may partially or wholly offset the higher annual expenses of Class C shares over the short term. However, there can be no assurance that this would be the case, since the Fund's future returns cannot be predicted. In addition, you should consider the effect of the CDSC applicable to Class C shares and certain redemptions of Class A shares, depending on the length of time you expect to hold your investment in the Fund.
Each investor's considerations are different. You should speak with your financial representative or broker-dealer to help you decide which class of shares is best for you. Set forth below is a brief description of each class of shares offered by the Fund.
Class A Shares. Class A shares are sold at net asset value plus an initial sales load. The sales load is deducted from the amount you invest. The sales load for Class A shares is reduced for purchases of $50,000 or more, as shown in the chart below.
| Sales load as a % of: |
Dealer Reallowance as % of Public Offering Price* |
||
| Amount of Investment in Class A Shares | Public Offering Price* | Net Amount Invested | |
| Less than $50,000 | 5.50% | 4.71% | 4.50% |
| $50,000 but less than $100,000 | 4.50% | 3.63% | 3.50% |
| $100,000 but less than $250,000 | 3.50% | 3.09% | 3.00% |
| $250,000 but less than $500,000 | 2.50% | 2.04% | 2.00% |
| $500,000 but less than $1 million | 2.00% | 1.01% | 1.00% |
| $ 1 million or more | 0.00%** | 0.00%** | 0.00% |
| * | "Public Offering Price" is the net asset value at the time of purchase plus the front-end sales load. In general, the broker-dealer reallowance on sales of Class A shares will equal the amount of the Sales Load as a % of Public Offering Price described in this table. |
**No sales load is paid at the time of purchase for investments in Class A shares of $1 million or more. A CDSC of 1.00% may be imposed on such investments in the event of redemption within 12 months of purchase.
Class A shares are also subject to an annual 12b-1 fee of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets allocable to Class A shares.
Broker-Dealer Reallowances and Commissions. The broker-dealer reallowance for purchases of Class A shares under $1 million is described in the chart above. For initial purchases of Class A shares of the Fund of $1 million or more, a broker-dealer's commission (equal to 1.00% of such purchases over $1 million) may be paid by the Advisor to participating unaffiliated broker-dealers through whom such purchases are effected. No commission will be paid if the purchase represents the reinvestment of a redemption from the Fund made during the previous twelve months. Redemptions of Class A shares may result in the imposition of a CDSC if the broker-dealer's commission described in this paragraph was paid in connection with the purchase of such shares. See "CDSC for Certain Purchases of Class A shares" below.
Under certain circumstances, the Distributor may increase or decrease the reallowance to broker-dealers. The Distributor receives that portion of the initial sales load which is not reallowed to the brokers who sell shares of the Fund. The Distributor retains the entire sales load on all direct initial investments in the Fund and on all investments in accounts with no designated dealer of record.
Reduced Sales Loads. Front-end sales loads on purchases of Class A shares may be reduced under the "Right of Accumulation" or under a "Letter of Intent." To receive a reduced sales load, you must inform
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your broker-dealer or the Fund at the time you purchase shares that you qualify for such a reduction. If you do not let your broker-dealer or the Fund know you are eligible for a reduced sales charge, you may not receive the discount to which you are otherwise entitled.
You may use the "Right of Accumulation" to reduce your sales load. Under the "Right of Accumulation," you may combine the current net asset value of your existing Class A shares of the Fund with the amount of any current purchases in order to take advantage of the reduced sales loads in the table above.
Purchases made pursuant to a "Letter of Intent" may also be eligible for the reduced sales loads. In a Letter of Intent, the investor expresses his or her intention, in writing, to invest a certain amount over a specified period of time. The Fund will then apply to each of the investor's periodic investments the reduced sales load that would apply to the total amount stated in the Letter of Intent. The minimum initial investment under a Letter of Intent is $50,000. If not stated otherwise in the Letter of Intent, the amount of shares you purchase in the Fund during the thirteen (13) months following the signing of the Letter of Intent qualify for the reduced sales load. The reduced sales load will not apply to purchases in the Fund made more than 90 days prior to the signing of the Letter of Intent. During the term of your Letter of Intent, the Transfer Agent will hold in escrow shares representing the highest applicable sales load for the Fund each time you make a purchase. Any shares you redeem during that period will count against your total amount stated in your Letter of Intent. If, by the end of the term of the Letter of Intent, you have purchased all the shares you committed to purchase in the Letter of Intent, the escrowed shares will be released to you. If you have not purchased all the shares you committed to purchase in the Letter of Intent, your escrowed shares will be redeemed in an amount equal to the sales load that would apply if you had purchased the actual amount in your account all at once. Any escrowed shares not needed to satisfy that sales load would be released to you.
Shareholders may include the value of certain related accounts, including accounts held by their spouse and children under the age of 21, family trust accounts of the investor and other accounts held by the investor to determine the applicable sales load and for purposes of the Right of Accumulation and Letter of Intent privileges. These privileges apply even if your related accounts are opened at different brokerage firms, so it is important to let your broker-dealer(s) or the Transfer Agent know about all your accounts that may be combined. To verify eligibility for a reduced sales load, your broker-dealer or the Fund may require that you submit copies of account statements to substantiate requests for Right of Accumulation and Letter of Intent privileges.
In addition to the Right of Accumulation and Letters of Intent, Class A shares are offered at net asset value without a sales load to the following types of investors: trustees and officers of the Fund, clients of the Advisor, employees of the Advisor (and members of their immediate families) and the Advisor and certain service providers of the Fund. As explained above, there also is no sales load at the time of purchase on investments of $1 million or more in the Fund, but such purchases may be subject to a CDSC of 1.00% in the event of redemption within 12 months of purchase. See "CDSC for Certain Purchases of Class A Shares" below.
CDSC for Certain Purchases of Class A Shares. A CDSC is imposed upon certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased at net asset value in amounts totaling $1 million or more if the dealer's commission described above was paid by the underwriter and the shares are redeemed within one year from the date of purchase. The CDSC will be paid to the Distributor and will be equal to 1.00% of the lesser of (1) the net asset value at the time of purchase of the Class A shares being redeemed; or (2) the net asset value of such shares at the time of redemption. If your purchase of Class A shares is subject to the CDSC, you will be so notified on the confirmation you receive for such purchase. A CDSC will not be imposed upon redemptions of Class A shares held for more than one year.
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Class C shares. Class C shares are sold at net asset value without an initial sales load so that the full amount of your purchase payment may be immediately invested in the Fund. A CDSC of 1.00% will be imposed on redemptions of Class C shares made within one year of their purchase. The CDSC will be a percentage of the dollar amount of shares redeemed and will be assessed on an amount equal to the net asset value at the time of purchase of the Class C shares being redeemed. A CDSC will not be imposed upon redemptions of Class C shares held for more than one year. Class C shares are subject to an annual 12b-1 fee of up to 1.00% of the Fund's average daily net assets allocable to Class C shares.
Institutional Class shares. Institutional Class shares are sold at NAV without an initial sales charge so that the full amount of your purchase payment may be immediately invested in the Fund. Institutional Class shares are available for investment only to institutional investors and certain broker-dealers and financial institutions that have entered into appropriate arrangements with the Fund. These arrangements are generally limited to discretionary managed, asset allocation, eligible retirement plan or wrap products offered by broker-dealers and financial institutions. Shareholders participating in these programs may be charged fees by their broker-dealer or financial institution. At this time, the Fund is not enforcing these investment requirements but reserves the right to do so in the future.
Additional Information about Sales Charges. Information regarding Fund's sales charges, as well as information regarding reduced sales charges and waived sales charges, and the terms and conditions for the purchase, pricing, and redemption of Fund shares is not available on the Fund's website since the Fund's website contains limited information. Further information is available by calling the Fund at (866) 959-9260.
Exchange Privileges
You may sell your Fund shares and buy shares of any other series managed by the Advisor, also known as an exchange, by telephone or in writing. Because exchanges are treated as a sale and purchase, they may have tax consequences. Shares of the Fund acquired by means of an exchange will be purchased at the NAV next determined after receipt of the exchange request in proper form by the Fund's transfer agent.
Requirements. You may exchange only between identically registered accounts (name(s), address and taxpayer ID number). To prevent the abuse of the exchange privilege to the disadvantage of other shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to terminate or modify the exchange privilege upon 60 days' notice to shareholders. There is currently no limit on exchanges, but the Fund reserves the right to limit the number of exchanges. You may exchange your shares by mail or telephone, unless you declined telephone exchange privileges on your account application.
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| How to Exchange Shares |
|
By Mail • Prepare a written request including: • Your name(s) and signature(s) • Your account number • The names of the funds you are exchanging • The dollar amount or number of shares you want to sell (and exchange) • If opening a new account, complete an account application if you are requesting different shareholder privileges • Mail us your request and documentation |
|
By Telephone • Call us with your request (unless you declined telephone redemption privileges on your account application) • Provide the following information: • Your account number • Exact name(s) in which account is registered • Additional form of identification |
The Fund's transfer agent requires personal identification before accepting any exchange request by telephone, and telephone exchange instructions may be recorded. If reasonable procedures are followed by the Transfer Agent, neither the Transfer Agent nor the Fund will be liable for losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. In the event of drastic economic or market changes, a shareholder may experience difficulty in exchanging shares by telephone. If such a case should occur, sending exchange instructions by mail should be considered.
Redeeming Shares
Regular Mail Redemptions. Regular mail redemption requests should be addressed to:
[Insert the name of the Fund and Share Class]
c/o Mutual Shareholder Services
8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400
Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147
Regular mail redemption requests should include the following:
| (1) | Your letter of instruction specifying the Fund, account number and number of Shares (or the dollar amount) to be redeemed. This request must be signed by all registered shareholders in the exact names in which they are registered; |
| (2) | Any required signature guarantees (see "Signature Guarantees" below); and |
| (3) | Other supporting legal documents, if required in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianships, corporations, pension or profit sharing plans, and other entities. |
Your redemption proceeds normally will be sent to you within seven days after receipt of your redemption request. However, the Fund may delay forwarding a redemption check for recently purchased Shares while it determines whether the purchase payment will be honored. Such delay (which may take up to 10 days from the date of purchase) may be reduced or avoided if the purchase is made by certified check or wire
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transfer. In all cases, the net asset value next determined after receipt of the request for redemption will be used in processing the redemption request.
Telephone and Bank Wire Redemptions. Unless you specifically decline the telephone transaction privileges on your account application, you may redeem Shares of the Fund by calling (866) 959-9260. The Fund may rely upon confirmation of redemption requests transmitted via facsimile (440) 526-4446. The confirmation instructions must include the following:
| (1) | Name of Fund; |
| (2) | Shareholder name(s) and account number; |
| (3) | Number of Shares or dollar amount to be redeemed; |
| (4) | Instructions for transmittal of redemption funds to the shareholder; and |
| (5) | Shareholder(s) signature(s) as it/they appear(s) on the application then on file with the Fund. |
You can choose to have redemption proceeds mailed to you at your address of record, your financial institution, or to any other authorized person, or you can have the proceeds sent by wire transfer to your financial institution ($5,000 minimum). The Fund in its discretion may choose to pass through to redeeming shareholders any charges imposed by the Fund's custodian for wire redemptions. If this cost is passed through to redeeming shareholders by the Fund, the charge will be deducted automatically from your account by redemption of Shares in your account. Your bank or brokerage firm may also impose a charge for processing the wire. If wire transfer of funds is impossible or impractical, the redemption proceeds will be sent by mail to the designated account.
Redemption proceeds will only be sent to the financial institution account or person named in your Fund Shares Application currently on file with the Fund. Telephone redemption privileges authorize the Fund to act on telephone instructions from any person representing himself or herself to be the investor and reasonably believed by the Fund to be genuine. The Fund will not be liable for any losses due to fraudulent or unauthorized instructions nor for following telephone instructions provided that the Fund follows reasonable procedures to ensure instructions are genuine.
Minimum Account Size. Due to the relatively high cost of maintaining small accounts, the Fund reserves the right to liquidate a shareholder's account if, as a result of redemptions or transfers (but not required IRA distributions), the account's balance falls below the minimum initial investment required for your type of account (see "Minimum Initial Investment" above). The Fund will notify you if your account falls below the required minimum. If your account is not increased to the required level after a thirty (30) day cure period then the Fund may, at its discretion, liquidate the account.
Redemptions In Kind. The Fund typically expects to satisfy redemption requests by using holdings of cash or cash equivalents or selling portfolio assets. On a less regular basis, and if the Advisor believes it is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders not to sell portfolio assets, the Fund may satisfy redemption requests by using short-term borrowing from the Fund's custodian to the extent such arrangements are in place with the custodian. In addition to paying redemption proceeds in cash, the Fund reserves the right to make payment for a redemption in securities rather than cash, which is known as a "redemption in kind." While the Fund does not intend, under normal circumstances, to redeem its shares by payment in kind, it is possible that conditions may arise in the future which would, in the opinion of the Trustees, make it undesirable for the Fund to pay for all redemptions in cash. In such a case, the Trustees may authorize payment to be made in readily marketable portfolio securities of the Fund, either through the distribution of selected individual portfolio securities or a pro-rata distribution of all portfolio securities held by the Fund. Securities delivered in payment of redemptions would be valued at the same value assigned to them in computing the Fund's net asset value per share. Shareholders receiving them may incur brokerage costs when these securities are sold and will be subject to market risk until such securities are sold.
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Signature Guarantees. To protect your account and the Fund from fraud, signature guarantees may be required to be sure that you are the person who has authorized a change in registration or standing instructions for your account. Signature guarantees are generally required for (i) change of registration requests; (ii) requests to establish or to change exchange privileges or telephone and bank wire redemption service other than through your initial account application; (iii) transactions where proceeds from redemptions, dividends, or distributions are sent to an address or financial institution differing from the address or financial institution of record; and (iv) redemption requests in excess of $50,000. Signature guarantees are acceptable from a member bank of the Federal Reserve System, a savings and loan institution, credit union (if authorized under state law), registered broker-dealer, securities exchange, or association clearing agency and must appear on the written request for change of registration, establishment or change in exchange privileges, or redemption request.
Other Information about CDSCs. If, within the first year of purchase, you redeem (i) Class A share purchases of more than $1 million; or (ii) Class C shares, you may be subject to a CDSC as described above under "Fees and Expenses of the Fund" and "Purchasing Shares - Choosing a Share Class". Shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends or distributions of capital gains will not be subject to a CDSC. To determine if the CDSC applies to a redemption, the Fund redeems Shares in the following order: (i) Shares acquired by reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions; and then (ii) Shares held for the longest period.
The Fund will waive the CDSC if requested in the following circumstances:
| · | Redemption upon the death or permanent disability of the shareholder if made within one year of the death or the initial determination of permanent disability. The waiver is available only for Shares held at the time of death or initial determination of permanent disability. |
| · | Mandatory distributions from a tax-deferred retirement plan or IRA. |
If you wish to request that the CDSC be waived for one of the reasons stated above, contact your financial representative, broker-dealer or the Fund. Such waiver requests must be made at the time of redemption.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS
Purchases and Redemptions through Securities Firms. The Fund has authorized one or more brokers to accept purchase and redemption orders on its behalf and such brokers are authorized to designate intermediaries to accept orders on behalf of the Fund. In addition, orders will be deemed to have been received by the Fund when an authorized broker, or broker-authorized designee, accepts the purchase order or receives the redemption order. Orders will be priced at the next calculation of the Fund's net asset value after the authorized broker or broker-authorized designee receives the orders. Investors may also be charged a fee by a broker or agent if Shares are purchased through a broker or agent. The Fund is not responsible for ensuring that a broker carries out its obligations. You should look to the broker through whom you wish to invest for specific instructions on how to purchase or redeem shares of the Fund.
Telephone Purchases by Securities Firms. Brokerage firms that are Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ("FINRA") members may telephone Mutual Shareholder Services at (866) 959-9260 and buy Shares for investors who have investments in the Fund through the brokerage firm's account with a Fund. By electing telephone purchase privileges, FINRA member firms, on behalf of themselves and their clients, agree that neither the Fund nor Mutual Shareholder Services shall be liable for following telephone instructions reasonably believed to be genuine. To be sure telephone instructions are genuine, the Fund and its agents send written confirmations of transactions to the broker that initiated the telephone purchase. As a result of these and other policies, the FINRA member firms may bear the risk of any loss in the event of such a transaction. However, if Mutual Shareholder Services fails to follow these established procedures, it may be liable. The Fund may modify or terminate these telephone privileges at any time.
Disruptive Trading and Market Timing. The Fund is not intended for or suitable for market timers, and market timers are discouraged from becoming investors. The ability of new shareholders to establish an account, or for existing shareholders to add to their accounts is subject to modification or limitation if the Fund determines, in its sole opinion, that the shareholder or potential shareholder has engaged in frequent purchases or redemptions that may be indicative of market timing or otherwise disruptive trading ("Disruptive Trading") which can have harmful effects for other shareholders. These risks and harmful effects include:
| · | an adverse effect on portfolio management, as determined by the Advisor in its sole discretion, such as causing the Fund to maintain a higher level of cash than would otherwise be the case, or causing the Fund to liquidate investments prematurely; and |
| · | reducing returns to long-term shareholders through increased brokerage and administrative expenses. |
In an effort to protect shareholders from Disruptive Trading, the Board has approved certain market timing policies and procedures. Under these market timing policies and procedures, the Fund may monitor trading activity by shareholders and take specific steps to prevent Disruptive Trading. In general, the Fund considers frequent roundtrip transactions in a shareholder account to constitute Disruptive Trading. A "roundtrip transaction" is one where a shareholder buys and then sells, or sells and then buys, Shares within 30 days. While there is no specific limit on roundtrip transactions, the Fund reserves the right to (i) refuse any purchase order; and/or (ii) restrict or terminate purchase privileges for shareholders or former shareholders, particularly in cases where the Fund determines that the shareholder or potential shareholder has engaged in more than one roundtrip transaction in the Fund within any rolling 30-day period.
In determining the frequency of roundtrip transactions, the Fund does not include purchases pursuant to dollar cost averaging or other similar programs, and the Fund will not count systematic withdrawals and/or automatic purchases, mandatory retirement distributions, and transactions initiated by a plan sponsor. The Fund will calculate roundtrip transactions at the shareholder level, and may contact a shareholder to request
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an explanation of any activity that the Fund suspects as Disruptive Trading.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund may also take action if a shareholder's trading activity (evaluated based on roundtrip trading or otherwise) is deemed Disruptive Trading by the Fund, even if applicable Shares are held longer than 30 days. In addition, the Fund may, without prior notice, take whatever action it deems appropriate to comply with or take advantage of any state or federal regulatory requirement.
The Fund cannot guarantee that its policies and procedures regarding market timing will be effective in detecting and deterring all Disruptive Trading.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings. A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund's portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI.
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OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
The followinginformation is meant asa generalsummary forU.S. taxpayers. Additionaltax information appears inthe SAI. Shareholders shouldrely on theirown tax advisors for advice about the particular U.S. federal, state, andlocal tax consequences tothem of investing in theFund.
The Fund will distribute all or substantially all of itsincome and gains toits shareholdersevery year. Dividendspaid by the Fund derived from netinvestment income, ifany, will generallybe paid annually and capital gains distributions, if any, willbe madeat least annually.Absent instructions to pay distributions in cash, distributions will be reinvested automatically in additional Shares (or fractions thereof) of the Fund. Althoughthe Fund willnot be taxedon amounts it distributes, shareholders will generallybe taxedon distributions, regardlessof whether distributions arepaid by the Fund in cashor are reinvested in additional Fund shares.
A particulardividend distribution generally willbe taxableas qualified dividend income,long-term capital gain,or ordinary income. Qualified dividend income generally includesdividends paid by U.S. corporations and certainqualifying foreign corporations, provided the foreigncorporation isnot a passive foreign investment company.Any distribution resulting from such qualified dividend income received bythe Fund willbe designatedas qualified dividend income.If the Fund designatesa dividend distributionas qualified dividend income,it generally willbe taxableto individual shareholdersat thelong-term capital gainstax rate provided certain holdingperiod requirements are met.If theFund designates a dividend distributionas a capital gains distribution, itgenerally willbe taxable toshareholders as long-term capital gain,regardless of how long theshareholders haveheld theirFund shares. Short-term capitalgains may be realized andany distribution resultingfrom such gains willbe consideredordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. All taxable dividendspaid by the Fund otherthan those designated as qualified dividend incomeor long-term capital gain distributions willbe taxableas ordinary income to shareholders.
Taxable distributions paid by the Fund to corporate shareholders willbe taxedat corporate tax rates. Corporate shareholdersmay be entitledto a dividends-receiveddeduction ("DRD")for a portion of the dividendspaid and designated bythe Fundas qualifying for the DRD.
If the Funddeclares a dividendin October, November,or December but paysit inJanuary, it willbe taxable to shareholdersas if the dividend hadbeen received in the yearit wasdeclared. Every year,each shareholder will receivea statementdetailing the tax statusof any Fund distributions for that year. Distributionsmay be subject to U.S. state andlocal taxes,as wellas U.S. federal income taxes.
In general,a shareholder who sellsor redeems shares will realizea capital gainor loss, which willbe long-termor short-term depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the Fund shares. An exchange ofshares maybe treatedas a saleand maybe subject to tax.
The Fund maybe required to withhold U.S. federal incometax forall taxable distributions payable toshareholders who fail toprovide the Fund with theircorrect taxpayeridentification numbersor to makerequired certifications, or who have been notified bythe IRS thatthey are subject to backupwithholding. Backupwithholding is not an additionaltax; rather, it isa way in whichthe IRS ensures itwill collecttaxes otherwise due. Any amounts withheld maybe credited againsta shareholder'sU.S. federal incometax liability.
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Shareholders should consult with their own tax advisors to ensure that distributions and sale of Fund shares are treated appropriately on their income tax returns.
Cost Basis Reporting. Federal law requires that mutual fund companies report their shareholders' cost basis, gain/loss and holding period to the Internal Revenue Service on the Fund's shareholders' Consolidated Form 1099s when "covered" securities are sold. Covered securities are any regulated investment company and/or dividend reinvestment plan shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012. The Fund has chosen Average Cost as its default tax lot identification method for all shareholders. A tax lot identification method is the way the Fund will determine which specific shares are deemed to be sold when there are multiple purchases on different dates at differing net asset values, and the entire position is not sold at one time. The Fund's standing tax lot identification method is the method covered shares will be reported on your Consolidated Form 1099 if you do not select a specific tax lot identification method. You may choose a method different than the Fund's standing method and will be able to do so at the time of your purchase or upon the sale of covered shares. Please refer to the appropriate Internal Revenue Service regulations or consult your tax adviser with regard to your personal circumstances.
For those securities defined as "covered" under current Internal Revenue Service cost basis tax reporting regulations, the Fund is responsible for maintaining accurate cost basis and tax lot information for tax reporting purposes. The Fund is not responsible for the reliability or accuracy of the information for those securities that are not "covered." The Fund and its service providers do not provide tax advice. You should consult independent sources, which may include a tax professional, with respect to any decisions you may make with respect to choosing a tax lot identification method.
Possible Tax Law Changes. Various administrative and legislative changes to the federal tax laws are under consideration, but it is not possible at this time to determine whether any of these changes will take place or what the changes might entail.
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Financial Highlights
The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the past 5 years. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund, assuming the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. This information has been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, whose reporting, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2025 which may be obtained at no charge by calling the Fund.
| Financial Highlights | |||||||||||
| Selected data for a share outstanding throughout each year: | 12/1/2024 | 12/1/2023 | 12/1/2022 | 12/1/2021 | 12/1/2020 | ||||||
| to | to | to | to | to | |||||||
| 11/30/2025 | 11/30/2024 | 11/30/2023 | 11/30/2022 | 11/30/2021 | |||||||
| Net Asset Value - Beginning of Year | $ 16.41 | $ 12.48 | $ 11.13 | $ 14.94 | $ 12.24 | ||||||
| Net Investment Income (Loss) (a) | (0.10) | (0.08) | (0.01) | (0.00) | 0.01 | ||||||
| Net Gain (Loss) on Investments (Realized and Unrealized) | 1.63 | 4.01 | 1.36 | (3.79) | 2.77 | ||||||
| Total from Investment Operations | 1.53 | 3.93 | 1.35 | (3.79) | 2.78 | ||||||
| Distributions (From Net Investment Income) | - | - | - | (0.02) | (0.08) | ||||||
| Distributions (From Capital Gains) | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| Total Distributions | - | - | - | (0.02) | (0.08) | ||||||
| Net Asset Value - End of Year | $ 17.94 | $ 16.41 | $ 12.48 | $ 11.13 | $ 14.94 | ||||||
| Total Return (b) | 9.32% | 31.49% | 12.13% | (25.41)% | 22.76% | ||||||
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||||||||
| Net Assets - End of Year (Thousands) | $ 24,760 | $ 24,988 | $ 21,502 | $ 22,415 | $ 32,669 | ||||||
| Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (c) (d) | 2.21% | 2.23% | 2.41% | 2.54% | 2.30% | ||||||
| Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average | |||||||||||
| Net Assets (d) | (0.63)% | (0.53)% | (0.08)% | (0.01)% | 0.08% | ||||||
| Portfolio Turnover Rate | 3.80% | 1.51% | 3.82% | 2.24% | 3.86% | ||||||
| (a) Per share amount calculated using the average shares method. | |||||||||||
| (b) Total return represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund | |||||||||||
| assuming reinvestment of dividends. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes a shareholder would pay | |||||||||||
| on Fund distributions or redemption of Fund shares. | |||||||||||
| (c) Ratios do not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests. | |||||||||||
| (d) The ratios include interest expense of 0.07% during the year ended November 30, 2025, 0.06% during the year ended | |||||||||||
| November 30, 2024, 0.05% during the year ended November 30, 2023, 0.37% during the year ended November 30, 2022 | |||||||||||
| and 0.25% during the year ended November 30, 2021. | |||||||||||
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Privacy Notice
| FACTS | WHAT DOES WP TRUST DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION? | |||
| Why? | Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do. | |||
| What? |
Social Security number Assets Retirement Assets Transaction History Checking Account Information Purchase History Account Balances Account Transactions Wire Transfer Instructions When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice. The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include: |
|||
| How? | All financial companies need to share your personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers' personal information; the reasons 360 Funds chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing. | |||
| Reasons we can share your personal information | Does WP Trust share? | Can you limit this sharing? | ||
|
For our everyday business purposes - Such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus |
Yes | No | ||
|
For our marketing purposes - to offer our products and services to you |
No | We don't share | ||
| For joint marketing with other financial companies | No | We don't share | ||
|
For our affiliates' everyday business purposes - information about your transactions and experiences |
No | We don't share | ||
|
For our affiliates' everyday business purposes - information about your creditworthiness |
No | We don't share | ||
| For nonaffiliates to market to you | No | We don't share | ||
| Questions? | Call (866) 959-9260 | |||
| 33 |
| Who we are | |
| Who is providing this notice? |
WP Trust Premier Fund Solutions, Inc. (Administrator) Mutual Shareholder Services , LLC (Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant) Arbor Court Capital, LLC (Distributor) |
| What we do | |
|
How does WP Trust protect my personal information? |
To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings. Our service providers are held accountable for adhering to strict policies and procedures to prevent any misuse of your nonpublic personal information. |
|
How does WP Trust collect my personal information? |
We collect your personal information, for example, when you Open an account Provide account information Give us your contact information Make deposits or withdrawals from your account Make a wire transfer Tell us where to send the money Tell us who receives the money Show your government-issued ID Show your driver's license We also collect your personal information from other companies. |
| Why can't I limit all sharing? |
Federal law gives you the right to limit only Sharing for affiliates' everyday business purposes - information about your creditworthiness Affiliates from using your information to market to you Sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing. |
| Definitions | |
| Affiliates |
Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies. Premier Fund Solutions, Inc., Mutual Shareholder Services , LLC and Arbor Court Capital, LLC could each be deemed to be an affiliate. |
| Nonaffiliates |
Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies WP Trust does not share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you. |
| Joint marketing |
A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you. WP Trust does not jointly market. |
| 34 |
WP Large Cap Income Plus Fund
You will find more information about the Fund in the following documents:
Statement of Additional Information: For more information about the Fund, you may wish to refer to the Fund's SAI dated March 27, 2026, which is on file with the SEC and incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
Annual/Semi-Annual Reports: Additional information about the Fund's investments, once available, will be available in the Fund's annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders and in Form N-CSR. In the Fund's annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund's annual and semi-annual financial statements.
To request a free copy of the SAI, the Fund's annual and semi-annual reports and other information about the Fund, or to make inquiries about the Fund, write the Fund c/o Mutual Shareholder Services, 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147 or call the Fund at (866) 959-9260.
Information about the operation of the public reference room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC's Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: [email protected].
WP Trust Investment Company Act File Number: 811-23086
| 35 |
WP Large Cap Income Plus Fund
Class A Shares*
Class C Shares*
Institutional Class Shares (Ticker Symbol: WPLCX)
a series of the
WP Trust
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
March 27, 2026
WP Large Cap Income Plus Fund (the "Fund") is series of WP Trust, an open-end management investment company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as required by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus, and it should be read in conjunction with the Fund's prospectus dated March 27, 2026 as the same may be amended from time to time. Copies of the Prospectus may be obtained, without charge, by calling the Fund at (877) 244-6235 or writing to the Fund at the following address:
c/o Mutual Shareholder Services
8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400
Broadview Heights, OH 44147
*Share class not presently offered for sale.
WP LARGE CAP INCOME PLUS FUND
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, POLICIES AND RISKS | 1 |
| General Investment Risks | 1 |
| Common Stocks | 1 |
| Derivative Instruments | 1 |
| Hedging | 6 |
| Preferred Stock | 6 |
| Foreign Securities | 6 |
| Convertible Securities | 8 |
| Real Estate Securities | 8 |
| U.S. Government Securities | 9 |
| Foreign Government Obligations | 9 |
| Mortgage-Backed Securities | 9 |
| Asset-Backed Securities | 10 |
| Structured Notes, Bonds and Debentures | 10 |
| Assignments and Participations | 11 |
| Corporate Debt Securities | 12 |
| Money Market Instruments | 12 |
| ETFs | 12 |
| Other Investment Companies | 13 |
| Unit Investment Trusts | 13 |
| Repurchase Agreements | 13 |
| Reverse Repurchase Agreements | 14 |
| Illiquid Investments | 14 |
| Private Securities Transactions | 14 |
| Restricted Securities | 15 |
| Forward Commitment & When-Issued Securities | 15 |
| Short Sales of Securities | 15 |
| Lending of Portfolio Securities | 16 |
| Temporary Defensive Positions | 16 |
| Diversification | 16 |
| INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS | 16 |
| Fundamental Restrictions | 16 |
| Non-Fundamental Restrictions | 17 |
| PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE ALLOCATION | 18 |
| Brokerage Selection | 18 |
| Aggregated Trades | 19 |
| Portfolio Turnover | 19 |
| PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE | 20 |
| DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST | 21 |
| BOARD OF TRUSTEES, OFFICERS AND PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS | 22 |
| Trustees and Officers | 22 |
| Board Structure | 23 |
| Qualification of Trustees | 24 |
| Beneficial Equity Ownership Information | 26 |
| Ownership of Securities of Advisor, Distributoror Related Entities | 26 |
| Compensation | 27 |
| Principal Holders of Fund Shares | 27 |
| MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION | 28 |
| Investment Adviser | 28 |
| Portfolio Managers | 28 |
| Fund Services | 29 |
| Distributor | 30 |
| Custodian | 31 |
| Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | 31 |
| Legal Counsel | 31 |
| CODE OF ETHICS | 31 |
| PROXY VOTING POLICIES | 32 |
| PURCHASES, REDEMPTIONS AND SPECIAL SHAREHOLDER SERVICES | 32 |
| Purchases | 32 |
| Redemptions | 32 |
| Additional Information | 33 |
| NET ASSET VALUE | 35 |
| ADDITIONAL TAX INFORMATION | 36 |
| APPENDIX A - PROXY VOTING POLICIES | 46 |
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND RISKS
WP Trust (the "Trust") was organized on June 4, 2015 as a Delaware statutory trust and is registered as an open-end investment management company under the 1940 Act. The Fund is a separate diversified series of the Trust. The Prospectus describes the Fund's investment objectives and principal investment strategies, as well as the principal investment risks of the Fund.
The Fund's investment adviser is Winning Points Advisors, LLC (the "Advisor").
The following descriptions and policies supplement these descriptions and also include descriptions of certain types of investments that may be made by the Fund but are not principal investment strategies of the Fund.
General Investment Risks. All investments in securities and other financial instruments involve a risk of financial loss. No assurance can be given that the Fund's' investment program will be successful. Investors should carefully review the descriptions of the Fund's investments and their risks described in the Prospectus and this SAI.
Common Stocks. The Fund may invest in common stocks, which include the common stock of any class or series of domestic or foreign corporations or any similar equity interest, such as a trust or partnership interest. These investments may or may not pay dividends and may or may not carry voting rights. Common stock occupies the most junior position in a company's capital structure. The Fund may also invest in warrants and rights related to common stocks.
Derivative Instruments. The Fund may (but is not required to) use a variety of derivative instruments (including both long and short positions) in an attempt to enhance the Fund's investment returns, to hedge against market and other risks in the portfolio, to add leverage to the portfolio and/or to obtain market exposure with reduced transaction costs.
Generally, derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index and may relate to, among other things, stocks, bonds, interest rates, currencies or currency exchange rates, commodities, related indices and other assets. Examples of derivatives and information about some types of derivatives and risks associated therewith follows. The derivatives market is continually evolving and the Fund may invest in derivatives other than those described below.
The value of some derivative instruments in which the Fund may invest may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to utilize these instruments successfully may depend in part upon its ability to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the Fund incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken positions in derivative instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Fund could suffer losses.
The Fund might not employ any of the strategies described herein, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. If the Fund incorrectly forecasts interest rates, market values or other economic factors in utilizing a derivatives strategy, the Fund might have been in a better position if it had not entered into the transaction at all. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances. The use of derivative strategies involves certain special risks, including a possible imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of derivative instruments and price movements of related investments. While some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they also can reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise, due to the possible inability of the Fund to purchase
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or sell a portfolio security at a time that otherwise would be favorable or the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time because the Fund is required to maintain asset coverage or offsetting positions in connection with transactions in derivative instruments, and the possible inability of the Fund to close out or to liquidate its derivatives positions. The Fund's use of derivatives may increase or accelerate the amount of ordinary income recognized by shareholders.
Federal legislation has been recently enacted in the U.S. that provides for new clearing, margin, reporting and registration requirements for participants in the derivatives market. While the ultimate impact is not yet clear, these changes could restrict and/or impose significant costs or other burdens upon the Fund's participation in derivatives transactions.
Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act governs the Fund's use of derivative instruments and certain other transactions that create future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. Rule 18f-4 permits the Fund to enter into Derivatives Transactions (as defined below) and certain other transactions notwithstanding the restrictions on the issuance of "senior securities" under Section 18 of the 1940 Act. Section 18 of the 1940 Act, among other things, prohibits open-end funds, including the Fund, from issuing or selling any "senior security," other than borrowing from a bank (subject to a requirement to maintain 300% "asset coverage"). In connection with the adoption of Rule 18f-4, the SEC eliminated the asset segregation framework arising from prior SEC guidance for covering Derivatives Transactions and certain financial instruments.
Under Rule 18f-4, "Derivatives Transactions" include the following: (i) any swap, security-based swap (including a contract for differences), futures contract, forward contract, option (excluding purchased options), any combination of the foregoing, or any similar instrument, under which a Fund is or may be required to make any payment or delivery of cash or other assets during the life of the instrument or at maturity or early termination, whether as margin or settlement payment or otherwise; (ii) any short sale borrowing; (iii) reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions, if the Fund elects to treat these transactions as Derivatives Transactions under Rule 18f-4; and (iv) when-issued or forward-settling securities (e.g., firm and standby commitments, including to-be-announced ("TBA") commitments, and dollar rolls) and non-standard settlement cycle securities, unless the Fund intends to physically settle the transaction and the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date.
The Fund must comply with Rule 18f-4 with respect to its Derivatives Transactions. Rule 18f-4, among other things, requires the Fund to (i) appoint a Derivatives Risk Manager, (ii) maintain a Derivatives Risk Management Program designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with Derivatives Transactions; (iii) comply with certain value-at-risk (VaR)-based leverage limits (VaR is an estimate of an instrument's or portfolio's potential losses over a given time horizon and at a specified confidence level); and (iv) comply with certain board reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Pursuant to Rule 18f-4, if the Fund enters into reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions, the Fund will (i) aggregate the amount of indebtedness associated with all of its reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the amount of any other "senior securities" representing indebtedness (e.g., bank borrowings, if applicable) when calculating the Fund's asset coverage ratio or (ii) treat all such transactions as Derivatives Transactions.
The requirements of Rule 18f-4 may limit the Fund's ability to engage in Derivatives Transactions as part of its investment strategies. These requirements may also increase the cost of the Fund's investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect the value of the Fund's investments and/or the performance of the Fund.
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Options on Securities and Indices. As described in the Prospectus, the Fund may, among other things, purchase and sell put and call options on equity, debt or other securities or indices in standardized contracts traded on foreign or domestic securities exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations ("NASDAQ") System or on a regulated foreign over-the-counter market, and agreements, sometimes called cash puts, which may accompany the purchase of a new issue from a dealer. Among other reasons, the Fund may purchase put options to protect holdings in an underlying or related security against a decline in market value, and may purchase call options to protect against increases in the prices of securities it intends to purchase pending its ability to invest in such securities in an orderly manner.
An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. (An index is designed to reflect features of a particular financial or securities market, a specific group of financial instruments or securities, or certain economic indicators.)
When the Fund sells a call (put) option on an underlying security it owns (is short), the option is sometimes referred to as a "covered option." The Fund may sell such options. When the Fund sells a call or put option on underlying securities it does not own (is not short), the option is sometimes referred to as a "naked option."
The Fund may sell "naked" call options on individual securities or instruments in which it may invest but that are not currently held by the Fund. When selling "naked" call options, the Fund must deposit and maintain sufficient margin with the broker-dealer through which it sold the "naked" call option as collateral to ensure that it meets its obligations as the seller of the option. During periods of declining securities prices or when prices are stable, selling "naked" call options can be a profitable strategy to increase the Fund's income with minimal capital risk. However, when the price of the security underlying the written option increases, the Fund is exposed to an increased risk of loss, because, if the price of the security underlying the option exceeds the option's exercise price, the Fund will lose the difference. "Naked" sold call options are riskier than covered call options because there is no underlying security held by the Fund that can act as a partial hedge. "Naked" sold call options have speculative characteristics, and the potential for loss is theoretically unlimited. When a "naked" sold call option is exercised, the Fund must purchase the underlying security to meet its delivery obligation or make a payment equal to the value of its obligation in order to close out the option. There is also a risk, especially with less liquid preferred and debt securities or small capitalization securities, that the securities may not be available for purchase.
A naked put option is a position in which a buyer sells a put option and has no position in the underlying stock. A naked put option may be used when the Fund expects the underlying stock to be trading above the strike price at the time of expiration. The Fund will benefit from a naked put option if the underlying stock is trading above the strike price at the time of the expiration of the put option and expires worthless because the Fund will keep the entire premium. The Fund could lose money if the price of the underlying stock is below the strike price because the put may be exercised against the Fund, causing the Fund to buy the stock at the strike price.
If an option sold by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid. Prior to the earlier of exercise or
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expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price, and expiration). In addition, the Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option that is sold. There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires.
The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, and the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.
OTC Options. The Fund may also purchase and sell over-the-counter ("OTC") options. OTC options differ from traded options in that they are two-party contracts, with price and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller, and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange-traded options. The Fund may also purchase and write dealer options.
Risks Associated with Options on Securities and Indices. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities, including exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), and on indices. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve the intended result. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful because of market behavior or unexpected events.
There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out an option position. If the Fund was unable to close out an option that it had purchased on a security or index, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless. If the Fund was unable to close out a call option that it had written on a security held in its portfolio, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise. As the writer of a call option on an individual security held in the Fund's portfolio, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security or index position covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price of the call but has retained the risk of loss (net of premiums received) should the price of the underlying security or index position decline. Similarly, as the seller of a call option on a securities index or ETF, the Fund forgoes the opportunity to profit from increases in the index or ETF over the strike price of the option, though it retains the risk of loss (net of premiums received) should the price of the Fund's portfolio securities decline.
The value of call options sold by the Fund will be affected by, among other factors, changes in the value of underlying securities (including those comprising an index), changes in the dividend rates of underlying securities (including those comprising an index), changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the stock market and underlying securities and the remaining time to an option's expiration. The value of an option also may be adversely affected if the market for the option is reduced or becomes less liquid. The seller of an option generally has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a seller of the option. Once an option seller has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price.
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The hours of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the securities held by the Fund are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that may not be reflected in the options markets. In addition, the Fund's options transactions will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which the options are traded. An exchange, board of trade or other trading facility may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose other sanctions that could adversely affect the Fund engaging in options transactions.
If a put or call option purchased by the Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security or index remains equal to or greater than the exercise price (in the case of a put), or remains less than or equal to the exercise price (in the case of a call), the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put or call option on a particular security or index is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security or index, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security or index. Furthermore, if trading restrictions or suspensions are imposed on the options markets, the Fund may be unable to close out a position. Similarly, if restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except to the extent that a call option on an index or ETF sold by the Fund is covered by an option on the same index or ETF purchased by the Fund, movements in the index or ETF may result in a loss to the Fund; however, such losses may be mitigated by changes in the value of the Fund's securities during the period the option was outstanding (based, in part, on the extent of correlation (if any) between the performance of the index or ETF and the performance of the Fund's portfolio securities).
Foreign Currency Options. The Fund may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies in various circumstances, including, but not limited to, as a hedge against changes in the value of the U.S. dollar (or another currency) in relation to a foreign currency in which the Fund's securities may be denominated or to cross-hedge or in an attempt to increase the total return when the Advisor anticipates that the currency will appreciate or depreciate in value. In addition, the Fund may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies either on exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires. Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits, which may limit the ability of the Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options.
Option Combinations. The Fund may combine options transactions, which combinations may be in the form of option spreads or option collars. Put spreads and collars are designed to protect against a decline in value of a security the Fund owns. A collar involves the purchase of a put and the simultaneous selling of a call on the same security at a higher strike price. The put protects the investor from a decline in the price of the security below the put's strike price. The call means that the investor will not benefit from increases in the price of the security beyond the call's strike price. In a put spread, an investor purchases a put and simultaneously sells a put on the same security at a lower strike price. This combination protects the investor against a decline in the price down to the lower strike price. The premium received for selling the call (in the case of a collar) or selling the put (in the case of a put spread) offsets, in whole or in part, the premium paid to purchase the put.
In a call spread, an investor purchases a call and simultaneously sells a call on the same security, with the call sold having a higher strike price than the call purchased. The purchased call is designed to provide exposure to a potential increase in the value of a security an investor owns. The premium received
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for writing the call offsets, in part, the premium paid to purchase the corresponding call, but it also means that the investor will not benefit from increases in the price of the security beyond the sold call's strike price.
The Fund may sell straddles consisting of a combination of a call and a put sold on the same underlying security.
Hedging. The Fund may engage in an ongoing hedging strategy. Hedging is a means of transferring risk that an investor does not wish to assume during an uncertain market environment. The Fund may enter into these transactions: (a) to hedge against changes in the market value of portfolio securities and against changes in the market value of securities intended to be purchased, (b) to close out or offset existing positions, (c) to manage the duration of a portfolio's fixed income investments, or (d) to enhance returns.
Hedging activity in the Fund may involve the use of derivatives including, but not limited to, buying or selling (writing) put or call options on stocks, shares of ETFs or stock indexes, buying ETFs or other investment companies that engage in hedging strategies, or purchasing foreign currency forward contracts or options on foreign currency. The Fund may also hedge against fluctuations in currency exchange rates, in connection with its investments in foreign securities by purchasing foreign forward currency exchange contracts and/or options on foreign currency.
Preferred Stock. Preferred stock, unlike common stock, often offers a specified dividend rate payable from a company's earnings. Preferred stock also generally has a preference over common stock on the distribution of a company's assets in the event the company is liquidated or declares bankruptcy; however, the rights of preferred stockholders on the distribution of a company's assets in the event of a liquidation or bankruptcy are generally subordinate to the rights of the company's debt holders and general creditors. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Some fixed rate preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions which provide for the stock to be retired or redeemed on a predetermined schedule, as well as call/redemption provisions prior to maturity, which can limit the benefit of any decline in interest rates that might positively affect the price of preferred stocks. Preferred stock dividends may be "cumulative," requiring all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends are paid on the issuer's common stock. Preferred stock may be "participating," which means that it may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. In some cases an issuer may offer auction rate preferred stock, which means that the interest to be paid is set by auction and will often be reset at stated intervals.
Foreign Securities. Foreign securities include U.S. dollar-denominated and non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers. The Fund may invest directly in foreign equity securities traded directly on U.S. exchanges, foreign exchanges, over-the-counter or in the form of American Depositary Receipts. The Fund may also invest in foreign currency-denominated fixed-income securities. Investing in securities issued by companies whose principal business activities are outside the United States may involve significant risks not present in domestic investments. Many of the risks are more pronounced for investments in developing or emerging market countries, or countries whose markets are becoming open, or have only recently opened, to private investment, foreign investment or both. The Advisor follows the FTSE country classifications to determine developing or emerging market countries.
American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"). ADRs provide a method whereby the Fund may invest in securities issued by companies whose principal business activities are outside the United States. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities, and may be issued as sponsored or unsponsored programs. In sponsored programs, an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities trade in the form of ADRs. In unsponsored programs, the issuer may not be directly involved in the creation of the program. Although regulatory requirements with respect
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to sponsored and unsponsored programs are generally similar, in some cases it may be easier to obtain financial information from an issuer that has participated in the creation of a sponsored program. ADRs are subject to many of the risks affecting foreign investments generally, except for those specific to trading securities on foreign exchanges.
Political and Economic Factors. Foreign investments involve risks unique to the local political, economic, and regulatory structures in place, as well as the potential for social instability, military unrest, or diplomatic developments that could prove adverse to the interests of U.S. investors. Individual foreign economies can differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, and balance of payments position. In addition, significant external political and economic risks currently affect some foreign countries. War and terrorism affect many countries. Many countries throughout the world are dependent on a healthy U.S. economy or economies elsewhere around the world (e.g., Europe), and are adversely affected when the U.S. or other world economies weaken or their markets decline.
Government Action. Governments in certain foreign countries continue to participate to a significant degree, through ownership interest or regulation, in their respective economies. Action by these governments could have a significant effect on market prices of securities and payment of dividends. The economies of many foreign countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by protective trade barriers and economic conditions of their trading partners. The enactment by these trading partners of protectionist trade legislation could have a significant adverse effect upon the securities markets of such countries.
Foreign Currencies; Currency Fluctuations. The Fund's investments in foreign securities may be denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currencies. For securities valued in foreign currencies, a change in the value of any such currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding change in the U.S. dollar value of the Fund's assets denominated in that currency. Such changes will also affect the Fund's income and may affect the income of companies in which the Fund invests. Generally, when a given currency appreciates against the U.S. dollar (the U.S. dollar weakens), the value of the Fund's securities denominated in that currency will rise. When a given currency depreciates against the U.S. dollar (the U.S. dollar strengthens), the value of the Fund's securities denominated in that currency will decline. Countries with managed currencies that are maintained at artificial levels to the U.S. dollar rather than at levels determined by the market may experience sudden and large adjustments in the currency which, in turn, can have a disruptive and negative effect on foreign investors. Similarly, the Fund may be adversely affected by holding securities in foreign currencies that are not readily convertible into U.S. dollars.
Potential Adverse Changes. With respect to certain foreign countries, especially developing and emerging ones, there is the possibility of adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, limitations on the removal of funds or other assets, political or social instability, or diplomatic developments which could affect investments by U.S. persons in those countries.
Information and Supervision. There is generally less publicly available information about foreign companies comparable to reports and ratings that are published about companies in the United States. Foreign companies are also generally not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices, and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. It also is often more difficult to keep currently informed of corporate actions that affect the prices of portfolio securities.
Market Characteristics. Foreign securities markets are generally not as developed or efficient as, and may be more volatile and have less volume and liquidity than, those in the United States. Securities may trade at price/earnings multiples higher than comparable U.S. securities and such levels may not be sustainable. Commissions on foreign securities trades are generally higher than commissions on U.S.
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exchanges, and while there are an increasing number of overseas securities markets that have adopted a system of negotiated rates, a number are still subject to an established schedule of minimum commission rates. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in the U.S. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets. Such differences include delays beyond periods customary in the U.S. and practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, which increase the likelihood of a "failed settlement." Failed settlements can result in losses to the Fund.
Investment and Repatriation Restrictions. Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain foreign countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions limit and, at times, preclude investment in such countries and increase the cost and expenses of the Fund. Investments by foreign investors are subject to a variety of restrictions in many developing countries. These restrictions may take the form of prior governmental approval, limits on the amount or type of securities held by foreigners, and limits on the types of companies in which foreigners may invest. Additional or different restrictions may be imposed at any time by these or other countries in which the Fund invests. In addition, the repatriation of both investment income and capital from several foreign countries is restricted and controlled under certain regulations, including in some cases the need for certain government consents.
Taxes. The dividends and interest payable on foreign portfolio securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, thus reducing the net amount of income available for distribution to the Fund's shareholders. In addition, some governments may impose a tax on purchases by foreign investors of certain securities that trade in their country.
Depositary Receipts.The Fund's investments may include securities of foreign issuers in the form of sponsored or unsponsored ADRs, Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) and European Depositary Receipts (EDRs). ADRs are depositary receipts typically issued by a United State bank or trust company which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. EDRs and GDRs are typically issued by foreign banks or trust companies, although they also may be issued by United States banks or trust companies, and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by either a foreign or a United States corporation. Generally, depositary receipts in registered form are designed for use in the United States securities market and depositary receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the United States Depositary receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. Ownership of unsponsored depositary receipts may not entitle the Fund to financial or other reports from the issuer of the underlying security, to which it would be entitled as the owner of sponsored depositary receipts.
Convertible Securities. Although the equity investments of the Fund consist primarily of common stocks, the Fund may buy securities convertible into common stock if, for example, the Advisor believes that a company's convertible securities are undervalued in the market. Convertible securities eligible for purchase by the Fund include convertible bonds, convertible preferred stocks, and warrants. A warrant is an instrument issued by a corporation that gives the holder the right to subscribe to a specific amount of the corporation's capital stock at a set price for a specified period of time. Warrants do not represent ownership of the underlying securities, but only the right to buy the securities. The prices of warrants do not necessarily move parallel to the prices of underlying securities. Warrants may be considered speculative in that they have no voting rights, pay no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of a corporation issuing them. Warrant positions will not be used to increase the leverage of the Fund; consequently, warrant positions are generally accompanied by cash positions equivalent to the required exercise amount. The Fund's ability to invest in warrants may be limited by the Fund's investment restrictions.
Real Estate Securities. The Fund will not invest in real estate (including mortgage loans and limited partnership interests), but may invest in readily marketable securities issued by companies that
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invest in real estate or interests therein. The Fund may also invest in readily marketable interests in real estate investment trusts ("REITs"). REITs are generally publicly traded on the national stock exchanges and in the over-the-counter market and have varying degrees of liquidity. Investments in real estate securities are subject to risks inherent in the real estate market, including risk related to changes interest rates.
U.S. Government Securities. The Fund may invest a portion of the portfolio in U.S. government securities, defined to be U.S. government obligations such as U.S. Treasury notes, U.S. Treasury bonds, and U.S. Treasury bills, obligations guaranteed by the U.S. government such as Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA") as well as obligations of U.S. government authorities, agencies and instrumentalities such as Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA"), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"), Federal Housing Administration ("FHA"), Federal Farm Credit Bank ("FFCB"), Federal Home Loan Bank ("FHLB"), Student Loan Marketing Association ("SLMA"), and The Tennessee Valley Authority. U.S. government securities may be acquired subject to repurchase agreements. While obligations of some U.S. government sponsored entities are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government (e.g. GNMA), several are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. government (e.g. FNMA, FHLMC), and still others are supported only by the credit of the issuer itself (e.g. SLMA, FFCB). No assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities in the future, other than as set forth above, since it is not obligated to do so by law. The guarantee of the U.S. government does not extend to the yield or value of the Fund's shares.
Foreign Government Obligations. The Fund may invest in short-term obligations of foreign sovereign governments or of their agencies, instrumentalities, authorities or political subdivisions. These securities may be denominated in United States dollars or in another currency.
Mortgage-Backed Securities. The Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities, such as those issued by GNMA, FNMA, FHLMC or certain foreign issuers. Mortgage-backed securities represent direct or indirect participations in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by real property. The mortgages backing these securities include, among other mortgage instruments, conventional 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, graduated payment mortgages and adjustable rate mortgages. The government or the issuing agency typically guarantees the payment of interest and principal of these securities. However, the guarantees do not extend to the securities' yield or value, which are likely to vary inversely with fluctuations in interest rates, nor do the guarantees extend to the yield or value of the Fund's shares. These securities generally are "pass-through" instruments, through which the holders receive a share of all interest and principal payments from the mortgages underlying the securities, net of certain fees.
Yields on pass-through securities are typically quoted by investment dealers and vendors based on the maturity of the underlying instruments and the associated average life assumption. The average life of pass-through pools varies with the maturities of the underlying mortgage loans. A pool's term may be shortened by unscheduled or early payments of principal on the underlying mortgages. The occurrence of mortgage prepayments is affected by various factors, including the level of interest rates, general economic conditions, the location, scheduled maturity and age of the mortgage and other social and demographic conditions. Because prepayment rates of individual pools vary widely, it is not possible to predict accurately the average life of a particular pool. For pools of fixed-rate 30-year mortgages in a stable interest rate environment, a common industry practice in the U.S. has been to assume that prepayments will result in a 12-year average life, although it may vary depending on various factors. At present, pools, particularly those with loans with other maturities or different characteristics, are priced on an assumption of average life determined for each pool. In periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayment tends to increase, thereby shortening the actual average life of a pool of mortgage-related securities. Conversely, in periods
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of rising rates the rate of prepayment tends to decrease, thereby lengthening the actual average life of the pool. However, these effects may not be present, or may differ in degree, if the mortgage loans in the pools have adjustable interest rates or other special payment terms, such as a prepayment charge. Actual prepayment experience may cause the yield of mortgage-backed securities to differ from the assumed average life yield. Reinvestment of prepayments may occur at higher or lower interest rates than the original investment, thus affecting the Fund's yield.
The rate of interest on mortgage-backed securities is lower than the interest rates paid on the mortgages included in the underlying pool due to the annual fees paid to the servicer of the mortgage pool for passing through monthly payments to certificate holders and to any guarantor, such as GNMA, and due to any yield retained by the issuer. Actual yield to the holder may vary from the coupon rate, even if adjustable, if the mortgage-backed securities are purchased or traded in the secondary market at a premium or discount. In addition, there is normally some delay between the time the issuer receives mortgage payments from the servicer and the time the issuer makes the payments on the mortgage-backed securities, and this delay reduces the effective yield to the holder of such securities.
Asset-Backed Securities. The Fund may invest in asset-backed securities, which represent participations in, or are secured by and payable from, assets such as motor vehicle installment sales, installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property and receivables from revolving credit (credit card) agreements. Such assets are securitized through the use of trusts and special purpose corporations. Payments or distributions of principal and interest may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit or a pool insurance policy issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the trust or corporation.
Asset-backed securities present certain risks that are not presented by other securities in which the Fund may invest. Automobile receivables generally are secured by automobiles. Most issuers of automobile receivables permit the loan servicers to retain possession of the underlying obligations. If the servicer were to sell these obligations to another party, there is a risk that the purchaser would acquire an interest superior to that of the holders of the asset-backed securities. In addition, because of the large number of vehicles involved in a typical issuance and technical requirements under state laws, the trustee for the holders of the automobile receivables may not have a proper security interest in the underlying automobiles. Therefore, there is the possibility that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on these securities. Credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and the debtors are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which give such debtors the right to set off certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby reducing the balance due. In addition, there is no assurance that the security interest in the collateral can be realized.
Structured Notes, Bonds and Debentures. The Fund may invest in structured notes, bonds and debentures. Typically, the value of the principal and/or interest on these instruments is determined by reference to changes in the value of specific currencies, interest rates, commodities, indexes or other financial indicators (the "Reference") or the relevant change in two or more References. The interest rate or the principal amount payable upon maturity or redemption may be increased or decreased depending upon changes in the applicable Reference. The terms of the structured securities may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity and, therefore, may result in the loss of the Fund's entire investment. The value of structured securities may move in the same or the opposite direction as the value of the Reference, so that appreciation of the Reference may produce an increase or decrease in the interest rate or value of the security at maturity. In addition, the change in interest rate or the value of the security at maturity may be a multiple of the change in the value of the Reference so that the security may be more or less volatile than the Reference, depending on the multiple. Consequently, structured securities may entail a greater degree of market risk and volatility than other types of debt obligations.
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Assignments and Participations. The Fund may invest in assignments of and participations in loans issued by banks and other financial institutions.
When the Fund purchases assignments from lending financial institutions, the Fund will acquire direct rights against the borrower on the loan. However, since assignments are generally arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, the rights and obligations acquired by the Fund as the purchaser of an assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning lender.
Participations in loans will typically result in the Fund having a contractual relationship with the lending financial institution, not the borrower. The Fund would have the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender of the payments from the borrower. In connection with purchasing a participation, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the Fund may not benefit directly from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased a participation. As a result, the Fund purchasing a participation will assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender selling the participation. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling the participation, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any set-off between the lender and the borrower.
The Fund may have difficulty disposing of assignments and participations because there is no liquid market for such securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market will have an adverse impact on the value of such securities and on the Fund's ability to dispose of particular assignments or participations when necessary to meet the Fund's liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event, such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of the borrower. The lack of a liquid market for assignments and participations also may make it more difficult for the Fund to assign a value to these securities for purposes of valuing the Fund's portfolio and calculating its net asset value.
The Fund may invest in fixed and floating rate loans ("Loans") arranged through private negotiations between a foreign government (a "Borrower") and one or more financial institutions ("Lenders"). The majority of the Fund's investments in Loans are expected to be in the form of participations in Loans ("Participations") and assignments of portions of Loans from third parties ("Assignments"). Participations typically will result in the Fund having a contractual relationship only with the Lender, not with the Borrower. The Fund will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the Lender selling the Participation and only upon receipt by the Lender of the payments from the Borrower. In connection with purchasing Participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the Borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the Loan, nor any rights of set-off against the Borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the Loan in which it has purchased the Participation. As a result, the Fund will assume the credit risk of both the Borrower and the Lender that is selling the Participation. In the event of the insolvency of the Lender selling a Participation, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of the Lender and may not benefit from any set-off between the Lender and the Borrower.
When the Fund purchases Assignments from Lenders, the Fund will acquire direct rights against the Borrower on the Loan. However, since Assignments are generally arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, the rights and obligations acquired by the Fund as the purchaser of an Assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning Lender.
There are risks involved in investing in Participations and Assignments. The Fund may have difficulty disposing of them because there is no liquid market for such securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market will have an adverse impact on the value of such securities and on the Fund's ability to
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dispose of particular Participations or Assignments when necessary to meet the Fund's liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event, such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of the Borrower. The lack of a liquid market for Participations and Assignments also may make it more difficult for the Fund to assign a value to these securities for purposes of valuing the Fund's portfolio and calculating its net asset value.
Corporate Debt Securities. The Fund's fixed income investments may include corporate, municipal or other government debt securities. Corporate and municipal debt obligations purchased by the Fund may be any credit quality, maturity or yield. Accordingly, the Fund's debt securities may include "investment grade" securities (those rated at least Baa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), BBB by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services ("S&P") or Fitch Investors Service, Inc. ("Fitch") or, if not rated, of equivalent quality in the Advisor's opinion. In addition, the Fund's debt securities may include lower-rated debt securities including, without limitation, junk bonds. Debt obligations rated Baa by Moody's or BBB by S&P, or Fitch may be considered speculative and are subject to risks of non-payment of interest and principal. Debt obligations rated lower than Baa by Moody's or lower than BBB by S&P or Fitch are generally considered speculative and subject to significant risks of non-payment of interest and principal. Descriptions of the quality ratings of Moody's, S&P and Fitch are contained in this SAI. While the Advisor utilizes the ratings of various credit rating services as one factor in establishing creditworthiness, it relies primarily upon its own analysis of factors establishing creditworthiness.
Money Market Instruments. The Fund may invest in money market instruments including U.S. government obligations or corporate debt obligations (including those subject to repurchase agreements), provided that they are eligible for purchase by the Fund. Money market instruments also may include Banker's Acceptances and Certificates of Deposit of domestic branches of U.S. banks, Commercial Paper, and Variable Amount Demand Master Notes ("Master Notes"). Banker's Acceptancesare time drafts drawn on and "accepted" by a bank. When a bank "accepts" such a time draft, it assumes liability for its payment. When the Fund acquires a Banker's Acceptance, the bank that "accepted" the time draft is liable for payment of interest and principal when due. The Banker's Acceptance carries the full faith and credit of such bank. A Certificate of Deposit("CD") is an unsecured, interest bearing debt obligation of a bank. Commercial Paperis an unsecured, short-term debt obligation of a bank, corporation, or other borrower. Maturities of Commercial Paper generally range from 2 to 270 days and are usually sold on a discounted basis rather than as an interest-bearing instrument. The Fund will invest in Commercial Paper only if it is rated in one of the top two rating categories by Moody's, S&P or Fitch, or if not rated, of equivalent quality in the Advisor's opinion. Commercial Paper may include Master Notes of the same quality. Master Notesare unsecured obligations which are redeemable upon demand of the holder and which permit the investment of fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest. Master Notes are acquired by the Fund only through the Master Note program of the Fund's custodian bank, acting as administrator thereof. The Advisor will monitor, on a continuous basis, the earnings power, cash flow, and other liquidity ratios of the issuer of a Master Note held by the Fund.
ETFs. The Fund may invest in ETFs. An ETF is a fund that holds a portfolio of common stocks or bonds designed to track the performance of a securities index or sector of an index. ETFs are traded on a securities exchange based on their market value. An ETF portfolio holds the same stocks or bonds as the index it tracks, so its market price reflects the value of the index at any given time. ETFs are registered investment companies and incur fees and expenses such as operating expenses, licensing fees, registration fees, trustees' fees, and marketing expenses, and ETF shareholders, such as the Fund, pay their proportionate share of these expenses. Your cost of investing in the Fund will generally be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs. By investing in the Fund, you will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests in addition to the Fund's direct fees and expenses.
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Other Investment Companies. The Fund may purchase shares of other investment companies, including business development companies and ETFs. Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act provides that a fund may not purchase or otherwise acquire the securities of other investment companies if, as a result of such purchase or acquisition, it would own: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired investment company; (ii) securities issued by any one investment company having a value in excess of 5% of the fund's total assets; or (iii) securities issued by all investment companies having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the fund's total assets. These limitations are subject to certain statutory and regulatory exemptions, including Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, which permits the Fund to invest in other investment companies beyond the statutory limits, subject to certain conditions. Among other conditions, Rule 12d1-4 prohibits a fund from acquiring control of another investment company (other than an investment company in the same group of investment companies), including by acquiring more than 25% of its voting securities. In addition, Rule 12d1-4 imposes certain voting requirements when a fund's ownership of another investment company exceeds particular thresholds. If shares of a fund are acquired by another investment company, the "acquired" fund may not purchase or otherwise acquire the securities of an investment company or private fund if immediately after such purchase or acquisition, the securities of investment companies and private funds owned by that acquired fund have an aggregate value in excess of 10 percent of the value of the total assets of the fund, subject to certain exceptions. These restrictions may limit the Fund's ability to invest in other investment companies to the extent desired. In addition, other unaffiliated investment companies may impose other investment limitations or redemption restrictions which may also limit the Fund's flexibility with respect to making investments in those unaffiliated investment companies. The Fund has adopted policies and procedures designed to comply with the requirements of Rule 12d1-4 and the Fund intends to follow such policies and procedures when investing in other investment companies.
When the Fund purchases shares of another investment company, the Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of the advisory fees and other operating expenses of such investment company and will be subject to the risks associated with the portfolio investments of the underlying investment company.
Unit Investment Trusts. A unit investment trust, commonly referred to as a UIT, is one of three basic types of investment companies. The other two types are mutual funds and closed-end funds. A unit investment trust is a registered investment company that buys and holds a generally fixed portfolio of stocks, bonds, or other securities. "Units" in the trust are sold to investors (unitholders) who receive a share of principal and dividends (or interest). A UIT has a stated date for termination that varies according to the investments held in its portfolio. A UIT investing in long-term bonds may remain outstanding for 20 to 30 years. UITs that invest in stocks may seek to capture capital appreciation over a period of a year or a few years. When these trusts are dissolved, proceeds from the securities are either paid to unitholders or reinvested in another trust. A UIT does not actively trade its investment portfolio. That is, a UIT buys a relatively fixed portfolio of securities (for example, five, ten, or twenty specific stocks or bonds), and holds them with little or no change for the life of the UIT. Because the investment portfolio of a UIT generally is fixed, investors know more or less what they are investing in for the duration of their investment. Investors will find the portfolio securities held by the UIT listed in its prospectus.
Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a short term investment in which the purchaser acquires ownership of a U.S. government security and the seller agrees to repurchase the security at a future time at a set price, thereby determining the yield during the purchaser's holding period. Any repurchase transaction in which the Fund engages will require full collateralization of the seller's obligation during the entire term of the repurchase agreement. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default of the seller, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying security and losses in value.
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Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may engage in reverse repurchase agreements.
Reverse repurchase agreements are agreements that involve the sale of securities held by the Fund to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers, with an agreement that the Fund will repurchase the securities at an agreed upon price and date. During the reverse repurchase agreement period, the Fund continues to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold. The Fund may employ reverse repurchase agreements (i) for temporary emergency purposes, such as to meet unanticipated net redemptions so as to avoid liquidating other portfolio securities during unfavorable market conditions; (ii) to cover short-term cash requirements resulting from the timing of trade settlements; or (iii) to take advantage of market situations where the interest income to be earned from the investment of the proceeds of the transaction is greater than the interest expense of the transaction.
Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities to be purchased by the Fund may decline below the price at which the Fund is obligated to repurchase the securities, or that the other party may default on its obligation, so that the Fund is delayed or prevented from completing the transaction. In the event the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, a Fund's use of the proceeds from the sale of the securities may be restricted pending a determination by the other party, or its trustee or receiver, whether to enforce the Fund's obligation to repurchase the securities.
Illiquid Investments. In accordance with Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act (the "Liquidity Rule"), the Fund may hold up to 15% of its net assets in "illiquid investments." For this purpose, the term "illiquid investments" are investments that the Fund cannot reasonably be expected to be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. The Fund monitors the portion of its total assets that are invested in illiquid investments on an ongoing basis in order to ensure that the value of illiquid securities held by the Fund does not exceed 15% of the Fund's net assets.
The Fund must classify each portfolio investment at least monthly into one of four liquidity categories (highly liquid, moderately liquid, less liquid and illiquid), which are defined pursuant to the Liquidity Rule. Such classification is to be made using information obtained after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. Moreover, in making such classification determinations, the Fund determines whether trading varying portions of a position in a particular portfolio investment or asset class, in sizes that the Fund would reasonably anticipate trading, is reasonably expected to significantly affect its liquidity, and if so, the Fund takes this determination into account when classifying the liquidity of that investment. The Fund may be assisted in classification determinations by one or more third-party service providers. Investments classified according to this process as "illiquid investments" are those subject to the 15% limit on illiquid investments.
The Fund has a liquidity risk management program designed to assess and manage the Fund's liquidity risk. The program has been approved by the Trust's Board of Trustees ("Board"), which has also approved the appointment of a liquidity program administrator (the "LPA"). The LPA is responsible for oversight of the Fund's liquidity risk management efforts, including classifying the liquidity of the Fund investment, ensuring the Fund holds no more than 15% of net asset value in illiquid investments, ensuring that the Fund holds enough liquid assets to meet reasonably foreseeable redemption requests, and reporting to the Board regarding the effectiveness and operation of the liquidity risk management program.
Private Securities Transactions. In general, securities purchased in private transactions are legally restricted as to resale. The Fund's investments in private placements will be subject to a number of risks because the securities will be illiquid securities for which there is no public market. Illiquid securities are subject to risks of potential delays in resale and uncertainty in valuation. In addition, as noted under "Illiquid
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Securities" above, if at any time more than 15% of the Fund's net assets are invested in illiquid securities, the Fund may take appropriate steps to protect the Fund's liquidity as deemed necessary or advisable by the Fund. In such a case, the Fund may seek to sell private securities in its portfolio prematurely at prices below what the Advisor believes to be the securities' fair value.
Restricted Securities. Within its limitation on investment in illiquid securities and the Fund's private investments, the Fund may purchase restricted securities that generally can be sold in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to an exemption from registration under the federal securities laws, or in a registered public offering. Where registration is required, the Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expense and a considerable period may elapse between the time it decides to seek registration and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If during such a period adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed when it decided to seek registration of the security. The Fund values restricted securities under fair value procedures described above under "Illiquid Securities" and as described in the section entitled "Investing in the Fund - Determining the Fund's Net Asset Value" of the Prospectus.
Forward Commitment & When-Issued Securities. The Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued basis or for settlement at a future date if the Fund holds sufficient assets to meet the purchase price. In such purchase transactions, the Fund will not accrue interest on the purchased security until the actual settlement. Similarly, if a security is sold for a forward date, the Fund will accrue the interest until the settlement of the sale. When-issued security purchases and forward commitments have a higher degree of risk of price movement before settlement due to the extended time period between the execution and settlement of the purchase or sale. As a result, the exposure to the counterparty of the purchase or sale is increased. Although the Fund would generally purchase securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis with the intention of taking delivery, the Fund may sell such a security prior to the settlement date if the Advisor felt such action was appropriate. In such a case, the Fund could incur a short-term gain or loss.
Short Sales of Securities. The Fund may make short sales, which are transactions in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of that security. To complete a short sale transaction, the Fund will borrow the security from a broker-dealer, which generally involves the payment of a premium and transaction costs. The Fund then sells the borrowed security to a buyer in the market. The Fund will then cover the short position by buying shares in the market either (i) at its discretion; or (ii) when called by the broker-dealer lender. Until the security is replaced, the Fund is required to pay the broker-dealer lender any dividends or interest that accrue during the period of the loan. In addition, the net proceeds of the short sale will be retained by the broker to the extent necessary to meet regulatory or other requirements, until the short position is closed out.
The Fund will incur a loss as a result of the short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed security. The Fund will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of the premium, dividends, interest or expenses the Fund may be required to pay in connection with a short sale.
In addition, the Fund may make short sales "against the box" i.e., when the Fund sells a security short when the Fund has segregated securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short (or securities convertible or exchangeable into such securities) and will hold such securities while the short sale is outstanding. The Fund will incur transaction costs, including interest, in connection with opening, maintaining, and closing short sales against the box.
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Lending of Portfolio Securities. In order to generate additional income, the Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount up to 33% of total Fund assets to broker-dealers, major banks, or other recognized domestic institutional borrowers of securities that the Advisor has determined are creditworthy under guidelines established by the Trustees. In determining whether the Fund will lend securities, the Advisor will consider all relevant facts and circumstances. The Fund may not lend securities to any company affiliated with the Advisor. Each loan of securities will be collateralized by cash, securities or letters of credit. The Fund might experience a loss if the borrower defaults on the loan.
The borrower at all times during the loan must maintain with the Fund cash or cash equivalent collateral or provide to the Fund an irrevocable letter of credit equal in value to at least 100% of the value of the securities loaned. While the loan is outstanding, the borrower will pay the Fund any interest paid on the loaned securities, and the Fund may invest the cash collateral to earn additional income. Alternatively, the Fund may receive an agreed-upon amount of interest income from the borrower who has delivered equivalent collateral or a letter of credit. It is anticipated that the Fund may share with the borrower some of the income received on the collateral for the loan or the Fund will be paid a premium for the loan. Loans are subject to termination at the option of the Fund or the borrower at any time. The Fund may pay reasonable administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan, and may pay a negotiated portion of the income earned on the cash to the borrower or placing broker. As with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially.
Temporary Defensive Positions. The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies in an attempt to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. During such an unusual set of circumstances, the Fund may hold up to 100% of its portfolio in cash or cash equivalent positions. When the Fund takes a temporary defensive position, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
Fundamental Restrictions. The Fund has adopted the following "fundamental restrictions," which cannot be changed without approval by holders of a majority of the outstanding voting shares of the Fund. A "majority" for this purpose means the lesser of (i) 67% of the Fund's outstanding shares represented in person or by proxy at a meeting at which more than 50% of its outstanding shares are represented, or (ii) more than 50% of its outstanding shares.
FUNDAMENTAL RESTRICTIONS. As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:
| (1) | Issue senior securities, except as permitted by Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act; |
| (2) | Borrow money, except to the extent permitted under Section 18(f)(1) the 1940 Act (including, but not limited to, reverse repurchase agreements and borrowing to meet redemptions). For purposes of this investment restriction, the entry into options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices shall not constitute borrowing; |
| (3) | Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets, except to the extent necessary to secure permitted borrowings and to the extent related to the deposit of assets in escrow in connection with selling covered put and call options and the purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis and collateral and initial or variation margin arrangements with respect to options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices; |
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| (4) | Act as underwriter except to the extent that, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities, the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter under certain federal securities laws; |
| (5) | Make loans, provided that the Fund may lend its portfolio securities in an amount up to 33 1/3% of total Fund assets, and provided further that, for purposes of this restriction, investment in U.S. Government obligations, short-term commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and repurchase agreements shall not be deemed to be the making of a loan; |
| (6) | Purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate directly; provided, however, that the Fund may purchase and sell securities which are secured by real estate and securities of companies which invest or deal in real estate (including, without limitation, investments in REITs and mortgage-backed securities); |
| (7) | Purchase or sell commodities, except that the Fund may purchase and sell options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices and may purchase interests in equity securities issued by companies (including, without limitation, investment companies) that hold or invest in one or more commodities as their sole or principal business activity; or |
| (8) | Invest 25% or more of its total assets in securities of issuers in any particular industry. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. Government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions and investments in other registered investment companies are not considered to be issued by members of any industry. |
NON-FUNDAMENTAL RESTRICTIONS. The following investment limitations are not fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval. As a matter of non-fundamental policy, the Fund may not:
| (1) | Purchase securities on margin; provided, however, that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of transactions, may make short sales to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and may enter into options, forward contracts, futures contracts or indices options on futures contracts or indices; |
| (2) | Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management over a portfolio company; |
| (3) | Invest in securities of other registered investment companies, except as permitted under the 1940 Act; |
| (4) | Invest in interests in oil, gas or other mineral exploration or development programs, although the Fund may invest in the common stock of companies which invest in or sponsor such programs; |
| (5) | Invest 15% or more of its total net assets in illiquid securities; or |
| (6) | Purchase warrants if as a result the Fund would then have more than 5% of its total net assets (taken at the lower of cost or current value) invested in warrants. |
With respect to the "fundamental" and "non-fundamental" investment restrictions above, if a percentage limitation is adhered to at the time of investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from any change in value or net assets will not result in a violation of such restriction (i.e., percentage limitations are determined at the time of purchase); provided, however, that the percentage limitations on borrowing under the Fund's second fundamental investment restriction apply at all times.
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PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE ALLOCATION
Subject to the general supervision of the Trustees, the Advisor is responsible for, makes decisions with respect to, and places orders, for all purchases and sales of portfolio securities for the Fund. The Advisor shall manage the Fund's portfolios in accordance with the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement by and between the Advisor and the Fund (the "Advisory Agreement"). Under the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor selects the securities and manages the investments for the Fund, and also selects broker-dealers to execute portfolio transactions, all subject to the oversight of the Board. The Advisory Agreement is described in detail under "Management and Administration". The Advisor serves as investment adviser for a number of client accounts, including the Fund. Investment decisions for the Fund will be made independently from those for any other series of the Trust, if any, and for any other investment companies and accounts advised or managed by the Advisor.
Brokerage Selection. In selecting brokers to be used in portfolio transactions, the Advisor's general guiding principle is to obtain the best overall execution for each trade, which is a combination of price and execution. With respect to execution, the Advisor considers a number of judgmental factors, including, without limitation, the actual handling of the order, the ability of the broker to settle the trade promptly and accurately, the financial standing of the broker, the ability of the broker to position stock to facilitate execution, the Advisor's past experience with similar trades and other factors that may be unique to a particular order. Recognizing the value of these judgmental factors, the Advisor may select brokers who charge a brokerage commission that is higher than the lowest commission that might otherwise be available for any given trade. The Advisor may not give consideration to sales of shares of the Fund as a factor in selecting brokers to execute portfolio transactions. The Advisor may, however, place portfolio transactions with brokers that promote or sell the Fund's shares so long as such transactions are done in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the Trustees that are designed to ensure that the selection is based on the quality of the broker's execution and not on the broker's sales efforts.
Under Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and as provided in the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor is authorized to cause the Fund to pay a brokerage commission in excess of that which another broker might have charged for effecting the same transaction, in recognition of the value of brokerage and/or research services provided by the broker. The research received may include, without limitation: information on the United States and other world economies; information on specific industries, groups of securities, individual companies, political and other relevant news developments affecting markets and specific securities; technical and quantitative information about markets; analysis of proxy proposals affecting specific companies; accounting and performance systems that allow the Advisor to determine and track investment results; and trading systems that allow the Advisor to interface electronically with brokerage firms, custodians and other providers. Where a product or service has a mixed use among research, brokerage and other purposes, the Advisor will make a reasonable allocation according to the uses and will pay for the non-research and non-brokerage functions in cash using its own funds.
The research and investment information services described above make available to the Advisor for its analysis and consideration the views and information of individuals and research staffs of other securities firms. These services may be useful to the Advisor in connection with advisory clients other than the Fund and not all such services may be useful to the Advisor in connection with the Fund. Although such information may be a useful supplement to the Advisor's own investment information in rendering services to the Fund, the value of such research and services is not expected to reduce materially the expenses of the Advisor in the performance of its services under the Advisory Agreement and will not reduce the management fees payable to the Advisor by the Fund.
The Fund may invest in securities traded in the over-the-counter market. Transactions in the over-the-counter market are generally principal transactions with dealers and the costs of such transactions
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involve dealer spreads rather than brokerage commissions. The Fund, where possible, deals directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved except in those circumstances where better prices and/or execution are available elsewhere. When a transaction involves exchange listed securities, the Advisor considers the advisability of effecting the transaction with a broker which is not a member of the securities exchange on which the security to be purchased is listed or effecting the transaction in the institutional market.
Aggregated Trades. While investment decisions for the Fund are made independently of the Advisor's other client accounts, the Advisor's other client accounts may invest in the same securities as the Fund. To the extent permitted by law, the Advisor may aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased for the Fund with those to be sold or purchased for other investment companies or accounts in executing transactions. When a purchase or sale of the same security is made at substantially the same time on behalf of the Fund and another investment company or account, the transaction will be averaged as to price and available investments allocated as to amount in a manner which the Advisor believes to be equitable to the Fund and such other investment company or account. In some instances, this investment procedure may adversely affect the price paid or received by the Fund or the size of the position obtained or sold by the Fund.
The following tables reflect the aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the Fund during each of the past three fiscal years:
| Fiscal Year End | Large Cap Fund |
| November 30, 2025 | $1,588 |
| November 30, 2024 | $1,703 |
| November 30, 2023 | $5,221 |
Portfolio Turnover. The annualized portfolio turnover rate for the Fund is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the reporting period by the monthly average value of the portfolio securities owned during the reporting period. The calculation excludes all securities whose maturities or expiration dates at the time of acquisition are one year or less. Portfolio turnover of the Fund may vary greatly from year to year as well as within a particular year, and may be affected by cash requirements for redemption of shares and by requirements that enable the Fund to receive favorable tax treatment. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor in making Fund decisions, and the Fund may engage in short-term trading to achieve its investment objectives. The following table provides information on the Fund's portfolio turnover rates for the past three fiscal years.
| Fiscal Year | Portfolio Turnover Rate |
| 2025 | 3.80% |
| 2024 | 1.51% |
| 2023 | 3.82% |
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PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE
The Board of the Trust has adopted policies to govern the circumstances under which disclosure regarding securities held by the Fund and disclosure of purchases and sales of such securities may be made to shareholders of the Trust or other persons. These policies include the following:
|  | Public disclosure regarding the securities held by the Fund ("Portfolio Securities") is made quarterly through the Fund's Form N-PORT and Semi-Annual and Annual Reports ("Official Reports"). Other than the Official Reports, shareholders and other persons generally will not be provided with information regarding Portfolio Securities held, purchased or sold by the Fund. |
|  | Information regarding Portfolio Securities, and other information regarding the investment activities of the Portfolios, may be disclosed to rating and ranking organizations for use in connection with their rating or ranking of the Trust or the Fund, but only if such disclosure has been publicly disclosed or approved in writing by the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust (the "CCO"). The CCO will not approve arrangements prior to public disclosure unless persons receiving the information provide assurances that the information will not be used for inappropriate trading in Fund shares. |
|  | The Trust's policy relating to disclosure of the Trust's holdings of Portfolio Securities does not prohibit: (i) disclosure of information to the Trust's investment adviser or to other Trust service providers, including but not limited to the Trust's administrator, distributor, custodian, legal counsel and auditors as identified in the Prospectus and this SAI, financial printers such as EDGAR Services or to brokers and dealers through which the Trust purchases and sells Portfolio Securities; and (ii) disclosure of holdings of or transactions in Portfolio Securities by the Fund that is made on the same basis to all Fund shareholders. This information is disclosed to third parties under conditions of confidentiality. "Conditions of confidentiality" include (i) confidentiality clauses in written agreements, (ii) confidentiality implied by the nature of the relationship (e.g., attorney-client relationship), (iii) confidentiality required by fiduciary or regulatory principles (e.g., custody relationships), and (iv) understandings or expectations between the parties that the information will be kept confidential. |
|  | The CCO is required to approve any arrangements other than disclosure to service providers under which information relating to Portfolio Securities held by the Portfolios or purchased or sold by the Fund is disclosed to a shareholder or other person before disclosure in the Official Reports. In making such a determination, the CCO may consider, among other things, the information to be disclosed, the timing of the disclosure, the intended use of the information, whether the arrangement is reasonably necessary to aid in conducting the ongoing business of the Fund, and whether the arrangement will adversely affect the Trust, the Fund or its shareholders. The CCO will not approve such arrangements unless persons receiving the information provide assurances that the information will not be used for inappropriate trading in Fund shares. |
|  | The CCO shall inform the Board of any special portfolio holdings disclosure arrangements that are approved by the CCO, and the rationale supporting approval. |
|  | Neither the Fund's investment adviser nor the Trust (or any affiliated person, employee, officer, trustee or director of the investment adviser or the Trust) may receive any direct or indirect compensation in consideration of the disclosure of information relating to Portfolio Securities held, purchased or sold by the Fund. |
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DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST
The Trust, which is a statutory trust organized under Delaware law on June 4, 2015, is an open-end management investment company. The Trust's Declaration of Trust ("Trust Instrument") authorizes the Trustees to divide shares into series, each series relating to a separate portfolio of investments, and to classify and reclassify any unissued shares into one or more classes of shares of each such series. The Fund offers an Institutional Class of shares. The Fund also offers Class A and Class C shares, which currently are not available for sale. The number of shares in the Trust shall be unlimited. The Trustees may classify and reclassify the shares of the Fund into additional classes of shares at a future date. When issued for payment as described in the Prospectus and this SAI, shares of the Fund will be fully paid and non-assessable and shall have no preemptive or conversion rights.
In the event of a liquidation or dissolution of the Trust or an individual series, such as the Fund, shareholders of a particular series would be entitled to receive the assets available for distribution belonging to such series. Shareholders of a series are entitled to participate equally in the net distributable assets of the particular series involved on liquidation, based on the number of shares of the series that are held by each shareholder. If there are any assets, income, earnings, proceeds, funds or payments that are not readily identifiable as belonging to any particular series, the Trustees shall allocate them among any one or more of the series as they, in their sole discretion, deem fair and equitable.
Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each full share and a fractional vote for each fractional share held. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, which means that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voting for the election of Trustees can elect 100% of the Trustees, and in this event, the holders of the remaining shares voting will not be able to elect any Trustees. Rights of shareholders cannot be modified by less than a majority vote.
The Trustees will hold office indefinitely, except that: (1) any Trustee may resign or retire and (2) any Trustee may be removed: (a) any time by action of a majority of the then Trustees at a duly constituted meeting; (b) at any meeting of shareholders of the Trust by a vote of two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Trust; or (c) by a written declaration signed by shareholders holding not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Trust. In case a vacancy or an anticipated vacancy on the Board shall for any reason exist, the vacancy shall be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining Trustees, subject to certain restrictions under the 1940 Act.
The Trust Instrument provides that the Trustees will not be liable in any event in connection with the affairs of the Trust, except as such liability may arise from a Trustee's bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of duties. With the exceptions stated, the Trust Instrument provides that a Trustee or officer is entitled to be indemnified against all liability in connection with the affairs of the Trust.
The Trust will not hold an annual shareholders' meeting unless required by law. There will normally be no annual meeting of shareholders in any year in which the election of Trustees by shareholders is not required by the 1940 Act. As set forth in the Trust's By-Laws, shareholders of the Trust have the right, under certain conditions, to call a special meeting of shareholders, including a meeting to consider removing a Trustee.
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES, OFFICERS AND PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
The Trustees are responsible for the management and supervision of the Fund. The Trustees approve all significant agreements between the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and those companies that furnish services to the Fund; review performance of the Fund; and oversee activities of the Fund. This section of the SAI provides information about the persons who serve as Trustees and Officers to the Trust and Fund, respectively, as well as the entities that provide services to the Fund.
Trustees and Officers. Following are the Trustees and Officers of the Trust, their age and address, their present position with the Trust or the Fund, and their principal occupation during the past five years. As described above under "Description of the Trust", each of the Trustees of the Trust will generally hold office indefinitely. The Officers of the Trust will hold office indefinitely, except that: (1) any Officer may resign or retire and (2) any Officer may be removed any time by written instrument signed by at least two-thirds of the number of Trustees prior to such removal. In case a vacancy or an anticipated vacancy on the Board shall for any reason exist, the vacancy shall be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining Trustees, subject to certain restrictions under the 1940 Act. Those Trustees, who are "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) by virtue of their affiliation with either the Trust or the Advisor, are indicated in the table. The address of each trustee and officer is 127 NW 13th Street, Suite 13, Boca Raton, Florida 33432.
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| Name, Address and Year of Birth | Position(s) Held with Trust | Length of Service |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of Series Overseen | Other Directorships During Past 5 Years |
| Independent Trustees | |||||
|
Donald H. Baxter YOB: 1942 |
Trustee |
Since 2015 |
President and Treasurer, Baxter Financial Corporation (investment advisor) (1989 to present). | Two | None |
|
Michael G. Rogan YOB: 1963 |
Trustee |
Since 2015 |
President, Rogan & Associates, Inc. (investment advisor) (1997 to present). |
Two | None |
| Interested Trustee* | |||||
|
Charles S. Stoll YOB : 1955 |
President, Trustee |
Since 2015 |
Managing Member and Chief Compliance Officer, Winning Points Advisors, LLC (1989 to present). | Two | None |
| Officers | |||||
| John Brandt YOB: 1943 Vice President Since 2020 Investment Advisor Representative and Portfolio Manager, Winning Points Advisors, LLC (2000 to present) N/A N/A | |||||
|
John H. Lively YOB: 1969 |
Secretary |
Since 2017 |
Attorney, Practus, LLP (law firm) May 2018-present). | N/A | N/A |
|
James D. Craft YOB: 1982 |
Treasurer And Principal Financial Officer |
Since 2020 |
Fund Administrator, Premier Fund Solutions, Inc. (2007-present); Chief Technology Officer, Premier Fund Solutions, Inc. (2011 to present). | N/A | N/A |
|
Julian G. Winters YOB: 1968 |
Chief Compliance Officer |
Since 2020 |
Managing Member of Watermark Solutions, LLC (investment management compliance and consulting (2007 to present). | N/A | N/A |
| * | Mr. Stoll is an Interested Trustee because he is managing member of the Advisor. |
Board Structure
The Trust's Board includes two independent Trustees and one interested Trustee. Mr. Stoll, an interested Trustee, serves as the Chairman of the Board. The Trustees have determined that the Trust's current leadership structure is appropriate, as it allows Trust management to communicate with each independent Trustee as and when needed, and permits each independent Trustee to be involved in each committee of the Board (each a "Committee") as well as each Board function. With respect to risk oversight, the Board holds four regular meetings each year to consider and address matters involving the Trust and the Fund. During these meetings, the Board receives reports from the Fund's administrator, transfer agent and distributor and Trust management, including the Trust's President, Mr. Stoll, and the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer, Mr. Winters, on regular quarterly items and, where appropriate and as needed, on specific issues. As part of its oversight function, the Board also may hold special meetings or communicate directly with the Trust's officers to address matters arising between regular meetings. The Board has
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established a committee structure that includes an Audit Committee, a Nominating Committee and a Proxy Voting Committee (discussed in more detail below). Each of these Committees is comprised entirely of independent Trustees.
Qualification of Trustees
The Board has considered each Trustee's experience, qualifications, attributes and skills in light of the Board's function and the Trust's business and structure, and has determined that each Trustee possesses experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that enable the Trustee to be an effective member of the Board. In this regard, the Board has considered the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills for each Trustee:
| Charles S. Stoll | Mr. Stoll, CPA, CFP, PFS, has been in the financial services industry for over 25 years. Mr. Stoll obtained a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration in accounting in 1977 from Stetson University. Although Mr. Stoll does not currently practice as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), he is certified as such. Additionally, Mr. Stoll is certified by the CFP Board as a Certified Financial Planner and by the AICPA as a Personal Financial Specialist. |
| Donald H. Baxter | Mr. Baxter has over 30 years in the financial services industry and is currently the President and Treasurer of Baxter Financial Corporation ("BFC"). BFC served as investment adviser to the Philadelphia Fund and Eagle Growth Shares, each a registered investment company, from 1989 until the funds' deregistration in 2010 and 2009, respectively. |
| Michael G. Rogan | Mr. Rogan has nearly 30 years of experience in the financial services industry and is currently the Founder and President of Rogan & Associates, a FINRA registered broker dealer and SEC registered investment adviser. Mr. Rogan graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Economics and holds NASD registrations 4, 7, 24, 27, 53 and 63, as well as a State of Florida Life and Health Insurance and Variable Annuity License. |
The Board has determined that each of the Trustee's careers and background, combined with their interpersonal skills and general understanding of financial and other matters, enable the Trustees to effectively participate in and contribute to the Board's functions and oversight of the Trust. References to the qualifications, attributes and skills of Trustees are pursuant to requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), do not constitute holding out the Board or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and shall not impose any greater responsibility on any such person or on the Board by reason thereof.
Trustee Standing Committees. The Trustees have established the following standing committees:
Audit Committee: All of the Independent Trustees are members of the Audit Committee, with Mr. Rogan serving as the Audit Committee Chair and financial expert. The Audit Committee oversees the Fund's accounting and financial reporting policies and practices, reviews the results of the annual audits of the Fund's financial statements, and interacts with the Fund's independent auditors on behalf of all the Trustees. The Audit Committee also serves as the Trust's qualified legal compliance committee. The Audit Committee operates pursuant to an Audit Committee Charter and meets periodically as necessary. The Audit Committee met 2 times during the Fund's last fiscal year.
Nominating Committee: All of the Independent Trustees are members of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee nominates, selects and appoints independent trustees to fill vacancies on the Board and to stand for election at meeting of the shareholders of the Trust. The Nominating
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Committee generally will not consider nominees recommended by shareholders of the Trust. The Nominating Committee meets only as necessary and it did not meet during the Fund's last fiscal year.
Proxy Voting Committee: All of the Independent Trustees are members of the Proxy Voting Committee. The Proxy Voting Committee will determine how the Fund should cast its vote, if called upon by the Board or the Advisor, when a matter with respect to which the Fund is entitled to vote presents a conflict between the interests of the Fund's shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Fund's Advisor, principal underwriter or an affiliated person of the Fund, its investment adviser, or principal underwriter, on the other hand. The Proxy Voting Committee will also review the Trust's Proxy Voting Policy and recommend any changes to the Board as it deems necessary or advisable. The Proxy Voting Committee meets only as necessary and did not meet during the Fund's last fiscal year.
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Beneficial Equity Ownership Information. The table below shows for each Trustee the amount of Fund equity securities beneficially owned by each Trustee and the aggregate value of all investments in equity securities of the Fund complex, as of a valuation date of December 31, 2025 and stated as one of the following ranges: A = None; B = $1-$10,000; C = 10,001-$50,000; D - $50,001-100,000; and E = over $100,000.
|
Name of Director |
Fund |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in a Fund |
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Director in Family of Investment Companies |
| Independent Trustees | |||
| Donald H. Baxter | Large Cap Fund | A | A |
| Michael G. Rogan | Large Cap Fund | A | A |
| Interested Trustees | |||
| Charles S. Stoll | Large Cap Fund | E | E |
As of December 31, 2025, the officers and Trustees of the Trust, in the aggregate, owned of record or beneficially more than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Large Cap Fund.
Ownership of Securities of Advisor, Distributoror Related Entities. Asof December 31, 2025, noneof the Independent Trustees and/or their immediate family members owned securitiesof the Advisor,Arbor Court Capital, LLC or any entity controlling, controlled by,or under common control withthe Advisoror the Distributor.
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Compensation. Officers of the Trust and Trustees who are "interested persons" of the Trust or the Advisor will receive no salary or fees from the Trust. Officers of the Trust and interested Trustees do receive compensation directly from certain service providers to the Trust, including Arbor Court Capital, LLC, Premier Fund Solutions, Inc. and Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC. Each Trustee who is not an "interested person" receives a fee of $2,500 each year plus $200 per Board or committee meeting attended. The Trust reimburses each Trustee and officer for his or her travel and other expenses relating to attendance at such meetings. Trustee compensation for the Fund's fiscal year ended November 30, 2025 was as follows:
| Name of Trustee |
Aggregate Compensation Paid for Service by the Fund |
Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued As Part of Fund Expenses |
Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement |
Total Compensation From Fund Complex Paid to Trustees* |
|
| Independent Trustees | |||||
| Donald H. Baxter | $3,300 | N/A | N/A | $6,600 | |
| Michael G. Rogan | $3,300 | N/A | N/A | $6,600 | |
| Interested Trustees | |||||
| Charles S. Stoll | None | N/A | N/A | None | |
* Each of the Trustees serves as a Trustee to each series of the Trust. The Trust currently offers two (2) series of shares. One series of the Trust is in a separate SAI. That series has a different fiscal year end, and like the fund included in this SAI, is expected to pay the Trustees each $3,300 for this upcoming fiscal year.
Principal Holders of Fund Shares
As of March 4, 2026, the following persons owned of record 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund:
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. For Benefit of Customers 211 Main Street San Francisco, California 94105 |
1,341,059.515 | 100.00% | Record |
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MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
Investment Adviser. Winning Points Advisors, LLC serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Advisor's principal office is located at 127 NW 13th Street, Suite 13, Boca Raton, Florida 33432. Information about the Advisor and its duties and compensation as Advisor is contained in the Prospectus. The Advisor is a Florida limited liability company and registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.
The Advisor supervises the Fund's investments pursuant to an investment advisory agreement with the Trust. The Advisory Agreement is effective for an initial two-year period and will be renewed thereafter only so long as such renewal and continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Trustees or by vote of a majority of each Fund's outstanding voting securities, provided the continuance is also approved by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested persons of any such party. A discussion regarding the basis of the Board's approval of the Advisory Agreements between the Trust and the Adviser is available in the Fund's report filed on Form N-CSR for the period ending May 31, 2025.
The Advisor manages the operations of the Fund and manages the Fund's investments in accordance with the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Trustees.
Under the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor is not liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the performance of such Advisory Agreement, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services; or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on the part of the Advisor in the performance of its duties; or from its reckless disregard of its duties and obligations under the Advisory Agreement.
Charles S. Stoll, CPA, CFP, PFS, is the Managing Member of the Advisor.
As compensation for its services to the Fund, the Advisor receives a monthly management fee equal to an annual rate of 1.35% of a Fund's net assets. The table below sets forth the management fees accrued, management fees waived, management fees recouped and management fees received by the Advisor for the prior three fiscal years.
| Fiscal Year / Period End | Management Fees Accrued |
| 11/30/2025 | $317,417 |
| 11/30/2024 | $309,776 |
| 11/30/2023 | $287,871 |
In addition to the management fees described above, the Advisor may also receive certain benefits from its management of the Fund in the form of brokerage or research services received from brokers under arrangements under Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act and the terms of the Advisory Agreement. For a description of these potential benefits, see the description under "Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage Allocation -- Brokerage Selection."
Portfolio Managers. Mr. Stoll is the portfolio manager responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Mr. Stoll is compensated through salary, bonus and equity ownership of the Advisor. His compensation is not determined by assets under management or performance of the Fund.
Ownership of Fund Shares. The table below shows theamount of Fundequity securities beneficially owned bythe portfolio manager as of theend of November 30, 2025 statedas one of the
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following ranges: A = None; B = $1-$10,000; C = $10,001-$50,000; D = $50,001-$100,000; E = $100,001-$500,000; F = $500,001-$1,000,000; andG = over $1,000,000.
|
Name of Portfolio Manager
|
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in Large Cap Fund |
| Charles S. Stoll | G |
Other Accounts. As of November 30, 2025, the Fund's portfolio manager was responsible for managing the following types of accounts (other than the Fund):
| Name of Portfolio Manager | Registered Investment Companies |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Managed |
Other Accounts Managed | |||
| Number | Total Assets | Number | Total Assets | Number | Total Assets | |
| Charles Stoll, CFP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 359 | $160m |
Conflicts of Interest. The Advisor's management of accounts other than the Fund may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with its management of the Fund's investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts (the "Other Accounts"), on the other. The Other Accounts might have similar investment objectives as the Fund, track the same indices the Fund track or otherwise hold, purchase, or sell securities that are eligible to be held, purchased, or sold by the Fund. While the portfolio manager's management of other accounts may give rise to the following potential conflicts of interest, the Advisor does not believe that the conflicts, if any, are material or, to the extent any such conflicts are material, the Advisor believes that it has designed policies and procedures that are designed to manage those conflicts in an appropriate way.
 Knowledge of the Timing and Size of Fund Trades: A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio manager's day-to-day management of the Fund. The portfolio manager knows the size and timing of trades for the Fund and the Other Accounts, and may be able to predict the market impact of Fund trades. It is theoretically possible that the portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of Other Accounts it manages and to the possible detriment of the Fund, or vice versa.
 Investment Opportunities: The Advisor may provide investment supervisory services for a number of investment accounts that have varying investment guidelines. Differences in the compensation structures of the Advisor's various accounts may give rise to a conflict of interest by creating an incentive for the Advisor to allocate the investment opportunities it believes might be the most profitable to the client accounts that may benefit the most from the investment gains.
Fund Services
Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC. ("MSS"), 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, OH 44147, acts as the Fund's transfer agent. MSS maintains the records of the shareholder's account, answers shareholders' inquiries concerning their accounts, processes purchases and redemptions of the Fund's shares, acts as dividend and distribution disbursing agent and performs other transfer agent and shareholder service functions. MSS receives an annual fee from the Fund of $11.50 per shareholder (subject to a minimum monthly fee of $775 for the Fund) for these transfer agency services.
In addition, MSS provides the Fund with fund accounting services, which includes certain monthly reports, record-keeping and other management-related services. For its services as fund accountant, MSS
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receives an annual fee from the Fund based on the average value of the respective Fund. These fees are from $0 to $25 million in assets the annual fee is $22,200, from $25 million to $50 million in assets the annual fee is $31,700, from $50 million to $75 million in assets the annual fee is $37,450, from $75 million to $100 million in assets the annual fee is $43,200, from $100 million to $125 million in assets the annual fee is $48,950, from $125 million to $150 million in assets the annual fee is $54,700, from $150 million to $200 million in assets the annual fee is $60,450, from $200 million to $300 million in assets the annual fee is $60,450 plus .01% on assets greater than $200 million and above $300 in assets the annual fee is $70,450 plus .005% on assets greater than $300 million (subject to certain waivers when assets are below $10 million). For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2025, the Fund paid MSS $31,903 for transfer agent and accounting services. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2024, the Fund paid MSS $31,800 for transfer agent and accounting services. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2023, the Fund paid MSS $31,800 for transfer agent and accounting services.
Premier Fund Solutions, Inc. ("PFS"), 1939 Friendship Drive, Suite C, El Cajon, CA 92020, provides the Fund with administrative services, including regulatory reporting and necessary office equipment, personnel, and facilities. For PFS's services to the Fund, the Fund pays PFS an annualized asset-based fee of 0.07% of average daily net assets up to $200 million, with lower fees at higher asset levels; subject to a minimum monthly fee of $2,800 per Fund, plus reimbursement of out-of- pocket expenses. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2025, the Fund paid PFS $33,514 for administrative services. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2024, the Fund paid PFS $33,690 for administrative services. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2023, the Fund paid PFS $33,598 for administrative services.
Distributor. Arbor Court Capital, LLC (the "Distributor") serves as the principal underwriter and distributor of the Fund's shares for the purpose of facilitating the registration of shares of the Fund under state securities laws and to assist in sales of Fund shares pursuant to a Distribution Agreement (the "Distribution Agreement") approved by the Trustees. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC and a member in good standing of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. and maintains, at its own expense, its qualification as a broker-dealer under all applicable federal or state laws in those states which the Fund shall from time to time identify to the Distributor as states in which it wishes to offer its shares for sale, in order that state registrations may be maintained for the Fund. Shares of the Fund are sold on a continuous basis. The distribution agreement between the Fund and the Distributor requires the Distributor to use all reasonable efforts in connection with the distribution of the Fund's shares. However, the Distributor has no obligation to sell any specific number of shares and will only sell shares for orders it receives. The Distribution Agreement may be terminated by either party upon 60-days' prior written notice to the other party. The Distributor is not affiliated with the Advisor.
The Fund has adopted a Plan of Distribution Pursuant to Rule12b-1 (the "Plan") of the 1940 Act for its respective share classes (see "Administration - Distributionof Shares" in theProspectus). Asrequired by Rule12b-1, thePlan (together withthe Distribution Agreement) hasbeen approvedby theTrustees andseparately bya majority of theTrustees whoare not interestedpersons of theTrust and who have nodirect or indirect financialinterest in theoperation of thePlan and theDistribution Agreement.
Potential benefitsof the Plan to the Fund include improved shareholder services, savingsto the Fund in transferagency costs, savings tothe Fund inadvisory fees and other expenses, benefits tothe investment processthrough growthand stabilityof assets, and maintenanceof a financially healthy management organization.The continuationof thePlan mustbe considered by theTrustees annually.
Under the Plan, the Fund may use 12b-1 fees to compensate broker-dealers (including, without limitation, the Distributor) for sales of Fund shares, or for other expenses associated with distributing Fund shares.
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The Fund may expend up to 1.00% for Class C shares and up to 0.25% for Class A and Institutional Class shares of the Fund's average daily net assets annually to pay for any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the Fund and the servicing of shareholder accounts, provided that the Trustees have approved the category of expenses for which payment is being made. Effective January 26, 2024, the Board reduced the Institutional share distribution and service (12b-1) fees daily accrual to 0.10% of average daily net assets. Under ordinary circumstances, the Fund expects sales of Fund shares to involve a payment to broker-dealers; however, certain sales of Fund shares (e.g. sales to: (1) to current and retired officers and Trustees of the Trust; to clients (including custodial, agency, advisory and trust accounts) and current and retired officers and employees of the Advisor; to officers and employees of M3Sixty and the Distributor; to persons associated with law firms, consulting firms and others providing services to the Trust; and to such persons' spouses, parents, siblings and lineal descendants and their beneficial accounts; or (2) to investors purchasing amounts of the Fund's Class A shares greater than $1 million) may be made with or without remitting compensation to any broker-dealer.
For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2025, the Fund's Institutional Class shares incurred $23,512 pursuant to the Plan. These amounts were paid to outside broker-dealers for expenses related to distributing and marketing the Fund.
Custodian. Fifth Third Bank, 38 Fountain Square, Cincinnati, OH 45263, serves as custodian for the Fund's assets. The Custodian acts as the depository for the Fund, safe keeps its portfolio securities, collects all income and other payments with respect to portfolio securities, disburses monies at the Fund's request and maintains records in connection with its duties as Custodian. For its services as Custodian, the Custodian is entitled to receive from the Fund an annual fee of (i) 1.00 basis point ($0 to $100,000,000), (ii) 0.75 basis points ($100,000,001 to $200,000,000), or 0.50 basis points (over $200,000,000) based on the average net assets of the Fund held by the Custodian plus additional out-of-pocket and transaction expenses incurred by the Fund.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. The Trustees have selected the firm of Cohen & Company, Ltd., 1350 Euclid Ave. Suite 800, Cleveland, OH 44115, to serve as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund for the current fiscal year and to audit the annual financial statements of the Fund. Cohen & Co Advisory, LLC, an affiliate of Cohen & Company, Ltd., provides tax services as requested.
Legal Counsel. Practus, LLP, located at 11300 Tomahawk Creek Parkway, Suite 310, Leawood, KS 66211, serves as legal counsel to the Trust and the Independent Trustees.
CODE OF ETHICS
The Trust, the Advisor and the Distributor each have adopted a code of ethics, as required by applicable law, which is designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Trust, the Advisor and the Distributor 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 a code). Each code permits the applicable entity's employees and officers to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund, subject to certain restrictions and pre-approval requirements. In addition, the Trust's, Distributor's and Advisor's codes require that portfolio managers and other investment personnel of the Advisor report their personal securities transactions and holdings, which are reviewed for compliance with the code of ethics.
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PROXY VOTING POLICIES
The Trust has adopted a proxy voting and disclosure policy that delegates to the Advisor the authority to vote proxies for the Fund, subject to oversight of the Trustees. Copies of the Trust's Proxy Voting and Disclosure Policy and the Advisor's Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures are included as Appendix A to this SAI.
Each year the Fund is required to file Form N-PX stating how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30, within 60 days after the end of such period. Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies as set forth in its most recent filing of Form N-PX will be available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at (877) 244-6235; and (2) on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.
PURCHASES, REDEMPTIONS AND SPECIAL SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
Purchases. Reference is made to "Purchasing Shares" in the Prospectus for more information concerning how to purchase shares. Specifically, potential investors should refer to the Prospectus for information regarding purchasing shares by mail or bank wire, and for information regarding telephone orders. Potential investors should also refer to the Prospectus for information regarding the Fund's currently available shares, and their respective fees and expenses. The Prospectus also describes the Fund's automatic investment plan and certain rights reserved by the Fund with respect to orders for Fund shares. The following information supplements the information regarding share purchases in the Prospectus:
Pricing of Orders. Shares of the Fund will be offered and sold on a continuous basis. The purchase price of shares of the Fund is based on the net asset value next determined after the order is received, subject to the order being accepted by the Fund in good form. Net asset value is normally determined at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, as described under "Net Asset Value" below.
Regular Accounts. The regular account allows for voluntary investments to be made at any time. Available to individuals, custodians, corporations, trusts, estates, corporate retirement plans, and others, investors are free to make additions and withdrawals to or from their account as often as they wish. When an investor makes an initial investment in the Fund, a shareholder account is opened in accordance with the investor's registration instructions. Each time there is a transaction in a shareholder account, such as an additional investment or the reinvestment of a dividend or distribution, the shareholder will receive a confirmation statement showing the current transaction and all prior transactions in the shareholder account during the calendar year to date, along with a summary of the status of the account as of the transaction date.
Purchases in Kind. The Fund may accept securities in lieu of cash in payment for the purchase of shares in the Fund. The acceptance of such securities is at the sole discretion of the Advisor based upon the suitability of the securities accepted for inclusion as a long-term investment of the Fund, the marketability of such securities, and other factors that the Advisor may deem appropriate. If accepted, the securities will be valued using the same criteria and methods as described in "Investing in the Fund - Determining the Fund's Net Asset Value" in the Prospectus.
Share Certificates. The Fund normally does not issue stock certificates. Evidence of ownership of shares is provided through entry in the Fund's share registry. Investors will receive periodic account statements (and, where applicable, purchase confirmations) that will show the number of shares owned.
Redemptions. Reference is made to "Redeeming Shares" in the Prospectus for more information concerning how to redeem shares. Specifically, investors wishing to redeem shares in the Fund should refer
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to the Prospectus for information regarding redeeming shares by mail, telephone/fax or bank wire. The Prospectus also describes the Fund's policy regarding accounts that fall below the Fund's required minimums, redemptions in kind, signature guarantees and other information about the Fund's redemption policies. The following information supplements the information regarding share redemptions in the Prospectus:
Suspension of Redemption Privileges and Postponement of Payment. The Fund may suspend redemption privileges or postpone the date of payment (i) during any period that the NYSE is closed for other than customary weekend and holiday closings, or that trading on the NYSE is restricted as determined by the SEC; (ii) during any period when an emergency exists as defined by the rules of the SEC as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to dispose of securities owned by it, or to determine fairly the value of its assets; and (iii) for such other periods as the SEC may permit. The Fund may also suspend or postpone the recordation of the transfer of shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions. Any redemption may be more or less than the shareholder's cost depending on the market value of the securities held by the Fund. No charge is made by the Fund for redemptions other than the possible charge for wiring redemption proceeds.
Involuntary Redemptions. In addition to the situations described in the Prospectus under "Redeeming Shares," the Fund may redeem shares involuntarily to reimburse the Fund for any loss sustained by reason of the failure of a shareholder to make full payment for shares purchased by the shareholder or to collect any charge relating to a transaction effected for the benefit of a shareholder which is applicable to Fund shares as provided in the Prospectus from time to time.
Additional Information. Following is additional information regarding certain services and features related to purchases, redemptions and distribution of Fund shares. Investors who have questions about any of this information should call the Fund at (877) 244-6235.
Reduced Sales Loads. Front-end sales loads on purchases of the Fund's Class A shares may be reduced under the "Right of Accumulation" or under a "Letter of Intent." To receive a reduced sales load, you must inform your broker-dealer or the Fund at the time you purchase shares that you qualify for such a reduction. If you do not let your broker-dealer or the Fund know you are eligible for a reduced sales charge, you may not receive the discount to which you are otherwise entitled.
You may use the "Right of Accumulation" to reduce your sales load. Under the "Right of Accumulation," you may combine the current net asset value of your existing Class A shares of the Fund with the amount of any current purchases in order to take advantage of the reduced sales loads with higher amounts of investment in the Fund.
Purchases made pursuant to a "Letter of Intent" may also be eligible for the reduced sales loads. In a Letter of Intent, the investor expresses his or her intention, in writing, to invest a certain amount over a specified period of time. The Fund will then apply to each of the investor's periodic investments the reduced sales load that would apply to the total amount stated in the Letter of Intent. The minimum initial investment under a Letter of Intent is $100,000. If not stated otherwise in the Letter of Intent, the amount of shares you purchase in the Fund during the thirteen (13) months following the signing of the Letter of Intent qualify for the reduced sales load. The reduced sales load will not apply to purchases in the Fund made more than 90 days prior to the signing of the Letter of Intent. During the term of your Letter of Intent, the Transfer Agent will hold in escrow shares representing the highest applicable sales load for the Fund each time you make a purchase. Any shares you redeem during that period will count against your total amount stated in your Letter of Intent. If, by the end of the term of the Letter of Intent, you have purchased all the shares you committed to purchase in the Letter of Intent, the escrowed shares will be released to you. If you have not purchased all the shares you committed to purchase in the Letter of Intent, your escrowed shares will
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be redeemed in an amount equal to the sales load that would apply if you had purchased the actual amount in your account all at once. Any escrowed shares not needed to satisfy that sales load would be released to you.
Shareholders may include the value of certain related accounts, including accounts held by their spouse and children under the age of 21, family trust accounts of the investor and other accounts held by the investor to determine the applicable sales load and for purposes of the Right of Accumulation and Letter of Intent privileges. These privileges apply even if your related accounts are opened at different brokerage firms, so it is important to let your broker-dealer(s) or the Transfer Agent know about all your accounts that may be combined. To verify eligibility for a reduced sales load, your broker-dealer or the Fund may require that you submit copies of account statements to substantiate requests for Right of Accumulation and Letter of Intent privileges.
Class A shares of the Fund may be sold at net asset value, without a sales charge, to current and retired officers and Trustees of the Trust; to clients (including custodial, agency, advisory and trust accounts) and current and retired officers and employees of the Advisor; to officers and employees of M3Sixty and the Distributor; to persons associated with law firms, consulting firms and others providing services to the Trust; and to such persons' spouses, parents, siblings and lineal descendants and their beneficial accounts. Such shares may also be issued at net asset value (1) in connection with the merger (or similar transaction) of an investment company (or series or class thereof) or personal holding company with the Fund (or class thereof), and (2) to investment advisers, financial planners or other intermediaries who place trades for their own accounts or the accounts of their clients and who charge a management, consulting or other fee for their services; and to clients of such investment advisers, financial planners or other intermediaries who place trades for their own accounts if the accounts are linked to the master account of such investment adviser, financial planner or other intermediary on the books and records of the broker or agent. Sales charges generally are waived in the foregoing cases because either (i) there is no sales effort involved in the sale of shares; or (ii) the investor is paying a fee (other than the sales charge) to the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary or adviser involved in the sale.
Transfer of Registration. To transfer shares to another owner, send a written request to the Fund at WP Trust, 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, OH 44147. Your request should include the following: (1) the Fund name and existing account registration; (2) signature(s) of the registered owner(s) exactly as the signature(s) appear(s) on the account registration; (3) the new account registration, address, social security or taxpayer identification number, and how dividends and capital gains are to be distributed; (4) signature guarantees (See the Prospectus under the heading "Redeeming Shares - Signature Guarantees"); and (5) any additional documents which are required for transfer by corporations, administrators, executors, trustees, guardians, etc. If you have any questions about transferring shares, call or write the Fund.
Mailing Shareholder Communications. Accounts having the same mailing address may consent in writing to sharing a single mailing of shareholder reports, proxy statements (but each such shareholder would receive his/her own proxy) and other Fund literature.
Additional Information about Redemptions. The right to redeem shares of the Fund can be suspended and the payment of the redemption price deferred when the NYSE is closed (other than for customary weekend and holiday closings), during periods when trading on the NYSE is restricted as determined by the SEC, or during any emergency as determined by the SEC which makes it impracticable for the Fund to dispose of its securities or value its assets, or during any other period permitted by order of the SEC for the protection of investors.
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Due to the high cost of maintaining small accounts, the Trust reserves the right to redeem accounts with balances of less than $1,000. Prior to such a redemption shareholders will be given 60 days' written notice to make an additional purchase. However, no such redemption would be required by the Trust if the cause of the low account balance was a reduction in the net asset value of shares.
The Fund does not intend, under normal circumstances, to redeem shares by payment in kind. It is possible, however, that conditions may arise in the future that would, in the opinion of the Trustees, make it undesirable for the Fund to pay for all redemptions in cash. In such a case, the Trustees may authorize payment to be made in readily marketable portfolio securities of the Fund. Securities delivered in payment of redemptions would be valued at the same value assigned to them in computing the net asset value per share. Shareholders receiving them would incur brokerage costs when these securities are sold.
NET ASSET VALUE
The net asset value and net asset value per share of the Fund normally is determined at the time regular trading closes on the NYSE (currently 4:00 p.m., New York time, Monday through Friday), except on business holidays when the NYSE is closed. The NYSE recognizes the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President's Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Any other holiday recognized by the NYSE will be considered a business holiday on which the net asset value of shares of the Fund will not be calculated.
In computing the Fund's net asset value, all liabilities incurred or accrued are deducted from its net assets. The resulting net assets are divided by the number of shares of the Fund outstanding at the time of the valuation and the result is the net asset value per share of the Fund.
The pricing and valuation of portfolio securities is determined in good faith in accordance with procedures established by, and under the direction of, the Board. The Board has designated the Advisor as "Valuation Designee" pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act. Values are determined according to accepted accounting practices and all laws and regulations that apply. Using methods approved by the Trustees, the assets of the Fund are valued as follows:
| Securities that are listed on a securities exchange are valued at the last quoted sales price at the time the valuation is made. Price information on listed securities is taken from the exchange where the security is primarily traded by the Fund. |
| Securities that are listed on an exchange and which are not traded on the valuation date are valued at the last bid price. |
| Options are valued at the mean of the bid and ask price. Options for which no current quotations are readily available are valued at fair value. |
| Unlisted securities for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the latest quoted sales price, if available, at the time of valuation, otherwise, at the latest quoted bid price. |
| Securities for which no current quotations are readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith using methods approved by the Trustees. Securities may be valued on the basis of prices provided by a pricing service approved by the Board when such prices are believed by the Valuation Designee to reflect the fair market value of such securities. |
As described in the Prospectus, the Valuation Designee is responsible for determining whether fair value pricing is required for a particular security. Although fair valued securities are intended to represent
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the amount that the Fund might reasonably expect to receive for them upon their current sale, the Fund is subject to the risk that the Fund's fair valued prices are not accurate, and that the fair value price is not reflective of the value the Fund will receive upon a sale of the security.
ADDITIONAL TAX INFORMATION
The following discussion is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders. The discussion reflects applicable U.S. federal income tax laws as of the date of this SAI, which tax laws may be changed or subject to new interpretations by the courts or the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS"), possibly with retroactive effect. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of all U.S. income, estate or gift tax, or foreign, state or local tax concerns affecting the Fund and its shareholders (including shareholders owning large positions in the Fund). The discussion set forth herein does not constitute tax advice. Investors are urged to consult their own tax advisers to determine the tax consequences to them of investing in the Fund.
In addition, no attempt is made to address tax concerns applicable to an investor with a special tax status such as a financial institution, real estate investment trust ("REIT"), insurance company, regulated investment company ("RIC"), individual retirement account, other tax-exempt entity, or dealer in securities. Furthermore, this discussion does not reflect possible application of the alternative minimum tax ("AMT"). Unless otherwise noted, this discussion assumes shares of the Fund ("Shares") are held by U.S. shareholders (defined below) and that such Shares are held as capital assets.
A U.S. shareholder is a beneficial owner of Shares that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
| · | a citizen or individual resident of the United States (including certain former citizens and former long-term residents); |
| · | a corporation or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
| · | an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or |
| · | a trust with respect to which a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all of its substantial decisions or a trust that has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. |
A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a beneficial owner of Shares that is an individual, corporation, trust or estate and is not a U.S. shareholder. If a partnership (including any entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds Shares, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally depends upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A partner of a partnership holding Shares should consult its own tax adviser with respect to the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Shares by the partnership.
Taxation as a RIC. The Fund intends to qualify and remain qualified as a RIC under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). There can be no assurance that is will so qualify. The Fund will qualify as a RIC if, among other things, it meets the source-of-income and the asset-diversification requirements. With respect to the source-of-income requirement, the Fund must derive in each taxable year
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at least 90% of its gross income (including tax-exempt interest) from (i) 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 (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and (ii) net income derived from an interest in a "qualified publicly traded partnership" (the "Income Test"). A "qualified publicly traded partnership" is generally defined as a publicly traded partnership under Code Section 7704. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) or trust is qualifying income to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership or trust which would be qualifying income if realized by the Fund in the same manner as realized by the partnership or trust.
If a RIC fails the Income Test and such failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, generally it will not be subject to corporate U.S. federal income tax. Instead, the amount of the penalty for non-compliance is the amount by which the non-qualifying income exceeds one-ninth of the qualifying gross income.
With respect to the asset-diversification requirement, the Fund must diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of each taxable year (i) at least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets is represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, the 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 (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets is invested in the securities, other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other RICs, of (a) one issuer, (b) two or more issuers that are controlled by the Fund and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or (c) one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships (the "Asset Test").
If a RIC fails the Asset Test, such RIC has a six-month period to correct any failure without incurring a penalty if such failure is "de minimis," meaning that the failure does not exceed the lesser of 1% of the RIC's assets, or $10 million.
Similarly, if a RIC fails the Asset Test and the failure is not de minimis, a RIC can cure the failure if: (i) the RIC files with the U.S. Treasury Department a description of each asset that caused the RIC to fail the Asset Test; (ii) the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect; and (iii) the failure is cured within six months (or such other period specified by the U.S. Treasury Department). In such cases, a tax is imposed on the RIC equal to the greater of: (i) $50,000 or (ii) an amount determined by multiplying the highest corporate U.S. federal income tax rate (currently 21%) by the amount of net income generated during the period of the Asset Test failure by the assets that caused the RIC to fail the Asset Test.
If the Fund qualifies as a RIC and distributes to its shareholders, for each taxable year, at least 90% of the sum of (i) its "investment company taxable income" as that term is defined in the Code (which includes, among other things, dividends, taxable interest, the excess of any net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses and certain net foreign exchange gains as reduced by certain deductible expenses) without regard to the deduction for dividends paid, and (ii) the excess of its gross tax-exempt interest, if any, over certain deductions attributable to such interest that are otherwise disallowed (the "Distribution Test"), the Fund will be relieved of U.S. federal income tax on any income of the Fund, including long-term capital gains, distributed to shareholders. However, any ordinary income or capital gain retained by the Fund will be subject to regular corporate U.S. federal income tax rates (currently at a maximum rate of 21%). The Fund intends to distribute at least annually substantially all of its investment company taxable income, net tax-exempt interest, and net capital gain.
The Fund will generally be subject to a nondeductible 4% U.S. federal excise tax on the portion of its undistributed ordinary income with respect to each calendar year and undistributed capital gains if it fails
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to meet certain distribution requirements with respect to the one-year period ending on October 31 in that calendar year. To avoid the 4% U.S. federal excise tax, the required minimum distribution is generally equal to the sum of (i) 98% of the Fund's ordinary income (computed on a calendar year basis), (ii) 98.2% of the Fund's capital gain net income (generally computed for the one-year period ending on October 31), and (iii) any income realized, but not distributed, and on which the Fund paid no U.S. federal income tax in preceding years. The Fund generally intends to make distributions in a timely manner in an amount at least equal to the required minimum distribution and therefore, under normal market conditions, does not expect to be subject to this excise tax.
The Fund may be required to recognize taxable income in circumstances in which it does not receive cash. For example, if the Fund holds debt obligations that are treated under applicable U.S. federal income tax rules as having original issue discount ("OID"), such as debt instruments with payment of in kind interest or, in certain cases, with increasing interest rates or that are issued with warrants, the Fund must include in income each year a portion of the OID that accrues over the life of the obligation regardless of whether cash representing such income is received by the Fund in the same taxable year. Because any accrued OID will be included in the Fund's "investment company taxable income" (discussed above) for the year of accrual, the Fund may be required to make a distribution to its shareholders to satisfy the Distribution Test, even though it will not have received an amount of cash that corresponds with the accrued income.
A RIC is generally permitted to carry forward net capital losses indefinitely and may allow losses to retain their original character (as short or as long-term). These capital loss carryforwards may be utilized in future years to offset net realized capital gains of the Fund, if any, prior to distributing such gains to shareholders. As of the year ended November 30, 2025, the Fund had available capital loss carry forwards as follows:
| Short Term Capital Loss Carryforwards Available | Long Term Capital Loss Carryforwards Available |
| $4,395,589 | $0 |
Except as set forth below in "Failure to Qualify as a RIC," the remainder of this discussion assumes that the Fund will qualify as a RIC for each taxable year.
Failure to Qualify as a RIC. If the Fund is unable to satisfy the Distribution Test or otherwise fails to qualify as a RIC in any year, it will be subject to corporate U.S. federal income tax on all of its income and gain, regardless of whether or not such income was distributed. Distributions to the Fund's shareholders of such income and gain will not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. In such event, the Fund's distributions, to the extent derived from the Fund's current or accumulated earnings and profits, would constitute ordinary dividends, which would generally be eligible for the dividends received deduction available to corporate U.S. shareholders, and non-corporate U.S. shareholders would generally be able to treat such distributions as "qualified dividend income" eligible for preferential rates of U.S. federal income taxation, in each case if certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied.
Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits would be treated first as a return of capital to the extent of a shareholders' tax basis in its Shares, and any remaining distributions would be treated as a capital gain. To qualify as a RIC in a subsequent taxable year, the Fund would be required to satisfy the Income Test, Asset Test, and Distribution Test for that year and distribute any earnings and profits from any year in which the Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. Subject to a limited exception applicable to RICs that qualified as such under the Code for at least one year prior to disqualification and that requalify as a RIC no later than the second year following the nonqualifying year, the Fund would be subject to tax on any unrealized built-in gains in the assets held by it during the period in which the Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC that are recognized within the subsequent five
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years, unless the Fund made a special election to pay corporate-level U.S. federal income tax on such built-in gain at the time of its requalification as a RIC.
Taxation of U.S. Shareholders. Distributions paid to U.S. shareholders by the Fund from its investment company taxable income (which is, generally, the Fund's ordinary income plus net realized short-term capital gains in excess of net realized long-term capital losses) are generally taxable to U.S. shareholders as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund's earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Shares. Such distributions (if designated by the Fund) may qualify (i) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate U.S. shareholders to the extent that the Fund's income consists of dividend income from U.S. corporations, excluding distributions from tax-exempt organizations, exempt farmers' cooperatives or REITs or (ii) in the case of non-corporate U.S. shareholders, as qualified dividend income eligible to be taxed at preferential rates to the extent that the Fund receives qualified dividend income, and provided in each case certain holding period and other requirements are met. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and qualified foreign corporations (which generally include foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a qualified comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States, or the stock with respect to which such dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States). A qualified foreign corporation generally excludes any foreign corporation, which for the taxable year of the corporation in which the dividend was paid, or the preceding taxable year, is a passive foreign investment company (a "PFIC"). Distributions made to a U.S. shareholder from an excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses ("Capital Gain Dividends"), including Capital Gain Dividends credited to such shareholder but retained by the Fund, are taxable to such U.S. shareholder as long-term capital gain if they have been properly designated by the Fund, regardless of the length of time such U.S. shareholder owned the Shares. The maximum tax rate on Capital Gain Dividends received by individuals is generally 20%. Distributions in excess of the Fund's earnings and profits will be treated by the U.S. shareholder, first, as a tax-free return of capital, which is applied against and will reduce the adjusted tax basis of the U.S. shareholder's Shares and, after such adjusted tax basis is reduced to zero, will constitute capital gain to the U.S. shareholder. The Fund is not required to provide written notice designating the amount of any qualified dividend income or Capital Gain Dividends and other distributions. The Forms 1099 sent to U.S. shareholders will instead serve this notice purpose.
As a RIC, the Fund will be subject to the AMT, but any items that are treated differently for AMT purposes must be apportioned between the Fund and the shareholders and this may affect the U.S. shareholders' AMT liabilities. The Fund intends in general to apportion these items in the same proportion that dividends paid to each shareholder bear to the Fund's taxable income, determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction.
For purpose of determining (i) whether the Distribution Test 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 prior taxable year. If the Fund makes such an election, a U.S. shareholder will still be treated as receiving the dividend in the taxable year in which the distribution is made. However, any dividend declared by the Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year, payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month and actually paid during January of the following year, will be treated as if it had been received by the U.S. shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.
The Fund intends to distribute all realized capital gains, if any, at least annually. If, however, the Fund were to retain any net capital gain, the Fund may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to shareholders who, if subject to U.S. federal income tax on long-term capital gains, (i) will be required to include in income as long-term capital gain, their proportionate shares of such undistributed amount, and (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the U.S. federal income
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tax paid by the Fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. If such an event occurs, the tax basis of Shares owned will, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, generally be increased by the difference between the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder.
Sales and other dispositions of Shares, such as exchanges, generally are taxable events. U.S. shareholders should consult their own tax advisers with reference to their individual circumstances to determine whether any particular transaction in the Shares is properly treated as a sale or exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as the following discussion assumes, and the tax treatment of any gains or losses recognized in such transactions. The sale or other disposition of Shares will generally result in capital gain or loss to the shareholder equal to the difference between the amount realized and the shareholder's adjusted tax basis in the Shares sold or exchanged, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year at the time of sale. Any loss upon the sale or exchange of Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any Capital Gain Dividends received (including amounts credited as an undistributed Capital Gain Dividend) by such shareholder with respect to such Shares. A loss realized on a sale or exchange of Shares generally will be disallowed if other Shares are acquired within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date that the Shares are sold or exchanged. In such case, the tax basis of the Shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Both long-term and short-term capital gain of U.S. corporations are taxed at the rates applicable to ordinary income of corporations. For non-corporate U.S. shareholders, short-term capital gain is currently taxed at the rate applicable to ordinary income, while long-term capital gain generally is taxed at a maximum rate of 20%. Capital losses are subject to certain limitations.
The Fund is required to report its shareholders' cost basis, gain/loss, and holding period for Shares to the IRS on the Fund's shareholders' Consolidated Form 1099s. The Fund has chosen average cost as its standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders. A tax lot identification method is the way the Fund will determine which specific Shares are deemed to be sold when there are multiple purchases on different dates at differing prices, and the entire position is not sold at one time. The Fund's standing tax lot identification method is the method Shares will be reported on a U.S. shareholder's Consolidated Form 1099 if the U.S. shareholder does not select a different tax lot identification method. U.S. shareholders may choose a method different than the Fund's standing method and will be able to do so at the time of purchase or upon the sale of Shares. The Fund and its service providers do not provide tax advice. U.S. shareholders should consult independent sources, which may include a tax professional, with respect to choosing a tax lot identification method.
Certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals, estates and trusts, may subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their "net investment income," which should include dividends from the Fund and net gains from the disposition of Shares. U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers regarding the implications of the additional Medicare tax resulting from an investment in the Fund.
Pay-In-Kind Securities. Pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income that is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.
If the Fund holds the foregoing securities, it may be required to pay out as an income distributions each year an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually receives. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary (including when it is not advantageous to do so). The Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution than they would in the absence of such transactions.
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Warrants. Gain or loss realized by the Fund from the sale or exchange of warrants, as well as any loss attributable to the lapse of such warrants, generally will be treated as capital gain or loss. Such gain or loss generally will be long-term or short-term, depending on how long the Fund held a particular warrant. Upon the exercise of a warrant acquired by the Fund, the Fund's tax basis in the stock purchased under the warrant will equal the sum of the amount paid for the warrant plus the strike price paid on the exercise of the warrant.
Securities Lending. While securities are loaned out by the Fund, the Fund generally will receive from the borrower amounts equal to any dividends or interest paid on the borrowed securities. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, payments made "in lieu of" dividends are not considered dividend income. These distributions will neither qualify for the preferential rate of taxation for non-corporate U.S. shareholders on qualified dividend income nor the dividends-received deduction for corporate U.S. shareholders. Also, any foreign tax withheld on payments made "in lieu of" dividends or interest will not qualify for the pass-through of foreign tax credits to shareholders.
Foreign Currency Transactions. The Fund's transactions in foreign currencies, foreign currency-denominated debt obligations and certain foreign currency options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned. Any such income could require a larger distribution from the Fund. Any such net losses will generally reduce and potentially require the recharacterization of prior ordinary income distributions. Such ordinary income treatment may accelerate Fund distributions to shareholders and increase the distributions taxed to shareholders as ordinary income. Any net ordinary losses so created cannot be carried forward by the Fund to offset income or gains earned in subsequent taxable years.
Foreign Taxation. Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. The Fund does not expect to be eligible to pass through to shareholders a credit or deduction for such taxes.
Passive Foreign Investment Companies. A PFIC is any foreign corporation: (i) 75% or more of the gross income of which for the taxable year is passive income, or (ii) the average percentage of the assets of which produce or are held for the production of passive income is at least 50%. Generally, passive income for this purpose means dividends, interest, royalties, rents, annuities, the excess of gains over losses from certain property transactions and commodities transactions, and foreign currency gains.
Equity investments by the Fund in certain PFICs could potentially subject the Fund to a U.S. federal income tax or other charge (including interest charges) on the distributions received from the PFIC or on proceeds received from the disposition of shares in the PFIC. This tax cannot be eliminated by making distributions to the Fund shareholders. However, the Fund may elect to avoid the imposition of that tax. For example, if the Fund is in a position to and elects to treat a PFIC as a qualified electing fund (a "QEF"), the Fund will be required to include its share of the PFIC's income and net capital gains annually, regardless of whether it receives any distribution from the PFIC. Alternatively, the Fund may make an election to mark-to-market the gains (and to a limited extent losses) in its PFIC holdings as though it had sold and repurchased its holdings in that PFIC on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. Such gains and losses are treated as ordinary income and loss. The QEF and mark-to-market elections may accelerate the recognition of income (without the receipt of cash) and increase the amount required to be distributed by the Fund to avoid taxation. Making either of these elections therefore may require the Fund to liquidate other investments (including when it is not advantageous to do so) to meet its distribution requirement, which also may accelerate the recognition of gain and affect the Fund's total return. Dividends paid by PFICs will not be eligible to be treated as
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qualified dividend income. Because it is not always possible to identify a foreign corporation as a PFIC, the Fund may incur the tax and interest charges described above in some instances.
Tax-Exempt Shareholders. A tax-exempt U.S. shareholder could recognize unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") by virtue of its investment in the Fund if Shares constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt U.S. shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b). Furthermore, a tax-exempt U.S. shareholder may recognize UBTI if the Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" derived from direct or indirect investments in residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs") or equity interests in taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs") if the amount of such income recognized by the Fund exceeds the Fund's investment company taxable income (after taking into account deductions for dividends paid by the Fund).
In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs. A CRT (as defined in Code Section 664) that realizes any UBTI for a taxable year, must pay an excise tax annually of an amount equal to such UBTI. Under IRS guidance issued in October 2006, a CRT will not recognize UBTI solely as a result of investing in the Fund if it recognizes "excess inclusion income." Rather, if at any time during any taxable year a CRT (or one of certain other tax-exempt shareholders, such as the United States, a state or political subdivision, or an agency or instrumentality thereof, and certain energy cooperatives) is a record holder of a Share and the Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income," then the Fund will be subject to a tax on that portion of its "excess inclusion income" for the taxable year that is allocable to such shareholders, at the highest corporate U.S. federal income tax rate. The extent to which this IRS guidance remains applicable is unclear. To the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the Fund may elect to specially allocate any such tax to the applicable CRT, or other shareholder, and thus reduce such shareholder's distributions for the year by the amount of the tax that relates to such shareholder's interest in the Fund. The Fund has not yet determined whether such an election will be made. CRTs and other tax-exempt investors are urged to consult their own tax advisers concerning the consequences of investing in the Fund.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders. Capital Gain Dividends are generally not subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax. Absent a specific statutory exemption, dividends other than Capital Gain Dividends paid by the Fund to a Non-U.S. shareholder are subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) even if they are funded by income or gains (such as portfolio interest, short-term capital gains, or foreign-source dividend and interest income) that, if paid to a foreign person directly, would not be subject to withholding.
A RIC generally is not required to withhold any amounts (i) with respect to distributions (other than distributions to a Non-U.S. shareholder (a) that does not provide a satisfactory statement that the beneficial owner is not a U.S. person, (b) to the extent that the dividend is attributable to certain interest on an obligation if the Non-U.S. shareholder is the issuer or is a 10% shareholder of the issuer, (c) that is within a foreign country that has inadequate information exchange with the United States, or (d) to the extent the dividend is attributable to interest paid by a person that is a related person of the Non-U.S. shareholder and the Non-U.S. shareholder is a controlled foreign corporation) from U.S.-source interest income of types similar to those not subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by a Non-U.S. shareholder, to the extent such distributions are properly reported as such by the Fund in a written notice to shareholders ("Interest-Related Dividends"), and (ii) with respect to distributions (other than (a) distributions to an individual Non-U.S. shareholder who is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the distribution and (b) distributions subject to special rules regarding the disposition of U.S. real property interests ("USRPIs") as described below) of net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses to the extent such distributions are properly reported by the RIC ("Short-Term Capital Gain Dividends"). If the Fund invests in an underlying RIC that pays such
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distributions to the Fund, such distributions retain their character as not subject to withholding if properly reported when paid by the Fund to Non-U.S. shareholders.
The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as Interest-Related Dividends or Short-Term Capital Gain Dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so. These exemptions from withholding will not be available to Non-U.S. shareholders that do not currently report their dividends as Interest-Related Dividends or Short-Term Capital Gain Dividends.
In the case of Shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Fund reports all or a portion of a payment as an Interest-Related Dividend or Short-Term Capital Gain Dividend to shareholders. Non-U.S. shareholders should contact their intermediaries regarding the application of these rules to their accounts.
A Non-U.S. shareholder generally is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of Shares or on Capital Gain Dividends unless (i) such gain or dividend is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by such shareholder within the United States, (ii) in the case of an individual shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale or the receipt of the Capital Gain Dividend and certain other conditions are met, or (iii) the special rules relating to gain attributable to the sale or exchange of USRPIs apply to the Non-U.S. shareholder's sale of Shares or to the Capital Gain Dividend received by the Non-U.S. shareholder (as described below).
Special rules would apply if the Fund were either a "U.S. real property holding corporation" ("USRPHC") or would be a USRPHC but for the operation of certain exceptions to the definition thereof. Very generally, a USRPHC is a U.S. corporation that holds USRPIs the fair market value of which equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market values of the corporation's USPRIs, interests in real property located outside the United States, and other assets. USRPIs are generally defined as any interest in U.S. real property and any interest (other than solely as a creditor) in a USRPHC or former USRPHC.
If the Fund were a USRPHC or would be a USRPHC but for certain exceptions, any distributions by the Fund to a Non-U.S. shareholder (including, in certain cases, distributions made by the Fund in redemption of its Shares) attributable to gains realized by the Fund on the disposition of USRPIs or to distributions received by the Fund from a lower-tier RIC or REIT that the Fund is required to treat as USRPI gain in its hands generally would be subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding. In addition, such distributions could result in a Non-U.S. shareholder being required to file a U.S. federal income tax return and pay tax on the distributions at regular U.S. federal income tax rates. The consequences to a Non-U.S. shareholder, including the rate of such withholding and character of such distributions, would vary depending upon the extent of the Non-U.S. shareholder's current and past ownership of the Fund. This "look-through" USRPI treatment for distributions by the Fund, if it were either a USRPHC or would be a USRPHC but for the operation of certain exceptions, to Non-U.S. shareholders applies only to those distributions that, in turn, are attributable to distributions received by the Fund from a lower-tier RIC or REIT, unless Congress enacts legislation providing otherwise.
In addition, if the Fund were a USRPHC or former USRPHC, it could be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on the proceeds of a Share redemption by certain Non-U.S. shareholders, in which case such shareholders generally would also be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return and pay any additional taxes due in connection with the redemption.
Whether or not the Fund is characterized as a USRPHC will depend upon the nature and mix of the Fund's assets. The Fund does not expect to be a USRPHC. Non-U.S. shareholders should consult their own tax advisers concerning the application of these rules to their investment in the Fund.
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If a Non-U.S. shareholder has a trade or business in the United States, and the dividends from the Fund are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. shareholder's conduct of that trade or business, the dividend will be subject to net U.S. federal income taxation at regular income tax rates.
If a Non-U.S. shareholder is eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty, any effectively connected income or gain will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis only if it is also attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by that Non-U.S. shareholder in the United States.
To qualify for any exemptions from withholding described above or for lower withholding tax rates under income tax treaties, or to establish an exemption from backup withholding, a Non-U.S. shareholder must comply with special certification and filing requirements relating to its non-US status (including, in general, furnishing an applicable IRS Form W-8). Non-U.S. shareholders should consult their own tax advisers in this regard.
A Non-U.S. shareholder may be subject to U.S. state and local tax and to the U.S. federal estate tax in addition to the U.S. federal income tax referred to above.
Backup Withholding. The Fund generally is required to backup withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury Department a percentage of the taxable distributions and redemption proceeds paid to any individual shareholder who fails to properly furnish the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to properly certify to the Fund that he or she is not subject to such withholding.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the IRS.
Tax Shelter Reporting 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, the U.S. shareholder generally must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all RICs. The fact that a loss is reportable does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. U.S. shareholders should consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of this requirement in light of their individual circumstances.
Shares Purchased through Tax-Qualified Plans. Special tax rules apply to investments through defined contribution plans and other tax-qualified plans. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers to determine the suitability of Shares as an investment through such plans, and the precise effect of an investment on their particular tax situation.
FATCA. Payments to a shareholder that is either a foreign financial institution ("FFI") or a non-financial foreign entity ("NFFE") within the meaning of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA") may be subject to a generally nonrefundable 30% withholding tax on: (i) income dividends paid by the Fund and (ii) possibly in the future, certain capital gain distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Shares. FATCA withholding tax generally can be avoided: (i) by an FFI, subject to any applicable intergovernmental agreement or other exemption, if it enters into a valid agreement with the IRS to, among other requirements, report required information about certain direct and indirect ownership of foreign financial accounts held by U.S. persons with the FFI and (ii) by an NFFE, if it: (a) certifies that it has no
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substantial U.S. persons as owners or (b) if it does have such owners, reports information relating to them. The Fund may disclose the information that it receives from its shareholders to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of the Fund fails to provide the Fund with appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA, generally on an applicable IRS Form W-8.
Possible Tax Law Changes. At the time that this SAI was being prepared, various administrative and legislative changes to the U.S. federal tax laws are under consideration, but it is not possible at this time to determine whether any of these changes will take place or what the changes might entail.
The foregoing is a general and abbreviated summary of the provisions of the Code and the U.S. Treasury regulations in effect as they directly govern the taxation of the Fund and its shareholders. These provisions are subject to change by legislative and administrative action, and any such change may be retroactive. Shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers regarding specific questions as to U.S. federal income, estate or gift taxes, or foreign, state, local taxes or other taxes.
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APPENDIX A - PROXY VOTING POLICIES
The following proxy voting policies are provided:
(1) the Trust's Proxy Voting and Disclosure Policy and
(2) the Advisor's Proxy Voting and Disclosure Policy.
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures of WP Trust
| I. | Introduction |
Effective April 14, 2003, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted rule and form amendments under the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Act of 1934, and the Investment Company Act of 1940 (Investment Company Act) to require registered management investment companies to provide disclosure about how they vote proxies for their portfolio securities (collectively, the rule and form amendments are referred to herein as the IC Amendments).
The IC Amendments require that each series of shares of the WP Trust (Trust) listed on Exhibit A, attached hereto, (individually a Fund and collectively Funds), disclose the policies and procedures used to determine how to vote proxies for portfolio securities. The IC Amendments also require the Funds to file with the SEC and to make available to their shareholders the specific proxy votes cast for portfolio securities.
This Proxy Voting and Disclosure Policy (Policy) is designed to ensure that the Funds comply with the requirements of the IC Amendments, and otherwise fulfills their obligations with respect to proxy voting, disclosure, and recordkeeping. The overall goal is to ensure that each Fund's proxy voting is managed in an effort to act in the best interests of its shareholders. While decisions about how to vote must be determined on a case-by-case basis, proxy voting decisions will be made considering these guidelines and following the procedures recited herein.
| II. | Specific Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures |
| A. | General |
The Trust's Board of Trustees (Board) believes that the voting of proxies is an important part of portfolio management as it represents an opportunity for shareholders to make their voices heard and to influence the direction of a company. The Trust and the Funds are committed to voting corporate proxies in the manner that best serves the interests of the Funds' shareholders.
| B. | Delegation to Fund's Advisor |
The Board believes that Winning Points Advisors, LLC. (Advisor), as the Funds' investment advisor, is in the best position to make individual voting decisions for each Fund consistent with this Policy. Therefore, subject to the oversight of the Board, the Advisor is hereby delegated the following duties:
| (1) | to make the proxy voting decisions for the fund. |
| (2) | to assist each Fund in disclosing the Fund's proxy voting record as required by Rule 30b1-4 under the Investment Company Act, including providing the following information for each |
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matter with respect to which the Fund was entitled to vote: (a) information identifying the matter voted on; (b) whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a security holder; (c) whether and how the Fund cast its vote; and (d) whether the Fund cast its vote for or against management.
The Board, including a majority of the independent trustees of the Board, shall approve the Advisor's Proxy Voting and Disclosure Policy (Advisor's Voting Policy) as it relates to each Fund. The Board shall also approve any material changes to the Advisor's Voting Policy no later than four (4) months after adoption by the Advisor.
| C. | Conflicts |
In cases where a matter with respect to which a Fund is entitled to vote presents a conflict between the interest of the Fund's shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Fund's investment advisor, principal underwriter, or an affiliated person of the Fund, its investment advisor or principal underwriter, on the other hand, the Fund shall always vote in the best interest of the Fund's shareholders. For purposes of this Policy a vote shall be considered in the best interest of the Fund's shareholder (i) when a vote is cast consistent with a specific voting policy as set forth in the Advisor's Voting Policy, provided such specific voting policy was approved by the Board or (ii) when a vote is cast consistent with the decision of the Trust's Proxy Voting Committee (as defined below). In addition, provided the Advisor is not affiliated with a Fund's principal underwriter or an affiliated person of the principal underwriter and neither the Fund's principal underwriter nor an affiliated person of the principal underwriter has influenced the Advisor with respect to a matter to which the Fund is entitled to vote, a vote by the Advisor shall not be considered a conflict between the Fund's shareholders and the Fund's principal underwriter or affiliated person of the principal underwriter.
III. Fund Disclosure
A. Disclosure of Fund Policies and Procedures With Respect to Voting Proxies Relating to Portfolio Securities
Beginning with a Fund's next annual update to its Statement of Additional Information (SAI) on Form N-1A after July 1, 2003, the Fund shall disclose this Policy, or a description of the policies and procedures of this Policy, to its shareholders. Each Fund will notify its shareholders in the SAI and the Fund's shareholder reports that a description of this Policy is available upon request, without charge, by calling a specified toll-free telephone number, by reviewing the Fund's website, if applicable, and by reviewing filings available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. The Fund will send this description of the Fund's Policy within three business days of receipt of any shareholder request, by first- class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery.
| B. | Disclosure of the Fund's Complete Proxy Voting Record |
In accordance with Rule 30b1-4 of the Investment Company Act, beginning after June 30, 2004, each Fund shall disclose to its shareholders on Form N-PX the Fund's complete proxy voting record for the twelve month period ended June 30 by no later than August 31 of each year.
Each Fund shall disclose the following information on Form N-PX for each matter relating to a portfolio security considered at any shareholder meeting held during the period covered by the report and with respect to which to the Fund was entitled to vote:
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| (i) | The name of the issuer of the portfolio security; |
| (ii) | The exchange ticker symbol of the portfolio security (if available through reasonably practicable means); |
| (iii) | The Council on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (CUSIP) number for the portfolio security (if available through reasonably practicable means); |
| (iv) | The shareholder meeting date; |
| (v) | A brief identification of the matter voted on; |
| (vi) | Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a security holder; |
| (vii) | Whether the Fund cast its vote on the matter; |
| (viii) | How the Fund cast its vote (e.g., for or against proposal, or abstain; for or withhold regarding election of directors); and |
| (ix) | Whether the Fund cast its vote for or against management. |
Each Fund shall make its proxy voting record available to shareholders either upon request or by making available an electronic version on or through the Fund's website, if applicable. If the Fund discloses its proxy voting record on or through its website, the Fund shall post the information disclosed in the Fund's most recently filed report on Form N-PX on the website beginning the same day it files such information with the SEC.
Each Fund shall also include in its annual reports, semi-annual reports and SAI a statement that information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 is available (1) without charge upon request, by calling a specified toll-free (or collect) telephone number, or (if applicable) on or through the Fund's website at a specified Internet address; and (2) on the SEC's website. If the Fund discloses that its proxy voting record is available by calling a toll-free (or collect) telephone number, it shall send the information disclosed in the Fund's most recently filed report on Form N-PX within three business days of receipt of a request for this information, by first-class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery.
| IV. | Recordkeeping |
The Trust shall keep the following records for a period of at least five years, the first two in an easily accessible place:
| (i) | A copy of this Policy; |
| (ii) | Proxy Statements received regarding each Fund's securities; |
| (iii) | Records of votes cast on behalf of each Fund; and |
| (iv) | A record of each shareholder request for proxy voting information and the Fund's response, including the date of the request, the name of the shareholder, and the date of the response. |
The foregoing records may be kept as part of the Advisor's records.
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A Fund may rely on proxy statements filed on the SEC EDGAR system instead of keeping its own copies, and may rely on proxy statements and records of proxy votes cast by the Advisor that are maintained with a third party such as a proxy voting service, provided that an undertaking is obtained from the third party to provide a copy of the documents promptly upon request.
| V. | Proxy Voting Committee |
A. General
The Proxy Voting Committee of the Trust shall be composed entirely of independent trustees of the Board and may be comprised of one or more such independent trustees as the Board may, from time to time, decide. The purpose of the Proxy Voting Committee shall be to determine how a Fund should cast its vote, if called upon by the Board or the Advisor, when a matter with respect to which the Fund is entitled to vote presents a conflict between the interest of the Fund's shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Fund's investment advisor, principal underwriter, or an affiliated person of the Fund, its investment advisor or principal underwriter, on the other hand.
B. Powers and Methods of Operation
The Proxy Voting Committee shall have all the powers necessary to fulfill its purpose as set forth above and such other powers and perform such other duties as the Board may, from time to time, grant and/or assign the Proxy Voting Committee. The Proxy Voting Committee shall meet at such times and places as the Proxy Voting Committee or the Board may, from time to time, determine. The act of a majority of the members of the Proxy Voting Committee in person, by telephone conference or by consent in writing without a meeting shall be the act of the Proxy Voting Committee. The Proxy Voting Committee shall have the authority to utilize Trust counsel at the expense of the Trust if necessary. The Proxy Voting Committee shall prepare minutes of each meeting and keep such minutes with the Trust's records. The Proxy Voting Committee shall review this Policy and recommend any changes to the Board as it deems necessary or advisable.
III. Other
This Policy may be amended, from time to time, as determined by the Board.
EXHIBIT A
WP Large Cap Income Plus Fund
Proxy Voting and Disclosure Policy of the Advisor
In accordance with Rule 206(4)-6, the Advisor has adopted and implemented written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that the Advisor votes securities held in the Fund in the best interest of clients and strives to keep all votes free from any inappropriate influences or material conflicts. The Firm exercises voting responsibilities in accordance with the proxy voting policies and procedures of the Trust, and in a method believed most likely to increase the value of the securities within the portfolio.
| 49 |
PART C
FORM N-1A
OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 28. Exhibits
ITEM 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Registrant
No person is controlled by or under common control with the Registrant.
ITEM 30. Indemnification
As permitted by Section 17(h) and (i) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, officers, trustees, employees and agents of the Registrant will not be liable to the Registrant, any shareholder, officer, trustee, employee, agent or other person for any action or failure to act, except for bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duties, and those individuals may be indemnified against liabilities in connection with the Registrant, subject to the same exceptions.
The Registrants Trust Instrument (Exhibit 28(a) to the Registrant Statement), investment advisory agreements (Exhibits 28(d)(1) and (d)(2) to the Registration Statement), distribution agreements (Exhibits 28(e)(1) and (e)(2) and administration agreements (Exhibits 28(h)(1) and (h)(2) to the Registrant Statement) provide for indemnification of certain persons acting on behalf of the Trust. The Registrant may, from time to time, enter other contractual arrangements that provide for indemnification.
Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act), may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defenses of any action, suite or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
ITEM 31. Business and other Connections of the Investment Adviser
The list required by this Item 31 as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each of the investment advisers, and each director, officer or partner of such investment advisers, is or has been engaged within the last two fiscal years for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee, is incorporated herein by reference to Schedules A and D of each investment adviser's Form ADV listed opposite such investment adviser's name below, which is currently on file with the SEC as required by the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.
| Name of Investment Adviser | Form ADV File No. |
| Winning Points Advisors, LLC | 801-78654 |
| IPS Strategic Capital, Inc. | 801-107321 |
ITEM 32. Principal Underwriter
| (a) | Arbor Court Capital, LLC (ACC) serves as the Trusts principal underwriter. ACC also acts as principal underwriter for the following: Ancora Trust, Archer Investment Series Trust, Berkshire Focus Fund, Clark Fork Trust, Frank Funds, Monteagle Funds, Manor Investment Funds, MP63 Fund, Inc., Neiman Funds, One Rock Fund, Parvin Hedged Equity Solari World Fund, PFS Funds and Spend Life Wisely Funds Investment Trust. |
| (b) | The following table identifies the Officers of ACC and their positions, if any, with the Trust. The business address of each of these individuals is 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147. |
| Name |
Positions and Offices with Underwriter |
Positions and Offices with the Fund |
| Gregory B. Getts | President, Member, Financial Principal and CFO | None |
| Steven Milcinovic | Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Operating Officer | None |
| (c) | Not Applicable. |
ITEM 33. Location of Accounts and Records
The accounts, books or other documents of the Registrant required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder are kept in several locations:
| a) | Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147 (records relating to its function as transfer agent and fund accounting agent for all Funds in the Trust). |
| b) | Arbor Court Capital, LLC, 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147 (records relating to its function as Distributor for all Funds in the Trust). |
| c) | Fifth Third Bank, 38 Fountain Square Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio 45263 (records relating to its function as Custodian for all Funds in the Trust.) |
| d) | Winning Points Advisors, LLC, 127 NW 13th Street, Suite 13, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 (records relating to its function as investment adviser to the WP Family of Funds.) |
|
e) |
IPS Strategic Capital, Inc., 215 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Suite 540, Denver, CO 80226 (records relating to its function as investment adviser to the IPS Strategic Capital Absolute Return Fund.) |
| f) | Premier Fund Solutions, Inc, 1939 Friendship Drive, Suite C, El Cajon, California 92020 (records relating to its function as Administrator for all Funds in the Trust). |
ITEM 34. Management Services
There are no management-related service contracts not discussed in Parts A or B of this Form N1-A.
ITEM 35. Undertakings
Not Applicable.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this registration statement under Rule 485(b) and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to the Registration Statement under the Securities Act and Amendment No. 42 to the Registration Statement under the 1940 Act to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in Boca Raton, Florida on the 25th day of March, 2026.
| WP Trust | |||
| By: | /s/ Charles S. Stoll | ||
| Charles S. Stoll, President | |||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
| /s/ Charles S. Stoll | March 25, 2026 | |
| Charles S. Stoll, Trustee and President | Date | |
| (Principal Executive Officer) | ||
| * | March 25, 2026 | |
| Donald H. Baxter, Trustee | Date | |
| * | March 25, 2026 | |
| Michael G. Rogan, Trustee | Date | |
| /s/ James D. Craft | March 25, 2026 | |
|
James D. Craft, Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer) |
Date |
| *By | /s/ Charles S. Stoll | Dated: March 25, 2026 |
| Charles S. Stoll | ||
| Attorney-in-Fact |
EXHIBITS
| (i)(2) | Consent of Practus, LLP, with respect to the WP Large Cap Income Plus Fund. |
| (j)(1) | Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, with respect to the WP Large Cap Income Plus Fund. |