# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001587982
**File Stem:** 0001398344-23-006251
**Filing Date:** 2023-3
**Character Count:** 801754
**Document Hash:** aa4231c5b23c612b80779b68b50254a0
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001398344-23-006251.hdr.sgml**: 20230315

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001398344-23-006251

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 497

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 7

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20230315

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20230315

**EFFECTIVENESS DATE**: 20230315

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Investment Managers Series Trust II
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001587982
- **IRS NUMBER:** 000000000

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 497
- **SEC ACT:** 1933 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 333-191476
- **FILM NUMBER:** 23736325

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 235 WEST GALENA STREET
- **CITY:** MILWAUKEE
- **STATE:** WI
- **ZIP:** 53212
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 414-299-2295

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 235 WEST GALENA STREET
- **CITY:** MILWAUKEE
- **STATE:** WI
- **ZIP:** 53212

## Series and Classes Contracts Data

### AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund (Series ID: S000079775)

---

|  |  |
|:---|:---|
| Class Name     | Class ID   |
| Class I Shares | C000241127 |
| Class A Shares | C000241128 |

---

### AXS Tactical Income Fund (Series ID: S000079776)

---

|  |  |
|:---|:---|
| Class Name     | Class ID   |
| Class A Shares | C000241129 |
| Class I Shares | C000241130 |

---

## Series and Classes Contracts Data

### AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund (Series ID: S000079775)

| Class ID   | Class Name     | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000241127 | Class I Shares |  |
| C000241128 | Class A Shares |  |

### AXS Tactical Income Fund (Series ID: S000079776)

| Class ID   | Class Name     | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000241129 | Class A Shares |  |
| C000241130 | Class I Shares |  |

**Northern Lights Fund Trust III**

**On behalf of**

**ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund** 

**ACM Tactical Income Fund**

**225 Pictoria Drive** 

**Suite 450**

**Cincinnati, Ohio 45246**

**1-844-798-3833** 

March 15, 2023

Dear Valued Shareholder:

A Special Meeting of Shareholders of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund and ACM Tactical Income Fund (each, an "Acquired Fund" and together, the "Acquired Funds"), each a series of Northern Lights Fund Trust III (the "Trust"), has been scheduled for April 21, 2023 (the "Special Meeting") at the offices of Thompson Hine LLP, 41 South High Street, Suite 1700, Columbus, Ohio 43215, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. At the Special Meeting, shareholders of each Acquired Fund will consider a proposal to approve an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (each, a "Reorganization Agreement" and together, the "Reorganization Agreements") of the Acquired Fund into a corresponding, newly created series (each, an "Acquiring Fund" and together, the "Acquiring Funds") of Investment Managers Series Trust II ("IMST II"). Each Reorganization Agreement will provide for the transfer of all of the assets of the applicable Acquired Fund to the corresponding Acquiring Fund in exchange for shares of that Acquiring Fund and the assumption of all of the liabilities of such Acquired Fund by the corresponding Acquiring Fund, and the distribution of the Acquiring Fund's shares received by such Acquired Fund to its shareholders in complete liquidation of the Acquired Fund (each, a "Reorganization" and collectively, the "Reorganizations").

The shares of the applicable Acquiring Fund you receive will have the same aggregate net asset value as that of your shares of the corresponding Acquired Fund at the time of the Reorganization. Shares will be exchanged as follows:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Northern Lights Fund Trust III** |  | **Investment Managers Series Trust II** |
| *ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund* |  | *AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund* |
| Class A Shares <br> Class I Shares  | **→** <br> **→**  | Class A Shares <br> Class I Shares |
| *ACM Tactical Income Fund* |  | *AXS Tactical Income Fund* |
| Class A Shares<br> Class I Shares  | → <br> →<br>| Class A Shares <br> Class I Shares |

---

On November 18, 2022, AXS Investments LLC ("AXS"), the investment advisor of the Acquiring Funds, entered into an agreement with Ascendant Capital Management, LLC ("ACM"), the investment advisor of the Acquired Funds, whereby ACM would transfer its investment advisory business relating to the Acquired Funds to AXS. ACM will receive payments from AXS, which will be made by AXS from its own resources and not by the Acquiring Funds or their shareholders, after the completion of the Reorganizations. AXS currently manages other mutual funds and exchange-traded funds that are investment portfolios of IMST II and AXS wishes to reorganize the Acquired Funds into the AXS family of funds. To effectuate this, the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Board") has approved the Reorganization of each Acquired Fund, pursuant to the applicable Reorganization Agreement. In order to implement each Reorganization, IMST II has established each Acquiring Fund as a newly organized fund that will commence operations upon the closing of the Reorganization of the corresponding Acquired Fund. Each Acquiring Fund will be managed by AXS and will have the same investment objective as the corresponding Acquired Fund and substantially similar principal investment strategies, policies and risks as the Acquired Fund. Jordan Kahn, a current portfolio manager of each Acquired Fund, will become an employee of AXS and will continue to serve as a portfolio manager of each Acquiring Fund.

The Reorganization of each Acquired Fund generally is not expected to result in the recognition of gain or loss by the Acquired Fund or its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. No sales charges or redemption fees will be imposed in connection with the Reorganizations. The Reorganization of each Acquired Fund into the corresponding Acquiring Fund is not conditioned upon receipt of shareholder approval of the Reorganization relating to the other Acquired Fund. If the shareholders of an Acquired Fund do not approve the Reorganization of the Acquired Fund, then that Reorganization will not be implemented and the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Board") will consider additional actions as it deems to be in the best interests of such Acquired Fund, including the possible liquidation of the Acquired Fund.

After careful consideration, for the reasons discussed in the attached Proxy Statement/Prospectus, and based on the recommendation of the Acquired Funds' investment advisor, ACM, the Board has approved the Reorganizations and the solicitation of the Acquired Funds' shareholders with respect to the Reorganization Agreements.

The attached Proxy Statement/Prospectus is designed to give you more information about the proposals. If you have any questions regarding the proposals to be voted on, please do not hesitate to call 1-844-798-3833. If you were a shareholder of record of an Acquired Fund as of the close of business on March 1, 2023, the record date for the Special Meeting, you are entitled to vote on the proposals applicable to that Acquired Fund(s) at the Special Meeting and at any adjournment thereof. While you are, of course, welcome to join us at the Special Meeting, we expect that most shareholders will cast their votes by filling out, signing and returning the enclosed proxy card.

Whether or not you are planning to attend the Special Meeting, we need your vote. Please submit your vote via the options listed on your proxy card. You can mark, sign and date the enclosed proxy card and promptly return it in the enclosed, postage-paid envelope so that the maximum number of shares may be voted. You should follow the enclosed instructions on your proxy card as to how to vote, which includes calling the toll-free number on your proxy card to vote by telephone. You may revoke your proxy before it is exercised at the Special Meeting, either by writing to the Secretary of the Trust at the address noted in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus or in person at the time of the Special Meeting. A prior proxy vote can also be revoked by voting the proxy at a later date through the toll-free number or the Internet address listed in the enclosed voting instructions.

Thank you for taking the time to consider these important proposals and for your continuing investment in the Funds.

---

| |
|:---|
| Sincerely, |
| ***Eric D. Kane*** |
| Eric D. Kane |
| President |

---

**Northern Lights Fund Trust III** 

**ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund**

**ACM Tactical Income Fund**

**225 Pictoria Drive** 

**Suite 450**

**Cincinnati, Ohio 45246**

**1-844-798-3833** 

**NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS**

**TO BE HELD APRIL 21, 2023**

Northern Lights Fund Trust III, a Delaware statutory trust (the "Trust"), will hold a Special Meeting of Shareholders (the "Special Meeting") of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund and ACM Tactical Income Fund, each a series of the Trust (each, an "Acquired Fund" and together, the "Acquired Funds"), on April 21, 2023, at the offices of Thompson Hine LLP, 41 South High Street, Suite 1700, Columbus, Ohio 43215, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. At the Special Meeting, you and the other shareholders of the Acquired Funds will be asked to consider and vote separately upon the proposals below, as applicable. Specifically, shareholders of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund will be asked to consider and vote upon the first proposal, and shareholders of the ACM Tactical Income Fund will be asked to consider and vote upon the second proposal. Shareholders of each Acquired Fund will be asked to consider and vote on the third proposal.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Approval of an Agreement
 and Plan of Reorganization providing for (i) the transfer of all of the assets of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund (with respect
 to this first proposal, the "Acquired Fund") to the AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund (with respect to the ACM Dynamic
 Opportunity Fund and this first proposal, the "Acquiring Fund"), a newly created series of Investment Managers
 Series Trust II ("IMST II"), in exchange for (a) shares of the Acquiring Fund with an aggregate net asset value
 ("NAV") per class equal to the aggregate NAV of the corresponding class of shares of the Acquired Fund, and (b)
 the Acquiring Fund's assumption of all of the liabilities of the Acquired Fund, followed by (ii) the liquidating distribution
 by the Acquired Fund to its shareholders of the shares of the Acquiring Fund received in the exchange in proportion, on a
 class-by-class basis, to the shareholders' respective holdings of shares of the Acquired Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Approval of an Agreement
 and Plan of Reorganization providing for (i) the transfer of all of the assets of the ACM Tactical Income Fund (with respect
 to this second proposal, the "Acquired Fund") to the AXS Tactical Income Fund (with respect to the ACM Tactical
 Income Fund and this second proposal, the "Acquiring Fund"), a newly created series of Investment Managers Series
 Trust II ("IMST II"), in exchange for (a) of the Acquiring Fund with an aggregate net asset value ("NAV")
 per class equal to the aggregate NAV of the corresponding class of shares of the Acquired Fund, and (b) the Acquiring Fund's
 assumption of all of the liabilities of the Acquired Fund, followed by (ii) the liquidating distribution by the Acquired Fund
 to its shareholders of the shares of the Acquiring Fund received in the exchange in proportion, on a class-by-class basis,
 to the shareholders' respective holdings of shares of the Acquired Fund; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. The transaction
 of such other business as may properly come before the Special Meeting or any continuations after an adjournment thereof.

Only shareholders of record of the Acquired Funds at the close of business on March 1, 2023, the record date for this Special Meeting, will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Special Meeting or any postponements or continuations after an adjournment thereof.

i

As a shareholder, you are asked to attend the Special Meeting either in person or by proxy. If you are unable to attend the Special Meeting in person, we urge you to authorize proxies to cast your votes, commonly referred to as "proxy voting". Whether or not you expect to attend the Special Meeting, please submit your vote via the options listed on your proxy card. You may vote by completing, dating and signing your proxy card and mailing it in the enclosed postage prepaid envelope, by calling the toll-free number on your proxy card to vote by telephone or, if available, by voting through the internet. Your prompt voting by proxy will help assure a quorum at the Special Meeting. Voting by proxy will not prevent you from voting your shares in person at the Special Meeting. You may revoke your proxy before it is exercised at the Special Meeting, either by writing to the Secretary of the Trust at the address noted in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus or in person at the time of the Special Meeting. A prior proxy can also be revoked by voting your proxy at a later date through the toll-free number or the Internet website address listed in the enclosed voting instructions or submitting a later dated proxy card.

***By Order of the Board of Trustees of Northern Lights Fund Trust III***

***Eric D. Kane***

Eric D. Kane

President

ii

**Northern Lights Fund Trust III**

 **ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund** 

**ACM Tactical Income Fund**

**225 Pictoria Drive** 

**Suite 450**

**Cincinnati, Ohio 45246**

**1-844-798-3833** 

**QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS**

**YOUR VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT!**

***<u>Question</u>: What is this document and why did you send it to me?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** The attached document is a proxy statement to solicit votes from shareholders of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund and ACM Tactical Income Fund (each, an "Acquired Fund" and together, the "Acquired Funds"), each a series of Northern Lights Fund Trust III (the "Trust"), at the special meeting of the Acquired Funds' shareholders ("Special Meeting"), and a registration statement for AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund and AXS Tactical Income Fund (each, an "Acquiring Fund" and together, the "Acquiring Funds"), each a new series of Investment Managers Series Trust II ("IMST II"). This combined proxy statement/prospectus is referred to below as the "Proxy Statement."

The Proxy Statement is being provided to you by the Trust in connection with the solicitation of proxies to vote to approve an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization with respect to each Acquired Fund (each, a "Reorganization Agreement" and together, the "Reorganization Agreements") between the Trust and IMST II (the form of which is attached as **<u>Appendix A</u>**) regarding the proposed reorganization of the Acquired Fund into its corresponding Acquiring Fund (each, a "Reorganization" and collectively, the "Reorganizations").

Approval of the shareholders of an Acquired Fund is needed to proceed with the Reorganization of that Acquired Fund. The Special Meeting will be held on April 21, 2023, to consider the proposals. If the shareholders of an Acquired Fund do not approve the Reorganization of that Acquired Fund, then the Reorganization of that Acquired Fund will not be implemented and the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Board") will consider what further actions to take as they may deem to be in the best interests of the Acquired Fund and its shareholders, including the possible liquidation of the Acquired Fund. We are sending this document to you for your use in deciding whether to approve the proposal. This document includes a Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders, the Proxy Statement and a proxy card.

***<u>Question</u>: Why are the Acquired Funds reorganizing into the Acquiring Funds?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** On November 18, 2022, AXS Investments LLC ("AXS"), the investment advisor of the Acquiring Funds, entered into an agreement with Ascendant Capital Management, LLC ("ACM"), the investment advisor of the Acquired Funds, whereby ACM would transfer its investment advisory business relating to the Acquired Funds to AXS. ACM will receive payments from AXS, which will be made by AXS from its own resources and not by the Acquiring Funds or their shareholders, after the completion of the Reorganizations. AXS currently manages other mutual funds and exchange-traded funds that are investment portfolios of IMST II and AXS wishes to reorganize the Acquired Funds into the AXS family of funds. To effectuate this, the Board has approved the Reorganization of each Acquired Fund, pursuant to the applicable Reorganization Agreement. Each Acquiring Fund will be managed by AXS and will have the same investment objective as the corresponding Acquired Fund and substantially similar principal investment strategies, policies and risks as the Acquired Fund. In addition, Jordan Kahn, a current portfolio manager of each Acquired Fund, and Alan Savoian, a current portfolio manager of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund, will become employees of AXS and will continue to serve as a portfolio manager of their respective Funds.

iii

***<u>Question:</u> Who will manage the Acquiring Funds?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** Currently, ACM is the investment advisor to the Acquired Funds and provides day-to-day portfolio management services to each Acquired Fund. The ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund is jointly and primarily managed by Jordan Kahn and Alan Savoian and the ACM Tactical Income Fund is managed on a day-to-day basis by Jordan Kahn. If the Reorganizations are approved, AXS will become the investment advisor to each Acquiring Fund. Following the Reorganizations, Jordan Kahn, Alan Savoian, and Eric Hua, Portfolio Associate with ACM, will become employees of AXS. Parker Binion, portfolio manager of AXS, Jordan Kahn and Alan Savoian will be jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund and Parker Binion, Jordan Kahn and Eric Hua will be jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the AXS Tactical Income Fund.

AXS and IMST II have received an exemptive order from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") which permits AXS to operate the Acquiring Fund under a "manager of managers" structure (the "Order"). Although AXS does not currently intend to engage a sub-advisor to manage any portion of the Acquiring Funds, the Order permits AXS to hire or replace a sub-advisor and modify any existing or future agreement with a sub-advisor, without obtaining shareholder approval. A shareholder vote would still be required to replace AXS with another investment advisor. The Trust and ACM do not have a similar exemptive order.

***<u>Question</u>: How will each Reorganization work?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** Subject to the approval of the shareholders of the applicable Acquired Fund, pursuant to the applicable Reorganization Agreement, the Acquired Fund will transfer all of its assets to the corresponding Acquiring Fund in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Fund's assumption of the Acquired Fund's liabilities. The Acquired Fund will then liquidate by distributing the shares it receives from the Acquiring Fund to the shareholders of the Acquired Fund. Shareholders of the Acquired Fund will become shareholders of the Acquiring Fund, and immediately after the Reorganization each such shareholder will hold a number of full and fractional shares of the Acquiring Fund equal in aggregate value at the time of the exchange to the aggregate value of such shareholder's shares of the Acquired Fund immediately prior to the Reorganization.

If the Reorganization of an Acquired Fund is carried out as proposed, the transaction is not generally expected to result in the recognition of gain or loss by either the Acquired Fund or its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Please refer to the Proxy Statement for a detailed explanation of the proposal.

The chart below indicates which Acquiring Fund share class you will receive in a Reorganization, depending on which Acquired Fund share class you currently own:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| Class A Shares | Class A Shares |
| Class I Shares | Class I Shares |

---

If the Reorganization Agreement is approved by shareholders of an Acquired Fund at the Special Meeting, the Reorganization of that Acquired Fund is expected to occur on April 28, 2023.

iv

***<u>Question</u>: Will the Board and Service Providers Change?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** The Trust and IMST II have different boards of trustees and officers. The Trust and IMST II also have different arrangements for custody, administration, accounting, transfer agency, and distribution services ("Third Party Service Arrangements"). Third Party Service Arrangements are provided to the Trust and IMST II by the following:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | Trust | IMST II |
| **Administrator** | Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC <br> 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450 <br> Cincinnati, Ohio 45246<br>| Mutual Fund Administration, LLC <br> 2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226 <br> Glendora, California 91740<br>UMB Fund Services, Inc. <br> 235 W. Galena Street <br> Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212  |
| **Distributor** | Northern Lights Distributors, LLC<br> 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100 <br> Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022-3474 <br>| ALPS Distributors, Inc. <br> 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000 <br> Denver, Colorado 80203 |
| **Transfer Agent** | Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC <br>225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450 <br> Cincinnati, Ohio 45246<br>| UMB Fund Services, Inc. <br> 235 W. Galena Street <br> Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212  |
| **Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm** | BBD, LLP <br> 1835 Market Street, 3rd Floor<br> Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 <br>| Tait, Weller & Baker LLP <br> 50 S 16th Street, Suite 2900 <br> Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102  |
| **Custodian** | U.S. Bank, N.A. <br> 1555 North River Center Drive, Suite 302 <br> Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212  | UMB Bank, n.a. <br> 928 Grand Boulevard, 5<sup>th</sup> Floor <br> Kansas City, Missouri 64106 |

---

***<u>Question</u>: How will the Reorganization affect my investment?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** Following the Reorganization of an Acquired Fund whose shares you hold, you will be a shareholder of the corresponding Acquiring Fund, which has the same investment objective and substantially similar investment strategies and policies as the corresponding Acquired Fund, as further described in the attached Proxy Statement/Prospectus. The Acquiring Funds will be managed in substantially the same way as the Acquired Funds. The primary differences will be (1) the investment advisor to the Acquiring Funds will be AXS rather than ACM, (2) the service providers that provide Third Party Service Arrangements to the Acquiring Funds will be different, (3) the Acquiring Funds will be series of IMST II instead of the Trust, (4) the Acquiring Funds will be governed by a different board of trustees than the Acquired Funds, and (5) the differences in fee arrangements, as discussed below.

In the Reorganization of an Acquired Fund whose shares you hold, you will receive shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund corresponding in class to your shares of the Acquired Fund held immediately prior to the Reorganization and equal in aggregate value at the time of the exchange to the aggregate value of your shares of the Acquired Fund. The Reorganization will not affect the value of your investment at the time of Reorganization and your interest in the Acquired Fund will not be diluted. The Reorganization of an Acquired Fund generally is not expected to result in the recognition of gain or loss by the Acquired Fund or its shareholders for federal income tax purposes.

v

***<u>Question:</u> How will the proposed Reorganization affect the fees and expenses I pay as a shareholder of the Acquired Fund?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** Each Acquiring Fund will pay the same annual advisory fee rate currently paid by the corresponding Acquired Fund. Following the Reorganizations, the total annual fund operating fees and expenses of each Acquiring Fund are expected to be lower than those of the corresponding Acquired Fund.

As described in more detail in the Proxy Statement, ACM has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or reimburse expenses of each Acquired Fund at least until April 30, 2023, to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (subject to certain exclusions) will not exceed 2.40% and 2.15% of the daily average net assets attributable to the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund's Class A and Class I shares, respectively, and 2.25% and 2.00% of the daily average net assets attributable to the ACM Tactical Income Fund's Class A and Class I shares, respectively.

Similarly, AXS has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of each Acquiring Fund to ensure that the total annual fund operating expenses (subject to certain exclusions) will not exceed 2.40% and 2.15% of the average daily net assets of Class A and Class I Shares, respectively, of the AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund, and 2.25% and 2.00% of the average daily net assets of Class A and Class I Shares, respectively, of the AXS Tactical Income Fund. This agreement will be in effect for a period of two years following the Reorganization and may be terminated before that date only by the Board of Trustees of IMST II.

***<u>Question</u>: Will I have to pay any sales charge, redemption or exchange fees in connection with a Reorganization?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** No. You will not have to pay any front-end sales charges, redemption, or exchange fees in connection with a Reorganization. In addition, your share ownership holding period will be carried forward to the Acquiring Fund for purposes of determining whether you would be required to pay any redemption fees in the event you redeem your shares following the Reorganization.

***<u>Question</u>: Will there be any portfolio repositioning or other costs in connection with a Reorganization?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** The Funds do not expect any repositioning (i.e., sale of securities) or other associated costs, such as brokerage commissions incurred from the sale of securities in connection with the Reorganizations. However, if any such repositioning were to occur, such costs would be borne by the applicable Acquired Fund.

***<u>Question:</u> What is the tax impact on my investment?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** Each Reorganization is expected to constitute a "reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and generally is not expected to result in recognition of gain or loss by the applicable Acquired Fund or its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. As a condition to the closing of each Reorganization, the applicable Acquiring Fund and the corresponding Acquired Fund will obtain an opinion of counsel regarding the tax consequences of the Reorganization. This opinion will be filed with the SEC after the close of the Reorganization and available on the SEC's website at <u>www.sec.gov</u>.

***<u>Question:</u> Who will benefit from the Reorganizations?***

***<u>Answer:</u>*** AXS may be deemed to have an interest in the Reorganizations because it will become investment advisor to the Acquiring Funds and will receive fees from the Acquiring Funds for its services as investment advisor. ACM may be deemed to have an interest in the Reorganizations because it has entered into an agreement with AXS for the sale and transfer of its investment advisory business relating to the Acquired Funds. Pursuant to this agreement, ACM will receive certain payments from AXS following the Reorganizations, which will be made by AXS from its own resources and not by the Acquiring Funds or their shareholders.

vi

***<u>Question</u>: What will happen if a Reorganization is not approved?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** The Reorganization of each Acquired Fund into the corresponding Acquiring Fund is not conditioned upon receipt of shareholder approval of the Reorganization relating to the other Acquired Fund. If the shareholders of an Acquired Fund do not approve the proposed Reorganization of the Acquired Fund, then the Reorganization of such Acquired Fund will not be implemented and the Acquired Fund will continue to operate as a series of the Trust and continue to be managed by ACM. In such case, the Board will consider additional actions as it deems to be in the best interests of such Acquired Fund, including the possible liquidation of the Acquired Fund.

***<u>Question</u>: Why do I need to vote?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** Your vote is needed to ensure that a quorum is present at the Special Meeting so that the proposals can be acted upon. Your immediate response on the enclosed proxy card (or by telephone or Internet) will help prevent the need for any further solicitations for a shareholder vote, which will result in additional expenses. Your vote is very important to us regardless of the amount of shares you own.

***<u>Question</u>: What vote is required to approve a proposed Reorganization?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** The approval of a proposed Reorganization requires the affirmative vote of (i) 67% or more of the applicable Acquired Fund shares present at the Special Meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund, whichever is less.

***<u>Question</u>: What action has the Board of Trustees taken?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** After careful consideration and upon recommendation of ACM, the Board unanimously approved the Reorganization Agreements and authorized the solicitation of proxies on the proposals.

***<u>Question</u>: Who is paying for expenses related to the Special Meeting and the Reorganizations?***

***<u>Answer:</u>*** AXS, Mutual Fund Administration, LLC and UMB Fund Services, Inc., will bear the costs associated with the Reorganizations, Special Meeting, and solicitation of proxies. The Acquired Funds will not incur any expenses in connection with the Reorganizations.

***<u>Question</u>: How do I cast my vote?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** You may vote according to the instructions provided on your proxy card. You may vote by telephone using the toll-free number found on your proxy card. You may also use the enclosed postage-paid envelope to mail your proxy card. You may also vote via the Internet. You may also vote in person by attending the Special Meeting on April 21, 2023. Please follow the enclosed instructions to use these methods of voting. We encourage you to vote by telephone or via the Internet. Use of telephone or Internet voting will reduce the time and costs associated with this proxy solicitation.

vii

***<u>Question</u>: Who do I call if I have questions?***

***<u>Answer</u>:*** Please call 1-800-370-1164 if you have any questions regarding the Reorganizations. Representatives are available Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

viii

**COMBINED PROXY STATEMENT AND PROSPECTUS**

**MARCH 15, 2023**

**FOR THE REORGANIZATION OF**

**ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund**

**ACM Tactical Income Fund, *each a series of Northern Lights Fund Trust III***

**225 Pictoria Drive** 

**Suite 450**

**Cincinnati, Ohio 45246**

**1-844-798-3833**

**INTO**

**AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund**

**AXS Tactical Income Fund, *a series of Investment Managers Series Trust II***

**235 W. Galena Street**<br> **Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212**

**1-833-AXS-ALTS (1-833-297-2587)**

This Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus (this "Proxy Statement") is being sent to you in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Trustees (the "Board") of Northern Lights Fund Trust III (the "Trust") for use at a Special Meeting of Shareholders (the "Special Meeting") of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund and ACM Tactical Income Fund, each a series of the Trust (each, an "Acquired Fund" and together, the "Acquired Funds"), to be held at the offices of Thompson Hine LLP, 41 South High Street, Suite 1700, Columbus, Ohio 43215, on April 21, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. At the Special Meeting, you and the other shareholders of the Acquired Funds will be asked to consider and vote separately upon the proposals below, as applicable. Specifically, shareholders of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund will be asked to consider and vote upon the first proposal and shareholders of the ACM Tactical Income Fund will be asked to consider and vote upon the second proposal. Shareholders of each Acquired Fund will be asked to consider and vote on the third proposal.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Approval of an Agreement
 and Plan of Reorganization providing for (i) the transfer of all of the assets of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund (with respect
 to this first proposal, the "Acquired Fund") to the AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund (with respect to the ACM Dynamic
 Opportunity Fund and this first proposal, the "Acquiring Fund"), a newly created series of Investment Managers
 Series Trust II ("IMST II"), in exchange for (a) shares of the Acquiring Fund with an aggregate net asset value
 ("NAV") per class equal to the aggregate NAV of the corresponding class of shares of the Acquired Fund, and (b)
 the Acquiring Fund's assumption of all of the liabilities of the Acquired Fund, followed by (ii) the liquidating distribution
 by the Acquired Fund to its shareholders of the shares of the Acquiring Fund received in the exchange in proportion, on a
 class-by-class basis, to the shareholders' respective holdings of shares of the Acquired Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Approval of an Agreement
 and Plan of Reorganization providing for (i) the transfer of all of the assets of the ACM Tactical Income Fund (with respect
 to this second proposal, the "Acquired Fund") to the AXS Tactical Income Fund (with respect to the ACM Tactical
 Income Fund and this second proposal, the "Acquiring Fund"), a newly created series of Investment Managers
 Series Trust II ("IMST II"), in exchange for (a) shares of the Acquiring Fund with an aggregate net asset value
 ("NAV") per class equal to the aggregate NAV of the corresponding class of shares of the Acquired Fund, and (b)
 the Acquiring Fund's assumption of all of the liabilities of the Acquired Fund, followed by (ii) the liquidating distribution
 by the Acquired Fund to its shareholders of the shares of the Acquiring Fund received in the exchange in proportion, on a
 class-by-class basis, to the shareholders' respective holdings of shares of the Acquired Fund; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. The transaction
 of such other business as may properly come before the Special Meeting or any continuations after an adjournment thereof.

Shareholders who execute proxies may revoke them at any time before they are voted, either by writing to the Trust, in person at the time of the Special Meeting, by voting the proxy at a later date through the toll-free number or through the Internet address listed in the enclosed voting instructions or by submitting a later dated proxy card. If your shares are held in the name of a brokerage firm, bank, nominee or other institution, you should provide instructions to your broker, bank, nominee or other institution on how to vote your shares. If you hold your shares in the name of a brokerage firm, bank, nominee or other institution, you must provide a legal proxy from that institution in order to vote your shares in person at the Special Meeting.

Each Acquired Fund is a series of the Trust, an open-end management investment company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and organized as a Delaware statutory trust. Each Acquiring Fund is a newly created series of IMST II, an open-end management investment company registered with the SEC, and also organized as a Delaware statutory trust.

The following documents have been filed with the SEC and are incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement (which means these documents are considered legally to be part of this Proxy Statement):

● [The Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information of the Acquired Funds each dated May 1, 2022 (filed via EDGAR on April 22, 2022, Accession No. 0001580642-22-002192); and](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1537140/000158064222002192/acm-funds_485b.htm)

● [The Annual Report to Shareholders of the Acquired Funds dated December 31, 2022 (filed via EDGAR on March 10, 2022, Accession No. 0001580642-23-001376).](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1537140/000158064222001428/acmncsr.htm)

The Acquired Funds' Prospectus dated May 1, 2022, and the Acquired Funds' Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, containing audited financial statements, have been previously mailed to shareholders. Copies of these documents are available upon request and without charge by writing to the Trust or by calling 1-844-798-3833.

Because the Acquiring Funds have not yet commenced operations as of the date of this Proxy Statement, no annual or semi-annual reports are available for the Acquiring Funds at this time.

This Proxy Statement sets forth the basic information you should know before voting on the proposals. You should read it and keep it for future reference. Additional information is set forth in the Statement of Additional Information dated March 15, 2023, relating to this Proxy Statement, which is also incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement. The Statement of Additional Information is available upon request and without charge by calling 1-800-370-1164. The Trust expects that this Proxy Statement will be mailed to shareholders on or about March 20, 2023.

**Important Notice Regarding Availability of Proxy Materials for the Meeting to be Held on April 21, 2023.** This Proxy Statement is available on the Internet at <u>https://vote.proxyonline.com/acm/docs/proxy.pdf</u>. If you need any assistance, or have any questions regarding the proposals or how to vote your shares, please call 1-800-370-1164*.* Representatives are available Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Date: March 15, 2023

**THE SEC AND THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION HAVE NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS COMBINED PROXY STATEMENT AND PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.**

**The shares offered by this Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus are not deposits or obligations of any bank, and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. An investment in the Acquiring Fund involves investment risk, including the possible loss of principal.**

**Table of Contents**

I. Proposal
 - To Approve the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization 5

A. Overview 5

B. Comparison
 Fee Tables and Examples 7

C. The
 Funds' Investment Objectives, Principal Investment Strategies and Risks 13

D. Comparison
 of Investment Restrictions 29

E. Comparison
 of Investment Advisory Agreements 32

F. Comparison
 of Distribution, Shareholder Servicing, Purchase and Redemption Procedures and Valuation Procedures 35

G. Key
 Information about the Reorganizations 42

1. Agreement
 and Plan of Reorganization 42

2. Description
 of the Acquiring Funds' Shares 43

3. Board
 Considerations Relating to the Proposed Reorganizations 45

4. Federal
 Income Tax Consequences 46

5. Comparison
 of Forms of Organization and Shareholder Rights 48

6. Fiscal
 Year End 49

7. Capitalization 50

8. Section
 15(f) of the 1940 Act 50

H. Additional
 Information about the Funds 51

1. Past
 Performance of the Acquired Funds 51

2. Investment
 Advisor and Portfolio Managers 55

3. Trustees
 and Service Providers for the Acquired Funds and Acquiring Funds 56

II. Voting
 Information 57

A. General
 Information 57

B. Method
 and Cost of Solicitation 59

C. Right
 to Revoke Proxy 59

D. Voting
 Securities and Principal Holders 59

E. Interest
 of Certain Persons in the Transaction 61

III. Miscellaneous
 Information 62

A. Other
 Business 62

B. Next
 Meeting of Shareholders 62

C. Legal
 Matters 62

D. Independent
 Registered Public Accounting Firm 62

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| E. | Information Filed with the SEC | 62 |
| APPENDIX A - FORM OF AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION | APPENDIX A - FORM OF AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION | A-1 |
| APPENDIX B –MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACQUIRING FUNDS | APPENDIX B –MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACQUIRING FUNDS | B-1 |
| APPENDIX C – FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF ACQUIRED FUNDS | APPENDIX C – FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF ACQUIRED FUNDS | C-1 |
| APPENDIX D – SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION | APPENDIX D – SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION | D-1 |

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**I.** **Proposal - To Approve the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**A.** **Overview** 

Based on the recommendation of Ascendant Capital Management, LLC (" ACM"), the investment advisor for the Acquired Funds, the Board has called the Special Meeting to ask shareholders of each Acquired Fund to consider and vote on the applicable proposed reorganization (each, a "Reorganization" and together, the "Reorganizations") of the Acquired Fund into the corresponding Acquiring Fund, a new series of IMST II (the Acquired Funds and Acquiring Funds are each sometimes referred to below as a "Fund" and, collectively, as the "Funds"). The Board considered and approved each Reorganization at a meeting held on January 23, 2023, subject to the approval of the applicable Acquired Fund's shareholders.

The Acquired Funds currently operate as separate series of the Trust. ACM currently is the investment advisor to the Acquired Funds and provides day-to-day portfolio management services to the Acquired Funds' portfolios. On November 18, 2022, AXS Investments LLC ("AXS"), the investment advisor of the Acquiring Funds, entered into an agreement with ACM, the investment advisor of the Acquired Funds, whereby ACM would transfer its investment advisory business relating to the Acquired Funds to AXS. ACM will receive payments from AXS, which will be made by AXS from its own resources and not by the Acquiring Funds or their shareholders after the completion of the Reorganizations. AXS currently manages other mutual funds and exchange-traded funds that are investment portfolios of IMST II and AXS wishes to reorganize the Acquired Funds into the AXS family of funds. To effectuate this, the Board has approved each Reorganization, pursuant to the applicable Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (each a "Reorganization Agreement" and together, the "Reorganization Agreements"). In order to implement each Reorganization, IMST II has established each Acquiring Fund as a newly organized fund that will commence operations upon the closing of the Reorganization of the corresponding Acquired Fund. Each Acquiring Fund will be managed by AXS and will have the same investment objective as the corresponding Acquired Fund and substantially similar principal investment strategies, policies and risks as the Acquired Fund. Jordan Kahn, a current portfolio manager of each Acquired Fund, and Alan Savoian, a current portfolio manager for the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund, will become employees of AXS. Messrs. Kahn and Savoian will continue to serve as a portfolio manager for the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund, and Mr. Kahn will continue to serve as a portfolio manager for the AXS Tactical Income Fund. If shareholders approve the Reorganization of an Acquired Fund, then all of the assets and liabilities of the Acquired Fund will be acquired by the corresponding Acquiring Fund and your shares of the Acquired Fund will be converted into shares of the Acquiring Fund.

The Trust is a multiple series trust that offers a number of portfolios managed by separate investment advisors and/or sub-advisors. IMST II is a multiple series trust that offers a number of portfolios managed by separate investment advisors and/or sub-advisors. IMST II is not affiliated with the Trust or ACM. The Trust and IMST II have different Boards of Trustees. Custody, administration, accounting, transfer agency, and distribution services ("Third Party Service Arrangements") are provided to the Trust and IMST II by the following entities:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | Trust | IMST II |
| **Administrator** | Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC<br>225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450<br> Cincinnati, Ohio 45246 | Mutual Fund Administration, LLC ("MFAC")<br> 2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226 <br> Glendora, California 91740<br>UMB Fund Services, Inc. ("UMBFS")<br> 235 W. Galena Street<br> Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212 |
| **Distributor** | Northern Lights Distributors, LLC<br> 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100<br> Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022-3474<br>| ALPS Distributors, Inc.<br> 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000<br> Denver, Colorado 80203 |
| **Transfer Agent** | Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC<br>225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450<br> Cincinnati, Ohio 45246<br>| UMB Fund Services, Inc.<br> 235 W. Galena Street<br> Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212 |
| **Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm** | BBD, LLP<br> 1835 Market Street, 3<sup>rd</sup> Floor<br> Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103<br>| Tait, Weller & Baker LLP<br> 50 S 16th Street, Suite 2900<br> Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102<br>|
| **Custodian** | U.S. Bank, N.A.<br> 1555 N. River Center Drive<br> Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212 | UMB Bank, n.a.<br> 928 Grand Boulevard, 5<sup>th</sup> Floor<br> Kansas City, Missouri 64106  |

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The Trust believes that each Reorganization will constitute a "reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The closing of each Reorganization is conditioned upon the receipt by IMST II and the Trust of an opinion to such effect from tax counsel to IMST II. If a Reorganization so qualifies, the applicable Acquired Fund and its shareholders generally will not recognize any gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on the transfer of its assets, the assumption of its liabilities, and its distribution of the applicable Acquiring Fund's shares in the Reorganization.

The Acquired Funds will not pay for the costs of the Reorganizations and the Special Meeting. AXS, MFAC and UMBFS will bear the costs associated with the Reorganizations, Special Meeting, and solicitation of proxies, including the expenses associated with preparing and filing the registration statement that includes this Proxy Statement and the cost of copying, printing and mailing proxy materials. In addition to solicitations by mail, ACM and AXS also may solicit proxies, without special compensation, by telephone or otherwise.

The Board of the Trust, including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Acquired Funds, believes that the terms of the Reorganizations are fair and reasonable and that the interests of existing shareholders of the Acquired Funds will not be diluted as a result of the proposed Reorganizations. In approving the Reorganizations, the Board considered, among other things: (i) the terms of the Reorganizations, including that each Reorganization is expected to constitute a "reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, and the applicable Acquired Fund and its shareholders are generally not expected to recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes in the Reorganization; (ii) that the investment objective, principal investment strategies, policies and risks of each Acquired Fund are the same or substantially similar as those of its corresponding Acquiring Fund; (iii) that the current portfolio managers of the Acquired Funds will become employees of AXS and will continue to serve as a portfolio manager of the respective Acquiring Funds; (iv) that the advisory fees for each Acquired Fund and the corresponding Acquiring Fund are the same, and that the total operating expenses of each Acquiring Fund would be lower than the total expenses of the corresponding Acquired Fund; (v) that AXS had agreed to enter into an expense limitation agreement with each Acquiring Fund comparable to each Acquired Fund's current expense limitation agreement for a period of two years from the date of the Reorganization; (vi) that the Acquired Funds will not bear the cost of the Reorganizations; (vii) the qualifications and experience of the Acquiring Funds' new service providers upon reorganization; (viii) that each Reorganization would not result in the dilution of the applicable shareholders' interests; (ix) that each Reorganization will be submitted to the shareholders of the applicable Acquired Fund for approval; and (x) that shareholders of an Acquired Funds who do not wish to become shareholders of the corresponding Acquiring Fund may redeem their Acquired Fund shares before the Reorganization.

Based on ACM 's recommendation, the Board approved the solicitation of the shareholders of the Acquired Funds to vote on the Reorganization Agreements, the form of which is attached to this Proxy Statement in **<u>Appendix A</u>**.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**B.** **Comparison Fee Tables and Examples** 

The following shows the actual fees and expenses for each Acquired Fund based on the Acquired Fund's assets as of its semi-annual period ended October 31, 2022. As the Acquiring Funds have not yet commenced operations as of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Other Expenses shown for the Acquiring Funds are estimates.

**ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund (Acquired Fund)** 

**AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund (Acquiring Fund)**

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Shareholder Fees** <br> **(fees paid directly from your investment)**  |  | **Acquired** <br> **Fund**<br> **Class A**  |  | **Acquiring** <br> **Fund**<br> **Class A**<br> **(*Pro Forma*)** |
| Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on purchases <br> (as a percentage of offering price)  |  | 5.75% |  | 5.75% |
| Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) <br> (as a percentage of purchase price)  |  |  |  |  |
| Redemption Fee <br> (as a % of amount redeemed if held less than 30 days)  |  | 1.00% |  | 1.00% |
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses** <br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the**<br> **value of your investment)**  |  |  |  |  |
| Management Fees |  | 1.25% |  | 1.25% |
| Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |  | 0.25% |  | 0.25% |
| Other Expenses |  | 0.44% |  | 0.43%<sup>1</sup> |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Short Selling Dividend and Interest Expense | 0.06% |  | 0.06% |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Remaining Other Expenses | 0.38% |  | 0.37% |  |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses** |  | **1.94%** |  | **1.93%** |
| Fees Waived and/or Expenses Reimbursed<sup>2,3</sup> |  | (0.00)% |  | (0.00)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Waiving Fees and/or Reimbursing Expenses<sup>2,3</sup>** |  | **1.94%** |  | **1.93%** |

---

1 "Other Expenses" for the Acquiring Fund have been estimated for the current fiscal year. Actual expenses may differ from estimates.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 2 | The Acquired Fund's advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and reimburse expenses of the Acquired Fund, at least until April 30, 2023, to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (excluding: (i) any front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions; (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (v) taxes; and (vi) extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees, and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the Adviser)), will not exceed 2.40% of the daily average net assets attributable to the Acquired Fund's Class A shares. These fee waivers and expense reimbursements are subject to possible recoupment from the Acquired Fund within three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed, if such recoupment can be achieved within the lesser of the foregoing expense limits and any expense limits in place at time of waiver. This agreement may be terminated only by the Board on 60 days' written notice to the Acquired Fund's advisor. The Acquired Fund's advisor will not seek recoupment of any previously waived fees following the Reorganization of the Acquired Fund.  |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 3 | The Acquiring Fund's advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of the Acquiring Fund to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-1A), professional fees related to services for the collection of foreign tax reclaims, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.40% of the average daily net assets of Class A shares of the Acquiring Fund. This agreement is in effect for a period of two years from the date of the Reorganization, and it may be terminated before that date only by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Acquiring Fund's advisor is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Acquiring Fund, subject to certain limitations, of fees waived or payments made by the advisor to the Acquiring Fund for a period ending three years after the date of the waiver or payment. Such reimbursement may be requested from the Acquiring Fund if the reimbursement will not cause the Acquiring Fund's annual expense ratio to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time such fees were waived or payments made, or (b) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement. Reimbursements of fees waived or payments made will be made on a "first in, first out" basis so that the oldest fees waived or payments are satisfied first. |

---

**ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund (Acquired Fund)** 

**AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund (Acquiring Fund)**

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Shareholder Fees** <br> **(fees paid directly from your investment)**  | | **Acquired** <br> **Fund** <br> **Class I**  | | **Acquiring**<br> **Fund**<br> **Class I**<br> **(*Pro Forma*)** |
| Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on purchases <br> (as a percentage of offering price)  |  |  |  |  |
| Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) <br> (as a percentage of purchase price)  |  |  |  |  |
| Redemption Fee <br> (as a % of amount redeemed if held less than 30 days)  |  | 1.00% |  | 1.00% |
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses** <br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the**<br> **value of your investment)** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses** <br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the**<br> **value of your investment)** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses** <br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the**<br> **value of your investment)** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses** <br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the**<br> **value of your investment)** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses** <br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the**<br> **value of your investment)** |
| Management Fees |  | 1.25% |  | 1.25% |
| Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |  |  |  |  |
| Other Expenses |  | 0.44% |  | 0.43%<sup>1</sup> |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Short Selling Dividend and Interest Expense | 0.06% |  | 0.06% |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Remaining Other Expenses | 0.38% |  | 0.37% |  |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses** |  | **1.69%** |  | **1.68%** |
| Fees Waived and/or Expenses Reimbursed<sup>2,3</sup> |  | (0.00)% |  | (0.00)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Waiving Fees and/or Reimbursing Expenses<sup>2,3</sup>** |  | **1.69%** |  | **1.68%** |

---

1 "Other Expenses" for the Acquiring Fund have been estimated for the current fiscal year. Actual expenses may differ from estimates.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 2 | The Acquired Fund's advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and reimburse expenses of the Acquired Fund, at least until April 30, 2023, to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (excluding: (i) any front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions; (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (v) taxes; and (vi) extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees, and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the Adviser)), will not exceed 2.15% of the daily average net assets attributable to the Acquired Fund's Class I shares. These fee waivers and expense reimbursements are subject to possible recoupment from the Acquired Fund within three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed, if such recoupment can be achieved within the lesser of the foregoing expense limits and any expense limits in place at time of waiver. This agreement may be terminated only by the Board on 60 days' written notice to the Acquired Fund's advisor. The Acquired Fund's advisor will not seek recoupment of any previously waived fees following the Reorganization of the Acquired Fund.<br>|

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---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 3 | The Acquiring Fund's advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of the Acquiring Fund to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-1A), professional fees related to services for the collection of foreign tax reclaims, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.15% of the average daily net assets of Class I shares of the Acquiring Fund. This agreement is in effect for a period of two years from the date of the Reorganization, and it may be terminated before that date only by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Acquiring Fund's advisor is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Acquiring Fund, subject to certain limitations, of fees waived or payments made by the advisor to the Acquiring Fund for a period ending three years after the date of the waiver or payment. Such reimbursement may be requested from the Fund if the reimbursement will not cause the Acquiring Fund's annual expense ratio to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time such fees were waived or payments made, or (b) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement. Reimbursements of fees waived or payments made will be made on a "first in, first out" basis so that the oldest fees waived or payments are satisfied first. |

---

**ACM Tactical Income Fund (Acquired Fund)** 

**AXS Tactical Income Fund (Acquiring Fund)**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Shareholder Fees** <br> **(fees paid directly from your investment)**  | **Acquired**<br> **Fund** <br> **Class A**  | **Acquiring** <br> **Fund** <br> **Class A** <br> **(*Pro Forma*)**  |
| Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on purchases <br> (as a percentage of offering price)  | 5.75% | 5.75% |
| Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) <br> (as a percentage of purchase price)  |  |  |
| Redemption Fee <br> (as a % of amount redeemed if held less than 30 days)  | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses** <br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the**<br> **value of your investment)** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses** <br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the**<br> **value of your investment)** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses** <br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the**<br> **value of your investment)** |
| Management Fees | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 0.25% |
| Other Expenses | 0.51% | 0.43%<sup>1</sup> |
| Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses<sup>2</sup> | 1.27% | 1.27%<sup>1</sup> |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses** | **3.03%** | **2.95%** |
| Fees Waived and/or Expenses Reimbursed<sup>3,4</sup> | (0.00)% | (0.00)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Waiving Fees**<sup>3,4</sup> | **3.03%** | **2.95%** |

---

1 "Other Expenses" and "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" for the Acquiring Fund have been estimated for the current fiscal year. Actual expenses may differ from estimates.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 2 | Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies, including exchange traded funds. The operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund's financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund, not the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 3 | The Acquired Fund's advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and reimburse expenses of the Acquired Fund, at least until April 30, 2023, to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (excluding: (i) any front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions; (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (v) taxes; and (vi) extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees, and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the Adviser)), will not exceed 2.25% of the daily average net assets attributable to the Acquired Fund's Class A shares. These fee waivers and expense reimbursements are subject to possible recoupment from the Acquired Fund within three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed, if such recoupment can be achieved within the lesser of the foregoing expense limits and any expense limits in place at time of waiver. This agreement may be terminated only by the Board on 60 days' written notice to the Acquired Fund's advisor. The Acquired Fund's advisor will not seek recoupment of any previously waived fees following the Reorganization of the Acquired Fund. |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 4 | The Acquiring Fund's advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of the Acquiring Fund to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-1A), professional fees related to services for the collection of foreign tax reclaims, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.25% of the average daily net assets of Class A shares of the Acquiring Fund. This agreement is in effect for a period of two years from the date of the Reorganization, and it may be terminated before that date only by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Acquiring Fund's advisor is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Acquiring Fund, subject to certain limitations, of fees waived or payments made by the advisor to the Acquiring Fund for a period ending three years after the date of the waiver or payment. Such reimbursement may be requested from the Acquiring Fund if the reimbursement will not cause the Acquiring Fund's annual expense ratio to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time such fees were waived or payments made, or (b) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement. Reimbursements of fees waived or payments made will be made on a "first in, first out" basis so that the oldest fees waived or payments are satisfied first. |

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**ACM Tactical Income Fund (Acquired Fund)**

**AXS Tactical Income Fund (Acquiring Fund)**

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Shareholder Fees** <br> **(fees paid directly from your investment)**  | **Acquired**<br> **Fund** <br> **Class I**  | **Acquiring** <br> **Fund** <br> **Class I**<br> **(*Pro Forma*)**  |
| Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on purchases<br> (as a percentage of offering price)  |  |  |
| Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)<br> (as a percentage of purchase price) |  |  |
| Redemption Fee<br> (as a % of amount redeemed if held less than 30 days) | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses**<br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the**<br> **value of your investment)**  | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses**<br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the**<br> **value of your investment)**  | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses**<br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the**<br> **value of your investment)**  |
| Management Fees | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |  |  |
| Other Expenses | 0.51% | 0.43%<sup>1</sup> |
| Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses<sup>2</sup> | 1.27% | 1.27%<sup>1</sup> |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses** | **2.78%** | **2.70%** |
| Fees Waived and/or Expenses Reimbursed<sup>3,4</sup> | (0.00)% | (0.00)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Waiving Fees**<sup>3,4</sup> | **2.78%** | **2.70%** |

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1 "Other Expenses" and "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" for the Acquiring Fund have been estimated for the current fiscal year. Actual expenses may differ from estimates.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 2 | Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies, including exchange traded funds. The operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund's financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund, not the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 3 | The Acquired Fund's advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and reimburse expenses of the Acquired Fund, at least until April 30, 2023, to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (excluding: (i) any front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions; (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (v) taxes; and (vi) extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees, and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the Adviser)), will not exceed 2.00% of the daily average net assets attributable to the Acquired Fund's Class I shares. These fee waivers and expense reimbursements are subject to possible recoupment from the Acquired Fund within three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed, if such recoupment can be achieved within the lesser of the foregoing expense limits and any expense limits in place at time of waiver. This agreement may be terminated only by the Board on 60 days' written notice to the Acquired Fund's advisor. The Acquired Fund's advisor will not seek recoupment of any previously waived fees following the Reorganization of the Acquired Fund.<br>|

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4) The Acquiring Fund's advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of the Acquiring Fund to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-1A), professional fees related to services for the collection of foreign tax reclaims, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.00% of the average daily net assets of Class I shares of the Acquiring Fund. This agreement is in effect for a period of two years from the date of the Reorganization, and it may be terminated before that date only by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Acquiring Fund's advisor is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Acquiring Fund, subject to certain limitations, of fees waived or payments made by the advisor to the Acquiring Fund for a period ending three years after the date of the waiver or payment. Such reimbursement may be requested from the Acquiring Fund if the reimbursement will not cause the Acquiring Fund's annual expense ratio to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time such fees were waived or payments made, or (b) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement. Reimbursements of fees waived or payments made will be made on a "first in, first out" basis so that the oldest fees waived or payments are satisfied first.

**<u>Example</u>**

The Example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in each Acquired Fund with the cost of investing in the corresponding Acquiring Fund on a pro forma basis. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in a Fund and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return, that each Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses remain as stated in the previous table and that distributions are reinvested. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be as follows, if you redeem your shares:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund** | **One Year** | **Three Years** | **Five Years** | **Ten Years** |
| Acquired Fund – Class A Shares | $761 | $1149 | $1562 | $2709 |
| Acquiring Fund - Class A Shares *(Pro forma)* | $760 | $1146 | $1557 | $2699 |
| Acquired Fund - Class I Shares | $172 | $533 | $918 | $1998 |
| Acquiring Fund - Class I Shares *(Pro forma)* | $171 | $530 | $913 | $1987 |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **ACM Tactical Income Fund** | **One Year** | **Three Years** | **Five Years** | **Ten Years** |
| Acquired Fund – Class A Shares | $864 | $1458 | $2076 | $3730 |
| Acquiring Fund - Class A Shares *(Pro forma)* | $856 | $1435 | $2038 | $3658 |
| Acquired Fund - Class I Shares | $281 | $863 | $1470 | $3111 |
| Acquiring Fund - Class I Shares *(Pro forma)* | $273 | $838 | $1430 | $3032 |

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**C.** **The Funds' Investment Objectives, Principal Investment Strategies and Risks** 

The investment objectives of each Acquired Fund and the corresponding Acquiring Fund are the same. The principal strategies and risks and the investment limitations and restrictions of each Acquired Fund and the corresponding Acquiring Fund are substantially similar. Each Fund's investment objective, principal investment strategies and risks, as well as each Fund's investment limitations and restrictions, are discussed in more detail below.

***Comparison of Investment Objectives***

The investment objective of each Acquired Fund and the corresponding Acquiring Fund are the same. Each Fund's investment objective is non-fundamental and may be changed by the respective Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, upon at least 60 days' prior written notice to shareholders.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired/Acquiring Fund** | **Investment Objective** |
| ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund/AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund | Seeks long-term capital appreciation with a short-term focus on capital appreciation. |
| ACM Tactical Income Fund/AXS Tactical Income Fund | Seeks to generate income, with capital preservation as a secondary objective. |

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***Comparison of Principal Investment Strategies***

The principal investment strategies of each Acquired Fund are substantially similar to the principal investment strategies of the corresponding Acquiring Fund. Each Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by using the following strategies.

**<u>ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund/AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund</u>:** The principal investment strategies of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund and the AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund are as follows:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund** | **AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund** |
| The Acquired Fund invests in domestic and foreign (including emerging markets) equity securities of any market capitalization. The Fund may also take long or short positions in index exchange traded funds ("ETFs") to hedge the Acquired Fund's equity portfolio.<br>The Acquired Fund's advisor, Ascendant Capital Management, LLC d/b/a ACM (the "Advisor"), selects equity securities for the Fund that are experiencing meaningful breakouts. A "breakout" is a significant movement that involves a combination of price and trading volume in a given security. The Advisor further screens these breakout candidates to ensure they meet certain fundamental and technical criteria as determined by the Advisor such as the earnings per share growth, revenue growth, and upward revisions of estimates and profitability of the issuers of the securities. The Advisor will sell a security when it drops a certain percentage from its purchase price ("stop-loss"), or if the price drops below a key technical level (such as the 50 day moving price average for the security) in combination with a rise in trading volume. The Acquired Fund has no set holding period for any security and actively trades its portfolio investments, which may result in a high portfolio turnover rate. | The Acquiring Fund invests in domestic and foreign (including emerging markets) equity securities of any market capitalization. The Fund may also take long or short positions in index exchange traded funds ("ETFs") to hedge the Acquiring Fund's equity portfolio.<br>The Acquiring Fund's advisor, AXS Investments, LLC (the "Advisor"), selects equity securities for the Fund that are experiencing meaningful breakouts. A "breakout" is a significant movement that involves a combination of price and trading volume in a given security. The Advisor further screens these breakout candidates to ensure they meet certain fundamental and technical criteria as determined by the Advisor such as earnings per share growth, revenue growth, and upward revisions of estimates and profitability of the issuers of the securities. The Advisor intends to sell a security when its price drops a certain percentage from its purchase price ("stop-loss"), or if the price drops below a key technical level (such as the 50-day moving price average for the security) in combination with a rise in trading volume. The Acquiring Fund has no set holding period for any security and actively trades its portfolio investments, which may result in a high portfolio turnover rate. |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| The Acquired Fund's investment strategies for short positions can include: (1) selling short an ETF or other security that tracks a broad or narrow market index, in hopes of buying the security at a future date at a lower price; (2) selling short common stocks; (3) buying a put option on an ETF or other security that tracks a broad or narrow market index; (4) buying an ETF or other security that is designed to appreciate in value when the value of a broad or narrow market index declines; (5) selling a covered call option on a security that the Acquired Fund owns for the duration of the option period; and (6) holding a short position in an ETF or other security that tracks a broad or narrow market index and adding to the Acquired Fund's long positions in particular stocks by a corresponding amount.<br>The use of short positions or "hedges" is designed to adjust the overall net exposure of the portfolio to limit the Acquired Fund's downside exposure to declines in the overall market. A fund's net exposure is the percentage of assets invested in long positions minus the percentage of assets invested in short positions ("hedges"). The net long exposure of the Acquired Fund can fluctuate anywhere between 0% long and 100% long. For example, if the Acquired Fund is 50% invested in long positions while simultaneously being 50% invested in hedges, the net long exposure would equal zero percent. The Advisor monitors numerous broad market indexes and several key moving averages. Short positions will be taken off as select market indexes rise above certain moving averages as identified by the Advisor. | The Acquiring Fund's investment strategies for short positions can include: (1) selling short an ETF or other security that tracks a broad or narrow market index, in hopes of buying the security at a future date at a lower price; (2) selling short common stocks; (3) buying a put option on an ETF or other security that tracks a broad or narrow market index; (4) buying an ETF or other security that is designed to appreciate in value when the value of a broad or narrow market index declines; (5) selling a covered call option on a security that the Acquiring Fund owns for the duration of the option period; and (6) holding a short position in an ETF or other security that tracks a broad or narrow market index and adding to the Acquiring Fund's long positions in particular stocks by a corresponding amount.<br>The use of short positions or "hedges" is designed to adjust the overall net exposure of the portfolio to limit the Acquiring Fund's downside exposure to declines in the overall market. A fund's net exposure is the percentage of assets invested in long positions minus the percentage of assets invested in short positions ("hedges"). The net long exposure of the Acquiring Fund can fluctuate anywhere between 0% long and 100% long. For example, if the Acquiring Fund is 50% invested in long positions while simultaneously being 50% invested in hedges, the net long exposure would equal zero percent. The Advisor monitors numerous broad market indexes and several key moving averages and intends to close short positions as select market indexes rise above certain moving averages as identified by the Advisor. |

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**<u>ACM Tactical Income Fund/AXS Tactical Fund</u>**: The principal investment strategies of the ACM Tactical Income Fund and the AXS Tactical Income Fund are as follows:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Tactical Income Fund** | **AXS Tactical Income Fund** |
| The Acquired Fund invests in income-oriented exchange traded funds ("ETFs") that invest in (i) bonds, bank loans, floating rate bonds and debt and municipal debt issued by domestic, foreign and emerging market issuers; (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the United States government, its agencies or instrumentalities, including U.S. treasuries (with an average duration of 1-20 years); and (iii) cash and cash equivalents (including money market funds). The ETFs' investments can include high-yield instruments ("junk bonds"). The Acquiring Fund may also invest in these types of securities directly. The Acquired Fund considers emerging market issues to be those of countries represented in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. <br>ACM Capital Management, LLC (the "Advisor") uses a proprietary tactical allocation model to move to cash investments when market conditions become unfavorable. The Acquired Fund invests directly or indirectly in securities of any maturity, duration or credit quality when the model determines that the market for those securities is stable or trending upwards and either U. S. Treasuries or cash and cash equivalents when the model determines that the market for those securities is trending downwards. By tactically allocating its investments among the securities described above, the Acquired Fund seeks to reduce its exposure to declines in the market, thereby potentially limiting portfolio volatility in down-trending markets. Duration is a measure used to determine the sensitivity of a security's price to changes in interest rates. The longer a security's duration, the more sensitive it will be to changes in interest rates. For example, if a bond has a duration of 5 years, a 1% rise in rates would result in a 5% decline in share price. If a bond has a duration of 10 years, a 1% rise in interest rates would result in a 10% decline in share price. Maturity is the date on which a stock issuer must repay the original principal borrowed from a shareholder. For example, if a security has a maturity of 5 years, the issuer will pay the investor the face value of the security 5 years after its purchase.<br>The Advisor's model takes into account macro market data and other market-based inputs and metrics to identify market trends. When making investment decisions for the Acquired Fund, the portfolio managers consider both the outputs of the model as well as an assessment of current market conditions, the average credit quality of the portfolio, the average duration of the portfolio and other factors. When the Acquired Fund is invested in high yield instruments, the portfolio managers consider the net returns of those high yield instruments relative to the risk they pose. | The Acquiring Fund invests in income-oriented exchange traded funds ("ETFs") that invest in (i) bonds, bank loans, floating rate bonds and debt and municipal debt issued by domestic, foreign and emerging market issuers; (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the United States government, its agencies or instrumentalities, including U.S. treasuries (with an average duration of 1-20 years); and (iii) cash and cash equivalents (including money market funds). The ETFs' investments can include high-yield instruments ("junk bonds"). The Acquiring Fund may also invest in these types of securities directly. The Acquiring Fund considers emerging market issues to be those of countries represented in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.<br>The Acquiring Fund's advisor, AXS Investments LLC (the "Advisor"), uses a proprietary tactical allocation model to invest the Acquiring Fund's assets in cash investments when market conditions become unfavorable. The Acquiring Fund invests directly or indirectly in securities of any maturity, duration or credit quality when the model determines that the market for those securities is stable or trending upwards and either Treasuries or cash and cash equivalents when the model determines that the market for those securities is trending downwards. By tactically allocating its investments among the securities described above, the Acquiring Fund seeks to reduce its exposure to declines in the market, thereby potentially limiting portfolio volatility in down-trending markets. Duration is a measure used to determine the sensitivity of a security's price to changes in interest rates. The longer a security's duration, the more sensitive it will be to changes in interest rates. For example, if a bond has a duration of five years, a 1% rise in rates would result in a 5% decline in share price. If a bond has a duration of ten years, a 1% rise in interest rates would result in a 10% decline in share price. Maturity is the date on which a stock issuer must repay the original principal borrowed from a shareholder. For example, if a security has a maturity of five years, the issuer will pay the investor the face value of the security five years after its purchase.<br>|

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| The Acquired Fund may use options such as covered calls or protective puts on positions to reduce risk. | The Advisor's model considers macro market data and other market-based inputs and metrics to identify market trends. When making investment decisions for the Acquiring Fund, the portfolio managers consider both the outputs of the model as well as an assessment of current market conditions, the average credit quality of the portfolio, the average duration of the portfolio and other factors. When the Acquiring Fund is invested in high yield instruments, the portfolio managers consider the net returns of those high yield instruments relative to the risk they pose.<br>The Acquiring Fund may also use options such as covered calls or protective puts on positions to reduce risk. |

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***Comparison of Principal Investment Risks***

This section will help you compare the risks of each Acquired Fund and the corresponding Acquiring Fund are set forth in the following tables. Although the Funds describe and organize them differently, the principal risks associated with investments in each Acquired Fund and the corresponding Acquiring Fund are generally similar because the Funds have identical investment objectives and substantially similar investment strategies.

**<u>ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund/AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund</u>:** Unlike the Acquired Fund, the Acquiring Fund includes "Equity Risk" and "COVID-19 Related Market Risk" as principal risks. The risks of the Funds are described in their respective prospectuses as follows:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund** | **AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund** |
| **Market and Geopolitical Risk.** 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. Securities in the Fund's portfolio may underperform due to inflation (or expectations for inflation), interest rates, global demand for particular products or resources, natural disasters, climate change and climate-related events, pandemics, epidemics, terrorism, regulatory events and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years may result in market volatility and may have long term effects on both the U.S. and global financial markets. | **Market Risk.** The market price of a security or instrument may decline, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions throughout the world, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on a security or instrument. The market value of a security or instrument also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund** | **AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund** |
| *No corresponding risk.* | **Equity Risk.** The value of the equity securities held by the Acquiring Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the Acquiring Fund participate, or factors relating to specific companies in which the Acquiring Fund invests. |
| **Currency Risk.** If the Acquired Fund invests in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, foreign currencies, it will be subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. As a result, the Acquired Fund's investments in foreign currency-denominated securities may reduce the Acquired Fund's returns. | *Same as the Acquired Fund.* |
| **Derivatives Risk.** The Fund's use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities including leverage risk and counterparty default risk. | **Derivatives Risk**. Derivatives include instruments and contracts that are based on and valued in relation to one or more underlying securities, financial benchmarks, indices, or other reference obligations or measures of value. Using derivatives, such as options, exposes the Fund to additional or heightened risks, including leverage risk, liquidity risk, valuation risk, market risk, counterparty risk, and credit risk. Derivatives transactions can be highly illiquid and difficult to unwind or value, they can increase Fund volatility, and changes in the value of a derivative held by the Fund may not correlate with the value of the underlying instrument or the Fund's other investments. Many of the risks applicable to trading the instruments underlying derivatives are also applicable to derivatives trading. However, derivatives are subject to additional risks such as operational risk, including settlement issues, and legal risk, including that underlying documentation is incomplete or ambiguous. For derivatives that are required to be cleared by a regulated clearinghouse, other risks may arise from the Fund's relationship with a brokerage firm through which it submits derivatives trades for clearing, including in some cases from other clearing customers of the brokerage firm. |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund** | **AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund** |
| **Options Risk.** Purchased put options may decline in value or expire worthless and may have imperfect correlation to the value of the Fund's portfolio securities. Written call and put options may limit the Fund's participation in equity market gains and may amplify losses in market declines. The Fund's losses are potentially large in a written put or call transaction. If unhedged, written calls expose the Fund to potentially unlimited losses.<br>| **Options Risk**. Purchasing and writing put and call options are highly specialized activities and entail greater than ordinary investment risks. The Fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on an option if changes in its value do not correspond as anticipated to changes in the value of the underlying securities. If the Fund is not able to sell an option held in its portfolio, it would have to exercise the option to realize any profit and would incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of the underlying securities. Ownership of options involves the payment of premiums, which may adversely affect the Fund's performance. To the extent that the Fund invests in over-the-counter options, the Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk. |
| **Foreign Investment Risk.** Foreign investing involves risks not typically associated with U.S. investments, including adverse fluctuations in foreign currency values, adverse political, social and economic developments, less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards. Investing in emerging markets imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in foreign developed countries.  | **Foreign Investment Risk**. The prices of foreign securities may be more volatile than the prices of securities of U.S. issuers because of economic and social conditions abroad, political developments, and changes in the regulatory environments of foreign countries. Changes in exchange rates and interest rates, and the imposition of sanctions, confiscations, trade restrictions (including tariffs) and other government restrictions by the United States and/or other governments may adversely affect the values of the Fund's foreign investments. Foreign companies are generally subject to different legal and accounting standards than U.S. companies, and foreign financial intermediaries may be subject to less supervision and regulation than U.S. financial firms. |
| **Emerging Market Risk.** Investing in emerging markets involves not only the risks described below with respect to foreign investing, but also other risks, including exposure to economic structures that are generally less diverse and mature, limited availability and reliability of information material to an investment decision, and exposure to political systems that can be expected to have less stability than those of developed countries. The market for the securities of issuers in emerging markets typically is small, and a low or nonexistent trading volume in those securities may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility. | **Emerging Markets Risk**. Many of the risks with respect to foreign investments are more pronounced for investments in issuers in developing or emerging market countries. Emerging market countries tend to have more government exchange controls, more volatile interest and currency exchange rates, less market regulation, and less developed and less stable economic, political and legal systems than those of more developed countries. There may be less publicly available and reliable information about issuers in emerging markets than is available about issuers in more developed markets. In addition, emerging market countries may experience high levels of inflation and may have less liquid securities markets and less efficient trading and settlement systems. |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund** | **AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund** |
| **ETF Risk.** ETFs are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in stocks. ETFs are subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of the ETF. | **ETF Risk**. Investing in an ETF will provide the Fund with exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based and will expose the Fund to risks similar to those of investing directly in those securities. Shares of ETFs typically trade on securities exchanges and may at times trade at a premium or discount to their net asset values. In addition, an ETF may not replicate exactly the performance of the benchmark index it seeks to track for a number of reasons, including transaction costs incurred by the ETF, the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or discrepancies between the ETF and the index with respect to the weighting of securities or the number of securities held. Investing in ETFs, which are investment companies, involves duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs. |
| **Issuer-Specific Risk.** The value of a specific security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and may perform worse than the market as a whole. | **Issuer-Specific Risk.** The value of a specific security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and may perform worse than the market as a whole. |
| **Large Capitalization Risk.** Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller capitalization companies. During different market cycles, the performance of large capitalization companies has trailed the overall performance of the broader securities markets. | **Large-Cap Company Risk.** Larger, more established companies may be unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies during periods of economic expansion.<br>|
| **Small and Medium Capitalization Risk.** The earnings and prospects of small and medium sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Small and medium sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience. | **Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Company Risk**. The securities of small-capitalization and mid-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements and may have lower trading volumes or more erratic trading than securities of larger, more established companies or market averages in general. In addition, such companies typically are more likely to be adversely affected than large capitalization companies by changes in earning results, business prospects, investor expectations or poor economic or market conditions. |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund** | **AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund** |
| **Management Risk.** The Advisor's reliance on its strategy and judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular securities and the tactical allocation among the Fund's investments may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results. | **Management and Strategy Risk.** The value of your investment depends on the judgment of the Fund's advisor about the quality, relative yield, value or market trends affecting a particular security, industry, sector or region, which may prove to be incorrect. |
| **Portfolio Turnover Risk.** Increased portfolio turnover causes the Fund to incur higher brokerage costs, which may adversely affect the Fund's performance and may produce increased taxable distributions. | **Portfolio Turnover Risk.** Active and frequent trading of the Fund's portfolio securities may lead to higher transaction costs and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions than would otherwise be the case, which could negatively affect the Fund's performance. A high rate of portfolio turnover is 100% or more. |
| **Short Selling Risk.** The Fund will incur a loss as a result of a short position if the price of the short position instrument increases in value between the date of the short position sale and the date on which an offsetting position is purchased. Short positions may be considered speculative transactions and involve special risks, including greater reliance on the ability to accurately anticipate the future value of a security or instrument. The Fund's losses are potentially large in a short position transaction. | **Short Sales Risk**. In connection with a short sale of a security or other instrument, the Fund is subject to the risk that instead of declining, the price of the security or other instrument sold short will rise. If the price of the security or other instrument sold short increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the security or other instrument borrowed to make the short sale, the Fund will experience a loss, which is theoretically unlimited since there is a theoretically unlimited potential for the market price of a security or other instrument sold short to increase. |
| *No corresponding risk.* | **Recent Market Events.** Periods of market volatility may occur in response to market events and other economic, political, and global macro factors. The COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and higher inflation have resulted in extreme volatility in the financial markets, economic downturns around the world, and severe losses, particularly to some sectors of the economy and individual issuers, and reduced liquidity of certain instruments. These events have caused significant disruptions to business operations, including business closures; strained healthcare systems; disruptions to supply chains and employee availability; large fluctuations in consumer demand; large expansion of government deficits and debt as a result of government actions to mitigate the effects of such events; and widespread uncertainty regarding the long-term effects of such events. |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund** | **AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund** |
|  | <br> Governments and central banks, including the Federal Reserve in the United States, took extraordinary and unprecedented actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including by keeping interest rates at historically low levels for an extended period. The Federal Reserve concluded its market support activities in 2022 and began to raise interest rates in an effort to fight inflation. The Federal Reserve may determine to raise interest rates further. This and other government intervention into the economy and financial markets to address the pandemic, inflation, or other significant events in the future, may not work as intended, particularly if the efforts are perceived by investors as being unlikely to achieve the desired results.<br>Such events could be prolonged and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund's investments, impair the Fund's ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund's performance. Other market events may cause similar disruptions and effects. |

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**<u>ACM Tactical Income Fund/AXS Tactical Income Fund</u>:** Unlike the Acquired Fund, the Acquiring Fund includes "Currency Risk", "Derivatives Risk" and "COVID-19 Related Market Risk" as principal risks. Unlike the Acquiring Fund, the Acquired Fund includes "Preferred Stock Risk" as a principal risk. The risks of the Funds are described in their respective prospectuses as follows:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Tactical Income Fund** | **AXS Tactical Income Fund** |
| **Market and Geopolitical Risk.** 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. Securities in the Fund's portfolio may underperform due to inflation (or expectations for inflation), interest rates, global demand for particular products or resources, natural disasters, climate change and climate-related events, pandemics, epidemics, terrorism, regulatory events and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years may result in market volatility and may have long term effects on both the U.S. and global financial markets. | **Market Risk**. The market price of a security or instrument may decline, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions throughout the world, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on a security or instrument. The market value of a security or instrument also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry.  |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Tactical Income Fund** | **AXS Tactical Income Fund** |
| **ETF Risk.** ETFs are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in stocks. ETFs are subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of the ETF.<br>| **ETF Risk.** Investing in an ETF will provide the Fund with exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based and will expose the Fund to risks similar to those of investing directly in those securities. Shares of ETFs typically trade on securities exchanges and may at times trade at a premium or discount to their net asset values. In addition, an ETF may not replicate exactly the performance of the benchmark index it seeks to track for a number of reasons, including transaction costs incurred by the ETF, the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or discrepancies between the ETF and the index with respect to the weighting of securities or the number of securities held. Investing in ETFs, which are investment companies, involves duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs.  |
| **Fixed Income Risk.** When the Fund invests in fixed income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates may cause a decline in the value of fixed income securities or equity options owned by the Fund. In general, the market place of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments). These risks could affect the value of a particular instrument by the Fund, possibly causing the Fund's share price and total return to be reduced and fluctuate more than other types of investments. Recently, interest rates have been historically low. Current conditions may result in a rise in interest rates, which in turn may result in a decline in the value of the bond investments held by the Fund. As a result, for the present, interest rate risk may be heightened. | **Fixed Income Securities Risk**. The prices of fixed income securities respond to economic developments, particularly interest rate changes, as well as to changes in an issuer's credit rating or market perceptions about the creditworthiness of an issuer. Generally fixed income securities decrease in value if interest rates rise and increase in value if interest rates fall, and longer-term and lower rated securities are more volatile than shorter-term and higher rated securities.<br>|

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Tactical Income Fund** | **AXS Tactical Income Fund** |
| **Bank Loan Risk.** The market for bank loans may not be highly liquid and the Fund may have difficulty selling them. These investments expose the Fund to the credit risk of both the financial institution and the underlying borrower. | *Same as the Acquired Fund.* |
| **Credit Risk.** The risk that the Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a fixed income security is unwilling or unable to make timely payments to meet is contractual obligations. | **Credit Risk.** If an issuer or guarantor of a debt security held by the Fund or a counterparty to a financial contract with the Fund defaults or is downgraded or is perceived to be less creditworthy, or if the value of the assets underlying a security declines, the value of the Fund's portfolio will typically decline. |
| **Cash and Cash Equivalents Risk.** When the Fund is out of the market and invests in cash and cash equivalents, there is a risk that the market will begin to rise rapidly, and the Fund will not be able to reinvest its cash positions into areas of the advancing market quickly enough to capture the initial returns of changing market conditions. | *Same as the Acquired Fund.*<br>|
| **Floating Rate Risk.** Changes in short-term market interest rates will directly affect the yield on Fund shares whose investments are normally invested in floating rate debt. If short-term market interest rates fall, the yield on the Fund's shares will also fall. Conversely, when short-term market interest rates rise, because of the lag between changes in such short-term rates and the resetting of the floating rates on the floating rate debt in the Fund's portfolio, the impact of rising rates will be delayed to the extent of such lag. | *Same as the Acquired Fund.* |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Tactical Income Fund** | **AXS Tactical Income Fund** |
| **Foreign Investment Risk.** Foreign investing involves risks not typically associated with U.S. investments, including adverse fluctuations in foreign currency values, adverse political, social and economic developments, less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards. Investing in emerging markets imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in foreign developed countries. | **Foreign Investment Risk**. The prices of foreign securities may be more volatile than the prices of securities of U.S. issuers because of economic and social conditions abroad, political developments, and changes in the regulatory environments of foreign countries. Changes in exchange rates and interest rates, and the imposition of sanctions, confiscations, trade restrictions (including tariffs) and other government restrictions by the United States and/or other governments may adversely affect the values of the Fund's foreign investments. Foreign companies are generally subject to different legal and accounting standards than U.S. companies, and foreign financial intermediaries may be subject to less supervision and regulation than U.S. financial firms. |
| **Emerging Market Risk.** Investing in emerging markets involves not only the risks described below with respect to foreign investing, but also other risks, including exposure to economic structures that are generally less diverse and mature, limited availability and reliability of information material to an investment decision, and exposure to political systems that can be expected to have less stability than those of developed countries. The market for the securities of issuers in emerging markets typically is small, and a low or nonexistent trading volume in those securities may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility.<br>| **Emerging Markets Risk.** Many of the risks with respect to foreign investments are more pronounced for investments in issuers in developing or emerging market countries. Emerging market countries tend to have more government exchange controls, more volatile interest and currency exchange rates, less market regulation, and less developed and less stable economic, political and legal systems than those of more developed countries. There may be less publicly available and reliable information about issuers in emerging markets than is available about issuers in more developed markets. In addition, emerging market countries may experience high levels of inflation and may have less liquid securities markets and less efficient trading and settlement systems. |
| **High-Yield Fixed Income Risk.** The fixed income securities held by the Fund that are rated below investment grade are subject to additional risk factors such as increased possibility of default, illiquidity of the security, and changes in value based on public perception of the issuer. Such securities are generally considered speculative because they present a greater risk of loss, including default, than higher quality fixed income securities. | **High Yield ("Junk") Bond Risk**. High yield bonds are debt securities rated below investment grade (often called "junk bonds"). Junk bonds are speculative, involve greater risks of default, downgrade, or price declines and are more volatile and tend to be less liquid than investment-grade securities. Companies issuing high yield bonds are less financially strong, are more likely to encounter financial difficulties, and are more vulnerable to adverse market events and negative sentiments than companies with higher credit ratings.  |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Tactical Income Fund** | **AXS Tactical Income Fund** |
| *No corresponding risk.* | **Currency Risk.** If the Acquiring Fund invests in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, foreign currencies, it will be subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. As a result, the Acquiring Fund's investments in foreign currency-denominated securities may reduce the Acquiring Fund's returns. |
| **Management Risk.** The Advisor's reliance on its strategy and judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular securities and the tactical allocation among the Fund's investments may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results. | **Management and Strategy Risk.** The value of your investment depends on the judgment of the Fund's advisor about the quality, relative yield, value or market trends affecting a particular security, industry, sector or region, which may prove to be incorrect. |
| **Model Risk.** Like all quantitative analysis, the Advisor's investment model carries a risk that the mathematical model used might be based on one or more incorrect assumptions. Rapidly changing and unforeseen market dynamics could also lead to a decrease in short term effectiveness of the Advisor's algorithmic model. No assurance can be given that the Fund will be successful under all or any market conditions. | *Same as the Acquired Fund.* |
| **Municipal Bond Risk.** The value of municipal bonds that depend on a specific revenue source or general revenue source to fund their payment obligations may fluctuate as a result of changes in the cash flows generated by the revenue source(s) or changes in the priority of the municipal obligation to receive the cash flows generated by the revenue source(s). In addition, changes in federal tax laws or the activity of an issuer may adversely affect the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds. There is no guarantee that a municipality will pay interests or repay principal. | *Same as the Acquired Fund.* |
| *No corresponding risk.* | **Derivatives Risk**. Derivatives include instruments and contracts that are based on and valued in relation to one or more underlying securities, financial benchmarks, indices, or other reference obligations or measures of value. Using derivatives, such as options, exposes the Fund to additional or heightened risks, including leverage risk, liquidity risk, valuation risk, market risk, counterparty risk, and credit risk. Derivatives transactions can be highly illiquid and difficult to unwind or value, they can increase Fund volatility, and changes in the value of a derivative held by the Fund may not correlate with the value of the underlying instrument or the Fund's other investments. Many of the risks applicable to trading the instruments underlying derivatives are also applicable to derivatives trading. However, derivatives are subject to additional risks such as operational risk, including settlement issues, and legal risk, including that underlying documentation is incomplete or ambiguous. For derivatives that are required to be cleared by a regulated clearinghouse, other risks may arise from the Fund's relationship with a brokerage firm through which it submits derivatives trades for clearing, including in some cases from other clearing customers of the brokerage firm.  |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Tactical Income Fund** | **AXS Tactical Income Fund** |
| **Options Risk.** Purchased put options may decline in value or expire worthless and may have imperfect correlation to the value of the Fund's portfolio securities. Written call and put options may limit the Fund's participation in equity market gains and may amplify losses in market declines. The Fund's losses are potentially large in a written put or call transaction. If unhedged, written calls expose the Fund to potentially unlimited losses.<br>| **Options Risk**. Purchasing put and call options are highly specialized activities and entail greater than ordinary investment risks. The Fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on an option if changes in its value do not correspond as anticipated to changes in the value of the underlying securities. If the Fund is not able to sell an option held in its portfolio, it would have to exercise the option to realize any profit and would incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of the underlying securities. Ownership of options involves the payment of premiums, which may adversely affect the Fund's performance. To the extent that the Fund invests in over-the-counter options, the Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk. |
| **Portfolio Turnover Risk.** Increased portfolio turnover causes the Fund to incur higher brokerage costs, which may adversely affect the Fund's performance and may produce increased taxable distributions.<br>| **Portfolio Turnover Risk**. Active and frequent trading of the Fund's portfolio securities may lead to higher transaction costs and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions than would otherwise be the case, which could negatively affect the Fund's performance. A high rate of portfolio turnover is 100% or more. |
| **Preferred Stock Risk**: The value of preferred stocks will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of preferred stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of preferred stock will fail to make its dividend payments. | *No corresponding risk.* |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Tactical Income Fund** | **AXS Tactical Income Fund** |
| **U.S. Government Securities Risk**: Treasury obligations may differ in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance and other characteristics. Obligations of U.S. government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit but generally are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so. In addition, the value of U.S. government securities may be affected by changes in the credit rating of the U.S. government. | **Government-Sponsored Entities Risk**. The Fund's investment in U.S. government obligations may include securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. government, or its agencies or instrumentalities. There can be no assurance that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises) when it is not obligated to do so. |
| *No corresponding risk.* | **Recent Market Events.** Periods of market volatility may occur in response to market events and other economic, political, and global macro factors. The COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and higher inflation have resulted in extreme volatility in the financial markets, economic downturns around the world, and severe losses, particularly to some sectors of the economy and individual issuers, and reduced liquidity of certain instruments. These events have caused significant disruptions to business operations, including business closures; strained healthcare systems; disruptions to supply chains and employee availability; large fluctuations in consumer demand; large expansion of government deficits and debt as a result of government actions to mitigate the effects of such events; and widespread uncertainty regarding the long-term effects of such events.<br>Governments and central banks, including the Federal Reserve in the United States, took extraordinary and unprecedented actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including by keeping interest rates at historically low levels for an extended period. The Federal Reserve concluded its market support activities in 2022 and began to raise interest rates in an effort to fight inflation. The Federal Reserve may determine to raise interest rates further. This and other government intervention into the economy and financial markets to address the pandemic, inflation, or other significant events in the future, may not work as intended, particularly if the efforts are perceived by investors as being unlikely to achieve the desired results. <br>|

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| **ACM Tactical Income Fund** | **AXS Tactical Income Fund** |
| | Such events could be prolonged and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund's investments, impair the Fund's ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund's performance. Other market events may cause similar disruptions and effects. |

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**D.** **Comparison of Investment Restrictions** 

The fundamental limitations of each Acquired Fund and the corresponding Acquiring Fund are set forth in the following table. The fundamental limitations of the Acquired Funds and the corresponding Acquiring Funds are substantially similar. The Acquiring Funds have a fundamental limitation regarding diversification while the Acquired Funds do not. The Acquired Funds have a fundamental limitation with respect to margin purchases while the Acquiring Funds do not. Any differences between the Funds' policies are not expected to materially impact the operation of the Funds. The fundamental limitations may only be amended with shareholder approval.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Policy** | **Acquired Funds'**<br> **Fundamental Investment Policies** | **Acquiring Funds'**<br> **Fundamental Investment Policies** |
| **Issuing Senior Securities and Borrowing** | Each Acquired Fund may not issue senior securities. This limitation is not applicable to activities that may be deemed to involve the issuance or sale of a senior security by the Acquired Funds, provided that the Acquired Funds' engagement in such activities is consistent with or permitted by the 1940 Act, as amended, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or interpretations of the SEC or its staff.<br>Each Acquired Fund may not borrow money, except (a) from a bank, provided that immediately after such borrowing there is an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings of the Acquired Fund; or (b) from a bank or other persons for temporary purposes only, provided that such temporary borrowings are in an amount not exceeding 5% of the Acquired Fund's total assets at the time when the borrowing is made. This limitation does not preclude an Acquired Fund from entering into reverse repurchase transactions, provided that an Acquired Fund has an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings and repurchase commitments of the Acquired Fund pursuant to reverse repurchase transactions. | Each Acquiring Fund may not issue senior securities, borrow money or pledge its assets, except that (i) the Acquiring Fund may borrow from banks in amounts not exceeding one-third of its net assets (including the amount borrowed); and (ii) this restriction shall not prohibit the Acquiring Fund from engaging in options transactions or short sales or investing in financial futures, swaps, when-issued or delayed delivery securities, or reverse repurchase agreements. |
| **Margin Purchases and Underwriting** | Each Acquired Fund may not purchase securities on margin, participate on a joint or joint and several basis in any securities trading account, or underwrite securities. This limitation does not preclude an Acquired Fund from obtaining such short-term credit as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of their portfolio securities, and except to the extent that the Acquired Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act, by virtue of disposing of portfolio securities. | Each Acquiring Fund may not act as underwriter, except to the extent the Acquiring Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter in connection with the sale of securities in its investment portfolio. |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Policy** | **Acquired Funds'**<br> **Fundamental Investment Policies** | **Acquiring Funds'**<br> **Fundamental Investment Policies** |
| **Real Estate** | Each Acquired Fund may not purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate. This limitation is not applicable to investments in marketable securities that are secured by or represent interests in real estate. This limitation does not preclude the Acquired Funds from investing in mortgage-related securities or investing in companies engaged in the real estate business or that have a significant portion of their assets in real estate (including real estate investment trusts).  | Each Acquiring Fund may not purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate or real estate limited partnerships (although each Acquiring Fund may purchase and sell securities which are secured by real estate and securities of companies which invest or deal in real estate, such as real estate investment trusts). |
| **Concentration** | Each Acquired Fund may not invest 25% or more of the market value of its assets in the securities of companies engaged in any one industry (does not apply to investment in the securities of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities).  | Each Acquiring Fund may not invest 25% or more of its total assets, calculated at the time of purchase in any one industry (other than securities issued by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities). |
| **Commodities** | Each Acquired Fund may not purchase or sell commodities (unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments or through commodity forward contracts, futures contracts or options), except that the Acquired Funds may purchase and sell forward and futures contracts and options to the full extent permitted under the 1940 Act, sell foreign currency contracts in accordance with any rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, invest in securities or other instruments backed by commodities, and invest in companies that are engaged in a commodities business or have a significant portion of their assets in commodities. | Each Acquiring Fund may not purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments. This limitation shall not prevent an Acquiring Fund from purchasing, selling or entering into futures contracts, or acquiring securities or other instruments and options thereon backed by, or related to, physical commodities. |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Policy** | **Acquired Funds'**<br> **Fundamental Investment Policies** | **Acquiring Funds'**<br> **Fundamental Investment Policies** |
| **Diversification** | *No corresponding fundamental limitation.<sup>1</sup>* | Each Acquiring Fund may not, with respect to 75% of the Acquiring Fund's total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, (a) more than 5% of the Acquiring Fund's total assets would be invested in the securities of that issuer, or (b) the Acquiring Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. |
| **Loans** | Each Acquired Fund may not make loans to others, except (a) through the purchase of debt securities in accordance with its investment objectives and policies, (b) to the extent the entry into a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan, and (c) by loaning portfolio securities. | Each Acquiring Fund may not make loans of money, except (a) for purchases of debt securities consistent with the investment policies of the Acquiring Fund, (b) by engaging in repurchase agreements, or (c) through the loan of portfolio securities in an amount up to 33 1/3% of the Acquiring Fund's net assets. |

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<sup>1</sup> Although each Acquired Fund does not have a stated fundamental investment limitation regarding diversification, each Acquired Fund considers itself to be a diversified fund under the 1940 Act. This means that with respect to 75% of the Acquired Fund's total assets, the Acquired Fund may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of a single issuer or hold more than 10% of the voting securities of such issuer. This does not apply to investment in the securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.

The Funds observe the following non-fundamental limitations, which may be changed without shareholder vote. The Acquired Funds have non-fundamental limitations with respect to investments in issuers for the purpose to exercise control or management and investments in other investment companies while the Acquiring Funds do not. The non-fundamental limitations of the Acquired Funds and Acquiring Funds with respect to illiquid investments are substantially similar. The Acquired Funds have non-fundamental limitations with respect to pledging assets while the Acquiring Funds have this as a fundamental policy (see *"Issuing Senior Securities and Borrowing"* in the table above).

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Policy** | **Acquired Funds'**<br> **Non-Fundamental Investment Policies** | **Acquiring Funds'** <br> **Non-Fundamental Investment Policies** |
| **Control or Management** | Each Acquired Fund may not invest in any issuer for purposes of exercising control or management. | *No corresponding non-fundamental policy.* |
| **Investment Company** | Each Acquired Fund may not invest in securities of other investment companies except as permitted under the 1940 Act. | *No corresponding non-fundamental policy.* |
| **Illiquid Investments** | Each Acquired Fund may not invest, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets, measured at time of purchase, in securities with legal or contractual restrictions on resale, securities, which are not readily marketable and repurchase agreements with more than seven days to maturity. | Each Acquiring Fund may not invest, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities that the Acquiring Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the securities.  |
| **Pledging** <br> **Assets** | Each Acquired Fund may not mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or in any manner transfer, as security for indebtedness, any assets of the Fund except as may be necessary in connection with borrowings described in the limitation with respect to Borrowing above. Margin deposits, security interests, liens and collateral arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, futures contracts, short sales and other permitted investments and techniques are not deemed to be a mortgage, pledge or hypothecation of assets for purposes of this limitation. | See *"Issuing Senior Securities and Borrowing"* under "Fundamental Investment Policies" above. |

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**E.** **Comparison of Investment Advisory Agreements** 

**Investment Advisory Agreements** 

ACM serves as the investment advisor to the Acquired Funds pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (the "Investment Advisory Agreement") with the Trust. The Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and ACM describes the services ACM provides to the Acquired Funds, which generally include investment research and management for the Acquired Funds and the purchase and sale of securities for the Acquired Funds' portfolios. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, ACM is not liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with any matter related to the Investment Advisory Agreement, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of ACM's duties or obligations under the Investment Advisory Agreement or by reason of ACM's reckless disregard of its duties and obligations under the Investment Advisory Agreement. The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated with respect to an Acquired Fund at any time, without the payment of any penalty: (i) by the Board of the Trust or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Acquired Fund on 60 days' written notice to ACM; or (ii) by ACM on 60 days' written notice to the Trust. The Investment Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board's most recent renewal of each Acquired Fund's advisory agreement is available in the Acquired Funds' annual report dated December 31, 2022.

Pursuant to the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, ACM is entitled to receive, on a monthly basis, the management fees listed in the table below as a percentage of each Acquired Fund's average daily net assets.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Management Fee** |
| ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund | 1.25% |
| ACM Tactical Income Fund | 1.00% |

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ACM has contractually agreed to waive its fees and reimburse expenses of each Acquired Fund, at least until April 30, 2023, to ensure that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement (excluding: (i) any front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions; (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (v) taxes; and (vi) extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees, and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than ACM))), will not exceed 2.40% and 2.15% of the daily average net assets attributable to the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund's Class A and Class I shares, respectively, and 2.25% and 2.00% of the daily average net assets attributable to the ACM Tactical Income Fund's Class A and Class I shares, respectively. These fee waivers and expense reimbursements are subject to possible recoupment by ACM from each Acquired Fund within three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed, if such recoupment can be achieved within the lesser of the foregoing expense limits and any expense limits in place at time of waiver. This agreement may be terminated only by the Board on 60 days' written notice to ACM. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund and ACM Tactical Income Fund paid 1.25% and 1.00% of their average daily net assets to ACM, respectively. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, there were no reimbursements eligible for recoupment by ACM from the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund or the ACM Tactical Income Fund. ACM will not seek recoupment of any previously waived fees following the Reorganization of each Acquired Fund.

Similar to the current Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and ACM, the new investment advisory agreement between IMST II and AXS (the "AXS Investment Advisory Agreement") describes the services AXS will provide to the Acquiring Funds, which are similar to the services currently provided by ACM to the Acquired Funds. AXS is not liable to IMST II under the terms of the AXS Investment Advisory Agreement for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by AXS or IMST II in connection with the performance of the AXS Investment Advisory Agreement, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty by AXS with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on AXS's part in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by AXS of its duties under the AXS Investment Advisory Agreement. The AXS Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated with respect to an Acquiring Fund at any time, without the payment of any penalty: (i) by the Board of IMST II or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Acquiring Fund on 60 days' written notice to AXS; or (ii) by AXS on 60 days' written notice to IMST II. In addition, as with the Investment Advisory Agreement with ACM, the AXS Investment Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically upon its assignment. If a Reorganization is approved by the shareholders of an Acquired Fund, the AXS Investment Advisory Agreement with respect to that Acquiring Fund would go into effect following the Reorganization and would continue in force for a period of two years, unless sooner terminated as provided in the AXS Investment Advisory Agreement. The AXS Investment Advisory Agreement would continue in force from year to year thereafter with respect to the Acquiring Fund so long as it is specifically approved at least annually in the manner required by the 1940 Act.

For its services under the AXS Investment Advisory Agreement, AXS will be entitled to receive, on a monthly basis, the management fees listed in the table below as a percentage of each Acquiring Fund's average daily net assets, which are the same rates that ACM currently is entitled to receive from the Acquired Funds.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Management Fee** |
| AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund | 1.25% |
| AXS Tactical Income Fund | 1.00% |

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AXS has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of the Acquiring Funds to ensure that the total annual fund operating expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with Form N-1A), professional fees related to services for the collection of foreign tax reclaims, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.40% and 2.15% of the average daily net assets of Class A and Class I Shares, respectively, of the AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund, and 2.25% and 2.00% of the average daily net assets of Class A and Class I Shares, respectively, of the AXS Tactical Income Fund. This agreement is effective for a period of two years from the date of the Reorganization, and it may be terminated before that date only by IMST II's Board of Trustees. AXS will be permitted to seek reimbursement from each Acquiring Fund, subject to limitations, of fees waived or payments made to the Acquiring Fund for a period ending three years from the date of any such waiver or payment. This reimbursement may be requested from each Acquiring Fund if the reimbursement will not cause the Acquiring Fund's annual expense ratio to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time such fees were waived or payments made, or (b) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement. Reimbursements of fees waived or payments made will be made on a "first in, first out" basis so that the oldest fees waived or payments are satisfied first. Any such reimbursement is contingent upon the IMST II Board's subsequent review of the reimbursed amounts and no reimbursement may cause the total operating expenses paid by the Acquiring Fund in a fiscal year to exceed the applicable limitation on Acquiring Fund expenses. The Acquiring Fund must pay current ordinary operating expenses before AXS is entitled to any reimbursement of fees and/or Fund expenses.

**Manager of Managers Structure**

AXS and IMST II have received an exemptive order from the SEC which allows AXS to operate the Acquiring Funds under a "manager of managers" structure (the "Order"). Pursuant to the Order, AXS may, subject to the approval of the IMST II Board, hire or replace sub-advisors and modify any existing or future agreement with such sub-advisors without obtaining shareholder approval.

Pursuant to the Order, AXS, with the approval of the IMST II Board, has the discretion to terminate any sub-advisor and allocate and reallocate an Acquiring Fund's assets among AXS and any other sub-advisor. AXS has the ultimate responsibility, subject to the oversight and supervision by the IMST II Board, to oversee any sub-advisor for an Acquiring Fund and to recommend, for approval by the IMST II Board, the hiring, termination and replacement of sub-advisors for an Acquiring Fund. In evaluating a prospective sub-advisor, AXS will consider, among other things, the proposed sub-advisor's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. AXS remains ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-advisor retained to manage an Acquiring Fund. Within 90 days after hiring any new sub-advisor, the respective Acquiring Fund's shareholders will receive information about any new sub-advisory relationships.

Use of the "manager of managers" structure does not diminish AXS's responsibilities to the Acquiring Funds under its AXS Investment Advisory Agreement. AXS has overall responsibility, subject to oversight by the IMST II Board, to oversee the sub-advisors and recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. Specifically, AXS will, subject to the review and approval of the IMST II Board: (a) set an Acquiring Fund's overall investment strategy; (b) evaluate, select and recommend sub-advisors to manage all or a portion of an Acquiring Fund's assets; and (c) implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that each sub-advisor complies with the respective Acquiring Fund's investment goal, policies and restrictions. Subject to the review by the IMST II Board, AXS will: (a) when appropriate, allocate and reallocate an Acquiring Fund's assets among multiple sub-advisors; and (b) monitor and evaluate the performance of the sub-advisors. Replacement of AXS or the imposition of material changes to the Advisory Agreement would continue to require prior shareholder approval.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**F.** **Comparison of Distribution, Shareholder Servicing, Purchase and Redemption Procedures and Valuation Procedures** 

***Distribution and Shareholder Servicing***

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Funds** | **Acquiring Funds** |
| Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, is the Distributor (also known as the principal underwriter) of the shares of the Acquired Funds. | ALPS Distributors, Inc., is the Distributor (also known as the principal underwriter) of the shares of the Acquiring Funds. |
| The Trust, with respect to the Acquired Funds, has adopted a Master Distribution Plan and Agreement pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "Plans") for Class A shares, pursuant to which the Funds are authorized to pay the Distributor, as compensation for Distributor's account maintenance services under the Plans, a distribution and shareholder servicing fee at the rate of up to 0.25% for Class A shares of each Acquired Fund's average daily net assets attributable to the relevant class.<br>Class I Shares are not subject to any distribution fees under the 12b-1 Plan.<br>| IMST II has adopted a plan on behalf of each Acquiring Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan") which allows each Acquiring Fund to pay distribution fees for the sale and distribution of its Class A shares, as applicable, and/or shareholder liaison service fees in connection with the provision of personal services to shareholders of Class A shares and the maintenance of their shareholder accounts. The 12b-1 Plan provides for the payment of such fees at the annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares. Since these fees are paid out of each Acquiring Fund's assets attributable to the Acquiring Fund's Class A shares, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and, over time, may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. The net income attributable to Class A shares, will be reduced by the amount of distribution and shareholder liaison service fees and other expenses of the Acquiring Fund associated with that class of shares.<br>Class I Shares are not subject to any distribution fees under the 12b-1 Plan. |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Funds** | **Acquiring Funds** |
| The Distributor, its affiliates, and ACM may each, at its own expense and out of its own assets, including its legitimate profits, provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Acquired Fund. Financial intermediaries include brokers, financial planners, banks, insurance companies, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators and others. These payments may be in addition to the Rule 12b-1 fees and any sales charges that are disclosed elsewhere in the prospectus. These payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide shareholder or administrative services, or marketing support. Marketing support may include access to sales meetings, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives, inclusion of the Acquired Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs. These payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The Distributor may, from time to time, provide promotional incentives, including reallowance and/or payment of up to the entire sales charge, to certain investment firms. Such incentives may, at the Distributor's discretion, be limited to investment firms who allow their individual selling representatives to participate in such additional commissions. | AXS may pay service fees to intermediaries such as banks, broker-dealers, financial advisors or other financial institutions, some of which may be affiliates, for sub-administration, sub-transfer agency and other shareholder services associated with shareholders whose shares are held of record in omnibus accounts, other group accounts or accounts traded through registered securities clearing agents.<br>AXS, out of its own resources, and without additional cost to an Acquiring Fund or its shareholders, may provide additional cash payments or non-cash compensation to broker-dealers or intermediaries that sell shares of the Acquiring Fund. These additional cash payments are generally made to intermediaries that provide shareholder servicing, marketing support and/or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary. AXS may pay cash compensation for inclusion of the Acquiring Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or in other sales programs, or may pay an expense reimbursement in cases where the intermediary provides shareholder services to the Acquiring Fund's shareholders. AXS may also pay cash compensation in the form of finder's fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of the shares sold. |

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***Purchase, Redemption and Valuation Procedures***

The following table highlights the purchase and redemption policies of each Acquired Fund compared to those of the corresponding Acquiring Funds. Additional information regarding the pricing, purchase and redemption of each Acquiring Fund's shares is included in **<u>Appendix B</u>**.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Acquired Funds** | **Acquiring Funds** |
| ***Minimum Initial Investment and Minimum Additional Investment*** | The minimum initial investment to open an account is $2,000 for Class A shares and the minimum subsequent investment in Class A shares is $500. The minimum initial investment to open an account for Class I shares is $10,000 and the minimum subsequent investment in Class I shares is $500. Each Acquired Fund reserves the right to waive or reduce the above minimum investment requirements at the discretion of the Advisor. Each Acquired Fund may change the investment minimums at any time. | The minimum initial investment to open an account is $2,500 for Class A shares and the minimum subsequent investment in Class A shares is $500 ($100 for automatic investment plans). The minimum initial investment to open an account is $5,000 for Class I shares and there is no minimum subsequent investment. Each Acquiring Fund reserves the right to waive or reduce the above minimum investment requirements at the discretion of the Advisor. Each Acquiring Fund may change the investment minimums at any time. |

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**Acquired Funds** **Acquiring Funds** 

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Acquired Funds** | **Acquiring Funds** |
| | Once the Acquired Fund receives your redemption request in "good order", it will issue a check based on the next determined NAV following your redemption request. If you purchase shares using a check and soon after request a redemption, your redemption request will not be processed until the check used for your purchase has cleared (usually within 10 days) | You may redeem shares of an Acquiring Fund at a price equal to the NAV next determined after the Transfer Agent and/or authorized agent receives your redemption request in good order. Generally, your redemption request cannot be processed on days the NYSE is closed. Redemption proceeds for requests received in good order by the Transfer Agent and/or authorized agent before the close of the regular trading session of the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") (generally, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) will usually be sent to the address of record or the bank you indicate or wired using the wire instructions on record, on the following business day. Payment of redemption proceeds may take longer than typically expected, but will be sent within seven calendar days after the Fund receives your redemption request. If you purchase shares using a check and request a redemption before the check has cleared, an Acquiring Fund may postpone payment of your redemption proceeds up to 15 calendar days while the Fund waits for the check to clear. |
| ***Sales Charge on Class A Shares*** | Each Acquired Fund's Class A shares are subject to a maximum front-end sales load of 5.75%. | *Same as the Acquired Funds.* |
| ***Automatic Investment Plan*** | The Acquired Funds allow investors to establish, an investment plan that automatically debits money from your bank account and invests it in the Acquired Fund. | *Same as the Acquired Funds.* |
| ***Exchanges*** | The Acquired Funds allow you to exchange your Fund shares for shares of the same Class of another fund advised by the ACM. Exchanges are made at net asset value. Exchanges are subject to the terms applicable to purchases of the new fund's shares as set forth in the applicable prospectus. An exchange of shares of any ACM Fund for shares of another ACM Fund will be treated as a sale for federal income tax purposes. | *Same as the Acquired Funds.* |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Acquired Funds** | **Acquiring Funds** |
| ***Low Account Balances*** | If at any time your account balance falls below $1,000, the Acquired Fund may notify you that, unless the account is brought up to at least $1,000 within 30 days of the notice, your account could be closed. | The Acquiring Funds may redeem all of the shares held in your account if your balance falls below the Acquiring Fund's minimum initial investment. The Acquiring Fund will notify you in writing and request that you increase your balance above the minimum initial investment amount within 30 days of the date of the notice. Such automatic redemption will not apply to current Acquired Fund shareholders receiving Acquiring Fund shares in the Reorganization. |
| ***Redemption Fees*** | Each Acquired Fund will deduct a 1.00% redemption fee on your redemption amount if you sell your shares less than 30 days after your purchase. Shares held longest will be treated as being redeemed first and shares held shortest as being redeemed last. Shares held for 30 days or more are not subject to the 1.00% fee. Redemption fees are paid to an Acquired Fund directly and are designed to offset costs associated with fluctuations in the Acquired Fund asset levels and cash flow caused by short-term shareholder trading. | *Same as the Acquired Funds.* |
| ***Payment of Redemption*** <br> ***Proceeds*** | Redemption proceeds are normally paid in cash within seven days after the tender of shares. | *Same as the Acquired Funds.* |
| ***Redemptions In-Kind*** | Each Acquired Fund reserves the right to honor requests for redemption or repurchase orders by making payment in whole or in part in readily marketable securities ("redemption in kind") if the amount of such a request is greater than $250,000 or 1% of the Acquired Fund's assets | During conditions that make the payment of cash unwise and/or in order to protect the interests of the Acquiring Fund's remaining shareholders, the Acquiring Fund reserves the right to pay redemptions by an "in-kind" distribution of portfolio securities (instead of cash) from the Acquiring Fund. |
| ***Dividends and Distributions*** | The ACM Tactical Income Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income monthly and net capital gains annually in December. The ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains annually in December. | The AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund will make distributions of net investment income annually and the AXS Tactical Income Fund will make distributions of net investment income on a monthly basis. Each Fund will distribute net capital gains, if any, at least annually, typically in December. |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Acquired Funds** | **Acquiring Funds** |
| ***Frequent Trading*** | The Acquired Funds discourage and do not accommodate market timing. Frequent trading into and out of an Acquired Fund can harm all Fund shareholders by disrupting an Acquired Fund's investment strategies, increasing Fund expenses, decreasing tax efficiency and diluting the value of shares held by long-term shareholders. The Acquired Funds are designed for long-term investors and are not intended for market timing or other disruptive trading activities. Accordingly, the Board of Trustees has approved policies that seek to curb these disruptive activities while recognizing that shareholders may have a legitimate need to adjust their Fund investments as their financial needs or circumstances change. The Acquired Funds currently use several methods to reduce the risk of market timing. | IMST II discourages excessive, short-term trading and other abusive trading practices that may disrupt portfolio management strategies and harm an Acquiring Fund's performance. IMST II takes steps to reduce the frequency and effect of these activities on an Acquiring Fund. These steps may include monitoring trading activity and using fair value pricing. In addition, IMST II may take action, which may include using its best efforts to restrict a shareholder from making additional purchases in an Acquiring Fund, if that shareholder has engaged in four or more "round trips" in the Acquiring Fund during a 12-month period. |
| ***Net Asset Value Per Share ("NAV")*** | Shares of each Acquired Fund are sold at NAV. The NAV of each Acquired Fund is determined at close of regular trading (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day the NYSE is open for business. NAV is computed by determining, on a per class basis, the aggregate market value of all assets of an Acquired Fund, less its liabilities, divided by the total number of shares outstanding ((assets-liabilities)/number of shares = NAV). The NYSE is closed on weekends and New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The NAV takes into account, on a per class basis, the expenses and fees of an Acquired Fund, including management, administration, and distribution fees, which are accrued daily. The determination of NAV for a share class for a particular day is applicable to all applications for the purchase of shares, as well as all requests for the redemption of shares, received by the Acquired Funds (or an authorized broker or agent, or its authorized designee) before the close of trading on the NYSE on that day. | The offering price of each class of the Acquiring Fund's shares is the NAV per share of that class (plus any sales charges, as applicable). The difference among the classes' NAVs reflects the daily expense accruals of the distribution fees applicable to Class A Shares. The Acquiring Fund's NAVs are calculated as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the normal close of regular trading on the NYSE, on each day the NYSE is open for trading. If for example, the NYSE closes at 1:00 p.m. New York time, the Acquiring Fund's NAVs would still be determined as of 4:00 p.m. New York time. In this example, portfolio securities traded on the NYSE would be valued at their closing prices unless the Advisor determines that a "fair value" adjustment is appropriate due to subsequent events. The NAV for each class is determined by dividing the value of the Acquiring Fund's portfolio securities, cash and other assets (including accrued interest) allocable to such class, less all liabilities (including accrued expenses) allocable to such class, by the total number of outstanding shares of such class. The Acquiring Fund's NAVs may be calculated earlier if permitted by the SEC. The NYSE is closed on weekends and most U.S. national holidays. However, foreign securities listed primarily on non-U.S. markets may trade on weekends or other days on which the Acquiring Fund does not value its shares, which may significantly affect the Acquiring Fund's NAVs on days when you are not able to buy or sell Acquiring Fund shares. |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Acquired Funds** | **Acquiring Funds** |
| ***Fair Valuation*** | When market quotations are not readily available, the Acquired Funds' securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined using the "fair value" may value securities at fair value or estimate their value as determined in good faith by the Board. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may be materially different from the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. The fair value prices can differ from market prices when they become available or when a price becomes available. The Board has designated the Adviser as its "Valuation Designee" to execute these procedures. The Adviser may also enlist third party consultants such as an audit firm or financial officer of a security issuer on an as-needed basis to assist in determining a security-specific fair value. The Board reviews the execution of this process and the resultant fair value prices at least quarterly to assure the process produces reliable results.<br>| The Acquiring Funds' securities generally are valued at market price. Securities are valued at fair value when market quotations are not readily available. The Board has designated the Advisor as the Fund's valuation designee (the "Valuation Designee") to make all fair value determinations with respect to the Fund's portfolio investments, subject to the Board's oversight. As the Valuation Designee, the Advisor has adopted and implemented policies and procedures to be followed when the Acquiring Fund must utilize fair value pricing, including when reliable market quotations are not readily available, when the Acquiring Fund's pricing service does not provide a valuation (or provides a valuation that, in the judgment of the Advisor, does not represent the security's fair value), or when, in the judgment of the Advisor, events have rendered the market value unreliable (see, for example, the discussion of fair value pricing of foreign securities in the paragraph below). Valuing securities at fair value involves reliance on the judgment of the Advisor, and may result in a different price being used in the calculation of the Acquiring Fund's NAVs from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value determinations are made by the Advisor, in good faith in accordance with procedures approved by the Board. There can be no assurance that the Acquiring Fund will obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it sells the security. |

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**G.** **Key Information about the Reorganizations** 

The following is a summary of key information concerning the Reorganizations. Keep in mind that more detailed information appears in the Reorganization Agreements, the form of which is attached to this Proxy Statement as **<u>Appendix A</u>**.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** **Agreement and Plan of Reorganization** 

At the Special Meeting, the shareholders of each Acquired Fund will be asked to approve a Reorganization Agreement to reorganize the applicable Acquired Fund into the corresponding Acquiring Fund. Under its Reorganization Agreement, shareholders of each Acquired Fund would receive a number of full and fractional Class A shares and Class I shares of the Acquiring Fund having an aggregate net asset value at the time of the Reorganization equal to the aggregate net asset value of the shareholders' Class A Shares and Class I Shares, respectively, in the Acquired Fund. Each Acquiring Fund is a newly organized fund that will commence operations upon the closing of the applicable Reorganization. If the Reorganization Agreement is approved by the shareholders of an Acquired Fund and the Reorganization is completed, the Acquired Fund will transfer all of its assets to the corresponding Acquiring Fund in exchange for (i) a number of full and fractional shares of each class of the Acquiring Fund with an aggregate net asset value equal to the aggregate net asset value of the corresponding class of shares of the Acquired Fund as of the close of business on the closing day of the Reorganization (the "Closing") and (ii) the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all of the Acquired Fund's liabilities. Immediately thereafter, the Acquired Fund will distribute each class of the Acquiring Fund shares received in the exchange pro rata to its shareholders holding the corresponding class of the Acquired Fund's shares by instructing IMST II's transfer agent to establish accounts in the Acquiring Fund's share records in the names of those shareholders and transferring those Acquiring Fund shares to those accounts in complete liquidation of the Acquired Fund. The expenses associated with the Reorganization will not be borne by the Acquired Fund. Certificates evidencing Acquiring Fund shares will not be issued to the Acquired Fund's shareholders.

The holding period for an Acquired Fund's shares will carry over to the corresponding Acquiring Fund shares received by shareholders in the Reorganization for purposes of determining the application of any applicable redemption or exchange fees. Upon completion of a Reorganization, each shareholder of the applicable Acquired Fund will own a number of full and fractional Class A or Class I Shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund equal in aggregate net asset value at the time of the Reorganization to the aggregate net asset value of such shareholder's Class A or Class I Shares, as the case may be, in the Acquired Fund.

Until the Closing, shareholders of an Acquired Fund will continue to be able to redeem their shares at the NAV next determined after receipt by the Acquired Fund's transfer agent of a redemption request in proper form. Redemption and purchase requests received by the transfer agent after the Closing will be treated as requests received for the redemption or purchase of shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund received by the shareholder in connection with the Reorganization. After the Reorganization, all of the issued and outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund will be canceled on the books of the Acquired Fund and the transfer books of the Acquired Fund will be permanently closed. If the Reorganization is completed, shareholders will be free to redeem the shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund that they receive in the transaction at their then-current NAV. Shareholders of the Acquired Fund may wish to consult their tax advisors as to any different consequences of redeeming their shares prior to the Reorganization or exchanging such shares for shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization.

Each Reorganization is subject to a number of conditions, including, without limitation, the approval of the applicable Reorganization Agreement by the shareholders of the applicable Acquired Fund and the receipt of a legal opinion from counsel to IMST II with respect to certain tax issues. Assuming satisfaction of the conditions in the Reorganization Agreement, the Reorganization is expected to be effective on April 28, 2023, or such other date agreed to by the Trust and IMST II.

AXS, MFAC and UMBFS have agreed to pay costs relating to the proposed Reorganizations, including the costs relating to the Special Meeting and to preparing and filing the registration statement that includes this Proxy Statement. MFAC and UMBFS will also incur the costs associated with the solicitation of proxies, including the cost of copying, printing and mailing proxy materials. Each Reorganization Agreement may be amended, modified, or supplemented in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon in writing by the authorized officers of the applicable Acquired Fund and the corresponding Acquiring Fund, notwithstanding approval of the Reorganization Agreement by the Acquired Fund's shareholders, provided that no such amendment after such approval may have the effect of changing the Reorganization Agreement to the detriment of such shareholders without their further approval. In addition, the Reorganization Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing by the Board or the IMST II Board if, among other reasons, the Board or the IMST II Board determines that a Reorganization is not in the best interests of its shareholders.

The foregoing summary of each Reorganization Agreement is qualified in its entirety by the terms and provisions of the Reorganization Agreement, the form of which is attached to this Proxy Statement in **<u>Appendix A</u>**.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** **Description of the Acquiring Funds' Shares** 

Each Acquiring Fund's shares issued to the shareholders of the corresponding Acquired Fund pursuant to the Reorganization will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable when issued, will be transferable without restriction and will have no preemptive or conversion rights. The Acquiring Fund's shares will be sold and redeemed based upon the NAV per share of the relevant class of the Acquiring Fund next determined after receipt of the purchase or redemption request, as described in the Acquiring Fund's Prospectus. The chart below indicates which Acquiring Fund share class you will receive in the Reorganization, depending on which corresponding Acquired Fund share class you currently own:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund |  | AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund |
| Class A Shares <br> Class I Shares  | **→**<br> **→** | Class A Shares <br> Class I Shares  |
| ACM Tactical Income Fund |  | AXS Tactical Income Fund |
| Class A Shares <br> Class I Shares | →<br> → | Class A Shares <br> Class I Shares  |

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.** **Board Considerations Relating to the Proposed Reorganizations** 

At the Board Meeting held on January 23, 2023, ACM, the Acquired Funds' investment adviser, recommended that the Board approve each Reorganization. At its meeting, the Board evaluated materials regarding the Acquired Funds and the Acquiring Funds.

The Board reviewed the responses to the questionnaire provided by ACM regarding the proposed expenses and service providers for the Acquiring Fund. The Board reviewed the expected total operating expense ratio for each Acquiring Fund, which would be lower than the total operating expense ratio of the corresponding Acquired Fund, and considered that AXS had indicated that it would enter into an expense limitation agreement with respect to each Acquiring Fund for a period of two years from the date of the Reorganization. The Board noted that each Acquiring Fund and its corresponding Acquired Fund have the same investment objective and substantially similar investment strategies, policies and risks.

After careful consideration, the Board (including all Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Acquired Fund), determined that each Reorganization would not dilute the interests of the applicable Acquired Fund's existing shareholders, and unanimously approved each Reorganization Agreement.

In approving each proposed Reorganization, the Board (with the advice and assistance of independent counsel) also considered, among other things:

● the proposed service providers were well established and capable of providing quality service to the Acquiring Funds similar to the quality currently provided by the service providers to the Acquired Funds;

● the portfolio manager of the Acquired Funds would continue serving as portfolio manager of the Acquiring Funds;

● that each Acquiring Fund would each have the same investment objective and substantially the same investment strategy as that of the corresponding Acquired Fund;

● the proposed management fees for the Acquiring Funds were the same as the management fees for the Acquired Funds;

● that each Acquiring Fund's estimated net operating expenses were lower than the net operating expenses of the corresponding Acquired Fund;

● that the annual operating expenses of ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund and AXS Dynamic Opportunity were limited to 2.40% and 2.15% of the daily average net assets attributable to Class A and Class I shares, respectively, and that the annual operating expenses for ACM Tactical Income Fund and AXS Tactical Income Fund were limited to 2.25% and 2.00% of the daily average net assets attributable to Class A and Class I shares, respectively;

● that the expense limitation agreement for the Acquiring Funds would be in place for two years from their effective date;

● that each transaction constituted a "reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and was anticipated to be tax-free for the relevant Acquired Fund and its shareholders;

● that neither the Acquired Funds nor their shareholders would bear the expenses pertaining to the proposed reorganizations; and

● that if shareholders of the Acquired Funds did not approve the reorganizations, the Acquired Funds would not be reorganized into the Acquiring Funds and the Board would take such further action as it deemed to be in the best interests of the Acquired Funds.

After consideration of these and other factors it deemed appropriate, the Board determined that the Reorganizations as proposed by ACM would not dilute the interests of the Acquired Funds' existing shareholders. The Board, including those Board members who are not "interested persons" of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act, unanimously approved the Reorganization of each Acquired Fund, subject to approval by its shareholders. The Board noted that if shareholders of an Acquired Fund do not approve the applicable Reorganization, the Acquired Fund would not be reorganized into the corresponding Acquiring Fund and the Board would take such further action as it deems to be in the best interests of the Acquired Fund, including the possible liquidation of such Acquired Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.** **Federal Income Tax Consequences** 

For each year of its existence, each Acquired Fund has had in effect an election to be, and the Trust believes the Acquired Fund has qualified for treatment as, a "regulated investment company" under the Code. Accordingly, the Trust believes each Acquired Fund has been, and will continue through the closing of the Reorganization to be, generally relieved of any federal income tax liability on its taxable income and gains it distributes to shareholders in accordance with Subchapter M of the Code.

As a condition to the closing of each Reorganization, the Trust will receive an opinion of counsel with respect to that Reorganization substantially to the effect that for federal income tax purposes:

● The Reorganization will constitute a "reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, and each of the applicable Acquired Fund and the corresponding Acquiring Fund will be a "party to a reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code;

● No gain or loss will be recognized by the applicable Acquired Fund upon the transfer of all its assets to the corresponding Acquiring Fund solely in exchange for the Acquiring Fund's shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all the liabilities of the Acquired Fund, or upon the distribution of the Acquiring Fund's shares to the shareholders of the Acquired Fund, except for (A) gain or loss that may be recognized on the transfer of "section 1256 contracts" as defined in Section 1256(b) of the Code, (B) gain that may be recognized on the transfer of stock in a "passive foreign investment company" as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code, and (C) any other gain or loss that may be required to be recognized upon the transfer of an asset regardless of whether such transfer would otherwise be a non-recognition transaction under the Code;

● The tax basis in the hands of the corresponding Acquiring Fund of each asset transferred from the applicable Acquired Fund to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization will be the same as the tax basis of such asset in the hands of the Acquired Fund immediately prior to the transfer thereof, increased by the amount of gain (or decreased by the amount of loss), if any, recognized by the Acquired Fund on the transfer;

● The holding period in the hands of the corresponding Acquiring Fund of each asset transferred from the applicable Acquired Fund to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization, other than assets with respect to which gain or loss is required to be recognized, will include the Acquired Fund's holding period for such asset (except where investment activities of the Acquiring Fund have the effect of reducing or eliminating the holding period with respect to an asset);

● No gain or loss will be recognized by the corresponding Acquiring Fund upon its receipt of all the assets of the applicable Acquired Fund solely in exchange for the Acquiring Fund shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all the liabilities of the Acquired Fund as part of the Reorganization;

● No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquired Fund shareholders upon the exchange of their Acquired Fund shares for Acquiring Fund shares as part of the Reorganization;

● The aggregate tax basis of the shares of the corresponding Acquiring Fund that each shareholder of the applicable Acquired Fund receives in the Reorganization will be the same as the aggregate tax basis of the Acquired Fund shares exchanged therefor;

● Each Acquired Fund shareholder's holding period for the corresponding Acquiring Fund shares received in the Reorganization will include the Acquired Fund shareholder's holding period for the applicable Acquired Fund shares exchanged therefor, provided that the Acquired Fund shareholder held such Acquired Fund shares as capital assets on the date of the exchange; and

● The taxable year of the applicable Acquired Fund will not end as a result of the Reorganization.

In rendering the opinion, counsel will rely upon, among other things, certain facts and assumptions and certain representations of the Trust, IMST II, the applicable Acquired Fund and the corresponding Acquiring Fund. The condition that the parties to the Reorganization receive such an opinion may not be waived.

No tax ruling has been or will be received from the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") in connection with either Reorganization. An opinion of counsel is not binding on the IRS or a court, and no assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or a court would not sustain, a contrary position.

Each Acquiring Fund will, as a result of the applicable Reorganization, succeed to and take into account any capital loss carryforwards of the corresponding Acquired Fund. The Reorganization of each Acquired Fund is not expected to result in limitations on the corresponding Acquiring Fund's ability to use any capital loss carryforwards of the Acquired Fund. As of the tax year ended December 31, 2022, the Acquired Funds had capital loss carryforwards for federal income tax purposes available to offset future capital gains as follows:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | Non-Expiring | Non-Expiring | Non-Expiring |
|  | Short-Term | Long-Term | Total |
| AMC Dynamic Opportunity Fund | $--- | $--- | $--- |
| ACM Tactical Income Fund | $6188728 | $--- | $6188728 |

---

Although the Trust is not aware of any adverse state income tax consequences, the Trust has not made any investigation as to those consequences for the shareholders. **Because each shareholder may have unique tax issues, shareholders should consult their own tax advisors.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**5.** **Comparison of Forms of Organization and Shareholder Rights** 

 ****

***Form of Organization.*** The Trust and IMST II are each Delaware statutory trusts governed by their respective Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and Board of Trustees. The operations of the Trust and IMST II are also governed by applicable state and federal law. As a result, there are no material differences between the rights of shareholders under the governing state laws of the Trust and IMST II except differences in rights provided for in the respective governing instruments of these entities, some of which are discussed below.

***Shares.*** The Trust and IMST II are each authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest and shareholders have no preemptive rights.

***Shareholder Voting Rights, Quorum, Required Vote and Action by Written Consent.*** Pursuant to the Trust Declaration of Trust, shareholders of the Trust have the power to vote only for the following: (a) the election of Trustees, including the filling of any vacancies in the Board of Trustees; (b) with respect to such additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required by the Trust Declaration of Trust, the By-Laws, the 1940 Act or any registration statement of the Trust filed with the SEC; and (c) such other matters as the Board of Trustees may consider necessary or desirable.

Except when a larger quorum is required by applicable law, the Trust Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws, thirty-three and one-third percent (33-1/3%) of the shares present in person (or via a virtual meeting, if applicable) or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at a shareholder meeting shall constitute a quorum at such meeting. When a separate vote by one or more series or classes is required, thirty-three and one-third percent (33-1/3%) of the shares of each such series or class present in person (or via a virtual meeting, if applicable) or represented by proxy and entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at a shareholder meeting of such series or class. Any lesser number shall be sufficient for adjournments.

On any matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders, all shares of the Trust then entitled to vote shall be voted in aggregate, except: (a) when required by applicable law, shares shall be voted by individual series or class; (b) when the matter involves any action that the Board of Trustees has determined will affect only the interests of one or more series, then only shareholders of such series shall be entitled to vote thereon; and (c) when the matter involves any action that the Board of Trustees has determined will affect the interests of one or more classes, then only the shareholders of such class or classes shall be entitled to vote thereon. A shareholder of record of each share shall be entitled to one vote for each full share, and a fractional vote for each fractional share. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election of Trustees. Shareholders may take any action as to the Trust or any series or class without a meeting if a consent in writing setting forth the action to be taken is signed by the holders of shares having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote on that action were present and voted.

Pursuant to the IMST II Declaration of Trust, shareholders have the power to vote only for the following (each to the extent and as provided by the IMST II Declaration of Trust): (i) for the election and removal of Trustees, (ii) with respect to the approval of termination in accordance with the 1940 Act of any contract with any one or more corporations, trusts, associations, partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability companies or other organizations or individuals who provide services for or on behalf of IMST II and its series, including investment advisory services, as to which shareholder approval is required by the 1940 Act, (iii) with respect to any reorganization of IMST II or any series; (iv) with respect to any amendment of the IMST II Declaration of Trust; (v) to the same extent as the stockholders of a Delaware business corporation as to whether or not a court action, proceeding or claim should or should not be brought or maintained derivatively or as a class action on behalf of IMST II or any series, or the shareholders of any of them, and (vi) with respect to such additional matters relating to IMST II as may be required by the 1940 Act, the IMST II Declaration of Trust, IMST II's by-laws or any registration of IMST II with the SEC or any State, or as the Trustees may consider necessary or desirable.

The presence in person (or via a virtual meeting, if applicable) or by proxy of one-third of the holder of shares of IMST II entitled to vote shall be a quorum for the transaction of business at a shareholder meeting. Any lesser number shall be sufficient for adjournments. A majority shareholder vote at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall decide any question, except when a different vote is required or permitted by any provision of the 1940 Act or other applicable law or by the IMST II Declaration of Trust or IMST II's By-Laws, or when the Trustees shall in their discretion require a larger vote or the vote of a majority or larger fraction of the shares of one or more particular series. On each matter submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Acquiring Funds, each shareholder is entitled to one vote for each whole share and each fractional share is entitled to a fractional vote. There is no cumulative voting in the election or removal of Trustees. Subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act and other applicable law, any action taken by shareholders may be taken without a meeting if a majority of shareholders entitled to vote on the matter (or such larger proportion thereof or of the shares of any particular series as shall be required by the 1940 Act or by any express provision of the IMST II Declaration of Trust or the IMST II by-laws or as shall be permitted by the IMST II Trustees) consent to the action in writing and if the writings in which such consent is given are filed with the records of the meetings of shareholders.

***Shareholder Meetings.*** Neither the Acquired Funds nor the Acquiring Funds are required to hold annual shareholders' meetings under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act or its respective governing instruments unless required by applicable federal law.

***Shareholder Liability.*** IMST II's governing instruments disclaim shareholder liability for the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses of IMST II or any of their respective series and provide indemnification for all losses and expenses of any shareholder held liable for the obligations of the Acquired Funds and Acquiring Funds, respectively. Shareholders of IMST II have the same limitation of personal liability as is extended to shareholders of a Delaware for-profit corporation. The Trust's governing instruments have no such provisions.

***Trustee Liability.*** Both the Trust and IMST II indemnify trustees against all liabilities and expenses incurred by reason of being a trustee to the fullest extent permitted by law, except that the Trust and IMST II do not provide indemnification for liabilities due to a trustee's willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of such trustee's duties.

***Amendments to Declaration of Trust.*** The Trust Board may amend the Declaration of Trust at any time by an instrument in writing signed by a majority of the Board of Trustees and, if required, by approval of such amendment by shareholders. The IMST II Board may amend the IMST II Declaration of Trust by an instrument signed by a majority of the IMST II Board so long as such amendment does not adversely affect the rights of any shareholder with respect to which such amendment is or purports to be applicable and so long as such amendment is not in contravention of applicable law, including the 1940 Act.

The foregoing is a very general summary of certain provisions of the governing instruments and by-laws of the Trust and IMST II. It is qualified in its entirety by reference to the respective governing instruments and by-laws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**6.** **Fiscal Year End** 

The fiscal year end for each Acquired Fund is December 31, and the fiscal year end for each Acquiring Fund is September 30.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**7.** **Capitalization** 

The following table shows, as of December 31, 2022, (1) the unaudited capitalization of each Acquired Fund and unaudited capitalization of each corresponding Acquiring Fund, and (2) the pro forma combined capitalization of the Acquiring Funds, giving effect to the proposed Reorganizations as of that date:

**ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund/AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Net Assets** | **Net Asset Value** <br> **Per Share** | **Shares Outstanding** |
| Acquired Fund Class A Shares | $2180033 | $16.58 | 131495 |
| Acquiring Fund Class A Shares *(Pro forma)* | $2180033 | $16.58 | 131495 |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Net Assets** | **Net Asset Value** <br> **Per Share** | **Shares Outstanding** |
| Acquired Fund Class I Shares | $76516384 | $16.88 | 4532452 |
| Acquiring Fund Class I Shares *(Pro forma)* | $76516384 | $16.88 | 4532452 |

---

**ACM Tactical Income Fund/AXS Tactical Income Fund**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Net Assets** | **Net Asset Value** <br> **Per Share** | **Shares Outstanding** |
| Acquired Fund Class A Shares | $2306983 | $9.11 | 253354 |
| Acquiring Fund Class A Shares *(Pro forma)* | $2306983 | $9.11 | 253354 |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Net Assets** | **Net Asset Value** <br> **Per Share** | **Shares Outstanding** |
| Acquired Fund Class I Shares | $41692937 | $9.11 | 4577071 |
| Acquiring Fund Class I Shares *(Pro forma)* | $41692937 | $9.11 | 4577071 |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**8.** **Section 15(f) of the 1940 Act** 

Section 15(f) of the 1940 Act provides a non-exclusive safe harbor for an investment advisor or any affiliated persons thereof to receive any amount or benefit in connection with a sale of securities of, or any other interest in, such advisor which results in an assignment of an investment advisory contract with an investment company as long as two conditions are met.

● First, no "unfair burden" may be imposed on the investment company as a result of the transaction, or any express or implied terms, conditions or understandings applicable thereto. As defined in the 1940 Act, the term "unfair burden" includes any arrangement during the two-year period after the date on which such transaction occurs whereby the investment advisor (or predecessor or successor advisor) or any interested person of any such advisor receives or is entitled to receive any compensation, directly or indirectly, from the investment company or its security holders (other than fees for bona fide investment advisory or other services), or from any person in connection with the purchase or sale of securities or other property to, from or on behalf of the investment company (other than bona fide ordinary compensation as principal underwriter of the investment company). ACM and AXS are not aware of any circumstances relating to the Reorganizations that might result in the imposition of such an "unfair burden" on the Acquired Funds.

● Second, during the three-year period immediately following the transaction, at least 75% of an investment company's board of directors must not be "interested persons" of the investment advisor or the predecessor investment advisor within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The IMST II Board will satisfy this condition at the time of the Reorganization.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**H.** **Additional Information about the Funds** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** **Past Performance of the Acquired Funds** 

**Performance Summary** 

The following past performance information for each Acquired Fund is set forth below, including: (1) a bar chart showing changes in the Acquired Fund's performance for Class I Shares from year to year for the calendar years since the Acquired Fund's inception, and (2) a table detailing how the average annual total returns of the Acquired Fund, both before and after taxes, compared to those of one or more broad-based market indices. The after-tax returns are shown for Class I Shares only and are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. After-tax returns for classes other than Class I Shares will vary from returns shown for Class I Shares. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Acquired Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

The bar charts and tables below provide some indication of the risks of investing in each Acquired Fund by showing changes in the Acquired Fund's performance from year to year for Class I Shares and by showing how the average annual total returns of Class I Shares of the Acquired Fund compare with the average annual total returns of one or more broad-based market indices. Performance for classes other than those shown may vary from the performance shown to the extent the expenses for those classes differ. Updated performance information is available at no cost by calling 1-844-798-3833. An Acquired Fund's past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Acquired Fund will perform in the future. If the Reorganizations are approved, each Acquiring Fund will assume the performance history of its corresponding Acquired Fund.

If a Reorganization is approved, the Acquired Fund is the accounting and performance survivor, the Acquiring Fund will assume the performance history of the corresponding Acquired Fund.

***ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund***

**Calendar-Year Total Return (before taxes) for Class I Shares**

For each calendar year at NAV

![](fp0082686_01.jpg)

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Highest Calendar Quarter Return at NAV | 11.51% | Quarter Ended 9/30/2020 |
| Lowest Calendar Quarter Return at NAV | (8.67)% | Quarter Ended 12/31/2018 |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Average Annual Total Returns** <br>***(for periods ended December 31, 2022)***  | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **Since**<br>**Inception** <br>**(1/20/2015)** <br>|
| Class I - Return Before Taxes | (12.79)% | 1.78% | 3.33% |
| Class I - Return After Taxes on Distributions\* | (14.06)% | 1.09% | 2.89% |
| Class I - Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares\* | (6.65)% | 1.39% | 2.62% |
| Class A – Return Before Taxes | (17.98)% | 0.38% | 2.36% |
| **S&P 500 Total Return Index** (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | (18.11)% | 9.42% | 10.48% |
| **HFRX Equity Hedge Index** (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>2</sup> | (3.18)% | 2.63% | 2.68% |
| **S&P 500 (Price) Index** (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>3</sup> | (19.44)% | 7.51% | 8.40% |

---

\* After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After–tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for Class I Shares only and after-tax returns for classes other than Class I will vary from returns shown for Class I.

<sup>1</sup> The S&P 500 Total Return Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of 500 widely held common stocks. Investors cannot invest directly in an index.

<sup>2</sup> The HFRX Equity Hedge Index is an index managed by Hedge Fund Research, Inc. ("HFR"). HFR is the established global leader in the indexation, analysis and research of the hedge fund industry. With over 150 indices ranging from broad composites down to specific, niche areas of sub-strategy and regional investment focus, the HFRX Indices are considered the industry standard benchmarks of hedge fund performance. The HFRX branded indices are daily indices utilizing a rigorous quantitative selection process to represent the larger hedge fund universe. Investors cannot invest directly in an index.

<sup>3</sup> The S&P 500 Price Index is a stock market index that measures the stock performance of 500 large companies listed on the stock exchange. Investors cannot invest directly in an index.

***ACM Tactical Income Fund***

**Calendar-Year Total Return (before taxes) for Class I Shares**

For each calendar year at NAV

![](fp0082686_02.jpg)

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Highest Calendar Quarter Return at NAV | 4.18% | Quarter Ended 6/30/2020 |
| Lowest Calendar Quarter Return at NAV | (2.93)% | Quarter Ended 6/30/2022 |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Average Annual Total Returns** <br>***(for periods ended December 31, 2022)***  | **1 Year** | **Since**<br>**Inception** <br>**(12/31/2018)** <br>|
| Class I - Return Before Taxes | (7.66)% | 0.98% |
| Class I - Return After Taxes on Distributions\* | (8.56)% | (0.32)% |
| Class I - Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares\* | (4.47)% | 0.26% |
| Class A – Return Before Taxes | (13.21)% | (0.74)% |
| **Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index** (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) <sup>1</sup> | (13.01)% | 0.03% |

---

\* After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After–tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for Class I Shares only and after-tax returns for classes other than Class I will vary from returns shown for Class I.

<sup>1</sup> The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged index comprised of U.S. investment grade, fixed rate bond market securities, including government, government agency, corporate and mortgage-backed securities between one and ten years. Investors cannot invest directly in an index.

**Portfolio Turnover** 

The Acquired Funds and the Acquiring Funds pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when buying and selling securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Funds' performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the portfolio turnover rate for the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund was 742% of the average value of its portfolio, and the portfolio turnover rate for the ACM Tactical Income Fund was 894% of the average value of its portfolio.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** **Investment Advisor and Portfolio Managers** 

ACM, with its principal place of business at 10866 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1600, Los Angeles, California 90024, serves as investment advisor to the Acquired Funds. Subject to the oversight of the Board of Trustees, ACM is responsible for management of each Acquired Fund's investment portfolio. ACM was established in 2014 for the purpose of providing investment advice to individuals and institutions. As of December 31, 2022, ACM had approximately $122.6 million in assets under management.

The ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund is jointly and primarily managed on a day-to-day basis by Jordan Kahn and Alan Savoian and the ACM Tactical Income Fund is managed on a day-to-day basis by Jordan Kahn.

Jordan Kahn has been the Chief Investment Officer of ACM since 2014. Before founding ACM, Mr. Kahn founded KAM Advisors in 2007 where he successfully managed over $200 million. In 2015, KAM Advisors was purchased by HCR Wealth Advisers, where Mr. Kahn acts as Chief Investment Officer. In addition, Mr. Kahn was previously a Managing Partner with Beverly Investment Advisors from 2007 to 2010, and before that a Senior Portfolio Manager for Summit Wealth Management (formerly Berger & Associates) from 2001 to 2007. Mr. Kahn received his Masters of Science in Financial Markets and Trading from the Stuart School of Business at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst. Mr. Kahn graduated cum laude in Economics with a concentration in Finance from the University of Colorado.

Alan Savoian has been a Portfolio Manager for ACM since March 2017. Mr. Savoian has over 25 years of experience in the investment industry as a senior portfolio manager and research analyst. Prior to joining ACM, Mr. Savoian was a Senior Portfolio Manager at William O'Neil & Co from March 1990 to September 2016, where he successfully managed proprietary portfolios for the firm's in-house money management business. He is an expert in analyzing stocks according to the O'Neil CAN SLIM Method, which he learned personally from legendary investor William O'Neil. Mr. Savoian received his Bachelor of Arts in Finance from California State University, Northridge.

Eric Hua has been a Portfolio Associate with ACM since 2020. Mr. Hua assists the portfolio managers at ACM with investment research, strategy, and trading with the funds that the firm manages. Prior to joining ACM, he was an Associate at Bank of America on the portfolio management team from 2017 to 2020. Mr. Hua earned his B.S. in Finance from Pennsylvania State University. Following the Reorganization, Mr. Hua will become an employee of AXS and serve as a Portfolio Manager for the AXS Tactical Income Fund.

If the Reorganizations are approved, AXS, with its principal place of business at 181 Westchester Avenue, Suite 402, Port Charles, New York 10573, will become the investment advisor to the Acquiring Funds pursuant to a new investment advisory agreement with IMST II, on behalf of the Acquiring Funds. As of December 31, 2022, AXS had approximately $1.2 billion in assets under management.

Following the Reorganization, Messrs. Kahn, Savoian and Hua will become employees of AXS. The AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund will be jointly and primarily managed on a day-to-day basis by Jordan Kahn, Alan Savoian and Parker Binion, and the AXS Tactical Income Fund will be jointly and primarily managed on a day-to-day basis by Jordan Kahn, Parker Binion and Eric Hua.

Parker Binion, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of AXS, joined AXS in January 2021. Prior to joining AXS, Mr. Binion worked as the Chief Investment Officer of Kerns Capital Management, Inc. and was responsible for managing the firm's mutual fund, separately managed account strategies and hedging/net exposure strategies. Prior to joining Kerns Capital in 2014, Mr. Binion was an investment advisor representative with Heritage Capital from 2012 to 2014. He holds an A.B. in political science with a concentration in economics from Duke University and a J.D. with honors from the University of Texas at Austin where he served as an Articles Editor for the Texas Law Review.

The Acquired Funds' SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager's compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Acquired Funds.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.** **Trustees and Service Providers for the Acquired Funds and Acquiring Funds** 

The Trust and IMST II are operated by their respective board of trustees and officers appointed by each board. The Reorganizations will, therefore, result in a change in the board of trustees.

**Trustees of the Trust**

The Board of Trustees of the Trust has four trustees who are not "interested persons of the trust" as that term is defined under the 1940 Act. The following individuals comprise the Board: Patricia Luscombe, John V. Palancia, Mark H. Taylor and Jeffery D. Young.

**Trustees of IMST II**

The IMST II Board of Trustees has six trustees, four of whom are not "interested persons of the trust" as that term is defined under the 1940 Act. The following individuals comprise the IMST II Board: Thomas Knipper, Kathleen K. Shkuda, Larry D. Tashjian and John P. Zader, Joy Ausili (interested Trustee) and Terrance P. Gallagher (interested Trustee).

**Service Providers** 

The following chart describes the service providers to the Trust and IMST II:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | Trust | IMST II |
| **Administrator** | Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC <br>225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450 <br>Cincinnati, Ohio 45246  | Mutual Fund Administration, LLC <br>2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226 <br>Glendora, California 91740 <br>UMB Fund Services, Inc. <br>235 W. Galena Street <br>Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212  |
| **Distributor** | Northern Lights Distributors, LLC<br> 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100 <br>Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022-3474  | ALPS Distributors, Inc. <br>1290 Broadway, Suite 1000 <br>Denver, Colorado 80203  |
| **Transfer Agent** | Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC <br>225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450 <br>Cincinnati, Ohio 45246  | UMB Fund Services, Inc. <br>235 W. Galena Street <br>Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212  |
| **Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm** | BBD, LLP <br>1835 Market Street, 3rd Floor<br> Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103  | Tait, Weller & Baker LLP <br>50 S 16th Street, Suite 2900 <br>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102  |
| **Custodian** | U.S. Bank, N.A. <br>1555 North River Center Drive, Suite 302 <br>Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212  | UMB Bank, n.a. <br>928 Grand Boulevard, 5<sup>th</sup> Floor <br>Kansas City, Missouri 64106  |

---

 ****

***The Board unanimously recommends that the shareholders of each Acquired Fund vote FOR the approval of the applicable Reorganization.***

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**II.** **Voting Information** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**A.** **General Information** 

**How to Vote**

This Proxy Statement is being provided in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board to solicit your vote at a special meeting of shareholders of the Acquired Funds. The Special Meeting will be held at the offices of Thompson Hine LLP, 41 South High Street, Suite 1700, Columbus, Ohio 43215, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. We will monitor the recommendations of public health officials and local government restrictions should an in-person meeting no longer be advisable. If we decide to hold the Special Meeting at a different time or in a different location, we will make an announcement in the manner discussed in these materials.

You may vote in one of the following ways:

● in person at the Special Meeting;

● complete and sign the enclosed proxy card and mail it to us in the prepaid return envelope (if mailed in the United States);

● vote on the Internet at the website address listed on your proxy card;

● call the toll-free number listed on the enclosed proxy card to reach an automated touchtone voting line; or

● call the toll-free number 1-800-370-1164 to speak with a live operator Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern time.

You may revoke a proxy once it is given. If you desire to revoke a proxy, you must submit a subsequent later dated proxy or a written notice of revocation to the applicable Acquired Fund. You may also give written notice of revocation in person at the Special Meeting. All properly executed proxies received in time for the Special Meeting will be voted as specified in the proxy, or, if no specification is made, FOR each proposal.

**Quorum** 

Only shareholders of record on March 1, 2023 (the "Record Date") are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Special Meeting or at any adjournment thereof. Each whole share of an Acquired Fund held as of the Record Date is entitled to one vote and each fractional share is entitled to a proportionate fractional vote. The presence in person or by proxy of shareholders owning thirty-three and one-third percent (33-1/3%) of the outstanding shares of an Acquired Fund that are entitled to vote will be considered a quorum for the transaction of business with respect to such Acquired Fund. Any lesser number shall be sufficient for adjournments.

**Vote Required** 

Approval of each proposal will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of each Acquired Fund entitled to vote at the Special Meeting. For this purpose, the term "vote of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote" means the vote of the lesser of (1) 67% or more of the voting securities present at the Special Meeting, if more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of an Acquired Fund are present or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of an Acquired Fund.

The Reorganization of each Acquired Fund into the corresponding Acquiring Fund is not conditioned upon receipt of shareholder approval of the Reorganization relating to the other Acquired Fund. If the shareholders of an Acquired Fund do not approve the Reorganization, then the Reorganization of such Acquired Fund will not be implemented. In such case, the Board will take such further action as it deems to be in the best interests of the Acquired Fund, including the possible liquidation of the Acquired Fund.

**Adjournments** 

If a quorum of shareholders of an Acquired Fund is not present at the Special Meeting, or if a quorum is present but sufficient votes to approve the proposal described in this Proxy Statement are not received, the persons named as proxies may, but are under no obligation to, propose one or more adjournments of the Special Meeting of the Acquired Fund to permit further solicitation of proxies. Any business that might have been transacted at the Special Meeting with respect to the Acquired Fund may be transacted at any such adjourned session(s) at which a quorum is present. The Special Meeting with respect to an Acquired Fund may be adjourned from time to time by a majority of the votes of the Acquired Fund properly cast upon the question of adjourning the Special Meeting of the Acquired Fund to another date and time, whether or not a quorum is present, and the Special Meeting of the Acquired Fund may be held as adjourned without further notice. The persons designated as proxies may use their discretionary authority to vote on questions of adjournment and on any other proposals raised at the Special Meeting to the extent permitted by the SEC's proxy rules, including proposals for which timely notice was not received, as set forth in the SEC's proxy rules.

**Effect of Abstentions and Broker "Non-Votes"**

All proxies voted, including abstentions, will be counted toward establishing a quorum. Because each proposal is expected to "affect substantially" a shareholder's rights or privileges, a broker may not vote shares if the broker has not received instructions from beneficial owners or persons entitled to vote, even if the broker has discretionary voting power (i.e., the proposal is non-discretionary). Because each proposal is non-discretionary, the Trust does not expect to receive broker non-votes.

Assuming the presence of a quorum, abstentions and broker "non-votes" will have the effect of votes against a proposal. Abstentions will have no effect on the outcome of a vote on adjournment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**B.** **Method and Cost of Solicitation** 

This Proxy Statement is being sent to you in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board for use at the Special Meeting. The close of business on March 1, 2023 is the Record Date for determining the shareholders of the Acquired Funds entitled to receive notice of the Special Meeting and to vote, and for determining the number of shares that may be voted, with respect to the Special Meeting or any adjournment thereof. The Trust expects that the solicitation of proxies will be primarily by mail and telephone. AXS has retained AST Fund Solutions ("AST") to provide proxy services, at an anticipated cost of approximately $21,750. AXS, MFAC and UMBFS will bear the costs of the Special Meeting, including legal costs, the costs of retaining AST, and other expenses incurred in connection with the solicitation of proxies. AXS, UMBFS and MFAC will pay these costs regardless of whether the Reorganization is consummated.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**C.** **Right to Revoke Proxy** 

Any shareholder giving a proxy may revoke it before it is exercised at the Special Meeting, either by providing written notice to the Trust, by submission of a later-dated, duly executed proxy or by voting in person (or via a virtual meeting, if applicable) at the Special Meeting. A prior proxy can also be revoked by proxy voting again through the toll-free number listed in the enclosed Voting Instructions. If not so revoked, the votes will be cast at the Special Meeting, and any postponements or adjournments thereof. Attendance by a shareholder at the Special Meeting does not, by itself, revoke a proxy.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**D.** **Voting Securities and Principal Holders** 

Shareholders of the Acquired Funds at the close of business on March 1, 2023, the Record Date, will be entitled to be present and vote at the Meeting. Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each share held and fractional votes for fractional shares held. As of the Record Date, 4,585,755.987 shares of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund (126,309.878 Class A Shares, and 4,459,446.109 Class I Shares) and 4,886,364.562 shares of the ACM Tactical Income Fund (232,990.787 Class A Shares, and 4,653,373.775 Class I shares) were outstanding and entitled to vote at the Special Meeting.

There were no outstanding shares of the Acquiring Funds on the Record Date, as the Acquiring Funds had not yet commenced operations.

As of the Record Date, the name and percentage ownership of each shareholder that owned 5% or more of the outstanding shares of each Acquired Fund is set forth in the table below.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Shareholder Name/Address** | **Percentage of Total Outstanding Shares**<br>**of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund – Class A**<br>|
| CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC<br>ATT MUTUAL FUNDS<br>211 MAIN ST<br>SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9410  | 58.01% |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Shareholder Name/Address** | **Percentage of Total Outstanding Shares**<br>**of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund – Class I**<br>|
| CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC<br>ATT MUTUAL FUNDS<br>211 MAIN ST<br>SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9410  | 64.81% |
| TD AMERITRADE INC<br>FBO OUR CUSTOMERS<br>PO BOX 2226<br>OMAHA, NE 68103-2226  | 18.07% |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Shareholder Name/Address** | **Percentage of Total Outstanding Shares**<br>**of the ACM Tactical Income Fund – Class A**<br>|
| CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC<br>ATT MUTUAL FUNDS<br>211 MAIN ST<br>SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9410  | 51.44% |
| PERSHING LLC<br>P. O. BOX 2052<br>JERSEY CITY, NJ 07303-9998  | 15.99% |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Shareholder Name/Address** | **Percentage of Total Outstanding Shares**<br>**of the AXS Tactical Income Fund – Class I**<br>|
| CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC<br>ATT MUTUAL FUNDS<br>211 MAIN ST<br>SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9410  | 61.01% |
| TD AMERITRADE INC FBO/OUR CUSTOMERS<br>PO BOX 2226<br>OMAHA, NE 68103-2226  | 14.80% |
| SEI PRIVATE TRUST COMPANY<br>C/O GWP US ADVISORS<br>1 FREEDOM VALLEY DRIVE<br>OAKS, PA 19456  | 6.51% |

---

As of the Record Date, the name and percentage ownership of each shareholder that owned 25% or more of the outstanding shares of the Acquired Funds is set forth in the table below.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Shareholder Name/Address** | **Percentage of Total Outstanding Shares**<br>**of the ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund**<br>|
| CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC<br>ATT MUTUAL FUNDS<br>211 MAIN ST<br>SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9410  | 64.62% |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Shareholder Name/Address** | **Percentage of Total Outstanding Shares**<br>**of the ACM Tactical Income Fund**<br>|
| CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC<br>ATT MUTUAL FUNDS<br>211 MAIN ST<br>SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9410  | 60.55% |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**E.** **Interest of Certain Persons in the Transaction** 

AXS may be deemed to have an interest in the Reorganizations because it will become investment advisor to each Acquiring Fund and will receive fees from each Acquiring Fund for its services as investment advisor. ACM may be deemed to have an interest in the Reorganizations because it has entered into an agreement with AXS for the sale and transfer of its investment advisory business relating to the Acquired Funds. Pursuant to this agreement, ACM will receive certain payments from AXS following the Reorganizations, which will be made by AXS from its own resources and not by the Acquiring Funds or their shareholders.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**III.**  **<u>Miscellaneous Information</u>** 

**A.** **Other Business** 

The Board knows of no other business to be brought before the Special Meeting. If any other matters come before the Special Meeting, the Board intends that proxies that do not contain specific restrictions to the contrary will be voted on those matters in accordance with the judgment of the persons named in the enclosed proxy card.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**B.** **Next Meeting of Shareholders** 

The Acquired Funds are not required and do not intend to hold annual or other periodic meetings of shareholders except as required by the 1940 Act. By observing this policy, the Acquired Funds seek to avoid the expenses customarily incurred in the preparation of proxy material and the holding of shareholder meetings, as well as the related expenditure of staff time. If the Reorganizations are not completed, the next meeting of the shareholders of each Acquired Fund will be held at such time as the Board may determine or at such time as may be legally required. Any shareholder proposal intended to be presented at such meeting must be received by the Trust at its office at a reasonable time before the Trust begins to print and mail its proxy statement, as determined by the Board, to be included in the Acquired Funds' proxy statement and form of proxy relating to that meeting, and must satisfy all other legal requirements.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**C.** **Legal Matters** 

Certain legal matters concerning the issuance of shares of the Acquiring Funds in connection with the Reorganizations and the tax consequences of the Reorganizations will be passed upon by Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**D.** **Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm** 

The financial statements of the Acquired Funds for the year ended December 31, 2022, contained in the Acquired Funds' Annual Report to Shareholders, have been audited by BBD, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm. Tait, Weller & Baker LLP will serve as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Acquiring Funds.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**E.** **Information Filed with the SEC** 

The Trust and IMST II are subject to the information requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the 1940 Act and in accordance therewith, file reports and other information, including proxy materials and charter documents, with the SEC. Copies may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at publicinfo@sec.gov In addition, copies of these documents may be viewed online or downloaded from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

**APPENDIX A - FORM OF AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION**

THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION (the "Agreement") is made as of this ___ day of ________ 2023, by and among Northern Lights Fund Trust III (the "Northern Lights Trust"), a Delaware statutory trust, with its principal place of business at 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, Ohio 45246, on behalf of its series the [*insert Fund name*] (the "Acquired Fund"), and Investment Managers Series Trust II (the "IMST Trust"), a Delaware statutory trust, with its principal place of business at 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, on behalf of its series [*insert Fund name*] (the "Acquiring Fund" and, together with the Acquired Fund, the "Funds") and, solely with respect to Article IX, AXS Investments LLC, with its principal place of business at 181 Westchester Avenue, Suite 402, Port Chester, New York, 10573, UMB Fund Services, Inc. ("UMBFS") with its principal place of business at 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, and Mutual Fund Administration, LLC ("MFAC"), with its principal place of business at 2220 East Route 66, Suite 226, Glendora, California 91740.

WHEREAS, it is intended that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement constitute a "reorganization" as defined in Section 368(a) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and the Treasury regulations thereunder. Such transactions will consist of: (i) the transfer of all of the property and assets of the Acquired Fund to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for (A) shares of beneficial interest, par value of $0.01 per share, of corresponding classes of shares of the Acquiring Fund (the "Acquiring Fund Shares"), as noted below, and (B) the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all liabilities of the Acquired Fund; followed by (ii) the distribution of the Acquiring Fund Shares pro rata on a class-by-class basis to the shareholders of the corresponding classes of the Acquired Fund in exchange for their shares in the Acquired Fund (the "Acquired Fund Shares") in liquidation of the Acquired Fund as provided herein, all upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement ((i) and (ii) collectively, the "Reorganization"). The parties hereby adopt this Agreement as a "plan of reorganization" within the meaning of Treasury regulations Sections 1.368-2(g) and 1.368-3(a). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the obligations, agreements, representations and warranties with respect to each Fund shall be the obligations, agreements, representations and warranties of that Fund only, and in no event shall any other series of the Northern Lights Trust or any other series of the IMST Trust or the assets of any other series of the Northern Lights Trust or any other series of the IMST Trust be held liable with respect to the breach or other default by an obligated Fund of its obligations, agreements, representations and warranties as set forth herein;

WHEREAS, the Acquired Fund and Acquiring Fund are separate series of the Northern Lights Trust and the IMST Trust, respectively, the Northern Lights Trust and the IMST Trust are open-end, registered management investment companies, and the Acquired Fund owns securities and other investments that are assets of the character in which the Acquiring Fund is permitted to invest;

WHEREAS, each Fund is authorized to issue its shares of beneficial interest;

WHEREAS, the Acquired Fund currently offers the following classes of shares: Class A and Class I, and, upon the Closing (as defined below), the Acquiring Fund will offer two corresponding classes of shares, which will be designated Class A and Class I. As part of the Reorganization, each class of Acquired Fund Shares will be exchanged for Acquiring Fund Shares of the corresponding class.

WHEREAS, the Trustees of the Northern Lights Trust have determined that the Reorganization, with respect to the Acquired Fund, is in the best interests of the Acquired Fund and that the interests of the existing shareholders of the Acquired Fund will not be diluted as a result of the Reorganization; and

WHEREAS, the Trustees of the IMST Trust have determined that the Reorganization, with respect to the Acquiring Fund, is in the best interests of the Acquiring Fund and, there being no existing shareholders of the Acquiring Fund, that the Reorganization will not result in dilution of the Acquiring Fund's shareholders' interests;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, covenants, and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

**ARTICLE I**

TRANSFER OF ASSETS OF THE ACQUIRED FUND IN EXCHANGE FOR ACQUIRING FUND<br> SHARES AND THE ASSUMPTION OF THE ACQUIRED FUND'S LIABILITIES AND<br> TERMINATION OF THE ACQUIRED FUND

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.1 THE EXCHANGE. Subject to the terms and conditions contained herein and on the basis of the representations and warranties contained herein, the Acquired Fund agrees to sell, assign, convey, transfer and deliver all of its assets, as set forth in paragraph 1.2, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances, except those liens and encumbrances as to which the Acquiring Fund has received notice, to the Acquiring Fund. In exchange, the Acquiring Fund agrees (a) to issue and deliver to the Acquired Fund the number of Acquiring Fund Shares, including fractional Acquiring Fund Shares, of each class having an aggregate net asset value ("NAV") equal to the aggregate NAV of the Acquired Fund attributable to the corresponding class of the Acquired Fund Shares, as determined in the manner set forth in paragraphs 2.1 and 2.2; and (b) to assume the liabilities of the Acquired Fund, as set forth in paragraph 1.3. Such transactions comprising the Reorganization shall take place on the date of the Closing provided for in paragraph 3.1 (the "Closing Date").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.2 ASSETS TO BE ACQUIRED. The assets of the Acquired Fund to be sold, assigned, transferred and delivered to and acquired by the Acquiring Fund shall consist of all assets and property of every kind and nature, including, without limitation, all cash, securities, goodwill, commodities, interests in futures and dividends or interest receivables, receivables for shares sold and other rights that are owned by the Acquired Fund on the Closing Date, and any prepaid expenses shown as an asset on the books of the Acquired Fund on the Closing Date (the "Acquired Assets"). For the sake of clarity, the Acquired Assets include, but are not limited to, all rights (including rights to indemnification and contribution) and claims (including, but not limited to, claims for breach of contract, violation of standards of care and claims in connection with past or present portfolio holdings, whether in the form of class action claims, opt-out or other direct litigation claims or regulator or government established investor recovery fund claims and any and all resulting recoveries, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims whatsoever, except those liens and encumbrances as to which the Acquiring Fund has received notice) of the Acquired Fund against any party with whom the Acquired Fund has contracted for any actions or omissions up to the Closing Date.

The Acquired Fund has provided the Acquiring Fund with its most recent audited financial statements, which contain a list of all of the Acquired Fund's assets as of the date of such statements. The Acquired Fund hereby represents that, as of the date of the execution of this Agreement, there have been no changes in its financial position as reflected in such financial statements other than those occurring in the ordinary course of business in connection with the purchase and sale of securities and the payment of normal operating expenses and the payment of dividends, capital gains distributions and redemption proceeds to shareholders. The Acquired Fund reserves the right to sell any of such securities or other investments.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.3 LIABILITIES TO BE ASSUMED. The Acquired Fund will endeavor, consistent with its obligation to continue to pursue its investment objective and employ its investment strategies in accordance with the terms of its Prospectus, in good faith to discharge all of its known liabilities and obligations to the extent practicable prior to the Closing Date. The Acquiring Fund shall assume all liabilities of the Acquired Fund not discharged prior to the Closing Date, whether known or unknown, contingent, accrued or otherwise (excluding Reorganization Expenses (as defined in Article IX) and borne by AXS, UMBFS and MFAC pursuant to Article IX), and investment contracts entered into in accordance with the terms of its Prospectus, including options, futures, forward contracts, and swap agreements (the "Assumed Liabilities").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.4 LIQUIDATION AND DISTRIBUTION. On the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund will distribute, in liquidation, all of the Acquiring Fund Shares received by the Acquired Fund pursuant to paragraph 1.1, pro rata on a class-by-class basis to its shareholders of record, determined as of the close of business on the Valuation Date (as defined in paragraph 2.1) (the "Acquired Fund Shareholders"). In the Reorganization, each Acquired Fund Shareholder will receive, in respect of each class of Acquired Fund Shares held by such Acquired Fund Shareholder, the number of full and fractional Acquiring Fund Shares of the class corresponding to that class of Acquired Fund Shares held by such Acquired Fund Shareholder that has an aggregate NAV equal to the aggregate NAV of the Acquired Fund Shares of the corresponding class held of record by such Acquired Fund Shareholder on the Closing Date. Such liquidation and distribution will be accomplished by the transfer of Acquiring Fund Shares credited to the account of the Acquired Fund on the books of the Acquiring Fund to open accounts on the share records of the Acquiring Fund in the names of the Acquired Fund Shareholders, representing the respective numbers of Acquiring Fund Shares of each class due such shareholders. All issued and outstanding Acquired Fund Shares will simultaneously be canceled on the books of the Acquired Fund, and the Acquired Fund will thereupon proceed to terminate as set forth in paragraph 1.7 below. The Acquiring Fund shall not issue certificates representing Acquiring Fund Shares in connection with such exchange. Each Acquired Fund Shareholder shall have the right to receive any unpaid dividends or other distributions that were declared by the Acquired Fund before the Effective Time (as defined in paragraph 3.1) with respect to Acquired Fund Shares that are held of record by the Acquired Fund Shareholder at the Effective Time on the Closing Date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.5 OWNERSHIP OF SHARES. Ownership of Acquiring Fund Shares will be shown on the books of the Acquiring Fund's transfer agent.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.6 TRANSFER TAXES. Any transfer taxes payable upon the transfer of Acquiring Fund Shares in a name other than the registered holder of the Acquired Fund Shares on the books of the Acquired Fund as of that time shall, as a condition of such issuance and transfer, be paid by the person to whom such Acquiring Fund Shares are to be transferred.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.7 TERMINATION. As soon as practicable on or after the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund shall make all filings and take all other steps as shall be necessary and proper to effect its complete dissolution under Delaware law. After the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund shall not conduct any business except in connection with its dissolution.

**ARTICLE II**

VALUATION

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.1 VALUATION OF ASSETS. The value of the Acquired Assets to be acquired by the Acquiring Fund hereunder shall be the value of such Acquired Assets computed as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") on the Closing Date (such time and date being hereinafter called the "Valuation Date"). The NAV per share of each class of Acquiring Fund Shares shall be computed by UMB Fund Services, Inc. (the "Acquiring Fund Co-Administrator"), the Acquiring Fund's accounting agent, in the manner set forth in the IMST Trust's Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws, the Acquiring Fund's then-current prospectus and statement of additional information, and the procedures adopted by the IMST Trust's Board of Trustees. The NAV per share of each class of Acquired Fund Shares shall be computed by Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (the "Acquired Fund Administrator"), the Acquired Fund's accounting agent, in the manner set forth in the Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Northern Lights Trust, By-Laws, the Acquired Fund's then-current prospectus and statement of additional information, and the procedures adopted by the Northern Lights Trust's Board of Trustees.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2 VALUATION OF SHARES AND CALCULATION OF NUMBERS OF SHARES. The NAV per share of each class of Acquiring Fund Shares and the NAV per share of each class of Acquired Fund Shares shall, in each case, be computed as of the close of normal trading on the NYSE on the Valuation Date. The number of each class of Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued (including fractional shares, if any) in the Reorganization in exchange for a corresponding class of Acquired Fund Shares shall be determined by the Acquiring Fund Co-Administrator by dividing the NAV of the Acquired Fund attributable to that class of Acquired Fund Shares, as determined in accordance with paragraph 2.1 hereof, by the NAV of one Acquiring Fund Share of the corresponding class, as determined in accordance with Paragraph 2.1 hereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.3 DETERMINATION OF VALUE. All computations of value with respect to the Acquired Fund shall be made by the Acquired Fund Administrator, in accordance with its regular practice in pricing the shares and assets of the Acquired Fund, and confirmed by the Acquiring Fund Co-Administrator. The IMST Trust and the Northern Lights Trust agree to use commercially reasonable efforts to resolve prior to the Valuation Date any material valuation differences with respect to the Acquired Assets that will be transferred to the Acquiring Fund.

**ARTICLE III**

CLOSING AND CLOSING DATE

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.1 CLOSING DATE. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Articles VI, VII and VIII of this Agreement, the closing (the "Closing") will be on the Closing Date, which will be on or about [____], 2023, or such other date as the parties may agree to in writing. The Closing shall be held as of the close of business (the "Effective Time") at the offices of Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450 Cincinnati, Ohio 45246, or at such other time and/or place as the parties may agree. All acts taking place at the Closing shall be deemed to take place simultaneously immediately at the Effective Time, unless otherwise provided.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.2 CUSTODIAN'S CERTIFICATE. The portfolio securities and other investments of the Acquired Fund shall be made available by the Acquired Fund to the Acquiring Fund's custodian for examination no later than five business days preceding the Closing Date. U.S. Bank, N.A., as custodian for the Acquired Fund, shall deliver at the Closing a certificate of an authorized officer stating that: (a) the Acquired Fund's portfolio securities, cash, and any other assets shall have been delivered in proper form to the Acquiring Fund on the Closing Date; and (b) all necessary Taxes (as defined below), including all applicable federal and state stock transfer stamps, if any, shall have been paid, or provision for payment shall have been made, in conjunction with the delivery of portfolio securities by the Acquired Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.3 EFFECT OF SUSPENSION IN TRADING. In the event that on the Valuation Date, either: (a) the NYSE or another primary exchange on which the portfolio securities of the Acquiring Fund or the Acquired Fund are purchased or sold, shall be closed to trading or trading on such exchange shall be restricted; or (b) trading or the reporting of trading on the NYSE or elsewhere shall be disrupted so that accurate appraisal of the value of the net assets of the Acquiring Fund or the Acquired Fund is impracticable as mutually determined by the parties, the Valuation Date shall be postponed until the first business day after the day when trading is fully resumed and reporting is restored.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.4 TRANSFER AGENT'S CERTIFICATE. The Acquired Fund shall cause Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC as its transfer agent to deliver at the Closing to the Secretary of the IMST Trust a certificate of an authorized officer stating that its records contain the names and addresses of Acquired Fund Shareholders, and the number and percentage ownership of outstanding shares of the outstanding classes of Acquired Fund Shares owned by each such shareholder immediately prior to the Closing. The Acquiring Fund shall issue and deliver or cause UMB Fund Services, Inc., its transfer agent, to issue and deliver to the Secretary of the Northern Lights Trust a confirmation evidencing the number of each class of Acquiring Fund Shares to be credited on the Closing Date or provide evidence satisfactory to the Acquired Fund that such Acquiring Fund Shares have been credited to the Acquired Fund's account on the books of the Acquiring Fund. At the Closing, each party shall deliver to the other party such bills of sale, checks, assignments, share certificates, receipts and other documents, if any, as such other party or its counsel may reasonably request.

**ARTICLE IV**

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.1 REPRESENTATIONS OF THE ACQUIRED FUND. The Northern Lights Trust and the Acquired Fund represent and warrant to the IMST Trust and the Acquiring Fund as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) The Acquired Fund is a separate series of the Northern Lights Trust, a statutory trust duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Northern Lights Trust has the power to own all of its properties and assets and, subject to approval by the Acquired Fund's shareholders, to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) The Northern Lights Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company, and its registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), is in full force and effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) The current Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information of the Acquired Fund conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") and the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and do not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) The Acquired Fund is not currently engaged in, and the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement (subject to shareholder approval) will not result in, the violation of any material provision of the Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Northern Lights Trust or its By-Laws, or of any material agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease, or other undertaking to which the Acquired Fund is a party or by which it is bound.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) The Acquired Fund Shares are the only outstanding equity interests in the Acquired Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) The Acquired Fund has no material contracts or other commitments (other than this Agreement and agreements for the purchase and sale of securities or other permitted investments) that if terminated will result in material liability to the Acquired Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) Except as otherwise disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund, no litigation, administrative proceeding, or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or to its knowledge threatened against the Acquired Fund or any of its properties or assets, which, if adversely determined, would materially and adversely affect its financial condition, the conduct of its business, or the ability of the Acquired Fund to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Acquired Fund knows of no facts that might form the basis for the institution of such proceedings and is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree, or judgment of any court or governmental body that materially and adversely affects the Acquired Fund's business or its ability to consummate the transactions contemplated herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) The financial statements of the Acquired Fund for the most recently completed fiscal year are in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and such statements (copies of which have been furnished to the Acquiring Fund) fairly reflect the financial condition of the Acquired Fund as of the end of such fiscal year, in all material respects as of that date, and there are no known contingent liabilities of the Acquired Fund as of that date not disclosed in such statements.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) Since the end of the Acquired Fund's most recently completed fiscal year, there have been no material adverse changes in the Acquired Fund's financial condition, assets, liabilities or business (other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business), or any incurrence by the Acquired Fund of material indebtedness, except as otherwise disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund. For the purposes of this subparagraph (i), distributions of net investment income and net realized capital gains, changes in portfolio securities, changes in market value of portfolio securities, or net redemptions shall not constitute a material adverse change.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j) All Tax (as defined below) returns and reports (including, but not limited to, information returns) that are required to have been filed by the Acquired Fund have been duly and timely filed. All such returns and reports were true, correct and complete as of the time of their filing, and accurately state the amount of Tax (if any) owed for the periods covered by the returns, or, in the case of information returns, the amount and character of income or other information required to be reported by the Acquired Fund. All Taxes due or properly shown to be due on such returns and reports have been paid, or provision has been made and properly accounted therefor. To the knowledge of the Northern Lights Trust, no such return is currently being audited by any federal, state, local or foreign taxing authority. To the knowledge of the Northern Lights Trust, there are no deficiency assessments (or deficiency assessments proposed in writing) with respect to any Taxes of the Acquired Fund. As used in this Agreement, "Tax" or "Taxes" means all federal, state, local and foreign (whether imposed by a country or political subdivision or authority thereunder) income, gross receipts, excise, sales, use, value added, employment, franchise, profits, property, ad valorem or other taxes, stamp taxes and duties, fees, assessments or charges, whether payable directly or by withholding, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed by any taxing authority (foreign or domestic) with respect thereto, and including any obligations to indemnify or otherwise assume or succeed to such a liability of any other person. There are no levies, liens or encumbrances relating to Taxes existing, threatened or pending with respect to the assets of the Acquired Fund (other than liens for Taxes not yet due and payable). The Acquired Fund has not changed its annual accounting period within the 60-month period ending on the Closing Date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k) All issued and outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund are, and at the Closing Date will be, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Acquired Fund and will have been issued in compliance with all applicable registration or qualification requirements of federal and state securities laws. All of the issued and outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund will, at the time of the Closing Date, be held by the persons and in the amounts set forth in the records of the Acquired Fund's transfer agent as provided in paragraph 3.4. The Acquired Fund has no outstanding options, warrants, or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any Acquired Fund shares, and has no outstanding securities convertible into any Acquired Fund shares.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(l) At the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund will have good and valid title to the Acquired Assets to be transferred to the Acquiring Fund pursuant to paragraph 1.2, and full right, power, and authority to sell, assign, transfer, and deliver such Acquired Assets hereunder. Upon delivery and payment for such Acquired Assets, the Acquiring Fund will acquire good and valid title, subject to no restrictions on the full transfer of such Acquired Assets, including such restrictions as might arise under the 1933 Act, other than as disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(m) The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Acquired Fund. Subject to approval by the Acquired Fund's shareholders, this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Acquired Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(n) The information to be furnished by the Acquired Fund for use in no-action letters, applications for orders, registration statements, proxy materials, and other documents that may be necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated herein shall be accurate and complete in all material respects and shall comply in all material respects with federal securities laws and other laws and regulations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(o) From the mailing of the N-14 Registration Statement (as defined in paragraph 5.6), through the time of the meeting of the Acquired Fund's Shareholders and on the Closing Date, any written information furnished by the Northern Lights Trust with respect to the Acquired Fund for use in the N-14 Registration Statement, the N-1A Registration Statement (as defined in paragraph 4.3) or any other materials provided in connection with the Reorganization, does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not materially misleading.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(p) The Northern Lights Trust has in effect an election to treat the Acquired Fund as a regulated investment company ("RIC") for federal income tax purposes under Part I of Chapter 1, Subchapter M of the Code. The Acquired Fund is a fund that is treated as a corporation separate from each other series of the Northern Lights Trust under Section 851(g) of the Code. The Acquired Fund has no earnings and profits accumulated in any taxable year for which the provisions of Part I of Chapter 1, Subchapter M of the Code (or the corresponding provisions of prior law) did not apply to it. The Acquired Fund has qualified for treatment as a RIC for each taxable year since its formation (or since it was first treated as a separate corporation under Section 851(g) of the Code) that has ended prior to the Closing Date and, subject to the accuracy of the representations set forth in paragraph 4.2(m), expects to satisfy the requirements of Part I of Chapter 1, Subchapter M of the Code to maintain qualification for such treatment for the taxable year that includes the Closing Date. Subject to the accuracy of the representations set forth in paragraph 4.2(m), the Acquired Fund does not expect that the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will cause it to fail to qualify for treatment as a RIC as of the Closing Date or as of the end of its taxable year that includes the Closing Date. The Acquired Fund has not at any time since its inception been liable for any income or excise tax pursuant to Sections 852 or 4982 of the Code that has not been timely paid. The Acquired Fund is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Code and all applicable Treasury regulations pertaining to the reporting of dividends and other distributions on and redemptions of its shares of beneficial interest and to withholding in respect of dividends and other distributions to shareholders and redemption of shares, and is not liable for any material penalties that could be imposed thereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(q) The Acquired Fund's investment operations from inception to the date hereof have been in compliance in all material respects with the investment policies and investment restrictions set forth in the Acquired Fund's Prospectus, except as previously disclosed in writing to the Acquiring Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(r) The Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued to the Acquired Fund pursuant to paragraph 1.1 will not be acquired for the purpose of making any distribution thereof other than to the Acquired Fund Shareholders as provided in paragraph 1.4.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(s) No governmental consents, approvals, authorizations or filings are required under the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"), the 1940 Act or Delaware law for the execution of this Agreement by the Northern Lights Trust, for itself and on behalf of the Acquired Fund, except for the effectiveness of the N-1A Registration Statement and the N-14 Registration Statement and such other consents, approvals, authorizations and filings as have been made or received, and such consents, approvals, authorizations and filings as may be required subsequent to the Closing Date, it being understood, however, that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein must be approved by the Acquired Fund's shareholders as described in paragraph 5.2.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(t) The books and records of the Acquired Fund, including FASB ASC 740-10-25 (formerly FIN 48) workpapers and supporting statements, made available to the Acquiring Fund and/or its counsel, are substantially true and correct and contain no material misstatements or omissions with respect to the operations of the Acquired Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(u) The Acquired Fund would not be subject to corporate-level taxation on the sale of any assets currently held by it as a result of the application of Section 337(d) of the Code and the Treasury regulations thereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v) The Acquired Fund has not waived or extended any applicable statute of limitations with respect to the assessment or collection of Taxes.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(w) The Acquired Fund has not received written notification from any taxing authority that asserts a position contrary to any of the representations set forth in paragraphs (j), (p), (t), (u), and (v) of this paragraph 4.1.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.2 REPRESENTATIONS OF THE ACQUIRING FUND. The IMST Trust and the Acquiring Fund represent and warrant to the Northern Lights Trust and the Acquired Fund as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) The Acquiring Fund is a separate series of the IMST Trust, a Delaware statutory trust duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. The IMST Trust has the power to own all of its properties and assets and to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) The IMST Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company, and its registration with the SEC as an investment company under the 1940 Act is in full force and effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) The current Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information of the Acquiring Fund conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and do not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated or necessary to make such statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) The Acquiring Fund is not currently engaged in, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will not result in, a violation of any material provision of the Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the IMST Trust or its By-Laws, or of any material agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease, or other undertaking to which the Acquiring Fund is a party or by which it is bound.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) Except as otherwise disclosed in writing to the Acquired Fund and accepted by the Acquired Fund, no litigation, administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending, or to its knowledge, threatened against the Acquiring Fund or any of its properties or assets, which, if adversely determined, would materially and adversely affect its financial condition and the conduct of its business or the ability of the Acquiring Fund to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Acquiring Fund knows of no facts that might form the basis for the institution of such proceedings and it is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree, or judgment of any court or governmental body that materially and adversely affects its business or its ability to consummate the transactions contemplated herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) There shall be no issued and outstanding shares of the Acquiring Fund prior to the Closing Date other than a nominal number of shares ("Initial Shares") issued to a seed capital investor (which shall be the investment advisor of the Acquiring Fund or an affiliate thereof) to vote on the investment advisory contract(s), distribution and service plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and other agreements and plans as may be required by the 1940 Act and to take whatever action it may be required to take as the Acquiring Fund's sole shareholder. The Initial Shares have been or will be redeemed by the Acquiring Fund prior to the Closing for the price for which they were issued, and any price paid for the Initial Shares shall at all times have been held by the Acquiring Fund in a non-interest bearing account.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) All issued and outstanding Acquiring Fund Shares will be, at the Closing Date, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Acquiring Fund. The Acquiring Fund has no outstanding options, warrants, or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any Acquiring Fund shares, and there are no outstanding securities convertible into any Acquiring Fund shares.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Acquiring Fund, and this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Acquiring Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) The information to be furnished by the Acquiring Fund for use in no-action letters, applications for orders, registration statements, proxy materials, and other documents that may be necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated herein shall be accurate and complete in all material respects and shall comply in all material respects with federal securities laws and other laws and regulations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j) From the mailing of the N-14 Registration Statement through the time of the meeting of the Acquired Fund Shareholders and on the Closing Date, any written information furnished by the IMST Trust with respect to the Acquiring Fund for use in the N-14 Registration Statement, the N-1A Registration Statement or any other materials provided in connection with the Reorganization, does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not materially misleading.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k) The Acquiring Fund agrees to use all reasonable efforts to obtain the approvals and authorizations required by the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, and any state blue sky or securities laws as it may deem appropriate in order to continue its operations after the Closing Date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(l) No governmental consents, approvals, authorizations or filings are required under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act or Delaware law for the execution of this Agreement by the IMST Trust, for itself and on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, or the performance of the Agreement by the IMST Trust, for itself and on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, except for the effectiveness of the N-1A Registration Statement and the N-14 Registration Statement and such other consents, approvals, authorizations and filings as have been made or received, and except for such consents, approvals, authorizations and filings as may be required subsequent to the Closing Date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(m) Subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties in paragraph 4.1(p), for the taxable year that includes the Closing Date, the IMST Trust expects that the Acquiring Fund will meet the requirements of Chapter 1, Part I of Subchapter M of the Code for qualification as a RIC and will be eligible to, and will, compute its federal income tax under Section 852 of the Code. After the Closing, the Acquiring Fund will be a fund that is treated as a separate corporation under Section 851(g) of the Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(n) The Acquiring Fund is, and will be at the time of Closing, a newly created series without assets (other than the seed capital provided in exchange for Initial Shares) and without liabilities, created for the purpose of acquiring the assets and assuming the liabilities of the Acquired Fund, and, prior to the Closing, will not carry on any business activities (other than such activities as are customary to the organization of a new series of a registered investment company prior to its commencement of investment operations).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.3 REPRESENTATIONS OF THE IMST TRUST. The IMST Trust represents and warrants to the Northern Lights Trust as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) The IMST Trust has filed a post-effective amendment to its registration statement on Form N-1A ("N-1A Registration Statement") for the purpose of registering the Acquiring Fund under the 1940 Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) The IMST Trust has adopted compliance policies and procedures, including policies and procedures pursuant to Rule 22e-4 and Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, that are reasonably designed to prevent violation of the federal securities laws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.4 REPRESENTATIONS OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS TRUST. The Northern Lights Trust represents and warrants to the IMST Trust that the Northern Lights Trust has adopted compliance policies and procedures, including policies and procedures pursuant to Rule 22e-4 and Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, that are reasonably designed to prevent violation of the federal securities laws.

**ARTICLE V**

COVENANTS

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.1 OPERATION IN ORDINARY COURSE. Each of the Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund will operate their businesses in the ordinary course between the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date, it being understood that such ordinary course of business may include payment of customary dividends and distributions and shareholder redemptions in the case of the Acquired Fund and redemptions of the Initial Shares in the case of the Acquiring Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.2 APPROVAL OF SHAREHOLDERS. The Northern Lights Trust will call a special meeting of the Acquired Fund's shareholders to consider and act upon this Agreement and to take all other action necessary to obtain approval of the transactions contemplated herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. The Acquired Fund will assist the Acquiring Fund in obtaining such information as the Acquiring Fund reasonably requests concerning the beneficial ownership of the Acquired Fund Shares.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.4 FURTHER ACTION. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund will each take or cause to be taken, all action, and do or cause to be done, all things reasonably necessary, proper or advisable to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including any actions required to be taken after the Closing Date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.5 STATEMENT OF EARNINGS AND PROFITS. As promptly as practicable, but in any case within 60 days after the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund shall furnish the Acquiring Fund, in such form as is reasonably satisfactory to the Acquiring Fund, a statement of the earnings and profits of the Acquired Fund for federal income tax purposes that will be carried over by the Acquiring Fund, as well as any capital loss carryovers, that will be carried over to the Acquiring Fund as a result of Section 381 of the Code, and which will be certified by the Northern Lights Trust's Treasurer.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.6 PREPARATION OF N-14 REGISTRATION STATEMENT. The IMST Trust will prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement on Form N-14 (the "N-14 Registration Statement") relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in compliance with the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act. The Acquired Fund will provide the Acquiring Fund with the materials and information necessary to prepare the N-14 Registration Statement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.7 INDEMNIFICATION.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) The Acquiring Fund (solely out of the Acquiring Fund's assets and property, including any amounts paid to the Acquiring Fund pursuant to any applicable liability insurance policies or indemnification agreements) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Acquired Fund and the Acquired Fund's Trustees and officers (collectively, "Acquired Fund Indemnified Persons") from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including, without limitation, the payment of reasonable legal fees and reasonable costs of investigation) to which the Acquired Fund or any of the Acquired Fund Indemnified Persons may become subject, insofar as any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions with respect thereto) arises out of or is based on any material breach by the Acquiring Fund of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) The Acquired Fund (solely out of the Acquired Fund's assets and property, including any amounts paid to the Acquired Fund pursuant to any applicable liability insurance policies or indemnification agreements) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Fund's Trustees and officers (collectively, "Acquiring Fund Indemnified Persons") from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including, without limitation, the payment of reasonable legal fees and reasonable costs of investigation) to which the Acquiring Fund or any of the Acquiring Fund Indemnified Persons may become subject, insofar as any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions with respect thereto) arises out of or is based on any material breach by the Acquired Fund of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.8 TAX RETURNS. The Northern Lights Trust covenants that by the time of the Closing, all of the Acquired Fund's federal and other Tax returns and reports required by law to have been filed on or before the Closing Date (taking extensions into account) shall have been filed and all federal and other Taxes (if any) shown as due on said returns shall have either been paid or, if not yet due, adequate liability reserves shall have been provided for the payment of such Taxes.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.9 CLOSING DOCUMENTS. At the Closing, the Northern Lights Trust will provide the IMST Trust with the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) A certificate, signed by the President and the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer of the Northern Lights Trust on behalf of the Acquired Fund, stating the Acquired Fund's known assets and liabilities, together with information concerning the tax basis and holding period of the Acquired Fund in all securities or investments transferred to the Acquiring Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) A copy of any Tax books and records of the Acquired Fund necessary for purposes of preparing any Tax returns, schedules, forms, statements or related documents (including but not limited to any income, excise or information returns, as well as any transfer statements (as described in Treasury regulation Section 1.6045A-1)) required by law to be filed by the Acquiring Fund after the Closing.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) A copy (which may be in electronic form) of the shareholder ledger accounts of the Acquired Fund, including, without limitation, the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each shareholder of record; the number of shares of beneficial interest held by each shareholder; the dividend reinvestment elections applicable to each shareholder; the backup withholding certifications (e.g., IRS Form W-9) or foreign person certifications (e.g., IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, W-8ECI, or W-8IMY), notices or records on file with the Acquired Fund with respect to each shareholder; and such information as the IMST Trust may reasonably request concerning Acquired Fund Shares or Acquired Fund Shareholders in connection with the Acquiring Fund's cost basis reporting and related obligations under Sections 1012, 6045, 6045A, and 6045B of the Code and related Treasury regulations following the Closing for all of the Acquired Fund Shareholders (the "Acquired Fund Shareholder Documentation"), certified by the Northern Lights Trust's transfer agent or its President or its Vice President to the best of their knowledge and belief.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) All FASB ASC 740-10-25 (formerly, FIN 48) work papers and supporting statements pertaining to the Acquired Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.10 TAX TREATMENT. The Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund intend that the Reorganization will qualify as a reorganization described in Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code. Neither the Acquiring Fund nor the Acquired Fund shall take any action or cause any action to be taken (including, without limitation the filing of any Tax return) that is inconsistent with such treatment or results in the failure of the Reorganization to qualify as a reorganization described in Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code.

**ARTICLE VI**

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE ACQUIRED FUND

The obligations of the Acquired Fund to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject, at its election, to the performance by the Acquiring Fund of all the obligations to be performed by the Acquiring Fund pursuant to this Agreement on or before the Closing Date, and, in addition, subject to the following conditions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.1 All representations, covenants, and warranties of the Acquiring Fund contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of that Closing Date. The Acquiring Fund shall have delivered to the Acquired Fund a certificate executed in the Acquiring Fund's name by the IMST Trust's President or Vice President and its Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Acquired Fund and dated as of the Closing Date, to such effect and as to such other matters as the Acquired Fund shall reasonably request.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.2 The IMST Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, shall have executed and delivered to the Northern Lights Trust an Assumption of Liabilities dated as of the Closing Date pursuant to which the Acquiring Fund will assume all of the Assumed Liabilities of the Acquired Fund not discharged prior to the Closing Date in accordance with paragraph 1.3 of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.3 The Acquired Fund shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate from the President of the IMST Trust, dated as of the Closing Date, addressing the following points:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) The IMST Trust is a statutory trust validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has the power to own all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business as presently conducted and described in the registration statement on Form N-1A of the IMST Trust, and the Acquiring Fund is a separate series of the IMST Trust constituted in accordance with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and the Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the IMST Trust.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) The IMST Trust is registered with the SEC as an investment company under the 1940 Act and such registration with the SEC is in full force and effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) Assuming that consideration of not less than the NAV of the Acquiring Fund Shares has been paid, the Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued and delivered to the Acquired Fund, as provided by this Agreement, are duly authorized and upon such delivery will be legally issued and outstanding and fully paid and non-assessable, and no shareholder of the Acquiring Fund has any preemptive rights with respect to Acquiring Fund Shares.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) The execution and delivery of this Agreement did not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not, result in a violation of the IMST Trust's Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v) The N-14 Registration Statement has been filed with the SEC and no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority under U.S. federal law or the Delaware Statutory Trust Act is required to be obtained for consummation by the IMST Trust and the Acquiring Fund of the transactions contemplated herein, except as have been obtained under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act, and as may be required under Delaware securities laws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(vi) To the knowledge of the President of the IMST Trust, except as has been disclosed in writing to the Northern Lights Trust, no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or threatened as to the IMST Trust or the Acquiring Fund or any of their properties or assets or any person whom the IMST Trust or the Acquiring Fund may be obligated to indemnify in connection with such litigation, proceeding or investigation, and neither the IMST Trust nor the Acquiring Fund is a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body which materially and adversely affects its business or its ability to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.4 The N-1A Registration Statement filed by the IMST Trust with the SEC to register the offer of the sale of the Acquiring Fund Shares will be in effect on the Closing Date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.5 As of the Closing Date with respect to the Reorganization of the Acquired Fund, there shall have been no material change in the investment objective, policies and restrictions nor any material change in the investment management fees, fee levels payable pursuant to any distribution and service plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, other fees payable for services provided to the Acquiring Fund, or fee waiver or expense reimbursement undertakings of the Acquiring Fund from those fee amounts and undertakings of the Acquiring Fund described in the N-14 Registration Statement or N-1A Registration Statement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.6 The IMST Trust Board of Trustees, including a majority of Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the IMST Trust as defined under the 1940 Act, has determined that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are in the best interests of the Acquiring Fund and that the interests of the existing shareholders of the Acquiring Fund would not be diluted as a result of such transactions.

**ARTICLE VII**

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE ACQUIRING FUND

The obligations of the Acquiring Fund to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject, at its election, to the performance by the Acquired Fund of all the obligations to be performed by the Acquired Fund pursuant to this Agreement, on or before the Closing Date and, in addition, shall be subject to the following conditions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.1 All representations, covenants, and warranties of the Acquired Fund contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of such Closing Date. The Acquired Fund shall have delivered to the Acquiring Fund a certificate executed in the Acquired Fund's name by the Northern Lights Trust's President or Vice President and its Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Acquiring Fund and dated as of such Closing Date, to such effect and as to such other matters as the Acquiring Fund shall reasonably request.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.2 The Northern Lights Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, shall have duly executed and delivered to the IMST Trust such bills of sale, assignments, certificates and other instruments of transfer as may be necessary or desirable to transfer all right, title and interest of the Acquired Fund in and to the Acquired Assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.3 The Acquiring Fund shall have received on the Closing Date a certification from the President of the Northern Lights Trust, dated as of the Closing Date, addressing the following points:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) The Northern Lights Trust is a statutory trust validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has power to own all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business as presently conducted and described in the registration statement on Form N-1A of the Northern Lights Trust, and the Acquired Fund is a separate series of the Northern Lights Trust constituted in accordance with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and the Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Northern Lights Trust.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) The Northern Lights Trust is registered with the SEC as an investment company under the 1940 Act and such registration with the SEC is in full force and effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) The Acquired Fund has the power to sell, assign, transfer and deliver its assets to be transferred by it under the Agreement, and, upon consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the Acquired Fund will have transferred such assets to the Acquiring Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) The execution and delivery of this Agreement did not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not, result in a violation of the Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Northern Lights Trust.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v) No consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority under U.S. federal law or the Delaware Statutory Trust Act is required to be obtained for the consummation by the Northern Lights Trust and the Acquired Fund of the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act, and as may be required under Delaware securities laws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(vi) To the knowledge of the President of the Northern Lights Trust, except as has been disclosed in writing to the IMST Trust, no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or threatened as to the Northern Lights Trust or the Acquired Fund or any of their properties or assets or any person whom the Northern Lights Trust or the Acquired Fund may be obligated to indemnify in connection with such litigation, proceeding or investigation, and neither the Northern Lights Trust nor the Acquired Fund is a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body, which materially and adversely affects its business or its ability to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.4 The Acquired Fund shall have delivered to the Acquiring Fund the documents and information described in paragraphs 5.5 and 5.9.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.5 The Northern Lights Trust Board of Trustees, including a majority of Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Northern Lights Trust as defined under the 1940 Act, has determined that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are in the best interests of the Acquired Fund and that the interests of the existing shareholders of the Acquired Fund would not be diluted as a result of such transactions.

**ARTICLE VIII**

FURTHER CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE<br> ACQUIRING FUND AND ACQUIRED FUND

If any of the conditions set forth below do not exist on or before the Closing Date with respect to the Acquired Fund or the Acquiring Fund, the other party to this Agreement shall, at its option, not be required to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, if the conditions stated in paragraphs 8.1 and 8.5 below do not exist on or before the Closing Date with respect to the Acquired Fund or the Acquiring Fund, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall not be consummated:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.1 This Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein, with respect to the Acquired Fund, shall have been approved by the requisite vote of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund in accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of the Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Northern Lights Trust. Certified copies of the resolutions evidencing such approval shall have been delivered to the Acquiring Fund. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the Acquiring Fund nor the Acquired Fund may waive the conditions set forth in this paragraph 8.1.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.2 On the Closing Date, the SEC shall not have issued an unfavorable report under Section 25(b) of the 1940 Act, or instituted any proceeding seeking to enjoin the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement under Section 25(c) of the 1940 Act. Furthermore, no action, suit or other proceeding shall be threatened or pending before any court or governmental agency in which it is sought to restrain or prohibit, or obtain damages or other relief in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.3 All required consents of other parties and all other consents, orders, and permits of federal, state and local regulatory authorities (including those of the SEC and of state blue sky securities authorities, including any necessary no-action positions and exemptive orders from such federal and state authorities) to permit consummation of the transactions contemplated herein shall have been obtained, except where failure to obtain any such consent, order, or permit would not involve a risk of a material adverse effect on the assets or properties of the Acquiring Fund or the Acquired Fund, provided that either party hereto may waive any such conditions for itself.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.4 Each of the N-1A Registration Statement and the N-14 Registration Statement shall have become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop orders suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued. To the best knowledge of the parties to this Agreement, no investigation or proceeding for that purpose shall have been instituted or be pending, threatened or contemplated under the 1933 Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.5 The Northern Lights Trust and the IMST Trust shall have received the opinion of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP dated as of the Closing Date and addressed to the IMST Trust and the Northern Lights Trust, in a form satisfactory to them, substantially to the effect that, based upon certain facts, qualifications, certifications, representations and assumptions, for federal income tax purposes:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) The Reorganization will constitute a "reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code, and each of the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund will be a "party to a reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquired Fund upon the transfer of all the Acquired Assets to the Acquiring Fund solely in exchange for the Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all the liabilities of the Acquired Fund, or upon the distribution of the Acquiring Fund Shares to the Acquired Fund Shareholders, except for (A) gain or loss that may be recognized on the transfer of "section 1256 contracts" as defined in Section 1256(b) of the Code, (B) gain that may be recognized on the transfer of stock in a "passive foreign investment company" as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code, and (C) any other gain or loss that may be required to be recognized upon the transfer of an asset regardless of whether such transfer would otherwise be a non-recognition transaction under the Code;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) The tax basis in the hands of the Acquiring Fund of each Acquired Asset transferred from the Acquired Fund to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization will be the same as the tax basis of such Acquired Asset in the hands of the Acquired Fund immediately prior to the transfer thereof, increased by the amount of gain (or decreased by the amount of loss), if any, recognized by the Acquired Fund on the transfer;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) The holding period in the hands of the Acquiring Fund of each Acquired Asset transferred from the Acquired Fund to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization, other than Acquired Assets with respect to which gain or loss is required to be recognized, will include the Acquired Fund's holding period for such Acquired Asset (except where investment activities of the Acquiring Fund have the effect of reducing or eliminating the holding period with respect to an asset);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquiring Fund upon its receipt of all the Acquired Assets solely in exchange for Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all the liabilities of the Acquired Fund as part of the Reorganization;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquired Fund Shareholders upon the exchange of their Acquired Fund Shares for Acquiring Fund Shares as part of the Reorganization;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) The aggregate tax basis of the Acquiring Fund Shares that each Acquired Fund Shareholder receives in the Reorganization will be the same as the aggregate tax basis of the Acquired Fund Shares exchanged therefor;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) Each Acquired Fund Shareholder's holding period for the Acquiring Fund Shares received in the Reorganization will include the Acquired Fund Shareholder's holding period for the Acquired Fund Shares exchanged therefor, provided that the Acquired Fund Shareholder held such Acquired Fund Shares as capital assets on the date of the exchange; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) The taxable year of the Acquired Fund will not end as a result of the Reorganization.

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the Acquiring Fund nor the Acquired Fund may waive the conditions set forth in this paragraph 8.5.

**ARTICLE IX**

EXPENSES

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.1 Except as otherwise provided for herein, AXS (or any affiliate thereof), UMBFS (or any affiliate thereof) and MFAC (or any affiliate thereof) shall bear all expenses of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (other than expenses, if any, of the shareholders) as set forth herein. Except as otherwise agreed by AXS, UMBFS and MFAC in writing, UMBFS (or any affiliate thereof) and MFAC (or any affiliate thereof) shall bear the first $50,000 of the total Reorganization Expenses as defined herein and AXS (or any affiliate thereof) shall bear all such expenses in excess of that amount. Such expenses include, without limitation: (a) expenses associated with the preparation and filing of the N-14 Registration Statement; (b) postage; (c) printing; (d) accounting fees; (e) audit and legal fees, including fees of the counsel to the Northern Lights Trust, counsel to the Independent Trustees of the Northern Lights Trust, counsel to the IMST Trust, and counsel to the Independent Trustees of the IMST Trust; (f) solicitation costs of the transactions; (g) service provider conversion fees; and (h) any costs associated with meetings of each Fund's Board of Trustees relating to the transactions contemplated herein ("Reorganization Expenses").

AXS (or any affiliate thereof), UMBFS (or any affiliate thereof) and MFAC (or any affiliate thereof) shall remain so liable for their respective shares of the Reorganization Expenses, regardless of whether the transactions contemplated by this Agreement occur, and this paragraph 9.1 shall survive the Closing and any termination of this Agreement pursuant to paragraph 11.1. Notwithstanding the foregoing, expenses will in any event be paid by the party directly incurring such expenses if and to the extent that the payment by another person of such expenses would result in a failure by either the Acquired Fund or the Acquiring Fund to qualify for treatment as a RIC within the meaning of Section 851 of the Code or would prevent the Reorganization from qualifying as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code or otherwise result in the imposition of tax on either the Acquired Fund or the Acquiring Fund or on any of their respective shareholders.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.2 At the Closing, AXS (or any affiliate thereof), UMBFS (or any affiliate thereof) and MFAC (or any affiliate thereof) shall pay the estimated Reorganization Expenses to be paid by it pursuant to paragraph 9.1, and any remaining balance shall be paid by AXS (or any affiliate thereof), UMBFS (or any affiliate thereof) and MFAC (or any affiliate thereof) within thirty (30) days after the Closing.

**ARTICLE X**

ENTIRE AGREEMENT; SURVIVAL

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10.1 The IMST Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and the Northern Lights Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, agree that neither party has made to the other party any representation, warranty and/or covenant not set forth herein and that this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10.2 The representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement, including, without limitation, the indemnification obligations under paragraph 5.7, shall survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder. The covenants to be performed after the Closing Date, and the obligations of the Acquiring Fund, shall continue in effect beyond the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder.

**ARTICLE XI**

TERMINATION

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.1 This Agreement may be terminated by the mutual agreement of the IMST Trust and the Northern Lights Trust. In addition, either the IMST Trust or the Northern Lights Trust may at its option terminate this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date due to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) a breach by the other of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained herein to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date, if not cured within 30 days or, in the sole discretion of the non-breaching party's Board of Trustees, prior to the Closing Date;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) a condition herein expressed to be precedent to the obligations of the terminating party that has not been met and it reasonably appears to the terminating party's Board of Trustees that it will not or cannot be met; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) a determination by the terminating party's Board of Trustees that the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein is not in the best interest of the party, and to give notice to the other party hereto.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.2 In the event of any such termination, in the absence of willful default, there shall be no liability for damages on the part of the Acquiring Fund, the Acquired Fund, the IMST Trust, the Northern Lights Trust, or the respective Trustees or officers to the other party or its Trustees or officers, but paragraph 9.1 shall continue to apply.

**ARTICLE XII**

AMENDMENTS

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12.1 This Agreement may be amended, modified, or supplemented in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon in writing by the authorized officers of the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund; provided, however, that following the meeting of the Acquired Fund's shareholders pursuant to paragraph 5.2 of this Agreement, no such amendment may have the effect of changing any provisions to the detriment of such shareholders.

**ARTICLE XIII**

HEADINGS; COUNTERPARTS; GOVERNING LAW; ASSIGNMENT;<br> LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13.1 The Article and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13.2 This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13.3 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13.4 This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, but, except as provided in this paragraph, no assignment or transfer hereof or of any rights or obligations hereunder shall be made by any party without the written consent of the other party. Nothing herein expressed or implied is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any person, firm, or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13.5 It is expressly agreed that the obligations of the Acquiring Fund hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the Trustees, shareholders, officers, agents, or employees of the IMST Trust personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Acquiring Fund, as provided in the Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the IMST Trust. The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the Trustees of the IMST Trust on behalf of the Acquiring Fund and signed by authorized officers of the IMST Trust, acting as such. Such authorization by such Trustees and such execution and delivery by such officers shall not be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Acquiring Fund as provided in the IMST Trust's Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13.6 It is expressly agreed that the obligations of the Acquired Fund hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the Trustees, shareholders, officers, agents, or employees of the Northern Lights Trust personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Acquired Fund, as provided in the Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Northern Lights Trust. The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the Trustees of the Northern Lights Trust on behalf of the Acquired Fund and signed by authorized officers of the Northern Lights Trust, acting as such. Such authorization by such Trustees and such execution and delivery by such officers shall not be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Acquired Fund as provided in the Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Northern Lights Trust.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13.7 Each of the IMST Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and the Northern Lights Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, specifically acknowledges and agrees that any liability under this Agreement with respect to the Acquiring Fund or Acquired Fund or in connection with the transactions contemplated herein with respect to the Acquiring Fund or Acquired Fund shall be discharged only out of the assets of the Acquiring Fund or Acquired Fund, respectively, and that no other series of the IMST Trust or the Northern Lights Trust shall be liable with respect thereto.

**ARTICLE XIV**

CONFIDENTIALITY

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14.1 Each Fund agrees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the other Fund all records and other information, including any information relating to portfolio holdings, of such other Fund and not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its duties under this Agreement; provided, however, that after prior notification of and written approval by such other Fund (which approval shall not be withheld if the disclosing Fund would be exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities having proper jurisdiction, and which approval shall not be withheld unreasonably in any other circumstance), a Fund may disclose such records and/or information as so approved.

**ARTICLE XV**

COOPERATION AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15.1 The Northern Lights Trust and the IMST Trust will provide each other and their respective representatives with such cooperation, assistance and information as either of them reasonably may request of the other in filing any Tax returns, amended Tax returns or claims for Tax refunds, determining a liability for Taxes or a right to a refund of Taxes, requesting a closing agreement or similar relief from a taxing authority or participating in or conducting any audit or other proceeding in respect of Taxes, or in determining the financial reporting of any Tax position. Each party or its respective agents will retain for a period of six (6) years following the Closing all returns, schedules and work papers and all material records or other documents relating to Tax matters and financial reporting of Tax positions of the Acquired Fund and Acquiring Fund for its taxable period first ending after the Closing and for prior taxable periods for which the party is required to retain records as of the Closing, provided that the Acquired Fund shall not be required to maintain any such documents that it has delivered to the Acquiring Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15.2 Any reporting responsibility of the Acquired Fund is and shall remain the responsibility of the Acquired Fund, up to and including the date of the Closing, and such later date on which the Acquired Fund is terminated including, without limitation, responsibility for (i) preparing and filing any Tax returns relating to Tax periods ending on or prior to the date of the Closing (whether due before or after the Closing); and (ii) preparing and filing other documents with the SEC, any state securities commission, and any federal, state or local tax authorities or any other relevant regulatory authority, except as otherwise is mutually agreed by the parties.

*\*\*\*Signature Page Follows.\*\*\**

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Agreement, all as of the date first written above.

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| |
|:---|
| **NORTHERN LIGHTS FUNDS TRUST III** |
| on behalf of the Acquired Fund |
| By: |
| Name: |
| Title: |
| **INVESTMENT MANAGERS SERIES TRUST II** |
| on behalf of the Acquiring Fund |
| By: |
| Name: |
| Title: |
| **MUTUAL FUND ADMINISTRATION, LLC** |
| solely with respect to Article IX |
| By: |
| Name: |
| Title: |
| **UMB FUND SERVICES, INC.** |
| solely with respect to Article IX |
| By: |
| Name: |
| Title: |
| **AXS INVESTMENTS LLC** |
| solely with respect to Article IX |
| By: |
| Name: |
| Title: |

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**APPENDIX B –MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACQUIRING FUNDS**

The term "Fund" below refers to an Acquiring Fund and "Funds" refers to the Acquiring Funds.

The terms "Advisor" and "AXS" refer to AXS Investments LLC.

**MORE ABOUT THE FUNDS' INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS**

**AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund**

**<u>Investment Objective</u>**

The Fund's investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation with a short-term focus on capital preservation. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

The Fund's investment objective is not fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, upon at least 60 days' prior written notice to shareholders. The Fund's investment strategies and policies may be changed from time to time without shareholder approval or prior written notice, unless specifically stated otherwise in this Prospectus or the Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").

**<u>Principal Investment Strategies</u>**

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in domestic and foreign (including emerging markets) equity securities of any market capitalization. The Fund may also take long or short positions in index ETFs to hedge the Fund's equity portfolio.

The Advisor selects equity securities for the Fund that are experiencing meaningful breakouts. A "breakout" is a significant movement that involves a combination of price and trading volume in a given security. The Advisor further screens these breakout candidates to ensure they meet certain fundamental and technical criteria as determined by the Advisor such as earnings per share growth, revenue growth, and upward revisions of estimates and profitability of the issuers of the securities. The Advisor intends to sell a security when its price drops a certain percentage from its purchase price ("stop-loss"), or if the price drops below a key technical level (such as the 50-day moving price average for the security) in combination with a rise in trading volume. The Fund has no set holding period for any security and actively trades its portfolio investments, which may result in a high portfolio turnover rate.

The Fund's investment strategies for short positions can include: (1) selling short an ETF or other security that tracks a broad or narrow market index, in hopes of buying the security at a future date at a lower price; (2) selling short common stocks; (3) buying a put option on an ETF or other security that tracks a broad or narrow market index; (4) buying an ETF or other security that is designed to appreciate in value when the value of a broad or narrow market index declines; (5) selling a covered call option on a security that the Fund owns for the duration of the option period; and (6) holding a short position in an ETF or other security that tracks a broad or narrow market index and adding to the Fund's long positions in particular stocks by a corresponding amount.

The use of short positions or "hedges" is designed to adjust the overall net exposure of the portfolio to limit the Fund's downside exposure to declines in the overall market. A fund's net exposure is the percentage of assets invested in long positions minus the percentage of assets invested in short positions ("hedges"). The net long exposure of the Fund can fluctuate anywhere between 0% long and 100% long. For example, if the Fund is 50% invested in long positions while simultaneously being 50% invested in hedges, the net long exposure would equal zero percent. The Advisor monitors numerous broad market indexes and several key moving averages and intends to close short positions as select market indexes rise above certain moving averages as identified by the Advisor.

When the Advisor believes that current market, economic, political or other conditions are unsuitable and would impair the pursuit of the Fund's investment objective, the Advisor may invest some or all of the Fund's assets in cash or cash equivalents, including but not limited to obligations of the U.S. government, money market fund shares, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and/or bankers acceptances, as well as other interest bearing or discount obligations or debt instruments that carry an investment grade rating by a national rating agency. When the Fund takes a temporary defensive position, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

**AXS Tactical Income Fund**

**<u>Investment Objective</u>**

The Fund's investment objective is to seek to generate income, with capital preservation as a secondary objective. There is no assurance that the fund will achieve its investment objective.

The Fund's investment objective is not fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, upon at least 60 days' prior written notice to shareholders. The Fund's investment strategies and policies may be changed from time to time without shareholder approval or prior written notice, unless specifically stated otherwise in this Prospectus or the SAI.

**<u>Principal Investment Strategies</u>**

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in income-oriented ETFs that invest in (i) bonds, bank loans, floating rate bonds and debt and municipal debt issued by domestic, foreign and emerging market issuers; (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the United States government, its agencies or instrumentalities, including U.S. treasuries (with an average duration of 1-20 years); and (iii) cash and cash equivalents (including money market funds). The ETFs' investments can include high-yield instruments ("junk bonds"). The Fund may also invest in these types of securities directly. The Fund considers emerging market issues to be those of countries represented in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.

The Advisor uses a proprietary tactical allocation model to invest the Fund's assets in cash investments when market conditions become unfavorable. The Fund invests directly or indirectly in securities of any maturity, duration or credit quality when the model determines that the market for those securities is stable or trending upwards and either Treasuries or cash and cash equivalents when the model determines that the market for those securities is trending downwards. By tactically allocating its investments among the securities described above, the Fund seeks to reduce its exposure to declines in the market, thereby potentially limiting portfolio volatility in down-trending markets. Duration is a measure used to determine the sensitivity of a security's price to changes in interest rates. The longer a security's duration, the more sensitive it will be to changes in interest rates. For example, if a bond has a duration of five years, a 1% rise in rates would result in a 5% decline in share price. If a bond has a duration of ten years, a 1% rise in interest rates would result in a 10% decline in share price. Maturity is the date on which a stock issuer must repay the original principal borrowed from a shareholder. For example, if a security has a maturity of five years, the issuer will pay the investor the face value of the security five years after its purchase.

The Advisor's model considers macro market data and other market-based inputs and metrics to identify market trends. When making investment decisions for the Fund, the portfolio managers consider both the outputs of the model as well as an assessment of current market conditions, the average credit quality of the portfolio, the average duration of the portfolio and other factors. When the Fund is invested in high yield instruments, the portfolio managers consider the net returns of those high yield instruments relative to the risk they pose.

The Fund may also use options such as covered calls or protective puts on positions to reduce risk.

When the Advisor believes that current market, economic, political or other conditions are unsuitable and would impair the pursuit of the Fund's investment objective, the Advisor may invest some or all of the Fund's assets in cash or cash equivalents, including but not limited to obligations of the U.S. government, money market fund shares, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and/or bankers acceptances, as well as other interest bearing or discount obligations or debt instruments that carry an investment grade rating by a national rating agency. When the Fund takes a temporary defensive position, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

**<u>Principal Risks of Investing in the Funds</u>**

The Funds' principal risks are set forth below. Before you decide whether to invest in a Fund, carefully consider these risk factors and special considerations associated with investing in the Fund, which may cause you to lose money.

**Market risk.** The market price of a security or instrument may decline, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions throughout the world, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. The market value of a security or instrument also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on a security or instrument. For example, the financial crisis that began in 2007 caused a significant decline in the value and liquidity of many securities; in particular, the values of some sovereign debt and of securities of issuers that invest in sovereign debt and related investments fell, credit became more scarce worldwide and there was significant uncertainty in the markets. More recently, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic have negatively affected the worldwide economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial health of individual companies and the market in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Such environments could make identifying investment risks and opportunities especially difficult for the Advisor. In response to the crises, the United States and other governments have taken steps to support financial markets. The withdrawal of this support or failure of efforts in response to a crisis could negatively affect financial markets generally as well as the value and liquidity of certain securities. In addition, policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries are changing many aspects of financial regulation. The impact of these changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time.

**Equity risk (AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund).** The value of equity securities held by the Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, or factors relating to specific companies in which the Fund invests. The price of common stock of an issuer in the Fund's portfolio may decline if the issuer fails to make anticipated dividend payments because, among other reasons, the financial condition of the issuer declines. Common stock is subordinated to preferred stocks, bonds and other debt instruments in a company's capital structure in terms of priority with respect to corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater dividend risk than preferred stocks or debt instruments of such issuers. In addition, while broad market measures of common stocks have historically generated higher average returns than fixed income securities, common stocks have also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns.

**ETF risk.** Investing in an ETF will provide the Fund with exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based and will expose the Fund to risks similar to those of investing directly in those securities. Shares of ETFs typically trade on securities exchanges and may at times trade at a premium or discount to their net asset values. In addition, an ETF may not replicate exactly the performance of the benchmark index it seeks to track for a number of reasons, including transaction costs incurred by the ETF, the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or discrepancies between the ETF and the index with respect to the weighting of securities or the number of securities held. Investing in ETFs, which are investment companies, involves duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs.

**Foreign investment risk.** Investments in foreign securities are affected by risk factors generally not thought to be present in the United States. The prices of foreign securities may be more volatile than the prices of securities of U.S. issuers because of economic and social conditions abroad, political developments, and changes in the regulatory environments of foreign countries. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets include less liquidity, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, less government supervision of exchanges, brokers and issuers, greater risks associated with counterparties and settlement, and difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations. Changes in exchange rates and interest rates, and the imposition of foreign taxes, sanctions, confiscations, trade restrictions (including tariffs) and other government restrictions by the United States and/or other governments may adversely affect the values of the Fund's foreign investments. Foreign companies are generally subject to different legal and accounting standards than U.S. companies, and foreign financial intermediaries may be subject to less supervision and regulation than U.S. financial firms. The Fund's investments in depository receipts (including ADRs) are subject to these risks, even if denominated in U.S. dollars, because changes in currency and exchange rates affect the values of the issuers of depository receipts. In addition, the underlying issuers of certain depository receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depository receipts, are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities

**Emerging markets risk.** Many of the risks with respect to foreign investments are more pronounced for investments in issuers in developing or emerging market countries. Emerging market countries tend to have more government exchange controls, more volatile interest and currency exchange rates, less market regulation, and less developed and less stable economic, political and legal systems than those of more developed countries. There may be less publicly available and reliable information about issuers in emerging markets than is available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and such issuers may not be subject to regulatory, accounting, auditing, and financial reporting and recordkeeping standards comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB"), which regulates auditors of U.S. public companies, for example, is unable to inspect audit work and practices in certain countries, such as China. In addition, emerging market countries may experience high levels of inflation and may have less liquid securities markets and less efficient trading and settlement systems. Their economies also depend heavily upon international trade and may be adversely affected by protective trade barriers and the economic conditions of their trading partners. Emerging market countries may have fixed or managed currencies that are not free-floating against the U.S. dollar and may not be traded internationally. Some countries with emerging securities markets have experienced high rates of inflation for many years. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had and may continue to have negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain countries. Emerging markets typically have substantially less volume than U.S. markets, securities in these markets are less liquid, and their prices often are more volatile than those of comparable U.S. companies. Securities markets in emerging markets may also be susceptible to manipulation or other fraudulent trade practices, which could disrupt the functioning of these markets or adversely affect the value of investments traded in these markets, including investments of a Fund. A Fund's rights with respect to its investments in emerging markets, if any, will generally be governed by local law, which may make it difficult or impossible for the Fund to pursue legal remedies or to obtain and enforce judgments in local courts. Delays may occur in settling securities transactions in emerging market countries, which could adversely affect a Fund's ability to make or liquidate investments in those markets in a timely fashion. In addition, it may not be possible for a Fund to find satisfactory custodial services in an emerging market country, which could increase the Fund's costs and cause delays in the transportation and custody of its investments. There may also be restrictions on imports from certain countries, such as Russia, and dealings with certain state-sponsored entities. For example, following Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the President of the United States signed an Executive Order in February 2022 prohibiting U.S. persons from entering into transactions with the Central Bank of Russia, and Executive Orders in March 2022 prohibiting U.S. persons from importing oil and gas from Russia as well as other popular Russian exports, such as diamonds, seafood and vodka. There may also be restrictions on investments in Chinese companies. For example, the President of the United States signed an Executive Order in June 2021 affirming and expanding the U.S. policy prohibiting U.S. persons from purchasing or investing in publicly-traded securities of companies identified by the U.S. Government as "Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies." The list of such companies can change from time to time, and as a result of forced selling or an inability to participate in an investment the Advisor otherwise believes is attractive, a Fund may incur losses. Any of these factors may adversely affect a Fund's performance or the Fund's ability to pursue its investment objective.

**Derivatives risk.** Derivatives include instruments and contracts that are based on and valued in relation to one or more underlying securities, financial benchmarks, indices, or other reference obligations or measures of value. Depending on how the Fund uses derivatives and the relationship between the market value of the derivative and the underlying instrument, the use of derivatives could increase or decrease the Fund's exposure to the risks of the underlying instrument. Using derivatives exposes the Fund to additional or heightened risks, including leverage risk, liquidity risk, valuation risk, market risk, counterparty risk, and credit risk. A small investment in derivatives could have a potentially large impact on the Fund's performance. Derivatives transactions can be highly illiquid and difficult to unwind or value, they can increase Fund volatility, and changes in the value of a derivative held by the Fund may not correlate with the value of the underlying instrument or the Fund's other investments. Many of the risks applicable to trading the instruments underlying derivatives are also applicable to derivatives trading. However, derivatives are subject to additional risks such as operational risk (such as documentation issues and settlement issues) and legal risk (such as insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of a counterparty, and issues with the legality or enforceability of a contract). For derivatives that are required to be cleared by a regulated clearinghouse, other risks may arise from the Fund's relationship with a brokerage firm through which it submits derivatives trades for clearing, including in some cases from other clearing customers of the brokerage firm. The Fund would also be exposed to counterparty risk with respect to the clearinghouse. Financial reform laws have changed many aspects of financial regulation applicable to derivatives. Once implemented, new regulations, including margin, clearing, and trade execution requirements, may make derivatives more costly, may limit their availability, may present different risks or may otherwise adversely affect the value or performance of these instruments. The extent and impact of these regulations are not yet fully known and may not be known for some time.

In October 2020, the SEC adopted Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act (the "Derivatives Rule"), which provides a comprehensive regulatory framework for the use of derivatives by registered investment companies, such as the Fund, and sets an outer limit on leverage based on value-at-risk (or "VaR"). The effect of the Derivatives Rule could, among other things, make investment in derivatives more costly, limit the availability or reduce the liquidity of derivatives, or otherwise adversely affect the value or performance of derivatives. Any such adverse future developments could impair the effectiveness or raise the costs of the Fund's derivative transactions, impede the employment of the Fund's derivatives strategies, or adversely affect the Fund's performance.

Certain risks relating to various types of derivatives in which the Fund may invest are described below.

<u>Hedging Transactions</u>. The Fund may employ hedging techniques that involve a variety of derivative transactions, including futures contracts, swaps, exchange-listed and over-the-counter put and call options on securities or on financial indices, and various interest rate and foreign-exchange transactions (collectively, "Hedging Instruments"). Hedging techniques involve risks different than those of underlying investments. In particular, the variable degree of correlation between price movements of Hedging Instruments and price movements in the position being hedged means that losses on the hedge may be greater than gains in the value of the Fund's positions, or that there may be losses on both parts of a transaction. In addition, certain Hedging Instruments and markets may not be liquid in all circumstances. As a result, in volatile markets, the Fund may not be able to close out a transaction in certain of these instruments without incurring losses. The Advisor may use Hedging Instruments to minimize the risk of total loss to the Fund by offsetting an investment in one security with a comparable investment in a contrasting security. However, such use may limit any potential gain that might result from an increase in the value of the hedged position. Whether the Fund hedges successfully will depend on the Advisor's ability to predict pertinent market movements. In addition, it is not possible to hedge fully or perfectly against currency fluctuations affecting the value of securities denominated in foreign currencies, because the value of those securities is likely to fluctuate as a result of independent factors not related to currency fluctuations. The daily variation margin requirements in futures contracts might create greater financial risk than would options transactions, where the exposure is limited to the cost of the initial premium and transaction costs paid by the Fund.

<u>Call Options</u>. The seller (writer) of a call option which is covered (e.g., for which the writer holds the underlying security) assumes the risk of a decline in the market price of the underlying security below the purchase price of the underlying security less the premium received, and gives up the opportunity for gain on the underlying security above the exercise price of the option. The seller of an uncovered call option assumes the risk of a theoretically unlimited increase in the market price of the underlying security above the exercise price of the option. The buyer of a call option assumes the risk of losing its entire investment in the call option. However, if the buyer of the call sells short the underlying security, the loss on the call will be offset in whole or in part by gain on the short sale of the underlying security.

<u>Put Options</u>. The seller (writer) of a put option which is covered (e.g., the writer holds or has a short position in the underlying security) assumes the risk of an increase in the market price of the underlying security above the exercise price of the option plus the premium received, and gives up the opportunity for gain on the underlying security above the exercise price of the option. The seller of an uncovered put option assumes the risk of an increase in the market price of the underlying security above the exercise price of the option plus the premium received. The buyer of a put option assumes the risk of losing its entire investment in the put option.

<u>Illiquidity</u>. Derivatives, especially when traded in large amounts, may not always be liquid. In such cases, in volatile markets the Fund may not be able to close out a position without incurring a loss. Daily limits on price fluctuations and speculative position limits on exchanges on which the Fund may conduct its transactions in derivatives may prevent profitable liquidation of positions, subjecting the Fund to potentially greater losses.

<u>Counterparty Credit Risk</u>. Many purchases, sales, financing arrangements, and derivative transactions in which the Fund may engage involve instruments that are not traded on an exchange. Rather, these instruments are traded between counterparties based on contractual relationships. As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that a counterparty will not perform its obligations under the related contract. Although the Fund expects to enter into transactions only with counterparties believed by the Advisor to be creditworthy, there can be no assurance that a counterparty will not default and that the Fund will not sustain a loss on a transaction as a result.

In situations where the Fund is required to post margin or other collateral with a counterparty, the counterparty may fail to segregate the collateral or may commingle the collateral with the counterparty's own assets. As a result, in the event of the counterparty's bankruptcy or insolvency, the Fund's collateral may be subject to the conflicting claims of the counterparty's creditors and the Fund may be exposed to the risk of being treated as a general unsecured creditor of the counterparty, rather than as the owner of the collateral.

The Fund is subject to the risk that issuers of the instruments in which it invests and trades may default on their obligations, and that certain events may occur that have an immediate and significant adverse effect on the value of those instruments. There can be no assurance that an issuer will not default, or that an event that has an immediate and significant adverse effect on the value of an instrument will not occur, and that the Fund will not sustain a loss on a transaction as a result.

**Options risk**. A Fund may lose the entire put option premium paid if the underlying security does not decrease in value at expiration. Put options may not be an effective hedge because they may have imperfect correlation to the value of a Fund's portfolio securities. Purchased put options may decline in value due to changes in price of the underlying security, passage of time and changes in volatility. Written call and put options may limit a Fund's participation in equity market gains and may magnify the losses if the price of the written option instrument increases in value between the date when the Fund writes the option and the date on which the Fund purchases an offsetting position. A Fund will incur a loss as a result of a written options (also known as a short position) if the price of the written option instrument increases in value between the date when the Fund writes the option and the date on which the Fund purchases an offsetting position. A Fund's losses are potentially large in a written put transaction and potentially unlimited in an unhedged written call transaction.

**Short sales risk (AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund).** In connection with a short sale of a security or other instrument, the Fund is subject to the risk that instead of declining, the price of the security or other instrument sold short will rise. If the price of the security or other instrument sold short increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the security or other instrument borrowed to make the short sale, the Fund will experience a loss, which is theoretically unlimited since there is a theoretically unlimited potential for the market price of a security or other instrument sold short to increase.

**Large-cap company risk (AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund).** Larger, more established companies may be unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies during periods of economic expansion. In addition, large-capitalization companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and may be more prone to global economic risks.

**Small-cap and mid-cap company risk (AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund).** Investing in small-capitalization and mid-capitalization companies generally involves greater risks than investing in large-capitalization companies. Small- or mid-cap companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources or may depend on the expertise of a few people and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies or market averages in general. Many small capitalization companies may be in the early stages of development. Since equity securities of smaller companies may lack sufficient market liquidity and may not be regularly traded, it may be difficult or impossible to sell securities at an advantageous time or a desirable price.

**Currency Risk.** If the Fund invests in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, foreign currencies, it will be subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. As a result, the Fund's investments in foreign currency-denominated securities may reduce the Fund's returns.

**Issuer-specific risk (AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund).** The value of a specific security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and may perform worse than the market as a whole.

**Bank loan risk (AXS Tactical Income Fund).** The market for bank loans may not be highly liquid and the Fund may have difficulty selling them. These investments expose the Fund to the credit risk of both the financial institution and the underlying borrower.

**Cash and cash equivalents risk (AXS Tactical Income Fund).** When the Fund is out of the market and invests in cash and cash equivalents, there is a risk that the market will begin to rise rapidly, and the Fund will not be able to reinvest its cash positions into areas of the advancing market quickly enough to capture the initial returns of changing market conditions.

**Credit risk (AXS Tactical Income Fund).** If an obligor (such as the issuer itself or a party offering credit enhancement) for a security held by the Fund fails to pay amounts due when required by the terms of the security, otherwise defaults, is perceived to be less creditworthy, becomes insolvent or files for bankruptcy, a security's credit rating is downgraded or the credit quality or value of any underlying assets declines, the value of the Fund's investment could decline. If the Fund enters into financial contracts (such as certain derivatives, repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and when-issued, delayed delivery and forward commitment transactions), the Fund will be subject to the credit risk presented by the counterparties.

**Fixed income securities risk (AXS Tactical Income Fund).** The prices of fixed income securities respond to economic developments, particularly interest rate changes, as well as to changes in an issuer's credit rating or market perceptions about the creditworthiness of an issuer. Prices of fixed income securities tend to move inversely with changes in interest rates. Generally fixed income securities decrease in value if interest rates rise and increase in value if interest rates fall, with lower rated securities more volatile than higher rated securities. The longer the effective maturity and duration of the Fund's portfolio, the more the Fund's share price is likely to react to changes in interest rates. (Duration is a weighted measure of the length of time required to receive the present value of future payments, both interest and principal, from a fixed income security.) Some fixed income securities give the issuer the option to call, or redeem, the securities before their maturity dates. If an issuer calls its security during a time of declining interest rates, the Fund might have to reinvest the proceeds in an investment offering a lower yield, and therefore might not benefit from any increase in value of the security as a result of declining interest rates. During periods of market illiquidity or rising interest rates, prices of callable issues are subject to increased price fluctuation. In addition, the Fund may be subject to extension risk, which occurs during a rising interest rate environment because certain obligations may be paid off by an issuer more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of those securities held by the Fund to fall.

**High yield ("junk") bond risk.** High yield bonds (often called "junk bonds") are speculative, involve greater risks of default or downgrade and are more volatile and tend to be less liquid than investment-grade securities. High yield bonds involve a greater risk of price declines than investment-grade securities due to actual or perceived changes in an issuer's creditworthiness. Companies issuing high yield fixed-income securities are less financially strong, are more likely to encounter financial difficulties, and are more vulnerable to adverse market events and negative sentiments than companies with higher credit ratings. These factors could affect such companies' abilities to make interest and principal payments and ultimately could cause such companies to stop making interest and/or principal payments. In such cases, payments on the securities may never resume, which would result in the securities owned by the Fund becoming worthless. The market prices of junk bonds are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher rated investments, but more sensitive to adverse economic or political changes or individual developments specific to the issuer.

**Floating rate risk (AXS Tactical Income Fund).** Changes in short-term market interest rates will directly affect the yield on Fund shares whose investments are normally invested in floating rate debt. If short-term market interest rates fall, the yield on the Fund's shares will also fall. Conversely, when short-term market interest rates rise, because of the lag between changes in such short-term rates and the resetting of the floating rates on the floating rate debt in the Fund's portfolio, the impact of rising rates will be delayed to the extent of such lag.

**Municipal bond risk (AXS Tactical Income Fund).** The value of municipal bonds that depend on a specific revenue source or general revenue source to fund their payment obligations may fluctuate as a result of changes in the cash flows generated by the revenue source(s) or changes in the priority of the municipal obligation to receive the cash flows generated by the revenue source(s). In addition, changes in federal tax laws or the activity of an issuer may adversely affect the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds. There is no guarantee that a municipality will pay interests or repay principal.

**Government-sponsored entities risk (AXS Tactical Income Fund).** The Fund's investment in U.S. government obligations may include securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. government, or its agencies or instrumentalities. Payment of principal and interest on U.S. government obligations may be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States or may be backed solely by the issuing or guaranteeing agency or instrumentality itself. There can be no assurance that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises) when it is not obligated to do so.

**Model risk (AXS Tactical Income Fund).** Like all quantitative analysis, the Advisor's investment model carries a risk that the mathematical model used might be based on one or more incorrect assumptions. Rapidly changing and unforeseen market dynamics could also lead to a decrease in short term effectiveness of the Advisor's algorithmic model. No assurance can be given that the Fund will be successful under all or any market conditions.

**Short sales risk (AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund).** In connection with a short sale of a security or other instrument, the Fund is subject to the risk that instead of declining, the price of the security or other instrument sold short will rise. If the price of the security or other instrument sold short increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the security or other instrument borrowed to make the short sale, the Fund will experience a loss, which is theoretically unlimited since there is

**Portfolio turnover risk.** Active and frequent trading of the Fund's portfolio securities may lead to higher transaction costs and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions than would otherwise be the case, which could negatively affect the Fund's performance. A high rate of portfolio turnover is 100% or more.

**Management and strategy risk.** The value of your investment depends on the judgment of the Fund's advisor about the quality, relative yield, value or market trends affecting a particular security, industry, sector or region, which may prove to be incorrect.

**Recent Market Events.** Periods of market volatility may occur in response to market events and other economic, political, and global macro factors. The COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and higher inflation have resulted in extreme volatility in the financial markets, economic downturns around the world, and severe losses, particularly to some sectors of the economy and individual issuers, and reduced liquidity of certain instruments. These events have caused significant disruptions to business operations, including business closures; strained healthcare systems; disruptions to supply chains and employee availability; large fluctuations in consumer demand; large expansion of government deficits and debt as a result of government actions to mitigate the effects of such events; and widespread uncertainty regarding the long-term effects of such events.

Governments and central banks, including the Federal Reserve in the United States, took extraordinary and unprecedented actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including by keeping interest rates at historically low levels for an extended period. The Federal Reserve concluded its market support activities in 2022 and began to raise interest rates in an effort to fight inflation. The Federal Reserve may determine to raise interest rates further. This and other government intervention into the economy and financial markets to address the pandemic, inflation, or other significant events in the future, may not work as intended, particularly if the efforts are perceived by investors as being unlikely to achieve the desired results.

Such events could be prolonged and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund's investments, impair the Fund's ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund's performance. Other market events may cause similar disruptions and effects.

For further information about the risks of investing in the Funds, please see the SAI.

**<u>Portfolio Holdings Information</u>**

A description of the Funds' policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds' portfolio securities is available in the Funds' SAI. Currently, disclosure of each Fund's holdings is required to be made quarterly within 60 days of the end of each fiscal quarter in the Funds' Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to Fund shareholders and in its monthly holdings report on Form N-PORT.

**MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS**

**<u>Investment Advisor</u>**

AXS Investments LLC, a Delaware limited liability company formed in October 2019, which maintains its principal offices at 181 Westchester Avenue, Suite 402, Port Chester, New York 10573, acts as the investment advisor to the Funds pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (the "Advisory Agreement") with the Trust. The Advisor is an investment advisor registered with the SEC and provides investment advice to open-end funds. The Advisor has approximately $1.12 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2022.

Subject to the general supervision of the Board, the Advisor is responsible for managing each Fund in accordance with its investment objectives and policies using the approaches discussed in the "Principal Investment Strategies" section of this Prospectus.

Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, for its services, the Advisor is entitled to receive an annual management fee as listed below of each Fund's average daily net assets, calculated daily and payable twice a month:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Contractual Advisory Fees**<br> **As a Percentage of Average**<br> **Daily Net Assets** |
| AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund | 1.25% |
| AXS Tactical Income Fund | 1.00% |

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A discussion regarding the basis for the Board's approval of the Advisory Agreements will be available in the Funds' first shareholder report following the reorganization of the Predecessor Funds.

**<u>Manager of Managers Structure</u>**

AXS and the Trust have received an exemptive order from the SEC which allows AXS to operate the Funds under a "manager of managers" structure (the "Order"). Pursuant to the Order, AXS may, subject to the approval of the Board, hire or replace sub-advisors and modify any existing or future agreement with such sub-advisors without obtaining shareholder approval.

Pursuant to the Order, AXS, with the approval of the Board, has the discretion to terminate any sub-advisor and allocate and reallocate a Fund's assets among AXS and any other sub-advisor. AXS has the ultimate responsibility, subject to the oversight and supervision by the Board, to oversee any sub-advisor for a Fund and to recommend, for approval by the Board, the hiring, termination and replacement of sub-advisors for a Fund. In evaluating a prospective sub-advisor, AXS will consider, among other things, the proposed sub-advisor's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. AXS remains ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-advisor retained to manage a Fund. Within 90 days after hiring any new sub-advisor, the respective Fund's shareholders will receive information about any new sub-advisory relationships.

Use of the "manager of managers" structure does not diminish AXS's responsibilities to the Funds under its Advisory Agreement. AXS has overall responsibility, subject to oversight by the Board, to oversee the sub-advisors and recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. Specifically, AXS will, subject to the review and approval of the Board: (a) set a Fund's overall investment strategy; (b) evaluate, select and recommend sub-advisors to manage all or a portion of a Fund's assets; and (c) implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that each sub-advisor complies with the respective Fund's investment goal, policies and restrictions. Subject to the review by the Board, AXS will: (a) when appropriate, allocate and reallocate a Fund's assets among multiple sub-advisors; and (b) monitor and evaluate the performance of the sub-advisors. Replacement of AXS or the imposition of material changes to the Advisory Agreement would continue to require prior shareholder approval.

**<u>Portfolio Managers</u>**

**Jordan Kahn,** Portfolio Manager of AXS, joined AXS in 2023. Before joining AXS, Mr. Kahn was the founder and Chief Investment Officer of Ascendant Capital Management, LLC ("ACM"). Prior to founding ACM in 2014, Mr. Kahn founded KAM Advisors in 2007 where he successfully managed over $200 million. In 2015, KAM Advisors was purchased by HCR Wealth Advisers, where Mr. Kahn acts as Chief Investment Officer. In addition, Mr. Kahn was previously a Managing Partner with Beverly Investment Advisors from 2007 to 2010, and before that a Senior Portfolio Manager for Summit Wealth Management (formerly Berger & Associates) from 2001 to 2007. Mr. Kahn received his Masters of Science in Financial Markets and Trading from the Stuart School of Business at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst. Mr. Kahn graduated cum laude in Economics with a concentration in Finance from the University of Colorado.

**Parker Binion**, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of AXS, joined AXS in January 2021. Prior to joining AXS, Mr. Binion worked as the Chief Investment Officer of Kerns Capital Management, Inc. and was responsible for managing the firm's mutual fund, separately managed account strategies and hedging/net exposure strategies. Prior to joining Kerns Capital in 2014, Mr. Binion was an investment advisor representative with Heritage Capital from 2012 to 2014. He holds an A.B. in political science with a concentration in economics from Duke University and a J.D. with honors from the University of Texas at Austin where he served as an Articles Editor for the Texas Law Review.

**Alan Savoian**, Portfolio Manager of AXS, serves as a portfolio manager for the AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund. Prior to joining AXS in 2023, Mr. Savoian was a Portfolio Manager for ACM since March 2017. Mr. Savoian has over 25 years of experience in the investment industry as a senior portfolio manager and research analyst. Prior to joining ACM, Mr. Savoian was a Senior Portfolio Manager at William O'Neil & Co from March 1990 to September 2016, where he successfully managed proprietary portfolios for the firm's in-house money management business. He is an expert in analyzing stocks according to the O'Neil CAN SLIM Method, which he learned personally from legendary investor William O'Neil. Mr. Savoian received his Bachelor of Arts in Finance from California State University, Northridge.

**Eric Hua,** Portfolio Manager of the Advisor, serves as portfolio manager for the AXS Tactical Income Fund. Prior to joining AXS in 2023, Mr. Hua was a Portfolio Associate at ACM from 2020 to 2023. Mr. Hua assisted the portfolio managers at ACM with investment research, strategy, and trading with the funds that the firm manages. Prior to joining ACM, he was an Associate at Bank of America on the portfolio management team from 2017 to 2020. Mr. Hua earned his B.S. in Finance from Pennsylvania State University.

The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of Fund securities.

**<u>Other Service Providers</u>**

ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the "Distributor") is the Funds' principal underwriter and acts as the distributor in connection with the offering of Fund shares. The Distributor may enter into agreements with banks, broker-dealers, or other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase or redeem shares. The Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust, the Advisor, or any other service provider for the Funds.

**<u>Fund Expenses</u>**

Each Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses (all of which will be borne directly or indirectly by the Fund's shareholders), including among others, legal fees and expenses of counsel to the Fund and the Fund's independent trustees; insurance (including trustees' and officers' errors and omissions insurance); auditing and accounting expenses; taxes and governmental fees; listing fees; fees and expenses of the Fund's custodians, administrators, transfer agents, registrars and other service providers; expenses for portfolio pricing services by a pricing agent, if any; expenses in connection with the issuance and offering of shares; brokerage commissions and other costs of acquiring or disposing of any portfolio holding of the Fund and any litigation expenses.

The Advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of each Fund to ensure that the total annual fund operating expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses as determined in accordance with Form N-1A, professional fees related to services for the collection of foreign tax reclaims, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) do not exceed the following. This agreement is in effect for a period of two years form the date of the Reorganization (which is expected to occur in the second quarter of 2023), and it may be terminated before that date only by the Trust's Board of Trustees.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Expense Cap** <br> **as percent of the average daily net assets** | **Expense Cap** <br> **as percent of the average daily net assets** |
| | **Class A** | **Class I** |
| AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund | 2.40% | 2.15% |
| AXS Tactical Income Fund | 2.25% | 2.00% |

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AXS is permitted to seek reimbursement from each Fund, subject to certain limitations, of fees waived or payments made by AXS to the Fund for a period ending three years after the date of the waiver or payment.

Any reduction in advisory fees or payment of fund expenses made by AXS in a fiscal year may be reimbursed by the Funds for a period ending three years after the date of reduction or payment if AXS so requests. Such reimbursement may be requested from a Fund if the reimbursement will not cause the Fund's annual expense ratio to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time such fees were waived or payments made, or (b) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement. Reimbursement of fees waived or payments made will be made on a "first in, first out" basis so that the oldest fees waived or payments are satisfied first. Any such reimbursement is contingent upon the Board's subsequent review of the reimbursed amounts and no reimbursement may cause the total operating expenses paid by a Fund in a fiscal year to exceed the applicable limitation on Fund expenses. Each Fund must pay current ordinary operating expenses before the Advisor is entitled to any reimbursement of fees and/or fund expenses.

**DISTRIBUTION PLAN**

**Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Fees for Class A Shares** 

The Trust has adopted a plan on behalf of each Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan") which allows each Fund to pay distribution fees for the sale and distribution of its Class A Shares, and/or shareholder liaison service fees in connection with the provision of personal services to shareholders of Class A Shares and the maintenance of their shareholder accounts. The 12b-1 Plan provides for the payment of such fees at the annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets attributable to Class A Shares. Since these fees are paid out of each Fund's assets attributable to the Fund's Class A Shares, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and, over time, may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. The net income attributable to Class A Shares, will be reduced by the amount of distribution and shareholder liaison service fees and other expenses of the Fund associated with that class of shares.

To assist investors in comparing classes of shares, the table under the Prospectus heading "Fees and Expenses of the Fund" provides a summary of expenses and an example of the sales charges and expenses of the Fund applicable to each class of shares offered in this Prospectus.

Class I Shares are not subject to any distribution fees under the 12b-1 Plan.

**Additional Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries** 

The Advisor pays service fees to intermediaries such as banks, broker-dealers, financial advisors or other financial institutions, some of which may be affiliates, for sub-administration, sub-transfer agency and other shareholder services associated with shareholders whose shares are held of record in omnibus accounts, other group accounts or accounts traded through registered securities clearing agents.

The Advisor, out of its own resources, and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may provide additional cash payments or non-cash compensation to broker-dealers or intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund. These additional cash payments are generally made to intermediaries that provide shareholder servicing, marketing support and/or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary. The Advisor may pay cash compensation for inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or in other sales programs, or may pay an expense reimbursement in cases where the intermediary provides shareholder services to the Fund's shareholders. The Advisor may also pay cash compensation in the form of finder's fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of the shares sold.

**YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE FUNDS**

**Share Price** 

The offering price of each class of the Fund's shares is the net asset value per share ("NAV") of that class (plus any sales charges, as applicable). The difference among the classes' NAVs reflects the daily expense accruals of the distribution fees applicable to Class A Shares. The Fund's NAVs are calculated as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the normal close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), on each day the NYSE is open for trading. If for example, the NYSE closes at 1:00 p.m. New York time, the Fund's NAVs would still be determined as of 4:00 p.m. New York time. In this example, portfolio securities traded on the NYSE would be valued at their closing prices unless the Advisor determines that a "fair value" adjustment is appropriate due to subsequent events. The NAV for each class is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's portfolio securities, cash and other assets (including accrued interest) allocable to such class, less all liabilities (including accrued expenses) allocable to such class, by the total number of outstanding shares of such class. The Fund's NAVs may be calculated earlier if permitted by the SEC. The NYSE is closed on weekends and most U.S. national holidays. However, foreign securities listed primarily on non-U.S. markets may trade on weekends or other days on which the Fund does not value its shares, which may significantly affect the Fund's NAVs on days when you are not able to buy or sell Fund shares.

The Fund's securities generally are valued at market price. Securities are valued at fair value when market quotations are not readily available. The Board has designated the Advisor as the Fund's valuation designee (the "Valuation Designee") to make all fair value determinations with respect to the Fund's portfolio investments, subject to the Board's oversight. As the Valuation Designee, the Advisor has adopted and implemented policies and procedures to be followed when the Fund must utilize fair value pricing, including when reliable market quotations are not readily available, when the Fund's pricing service does not provide a valuation (or provides a valuation that, in the judgment of the Advisor, does not represent the security's fair value), or when, in the judgment of the Advisor, events have rendered the market value unreliable (see, for example, the discussion of fair value pricing of foreign securities in the paragraph below). Valuing securities at fair value involves reliance on the judgment of the Advisor, and may result in a different price being used in the calculation of the Fund's NAVs from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value determinations are made by the Advisor, in good faith in accordance with procedures approved by the Board. There can be no assurance that the Fund will obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it sells the security.

In certain circumstances, the Advisor employs fair value pricing to ensure greater accuracy in determining daily the Funds' NAV**s** and to prevent dilution by frequent traders or market timers who seek to exploit temporary market anomalies. Fair value pricing may be applied to foreign securities held by the Fund upon the occurrence of an event after the close of trading on non-U.S. markets but before the close of trading on the NYSE when the Fund's NAVs are determined. If the event may result in a material adjustment to the price of the Fund's foreign securities once non-U.S. markets open on the following business day (such as, for example, a significant surge or decline in the U.S. market), the Advisor may value such foreign securities at fair value, taking into account the effect of such event, in order to calculate the Fund's NAVs.

Other types of portfolio securities that the Advisor may fair value include, but are not limited to: (1) investments that are illiquid or traded infrequently, including "restricted" securities and private placements for which there is no public market; (2) investments for which, in the judgment of the Advisor, the market price is stale; (3) securities of an issuer that has entered into a restructuring; (4) securities for which trading has been halted or suspended; and (5) fixed income securities for which there is no current market value quotation.

Pricing services generally value debt securities assuming orderly transactions of an institutional round lot size, but such securities may be held or transactions may be conducted in such securities in smaller, odd lot sizes. Odd lots often trade at lower prices than institutional round lots.

**Purchase of Shares** 

The Funds offered in this Prospectus have the following classes of shares:

● Class A shares generally incur sales loads at the time of purchase and are subject to annual distribution and shareholder service fees.

● Class I shares are not subject to any sales loads or distribution fees.

By offering multiple classes of shares, each Fund permits each investor to choose the class of shares that is most beneficial given the type of investor, the amount to be invested and the length of time the investor expects to hold the shares.

Before you invest, you should compare the features of each share class, so that you can choose the class that is right for you. When selecting a share class, you should consider the following:

● which shares classes are available to you;

● how long you expect to own your shares;

● how much you intend to invest;

● total costs and expenses associated with a particular share class; and

● whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges.

Each class of shares generally has the same rights, except for the distribution fees, and related expenses associated with each class of shares, and the exclusive voting rights by each class with respect to any distribution plan or service plan for such class of shares.

To purchase shares of a Fund, you must invest at least the minimum amount indicated in the following table.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Minimum Investments** | **To Open** <br> **Your Account**  | **To Add to** <br> **Your Account**  |
| **Class A Shares** |  |  |
| Direct Regular Accounts | $2500 | $500 |
| Direct Retirement Accounts | $2500 | $500 |
| Automatic Investment Plan | $2500 | $100 |
| Gift Account For Minors | $2500 | $500 |
| **Class I Shares** |  |  |
| All Accounts | $5000 | $0 |

---

Shares of a Fund may be purchased by check, by wire transfer of funds via a bank or through an approved financial intermediary (*i.e.*, a supermarket, investment advisor, financial planner or consultant, broker, dealer or other investment professional and their agents) authorized by the Fund to receive purchase orders. Financial intermediaries may provide varying arrangements for their clients to purchase and redeem shares, which may include different sales charges as described in this Prospectus, additional fees and different investment minimums. In addition, from time to time, a financial intermediary may modify or waive the initial and subsequent investment minimums. Your financial intermediary may receive different compensation for selling Class A Shares due to different sales charges among the share classes. Please see **"Class A Shares – Sales Charge Schedule,"** and "**Appendix A – Waivers and Discounts Available from Intermediaries."** The share classes your financial intermediary sells may depend on, among other things, the type of investor account and the policies, procedures and practices adopted by your financial intermediary. You should review these arrangements with your financial intermediary.

You may make an initial investment in an amount greater than the minimum amounts shown in the preceding table and a Fund may, from time to time, reduce or waive the minimum initial investment amounts. The minimum initial investment amount is automatically waived for Fund shares purchased by Trustees of the Trust and current or retired directors and employees of the Advisor and its affiliates.

To the extent allowed by applicable law, each Fund reserves the right to discontinue offering shares at any time or to cease operating entirely.

**Class A Shares - Sales Charge Schedule**

Each Fund offering Class A shares is sold at the public offering price, which is the NAV plus an initial maximum sales charge which varies with the amounts you invest as shown in the following chart. This means that part of the funds you contribute to a Fund to purchase Fund shares will be used to pay the sales charge.

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Your Investment** | **Front-End**<br> **Sales Charge**<br> **As a % Of**<br> **Offering**<br> **Price<sup>1</sup>**  | **Front-End**<br> **Sales Charge**<br> **As a % Of**<br> **Net**<br> **Investment<sup>2</sup>**  | **Dealer**<br> **Reallowance**<br> **As a % Of**<br> **Offering**<br> **Price**  |
| Under $24,999 | 5.75% | 6.10% | 5.00% |
| $25,000 to $49,999 | 5.00% | 5.26% | 4.25% |
| $50,000 to $99,999 | 4.75% | 4.99% | 4.00% |
| $100,000 to $249,999 | 3.75% | 3.90% | 3.25% |
| $250,000 to $499,999 | 2.50% | 2.56% | 2.00% |
| $500,000 to $999,999 | 2.00% | 2.04% | 1.75% |
| $1,000,000 and above | 0.00% | 0.00% |  |

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**<sup>1</sup>** The offering price includes the sales charge.

**<sup>2</sup>** Represents the amount of sales charge retained by the selling broker-dealer

Because of rounding in the calculation of front-end sales charges, the actual front-end sales charge paid by an investor may be higher or lower than the percentages noted above. No sales charge is imposed on Class A shares received from reinvestment of dividends or capital gain distributions.

**Class A Shares Purchase Programs** 

Eligible purchasers of Class A Shares also may be entitled to reduced or waived sales charges through certain purchase programs offered by the Funds as discussed below. Eligible purchasers of Class A Shares also may be entitled to waived sales charges as discussed below under **"*Net Asset Value Purchases"***. The availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts will depend on whether you purchase your shares directly from the Funds or through a financial intermediary. As described in Appendix A to this Prospectus, financial intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers. In all instances, it is the purchaser's responsibility to notify the Funds or the purchaser's financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly from the Funds or through another intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts. Please see **"Appendix A – Waivers and Discounts Available from Intermediaries"** of the Prospectus for a description of waivers or discounts available through certain intermediaries.

***Quantity Discounts.*** When purchasing Class A Shares, if the dollar amount of your purchase reaches a specified level, known as a *breakpoint*, you are entitled to pay a discounted initial sales charge. For example, a purchase of up to $24,999 of Class A Shares of the Fund would pay an initial charge of 5.75%, while a purchase of $25,000 would pay an initial charge of 5.00%. There are several breakpoints for the Fund, as shown in the **"Class A Shares - Sales Charge Schedule"** table above. The greater the investment, the greater the sales charge discount.

You may be able to lower your Class A sales charges if:

● you assure a Fund in writing that you intend to invest at least $25,000 in Class A Shares of the Fund over the next 13 months in exchange for a reduced sales charge ("Letter of Intent") (see below); or

● the amount of Class A Shares you already own in a Fund plus the amount you intend to invest in Class A shares is at least $25,000 ("Cumulative Discount").

By signing a Letter of Intent you can purchase shares of the Fund at a lower sales charge level. Your individual purchases will be made at the applicable sales charge based on the amount you intend to invest over a 13-month period as stated in the Letter of Intent. Any shares purchased within 90 days prior to the date you sign the Letter of Intent may be used as credit toward completion of the stated amount, but the reduced sales charge will only apply to new purchases made on or after the date of the Letter of Intent. Purchases resulting from the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains do not apply toward fulfillment of the Letter of Intent. Shares equal to 5.75% of the amount stated in the Letter of Intent will be held in escrow during the 13-month period. If, at the end of the period, the total net amount invested is less than the amount stated in the Letter of Intent, you will be required to pay the difference between the reduced sales charge and the sales charge applicable to the individual net amounts invested had the Letter of Intent not been in effect. This amount will be obtained from redemption of the escrowed shares. Any remaining escrowed shares after payment to a Fund of the difference in applicable sales charges will be released to you. If you establish a Letter of Intent with a Fund, you can aggregate your accounts as well as the accounts of your immediate family members. You will need to provide written instructions with respect to the other accounts whose purchases should be considered in fulfillment of the Letter of Intent.

The Letter of Intent and Cumulative Discount are intended to let you combine investments made at other times for purposes of calculating your present sales charge. Any time you can use any of these quantity discounts to "move" your investment into a lower sales charge level, it is generally beneficial for you to do so.

For purposes of determining whether you are eligible for a reduced Class A sales charge, you and your immediate family members (*i.e*., your spouse or domestic partner and your children or stepchildren age 21 or younger) may aggregate your investments in a Fund. This includes, for example, investments held in a retirement account, an employee benefit plan, or through a financial advisor other than the one handling your current purchase. These combined investments will be valued at their current offering price to determine whether your current investment amount qualifies for a reduced sales charge.

You must notify a Fund or an approved financial intermediary at the time of purchase whenever a quantity discount is applicable to purchases and you may be required to provide the Fund, or an approved financial intermediary, with certain information or records to verify your eligibility for a quantity discount. Such information or records may include account statements or other records regarding the shares of the Fund held in all accounts (*e.g.*, retirement accounts) by you and other eligible persons, which may include accounts held at the Fund or at other approved financial intermediaries. Upon such notification, you will pay the sales charge at the lowest applicable sales charge level. You should retain any records necessary to substantiate the purchase price of the Fund's shares, as the Fund and approved financial intermediary may not retain this information.

Information about sales charges can be found on the Funds' website www.axsinvestments.com or you can consult with your financial representative.

***Net Asset Value Purchases***. Class A Shares are available for purchase without a sales charge if you are:

● reinvesting dividends or distributions;

● making additional investments for your 401(k) or other retirement or direct accounts;

● participating in an investment advisory or agency commission program under which you pay a fee to an investment advisor or other firm for portfolio management or brokerage services;

● a financial intermediary purchasing on behalf of its clients that: (i) is compensated by clients on a fee-only basis, including but not limited to investment advisors, financial planners, and bank trust departments; or (ii) has entered into an agreement with the Funds to offer Class A shares through a no-load network or platform (please see Appendix A for a list of financial intermediaries that have these arrangements);

● a current Trustee of the Trust; or

● an employee (including the employee's spouse, domestic partner, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, siblings and any dependent of the employee, as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code) of the Advisor or of a broker-dealer authorized to sell shares of the Funds.

**Class I Shares** 

To purchase Class I Shares of a Fund, you generally must invest at least the minimum set forth in the Minimum Investment table above. Class I Shares are not subject to any initial sales charge. No CDSC is imposed on redemptions of Class I Shares, and you do not pay any ongoing distribution/service fees. Please see "**Appendix A - Waivers and Discounts Available From Intermediaries"** for additional information.

Class I Shares are available for purchase by clients of financial intermediaries who charge such clients an ongoing fee for advisory, investment, consulting or similar services. Such clients may include individuals, corporations, endowments and foundations.

**In-Kind Purchases and Redemptions** 

Each Fund reserves the right to accept payment for shares in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund. Each Fund also reserves the right to pay redemptions by an "in-kind" distribution of portfolio securities (instead of cash) from the Fund. In-kind purchases and redemptions are generally taxable events and may result in the recognition of gain or loss for federal income tax purposes. See the SAI for further information about the terms of these purchases and redemptions.

**Additional Investments** 

Additional subscriptions in a Fund generally may be made by investing at least the minimum amount shown in the table above. Exceptions may be made at the Fund's discretion. You may purchase additional shares of a Fund by sending a check together with the investment stub from your most recent account statement to the Fund at the applicable address listed in the table below. Please ensure that you include your account number on the check. If you do not have the investment stub from your account statement, list your name, address and account number on a separate sheet of paper and include it with your check. You may also make additional investments in a Fund by wire transfer of funds or through an approved financial intermediary. The minimum additional investment amount is automatically waived for shares purchased by Trustees of the Trust and current or retired directors and employees of the Advisor and its affiliates. Please follow the procedures described in this Prospectus.

**Dividend Reinvestment** 

You may reinvest dividends and capital gains distributions in shares of the Funds. Such shares are acquired at NAV (without a sales charge) on the applicable payable date of the dividend or capital gain distribution. Unless you instruct otherwise, dividends and distributions on Fund shares are automatically reinvested in shares of the same class of the Fund paying the dividend or distribution. This instruction may be made by writing to the Transfer Agent or by telephone by calling 1-833-AXS-ALTS (1-833-297-2587). You may, on the account application form or prior to any declaration, instruct that dividends and/or capital gain distributions be paid in cash or be reinvested in the Fund at the next determined NAV. If you elect to receive dividends and/or capital gain distributions in cash and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the check, or if a check remains outstanding for six months or more, the Funds reserve the right to reinvest the distribution check in your account at the relevant Fund's current NAV and to reinvest all subsequent distributions.

**Customer Identification Information** 

To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. When you open an account, you will be asked for your name, date of birth (for a natural person), your residential address or principal place of business, and mailing address, if different, as well as your Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number. Additional information is required for corporations, partnerships and other entities, including the name, residential address, date of birth and Social Security Number of the underlying beneficial owners and control persons. Applications without such information will not be considered in good order. Each Fund reserves the right to deny any application if the application is not in good order.

This Prospectus should not be considered a solicitation to purchase or as an offer to sell shares of the Funds in any jurisdiction where it would be unlawful to do so under the laws of that jurisdiction. Please note that the value of your account may be transferred to the appropriate state if no activity occurs in the account within the time period specified by state law.

**Automatic Investment Plan** 

If you intend to use the Automatic Investment Plan ("AIP"), you may open your account with the initial minimum investment amount. Once an account has been opened, you may make additional investments in the Funds at regular intervals through the AIP. If elected on your account application, funds can be automatically transferred from your checking or savings account on the 5<sup>th</sup>, 10<sup>th</sup>, 15<sup>th</sup>, 20<sup>th</sup> or 25<sup>th</sup> of each month. In order to participate in the AIP, each additional subscription must be at least $100 and your financial institution must be a member of the Automated Clearing House ("ACH") network. The first AIP purchase will be made 15 days after the Transfer Agent receives your request in good order. The Transfer Agent will charge a $25 fee for any ACH payment that is rejected by your bank. Your AIP will be terminated if two successive mailings we send to you are returned by the U.S. Postal Service as undeliverable. You may terminate your participation in the AIP at any time by notifying the Transfer Agent at 1-833-AXS-ALTS (1-833-297-2587) at least five days prior to the date of the next AIP transfer. A Fund may modify or terminate the AIP at any time without notice.

**Timing and Nature of Requests** 

The purchase price you will pay for a Fund's shares will be the next NAV (plus any sales charge, as applicable) calculated after the Transfer Agent or your authorized financial intermediary receives your request in good order. "Good order" means that your purchase request includes: (1) the name of the Fund, (2) the dollar amount of shares to be purchased, (3) your purchase application or investment stub, and (4) a check payable to ***AXS Funds***. All requests to purchase Fund shares received in good order before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on any business day will be processed on that same day. Requests received at or after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) will be transacted at the next business day's NAV. All purchases must be made in U.S. Dollars and drawn on U.S. financial institutions.

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| **Methods of Buying** | **Methods of Buying** | **Methods of Buying** |
| ***Through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary*** | The Funds are offered through certain approved financial intermediaries (and their agents). The Funds are also offered directly. A purchase order placed with a financial intermediary or its authorized agent is treated as if such order were placed directly with the Funds, and will be deemed to have been received by the Funds when the financial intermediary or its authorized agent receives the order and executed at the next NAV (plus any sales charge, as applicable) calculated by the Funds. Your financial intermediary will hold your shares in a pooled account in its (or its agent's) name. A Fund may pay your financial intermediary (or its agent) to maintain your individual ownership information, maintain required records, and provide other shareholder services. A financial intermediary which offers shares may charge its individual clients transaction fees which may be in addition to those described in this Prospectus. If you invest through your financial intermediary, its policies and fees may be different than those described in this Prospectus. For example, the financial intermediary may charge transaction fees or set different minimum investments. Your financial intermediary is responsible for processing your order correctly and promptly, keeping you advised of the status of your account, confirming your transactions and ensuring that you receive copies of the Funds' Prospectus. Please contact your financial intermediary to determine whether it is an approved financial intermediary of the Funds or for additional information. | The Funds are offered through certain approved financial intermediaries (and their agents). The Funds are also offered directly. A purchase order placed with a financial intermediary or its authorized agent is treated as if such order were placed directly with the Funds, and will be deemed to have been received by the Funds when the financial intermediary or its authorized agent receives the order and executed at the next NAV (plus any sales charge, as applicable) calculated by the Funds. Your financial intermediary will hold your shares in a pooled account in its (or its agent's) name. A Fund may pay your financial intermediary (or its agent) to maintain your individual ownership information, maintain required records, and provide other shareholder services. A financial intermediary which offers shares may charge its individual clients transaction fees which may be in addition to those described in this Prospectus. If you invest through your financial intermediary, its policies and fees may be different than those described in this Prospectus. For example, the financial intermediary may charge transaction fees or set different minimum investments. Your financial intermediary is responsible for processing your order correctly and promptly, keeping you advised of the status of your account, confirming your transactions and ensuring that you receive copies of the Funds' Prospectus. Please contact your financial intermediary to determine whether it is an approved financial intermediary of the Funds or for additional information. |
| <br> ***By mail*** | A Fund will not accept payment in cash, including cashier's checks. Also, to prevent check fraud, a Fund will not accept third party checks, Treasury checks, credit card checks, traveler's checks, money orders or starter checks for the purchase of shares. All checks must be made in U.S. Dollars and drawn on U.S. financial institutions.<br>To buy shares directly from a Fund by mail, complete an account application and send it together with your check for the amount you wish to invest to the Funds at the address indicated below. To make additional investments once you have opened your account, write your account number on the check and send it to the Funds together with the most recent confirmation statement received from the Transfer Agent. If your check is returned for insufficient funds, your purchase will be canceled and a $25 fee will be assessed against your account by the Transfer Agent.  | A Fund will not accept payment in cash, including cashier's checks. Also, to prevent check fraud, a Fund will not accept third party checks, Treasury checks, credit card checks, traveler's checks, money orders or starter checks for the purchase of shares. All checks must be made in U.S. Dollars and drawn on U.S. financial institutions.<br>To buy shares directly from a Fund by mail, complete an account application and send it together with your check for the amount you wish to invest to the Funds at the address indicated below. To make additional investments once you have opened your account, write your account number on the check and send it to the Funds together with the most recent confirmation statement received from the Transfer Agent. If your check is returned for insufficient funds, your purchase will be canceled and a $25 fee will be assessed against your account by the Transfer Agent.  |
|  | **Regular Mail** <br> ***AXS Funds*** <br> P.O. Box 2175 <br> Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201  | **Overnight Delivery** <br> ***AXS Funds*** <br> 235 West Galena Street <br> Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212  |
|  | ***The Fund does not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be its agents.*** | ***The Fund does not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be its agents.*** |

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| ***By telephone*** | To make additional investments by telephone, you must authorize telephone purchases on your account application. If you have given authorization for telephone transactions and your account has been open for at least 15 days, call the Transfer Agent toll-free at 1-833-AXS-ALTS (1-833-297-2587) and you will be allowed to move money in amounts of at least $500 but not greater than $50,000 from your bank account to the Funds' account upon request. Only bank accounts held at U.S. institutions that are ACH members may be used for telephone transactions. If your order is placed before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on a business day shares will be purchased in your account at the NAV (plus any sales charge, as applicable) calculated on that day. Orders received at or after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) will be transacted at the next business day's NAV. For security reasons, requests by telephone will be recorded. |
| ***By wire*** | To open an account by wire, a completed account application form must be received by the Funds before your wire can be accepted. You may mail or send by overnight delivery your account application form to the Transfer Agent. Upon receipt of your completed account application form, an account will be established for you. The account number assigned to you will be required as part of the wiring instruction that should be provided to your bank to send the wire. Your bank must include the name of the relevant Fund, the account number, and your name so that monies can be correctly applied. Your bank should transmit monies by wire to:<br>**UMB Bank, n.a.** <br> ABA Number 101000695 <br> **For credit to "AXS Funds"** <br> A/C #987 2325 184<br>**For further credit to:** <br> Your account number <br> Fund Name <br> Name(s) of investor(s) <br> Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number<br>Before sending your wire, please contact the Transfer Agent at 1-833-AXS-ALTS (1-833-297-2587) to notify it of your intention to wire funds. This will ensure prompt and accurate credit upon receipt of your wire. Your bank may charge a fee for its wiring service.<br>Wired funds must be received prior to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on a business day to be eligible for same day pricing. The Funds and UMB Bank, n.a. are not responsible for the consequences of delays resulting from the banking or Federal Reserve wire system, or from incomplete wiring instructions.  |

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**Regular Mail** ***AXS Funds***P.O.
 Box 2175Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53201 **Overnight Delivery**  ***AXS Funds*** 235 West Galena Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212

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| If you are authorized to perform telephone transactions (either through your account application form or by subsequent arrangement in writing with the Funds), you may redeem shares worth up to $50,000, by instructing the Fund by phone at 1-833-AXS-ALTS (1-833-297-2587). Unless noted on the initial account application, a Medallion signature guarantee is required of all shareholders in order to qualify for or to change telephone redemption privileges. |
| Note: The Fund and all of its service providers will not be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. To confirm that all telephone instructions are genuine, the caller must verify the following: <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;● The Fund account number; <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;● The name in which his or her account is registered;<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;● The Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number under which the account is registered; and<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;● The address of the account holder, as stated in the account application form.  |

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**<u>Medallion Signature Guarantee</u>**

In addition to the situations described above, each Fund reserves the right to require a Medallion signature guarantee in other instances based on the circumstances relative to the particular situation.

Shareholders redeeming more than $50,000 worth of shares by mail should submit written instructions with a Medallion signature guarantee from an eligible institution acceptable to the Transfer Agent, such as a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency or savings association, or from any participant in a Medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The three currently recognized Medallion programs are Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program, Stock Exchanges Medallion Program and New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Signature Program. Signature guarantees that are not part of these programs will not be accepted. Participants in Medallion programs are subject to dollar limitations which must be considered when requesting their guarantee. The Transfer Agent may reject any signature guarantee if it believes the transaction would otherwise be improper. *A notary public cannot provide a signature guarantee.*

 

**<u>Systematic Withdrawal Plan</u>**

You may request that a predetermined dollar amount be sent to you on a monthly or quarterly basis. Your account must maintain a value of at least $1,000 for you to be eligible to participate in the Systematic Withdrawal Plan ("SWP"). The minimum withdrawal amount is $100. If you elect to receive redemptions through the SWP, the Fund will send a check to your address of record, or will send the payment via electronic funds transfer through the ACH network, directly to your bank account on record. You may request an application for the SWP by calling the Transfer Agent toll-free at 1-833-AXS-ALTS (1-833-297-2587). The Fund may modify or terminate the SWP at any time. You may terminate your participation in the SWP by calling the Transfer Agent at least five business days before the next withdrawal.

**<u>Payment of Redemption Proceeds</u>**

You may redeem shares of a Fund at a price equal to the NAV next determined after the Transfer Agent and/or authorized agent receives your redemption request in good order. Generally, your redemption request cannot be processed on days the NYSE is closed. Redemption proceeds for requests received in good order by the Transfer Agent and/or authorized agent before the close of the regular trading session of the NYSE (generally, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) will usually be sent to the address of record or the bank you indicate or wired using the wire instructions on record, on the following business day. Payment of redemption proceeds may take longer than typically expected, but will be sent within seven calendar days after the Fund receives your redemption request, except as specified below.

If you purchase shares using a check and request a redemption before the check has cleared, a Fund may postpone payment of your redemption proceeds up to 15 calendar days while the Fund waits for the check to clear. Furthermore, a Fund may suspend the right to redeem shares or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for more than seven calendar days: (1) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend or holiday closings) or trading on the NYSE is restricted; (2) for any period during which an emergency exists affecting the sale of the Funds' securities or making such sale or the fair determination of the value of the Fund's net assets not reasonably practicable; or (3) for such other periods as the SEC may permit for the protection of the Funds' shareholders.

**<u>Other Redemption Information</u>**

IRA and retirement plan redemptions from accounts which UMB Bank, n.a. is the custodian must be completed on an IRA Distribution Form or other acceptable form approved by UMB Bank, n.a. Shareholders who hold shares of a Fund through an IRA or other retirement plan, must indicate on their redemption requests whether to withhold federal income tax. Such redemption requests will generally be subject to a 10% federal income tax withholding unless a shareholder elects not to have taxes withheld. An IRA owner with a foreign residential address may not elect to forgo the 10% withholding. In addition, if you are a resident of certain states, state income tax also applies to non-Roth IRA distributions when federal withholding applies. Please consult with your tax professional.

A Fund generally pays sale (redemption) proceeds in cash. A Fund typically expects to satisfy redemption requests by selling portfolio assets or by using holdings of cash or cash equivalents. On a less regular basis, a Fund may utilize a temporary overdraft facility offered through its custodian, UMB Bank, n.a., in order to assist the Fund in meeting redemption requests. The Funds use these methods during both normal and stressed market conditions. During conditions that make the payment of cash unwise and/or in order to protect the interests of a Fund's remaining shareholders, a Fund may pay all or part of a shareholder's redemption proceeds in portfolio securities with a market value equal to the redemption price (redemption-in-kind) in lieu of cash. A Fund may redeem shares in kind during both normal and stressed market conditions. Generally, in kind redemptions will be effected through a pro rata distribution of a Fund's portfolio securities. If a Fund redeems your shares in kind, you will bear any market risks associated with investment in these securities, and you will be responsible for the costs (including brokerage charges) of converting the securities to cash.

A Fund may redeem all of the shares held in your account if your balance falls below the Fund's minimum initial investment amount due to your redemption activity. In these circumstances, the relevant Fund will notify you in writing and request that you increase your balance above the minimum initial investment amount within 30 days of the date of the notice. If, within 30 days of a Fund's written request, you have not increased your account balance, your shares will be automatically redeemed at the current NAV. A Fund will not require that your shares be redeemed if the value of your account drops below the investment minimum due to fluctuations of the Fund's NAV.

**<u>Cost Basis Information</u>**

Federal tax law requires that regulated investment companies, such as the Funds, report their shareholders' cost basis, gain/loss, and holding period to the IRS on the Funds' shareholders' Consolidated Form 1099s when "covered" shares of the regulated investment companies are sold. Covered shares are any shares acquired (including pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan) on or after January 1, 2012.

Each Fund has chosen average cost as its standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders, which means this is the method the Fund will use to 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 Funds' standing tax lot identification method is the method it will use to report the sale of covered shares on your Consolidated Form 1099 if you do not select a specific tax lot identification method. Redemptions are taxable and you may realize a gain or a loss upon the sale of your shares. Certain shareholders may be subject to backup withholding.

Subject to certain limitations, you may choose a method other than the Funds' standing method at the time of your purchase or upon the sale of covered shares. Please refer to the appropriate Treasury regulations or consult your tax advisor with regard to your personal circumstances.

**<u>Tools to Combat Frequent Transactions</u>**

The Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by Fund shareholders. The Trust discourages excessive, short-term trading and other abusive trading practices that may disrupt portfolio management strategies and harm the Fund's performance. The Trust takes steps to reduce the frequency and effect of these activities on a Fund. These steps may include monitoring trading activity and using fair value pricing. In addition, the Trust may take action, which may include using its best efforts to restrict a shareholder from making additional purchases in a Fund, if that shareholder has engaged in four or more "round trips" in the Fund during a 12-month period. Although these efforts (which are described in more detail below) are designed to discourage abusive trading practices, these tools cannot eliminate the possibility that such activity may occur. Further, while the Trust makes efforts to identify and restrict frequent trading, the Trust receives purchase and sale orders through financial intermediaries and cannot always know or detect frequent trading that may be facilitated by the use of intermediaries or the use of group or omnibus accounts by those intermediaries. The Trust seeks to exercise its judgment in implementing these tools to the best of its ability in a manner that the Trust believes is consistent with the interests of Fund shareholders.

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| ***Redemption Fee*** | You will be charged a redemption fee of 1.00% of the value of the Fund shares being redeemed if you redeem your shares of the Funds within 30 days of purchase. The FIFO method is used to determine the holding period; this means that if you bought shares on different days, the shares purchased first will be redeemed first for the purpose of determining whether the redemption fee applies. The redemption fee is deducted from the sale proceeds and is retained by the Fund for the benefit of its remaining shareholders. The fee will not apply to redemptions (i) due to a shareholder's death or disability, (ii) from certain omnibus accounts with systematic or contractual limitations, (iii) of shares acquired through reinvestments of dividends or capital gains distributions, (iv) through certain employer-sponsored retirement plans or employee benefit plans or, with respect to any such plan, to comply with minimum distribution requirements, (v) effected pursuant to asset allocation programs, wrap fee programs, and other investment programs offered by financial institutions where investment decisions are made on a discretionary basis by investment professionals, (vi) effected pursuant to an automatic non-discretionary rebalancing program, (vii) effected pursuant to the SWP, or (viii) by the Fund with respect to accounts falling below the minimum initial investment amount. The Trust reserves the right to waive this fee in other circumstances if the Advisor determines that doing so is in the best interests of the Fund. |

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| ***Monitoring Trading Practices*** | The Trust may monitor trades in Fund shares in an effort to detect short-term trading activities. If, as a result of this monitoring, the Trust believes that a shareholder of a Fund has engaged in excessive short-term trading, it may, in its discretion, ask the shareholder to stop such activities or refuse to process purchases in the shareholder's accounts. In making such judgments, the Trust seeks to act in a manner that it believes is consistent with the best interest of Fund shareholders. Due to the complexity and subjectivity involved in identifying abusive trading activity, there can be no assurance that the Trust's efforts will identify all trades or trading practices that may be considered abusive. |

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**General Transaction Policies**

Some of the following policies are mentioned above. In general, each Fund reserves the right to:

● vary or waive any minimum investment requirement;

● refuse, change, discontinue, or temporarily suspend account services, including purchase or telephone redemption privileges (if redemption by telephone is not available, you may send your redemption order to the Fund via regular or overnight delivery), for any reason;

● reject any purchase request for any reason (generally the Fund does this if the purchase is disruptive to the efficient management of the Fund due to the timing of the investment or an investor's history of excessive trading);

● delay paying redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days after receiving a request, if an earlier payment could adversely affect the Fund;

● reject any purchase or redemption request that does not contain all required documentation; and

● subject to applicable law and with prior notice, adopt other policies from time to time requiring mandatory redemption of shares in certain circumstances.

If you elect telephone privileges on the account application or in a letter to a Fund, you may be responsible for any fraudulent telephone orders as long as the Fund and/or its service providers have taken reasonable precautions to verify your identity. In addition, once you place a telephone transaction request, it cannot be canceled or modified.

During periods of significant economic or market change, telephone transactions may be difficult to complete. If you are unable to contact a Fund by telephone, you may also mail your request to the Fund at the address listed under "Methods of Buying."

Your broker or other financial intermediary may establish policies that differ from those of the Funds. For example, the organization may charge transaction fees, set higher minimum investments, or impose certain limitations on buying or selling shares in addition to those identified in this Prospectus. Contact your broker or other financial intermediary for details.

Please note that the value of your account may be transferred to the appropriate state if no activity occurs in the account within the time period specified by state law.

**Exchange Privilege** 

You may exchange shares of each Fund for the same class of shares of other funds managed by the Advisor. The amount of the exchange must be equal to or greater than the required minimum initial investment of the other fund, as stated in that fund's prospectus. You may realize either a gain or loss on those shares and will be responsible for paying any applicable taxes. If you exchange shares through a broker, the broker may charge you a transaction fee. You may exchange shares by sending a written request to the Fund or by telephone. Be sure that your written request includes the dollar amount or number of shares to be exchanged, the name(s) on the account and the account number(s), and is signed by all shareholders on the account. In order to limit expenses, the Fund reserves the right to limit the total number of exchanges you can make in any year. There are no sales charges for exchanges of Class A Shares.

**Conversion of Shares** 

A share conversion is a transaction in which shares of one class of the Fund are exchanged for shares of another class of the Fund. Share conversions can occur between each share class of a Fund. Generally, share conversions occur when a shareholder becomes eligible for another share class of the Fund or no longer meets the eligibility criteria of the share class owned by the shareholder (and another class exists for which the shareholder would be eligible). Please note that a share conversion is generally a non-taxable event, but you should consult with your personal tax advisor on your particular circumstances. Please also note, all share conversion requests must be approved by the Advisor.

A request for a share conversion will not be processed until it is received in "good order" (as defined above) by a Fund or your financial intermediary. To receive the NAV of the new class calculated that day, conversion requests must be received in good order by a Fund or your financial intermediary before 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time or the financial intermediary's earlier applicable deadline. Please note that, because the NAV of each class of a Fund will generally vary from the NAV of the other class due to differences in expenses, you will receive a number of shares of the new class that is different from the number of shares that you held of the old class, but the total value of your holdings will remain the same.

A Fund's frequent trading policies will not be applicable to share conversions. If you hold your shares through a financial intermediary, please contact the financial intermediary for more information on share conversions. Please note that certain financial intermediaries may not permit all types of share conversions. The Funds reserve the right to terminate, suspend or modify the share conversion privilege for any shareholder or group of shareholders.

Each Fund reserves the right to automatically convert shareholders from one class to another if they either no longer qualify as eligible for their existing class or if they become eligible for another class. Such mandatory conversions may be as a result of a change in value of an account due to market movements, exchanges or redemptions. A Fund will notify affected shareholders in writing prior to any mandatory conversion.

**Prospectus and Shareholder Report Mailings** 

In order to reduce the amount of mail you receive and to help reduce expenses, we generally send a single copy of any shareholder report and Prospectus to each household. If you do not want the mailing of these documents to be combined with those of other members of your household, please contact your authorized dealer or the Transfer Agent.

**Additional Information** 

Each Fund enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including among others the Advisor, who provide services to the Fund. Shareholders are not parties to, or intended (or "third party") beneficiaries of, those contractual arrangements.

The Prospectus and the SAI provide information concerning each Fund that you should consider in determining whether to purchase shares of the Fund. The Fund may make changes to this information from time to time. Neither this prospectus nor the SAI is intended to give rise to any contract rights or other rights in any shareholder, other than any rights conferred by federal or state securities laws that may not be waived.

**DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS**

The AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund will make distributions of net investment income annually and the AXS Tactical Income Fund will make distributions of net investment income on a monthly basis. Each Fund will distribute net capital gains, if any, at least annually, typically in December. A Fund may make additional payments of dividends or distributions if it deems it desirable at any other time during the year.

All dividends and distributions will be reinvested in Fund shares unless you choose one of the following options: (1) to receive net investment income dividends in cash, while reinvesting capital gain distributions in additional Fund shares; or (2) to receive all dividends and distributions in cash. If you wish to change your distribution option, please write to the Transfer Agent before the payment date of the distribution.

If you elect to receive distributions in cash and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver your check, or if your distribution check has not been cashed for six months, the applicable Fund reserves the right to reinvest the distribution check in your account at the Fund's then current NAV and to reinvest all subsequent distributions.

**FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES**

The following discussion is very general and does not address investors subject to special rules, such as investors who hold Fund shares through an IRA, 401(k) plan or other tax-advantaged account. The SAI contains further information about taxes. Because each shareholder's circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax advisor about your investment in a Fund.

You will generally have to pay federal income taxes, as well as any state or local taxes, on distributions received from a Fund, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. If you sell Fund shares, it is generally considered a taxable event. If you exchange shares of a Fund for shares of another fund, the exchange will be treated as a sale of the Fund's shares and any gain on the transaction may be subject to federal income tax.

Distributions of net investment income by a Fund, other than distributions the Fund reports as "qualified dividend income," are taxable for federal income tax purposes at ordinary income tax rates. Distributions of net short-term capital gains are also generally taxable at ordinary income tax rates. Distributions from a Fund's net capital gain (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss) are taxable for federal income tax purposes as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long the shareholder has held Fund shares.

Dividends paid by a Fund (but none of a Fund's capital gain distributions) may qualify in part for the dividends-received deduction available to corporate shareholders, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Distributions that a Fund reports as "qualified dividend income" may be eligible to be taxed to non-corporate shareholders at the reduced rates applicable to long-term capital gain if derived from the Fund's qualified dividend income and/or if certain other requirements are satisfied. "Qualified dividend income" generally is income derived from dividends paid by U.S. corporations or certain foreign corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for tax benefits under certain U.S. income tax treaties. In addition, dividends that a Fund receives in respect of stock of certain foreign corporations may be qualified dividend income if that stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market.

You may want to avoid buying shares of a Fund just before it declares a distribution (on or before the record date), because such a distribution will be taxable to you even though it may effectively be a return of a portion of your investment.

Although distributions are generally taxable when received, dividends declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record as of a date in such month and paid during the following January are treated as if received on December 31 of the calendar year when the dividends were declared.

Information on the federal income tax status of dividends and distributions is provided annually.

Dividends and distributions from a Fund and net gain from redemptions of Fund shares will generally be taken into account in determining a shareholder's "net investment income" for purposes of the Medicare contribution tax applicable to certain individuals, estates and trusts.

If you do not provide your Fund with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you will be subject to backup withholding on your redemption proceeds, dividends and other distributions. The backup withholding rate is currently 24%.

Dividends and certain other payments made by a Fund to a non-U.S. shareholder are subject to withholding of federal income tax at the rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be determined in accordance with any applicable treaty). Dividends that are reported by a Fund as "interest-related dividends" or "short-term capital gain dividends" are generally exempt from such withholding. In general, a Fund may report interest-related dividends to the extent of its net income derived from U.S.-source interest and a Fund may report short-term capital gain dividends to the extent its net short-term capital gain for the taxable year exceeds its net long-term capital loss. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax described in this paragraph.

Under legislation commonly referred to as "FATCA," unless certain non-U.S. entities that hold shares comply with IRS requirements that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to dividends payable to such entities. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the United States and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of the agreement.

Some of a Fund's investment income may be subject to foreign income taxes that are withheld at the country of origin. Tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes, but there can be no assurance that a Fund will qualify for treaty benefits.

**Appendix A – Waivers and Discounts Available from Intermediaries**

The availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts will depend on whether you purchase your shares directly from the relevant Fund or through a financial intermediary. Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers or contingent deferred sales load ("CDSC") waivers, which are discussed below. In all instances, it is the purchaser's responsibility to notify the Funds or the purchaser's financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly from the Funds or through another intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts.

**<u>UBS Financial Services, Inc. ("UBS-FS")</u>**

Class I Shares may also be available on certain brokerage platforms. An investor transacting in Class I Shares through a broker acting as an agent for the investor may be required to pay a commission and/or other forms of compensation to the broker.

**<u>Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC ("Morgan Stanley")</u>**

Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management transactional brokerage account will be eligible only for the following front-end sales charge waivers with respect to Class A shares, which may differ from and may be more limited than those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund's Prospectus or SAI.

**<u>Front-end Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management</u>**

● Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans

● Morgan Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanley's account linking rules

● Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund

● Shares purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account

● Class C (i.e., level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management's share class conversion program

● Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (i) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (iii) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge.

**<u>Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., and Raymond James affiliates ("Raymond James")</u>**

Shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this fund's prospectus or SAI.

**<u>Front-end sales load waivers on Class A Shares available at Raymond James</u>**

● Shares purchased in an investment advisory program.

● Shares purchased within the same fund family through a systematic reinvestment of capital gains and dividend distributions.

● Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James.

● Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement).

● A shareholder in the Fund's Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James.

**<u>CDSC Waivers on Classes A Shares available at Raymond James</u>**

● Death or disability of the shareholder.

● Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the funds' prospectus.

● Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account.

● Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations as described in the funds' prospectus.

● Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James.

● Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

**<u>Front-end load discounts available at Raymond James: breakpoints, and/or rights of accumulation</u>**

● Breakpoints as described in this prospectus.

● Rights of accumulation which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Raymond James. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of rights of accumulation, only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

● Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

**<u>Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. ("OPCO")</u>**

Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an OPCO platform or account are eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund's prospectus or SAI.

**Front-end Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares available at OPCO**

● Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan

● Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan

● Shares purchased through a OPCO affiliated investment advisory program

● Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family)

● Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same amount, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Restatement).

● A shareholder in the Fund's Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of OPCO

● Employees and registered representatives of OPCO or its affiliates and their family members

● Directors or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund's investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this prospectus

**CDSC Waivers on Class A Shares available at OPCO**

● Death or disability of the shareholder

● Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's prospectus

● Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account

● Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in the prospectus

● Shares sold to pay OPCO fees but only if the transaction is initiated by OPCO

● Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement

**Front-end load Discounts Available at OPCO: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent**

● Breakpoints as described in this prospectus.

● Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at OPCO. Eligible fund family assets not held at OPCO may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

**<u>Robert W. Baird & Co. ("Baird"):</u>**

Shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Baird platform or account will only be eligible for the following sales charge waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and CDSC waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this prospectus or the SAI.

**Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Investors A-Shares Available at Baird**

● Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund

● Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Baird or its affiliate and their family members as designated by Baird

● Shares purchased using the proceeds of redemptions from an AXS Fund, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same accounts, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (known as rights of reinstatement)

● A shareholder in the Fund's Investor C Shares will have their share converted at net asset value to Investor A shares of the same fund if the shares are no longer subject to CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Baird

● Employer-sponsored retirement plans or charitable accounts in a transactional brokerage account at Baird, including 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans. For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs

**CDSC Waivers on Class A Shares Available at Baird**

● Shares sold due to death or disability of the shareholder

● Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus

● Shares bought due to returns of excess contributions from an IRA Account

● Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable Internal Revenue Service regulations as described in the Funds' prospectus

● Shares sold to pay Baird fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Baird

● Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement

**Front-End Sales Charge Discounts Available at Baird: Breakpoints and/or Rights of Accumulations**

● Breakpoints as described in this prospectus

● Rights of accumulations which entitles shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of AXS fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Baird. Eligible AXS fund family assets not held at Baird may be included in the rights of accumulations calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets

● Letters of Intent (LOI) allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases of AXS fund family through Baird, over a 13-month period of time

**APPENDIX C – FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF ACQUIRED FUNDS**

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each Acquired Fund's financial performance for the period of the Acquired Fund's operations. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Acquired Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information for each Acquired Fund has been derived from the financial statements audited by BBD, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Acquired Fund's financial statements, are included in the December 31, 2022 annual report, which is available upon request.

**ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund**

*Per Share Data and Ratios for a Share of Beneficial Interest Outstanding Throughout each Period Presented*

 

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Class A** | **Class A** | **Class A** | **Class A** | **Class A** |
|  | **For the** <br> **Year Ended**<br>**December 31, 2022** | **For the** <br> **Year** <br> **Ended**<br>**December 31, 2021** | **For the** <br> **Year** <br> **Ended**<br>**December 31, 2020** | **For the**<br> **Year** <br> **Ended**<br>**December 31, 2019** | **For the Year** <br> **Ended**<br>**December 31, 2018** |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $20.32 | $20.67 | $17.63 | $17.33 | $17.71 |
| Increase (decrease) from investment operations: |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net investment loss <sup>(1)</sup> | (0.13) | (0.25) | (0.30) | (0.20) | (0.25) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | (2.50) | 0.39 | 4.25 | 0.56 | 0.04<sup>(5)</sup> |
| Total from investment operations | (2.63) | 0.14 | 3.95 | 0.36 | (0.21) |
| Less distributions from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net realized gains | (1.11) | (0.49) | (0.89) | (0.06) | (0.17) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Return of capital |  | (0.00)<sup>(4)</sup> | (0.02) |  |  |
| Total distributions | (1.11) | (0.49) | (0.91) | (0.06) | (0.17) |
| Redemption fees collected <sup>(1)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(4)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(4)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(4)</sup> |  | 0.00<sup>(4)</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $16.58 | $20.32 | $20.67 | $17.63 | $17.33 |
| Total return <sup>(2)</sup> | (12.98)% | 0.70% | 22.37% | 2.09% | (1.15)% |
| Net assets, at end of year (000s) | $2167 | $3200 | $2609 | $3686 | $8961 |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets including dividends from securities sold short and interest expense <sup>(3)</sup> | 2.05% | 1.94% | 2.07% | 1.95% | 2.04% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets excluding dividends from securities sold short and interest expense <sup>(3)</sup> | 1.97% | 1.88% | 1.97% | 1.93% | 1.92% |
| Ratio of net investment loss to average net assets <sup>(3)(6)</sup> | (0.70)% | (1.18)% | (1.61)% | (1.10)% | (1.37)% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate | 742% | 330% | 437% | 325% | 271% |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) Per
share amounts calculated using the average shares method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the year.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) Total
returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales charges and redemption fees and assumes reinvestment of all distributions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) Does
not include the expenses of other investment companies in which the Acquired Fund invests.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4) Represents
less than $0.01 per share.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(5) Net
realized and unrealized gain on investments does not accord with the net amount reported in the Statements of Operations for the
year ended December 31, 2018 due to timing of shareholder subscriptions and redemptions relative to fluctuating market values
during the year.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(6) Recognition
of net investment loss by the Acquired Fund is affected by the timing and declaration of dividends by the underlying investment
companies in which the Acquired Fund invests.

**ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund**

*Per Share Data and Ratios for a Share of Beneficial Interest Outstanding Throughout each Period Presented*

 

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Class I** | **Class I** | **Class I** | **Class I** | **Class I** |
|  | **For the Year Ended**<br>**December 31, 2022** | **For the Year Ended**<br>**December 31, 2021** | **For the Year Ended**<br>**December 31, 2020** | **For the** <br> **Year** <br> **Ended**<br>**December 31, 2019** | **For the**<br> **Year** <br> **Ended**<br>**December 31, 2018** |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $20.62 | $20.92 | $17.82 | $17.48 | $17.82 |
| Increase (decrease) from investment operations: |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net investment loss <sup>(1)</sup> | (0.08) | (0.20) | (0.26) | (0.15) | (0.20) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | (2.55) | 0.39 | 4.27 | 0.55 | 0.03<sup>(5)</sup> |
| Total from investment operations | (2.63) | 0.19 | 4.01 | 0.40 | (0.17) |
| Less distributions from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net realized gains | (1.11) | (0.49) | (0.89) | (0.06) | (0.17) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Return of capital | —<sup>(4)</sup> | (0.00)<sup>(4)</sup> | (0.02) |  |  |
| Total distributions | (1.11) | (0.49) | (0.91) | (0.06) | (0.17) |
| Redemption fees collected <sup>(1)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(4)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(4)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(4)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(4)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(4)</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $16.88 | $20.62 | $20.92 | $17.82 | $17.48 |
| Total return <sup>(2)</sup> | (12.79)%<sup>(6)</sup> | 0.93% | 22.47% | 2.30%<sup>(6)</sup> | (0.92)%<sup>(6)</sup> |
| Net assets, at end of year (000s) | $76514 | $101977 | $83874 | $70270 | $77999 |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets including dividends from securities sold short and interest expense <sup>(3)</sup> | 1.80% | 1.69% | 1.82% | 1.70% | 1.79% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets excluding dividends from securities sold short and interest expense <sup>(3)</sup> | 1.72% | 1.63% | 1.72% | 1.68% | 1.67% |
| Ratio of net investment loss to average net assets <sup>(3)(7)</sup> | (0.42)% | (0.93)% | (1.36)% | (0.85)% | (1.12)% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate | 742% | 330% | 437% | 325% | 271% |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) Per
share amounts calculated using the average shares method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the year.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) Total
returns shown exclude the effect of redemption fees and assumes reinvestment of all distributions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) Does
not include the expenses of other investment companies in which the Acquired Fund invests.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4) Represents
less than $0.01 per share.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(5) Net
realized and unrealized gain on investments does not accord with the net amount reported in the Statements of Operations for the
year ended December 31, 2018 due to timing of shareholder subscriptions and redemptions relative to fluctuating net asset values
during the year.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(6) Includes
adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and, consequently, the net asset
values for financial reporting purposes and the returns based upon those net asset values may differ from the net asset values
and returns for shareholder transactions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(7) Recognition
of net investment loss by the Acquired Fund is affected by the timing and declaration of dividends by the underlying investment
companies in which the Acquired Fund invests.

**ACM Tactical Income Fund**

*Per Share Data and Ratios for a Share of Beneficial Interest Outstanding Throughout each Period Presented*

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Class A** | **Class A** | **Class A** | **Class A** |
|  | **For the**<br> **Year Ended**<br>**December 31, 2022** | **For the**<br> **Year Ended**<br>**December 31, 2021** | **For the**<br> **Year Ended**<br>**December 31, 2020** | **For the** <br> **Period Ended**<br>**December 31, 2019 <sup>(1)</sup>** |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $10.12 | $10.54 | $10.13 | $10.00 |
| Increase (decrease) from investment operations: |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net investment income <sup>(2)</sup> | 0.21 | 0.38 | 0.34 | 0.48 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | (1.00) | (0.44) | 0.34 | 0.03<sup>(5)</sup> |
| Total from investment operations | (0.79) | (0.06) | 0.68 | 0.51 |
| Less distributions from: |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net investment income | (0.22) | (0.36) | (0.28) | (0.37) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Return of capital |  | (0.00)<sup>(6)</sup> | (0.01) | (0.01) |
| Total distributions | (0.22) | (0.36) | (0.29) | (0.38) |
| Redemption fees collected <sup>(2)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(6)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(6)</sup> | 0.02 | 0.00<sup>(6)</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $9.11 | $10.12 | $10.54 | $10.13 |
| Total return <sup>(3)</sup> | (7.89)% | (0.61)% | 7.01% | 5.13%<sup>(7)</sup> |
| Net assets, at end of year (000s) | $2142 | $3958 | $3887 | $1272 |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: |  |  |  |  |
| Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets before waiver/recapture <sup>(4)</sup> | 1.83% | 1.76% | 1.82% | 2.35%<sup>(9)(10)</sup> |
| Ratio of net expenses to average net assets after waiver/recapture <sup>(4)</sup> | 1.83% | 1.76% | 1.86%<sup>(8)</sup> | 2.25%<sup>(9)(10)</sup> |
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assets <sup>(4)(11)</sup> | 2.11% | 3.65% | 3.31% | 5.08%<sup>(10)</sup> |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate | 894% | 555% | 478% | 645%<sup>(7)</sup> |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) The
Acquired Fund commenced operations on January 2, 2019.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) Per
share amounts calculated using the average shares method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the year/period.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) Total
returns shown exclude the effect of applicable sales charges and redemption fees and assumes reinvestment of all distributions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4) Does
not include the expenses of other investment companies in which the Acquired Fund invests.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(5) The
amount of net realized and unrealized gain on investment per share for the period ended December 31, 2019 does not accord with
the amounts in the Statement of Operations due to the timing of purchases and sales of Acquired Fund shares in relation to fluctuating
market values.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(6) Represents
less than $0.01 per share.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(7) Not
annualized.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(8) Includes
recapture of 0.04% during the year.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(9) Includes
less than 0.01% of interest expense.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(10) Annualized
for periods less than one full year.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(11) Recognition
of net investment loss by the Acquired Fund is affected by the timing and declaration of dividends by the underlying investment
companies in which the Acquired Fund invests.

**ACM Tactical Income Fund**

*Per Share Data and Ratios for a Share of Beneficial Interest Outstanding Throughout each Period Presented*

 

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Class I** | **Class I** | **Class I** | **Class I** |
|  | **For the**<br> **Year Ended**<br>**December 31, 2022** | **For the**<br> **Year Ended**<br>**December 31, 2021** | **For the**<br> **Year Ended**<br>**December 31, 2020** | **For the** <br> **Period Ended**<br>**December 31, 2019 <sup>(1)</sup>** |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $10.12 | $10.54 | $10.13 | $10.00 |
| Increase (decrease) from investment operations: |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net investment income <sup>(2)</sup> | 0.23 | 0.42 | 0.37 | 0.48 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments | (1.00) | (0.45) | 0.33 | 0.05<sup>(5)</sup> |
| Total from investment operations | (0.77) | (0.03) | 0.70 | 0.53 |
| Less distributions from: |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Net investment income | (0.24) | (0.39) | (0.30) | (0.39) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Return of capital |  | (0.00)<sup>(6)</sup> | (0.01) | (0.01) |
| Total distributions | (0.24) | (0.39) | (0.31) | (0.40) |
| Redemption fees collected <sup>(2)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(6)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(6)</sup> | 0.02 | 0.00<sup>(6)</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $9.11 | $10.12 | $10.54 | $10.13 |
| Total return <sup>(3)</sup> | (7.66)% | (0.36)% | 7.26% | 5.35%<sup>(7)</sup> |
| Net assets, at end of year (000s) | $41526 | $62146 | $43420 | $19215 |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data: |  |  |  |  |
| Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets before waiver/recapture <sup>(4)</sup> | 1.58% | 1.51% | 1.57% | 2.10%<sup>(9)(10)</sup> |
| Ratio of net expenses to average net assets after waiver/recapture <sup>(4)</sup> | 1.58% | 1.51% | 1.61% <sup>(8)</sup> | 2.00%<sup>(9)(10)</sup> |
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assets <sup>(4)(11)</sup> | 2.42% | 4.04% | 3.56% | 4.83%<sup>(10)</sup> |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate | 894% | 555% | 478% | 645%<sup>(7)</sup> |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) The
Acquired Fund commenced operations on January 2, 2019.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) Per
share amounts calculated using the average shares method, which more appropriately presents the per share data for the year/period.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) Total
returns shown exclude the effect of redemption fees and assumes reinvestment of all distributions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4) Does
not include the expenses of other investment companies in which the Acquired Fund invests.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(5) The
amount of net realized and unrealized gain on investment per share for the period ended December 31, 2019 does not accord with
the amounts in the Statement of Operations timing of purchases and sales of Fund shares in relation to fluctuating market values.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(6) Represents
less than $0.01 per share.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(7) Not
annualized.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(8) Includes
recapture of 0.04% during the year.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(9) Includes
less than 0.01% of interest expense.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(10) Annualized
for periods less than one full year.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(11) Recognition
of net investment loss by the Fund is affected by the timing and declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies
in which the Acquired Fund invests.

**APPENDIX D – SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION**

Tables showing the fees of the Acquiring Funds and the Acquired Funds, and the fees and expenses of the Acquiring Funds on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the proposed Reorganization, are included in the "Comparison Fee Tables and Examples" section of the Proxy Statement.

The Reorganization will not result in a material change to either Acquired Fund's investment portfolio due to the investment restrictions of the corresponding Acquiring Fund. In particular, each security held by an Acquired Fund is eligible to be held by the corresponding Acquiring Fund. As a result, a schedule of investments of each Acquired Fund modified to show the effects of the change is not required and is not included.

There are no material differences in accounting policies of the Acquired Funds as compared to those of the Acquiring Funds.

**Statement of Additional Information**

**March 15, 2023**

**ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund** 

**ACM Tactical Income Fund**

***each a series of Northern Lights Fund Trust III***

**225 Pictoria Drive**

**Suite 450**

**Cincinnati, Ohio 45246** 

 **AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund**

**AXS Tactical Income Fund**

***each a series of Investment Managers Series Trust II***

**235 W. Galena Street**

**Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus, and it should be read in conjunction with the Combined Proxy Statement/Prospectus dated March 15, 2023, as may be amended from time to time, (the "Prospectus") for the Special Meeting of Shareholders of ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund and ACM Tactical Income Fund (each an "Acquired Fund" and collectively, the "Acquired Funds"), each a series of Northern Lights Funds Trust III, a Delaware statutory trust, to be held on April 21, 2023. A copy of the Combined Proxy Statement/Prospectus is available by calling toll free 1-844-798-3833.

This SAI relates specifically to the proposed reorganization of each Acquired Fund into a corresponding newly created series of Investment Managers Series Trust II ("IMST II") (each, an "Acquiring Fund" and collectively, the "Acquiring Funds") as set forth below:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Acquired Fund** | **Acquiring Fund** |
| ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund | AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund |
| ACM Tactical Income Fund | AXS Tactical Income Fund |

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This SAI consists of this document and the following described documents, each of which is incorporated by reference herein:

● <u>T [he Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information of the Acquired Funds each dated May 1, 2022 (filed via EDGAR on April 22, 2022, Accession No. 0001580642-22-002192); and](http://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1537140/000158064222002192/acm-funds_485b.htm)</u> 

● <u>[The Annual Report to Shareholders of the Acquired Funds dated December 31, 2022 (filed via EDGAR on March 10, 2022, Accession No. 0001580642-23-001376).](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1537140/000158064222001428/acmncsr.htm)</u> 

Each Acquiring Fund, which has no assets or liabilities, will commence operations upon the completion of the Reorganization and will continue the operations of the corresponding Acquired Fund. For this reason, the financial statements of the Acquiring Funds and the pro forma financial statements of the Acquiring Funds have not been included herein. AXS Investments LLC serves as the Acquiring Funds' investment advisor (the "Advisor").

This SAI contains information about the Acquiring Funds. The term "Fund" as used in this SAI, refers to the Acquiring Fund and the term "Funds" refers to the Acquiring Funds.

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **THE TRUST AND THE FUNDS** | **B-1** |
| **INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, POLICIES AND RISKS** | **B-1** |
| **INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS** | **B-38** |
| **MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS** | **B-39** |
| **PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE** | **B-52** |
| **PORTFOLIO TURNOVER** | **B-54** |
| **PROXY VOTING POLICY** | **B-54** |
| **ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM** | **B-54** |
| **PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION** | **B-55** |
| **DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE** | **B-56** |
| **PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF FUND SHARES** | **B-58** |
| **FEDERAL INCOME TAX MATTERS** | **B-59** |
| **DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS** | **B-65** |
| **GENERAL INFORMATION** | **B-66** |
| **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** | **B-69** |
| **APPENDIX A - DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS** | **B-70** |
| **APPENDIX B - PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES** | **B-74** |

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**The Trust and The Funds**

The Trust is an open-end management investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware on August 20, 2013. The Trust currently consists of several other series of shares of beneficial interest. This SAI relates only to the Funds and not to the other series of the Trust.

The Trust is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") as an open-end management investment company. Such a registration does not involve supervision of the management or policies of the Fund. The Prospectus of the Fund and this SAI omit certain of the information contained in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC. Copies of such information may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the prescribed fee.

Each of the Funds will acquire all the assets and liabilities of the following funds (each, a "Predecessor Fund" and together, the "Predecessor Funds") following the reorganization of the Predecessor Funds, which is expected to occur on April 28, 2023. Following the reorganization, each Fund will adopt the prior performance and financial history of the corresponding Predecessor Fund.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Predecessor Fund** |
| AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund | ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund |
| AXS Tactical Income Fund | ACM Tactical Income Fund |

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The ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund and ACM Tactical Income Fund were each a series of Northern Lights Fund Trust III.

The ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund is also referred to herein as the "AXS Dynamic Opportunity Predecessor Fund."

The ACM Tactical Income Fund is also referred to herein as the "AXS Tactical Income Predecessor Fund."

Each Fund is classified as a diversified fund, which means it is subject to the diversification requirements under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). Under the 1940 Act, a diversified fund may not, with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of one issuer (and in not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer), excluding cash, Government securities, and securities of other investment companies. A Fund's classification as a diversified fund may only be changed with the approval of the Fund's shareholders.

The Funds currently offer several classes of shares as described on the cover page of this SAI. Other classes may be established from time to time in accordance with the provisions of the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the "Declaration of Trust"). Each class of shares of a Fund generally is identical in all respects except that each class of shares is subject to its own distribution expenses and minimum investments. Each class of shares also has exclusive voting rights with respect to its distribution fees.

**Investment Strategies, Policies and Risks**

The discussion below supplements information contained in the Funds' Prospectus pertaining to the investment policies of one or more of the Funds.

The Funds' principal investment strategies and related risks are identified in the below table and described in detail following the table. A Fund may also invest, to a lesser extent, in investments other than those identified as its principal investments.

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Investments and Risks** | **Investments and Risks** | **AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund** | **AXS Tactical Income Fund** |
| Equity Securities: | Equity Securities: | X | X |
| | Common Stock | X | X |
| | Preferred Stock | | X |
| | Small- and Mid-Cap Stocks | X | |
| | Warrants and Rights | | |
| | Convertible Securities | | |
| | Large-Cap Stocks | X | |
| Debt Securities: | Debt Securities: | | X |
| | Government Obligations | | X |
| | Mortgage-Backed Securities | | |
| | Asset-Backed Securities | | |
| | Agency Obligations | | X |
| | Lower-Rated Debt Securities | | X |
| | Over-the-Counter Transactions – Fixed Income Securities | | X |
| | Sovereign Debt Obligations | | X |
| | Zero Coupon, Step Coupon, and Pay-In-Kind Securities | | X |
| | Floating Rate, Inverse Floating Rate and Index Obligations | | X |
| Bank Loans and Loan Participations | Bank Loans and Loan Participations | | X |
| Collateralized Loan Obligations | Collateralized Loan Obligations | | X |
| Foreign Investments: | Foreign Investments: | X | X |
| | Emerging Markets | X | X |
| | Foreign Currency Transactions | | X |
| | Depositary Receipts | X | X |
| | Europe—Recent Events | X | X |
| | Developments in the China Region | X | X |
| Derivatives: | Derivatives: | X | X |
| | Options on Securities | X | X |
| | Futures and Options on Futures | X | X |
| | Stock Index Futures | | |
| | Commodities and Commodity Contracts | | |
| | Forwards | | |
| | Swap Transactions | | |
| | Counterparty Risk | X | X |
| | OTC Derivative Transactions | | |
| Investment Company Securities | Investment Company Securities | X | X |
| | Exchange Traded Funds | X | X |
| | Leveraged and Inverse ETFs | | |
| | Closed-End Funds | | |
| | Exchange Traded Notes | X | X |
| | Inverse ETNs | | |
| Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | | |
| IPOs | IPOs | | |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts | Real Estate Investment Trusts | | |
| When-Issued or Delayed-Delivery Instruments | When-Issued or Delayed-Delivery Instruments | | |
| Illiquid and Restricted Securities | Illiquid and Restricted Securities | | |
| Structured Investments | Structured Investments | | |
| Brady Bonds | Brady Bonds | | |
| BDCs and SPACs | BDCs and SPACs | | |
| Short Sales | Short Sales | X | |
| Borrowing | Borrowing | | |
| Temporary Investments | Temporary Investments | | |
| Short-Term Investments | Short-Term Investments | | X |
| | Commercial Paper, Short-Term Notes and Other Corporate Obligations | | X |
| | Certificates of Deposit, Bankers' Acceptances and Time Deposits | | X |
| | Savings Association Obligations | | X |
| Municipal Bonds | Municipal Bonds | | X |
| Cybersecurity Risk | Cybersecurity Risk | X | X |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Investments and Risks** | **AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund** | **AXS Tactical Income Fund** |
| LIBOR Risk | | |
| Repurchase Agreements | | |
| Reverse Repurchase Agreements | | |
| Private Placements and Restricted Securities | | |
| Lending Portfolio Securities | | |

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**Market Conditions**

Events in certain sectors historically have resulted, and may in the future result, in an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign. These events have included, but are not limited to: bankruptcies, corporate restructurings, and other events related to the sub-prime mortgage crisis in 2008; governmental efforts to limit short selling and high frequency trading; measures to address U.S. federal and state budget deficits; social, political, and economic instability in Europe; economic stimulus by the Japanese central bank; steep declines in oil prices; dramatic changes in currency exchange rates; China's economic slowdown; Russia's invasion of Ukraine; and more recently, higher inflation. Interconnected global economies and financial markets increase the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact issuers in a different country or region. Such events may cause significant declines in the values and liquidity of many securities and other instruments. It is impossible to predict whether such conditions will recur. Because such situations may be widespread, it may be difficult to identify both risks and opportunities using past models of the interplay of market forces, or to predict the duration of such events.

An outbreak of an infectious respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 was first detected in China in December 2019 and then was detected globally. This coronavirus has resulted in certain travel restrictions, closed international borders, enhanced health screenings at ports of entry and elsewhere, disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, prolonged quarantines, cancellations, supply chain disruptions, and lower consumer demand, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact of COVID-19, and other infectious illness outbreaks that may arise in the future, could adversely affect the economies of many nations or the entire global economy, individual issuers and capital markets in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. In addition, the impact of infectious illnesses in emerging market countries may be greater due to generally less established healthcare systems. Public health crises caused by the COVID-19 outbreak may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally. The duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its effects cannot be determined with certainty.

**Equity Securities**

**Common Stock**

The Funds may invest in common stock. Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company, and usually possesses voting rights and earns dividends. Dividends on common stock are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer. Common stock generally represents the riskiest investment in a company. In addition, common stock generally has the greatest appreciation and depreciation potential because increases and decreases in earnings are usually reflected in a company's stock price.

The fundamental risk of investing in common stock is that the value of the stock might decrease. Stock values fluctuate in response to the activities of an individual company or in response to general market and/or economic conditions. While common stocks have historically provided greater long-term returns than preferred stocks, fixed-income and money market investments, common stocks have also experienced significantly more volatility than the returns from those other investments.

**Preferred Stock**

The Funds may invest in preferred stock. Preferred stock is a class of stock having a preference over common stock as to the payment of dividends and a share of the proceeds resulting from the issuer's liquidation although preferred stock is usually subordinate to the debt securities of the issuer. Some preferred stocks also entitle their holders to receive additional liquidation proceeds on the same basis as the holders of the issuer's common stock. Preferred stock typically does not possess voting rights and its market value may change based on changes in interest rates. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as call/redemption provisions prior to maturity, a negative feature when interest rates decline. In addition, a fund may receive stocks or warrants as a result of an exchange or tender of fixed income securities. Preference stock, which is more common in emerging markets than in developed markets, is a special type of common stock that shares in the earnings of an issuer, has limited voting rights, may have a dividend preference, and may also have a liquidation preference. Depending on the features of the particular security, holders of preferred and preference stock may bear the risks regarding common stock or fixed income securities.

**Small- and Mid-Cap Stocks**

The Funds may invest in stock of companies with market capitalizations that are small compared to other publicly traded companies. Investments in larger companies present certain advantages in that such companies generally have greater financial resources, more extensive research and development, manufacturing, marketing and service capabilities, and more stability and greater depth of management and personnel. Investments in smaller, less seasoned companies may present greater opportunities for growth but also may involve greater risks than customarily are associated with more established companies. The securities of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than larger, more established companies. These companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent upon a limited management group. Their securities may be traded in the over-the-counter market or on a regional exchange, or may otherwise have limited liquidity. As a result of owning large positions in this type of security, a Fund is subject to the additional risk of possibly having to sell portfolio securities at disadvantageous times and prices if redemptions require a Fund to liquidate its securities positions. In addition, it may be prudent for a Fund, as its asset size grows, to limit the number of relatively small positions it holds in securities having limited liquidity in order to minimize its exposure to such risks, to minimize transaction costs, and to maximize the benefits of research. As a consequence, as a Fund's asset size increases, a Fund may reduce its exposure to illiquid small capitalization securities, which could adversely affect performance.

The Funds may also invest in stocks of companies with medium market capitalizations (i.e., mid-cap companies). Such investments share some of the risk characteristics of investments in stocks of companies with small market capitalizations described above, although mid cap companies tend to have longer operating histories, broader product lines and greater financial resources and their stocks tend to be more liquid and less volatile than those of smaller capitalization issuers.

**Large-Cap Stocks** 

The Funds may invest in stock of companies with large market capitalizations. Larger, more established companies may be unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies during periods of economic expansion. In addition, large-capitalization companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and may be more prone to global economic risks.

**Warrants and Rights** 

The Funds may invest in warrants or rights (including those acquired in units or attached to other securities) that entitle (but do not obligate) the holder to buy equity securities at a specific price for a specific period of time but will do so only if such equity securities are deemed appropriate by the Advisor, as applicable. Rights are similar to warrants but typically have a shorter duration and are issued by a company to existing stockholders to provide those holders the right to purchase additional shares of stock at a later date. Warrants and rights do not have voting rights, do not earn dividends, and do not entitle the holder to any rights with respect to the assets of the company that has issued them. They do not represent ownership of the underlying companies but only the right to purchase shares of those companies at a specified price on or before a specified exercise date. Warrants and rights tend to be more volatile than the underlying stock, and if at a warrant's expiration date the stock is trading at a price below the price set in the warrant, the warrant will expire worthless. Conversely, if at the expiration date the stock is trading at a price higher than the price set in the warrant or right, a Fund can acquire the stock at a price below its market value. The prices of warrants and rights do not necessarily parallel the prices of the underlying securities. An investment in warrants or rights may be considered speculative.

**Convertible Securities**

The Funds may invest in convertible securities. A convertible security is a preferred stock, warrant or other security that may be converted or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock or other security of the same or a different issuer or into cash within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive the dividend or interest until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities generally have characteristics similar to both fixed income and equity securities. Although to a lesser extent than with fixed income securities generally, the market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion feature, the market value of convertible securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying common stocks and, therefore, also will react to variations in the general market for equity securities. A significant feature of convertible securities is that as the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and so they may not experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common stock. When the market price of the underlying common stock increases, the prices of the convertible securities tend to rise as a reflection of the value of the underlying common stock. While no securities investments are without risk, investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer.

**Short Sales**

A Fund may seek to hedge investments or realize additional gains through the use of short sales. A short sale is a transaction in which a Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline. If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time a Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss will be increased, by the transaction costs incurred by a Fund, including the costs associated with providing collateral to the broker-dealer (usually cash and liquid securities) and the maintenance of collateral with its custodian. A Fund also may be required to pay a premium to borrow a security, which would increase the cost of the security sold short. Although a Fund's gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is theoretically unlimited.

The broker-dealer will retain the net proceeds of the short sale to the extent necessary to meet margin requirements until the short position is closed out.

When the Advisor believes that the price of a particular security held by a Fund may decline, it may make "short sales against the box" to hedge the unrealized gain on such security. Selling short against the box involves selling a security which a Fund owns for delivery at a specified date in the future. A Fund will incur transaction costs to open, maintain and close short sales against the box.

**Debt Securities** 

The Funds may invest in debt securities. Debt securities are used by issuers to borrow money. Generally, issuers pay investors periodic interest and repay the amount borrowed either periodically during the life of the security and/or at maturity. Some debt securities, such as zero coupon bonds, do not pay current interest, but are purchased at a discount from their face values and accrue interest at the applicable coupon rate over a specified time period. Some debt securities pay a periodic coupon that is not fixed; instead payments "float" relative to a reference rate, such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR"). This "floating rate" debt may pay interest at levels above or below the previous interest payment. The market prices of debt securities fluctuate depending on such factors as interest rates, credit quality and maturity. In general, market prices of debt securities decline when interest rates rise and increase when interest rates fall.

Lower rated debt securities, those rated Ba or below by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") and/or BB or below by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P") or unrated but determined by the Advisor to be of comparable quality, are described by the rating agencies as speculative and involve greater risk of default or price changes than higher rated debt securities due to changes in the issuer's creditworthiness or the fact that the issuer may already be in default. The market prices of these securities may fluctuate more than higher quality securities and may decline significantly in periods of general economic difficulty. It may be more difficult to sell or to determine the value of lower rated debt securities.

Certain additional risk factors related to debt securities are discussed below:

<u>Sensitivity to interest rate and economic changes</u>. Debt securities may be sensitive to economic changes, political and corporate developments, and interest rate changes. In addition, during an economic downturn or periods of rising interest rates, issuers that are highly leveraged may experience increased financial stress that could adversely affect their ability to meet projected business goals, obtain additional financing, and service their principal and interest payment obligations. Furthermore, periods of economic change and uncertainty can be expected to result in increased volatility of market prices and yields of certain debt securities. For example, prices of these securities can be affected by financial contracts held by the issuer or third parties (such as derivatives) related to the security or other assets or indices.

<u>Payment expectations</u>. Debt securities may contain redemption or call provisions. If an issuer exercises these provisions in a lower interest rate environment, the Funds would have to replace the security with a lower yielding security, resulting in decreased income to investors. If the issuer of a debt security defaults on its obligations to pay interest or principal or is the subject of bankruptcy proceedings, the Funds may incur losses or expenses in seeking recovery of amounts owed to it.

<u>Liquidity</u>. Liquidity risk may result from the lack of an active market, or reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed income securities, and may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where investor redemptions from fixed income mutual funds may be higher than normal, causing increased supply in the market due to selling activity. In such cases, the Funds, due to limitations on investments in illiquid securities and the difficulty in purchasing and selling such securities or instruments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain sector. To the extent that the Funds' principal investment strategies involve investments in securities of companies with smaller market capitalizations, foreign non-U.S. securities, Rule 144A securities, illiquid sectors of fixed income securities, derivatives or securities with substantial market and/or credit risk, the Funds will tend to have the greatest exposure to liquidity risk. Further, fixed income securities with longer durations until maturity face heightened levels of liquidity risk as compared to fixed income securities with shorter durations until maturity. Finally, liquidity risk also refers to the risk of unusually high redemption requests or other unusual market conditions that may make it difficult for the Funds to fully honor redemption requests within the allowable time period. Meeting such redemption requests could require the Funds to sell securities at reduced prices or under unfavorable conditions, which would reduce the value of the Funds. It may also be the case that other market participants may be attempting to liquidate fixed income holdings at the same time as the Funds, causing increased supply in the market and contributing to liquidity risk and downward pricing pressure.

The Advisor attempts to reduce the risks described above through diversification of the Funds' portfolio, credit analysis of each issuer, and by monitoring broad economic trends as well as corporate and legislative developments, but there can be no assurance that it will be successful in doing so. Credit ratings of debt securities provided by rating agencies indicate a measure of the safety of principal and interest payments, not market value risk. The rating of an issuer is a rating agency's view of past and future potential developments related to the issuer and may not necessarily reflect actual outcomes. There can be a lag between corporate developments and the time a rating is assigned and updated.

<u>Changing Fixed Income Market Conditions</u>. Following the financial crisis that began in 2007, the U.S. government and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the "Federal Reserve") as well as certain foreign governments and central banks, took steps to support the financial markets, including by keeping interest rates at historically low levels and by purchasing large quantities of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities on the open market ("Quantitative Easing"). Similar steps were taken again in 2020 in an effort to support the economy during the coronavirus pandemic. In 2022, the Federal Reserve began to unwind its balance sheet by not replacing existing bond holdings as they mature ("Quantitative Tightening"). Also in 2022, the Federal Reserve began raising the federal funds rate in an effort to help fight inflation. Such policy changes may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility and may reduce liquidity for certain Fund investments, which could cause the value of a Fund's investments and share price to decline. If the Fund invests in derivatives tied to fixed income markets it may be more substantially exposed to these risks than a fund that does not invest in derivatives. Government interventions such as those described above may not work as intended, particularly if the efforts are perceived by investors as being unlikely to achieve the desired results.

Bond markets have consistently grown over the past three decades while the capacity for traditional dealer counterparties to engage in fixed income trading has not kept pace and in some cases has decreased. As a result, dealer inventories of corporate bonds, which provide a core indication of the ability of financial intermediaries to "make markets," are at or near historic lows in relation to market size. Because market makers provide stability to a market through their intermediary services, the significant reduction in dealer inventories could potentially lead to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed income markets. Such issues may be exacerbated during periods of economic uncertainty.

<u>Bond Ratings</u>. Bond rating agencies may assign modifiers (such as +/–) to ratings categories to signify the relative position of a credit within the rating category. Investment policies that are based on ratings categories should be read to include any security within that category, without considering the modifier. Please refer to Appendix A for more information about credit ratings.

**Government Obligations** 

The Funds may invest in U.S. government obligations. Such obligations include Treasury bills, certificates of indebtedness, notes and bonds. U.S. government obligations include securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Treasury bills, the most frequently issued marketable government securities, have a maturity of up to one year and are issued on a discount basis. U.S. government obligations include securities issued or guaranteed by government-sponsored enterprises.

Payment of principal and interest on U.S. government obligations may be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States or may be backed solely by the issuing or guaranteeing agency or instrumentality itself. In the latter case, the investor must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment, which agency or instrumentality may be privately owned. There can be no assurance that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies or instrumentalities, including government-sponsored enterprises, where it is not obligated to do so. In addition, U.S. government obligations are subject to fluctuations in market value due to fluctuations in market interest rates. As a general matter, the value of debt instruments, including U.S. government obligations, declines when market interest rates increase and rises when market interest rates decrease. Certain types of U.S. government obligations are subject to fluctuations in yield or value due to their structure or contract terms.

**Mortgage-Backed Securities**

The Funds may invest in mortgage-backed securities and derivative mortgage-backed securities and may also invest in "principal only" and "interest only" components. Mortgage-backed securities are securities that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property. As with other debt securities, mortgage-backed securities are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk. However, the yield and maturity characteristics of mortgage-backed securities differ from traditional debt securities. A major difference is that the principal amount of the obligations may normally be prepaid at any time because the underlying assets (i.e., loans) generally may be prepaid at any time. The relationship between prepayments and interest rates may give some mortgage-backed securities less potential for growth in value than conventional fixed-income securities with comparable maturities. In addition, in periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayments tends to increase. During such periods, the reinvestment of prepayment proceeds by the Fund will generally be at lower rates than the rates that were carried by the obligations that have been prepaid. If interest rates rise, borrowers may prepay mortgages more slowly than originally expected. This may further reduce the market value of mortgage-backed securities and lengthen their durations. Because of these and other reasons, a mortgage-backed security's total return, maturity and duration may be difficult to predict precisely.

Mortgage-backed securities come in different classes that have different risks. Junior classes of mortgage-backed securities are designed to protect the senior class investors against losses on the underlying mortgage loans by taking the first loss if there are liquidations among the underlying loans. Junior classes generally receive principal and interest payments only after all required payments have been made to more senior classes. If a Fund invests in junior classes of mortgage-related securities, it may not be able to recover all of its investment in the securities it purchases. In addition, if the underlying mortgage portfolio has been overvalued, or if mortgage values subsequently decline, a Fund may suffer significant losses. Investments in mortgage-backed securities involve the risks of interruptions in the payment of interest and principal (delinquency) and the potential for loss of principal if the property underlying the security is sold as a result of foreclosure on the mortgage (default). These risks include the risks associated with direct ownership of real estate, such as the effects of general and local economic conditions on real estate values, the conditions of specific industry segments, the ability of tenants to make lease payments and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants, which in turn may be affected by local market conditions such as oversupply of space or a reduction of available space, the ability of the owner to provide adequate maintenance and insurance, energy costs, government regulations with respect to environmental, zoning, rent control and other matters, and real estate and other taxes. If the underlying borrowers cannot pay their mortgage loans, they may default and the lenders may foreclose on the property.

The ability of borrowers to repay mortgage loans underlying mortgage-backed securities will typically depend upon the future availability of financing and the stability of real estate values. For mortgage loans not guaranteed by a government agency or other party, the only remedy of the lender in the event of a default is to foreclose upon the property. If borrowers are not able or willing to pay the principal balance on the loans, there is a good chance that payments on the related mortgage-related securities will not be made. Certain borrowers on underlying mortgages may become subject to bankruptcy proceedings, in which case the value of the mortgage-backed securities may decline.

**Asset-Backed Securities**

The Funds may invest in asset-backed securities that, through the use of trusts and special purpose vehicles, are securitized with various types of assets, such as automobile receivables, credit card receivables and home-equity loans in pass- through structures similar to the mortgage-related securities described above. In general, the collateral supporting asset-backed securities is of shorter maturity than the collateral supporting mortgage loans and is less likely to experience substantial prepayments. However, asset-backed securities are not backed by any governmental agency. 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, some issuers of automobile receivables permit the servicers to retain possession of the underlying obligations. If the servicers 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 related automobile receivables. The impairment of value of collateral or other assets underlying an asset-based security, such as a result of non-payment of loans or non-performance of other collateral or underlying assets, may reduce the value of such asset-based security and result in losses to the Fund.

**Agency Obligations**

The Funds may invest in agency obligations, such as obligations of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Tennessee Valley Authority, Resolution Funding Corporation, Farmers Home Administration, Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Federal Farm Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, Federal Housing Administration, Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), commonly known as "Ginnie Mae," Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA"), commonly known as "Fannie Mae," Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"), commonly known as "Freddie Mac," and the Student Loan Marketing Association ("SLMA"). Some, such as those of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, are supported only by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury; others, such as those of the FNMA and FHLMC, are supported by only the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agency's obligations; still others, such as those of the SLMA, are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government would provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored instrumentalities because they are not obligated by law to do so. As a result, there is a risk that these entities will default on a financial obligation. For instance, in September 2008, at the direction of the U.S. Treasury, FNMA and FHLMC were placed into conservatorship under the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA"), a newly created independent regulator.

**Lower-Rated Debt Securities**

The Funds may invest in lower-rated fixed-income securities (commonly known as "junk bonds"). The lower ratings reflect a greater possibility that adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer or in general economic conditions, or both, or an unanticipated rise in interest rates, may impair the ability of the issuer to make payments of interest and principal. The inability (or perceived inability) of issuers to make timely payment of interest and principal would likely make the values of securities held by the Fund more volatile and could limit the Fund's ability to sell its securities at prices approximating the values the Fund had placed on such securities. In the absence of a liquid trading market for securities held by it, the Fund at times may be unable to establish the fair value of such securities. Securities ratings are based largely on the issuer's historical financial condition and the rating agencies' analysis at the time of rating. Consequently, the rating assigned to any particular security is not necessarily a reflection of the issuer's current financial condition, which may be better or worse than the rating would indicate. In addition, the rating assigned to a security by Moody's or S&P (or by any other nationally recognized securities rating agency) does not reflect an assessment of the volatility of the security's market value or the liquidity of an investment in the security.

Like those of other fixed-income securities, the values of lower-rated securities fluctuate in response to changes in interest rates. A decrease in interest rates will generally result in an increase in the value of the Fund's fixed-income assets. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the value of the Fund's fixed-income assets will generally decline. The values of lower-rated securities may often be affected to a greater extent by changes in general economic conditions and business conditions affecting the issuers of such securities and their industries. Negative publicity or investor perceptions may also adversely affect the values of lower-rated securities. Changes by nationally recognized securities rating agencies in their ratings of any fixed-income security and changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal may also affect the value of these investments. Changes in the value of portfolio securities generally will not affect income derived from these securities, but will affect the Fund's net asset value. The Fund will not necessarily dispose of a security when its rating is reduced below its rating at the time of purchase. However, the Advisor will monitor the investment to determine whether its retention will assist in meeting each Fund's investment objective. Issuers of lower-rated securities are often highly leveraged, so that their ability to service their debt obligations during an economic downturn or during sustained periods of rising interest rates may be impaired. Such issuers may not have more traditional methods of financing available to them and may be unable to repay outstanding obligations at maturity by refinancing.

The risk of loss due to default in payment of interest or repayment of principal by such issuers is significantly greater because such securities frequently are unsecured and subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. It is possible that, under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, the Fund could find it more difficult to sell these securities when the Advisor believes it advisable to do so or may be able to sell the securities only at prices lower than if they were more widely held. Under these circumstances, it may also be more difficult to determine the fair value of such securities for purposes of computing the Fund's net asset value. In order to enforce its rights in the event of a default, the Fund may be required to participate in various legal proceedings or take possession of and manage assets securing the issuer's obligations on such securities. This could increase the Fund's operating expenses and adversely affect the Fund's net asset value. The ability of a holder of a tax-exempt security to enforce the terms of that security in a bankruptcy proceeding may be more limited than would be the case with respect to securities of private issuers. In addition, each Fund's intention to qualify as a "regulated investment company" under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") may limit the extent to which the Fund may exercise its rights by taking possession of such assets. To the extent a Fund invests in securities in the lower rating categories, the achievement of the Fund's investment objective is more dependent on the Advisor's investment analysis than would be the case if the Fund were investing in securities in the higher rating categories.

**Over-the-Counter Transactions – Fixed Income Securities**

The Funds may enter into over-the-counter ("OTC") transactions involving fixed income securities. OTC transactions differ from exchange-traded transactions in several respects. OTC transactions are transacted directly with dealers and not with a clearing corporation. Without the availability of a clearing corporation, OTC transaction pricing is normally done by reference to information from market makers, which information is carefully monitored by the Advisor and verified in appropriate cases. As OTC transactions are transacted directly with dealers, there is a risk of nonperformance by the dealer as a result of the insolvency of such dealer or otherwise. The Funds intends to enter into OTC transactions only with dealers which agree to, and which are expected to be capable of, entering into closing transactions with the Funds. There is also no assurance that the Funds will be able to liquidate an OTC transaction at any time prior to expiration.

**Sovereign Debt Obligations** 

The Funds may invest in sovereign debt obligations, which are securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governments, governmental agencies or instrumentalities and political subdivisions, including debt of developing countries. Sovereign debt may be in the form of conventional securities or other types of debt instruments such as loans or loan participations. Sovereign debt of developing countries may involve a high degree of risk, and may be in default or present the risk of default. Governmental entities responsible for repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay principal and pay interest when due, and may require renegotiation or rescheduling of debt payments. In addition, prospects for repayment of principal and payment of interest may depend on political as well as economic factors. Although some sovereign debt, such as Brady Bonds, is collateralized by U.S. government securities, repayment of principal and payment of interest is not guaranteed by the U.S. government. There is no bankruptcy proceeding by which sovereign debt on which governmental entities have defaulted may be collected in whole or in part.

**Zero Coupon, Step Coupon, and Pay-In-Kind Securities**

Zero coupon bonds are securities that make no fixed interest payments but instead are issued and traded at a discount from their face value. They do not entitle the holder to any periodic payment of interest prior to maturity. Step coupon bonds trade at a discount from their face value and pay coupon interest. The coupon rate is low for an initial period and then increases to a higher coupon rate thereafter. The discount from the face amount or par value depends on the time remaining until cash payments begin, prevailing interest rates, liquidity of the security, and the perceived credit quality of the issuer. Pay-in-kind bonds normally give the issuer an option to pay cash at a coupon payment date or give the holder of the security a similar bond with the same coupon rate and a face value equal to the amount of the coupon payment that would have been made.

Generally, the market prices of zero coupon, step coupon, and pay-in-kind securities are more volatile than the prices of securities that pay interest periodically and in cash and are likely to respond to changes in interest rates to a greater degree than other types of debt securities having similar maturities and credit quality.

**Floating Rate, Inverse Floating Rate and Index Obligations**

The Funds may invest in debt securities with interest payments or maturity values that are not fixed, but float in conjunction with (or inversely to) an underlying index or price. These securities may be backed by sovereign or corporate issuers, or by collateral such as mortgages. The indices and prices upon which such securities can be based include interest rates, currency rates and commodities prices. Floating rate securities pay interest according to a coupon which is reset periodically. The reset mechanism may be formula based, or reflect the passing through of floating interest payments on an underlying collateral pool. Inverse floating rate securities are similar to floating rate securities except that their coupon payments vary inversely with an underlying index by use of a formula. Inverse floating rate securities tend to exhibit greater price volatility than other floating rate securities. Interest rate risk and price volatility on inverse floating rate obligations can be high, especially if leverage is used in the formula. Index securities pay a fixed rate of interest, but have a maturity value that varies by formula, so that when the obligation matures a gain or loss may be realized. The risk of index obligations depends on the volatility of the underlying index, the coupon payment and the maturity of the obligation.

**Bank Loans And Loan Participations**

The Funds may invest in bank loans and loan participations. Commercial banks and other financial institutions or institutional investors make corporate loans to companies that need capital to grow or restructure. Borrowers generally pay interest on corporate loans at rates that change in response to changes in market interest rates such as the LIBOR or the prime rates of U.S. banks. As a result, the value of corporate loan investments is generally less exposed to the adverse effects of shifts in market interest rates than investments that pay a fixed rate of interest. However, because the trading market for certain corporate loans may be less developed than the secondary market for bonds and notes, the Fund may experience difficulties in selling its corporate loans. The Fund may make certain corporate loan investments as part of a broader group of lenders (together often referred to as a "syndicate") that is represented by a leading financial institution (or agent bank). The syndicate's agent arranges the corporate loans, holds collateral and accepts payments of principal and interest. If the agent develops financial problems or is terminated, the Fund may not recover its investment or recovery may be delayed. Corporate loans are subject to the credit risk of nonpayment of principal or interest. Further, substantial increases in interest rates may cause an increase in loan defaults. Although the loans will generally be fully collateralized at the time of acquisition, the collateral may decline in value, be relatively illiquid or lose all or substantially all of its value subsequent to investment. If a borrower files for protection from its creditors under the U.S. bankruptcy laws, these laws may limit the Fund's rights to the collateral. In addition, the value of collateral may erode during a bankruptcy case. In the event of a bankruptcy, the holder of a corporate loan may not recover its principal, may experience a long delay in recovering its investment and may not receive interest during the delay. Further, interests in bank loans and loan participations are not considered to be securities and, therefore, are not protected under the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act. As part of transacting in bank loans the Fund may come into possession of material nonpublic information about a borrower as a result of its investment. Because of prohibitions on trading while in possession of such information, the Fund may be unable to invest or transact in the publicly traded securities of that borrower when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so.

The Funds may also invest in second lien loans (secured loans with a claim on collateral subordinate to a senior lender's claim on such collateral) and unsecured loans. Holders' claims under unsecured loans are subordinated to claims of creditors holding secured indebtedness and possibly other classes of creditors holding unsecured debt. Unsecured loans have a greater risk of default than secured loans, particularly during periods of deteriorating economic conditions. Also, since they do not afford the lender recourse to collateral, unsecured loans are subject to greater risk of nonpayment in the event of default than secured loans. Many such loans are relatively illiquid and may be difficult to value.

Some bank loans are subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate the bank loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower or take other action detrimental to the holders of the bank loans, including, in certain circumstances, invalidating such bank loans or causing interest previously paid to be refunded to the borrower. If interest were required to be refunded, it could negatively affect Fund performance.

Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness or pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

Investments in bank loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interest with respect to the bank loan may involve additional risks. For example, if a secured bank loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral, and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the Fund could be held liable as a co-lender.

Bank loans may be structured to include both term loans, which are generally fully funded at the time of investment, and revolving credit facilities, which would require the Fund to make additional investments in the bank loans as required under the terms of the credit facility at the borrower's demand.

A financial institution's employment as agent bank may be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement would remain available to the holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund may incur certain costs and delays in realizing payments on a bank loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest.

The Funds generally will treat the corporate borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between the Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as "issuers".

**Collateralized Loan Obligations**

The Fund may invest in CLOs. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. The loans generate cash flow that is allocated among one or more classes of securities ("tranches") that vary in risk and yield. The most senior tranche has the best credit quality and the lowest yield compared to the other tranches. The equity tranche has the highest potential yield but also has the greatest risk, as it bears the bulk of defaults from the underlying loans and helps to protect the more senior tranches from risk of these defaults. However, despite the protection from the equity and other more junior tranches, more senior tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults and decreased market value due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CLO securities as a class.

Normally, CLOs are privately offered and sold and are not registered under state or federal securities laws. Therefore, investments in CLOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities. However, an active dealer market may exist for CLOs allowing a CLO to qualify for transactions pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act and to be deemed liquid.

The riskiness of investing in CLOs depends largely on the quality and type of the collateral loans and the tranche of the CLO in which the Fund invests. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed-income securities (such as interest rate risk and credit risk) and the risks associated with investing in CDOs, CLOs carry additional risks including that interest on certain tranches of a CLO may be paid in-kind (meaning that unpaid interest is effectively added to principal), which involves continued exposure to default risk with respect to such payments. Certain CLOs may receive credit enhancement in the form of a senior-subordinate structure, over-collateralization or bond insurance, but such enhancement may not always be present and may fail to protect the Fund against the risk of loss due to defaults on the collateral. Certain CLOs may not hold loans directly, but rather, use derivatives such as swaps to create "synthetic" exposure to the collateral pool of loans. Such CLOs entail the risks of derivative instruments.

**Foreign Investments**

The Funds may make foreign investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers and other non-U.S. investments may involve risks in addition to those normally associated with investments in the securities of U.S. issuers or other U.S. investments. All foreign investments are subject to risks of foreign political and economic instability, adverse movements in foreign exchange rates, and the imposition or tightening of exchange controls and limitations on the repatriation of foreign capital. Other risks stem from potential changes in governmental attitude or policy toward private investment, which in turn raises the risk of nationalization, increased taxation or confiscation of foreign investors' assets. Additionally, the imposition of sanctions, trade restrictions (including tariffs) and other government restrictions by the United States and/or other governments may adversely affect the values of the Fund's foreign investments.

The financial problems in global economies over the past several years, including the European sovereign debt crisis, may continue to cause high volatility in global financial markets. In addition, global economies are increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibilities that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact a different country or region. The severity or duration of these conditions may also be affected if one or more countries leave the Euro currency or by other policy changes made by governments or quasi-governmental organizations.

Additional non-U.S. taxes and expenses may also adversely affect the Funds' performance, including foreign withholding taxes on foreign securities' dividends. Brokerage commissions and other transaction costs on foreign securities exchanges are generally higher than in the United States. Foreign companies may be subject to different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards. To the extent foreign securities held by the Funds are not registered with the SEC or with any other U.S. regulator, the issuers thereof will not be subject to the reporting requirements of the SEC or any other U.S. regulator. Accordingly, less information may be available about foreign companies and other investments than is generally available on issuers of comparable securities and other investments in the United States. Foreign securities and other investments may also trade less frequently and with lower volume and may exhibit greater price volatility than U.S. securities and other investments.

Changes in foreign exchange rates will affect the value in U.S. dollars of any foreign currency-denominated securities and other investments held by the Funds. Exchange rates are influenced generally by the forces of supply and demand in the foreign currency markets and by numerous other political and economic events occurring outside the United States, many of which may be difficult, if not impossible, to predict.

Income from any foreign securities and other investments will be received and realized in foreign currencies, and the Funds are required to compute and distribute income in U.S. dollars. Accordingly, a decline in the value of a particular foreign currency against the U.S. dollar occurring after the Funds' income has been earned and computed in U.S. dollars may require the Funds to liquidate portfolio securities or other investments to acquire sufficient U.S. dollars to make a distribution. Similarly, if the exchange rate declines between the time the Funds incurs expenses in U.S. dollars and the time such expenses are paid, the Funds may be required to liquidate additional portfolio securities or other investments to purchase the U.S. dollars required to meet such expenses.

The Funds may purchase foreign bank obligations. In addition to the risks described above that are generally applicable to foreign investments, the investments that the Funds makes in obligations of foreign banks, branches or subsidiaries may involve further risks, including differences between foreign banks and U.S. banks in applicable accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, and the possible establishment of exchange controls or other foreign government laws or restrictions applicable to the payment of certificates of deposit or time deposits that may affect adversely the payment of principal and interest on the securities and other investments held by the Funds.

**Emerging Markets** 

The Funds may invest in companies organized or doing substantial business in emerging market countries or developing countries as defined by the World Bank, International Financial Corporation, or the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) emerging market indices or other comparable indices. Investing in emerging markets involves additional risks and special considerations not typically associated with investing in other more established economies or markets. Such risks may include (i) increased risk of nationalization or expropriation of assets or confiscatory taxation; (ii) greater social, economic and political uncertainty, including war; (iii) higher dependence on exports and the corresponding importance of international trade; (iv) greater volatility, less liquidity and smaller capitalization of markets; (v) greater volatility in currency exchange rates; (vi) greater risk of inflation; (vii) greater controls on foreign investment and limitations on realization of investments, repatriation of invested capital and on the ability to exchange local currencies for U.S. dollars; (viii) increased likelihood of governmental involvement in and control over the economy; (ix) governmental decisions to cease support of economic reform programs or to impose centrally planned economies; (x) differences in regulatory, accounting, auditing, and financial reporting and recordkeeping standards, which may result in the unavailability of material information about issuers; (xi) less extensive regulation of the markets; (xii) longer settlement periods for transactions and less reliable clearance and custody arrangements; (xiii) less developed corporate laws regarding fiduciary duties of officers and directors and the protection of investors; (xiv) certain considerations regarding the maintenance of the Fund's securities with local brokers and securities depositories and (xv) the imposition of withholding or other taxes on dividends, interest, capital gains, other income or gross sale or disposition proceeds.

Repatriation of investment income, assets and the proceeds of sales by foreign investors may require governmental registration and/or approval in some emerging market countries. The Fund could be adversely affected by delays in or a refusal to grant any required governmental registration or approval for such repatriation, or by withholding taxes imposed by emerging market countries on interest or dividends paid on securities held by the Fund or gains from the disposition of such securities.

In emerging markets, there is often less government supervision and regulation of business and industry practices, stock exchanges, over-the-counter markets, brokers, dealers, counterparties and issuers than in other more established markets. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB"), which regulates auditors of U.S. public companies, for example, may be unable to inspect audit work and practices in certain countries. The PCAOB's limited ability to oversee the operations of accounting firms in such countries would mean that inaccurate or incomplete financial records of an issuer's operations may not be detected, which could negatively impact a Fund's investments in such companies. Any regulatory supervision that is in place may be subject to manipulation or control. Some emerging market countries do not have mature legal systems comparable to those of more developed countries. Moreover, the process of legal and regulatory reform may not be proceeding at the same pace as market developments, which could result in investment risk. Legislation to safeguard the rights of private ownership may not yet be in place in certain areas, and there may be the risk of conflict among local, regional and national requirements. In certain cases, the laws and regulations governing investments in securities may not exist or may be subject to inconsistent or arbitrary appreciation or interpretation. Both the independence of judicial systems and their immunity from economic, political or nationalistic influences remain largely untested in many countries. It may also be difficult or impossible for the Fund to pursue legal remedies or to obtain and enforce judgments in local courts.

Many Chinese companies have created variable interest entities ("VIEs") as a means to circumvent limits on foreign ownership of equity in Chinese companies. Investments in companies that use a VIE structure may pose additional risks because the investment is made through an intermediary entity that exerts control of the underlying operating business through contractual means rather than equity ownership and, as a result, may limit the rights of an investor. Although VIEs are a longstanding industry practice and well known to officials and regulators in China, VIE structures are not formally recognized under Chinese law. Investors face uncertainty about future actions by the government of China that could significantly affect an operating company's financial performance and the enforceability of the VIE's contractual arrangements. It is uncertain whether Chinese officials or regulators will withdraw their implicit acceptance of the VIE structure, or whether any new laws, rules, or regulations relating to VIE structures will be adopted or, if adopted, what impact they would have on the interests of foreign shareholders. Under extreme circumstances, China might prohibit the existence of VIEs, or sever their ability to transmit economic and governance rights to foreign individuals and entities; if so, the market value of the Funds' associated portfolio holdings would likely suffer significant, detrimental, and possibly permanent effects, which could result in substantial investment losses.

There may also be restrictions on imports from certain countries, such as Russia, and dealings with certain state-sponsored entities. For example, following Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the President of the United States signed an Executive Order in February 2022 prohibiting U.S. persons from entering transactions with the Central Bank of Russia and Executive Orders in March 2022 prohibiting U.S. persons from importing oil and gas from Russia as well as other popular Russian exports, such as diamonds, seafood and vodka. There may also be restrictions on investments in Chinese companies. For example, the President of the United States signed an Executive Order in June 2021 affirming and expanding the U.S. policy prohibiting U.S. persons from purchasing or investing in publicly-traded securities of companies identified by the U.S. Government as "Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies." The list of such companies can change from time to time, and as a result of forced selling or an inability to participate in an investment the Advisor otherwise believes is attractive, a Fund may incur losses. Any of these factors may adversely affect a Fund's performance or the Fund's ability to pursue its investment objective.

**Foreign Currency Transactions** 

The Funds may conduct foreign currency transactions on a spot, i.e., cash, basis at the prevailing rate in the foreign exchange market. Foreign currency transactions are generally used to obtain foreign currencies to settle securities transactions or to exchange one currency for another. They can also be used as a hedge to protect assets against adverse changes in foreign currency exchange rates or regulations. When a Fund uses foreign currency exchanges as a hedge, it may also limit potential gain that could result from an increase in the value of such currencies. Currency exchange rates may be volatile and the Fund may be affected either favorably or unfavorably by fluctuations in the relative rates of exchange between the currencies of different nations, market or economic downswings, or other relevant factors, such as the actions of governments or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and speculation. Foreign currency hedging transactions are used to protect against foreign currency exchange rate risks.

There is no systematic reporting of last sale information for foreign currencies, and there is no regulatory requirement that quotations available through dealers or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis. Quotation information available is generally representative of very large transactions in the interbank market. The interbank market in foreign currencies is a global around-the-clock market. Since foreign currency transactions occurring in the interbank market involve substantially larger amounts than those that may be involved in the use of foreign currency options, the Fund may be disadvantaged by having to deal in an odd lot market (generally consisting of transactions of less than $1 million) for the underlying foreign currencies at prices that are less favorable than for round lots.

**Depositary Receipts**

The Funds may invest in depositary receipts. American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") are negotiable receipts issued by a U.S. bank or trust company that evidence ownership of securities in a foreign company which have been deposited with such bank or trust company's office or agent in a foreign country. European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") are negotiable certificates held in the bank of one country representing a specific number of shares of a stock traded on an exchange of another country. Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") are negotiable certificates held in the bank of one country representing a specific number of shares of a stock traded on an exchange of another country. Canadian Depositary Receipts ("CDRs") are negotiable receipts issued by a Canadian bank or trust company that evidence ownership of securities in a foreign company which have been deposited with such bank or trust company's office or agent in a foreign country.

Investing in ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs presents risks that may not be equal to the risk inherent in holding the equivalent shares of the same companies that are traded in the local markets even though the Fund will purchase, sell and be paid dividends on ADRs in U.S. dollars. These risks include fluctuations in currency exchange rates, which are affected by international balances of payments and other economic and financial conditions; government intervention; speculation; and other factors. With respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, political and social upheaval, and economic instability. The Funds may be required to pay foreign withholding or other taxes on certain ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, or CDRs that it owns, but investors may or may not be able to deduct their pro-rata share of such taxes in computing their taxable income, or take such shares as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax. See "Federal Income Tax Matters." ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs may be sponsored by the foreign issuer or may be unsponsored. Unsponsored ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs are organized independently and without the cooperation of the foreign issuer of the underlying securities. Unsponsored ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs are offered by companies which are not prepared to meet either the reporting or accounting standards of the United States. While readily exchangeable with stock in local markets, unsponsored ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs may be less liquid than sponsored ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs. Additionally, there generally is less publicly available information with respect to unsponsored ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs.

**Developments in the China Region** 

After nearly 30 years of unprecedented growth, the People's Republic of China now faces a slowing economy. The real estate market, which many observers believed to be inflated, has begun to decline. Local governments, which had borrowed heavily to bolster growth, face high debt burdens and limited revenue sources. As a result, demand for Chinese exports by the United States and countries in Europe, and demands for Chinese imports from such countries, may weaken due to the effects of more limited economic growth. Additionally, Chinese actions to lay claim to disputed islands have caused relations with China's regional trading partners to suffer, and could cause further disruption to regional and international trade. From time to time, China has experienced outbreaks of infectious illnesses, and the country may be subject to other public health threats, infectious illnesses, diseases or similar issues in the future. Any spread of an infectious illness, public health threat or similar issue could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the Chinese economy. In the long run, China's ability to develop and sustain a credible legal, regulatory, monetary, and socioeconomic system could influence the course of outside investment.

**Europe – Recent Events** 

A number of countries in Europe have experienced severe economic and financial difficulties. Many non-governmental issuers, and even certain governments, have defaulted on, or been forced to restructure, their debts; many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit or refinancing existing obligations; financial institutions have in many cases required government or central bank support, have needed to raise capital, and/or have been impaired in their ability to extend credit; and financial markets in Europe and elsewhere have experienced extreme volatility and declines in asset values and liquidity. These difficulties may continue, worsen or spread within or outside Europe. Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world.

The European Union (the "EU") currently faces major issues involving its membership, structure, procedures and policies, including the successful political, economic and social integration of new member states, the EU's resettlement and distribution of refugees, and resolution of the EU's problematic fiscal and democratic accountability. In addition, one or more countries may abandon the Euro, the common currency of the EU, and/or withdraw from the EU. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant and far-reaching.

***United Kingdom Exit from the EU.*** On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom (the "UK") formally withdrew from the EU (commonly referred to as "Brexit") and entered an 11-month transition period during which the UK remained part of the EU single market and customs union, the laws of which governed the economic, trade, and security relations between the UK and EU. The transition period concluded on December 31, 2020, and the UK left the EU single market and customs union under the terms of a new trade agreement. The agreement governs the relationship between the UK and EU with respect to trading goods and services, but certain aspects of the relationship remain unresolved and subject to further negotiation and agreement. The effects of Brexit are also being shaped by the trade agreements that the UK negotiates with other countries. Although the longer term political, regulatory, and economic consequences of Brexit are uncertain, Brexit has caused volatility in UK, EU, and global markets. The potential negative effects of Brexit on the UK and EU economies and the broader global economy could include, among others, business and trade disruptions, increased volatility and illiquidity, currency fluctuations, and potentially lower economic growth of markets in the UK, EU, and globally, which could negatively impact the value of a Fund's investments. Brexit could also lead to legal uncertainty and politically divergent national laws and regulations while the relationship between the UK and EU continues to be defined and the UK determines which EU laws to replace or replicate.

***Russia's Invasion of Ukraine***. Russia has attempted to assert its influence in Eastern Europe in the recent past through economic and military measures, including military incursions into Georgia in 2008 and eastern Ukraine in 2014, heightening geopolitical risk in the region and tensions with the West. On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a large-scale invasion of Ukraine resulting in the displacement of millions of Ukrainians from their homes, a substantial loss of life, and the widespread destruction of property and infrastructure throughout Ukraine. In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the governments of the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and many other nations joined together to impose heavy economic sanctions on certain Russian individuals, including its political leaders, as well as Russian corporate and banking entities and other Russian industries and businesses. The sanctions restrict companies from doing business with Russia and Russian companies, prohibit transactions with the Russian central bank and other key Russian financial institutions and entities, ban Russian airlines and ships from using many other countries' airspace and ports, respectively, and place a freeze on certain Russian assets. The sanctions also removed some Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT), the electronic network that connects banks globally to facilitate cross-border payments. In addition, the United States has banned oil and other energy imports from Russia, and the United Kingdom made a commitment to phase out oil imports from Russia by the end of 2022. The United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and their global allies may impose additional sanctions or other intergovernmental actions against Russia in the future, but Russia may respond in kind by imposing retaliatory economic sanctions or countermeasures. The extent and duration of the war in Ukraine and the longevity and severity of sanctions remain unknown, but they could have a significant adverse impact on the European economy as well as the price and availability of certain commodities, including oil and natural gas, throughout the world. Further, an escalation of the military conflict beyond Ukraine's borders could result in significant, long-lasting damage to the economies of Eastern and Western Europe as well as the global economy.

***General.*** Whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure to European issuers or countries, these events could negatively affect the value and liquidity of the Fund's investments due to the interconnected nature of the global economy and capital markets. The Fund may also be susceptible to these events to the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations with credit support by non-U.S. financial institutions.

**Derivatives**

The Fund may utilize a variety of derivatives contracts, such as futures, options, swaps and forward contracts, both for investment purposes and for hedging purposes. Hedging involves special risks including the possible default by the other party to the transaction, illiquidity and, to the extent the Advisor's assessment of certain market movements is incorrect, the risk that the use of hedging could result in losses greater than if hedging had not been used. Nonetheless, with respect to certain investment positions, the Fund may not be sufficiently hedged against market fluctuations, in which case an investment position could result in a loss greater than if the Advisor had been sufficiently hedged with respect to such position.

The Advisor will not, in general, attempt to hedge all market or other risks inherent in the Fund's positions, and may hedge certain risks, if at all, only partially. Specifically, the Advisor may choose not, or may determine that it is economically unattractive, to hedge certain risks, either in respect of particular positions or in respect of the Fund's overall portfolio. Moreover, it should be noted that the Fund's portfolio always will be exposed to unidentified systematic risk factors and to certain risks that cannot be completely hedged, such as credit risk (relating both to particular securities and to counterparties). The Fund's portfolio composition may result in various directional market risks remaining unhedged, although the Advisor may rely on diversification to control such risks to the extent that the Advisor believes it is desirable to do so.

The regulation of derivatives markets in the United States is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to modification by government and judicial action. In particular, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act"), signed into law in 2010, granted significant authority to the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") to impose comprehensive regulations on the over-the-counter and cleared derivatives markets. These regulations include, but are not limited to, mandatory clearing of certain derivatives and requirements relating to disclosure, margin and trade reporting. New regulations could adversely affect the value, availability and performance of certain derivative instruments, may make them more costly, and may limit or restrict their use by the Funds.

In October 2020, the SEC adopted Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act (the "Derivatives Rule"), which provides an updated, comprehensive framework for registered investment companies' use of derivatives. The Funds comply with the Derivatives Rule which, among other things, governs the use of derivative investments and certain financing transactions (e.g., reverse repurchase agreements) by registered investment companies. The Derivatives Rule requires investment companies that enter into derivatives transactions and certain other transactions that create future payment or delivery obligations to, among other things, (i) comply with a value-at-risk ("VaR") leverage limit, and (ii) adopt and implement a comprehensive written derivatives risk management program. These and other requirements apply unless the Fund qualifies as a "limited derivatives user," which the Derivatives Rule defines as a fund that limits its derivatives exposure to 10% of its net assets. Complying with the Derivatives Rule may increase the cost of a Fund's investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors. The Derivatives Rule may not be effective to limit the Funds' risk of loss. In particular, measurements of VaR rely on historical data and may not accurately measure the degree of risk reflected in the Funds' derivatives or other investments. Other potentially adverse regulatory obligations can develop suddenly and without notice.

Certain additional risk factors related to derivatives are discussed below:

<u>Derivatives Risk</u>. Under recently adopted rules by the CFTC, transactions in some types of interest rate swaps and index credit default swaps on North American and European indices will be required to be cleared. In a cleared derivatives transaction, the Fund's counterparty is a clearing house (such as CME Clearing, ICE Clearing or LCH.Clearnet), rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members, who are futures commission merchants that are members of the clearing houses and who have the appropriate regulatory approvals to engage in swap transactions. The Fund will make and receive payments owed under cleared derivatives transactions (including margin payments) through its accounts at clearing members. Clearing members guarantee performance of their clients' obligations to the clearing house. In contrast to bilateral derivatives transactions, following a period of advance notice to the Fund, clearing members generally can require termination of existing cleared derivatives transactions at any time and increases in margin above the margin that it required at the beginning of a transaction. Clearing houses also have broad rights to increase margin requirements for existing transactions and to terminate transactions. Any such increase or termination could interfere with the ability of the Fund to pursue its investment strategy. Also, the Fund is subject to execution risk if it enters into a derivatives transaction that is required to be cleared (or that the Advisor expects to be cleared), and no clearing member is willing or able to clear the transaction on the Fund's behalf. While the documentation in place between the Fund and its clearing members generally provides that the clearing members will accept for clearing all transactions submitted for clearing that are within credit limits specified by the clearing members in advance, the Fund could be subject to this execution risk if the Fund submits for clearing transactions that exceed such credit limits, if the clearing house does not accept the transactions for clearing, or if the clearing members do not comply with their agreement to clear such transactions. In that case, the transaction might have to be terminated, and the Fund could lose some or all of the benefit of any increase in the value of the transaction after the time of the transaction. In addition, new regulations could, among other things, restrict the Fund's ability to engage in, or increase the cost to the Fund of, derivatives transactions, for example, by making some types of derivatives no longer available to the Fund or increasing margin or capital requirements. If the Fund is not able to enter into a particular derivatives transaction, the Fund's investment performance and risk profile could be adversely affected as a result.

<u>Counterparty Risk</u>. Counterparty risk with respect to OTC derivatives may be affected by new regulations promulgated by the CFTC and SEC affecting the derivatives market. As described under "Derivatives Risk" above, some derivatives transactions will be required to be cleared, and a party to a cleared derivatives transaction is subject to the credit risk of the clearing house and the clearing member through which it holds its cleared position, rather than the credit risk of its original counterparty to the derivative transaction. Clearing members are required to segregate all funds received from customers with respect to cleared derivatives transactions from the clearing member's proprietary assets. However, all funds and other property received by a clearing broker from its customers are generally held by the clearing broker on a commingled basis in an omnibus account, which may also invest those funds in certain instruments permitted under the applicable regulations. The assets of the Fund might not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the Fund's clearing member because the Fund would be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds segregated on behalf of the clearing broker's customers for a relevant account class. Also, the clearing member transfers to the clearing house the amount of margin required by the clearing house for cleared derivatives transactions, which amounts are generally held in an omnibus account at the clearing house for all customers of the clearing member. For commodities futures positions, the clearing house may use all of the collateral held in the clearing member's omnibus account to meet a loss in that account, without regard to which customer in fact supplied that collateral. Accordingly, in addition to bearing the credit risk of its clearing member, each customer to a futures transaction also bears "fellow customer" risk from other customers of the clearing member. However, with respect to cleared swaps positions, recent regulations promulgated by the CFTC require that the clearing member notify the clearing house of the amount of initial margin provided by the clearing member to the clearing house that is attributable to each customer. Because margin in respect of cleared swaps must be earmarked for specific clearing member customers, the clearing house may not use the collateral of one customer to cover the obligations of another customer. However, if the clearing member does not provide accurate reporting, the Fund is subject to the risk that a clearing house will use the Fund's assets held in an omnibus account at the clearing house to satisfy payment obligations of a defaulting customer of the clearing member to the clearing house. In addition, a clearing member may generally choose to provide to the clearing house the net amount of variation margin required for cleared swaps for all of the clearing member's customers in the aggregate, rather than the gross amount of each customer. The Fund is therefore subject to the risk that a clearing house will not make variation margin payments owed to the Fund if another customer of the clearing member has suffered a loss and is in default.

**Options on Securities and Securities Indices** 

The Funds may invest in options on securities and stock indices. A call option entitles the purchaser, in return for the premium paid, to purchase specified securities at a specified price during the option period. A put option entitles the purchaser, in return for the premium paid, to sell specified securities during the option period. The Funds may invest in both European-style or American-style options. A European-style option is only exercisable immediately prior to its expiration. American-style options are exercisable at any time prior to the expiration date of the option.

<u>Writing Call Options</u>**.** Each Fund may write covered call options. A call option is "covered" if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute right to acquire the security without additional cash consideration or, if additional cash consideration is required, cash or cash equivalents in such amounts as held in a segregated account by the Fund's custodian. The writer of a call option receives a premium and gives the purchaser the right to buy the security underlying the option at the exercise price. The writer has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security against payment of the exercise price during the option period. If the writer of an exchange-traded option wishes to terminate his obligation, he may effect a "closing purchase transaction." This is accomplished by buying an option of the same series as the option previously written. A writer may not effect a closing purchase transaction after it has been notified of the exercise of an option.

Effecting a closing transaction in a written call option will permit a Fund to write another call option on the underlying security with either a different exercise price, expiration date or both. Also, effecting a closing transaction will permit the cash or proceeds from the concurrent sale of any securities subject to the option to be used for other investments of the Fund. If a Fund desires to sell a particular security from its portfolio on which it has written a call option, it will effect a closing transaction prior to or concurrent with the sale of the security.

The Funds will realize a gain from a closing transaction if the cost of the closing transaction is less than the premium received from writing the option or if the proceeds from the closing transaction are more than the premium paid to purchase the option. The Funds will realize a loss from a closing transaction if the cost of the closing transaction is more than the premium received from writing the option or if the proceeds from the closing transaction are less than the premium paid to purchase the option. However, because increases in the market price of a call option will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying security, any loss to a Fund resulting from the repurchase of a call option is likely to be offset in whole or in part by appreciation of the underlying security owned by the Fund.

If a Fund were assigned an exercise notice on a call it has written, it would be required to liquidate portfolio securities in order to satisfy the exercise, unless it has other liquid assets that are sufficient to satisfy the exercise of the call. If a Fund has written a call, there is also a risk that the market may decline between the time the Fund has a call exercised against it, at a price which is fixed as of the closing level of the index on the date of exercise, and the time it is able to sell securities in its portfolio.

In addition to covered call options, the Funds may write uncovered (or "naked") call options on securities, including shares of ETFs, and indices.

<u>Writing Covered Index Call Options</u>. Each Fund may sell index call options. The Funds may also execute a closing purchase transaction with respect to the option it has sold and then sell another option with either a different exercise price and/or expiration date. The Funds' objective in entering into such closing transactions is to increase option premium income, to limit losses or to protect anticipated gains in the underlying stocks. The cost of a closing transaction, while reducing the premium income realized from the sale of the option, should be offset, at least in part, by the appreciation in the value of the underlying index, and by the opportunity to realize additional premium income from selling a new option.

When a Fund sells an index call option, it does not deliver the underlying stocks or cash to the broker through whom the transaction is effected. In the case of an exchange-traded option, the Fund establishes an escrow account. The Fund's custodian (or a securities depository acting for the custodian) acts as the Fund's escrow agent. The escrow agent enters into documents known as escrow receipts with respect to the stocks included in the Fund (or escrow receipts with respect to other acceptable securities). The escrow agent releases the stocks from the escrow account when the call option expires or the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction. Until such release, the underlying stocks cannot be sold by the Fund. The Fund may enter into similar collateral arrangements with the counterparty when it sells OTC index call options.

The purchaser of an index call option sold by the Fund may exercise the option at a price fixed as of the closing level of the index on exercise date. Unless the Fund has liquid assets sufficient to satisfy the exercise of the index call option, the Fund would be required to liquidate portfolio securities to satisfy the exercise. The market value of such securities may decline between the time the option is exercised and the time the Fund is able to sell the securities. For example, even if an index call which the Fund has written is "covered" by an index call held by the Fund with the same strike price, it will bear the risk that the level of the index may decline between the close of trading on the date the exercise notice is filed with the Options Clearing Corporation and the close of trading on the date the Fund exercises the call it holds or the time it sells the call, which in either case would occur no earlier than the day following the day the exercise notice was filed. If the Fund fails to anticipate an exercise, it may have to borrow from a bank (in amounts not exceeding 5% of the Fund's total assets) pending settlement of the sale of the portfolio securities and thereby incur interest charges. If trading is interrupted on the index, the Fund would not be able to close out its option positions.

<u>Risks of Transactions in Options</u>**.** There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and indices. Options may be more volatile than the underlying securities and, therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation in value than an investment in the underlying securities themselves. There are also 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 its objective. In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options may be absent for reasons which include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options of underlying securities; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; the facilities of an exchange or clearing corporation may not be adequate to handle current trading volume at all times; or one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by a clearing corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.

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 to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events. The extent to which a Fund may enter into options transactions may be limited by the requirements of the Code for qualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company.

<u>OTC Options</u>**.** The Funds may engage in transactions involving OTC as well as exchange-traded options. Certain additional risks are specific to OTC options. The Funds may engage a clearing corporation to exercise exchange-traded options, but if a Fund purchased an OTC option, it must then rely on the dealer from which it purchased the option if the option is exercised. Failure by the dealer to do so would result in the loss of the premium paid by the Fund as well as loss of the expected benefit of the transaction.

Exchange-traded options generally have a continuous liquid market while OTC options may not. Consequently, the Funds may generally be able to realize the value of an OTC option it has purchased only by exercising or reselling the option to the dealer who issued it. Similarly, when a Fund writes an OTC option, the Fund may generally be able to close out the option prior to its expiration only by entering into a closing purchase transaction with the dealer to whom the Fund originally wrote the option. While the Funds will seek to enter into OTC options only with dealers who will agree to and are expected to be capable of entering into closing transactions with the Funds, there can be no assurance that the Funds will at any time be able to liquidate an OTC option at a favorable price at any time prior to expiration. Unless a Fund, as a covered OTC call option writer, is able to effect a closing purchase transaction, it will not be able to liquidate securities (or other assets) used as cover until the option expires or is exercised. In the event of insolvency of the other party, the Funds may be unable to liquidate an OTC option. With respect to options written by a Fund, the inability to enter into a closing transaction may result in material losses to the Fund.

The SEC has taken the position that purchased OTC options are illiquid securities. A Fund may treat the cover used for written OTC options as liquid if the dealer agrees that the Fund may repurchase the OTC option it has written for a maximum price to be calculated by a predetermined formula. In such cases, the OTC option would be considered illiquid only to the extent the maximum purchase price under the formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option. Accordingly, each Fund will treat OTC options as subject to the Fund's limitation on illiquid securities. If the SEC changes its position on the liquidity of OTC options, the Funds will change the treatment of such instruments accordingly.

<u>Stock Index Options.</u> The Funds may invest in options on indices, including broad-based security indices. Puts and calls on indices are similar to puts and calls on other investments except that all settlements are in cash and gain or loss depends on changes in the index in question rather than on price movements in individual securities. When a Fund writes a call on an index, it receives a premium and agrees that, prior to the expiration date, the purchaser of the call, upon exercise of the call, will receive from the fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the call is based is greater than the exercise price of the call. The amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the call times a specified multiple ("multiplier"), which determines the total dollar value for each point of such difference. When a Fund buys a call on an index, it pays a premium and has the same rights as to such call as are indicated above. When a Fund buys a put on an index, it pays a premium and has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the seller of the put, upon the Fund's exercise of the put, to deliver to the fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the put is based is less than the exercise price of the put, which amount of cash is determined by the multiplier, as described above for calls. When a Fund writes a put on an index, it receives a premium and the purchaser of the put has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the Fund to deliver to it an amount of cash equal to the difference between the closing level of the index and exercise price times the multiplier if the closing level is less than the exercise price.

The risks of investment in options on indices may be greater than options on securities. Because index options are settled in cash, if a Fund writes a call on an index it cannot provide in advance for its potential settlement obligations by acquiring and holding the underlying index. A Fund can offset some of the risk of writing a call index option by holding a diversified portfolio of securities or instruments similar to those on which the underlying index is based. However, a Fund cannot, as a practical matter, acquire and hold a portfolio containing exactly the same securities or instruments as underlie the index and, as a result, bears a risk that the value of the securities or instruments held will vary from the value of the index.

Even if a Fund could assemble a portfolio that exactly reproduced the composition of the underlying index, it still would not be fully covered from a risk standpoint because of the "timing risk" inherent in writing index options. When an index option is exercised, the amount of cash that the holder is entitled to receive is determined by the difference between the exercise price and the closing index level on the date when the option is exercised. As with other kinds of options, the Fund as the call writer will not learn of the assignment until the next business day at the earliest. The time lag between exercise and notice of assignment poses no risk for the writer of a covered call on a specific underlying security or instrument, such as common stock, because there the writer's obligation is to deliver the underlying security or instrument, not to pay its value as of a fixed time in the past. So long as the writer already owns the underlying security or instrument, it can satisfy its settlement obligations by simply delivering it, and the risk that its value may have declined since the exercise date is borne by the exercising holder. In contrast, even if the writer of an index call holds investments that exactly match the composition of the underlying index, it will not be able to satisfy its assignment obligations by delivering those investments against payment of the exercise price. Instead, it will be required to pay cash in an amount based on the closing index value on the exercise date. By the time it learns that it has been assigned, the index may have declined, with a corresponding decline in the value of its portfolio. This "timing risk" is an inherent limitation on the ability of index call writers to cover their risk exposure by holding security or instrument positions.

If a Fund has purchased an index option and exercises it before the closing index value for that day is available, it runs the risk that the level of the underlying index may subsequently change. If such a change causes the exercised option to fall out-of-the-money, the Fund will be required to pay the difference between the closing index value and the exercise price of the option (times the applicable multiplier) to the assigned writer.

**Futures and Options on Futures**

The Funds may use interest rate, foreign currency, index and other futures contracts. The Funds may use options on futures contracts. A futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of the security or other financial instrument at a specified price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract originally was written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, physical delivery of these securities is not always made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes, as well as financial instruments, including, without limitation: U.S. Treasury bonds; U.S. Treasury notes; GNMA Certificates; three-month U.S. Treasury bills; 90-day commercial paper; bank certificates of deposit; Eurodollar certificates of deposit; the Australian dollar; the Canadian dollar; the British Pound; the Japanese Yen; the Swiss Franc; the Mexican Peso; and certain multinational currencies, such as the Euro. It is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future.

The Funds may purchase and write (sell) call and put futures options. Futures options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and indexes (discussed above). A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price upon expiration of, or at any time during the period of, the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by a Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with its futures commission merchant a specified amount of liquid assets ("initial margin"). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract that is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Each Fund expects to earn taxable interest income on its initial margin deposits. Each Fund, as a writer of an option, may have no control over whether the underlying futures contracts may be sold (call) or purchased (put) and as a result, bears the market risk of an unfavorable change in the valuation of the futures contracts underlying the written option. Each Fund, as a purchaser of an option, bears the risk that the counterparties to the option may not have the ability to meet the terms of the option contract.

The Funds invest in futures, options on futures and other instruments subject to regulation by the CFTC in reliance upon and in accordance with CFTC Regulation 4.5. Under Regulation 4.5, if a Fund uses futures, options on futures, or swaps other than for bona fide hedging purposes (as defined by the CFTC), the aggregate initial margin and premiums on these positions (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions and excluding the amount by which options are "in-the-money" at the time of purchase of a new position) may not exceed 5% of the Fund's liquidation value, or alternatively, the aggregate net notional value of those positions at the time may not exceed 100% of the Fund's liquidation value (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). The Advisor, on behalf of the Funds, will file a notice of eligibility for exclusion from the definition of the term "commodity pool operator" in accordance with CFTC Regulation 4.5. As of the date of this SAI, each Fund is not deemed to be a "commodity pool" or "commodity pool operator" under the Commodity Exchange Act ("CEA"), and it is not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA. In addition, as of the date of this SAI, the Advisor is not deemed to be a "commodity pool operator" or "commodity trading adviser" with respect to the advisory services it provides to the Funds. In the future, if a Fund's use of futures, options on futures, or swaps requires the Advisor to register as a commodity pool operator with the CFTC with respect to the Fund, the Advisor will do so at that time.

A futures contract held by a Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day the Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation margin", equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. This process is known as "marking to market". Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired. In computing daily net asset value, a Fund will mark to market its open futures positions. Each Fund also is required to deposit and to maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option and other futures positions held by the Fund. Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (involving the same exchange, underlying security or index and delivery month). If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs also must be included in these calculations.

The Funds may write covered straddles consisting of a call and a put written on the same underlying futures contract. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Funds may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options if the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or if the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

**Stock Index Futures** 

The Funds may invest in stock index futures only as a substitute for a comparable market position in the underlying securities. A stock index future obligates the seller to deliver (and the purchaser to accept), effectively, an amount of cash equal to a specific dollar amount times the difference between the value of a specific stock index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the agreement is made. No physical delivery of the underlying stocks in the index is made. With respect to stock indices that are permitted investments, the Fund intends to purchase and sell futures contracts on the stock index for which it can obtain the best price with consideration also given to liquidity.

**Swap Transactions** 

The Funds may enter into interest rate, currency and index swaps and the purchase or sale of related caps, floors and collars. Each Fund may enter into these transactions to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio, to protect against currency fluctuations or to protect against any increase in the price of securities it anticipates purchasing at a later date. Swaps may be used in conjunction with other instruments to offset interest rate, currency or other underlying risks. For example, interest rate swaps may be offset with "caps," "floors" or "collars". A "cap" is essentially a call option which places a limit on the amount of floating rate interest that must be paid on a certain principal amount. A "floor" is essentially a put option which places a limit on the minimum amount that would be paid on a certain principal amount. A "collar" is essentially a combination of a long cap and a short floor where the limits are set at different levels.

A Fund will usually enter into swaps on a net basis; that is, the two payment streams will be netted out in a cash settlement on the payment date or dates specified in the instrument, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments.

<u>Total Return Swaps</u>. The Funds may enter into total return swap contracts for investment purposes. Total return swaps are contracts in which one party agrees to make periodic payments based on the change in market value of the underlying assets, which may include a specified security, basket of securities or security indexes during the specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate of the total return from other underlying assets. Total return swaps may be used to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or market, including in cases in which there may be disadvantages associated with direct ownership of a particular security. In a typical total return equity swap, payments made by a Fund or the counterparty are based on the total return of a particular reference asset or assets (such as an equity security, a combination of such securities, or an index). That is, one party agrees to pay another party the return on a stock, basket of stocks, or stock index in return for a specified interest rate. By entering into an equity index swap, for example, the index receiver can gain exposure to stocks making up the index of securities without actually purchasing those stocks. Total return swaps involve not only the risk associated with the investment in the underlying securities, but also the risk of the counterparty not fulfilling its obligations under the agreement.

<u>Credit Default Swaps</u>. The Funds may enter into credit default swap transactions for investment purposes. A credit default swap may have as reference obligations one or more securities that are not currently held by the Fund. The Funds may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. Credit default swaps may also be structured based on the debt of a basket of issuers, rather than a single issuer, and may be customized with respect to the default event that triggers purchase or other factors. As a seller, a Fund would generally receive an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap, which typically is between six months and three years, provided that there is no credit event. If a credit event occurs, generally the seller must pay the buyer the full face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference obligations that may have little or no value. If a Fund were a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund would recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference obligation that may have little or no value. The use of swap transactions by a Fund entails certain risks, which may be different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the securities and other investments that are the referenced asset for the swap transaction. Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with stocks, bonds, and other traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index, but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all the possible market conditions. Because some swap transactions have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the swap itself. Certain swaps have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment.

Each Fund may also purchase credit default swap contracts in order to hedge against the risk of default of the debt of a particular issuer or basket of issuers, in which case the Fund would function as the counterparty referenced in the preceding paragraph. This would involve the risk that the investment may expire worthless and would only generate income in the event of an actual default by the issuer(s) of the underlying obligation(s) (or, as applicable, a credit downgrade or other indication of financial instability). It would also involve the risk that the seller may fail to satisfy its payment obligations to the Fund in the event of a default. The purchase of credit default swaps involves costs, which will reduce the Fund's return.

<u>Currency Swaps</u>. The Funds may enter into currency swap transactions for investment purposes. Currency swaps are similar to interest rate swaps, except that they involve multiple currencies. A Fund may enter into a currency swap when it has exposure to one currency and desires exposure to a different currency. Typically the interest rates that determine the currency swap payments are fixed, although occasionally one or both parties may pay a floating rate of interest. Unlike an interest rate swap, however, the principal amounts are exchanged at the beginning of the contract and returned at the end of the contract. In addition to paying and receiving amounts at the beginning and termination of the agreements, both sides will also have to pay in full periodically based upon the currency they have borrowed. Change in foreign exchange rates and changes in interest rates, as described above, may negatively affect currency swaps.

<u>Interest Rate Swaps</u>. Each Fund may enter into an interest rate swap in an effort to protect against declines in the value of fixed income securities held by the Fund. In such an instance, the Fund may agree to pay a fixed rate (multiplied by a notional amount) while a counterparty agrees to pay a floating rate (multiplied by the same notional amount). If interest rates rise, resulting in a diminution in the value of the Fund's portfolio, the fund would receive payments under the swap that would offset, in whole or in part, such diminution in value.

<u>Options on Swaps</u>. Each Fund may enter into options on swap agreements. An option on a swap agreement, or a "swaption," is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. In return, the purchaser pays a "premium" to the seller of the contract. The seller of the contract receives the premium and bears the risk of unfavorable changes on the underlying swap. The Funds may write (sell) and purchase put and call swaptions. Each Fund may also enter into swaptions on either an asset-based or liability-based basis, depending on whether the Fund is hedging its assets or its liabilities. Each Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swaptions to the same extent it may make use of standard options on securities or other instruments. A Fund may enter into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its holdings, as a duration management technique, to protect against an increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or for any other purposes, such as for speculation to increase returns. Swaptions are generally subject to the same risks involved in the Fund's use of options.

Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, a Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swaption than it will incur when it purchases a swaption. When a Fund purchases a swaption, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when a Fund writes a swaption, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

**OTC Derivatives Transactions** 

The Funds may enter into OTC derivatives transactions. The Dodd-Frank Act established a new statutory framework that comprehensively regulated the OTC derivatives markets for the first time. Key Dodd-Frank Act provisions relating to OTC derivatives require rulemaking by the SEC and the CFTC, not all of which has been proposed or finalized as at the date of this SAI. Prior to the Dodd-Frank Act, the OTC derivatives markets were traditionally traded on a bilateral basis (so-called "bilateral OTC transactions"). Now certain OTC derivatives contracts are required to be centrally cleared and traded on exchanges or electronic trading platforms called swap execution facilities ("SEFs").

Bilateral OTC transactions differ from exchange-traded or cleared derivatives transactions in several respects. Bilateral OTC transactions are transacted directly with dealers and not with a clearing corporation. Without the availability of a clearing corporation, bilateral OTC transaction pricing is normally done by reference to information from market makers, which information is carefully monitored by the Advisor and verified in appropriate cases. As bilateral OTC transactions are entered into directly with a dealer, there is a risk of nonperformance by the dealer as a result of its insolvency or otherwise. Under recently-adopted CFTC regulations, counterparties of registered swap dealers and major swap participants have the right to elect segregation of initial margin in respect of uncleared swaps. If a counterparty makes such an election, any initial margin that is posted to the swap dealer or major swap participant must be segregated in individual customer accounts held at an independent third-party custodian. In addition, the collateral may only be invested in certain categories of instruments identified in the CFTC's regulations. Agreements covering these segregation arrangements must generally provide for consent by both the counterparty and the swap dealer or major swap participant to withdraw margin from the segregated account. Given these limitations on the use of uncleared swaps collateral, there is some likelihood that the electing counterparty will experience an increase in the costs associated with trading swaps with the relevant swap dealer or major swap participant. Certain other protections apply to a counterparty to uncleared swaps under the CFTC's regulations even if the counterparty does not elect segregation of its initial margin. These regulations are newly adopted, and it remains unclear whether they will be effective in protecting initial margin in the manner intended in the event of significant market stress or the insolvency of a swap dealer or major swap participant.

Furthermore, a bilateral OTC transaction may only be terminated voluntarily by entering into a closing transaction with the dealer with which a Fund originally dealt. Any such cancellation may require a Fund to pay a premium to that dealer. In those cases in which a Fund has entered into a covered transaction and cannot voluntarily terminate the transaction, the Fund will not be able to sell the underlying security until the transaction expires or is exercised or different cover is substituted. The Funds will seek to enter into OTC transactions only with dealers which agree to, and which are expected to be capable of, entering into closing transactions with the Funds. There is also no assurance that a Fund will be able to liquidate an OTC transaction at any time prior to expiration.

The requirement to execute certain OTC derivatives contracts on SEFs may offer certain advantages over traditional bilateral OTC trading, such as ease of execution, price transparency, increased liquidity and/or favorable pricing. However, SEF trading may make it more difficult and costly for the Fund to enter into highly tailored or customized transactions and may result in additional costs and risks. Market participants such as the Funds that execute derivatives contracts through a SEF, whether directly or through a broker intermediary, are required to submit to the jurisdiction of the SEF and comply with SEF and CFTC rules and regulations which impose, among other things disclosure and recordkeeping obligations. In addition, the Fund will generally incur SEF or broker intermediary fees when it trades on a SEF. A Fund may also be required to indemnify the SEF or broker intermediary for any losses or costs that may result from the Fund's transactions on the SEF.

**Commodities and Commodity Contracts** 

The Funds may purchase and sell commodity futures contracts and options; may enter into foreign exchange contracts; may enter into swaps and other financial transactions not requiring the delivery of physical commodities; and may purchase physical commodity contracts or options on such contracts in compliance with applicable commodities laws. Investing in commodities in this manner carries risks. The Funds may also invest in instruments related to commodities, including structured notes, securities of commodities finance and operating companies. A Fund's exposure to the commodities markets may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The value of commodity-linked instruments may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, and other risks affecting a particular industry or commodity. The Funds will only invest in commodities transactions that the Advisor believes can be readily liquidated.

There are additional factors associated with commodity futures contracts which may subject a Fund's investments in them to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. In the commodity futures markets there are often costs of physical storage associated with purchasing the underlying commodity. The price of the commodity futures contract will reflect the storage costs of purchasing the physical commodity, including the time value of money invested in the physical commodity. To the extent that the storage costs for an underlying commodity change while the Fund is invested in futures contracts on that commodity, the value of the futures contract may change proportionately. In the commodity futures markets, producers of the underlying commodity may decide to hedge the price risk of selling the commodity by selling futures contracts today to lock in the price of the commodity at delivery tomorrow. In order to induce speculators to purchase the other side of the same futures contract, the commodity producer generally must sell the futures contract at a lower price than the expected future spot price of the commodity. Conversely, if most hedgers in the futures market are purchasing futures contracts to hedge against a rise in prices, then speculators will only sell the other side of the futures contract at a higher futures price than the expected future spot price of the commodity. The changing nature of the hedgers and speculators in the commodities markets will influence whether futures prices are above or below the expected future spot price, which can have significant implications for the Fund. If the nature of hedgers and speculators in futures markets has shifted when it is time for the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a maturing futures contract in a new futures contract, the Fund might reinvest at higher or lower futures prices, or choose to pursue other investments. The commodities which underlie commodity futures contracts may be subject to additional economic and non-economic variables, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs, and international economic, political and regulatory developments. These factors may have a larger impact on commodity prices and commodity-linked instruments, including futures contracts, than on traditional securities. Certain commodities are also subject to limited pricing flexibility because of supply and demand factors. Others are subject to broad price fluctuations as a result of the volatility of the prices for certain raw materials and the instability of the supplies of other materials.

Changes in the regulation of derivatives, including commodity-based derivatives, arising from the Dodd-Frank Act may make it more expensive for the Funds and otherwise limit the Funds' ability to engage in such trading, which could adversely affect the Funds.

**B** **orrowing**

The Funds may engage in limited borrowing activities. Borrowing creates an opportunity for increased return, but, at the same time, creates special risks. Furthermore, if the Funds were to engage in borrowing, an increase in interest rates could reduce the value of the Funds' shares by increasing the Funds' interest expense. Subject to the limitations described under "Investment Limitations" below, the Funds may be permitted to borrow for temporary purposes and/or for investment purposes. Such a practice will result in leveraging of the Funds' assets and may cause the Funds to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. This borrowing may be secured or unsecured. Provisions of the 1940 Act require the Funds to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Funds' total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Funds' total assets will count against this asset coverage requirement. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Funds may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint if the Funds sell securities at that time. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Funds' portfolios. Money borrowed will be subject to interest charges which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased, if any. The Funds also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowings or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

**Short-Term Investments**

The Funds may invest in any of the following securities and instruments:

***Certificates of Deposit, Bankers' Acceptances and Time Deposits*.** The Fund may acquire certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and time deposits in U.S. dollar or foreign currencies. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against monies deposited in a commercial bank, or savings and loan association for a definite period of time that earn a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning in effect that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained at a banking institution for a specified period of time at a specified interest rate. The Fund may only acquire certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, and time deposits issued by commercial banks or savings and loan associations that, at the time of the Fund's investment, have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (including assets of both domestic and foreign branches), based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such obligations are fully insured by the U.S. government. If the Fund holds instruments of foreign banks or financial institutions, it may be subject to additional investment risks that are different in some respects from those incurred if the Fund invests only in debt obligations of U.S. domestic issuers. See "Foreign Investments" above. Such risks include future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes by the particular country in which the issuer is located, the possible confiscation or nationalization of foreign deposits, the possible establishment of exchange controls, or the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions which may adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on these securities.

Domestic banks and foreign banks are subject to different governmental regulations with respect to the amount and types of loans that may be made and interest rates that may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the banking industry depends largely upon the availability and cost of funds and the interest income generated from lending operations. General economic conditions and the quality of loan portfolios affect the banking industry.

As a result of federal and state laws and regulations, domestic banks are required to maintain specified levels of reserves, are limited in the amount that they can loan to a single borrower, and are subject to regulations designed to promote financial soundness. However, such laws and regulations may not necessarily apply to foreign banks, thereby affecting the risk involved in bank obligations that the Funds may acquire.

***Commercial Paper, Short-Term Notes and Other Corporate Obligations*.** Each Fund may invest a portion of its assets in commercial paper and short-term notes. Commercial paper consists of unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations. Issues of commercial paper and short-term notes will normally have maturities of less than nine months and fixed rates of return, although such instruments may have maturities of up to one year.

The Funds' investment in commercial paper and short-term notes will consist of issues rated at the time of purchase "A-2" or higher by S&P, "Prime-1" or "Prime-2" by Moody's, or similarly rated by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization or, if unrated, will be determined by the Advisor to be of comparable quality. These rating symbols are described in Appendix A.

Corporate debt obligations are subject to the risk of an issuer's inability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligations, i.e., credit risk. The Advisor may actively expose a Fund to credit risk. However, there can be no guarantee that the Advisor will be successful in making the right selections and thus fully mitigate the impact of credit risk changes on a Fund.

***Savings Association Obligations.*** The Funds may invest in certificates of deposit (interest-bearing time deposits) issued by savings banks or savings and loan associations that have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million, based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such obligations is fully insured by the U.S. government.

**Municipal Bonds**

The Funds may invest in municipal bonds. Municipal bonds are debt obligations issued by the states, possessions, or territories of the United States (including the District of Columbia) or a political subdivision, public instrumentality, agency, public authority or other governmental unit of such states, possessions, or territories (e.g., counties, cities, towns, villages, districts and authorities). For example, states, possessions, territories and municipalities may issue municipal bonds to raise funds for various public purposes such as airports, housing, hospitals, mass transportation, schools, water and sewer works, gas, and electric utilities. They may also issue municipal bonds to refund outstanding obligations and to meet general operating expenses. Municipal bonds may be general obligation bonds or revenue bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds are payable from revenues derived from particular facilities, from the proceeds of a special excise tax or from other specific revenue sources. They are not usually payable from the general taxing power of a municipality. In addition, certain types of "private activity" bonds may be issued by public authorities to obtain funding for privately operated facilities, such as housing and pollution control facilities, for industrial facilities and for water supply, gas, electricity and waste disposal facilities. Other types of private activity bonds are used to finance the construction, repair or improvement of, or to obtain equipment for, privately operated industrial or commercial facilities. Current federal tax laws place substantial limitations on the size of certain of such issues. In certain cases, the interest on a private activity bond may not be exempt from federal income tax or the alternative minimum tax applicable to noncorporate taxpayers.

**Investment Company Securities**

A Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an "Underlying Fund"), including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts ("UITs") and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI.

Under Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act, each Fund may acquire securities of an Underlying Fund in amounts which, as determined immediately after the acquisition is made, do not exceed (i) 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of such Underlying Fund, (ii) 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets, and (iii) 10% of the value of the Fund's total assets when combined with all other Underlying Fund securities held by the Fund. The Funds may exceed these statutory limits when permitted by SEC order or other applicable law or regulatory guidance, such as is the case with many ETFs. In October 2020, the SEC adopted certain regulatory changes and took other actions related to the ability of an investment company to invest in the securities of another investment company. These changes include, in part, the rescission of certain SEC exemptive orders permitting investments in excess of the statutory limits, the withdrawal of certain related SEC staff no-action letters, and the adoption of Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, which permits the Funds to invest in other investment companies beyond the statutory limits, subject to certain conditions. Rule 12d1-4, among other things, (1) applies to both "acquired funds" and "acquiring funds," each as defined under the rule; (2) includes limits on control and voting of acquired funds' shares; (3) requires that the investment advisers of acquired funds and acquiring funds relying on the rule make certain specified findings based on their evaluation of the relevant fund of funds structure; (4) requires acquired funds and acquiring funds that are relying on the rule, and which do not have the same investment adviser, to enter into fund of funds investment agreements, which must include specific terms; and (5) includes certain limits on complex fund of funds structures.

Generally, under Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act and SEC rules adopted pursuant to the 1940 Act, a Fund may acquire the securities of affiliated and unaffiliated Underlying Funds subject to the following guidelines and restrictions:

● A Fund may own an unlimited amount of the securities of any registered open-end fund or registered unit investment trust that is affiliated with a Fund, so long as any such Underlying Fund has a policy that prohibits it from acquiring any securities of registered open-end funds or registered UITs in reliance on certain sections of the 1940 Act.

● A Fund and its "affiliated persons" may own up to 3% of the outstanding stock of any fund, subject to the following restrictions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;i. the
 Fund and each Underlying Fund, in the aggregate, may not charge a sales load greater
 than the limits set forth in Rule 2830(d)(3) of the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry
 Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") applicable to funds of funds;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ii. each
 Underlying Fund is not obligated to redeem more than 1% of its total outstanding securities
 during any period less than 30 days; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;iii. the
 Fund is obligated either to (i) seek instructions from its shareholders with regard to
 the voting of all proxies with respect to the Underlying Fund and to vote in accordance
 with such instructions, or (ii) to vote the shares of the Underlying Fund held by the
 Fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other shareholders of the Underlying Fund.

Underlying Funds typically incur fees that are separate from those fees incurred directly by a Fund. A Fund's purchase of such investment company securities results in the layering of expenses as Fund shareholders would indirectly bear a proportionate share of the operating expenses of such investment companies, including advisory fees, in addition to paying Fund expenses. In addition, the securities of other investment companies may also be leveraged and will therefore be subject to certain leverage risks. The net asset value and market value of leveraged securities will be more volatile and the yield to shareholders will tend to fluctuate more than the yield generated by unleveraged securities. Investment companies may have investment policies that differ from those of a Fund.

Under certain circumstances an open-end investment company in which a Fund invests may determine to make payment of a redemption by a Fund wholly or in part by a distribution in kind of securities from its portfolio, instead of in cash. As a result, a Fund may hold such securities until the Advisor determines it is appropriate to dispose of them. Such disposition will impose additional costs on a Fund.

Investment decisions by the investment advisors to the registered investment companies in which a Fund invests are made independently of a Fund. At any particular time, one Underlying Fund may be purchasing shares of an issuer whose shares are being sold by another Underlying Fund. As a result, under these circumstances a Fund indirectly would incur certain transactional costs without accomplishing any investment purpose.

**Exchange-Traded Funds** 

The Funds may invest in ETFs. ETFs are pooled investment vehicles that generally seek to track the performance of specific indices. ETFs may be organized as open-end funds or as UITs. Their shares are listed on stock exchanges and can be traded throughout the day at market-determined prices.

An ETF generally issues index-based investments in large aggregations of shares known as "Creation Units" in exchange for a "Portfolio Deposit" consisting of (a) a portfolio of securities designated by the ETF, (b) a cash payment equal to a pro rata portion of the dividends accrued on the ETF's portfolio securities since the last dividend payment by the ETF, net of expenses and liabilities, and (c) a cash payment or credit ("Balancing Amount") designed to equalize the net asset value of the shares and the net asset value of a Portfolio Deposit.

Shares of ETFs are not individually redeemable, except upon the reorganization, merger, conversion or liquidation of the ETF. To redeem shares of an ETF, an investor must accumulate enough shares of the ETF to reconstitute a Creation Unit. The liquidity of small holdings of ETF shares, therefore, will depend upon the existence of a secondary market for such shares. Upon redemption of a Creation Unit, the investor will receive securities designated by the ETF ("Redemption Securities") and a cash payment in an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the shares being redeemed and the net asset value of the Redemption Securities.

The price of ETF shares is based upon (but not necessarily identical to) the value of the securities held by the ETF. Accordingly, the level of risk involved in the purchase or sale of ETF shares is similar to the risk involved in the purchase or sale of traditional common stock, with the exception that the pricing mechanism for ETF shares is based on a basket of stocks. Disruptions in the markets for the securities underlying ETF shares purchased or sold by a Fund could result in losses on such shares. There is no assurance that the requirements of the national securities exchanges necessary to maintain the listing of shares of any ETF will continue to be met.

**Leveraged and Inverse ETFs** 

A Fund may invest in leveraged ETFs, inverse ETFs and inverse leveraged ETFs. Leveraged ETFs seek to deliver multiples of the performance of the index or other benchmark they track and use derivatives in an effort to amplify the returns of the underlying index or benchmark. While leveraged ETFs may offer the potential for greater return, the potential for loss and the speed at which losses can be realized also are greater. Inverse ETFs seek to negatively correlate with the performance of a particular index by using various forms of derivative transactions, including by short-selling the underlying index. An investment in an inverse ETF will decrease in value when the value of the underlying index rises. A number of factors may affect an inverse ETF's ability to achieve a high degree of inverse correlation with the benchmark index, and there can be no guarantee that an inverse ETF will achieve a high degree of inverse correlation. By investing in leveraged ETFs and inverse ETFs, a Fund can commit fewer assets to the investment in the securities represented on the index than would otherwise be required.

Leveraged ETFs and inverse ETFs present all of the risks that regular ETFs present. In addition, such ETFs determine their return over a specific, pre-set time period, typically daily, and, as a result, there is no guarantee that the ETF's actual long term returns will be equal to the daily return that a Fund seeks to achieve. As a result of compounding, inverse ETFs and leveraged ETFs typically have a single day investment objective. An inverse ETF's performance for periods greater than a single day is likely to be either better or worse than the inverse of the benchmark index performance, before accounting for fees and fund expenses. Similarly, a leveraged ETF's performance for periods greater than one day is likely to be either better or worse than the index performance, times the relevant multiple. This effect becomes more pronounced for these types of ETFs as market volatility increases. Even when the value of the underlying benchmark with which an inverse ETF seeks to negatively correlate decreases, the value of the inverse ETF may not necessarily increase.

Furthermore, because leveraged ETFs and inverse ETFs achieve their results by using derivative instruments, they are subject to the risks associated with derivative transactions, including the risk that the value of the derivatives may rise or fall more rapidly than other investments, thereby causing the ETF to lose money and, consequently, the value of a Fund's investment to decrease. Investing in derivative instruments also involves the risk that other parties to the derivative contract may fail to meet their obligations, which could cause losses to the ETF. Short sales in particular are subject to the risk that, if the price of the security sold short increases, the inverse ETF or inverse leveraged ETF may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss to the ETF and, indirectly, to a Fund. An ETF's use of these techniques will make a Fund's investment in the ETF more volatile than if a Fund were to invest directly in the securities underlying the tracked index, or in an ETF that does not use derivative instruments. However, by investing in leveraged ETFs and inverse ETFs rather than directly purchasing and/or selling derivative instruments, a Fund will limit its potential loss solely to the amount actually invested in the ETF (that is, a Fund will not lose more than the principal amount invested in the ETF).

Inverse ETF performance for periods greater than a single day can be estimated given any set of assumptions for the following factors: a) benchmark index volatility; b) benchmark index performance; c) period of time; d) financing rates associated with inverse exposure; e) other fund expenses; and f) dividends or interest paid with respect to securities in the benchmark index. The chart below illustrates the impact of two principal factors—index volatility and index performance—on the performance of an inverse ETF. The chart shows estimated fund returns for a number of combinations of benchmark index volatility and benchmark index performance over a one-year period. Performance shown in the chart assumes: (a) no dividends paid with respect to securities included in the benchmark index; (b) no fund expenses; and (c) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain inverse exposure) of zero percent. If fund expenses and/or actual borrowing/lending rates were reflected, the inverse ETF's performance would be different than shown.

Areas shaded darker represent those scenarios where an inverse ETF can be expected to return less than the inverse of the performance of its benchmark index.

**Estimated Fund Returns**

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| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Index Performance** | **Index Performance** | | **One Year Volatility Rate** | **One Year Volatility Rate** | **One Year Volatility Rate** | |
| **One Year**<br>**Index**  | **Inverse (-1x)**<br>**of the One**<br>**Year Index**  | **10%** | **25%** | **50%** | **75%** | **100%** |
| -60% | 60% | 147.5% | 134.9% | 94.7% | 42.4% | -8.0% |
| -50% | 50% | 98.0% | 87.9% | 55.8% | 14.0% | -26.4% |
| -40% | 40% | 65.0% | 56.6% | 29.8% | -5.0% | -38.7% |
| -30% | 30% | 41.4% | 34.2% | 11.3% | -18.6% | -47.4% |
| -20% | 20% | 23.8% | 17.4% | -2.6% | -28.8% | -54.0% |
| -10% | 10% | 10.0% | 4.4% | -13.5% | -36.7% | -59.1% |
| 0% | 0% | -1.0% | -6.1% | -22.1% | -43.0% | -63.2% |
| 10% | -10% | -10.0% | -14.6% | -29.2% | -48.2% | -66.6% |
| 20% | -20% | -17.5% | -21.7% | -35.1% | -52.5% | -69.3% |
| 30% | -30% | -23.8% | -27.7% | -40.1% | -56.2% | -71.7% |
| 40% | -40% | -29.3% | -32.9% | -44.4% | -59.3% | -73.7% |
| 50% | -50% | -34.0% | -37.4% | -48.1% | -62.0% | -75.5% |
| 60% | -60% | -38.1% | -41.3% | -51.3% | -64.4% | -77.0% |

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The foregoing table is intended to isolate the effect of benchmark index volatility and benchmark index performance on the return of an inverse ETF. For example, an inverse ETF may incorrectly be expected to achieve a -20% return on a yearly basis if the benchmark index return were 20%, absent the effects of compounding. However, as the table shows, with benchmark index volatility of 50%, the inverse ETF could be expected to return -35.1% under such a scenario. An inverse ETF's actual returns may be significantly better or worse than the returns shown above as a result of any of the factors discussed above or in the discussion "Inverse ETF Correlation Risk" in the Prospectus.

**Closed-End Funds**

The Funds may invest in shares of closed-end funds. Investments in closed-end funds are subject to various risks, including reliance on management's ability to meet the closed-end fund's investment objective and to manage the closed-end fund portfolio; fluctuation in the net asset value of closed-end fund shares compared to the changes in the value of the underlying securities that the closed-end fund owns; and bearing a pro rata share of the management fees and expenses of each underlying closed-end fund resulting in a Fund's shareholders being subject to higher expenses than if he or she invested directly in the closed-end fund(s).

**Exchange-Traded Notes ("ETNs")**

The Funds may invest in ETNs. An investment in an ETN involves risks, including possible loss of principal. ETNs are unsecured debt securities issued by a bank that are linked to the total return of a market index. Risks of investing in ETNs also include limited portfolio diversification, uncertain principal payment, and illiquidity. Additionally, the investor fee will reduce the amount of return on maturity or at redemption, and as a result the investor may receive less than the principal amount at maturity or upon redemption, even if the value of the relevant index has increased. An investment in an ETN may not be suitable for all investors.

**Inverse ETNs**

Inverse ETNs offer to pay the opposite of the performance of the index or benchmark they track. Because the performance of an inverse ETN is linked to the inverse performance of an index or benchmark, any increase in the level of the index or benchmark underlying the inverse ETN would result in a decrease in the repayment amount and may result in a payment at maturity or upon optional redemption that is less than the original investment. Moreover, if the level of the index or benchmark increases or does not decrease sufficiently to offset the negative effect of the accrued investor fees, an investor may receive less than the original investment in the inverse ETN at maturity or upon redemption.

**Other Pooled Investment Vehicles**

The Funds may invest in pooled investment vehicles, including limited partnerships. Examples of such vehicles include private equity funds and private equity funds of funds. A private equity fund generally invests in non-public companies that the fund's manager believes will experience significant growth over a certain time period. A private equity fund of funds invests in other private equity funds of the type described. Investments in private equity funds, once made, typically may not be redeemed for several years, though they may be sold to other investors under certain circumstances.

To the extent that the Funds invest in pooled investment vehicles, such investments may be deemed illiquid. In addition, the Fund will bear its ratable share of such vehicles' expenses, including its management expenses and performance fees. Performance fees are fees paid to the vehicle's manager based on the vehicle's investment performance (or returns) as compared to some benchmark. The fees the Fund pays to invest in a pooled investment vehicle may be higher than the fees it would pay if the manager of the pooled investment vehicle managed the Fund's assets directly. Further, the performance fees payable to the manager of a pooled investment vehicle may create an incentive for the manager to make investments that are riskier or more speculative than those it might make in the absence of an incentive fee.

**Initial Public Offerings**

The Funds may purchase securities of companies in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). By definition, IPOs have not traded publicly until the time of their offerings. Special risks associated with IPOs may include limited numbers of shares available for trading, unseasoned trading, lack of investor knowledge of the companies, and limited operating history, all of which may contribute to price volatility. Many IPOs are issued by undercapitalized companies of small or micro-cap size. The effect of IPOs on a Fund's performance depends on a variety of factors, including the number of IPOs a Fund invests in relative to the size of a Fund and whether and to what extent a security purchased in an IPO appreciates or depreciates in value.

**Real Estate Investment Trusts** **("REITs")**

The Funds may invest in REITs. REITs are pooled investment vehicles that invest primarily in income producing real estate or real estate related loans or interests. REITs are generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, or a combination of equity and mortgage REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive income primarily from the collection of rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive income from the collection of principal and interest payments. Similar to regulated investment companies such as the Fund, REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with certain requirements of the Code. A Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses incurred by REITs in which the Fund invests in addition to the expenses incurred directly by the Fund.

Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks in addition to those risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, are not diversified, and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers and self-liquidation.

Investing in REITs involves risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have had more price volatility than larger capitalization stocks.

REITs may fail to qualify for the favorable federal income tax treatment generally available to them under the Code and may fail to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. REITs (especially mortgage REITs) also are subject to interest rate risks. When interest rates decline, the value of a REIT's investment in fixed-rate obligations can be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a REIT's investment in fixed-rate obligations can be expected to decline. In contrast, as interest rates on adjustable rate mortgage loans are reset periodically, yields on a REIT's investments in such loans will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates, causing the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed-rate obligations.

**When-Issued or Delayed-Delivery Securities**

The Funds may purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis. For example, delivery of and payment for these securities can take place a month or more after the date of the purchase commitment. The purchase price and the interest rate payable, if any, on the securities are fixed on the purchase commitment date or at the time the settlement date is fixed. The value of such securities is subject to market fluctuations and, in the case of fixed income securities, no interest accrues to the Fund until settlement takes place. When purchasing a security on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis, a Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations. Accordingly, at the time a Fund makes the commitment to purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, it will record the transaction, reflect the value each day of such securities in determining its net asset value and, if applicable, calculate the maturity for the purposes of average maturity from that date. At the time of its acquisition, a when-issued security may be valued at less than the purchase price. A Fund will make commitments for such when-issued transactions only when it has the intention of actually acquiring the securities. If, however, a Fund chooses to dispose of the right to acquire a when-issued security prior to its acquisition, it could, as with the disposition of any other portfolio obligation, recognize taxable capital gain or loss due to market fluctuation. Also, a Fund may be disadvantaged if the other party to the transaction defaults.

A transaction in when-issued or delayed-delivery securities would be deemed not to involve a senior security (i.e., it will not be considered a derivatives transaction or subject to asset segregation requirements), provided that (i) the Fund intends to physically settle the transaction, and (ii) the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date. If such a transaction were considered to be a derivatives transaction it would be subject to the requirements of the Derivatives Rule described in the "Derivatives" section of this SAI.

**I** **lliquid and Restricted Securities**

Each Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the securities. Illiquid securities may be difficult to value, and a Fund may have difficulty or be unable to dispose of such securities promptly or at reasonable prices.

The Funds may invest in restricted securities. Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold freely to the public absent registration under the 1933 Act, or an exemption from registration. While restricted securities are generally presumed to be illiquid, it may be determined that a particular restricted security is liquid. Rule 144A under the 1933 Act establishes a safe harbor from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act for resales of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers. Institutional markets for restricted securities sold pursuant to Rule 144A in many cases provide both readily ascertainable values for restricted securities and the ability to liquidate an investment to satisfy share redemption orders. Such markets might include automated systems for the trading, clearance and settlement of unregistered securities of domestic and foreign issuers, such as the PORTAL System sponsored by NASDAQ. An insufficient number of qualified buyers interested in purchasing Rule 144A eligible restricted securities, however, could adversely affect the marketability of such portfolio securities and result in the Funds' inability to dispose of such securities promptly or at favorable prices.

The Funds may purchase commercial paper issued pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act. 4(a)(2) commercial paper typically has the same price and liquidity characteristics as commercial paper, except that the resale of 4(a)(2) commercial paper is limited to the institutional investor marketplace. Such a restriction on resale makes 4(a)(2) commercial paper technically a restricted security under the 1933 Act. In practice, however, 4(a)(2) commercial paper can be resold as easily as any other unrestricted security held by a Fund.

Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Funds establish a liquidity risk management program ("LRMP") that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines "liquidity risk" as the risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund without significant dilution of the remaining investors' interests in the fund. The Funds have implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements. Additionally, the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of the Advisor as the Funds' LRMP administrator to administer such program, and will review no less frequently than annually a written report prepared by the Advisor that addresses the operation of the LRMP and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund investment as a "highly liquid investment," "moderately liquid investment," "less liquid investment" or "illiquid investment." The liquidity risk classifications of each Fund's investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. To the extent that a Fund investment is deemed to be an "illiquid investment" or a "less liquid investment," the Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact a Fund's performance and its ability to seek its investment objective.

The Funds will not purchase illiquid securities if, as a result of the purchase, more than 15% of the Fund's net assets are invested in such securities. If at any time a portfolio manager and/or the Advisor determines that the value of illiquid securities held by a Fund exceeds 15% of the Fund's net assets, the Fund's portfolio managers and the Advisor will take such steps as they consider appropriate to reduce the percentage as soon as reasonably practicable.

**Structured Investments**

The Funds may invest in structured investments. A structured investment is a security having a return tied to an underlying index or other security or asset class. Structured investments generally are individually negotiated agreements and may be traded OTC. Structured investments are organized and operated to restructure the investment characteristics of the underlying security. This restructuring involves the deposit with or purchase by an entity, such as a corporation or trust, on specified instruments (such as commercial bank loans) and the issuance by that entity or one or more classes of securities ("structured securities") backed by, or representing interests in, the underlying instruments. The cash flow on the underlying instruments may be apportioned among the newly issued structured securities to create securities with different investment characteristics, such as varying maturities, payment priorities and interest rate provisions, and the extent of such payments made with respect to structured securities is dependent on the extent of the cash flow on the underlying instruments. Because structured securities typically involve no credit enhancement, their credit risk generally will be equivalent to that of the underlying instruments. Investments in structured securities are generally of a class of structured securities that is either subordinated or unsubordinated to the right of payment of another class. Subordinated structured securities typically have higher yields and present greater risks than unsubordinated structured securities. Structured securities are typically sold in private placement transactions, and there currently is no active trading market for structured securities. Investments in government and government-related and restructured debt instruments are subject to special risks, including the inability or unwillingness to repay principal and interest, requests to reschedule or restructure outstanding debt and requests to extend additional loan amounts. Certain issuers of structured investments may be deemed to be "investment companies" as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, a Fund's investment in these structured investments may be limited by the restrictions contained in the 1940 Act. Structured investments are typically sold in private placement transactions, and there currently is no active trading market for structured investments.

**Brady Bonds**

The Funds may invest in "Brady Bonds," which are issued by certain Latin American countries in connection with restructurings of their debt. The Brady Bonds are issued in exchange for cash and certain of the country's outstanding commercial bank loans. Brady Bonds do not have a long payment history and, due to the loan default record for Latin American public and private entities, may be considered speculative investments. They may be collateralized or uncollateralized and are issued in various currencies. They are actively traded in the OTC secondary market for debt of Latin American issuers.

**Business Development Companies ("BDCs") and Special Purpose Acquisition Companies ("SPACs")**

The Funds may invest in BDCs and SPACs. Federal securities laws impose certain restraints upon the organization and operations of BDCs and SPACs. For example, BDCs are required to invest at least 70% of their total assets primarily in securities of private companies or in thinly traded U.S. public companies, cash, cash equivalents, U.S. Government securities and high quality debt instruments that mature in one year or less. SPACs typically hold 85% to 100% of the proceeds raised from their IPO in trust to be used at a later date for a merger or acquisition. The SPAC must sign a letter of intent for a merger or acquisition within 18 months of the IPO. Otherwise it will be forced to dissolve and return the assets held in the trust to the public stockholders. However, if a letter of intent is signed within 18 months, the SPAC can close the transaction within 24 months. In addition, the target of the acquisition must have a fair market value that is equal to at least 80% of the SPAC's assets at the time of acquisition and a majority of shareholders voting must approve this combination with no more than 20% of the shareholders voting against the acquisition and requesting their money back. When a deal is proposed, a shareholder can stay with the transaction by voting for it or elect to sell his shares in the SPAC if voting against it. SPACs are more transparent than private equity as they may be subject to certain SEC regulations, including registration statement requirements under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K financial reporting requirements. Since SPACs are publicly traded, they provide limited liquidity to an investor (i.e. investment comes in the form of common shares and warrants which can be traded). Other than the risks normally associated with IPOs, SPACs' public shareholders' risks include limited liquidity of their securities (as shares are generally thinly traded), loss of 0-15% of their investments (resulting from the SPACs operating costs) if no deals are made and lack of investment diversification as assets are invested in a single company.

**LIBOR Risk**

Many financial instruments, financings or other transactions to which the Fund may be a party use or may use a floating rate based on LIBOR. In July 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority, the United Kingdom's financial regulatory body, announced that after 2021 it would cease its active encouragement of banks to provide the quotations needed to sustain LIBOR. The publication of LIBOR on a representative basis ceased for the one-week and two-month U.S. dollar LIBOR settings immediately after December 31, 2021, and it is expected to cease for the remaining U.S. dollar LIBOR settings immediately after June 30, 2023. Actions by regulators have resulted in the establishment of alternative reference rates to LIBOR in most major currencies. The U.S. Federal Reserve, based on the recommendations of the New York Federal Reserve's Alternative Reference Rate Committee, is now publishing SOFR, which is intended to replace U.S. dollar LIBOR. Alternative reference rates for other currencies have also been announced or have begun publication. Markets are slowly developing in response to these new rates. Any potential effects of the transition away from LIBOR on the Fund or on certain instruments in which the Fund invests can be difficult to determine, and they may vary depending on factors that include, but are not limited to, (i) existing fallback or termination provisions in individual contracts and (ii) whether, how, and when industry participants develop and adopt new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new products and instruments. The transition process may involve, among other things, increased volatility or illiquidity in markets for instruments that currently rely on LIBOR, and there may be a reduction in the value of certain instruments held by the Fund.

In March 2022, the Adjustable Interest Rate (LIBOR) Act (the "LIBOR Act") was signed into law. The LIBOR Act provides a statutory fallback mechanism on a nationwide basis to replace LIBOR with a benchmark rate that is selected by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and based on SOFR for certain contracts that reference LIBOR and contain no, or insufficient, fallback provisions. The LIBOR Act is not self-executing, and thus implementing regulations are expected soon.

**Repurchase Agreements**

The Funds may enter into repurchase agreements with respect to its portfolio securities. Pursuant to such agreements, the Funds acquire securities from financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers deemed to be creditworthy by the Advisor, subject to the seller's agreement to repurchase and the Funds' agreement to resell such securities at a mutually agreed upon date and price. The repurchase price generally equals the price paid by the Funds plus interest negotiated on the basis of current short-term rates (which may be more or less than the rate on the underlying portfolio security). Securities subject to repurchase agreements will be held by the custodian or in the Federal Reserve/Treasury Book-Entry System or an equivalent foreign system. The seller under a repurchase agreement will be required to maintain the value of the underlying securities at not less than 102% of the repurchase price under the agreement. If the seller defaults on its repurchase obligation, the Funds will suffer a loss to the extent that the proceeds from a sale of the underlying securities are less than the repurchase price under the agreement. Bankruptcy or insolvency of such a defaulting seller may cause the Funds' rights with respect to such securities to be delayed or limited. Repurchase agreements are considered to be loans under the 1940 Act.

**R** **everse Repurchase Agreements**

The Funds may enter into "reverse" repurchase agreements to avoid selling securities during unfavorable market conditions to meet redemptions. The Funds may invest a maximum of 10% of its total assets in reverse repurchase agreements. Pursuant to a reverse repurchase agreement, the Funds will sell portfolio securities and agree to repurchase them from the buyer at a particular date and price. Whenever the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will either (i) consistent with Section 18 of the 1940 Act, maintain asset coverage of at least 300% of the value of the repurchase agreement or (ii) treat the reverse repurchase agreement as a derivatives transaction for purposes of Rule 18f-4, including, as applicable, the VaR based limit on leverage risk. The Funds pay interest on amounts obtained pursuant to reverse repurchase agreements. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings by the Funds.

**Private Placements and Restricted Securities**

The Funds may invest in private placement and restricted securities. Private placement securities are securities that have been privately placed and are not registered under the 1933 Act. They are eligible for sale only to certain eligible investors. Private placements often may offer attractive opportunities for investment not otherwise available on the open market. Private placements typically may be sold only to qualified institutional buyers (or, in the case of the initial sale of certain securities, to accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a) under the 1933 Act), or in a privately negotiated transaction or to a limited number of purchasers, or in limited quantities after they have been held for a specified period of time and other conditions are met pursuant to an exemption from registration.

Private placements and other restricted securities may only be sold in privately negotiated transactions or in a public offering with respect to which a registration statement is in effect under the 1933 Act. Where registration is required, the Funds may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time the Funds may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Funds might obtain a less favorable price than that which prevailed when it decided to sell. Restricted securities issued pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act that have a readily available market usually are not deemed illiquid for purposes of the limitation on investment in illiquid securities by the Funds discussed below under "Illiquid Securities." However, investing in Rule 144A securities could result in increasing the level of the Funds' illiquidity if qualified institutional buyers become, for a time, uninterested in purchasing these securities.

Investing in private placement and other restricted securities is subject to certain risks. Because there may be relatively few potential purchasers for such securities, especially under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, the Funds could find it more difficult to sell such securities when it may be advisable to do so or it may be able to sell such securities only at prices lower than if such securities were more widely held. At times, it also may be more difficult to determine the fair value of such securities for purposes of computing the Funds' net asset value due to the absence of a trading market.

The Funds intend to limit the purchase of private placements and other restricted securities, together with other securities considered to be illiquid, to not more than 15% of its net assets.

**Lending Portfolio Securities**

Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and the Funds' investment restrictions, the Funds may lend portfolio securities to securities broker-dealers or financial institutions, provided that such loans are callable at any time by the Funds (subject to notice provisions described below), and are at all times secured by cash or cash equivalents, which are maintained in a segregated account pursuant to applicable regulations and that are at least equal to the market value, determined daily, of the loaned securities. The advantage of such loans is that the Funds continue to receive the income on the loaned securities while at the same time earns interest on the cash amounts deposited as collateral, which will be invested in short-term obligations. The Funds will not lend portfolio securities if such loans are not permitted by the laws or regulations of any state in which its shares are qualified for sale. The Funds' loans of portfolio securities will be collateralized in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements and no loan will cause the value of all loaned securities to exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the Funds' total assets.

A loan may generally be terminated by the borrower on one business day's notice, or by the Funds on five business days' notice. If the borrower fails to deliver the loaned securities within five days after receipt of notice or fails to maintain the requisite amount of collateral, the Funds could use the collateral to replace the securities while holding the borrower liable for any excess of replacement cost over collateral. As with any extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery and in some cases even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. However, these loans of portfolio securities will only be made to firms deemed by the Funds' management to be creditworthy and when the income that can be earned from such loans justifies the attendant risks. Upon termination of the loan, the borrower is required to return the securities to the Funds. Any gain or loss in the market price during the loan period would inure to the Funds. The risks associated with loans of portfolio securities are substantially similar to those associated with repurchase agreements. Thus, if the counterparty to the loan petitions for bankruptcy or becomes subject to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, the law regarding the rights of the Funds are unsettled. As a result, under extreme circumstances, there may be a restriction on the Funds' ability to sell the collateral, and the Funds would suffer a loss. When voting or consent rights that accompany loaned securities pass to the borrower, the Funds will follow the policy of calling the loaned securities, to be delivered within one day after notice, to permit the exercise of such rights if the matters involved would have a material effect on the Funds' investment in such loaned securities. The Funds will pay reasonable finder's, administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan of its securities.

**Temporary Investments**

Each Fund may take temporary defensive measures that are inconsistent with a Fund's normal fundamental or non-fundamental investment policies and strategies in response to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions as determined by the Advisor. Such measures could include, but are not limited to, investments in (1) highly liquid short-term fixed income securities issued by or on behalf of municipal or corporate issuers, obligations of the U.S. government and its agencies, commercial paper, and bank certificates of deposit; (2) repurchase agreements involving any such securities; and (3) other money market instruments. A Fund also may invest in shares of money market mutual funds to the extent permitted under applicable law. Money market mutual funds are investment companies, and the investments in those companies by a Fund are in some cases subject to certain fundamental investment restrictions. As a shareholder in a mutual fund, a Fund will bear its ratable share of its expenses, including management fees, and will remain subject to payment of the fees to the Advisor, with respect to assets so invested. A Fund may not achieve its investment objectives during temporary defensive periods.

**Cybersecurity Risk**

Investment companies, such as a Fund, and its service providers may be subject to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber attacks. Cyber attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber attacks affecting a Fund or the Advisor, a Fund's custodian or transfer agent, or intermediaries or other third-party service providers may adversely impact a Fund. For instance, cyber attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact a Fund's ability to calculate its net asset value, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential company information, impede trading, subject a Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses, and cause reputational damage. A Fund may also incur additional costs for cybersecurity risk management purposes. While a Fund and its service providers have established business continuity plans and risk management systems designed to prevent or reduce the impact of cybersecurity attacks, such plans and systems have inherent limitations due in part to the ever-changing nature of technology and cybersecurity attack tactics, and there is a possibility that certain risks have not been adequately identified or prepared for. Furthermore, a Fund cannot control any cybersecurity plans or systems implemented by its service providers.

Similar types of cybersecurity risks are also present for issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause a Fund's investment in such portfolio companies to lose value.

**Investment Restrictions**

Each Fund has adopted the following restrictions as fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the favorable "vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities" of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the "vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities" of the Fund means the vote of the holders of the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of its outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. The Fund's investment objective is a non-fundamental policy and may be changed without shareholder approval.

Each Fund may not:

1. Issue
 senior securities, borrow money or pledge its assets, except that (i) the Fund may
 borrow from banks in amounts not exceeding one-third of its net assets (including the
 amount borrowed); and (ii) this restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from engaging
 in options transactions or short sales or investing in financial futures, swaps, when-issued
 or delayed delivery securities, or reverse repurchase agreements;

2. Act
 as underwriter, except to the extent the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter in connection
 with the sale of securities in its investment portfolio;

3. With
 respect to 75% of the Fund's total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer
 (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies
 or instrumentalities) if, as a result, (a) more than 5% of the Fund's total assets
 would be invested in the securities of that issuer, or (b) the Fund would hold more than
 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer;

4. Invest
 25% or more of its total assets, calculated at the time of purchase in any one industry
 or group of industries (other than securities issued by the U.S. government, its agencies
 or instrumentalities);

5. Purchase
 or sell real estate or interests in real estate or real estate limited partnerships (although
 the Fund may purchase and sell securities which are secured by real estate and securities
 of companies which invest or deal in real estate, such as REITs);

6. Make
 loans of money, except (a) for purchases of debt securities consistent with the investment
 policies of the Fund, (b) by engaging in repurchase agreements or, (c) through the loan
 of portfolio securities in an amount up to 33 1/3% of the Fund's net assets; or

7. Purchase
 or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities
 or other instruments. This limitation shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing, selling
 or entering into futures contracts, or acquiring securities or other instruments and
 options thereon backed by, or related to, physical commodities.

Each Fund observes the following restriction as a matter of operating but not fundamental policy, pursuant to positions taken by federal regulatory authorities:

Each Fund may not invest, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the securities.

Except with respect to borrowing, if a percentage or rating restriction on investment or use of assets set forth herein or in the Prospectus is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentage resulting from any cause other than actions by the Fund will not be considered a violation.

**Management of the Fund**

**Trustees and Officers**

The overall management of the business and affairs of the Trust is vested with its Board of Trustees. The Board approves all significant agreements between the Trust and persons or companies furnishing services to it, including the agreements with the Advisor, co-administrators, distributor, custodian and transfer agent. The day-to-day operations of the Trust are delegated to its officers, except that the Advisor are responsible for making day-to-day investment decisions in accordance with each Fund's investment objectives, strategies, and policies, all of which are subject to general supervision by the Board.

The Trustees and officers of the Trust, their years of birth and positions with the Trust, term of office with the Trust and length of time served, their business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years and other directorships held during the past five years are listed in the table below. Unless noted otherwise, each person has held the position listed for a minimum of five years. Thomas Knipper, Kathleen K. Shkuda, Larry D. Tashjian and John P. Zader are all of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (collectively, the "Independent Trustees").

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name, Address, Year of Birth and Position(s) held with Trust** | **Term of Office<sup>c</sup> and Length of Time Served** | **Principal Occupation During the Past Five Years and Other Affiliations** | **Number of Portfolios in the Fund Complex**<br>**Overseen by Trustee<sup>d</sup>**<br>| **Other Directorships Held by Trustee <sup>e</sup>** |
| **"Independent" Trustees:** | | | | |
| Thomas Knipper, CPA <sup>a</sup> <br>(born 1957)<br>Trustee  | Since September 2013 | Retired (April 2022 – present); Independent Consulting, financial services organizations (March 2021 – March 2022); Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Ameritas Investment Partners, a registered investment advisor (1995 – March 2022). | 45 | Monachil Credit Income Fund, a closed-end investment company. |
| Kathleen K. Shkuda <sup>a</sup><br>(born 1951)<br>Trustee  | Since September 2013 | Zigzag Consulting, a financial services consulting firm (2008 – present); Director, Managed Accounts, Merrill Lynch (2007 – 2008). | 45 | None. |
| Larry D. Tashjian <sup>a</sup><br>(born 1953)<br>Trustee and Chairman of the Board  | Since September 2013 | Principal, CAM Capital Advisors, a family office (2001 – present). | 45 | General Finance Corporation. |
| John P. Zader <sup>a</sup> <br>(born 1961)<br>Trustee  | Since September 2013 | Retired (June 2014 – present); CEO, UMB Fund Services, Inc., a mutual fund and hedge fund service provider, and the transfer agent, fund accountant, and co-administrator for the Funds (December 2006 – June 2014); President, Investment Managers Series Trust (December 2007 – June 2014). | 45 | None. |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name, Address, Year of Birth and Position(s) held with Trust** | **Term of Office<sup>c</sup> and Length of Time Served** | **Principal Occupation During the Past Five Years and Other Affiliations** | **Number of Portfolios in the Fund Complex**<br>**Overseen by Trustee<sup>d</sup>**<br>| **Other Directorships Held by Trustee <sup>e</sup>** |
| **Interested Trustees:** | | | | |
| Terrance P. Gallagher <sup>a\*</sup><br>(born 1958)<br>Trustee and President  | Since July 2019 | President, Investment Managers Series Trust II (September 2013 – present); Executive Vice President, UMB Fund Services, Inc. (2007 – present); and Director of Compliance, Unified Fund Services Inc. (now Huntington Fund Services), a mutual fund service provider (2004 – 2007). | 45 | Agility Multi-Asset Income Fund, Corbin Multi-Strategy Fund, LLC, Aspiriant Risk-Managed Real Asset Fund, Aspiriant Risk-Managed Capital Appreciation Fund, AFA Multi-Manager Credit Fund, The Optima Dynamic Alternatives Fund, Infinity Core Alternative Fund, Infinity Long/Short Equity Fund, LLC, Keystone Private Income Fund, Relative Value Fund, Variant Alternative Income Fund, Variant Impact Fund, First Trust Private Assets Fund, First Trust Private Credit Fund, First Trust Real Assets Fund, Destiny Alternative Fund LLC, Destiny Alternative Fund (Tax Exempt) LLC, and Pender Real Estate Credit Fund, each a closed-end investment company. |
| Joy Ausili <sup>b, †</sup><br>(born 1966)<br>Trustee, Vice President and Assistant Secretary  | Since January 2023 | Co-Chief Executive Officer (2016 – present), and Vice President (2006 – 2015), Mutual Fund Administration, LLC (2018 – present); Secretary and Assistant Treasurer, Investment Managers Series Trust (September 2013 – present); Co-President, Foothill Capital Management, LLC, a registered investment advisor (2018 – 2022). | 45 | None. |
| **Officers of the Trust:** |  |  |  |  |
| Rita Dam <sup>b</sup><br>(born 1966)<br>Treasurer and Assistant Secretary  | Since September 2013 | Co-Chief Executive Officer (2016 – present), and Vice President (2006 – 2015), Mutual Fund Administration, LLC (2018 – present); Co-President, Foothill Capital Management, LLC, a registered investment advisor (2018 – 2022). | N/A | N/A |
| Diane Drake <sup>b</sup><br>(born 1967)<br>Secretary  | Since January 2016 | Senior Counsel, Mutual Fund Administration, LLC (October 2015 – present); Chief Compliance Officer, Foothill Capital Management, LLC, a registered investment advisor (2018 – 2019). | N/A | N/A |
| Martin Dziura <sup>b</sup><br>(born 1959)<br>Chief Compliance Officer  | Since September 2013 | Principal, Dziura Compliance Consulting, LLC (October 2014 – present); Managing Director, Cipperman Compliance Services (2010 – September 2014); Chief Compliance Officer, Hanlon Investment Management<br>(2009 – 2010); Vice President – Compliance, Morgan Stanley Investment Management (2000 – 2009).  | N/A | N/A |

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a Address for certain Trustees and certain officers: 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212.

b Address for Ms. Ausili, Ms. Dam and Ms. Drake: 2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226, Glendora, California 91740.

Address for Mr. Dziura: 309 Woodridge Lane, Media, Pennsylvania 19063.

c Trustees and officers serve until their successors have been duly elected.

d The Trust is comprised of 56 series managed by unaffiliated investment advisors. Each Trustee serves as Trustee of each series of the Trust. The term "Fund Complex" applies only to the series managed by the same investment advisor. The Advisor also serves as investment advisor to the following: (1) AXS All Terrain Opportunity Fund, (2) AXS Alternative Value Fund, (3) AXS Change Finance ESG ETF, (4) AXS Chesapeake Strategy Fund, (5) AXS Income Opportunities Fund, (6) AXS Merger Fund, (7) AXS Market Neutral Fund, (8) AXS Multi-Strategy Alternatives Fund, (9) AXS Short China Internet ETF, (10) AXS Sustainable Income Fund, (11) AXS Thomson Reuters Private Equity Return Tracker Fund, (12) AXS Thomson Reuters Venture Capital Return Tracker Fund, (13) AXS Astoria Inflation Sensitive ETF, (14) AXS TSLA Bear Daily ETF, (15) AXS TSLA Bull Daily ETF, (16) AXS 1.25X NVDA Bear Daily ETF, (17) AXS 1.25X NVDA Bull Daily ETF, (18) AXS 2X COP Bear Daily ETF, (19) AXS 2X COP Bull Daily ETF, (20) AXS 1.25X BA Bear Daily ETF, (21) AXS 1.25X BA Bull Daily ETF, (22) AXS 1.5X PYPL Bear Daily ETF, (23) AXS 1.5X PYPL Bull Daily ETF, (24) AXS 1.25X WFC Bear Daily ETF, (25) AXS 1.25X WFC Bull Daily ETF, (26) AXS 2X Innovation ETF, (27) AXS 2X PFE Bear Daily ETF, (28) AXS 2X PFE Bull Daily ETF, (29) AXS 1.5X CRM Bear Daily ETF, (30) AXS 1.5X CRM Bull Daily ETF, (31) AXS 2X NKE Bear Daily ETF, (32) AXS 2X NKE Bull Daily ETF, (33) AXS Short De-SPAC Daily ETF, (34) AXS Short Innovation Daily ETF, (35) AXS SPAC and New Issue ETF, (36) AXS First Priority CLO Bond ETF, (37) AXS Cannabis ETF, (38) AXS Adaptive Plus Fund, (39) AXS Brendan Wood TopGun Index ETF, (40) AXS Green Alpha ETF, (41) AXS All Terrain ETF, (42) AXS Esoterica NextG Economy ETF, and (43) AXS Real Estate Income ETF (collectively, the "AXS Funds"), which are offered in separate prospectuses. The AXS Funds do not hold themselves out as related to any other series within the Trust, for purposes of investment and investor services.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| e | "Other Directorships Held" includes only directorships of companies required to register or file reports with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (that is, "public companies"), or other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act. |

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;† Ms.
 Ausili is an "interested person" of the Trust by virtue of her position with
 Mutual Fund Administration, LLC.

\* Mr. Gallagher is an "interested person" of the Trust by virtue of his position with UMB Fund Services, Inc.

Effective January 19, 2023, Eric M. Banhazl, who served as a Trustee of the Trust from September 2013 to January 19, 2023, is serving as a Trustee Emeritus of the Trust. As a Trustee Emeritus, Mr. Banhazl may attend the meetings of the Board of Trustees or any of its committees, but has no duties, powers or responsibilities with respect to the Trust.

**Compensation** 

Each Independent Trustee receives from the Trust a quarterly retainer of $22,500; $4,000 for each special in-person meeting attended, or any special meeting attended by videoconference or teleconference in lieu of in-person attendance in accordance with SEC exemptive relief or to address particularly complex matters or matters requiring review of significant materials in advance of the meeting; and $1,500 for any other special meetings attended by videoconference or teleconference at which Board action is taken or materials are prepared. The Trust has no pension or retirement plan. No other entity affiliated with the Trust pays any compensation to the Trustees.

The Trustees may elect to defer payment of their compensation pursuant to the Trust's non-qualified Deferred Compensation Plan for Trustees which permits the Trustees to defer receipt of all or part of their compensation. Amounts deferred are deemed invested in shares of one or more series of the Trust, as selected by the Trustee from time to time. A Trustee's deferred compensation account will be paid in cash at such times as elected by the Trustee, subject to certain mandatory payment provisions in the Deferred Compensation Plan. Deferral and payment elections under the Deferred Compensation Plan are subject to strict requirements for modification.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Independent Trustees** | **Independent Trustees** | **Independent Trustees** | **Independent Trustees** |
|  | **Thomas Knipper, Independent Trustee and Audit Committee Chair** | **Kathleen K. Shkuda, Independent Trustee** | **Larry D. Tashjian, Independent Trustee, Chairman** | **John P Zader, Independent Trustee and**<br>**Nominating Committee Chair**<br>|
| AXS Dynamic Opportunity Fund<sup>1</sup> | $1500 | $1500 | $1500 | $1500 |
| AXS Tactical Income Fund<sup>1</sup> | $1500 | $1500 | $1500 | $1500 |
| Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund's Expenses |  |  |  |  |
| Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement |  |  |  |  |
| Total Compensation from Fund and Fund Complex Paid to Trustees<sup>1,2</sup> | $47000  | $47000 | $47000 | $47000 |

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1 Estimated annual compensation for the first year.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 2 | There are currently numerous portfolios comprising the Trust. The term "Fund Complex" applies only to the series managed by the same investment advisor. The Advisor also serves as investment advisor to the AXS Funds, which are series of the Trust offered in separate prospectuses. The AXS Funds do not hold themselves out as related to any other series within the Trust, for purposes of investment and investor services. |

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Mr. Gallagher and Ms. Ausili are not compensated for their service as Trustees because of their affiliation with the Trust. Officers of the Trust are not compensated by the Fund for their services.

As a Trustee Emeritus of the Trust, Mr. Banhazl does not receive any compensation from the Trust; however, he is entitled to reimbursement of expenses related to his attendance at any meetings of the Board of Trustees or its committees.

**Additional Information Concerning the Board and the Trustees**

The current Trustees were selected in September 2013 (July 2019 for Mr. Gallagher and January 2023 for Ms. Ausili) with a view towards establishing a Board that would have the broad experience needed to oversee a registered investment company comprised of multiple series employing a variety of different investment strategies. As a group, the Board has extensive experience in many different aspects of the financial services and asset management industries.

The Trustees were selected to join the Board based upon the following factors, among others: character and integrity; willingness to serve and willingness and ability to commit the time necessary to perform the duties of a Trustee; as to each Trustee other than Ms. Ausili, Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Zader (at that time), satisfying the criteria for not being classified as an "interested person" of the Trust as defined in the 1940 Act; as to Ms. Ausili and Mr. Gallagher, their positions with Mutual Fund Administration, LLC, and UMB Fund Services, Inc., respectively, the Trust's co-administrators. In addition, the Trustees have the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills relevant to the operations of the Trust:

● Mr. Knipper has substantial experience with respect to the operation, administration and compliance programs of mutual funds and as a senior executive with a registered investment advisor.

● Ms. Shkuda has substantial experience in the investment management industry, including as a consultant with respect to operations and marketing of investment managers and distribution of mutual funds and other investment products.

● Mr. Tashjian has extensive leadership experience in the investment management industry, including as a principal and a chief executive officer of a registered investment advisor.

● Mr. Zader has substantial experience serving in senior executive positions at mutual fund administrative service providers.

● Mr. Gallagher has substantial experience serving in senior executive positions at mutual fund administrative service providers.

● Ms. Ausili has substantial experience serving in senior executive positions at mutual fund administration service providers.

In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board, the Board considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board's overall composition so that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Fund. The summaries set forth above as to the qualifications, attributes and skills of the Trustees are required by the registration form adopted by the SEC, do not constitute holding out the Board or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board as a whole than would otherwise be the case.

The Board of Trustees has two standing committees: the Audit Committee and the Nominating, Governance and Regulatory Review Committee (the "Nominating Committee").

● The function of the Audit Committee, with respect to each series of the Trust, is to review the scope and results of the series' annual audit and any matters bearing on the audit or the series' financial statements and to assist the Board's oversight of the integrity of the series' pricing and financial reporting. The Audit Committee is comprised of all of the Independent Trustees and is chaired by Mr. Knipper. It does not include any Interested Trustees. The Audit Committee is expected to meet at least twice a year with respect to each series of the Trust.

The Audit Committee also serves as the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee ("QLCC") for the Trust for the purpose of compliance with Rules 205.2(k) and 205.3(c) of the Code of Federal Regulations regarding alternative reporting procedures for attorneys retained or employed by an issuer who appear and practice before the SEC on behalf of the issuer.

● The Nominating Committee is responsible for reviewing matters pertaining to composition, committees, and operations of the Board, as well as assisting the Board in overseeing matters related to certain regulatory issues. The Nominating Committee meets from time to time as needed. The Nominating Committee will consider trustee nominees properly recommended by the Trust's shareholders. Shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send nominations that include, among other things, biographical data and the qualifications of the proposed nominee to the Trust's Secretary. The Independent Trustees comprise the Nominating Committee, and the Committee is chaired by Mr. Zader.

Independent Trustees comprise 67% of the Board and Larry Tashjian, an Independent Trustee, serves as Chairperson of the Board. The Chairperson serves as a key point person for dealings between the Trust's management and the other Independent Trustees. As noted above, through the committees of the Board the Independent Trustees consider and address important matters involving each series of the Trust, including those presenting conflicts or potential conflicts of interest. The Independent Trustees also regularly meet outside the presence of management and are advised by independent legal counsel. The Board has determined that its organization and leadership structure are appropriate in light of its fiduciary and oversight obligations, the special obligations of the Independent Trustees, and the relationship between the Interested Trustees and the Trust's co-administrators. The Board also believes that its structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Independent Trustees from management.

Consistent with its responsibility for oversight of the Funds in the interests of shareholders, the Board among other things oversees risk management of the Funds' investment programs and business affairs directly and through the Audit Committee. The Board has emphasized to the Advisor the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management programs and procedures.

The Funds face a number of risks, such as investment risk, valuation risk, reputational risk, risk of operational failure or lack of business continuity, and legal, compliance and regulatory risk. Risk management seeks to identify and address risks, i.e., events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance or reputation of the Funds. Under the overall supervision of the Board, the Advisor, and other service providers to the Funds employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various of those possible events or circumstances, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Different processes, procedures and controls are employed with respect to different types of risks. Various personnel, including the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer (the "CCO"), the Advisor's management, and other service providers (such as each Fund's independent registered public accounting firm) make periodic reports to the Board or to the Audit Committee with respect to various aspects of risk management. The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect a Fund can be identified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve a Fund's investment objective, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Trustees as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board's risk management oversight is subject to substantial limitations.

**Fund Shares Beneficially Owned by Trustees** 

Certain information regarding ownership by the Trustees of the Funds and other series of the Trust, as of December 31, 2022, is set forth in the following table.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Funds ($)** | **Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in all Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Trustee in Family of Investment Companies ($)** |
| Larry Tashjian, Independent Trustee | None | None |
| Kathy Shkuda, Independent Trustee | None | None |
| Thomas Knipper, Independent Trustee | None | None |
| John P. Zader, Independent Trustee | None | None |
| Terrance P. Gallagher, Interested Trustee | None | None |
| Joy Ausili, Interested Trustee | None | None |

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**Control Persons, Principal Shareholders, and Management Ownership**

A control person is one who owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund or acknowledges the existence of control<sup>1</sup>. Shareholders with a controlling interest could affect the outcome of voting or the direction of management of the Fund. As of March 1, 2023, the name and percentage ownership of each shareholder that owned 25% or more of the outstanding shares of the Predecessor Funds is set forth in the table below.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Control Persons** | **Percentage of Total Outstanding Shares of the AXS Dynamic Opportunity** <br> **Predecessor Fund** |
| CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC<br>ATT MUTUAL FUNDS<br>211 MAIN ST<br>SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9410  | 64.62% |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Control Persons** | **Percentage of Total Outstanding Shares of the AXS Tactical Income**<br> **Predecessor Fund** |
| CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC<br>ATT MUTUAL FUNDS<br>211 MAIN ST<br>SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9410  | 60.55% |

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<sup>1</sup> The Predecessor Funds have no information regarding the beneficial owners of Fund shares owned through accounts with financial intermediaries.

The principal shareholders are holders of record of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Persons holding more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Fund may be deemed to have "control" (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) and may be able to affect or determine the outcome of matters presented for a vote of shareholders.

As of March 1, 2023, the name and percentage ownership of each shareholder that owned 5% or more of the outstanding shares of each Predecessor Fund is set forth in the table below.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Principal Shareholders** | **Percentage of Total Outstanding Shares of the AXS Dynamic Opportunity** <br> **Predecessor Fund – Class A** |
| CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC<br>ATT MUTUAL FUNDS<br>211 MAIN ST<br>SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9410  | 58.01% |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Principal Shareholders** | **Percentage of Total Outstanding Shares of the AXS Dynamic Opportunity** <br> **Predecessor Fund – Class I** |
| CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC<br>ATT MUTUAL FUNDS<br>211 MAIN ST<br>SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9410  | 64.81% |
| TD AMERITRADE INC<br>FBO OUR CUSTOMERS<br>PO BOX 2226<br>OMAHA, NE 68103-2226  | 18.01% |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Principal Shareholders** | **Percentage of Total Outstanding Shares of the AXS Tactical Income** <br> **Predecessor Fund – Class A** |
| CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC<br>ATT MUTUAL FUNDS<br>211 MAIN ST<br>SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9410  | 51.44% |
| PERSHING LLC<br>P. O. BOX 2052<br>JERSEY CITY, NJ 07303-9998  | 15.99% |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Principal Shareholders** | **Percentage of Total Outstanding Shares of the AXS Tactical Income** <br> **Predecessor Fund – Class I** |
| CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC<br>ATT MUTUAL FUNDS<br>211 MAIN ST<br>SAN FRANCISCO, CA 9410  | 61.01% |
| TD AMERITRADE INC<br>FBO/OUR CUSTOMERS<br>PO BOX 2226<br>OMAHA, NE 68103-2226  | 14.80% |
| SEI PRIVATE TRUST COMPANY<br>C/O GWP US ADVISORS<br>1 FREEDOM VALLEY DRIVE<br>OAKS, PA 19456  | 6.51% |

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As of March 1, 2023, the Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group did not own more than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Funds or Predecessor Funds. Furthermore, neither the Independent Trustees, nor members of their immediate families, own securities beneficially or of record in the Advisor, the Fund's distributor, ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the "Distributor"), or any of their respective affiliates.

**The Advisor** 

AXS Investments LLC, located at 181 Westchester Avenue, Suite 402, Port Chester, New York 10573, acts as investment advisor to the Funds pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (the "Advisory Agreement"). Subject to such policies as the Board of Trustees may determine, the Advisor is ultimately responsible for investment decisions for the Funds. Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor provides the Funds with such investment advice and supervision as it deems necessary for the proper supervision of each Fund's investments. The Advisor also continuously monitors and maintains each Fund's investment criteria and determines from time to time what securities may be purchased by the Funds. The Advisor is wholly owned by AXS Holdings LLC. AXS Holdings LLC is ultimately controlled by Gregory Bassuk.

The Advisory Agreement will remain in effect for an initial two-year period. After the initial two-year period, the Advisory Agreement will continue in effect with respect to a Fund from year to year only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Funds' outstanding voting securities and by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested persons of any such party, at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Advisory Agreement. The Advisory Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Funds, upon giving the Advisor 60 days' notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Funds' shareholders or by a vote of a majority of the Board, or by the Advisor on 60 days' written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its "assignment" (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Advisory Agreement provides that the Advisor shall not be liable for any error of judgment or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the Advisory Agreement, except for a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty, or for a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard by the Advisor of its duties under the Advisory Agreement.

In consideration of the services to be provided by the Advisor pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor is entitled to receive from each Fund an investment advisory fee computed daily and paid twice a month based on an annual rate equal to a percentage of the Fund's average daily net assets specified in the Prospectus.

**Fund Expenses**

Each Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses (all of which will be borne directly or indirectly by the Funds' shareholders), including among others, legal fees and expenses of counsel to the Funds and the Funds' Independent Trustees; insurance (including Trustees' and officers' errors and omissions insurance); auditing and accounting expenses; taxes and governmental fees; listing fees; dues and expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; fees and expenses of the Funds' custodians, administrators, transfer agents, registrars and other service providers; expenses for portfolio pricing services by a pricing agent, if any; expenses in connection with the issuance and offering of shares; expenses relating to investor and public relations; expenses of registering or qualifying securities of the Funds' for public sale; brokerage commissions and other costs of acquiring or disposing of any portfolio holding of the Funds; expenses of preparation and distribution of reports, notices and dividends to shareholders; expenses of the dividend reinvestment plan; compensation and expenses of Trustees; any litigation expenses; and costs of shareholders' and other meetings.

The Advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of each Fund to ensure that the total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding, as applicable, any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses as determined in accordance with Form N-1A, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) do not exceed the limit set forth in the Expense Table in the Prospectus (the "expense cap"). This agreement is effective for a period of two years from the date of the Reorganization (which is expected to occur on April 28, 2023) with respect to each Fund. The agreement may be terminated before that date with respect to a Fund only by the Board of Trustees. The Advisor is permitted to seek reimbursement from each Fund, subject to certain limitations, of fees waived or payments made to the Fund for a period ending three full years after the date of the waiver or payment.

The table below provides information about the advisory fees paid by the Predecessor Funds to the Predecessor Funds' advisor for the last three fiscal years:

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Fees**<br> **Earned by**<br> **the**<br>**Predecessor Fund's**<br> **Advisor**<br>| **Advisory**<br> **Fees**<br> **Waived** | **Net Fees**<br> **Earned by**<br> **the Predecessor Fund's**<br>**Advisor**<br>| **Expense**<br> **Reimbursed** | **Amount**<br> **Subject to**<br> **Recoupment** |
| **AXS Dynamic Opportunity Predecessor Fund** | | | | | |
| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 | $1089572 |  | $1089572 |  |  |
| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 | $1296877 |  | $1296877 |  |  |
| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 | $946588 |  | $946588 |  |  |
| **AXS Tactical Income Predecessor Fund** |  |  |  |  |  |
| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 | $533934 |  | $533934 |  |  |
| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 | $588963 |  | $588963 |  |  |
| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 | $324863 |  | $324863 |  |  |

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**Portfolio Managers**

As of December 31, 2022, information on other accounts managed by the Funds' portfolio managers is as follows.

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| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Registered Investment Companies** | **Registered Investment Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment Vehicles** | **Other Pooled Investment Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** | **Other Accounts** |
| <br>**Portfolio Managers** | **Number of Accounts** | **Total Assets**<br>**(in millions)**<br>| **Number of Accounts** | **Total Assets**<br>**(in millions)**<br>| **Number of Accounts** | **Total Assets**<br>**(in millions)**<br>|
| Parker Binion | 21 | $640.6 | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| Jordan Kahn\* | 2 | $122.4 | 0 | $0 | 76 | $146.7 |
| Alan Savoian\* | 1 | $78.7 | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| Eric Hua\* | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |

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| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Number of Accounts with Advisory Fee Based on Performance** | **Number of Accounts with Advisory Fee Based on Performance** | **Number of Accounts with Advisory Fee Based on Performance** | **Number of Accounts with Advisory Fee Based on Performance** | **Number of Accounts with Advisory Fee Based on Performance** | **Number of Accounts with Advisory Fee Based on Performance** |
| | **Registered Investment Companies** | **Registered Investment Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment Vehicles** | **Other Pooled Investment Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Managers** | **Number of Accounts** | **Total Assets**<br> **(in millions)** | **Number of Accounts** | **Total Assets**<br> **(in millions)** | **Number of Accounts** | **Total Assets**<br> **(in millions)** |
| Parker Binion | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| Jordan Kahn\* | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| Alan Savoian\* | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| Eric Hua\* | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |

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\* Information for Messrs. Kahn, Savoian and Hua reflect accounts managed while employed with their previous investment advisory firm.

*Material Conflicts of Interest*. Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one fund or other account. Where conflicts of interest arise between a Fund and other accounts managed by a portfolio manager, the Advisor will proceed in a manner that ensures that the Fund will not be treated less favorably than the other accounts. There may be instances where similar portfolio transactions may be executed for the same security for numerous accounts managed by the portfolio manager. In such instances, securities will be allocated in accordance with the Advisor's trade allocation policy.

*Compensation*. The portfolio managers are compensated by the Advisor. Each receive a fixed base salary and discretionary bonus. The portfolio managers' compensation arrangements are not determined on the basis of specific funds or accounts managed.

*Ownership of the Funds by Portfolio Manager*. As of the date of this SAI, the portfolio managers did not own any shares of the Funds. As of December 31, 2022, the Portfolio Managers beneficially owned the following amounts in the Predecessor Funds:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Dollar Range of Shares**<br> **Beneficially Owned in the ACM**<br> **Dynamic Opportunity Fund** | **Dollar Range of Shares**<br> **Beneficially Owned in the ACM**<br> **Tactical Income Fund** |
| Jordan Kahn | Over $1,000,000 | $500000-$1000000 |
| Alan Savoian | $100001- $500000 | N/A |
| Eric Hua | $0 | $0 |

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**Manager of Managers Structure**

AXS and the Trust have received an exemptive order from the SEC for the Funds which allows AXS to operate the Funds under a "manager of managers" structure (the "Order"). Pursuant to the Order, AXS may, subject to the approval of the Board, to hire or replace sub-advisors and modify any existing or future agreement with such sub-advisors without obtaining shareholder approval.

**Service Providers** 

Pursuant to a Co-Administration Agreement (the "Co-Administration Agreement"), UMB Fund Services, Inc. ("UMBFS"), 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, and Mutual Fund Administration, LLC ("MFAC"), 2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226, Glendora, California 91740 (collectively the "Co-Administrators"), act as co-administrators for the Funds. The Co-Administrators provide certain administrative services to the Funds, including, among other responsibilities, coordinating the negotiation of contracts and fees with, and the monitoring of performance and billing of, the Funds' independent contractors and agents; preparing for signature by an officer of the Trust of all documents required to be filed for compliance with applicable laws and regulations including those of the securities laws of various states; arranging for the computation of performance data, including net asset value and yield; arranging for the maintenance of books and records of the Funds; and providing, at their own expense, office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to carry out their duties. In this capacity, the Co-Administrators do not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Funds, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of Fund shares. The Co-Administration Agreement provides that neither Co-Administrator shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust or its series, except for losses resulting from a Co-Administrator's willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties under the Agreement.

Pursuant to the Co-Administration Agreement, each Fund pays the Co-Administrators a fee for administration services. The fee is payable monthly based on the Fund's average daily net assets. Because the Funds are newly formed funds and have not yet commenced operations, the Funds have not paid any fees to the Co-Administrators as of the date of this SAI.

For the last three fiscal years, the Predecessor Funds incurred the following fees:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **For Administration**<br> **Services** | **For Fund**<br> **Accounting**<br> **Services** | **For Transfer**<br> **Agency**<br> **Services** |
| **ACM Dynamic Opportunity Fund** | | | |
| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 | $100226 | $46227 | $39250 |
| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 | $113294 | $49004 | $26460 |
| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 | $85262 | $48019 | $26607 |
| **ACM Tactical Income Fund** |  |  |  |
| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 | $73869 | $29799 | $37422 |
| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 | $69342 | $31205 | $35040 |
| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 | $41801 | $15831 | $22858 |

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UMBFS also acts as the Trust's fund accountant, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent pursuant to separate agreements.

UMB Bank, n.a. (the "Custodian"), an affiliate of UMBFS, is the custodian of the assets of the Funds pursuant to a custody agreement between the Custodian and the Trust, whereby the Custodian provides services for fees on a transactional basis plus out-of-pocket expenses. The Custodian's address is 928 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. The Custodian does not participate in decisions pertaining to the purchase and sale of securities by the Fund.

Tait, Weller & Baker LLP ("Tait Weller"), located at Two Liberty Place, 50 South 16<sup>th</sup> Street, Suite 2900, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102, is the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds. Its services include auditing the Funds' financial statements and the performance of related tax services.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP ("Morgan Lewis"), 600 Anton Boulevard, Suite 1800, Costa Mesa, California 92626, serves as legal counsel to the Trust and to the Independent Trustees.

**Distributor and the Distribution Agreement**

ALPS Distributors, Inc. is the distributor (also known as the principal underwriter) of the shares of the Funds and is located at 1290Broadway, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado 80203. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and is a member of FINRA. The Distributor is not an affiliate of the Trust, the Advisor or any other service provider for the Funds.

Under a Distribution Agreement with the Trust (the "Distribution Agreement"), the Distributor acts as the agent of the Trust in connection with the continuous offering of shares of the Funds. The Distributor continually distributes shares of the Funds on a commercially reasonable efforts basis. The Distributor has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of Fund shares. The Distributor and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Trust.

The Distributor may enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries for distribution of shares of the Funds. With respect to certain financial intermediaries and related fund "supermarket" platform arrangements, the Funds and/or the Advisor, rather than the Distributor, typically enter into such agreements. These financial intermediaries may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from parties other than the Distributor. These financial intermediaries may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Funds.

Investors who purchase shares through financial intermediaries will be subject to the procedures of those intermediaries through which they purchase shares, which may include charges, investment minimums, cutoff times and other restrictions in addition to, or different from, those listed herein. Information concerning any charges or services will be provided to customers by the financial intermediary through which they purchase shares. Investors purchasing shares of the Fund through financial intermediaries should acquaint themselves with their financial intermediary's procedures and should read the Prospectus in conjunction with any materials and information provided by their financial intermediary. The financial intermediary, and not its customers, will be the shareholder of record, although customers may have the right to vote shares depending upon their arrangement with the financial intermediary. The Distributor does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a Rule 12b-1 distribution plan is effective. The Advisor pays the Distributor a fee for certain distribution-related services.

The Distribution Agreement will continue in effect with respect to a Fund only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities in accordance with the 1940 Act. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of a Fund on no less than 60 days' written notice when authorized either by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the members of the Board who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Distribution Agreement, or by the Distributor, and will automatically terminate in the event of its "assignment" (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Distribution Agreement provides that the Distributor shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the performance of the Distributor's obligations and duties under the Distribution Agreement, except a loss resulting from the Distributor's willful misconduct, gross negligence or fraud in the performance of such duties and obligations.

The Distributor does not retain sales charges for the sale of a Fund's Class A shares. Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, should any amounts be retained by the Distributor, such amounts would not be held for profit by the Distributor, but instead would be used solely for distribution-related expenditures.

**Dealer Reallowances**

The Funds' Class A shares are subject to a sales charge that includes a dealer reallowance, which varies depending on how much the shareholder invests. The Distributor pays the appropriate dealer reallowance to dealers who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to sell shares of the Funds. More detailed information on the sales charge and its application is contained in the Prospectus.

**Rule 12b-1 Plan**

The Trust has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan") that provides for Fund assets to be used for the payment for distribution services for Class A shares, Investor Class shares and Class C shares. The 12b-1 Plan provides alternative methods for paying sales charges and may help the Funds grow or maintain asset levels to provide operational efficiencies and economies of scale. The 12b-1 Plan also provides for the payment of service fees in connection with the provision of post-sales shareholder liaison services to holders of Class A shares, Investor Class shares and Class C shares as defined in FINRA regulations, including personal services such as responding to customer inquiries, and services related to the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Because 12b-1 fees are paid out of Fund assets attributable to Class A shares, Investor Class shares and Class C shares on an ongoing basis, they will, over time, increase the cost of an investment and may cost more than other types of sales charges.

The 12b-1 Plan provides that the distribution fees paid by Class A, Investor Class or Class C shares of the Fund may be used to pay for any expenses primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of such Class, including, but not limited to: (a) costs of payments, including incentive compensation, made to agents for and consultants to the Distributor or the Trust, including pension administration firms that provide distribution services and broker-dealers that engage in the distribution of the shares of such Class of the Fund; (b) payments made to, and expenses of, persons who provide support services in connection with the distribution of shares of such Class of the Fund; (c) payments made pursuant to any dealer agreements between the Distributor and certain broker-dealers, financial institutions and other service providers with respect to such Class of the Fund; (d) costs relating to the formulation and implementation of marketing and promotional activities; (e) costs of printing and distributing prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports of the Fund to prospective shareholders of such Class of the Fund; (f) costs involved in preparing, printing and distributing sales literature pertaining to such Class of the Fund; (g) costs involved in obtaining such information, analyses and reports with respect to marketing and promotional activities that the Trust may deem advisable with respect to such Class of the Fund; and (h) reimbursement to the Advisor for expenses advanced on behalf of the Fund or Class with respect to such activities. The 12b-1 Plan is a compensation plan, which means that the Distributor is compensated regardless of its expenses, as opposed to a reimbursement plan which reimburses only for expenses incurred. The Distributor does not retain any 12b-1 fees for profit. All 12b-1 fees are held in a retention account by the Distributor to pay for and/or reimburse the Advisor for distribution-related expenditures.

The 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to materially increase the amount to be paid by the Funds; Class A, Investor Class or Class C shares for distribution services without the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such shares. The 12b-1 Plan shall continue in effect indefinitely with respect to a Class, provided that such continuance is approved at least annually by a vote of a majority of the Trustees, including the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose or by vote of at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Class. The 12b-1 Plan may be terminated with respect to a Class at any time without penalty by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Class.

If the 12b-1 Plan is terminated for the Funds' Class A shares, Investor Class shares or Class C shares in accordance with its terms, the obligation of the Fund to make payments pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan with respect to such Class will cease and the Fund will not be required to make any payments past the termination date. Thus, there will be no legal obligation for the Fund to make any payments other than for fees already payable under the 12b-1 Plan, if the 12b-1 Plan is terminated in accordance with its terms for any reason.

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the AXS Dynamic Opportunity Predecessor Fund and AXS Tactical Income Predecessor Fund paid $6,662 and $8,316, respectively, in distribution related fees pursuant to the Predecessor Funds' Rule 12b-1 Plan, as allocated below:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **AXS Dynamic**<br> **Opportunity**<br> **Predecessor Fund -**<br> **Class A** | **AXS Dynamic**<br> **Opportunity**<br> **Predecessor Fund -**<br> **Class I** | **AXS Tactical**<br> **Income**<br> **Predecessor Fund -**<br> **Class A** | **AXS Tactical**<br> **Income**<br> **Predecessor Fund -**<br> **Class I** |
| Advertising/Marketing |  |  |  |  |
| Printing/Postage |  |  |  |  |
| Payment to distributor | 3623 | $0 | $3834 | $0 |
| Payment to dealers | 2926 | $0 | $4344 | $0 |
| Compensation to sales personnel |  |  |  |  |
| Other | 113 | $0 | $138 | $0 |
| **Total** | $6662 | $0 | $8316 | $0 |

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**Shareholder Service Plan**

The Board has adopted, on behalf of the Funds, a Shareholder Service Plan (the "Service Plan") under which the Advisor will provide, or arrange for others (such as banks, trust companies, broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (each, a "Service Organization")) to provide, certain specified non-distribution shareholder servicing functions for Fund shares owned by its respective customers, including, but not limited to: (a) establishing and maintaining accounts and records relating to customers who invest in the Fund; (b) aggregating and processing orders involving Fund shares; (c) processing dividend and other distribution payments from the Fund on behalf of customers; (d) preparing tax reports or forms on behalf of customers; (e) forwarding communications from the Fund; (f) providing sub-accounting with respect to Fund shares; (g) providing customers with a service that invests the assets of their accounts in Fund shares pursuant to specific or pre-authorized instructions; and (h) providing such other similar services as the Advisor may reasonably request to the extent it or a Service Organization is permitted to do so under applicable statutes, rules or regulations. A Fund will pay the Advisor or Service Organizations, as applicable, at an annual rate of up to 0.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets, payable monthly. The amount paid by a Fund to any Service Organization may be expressed in terms of a dollar amount per shareholder account in the Fund held by clients of the Service Organization, and/or in terms of percentage of the net assets of such accounts.

**Marketing and Support Payments**

The Advisor, out of its own resources and without additional cost to the Funds or its shareholders, may provide cash payments or other compensation to certain financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. These payments are in addition to other fees described in the Funds' Prospectus and this SAI, and are generally provided for shareholder services or marketing support. Payments for marketing support are typically for inclusion of a Fund on sales lists, including electronic sales platforms. Investors may wish to take these payments into account when considering and evaluating recommendations to purchase shares of the Funds.

**Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage**

Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor determines which securities are to be purchased and sold by each Fund and which broker-dealers are eligible to execute each Fund's portfolio transactions. The purchases and sales of securities in the over-the-counter market will generally be executed by using a broker for the transaction.

Purchases of portfolio securities for a Fund also may be made directly from issuers or from underwriters. Where possible, purchase and sale transactions will be effected through dealers (including banks) that specialize in the types of securities which a Fund will be holding unless better executions are available elsewhere. Dealers and underwriters usually act as principals for their own accounts. Purchases from underwriters will include a concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter and purchases from dealers will include the spread between the bid and the asked price. If the execution and price offered by more than one dealer or underwriter are comparable, the order may be allocated to a dealer or underwriter that has provided research or other services as discussed below.

In placing portfolio transactions, the Advisor will use reasonable efforts to choose broker-dealers capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable price and execution available. The full range and quality of services available will be considered in making these determinations, such as the size of the order, the difficulty of execution, the operational facilities of the broker-dealer involved, the risk in positioning the block of securities, and other factors. In those instances where it is reasonably determined that more than one broker-dealer can offer the services needed to obtain the most favorable price and execution available, consideration may be given to those broker-dealers which furnish or supply research and statistical information to the Advisor that they may lawfully and appropriately use in their investment advisory capacities, as well as provide other services in addition to execution services. The Advisor considers such information, which is in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by it under its Advisory Agreement with the Funds, to be useful in varying degrees, but of indeterminable value.

While it is each Fund's general policy to seek to obtain the most favorable price and execution available in selecting a broker-dealer to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, weight is also given to the ability of a broker-dealer to furnish brokerage and research services as defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, to the Fund or to the Advisor, even if the specific services are not directly useful to the Funds and may be useful to the Advisor in advising other clients. In negotiating commissions with a broker or evaluating the spread to be paid to a dealer, a Fund may therefore pay a higher commission or spread than would be the case if no weight were given to the furnishing of these supplemental services, provided that the amount of such commission or spread has been determined in good faith by the Advisor to be reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer. The standard of reasonableness is to be measured in light of the Advisor's overall responsibilities to each Fund.

Investment decisions for each Fund are made independently from those of other client accounts that may be managed or advised by the Advisor. Nevertheless, it is possible that at times, identical securities will be acceptable for both a Fund and one or more of such client accounts. In such event, the position of the Fund and such client accounts in the same issuer may vary and the holding period may likewise vary. However, to the extent any of these client accounts seek to acquire the same security as a Fund at the same time, the Fund may not be able to acquire as large a position in such security as it desires, or it may have to pay a higher price or obtain a lower yield for such security. Similarly, a Fund may not be able to obtain as high a price for, or as large an execution of, an order to sell any particular security at the same time as the Advisor's other client accounts.

The Funds do not effect securities transactions through brokers in accordance with any formula, nor do they effect securities transactions through brokers for selling shares of the Funds. However, broker-dealers who execute brokerage transactions may effect purchase of shares of the Funds for their customers. The brokers may also supply the Fund with research, statistical and other services.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| | **Broker**<br>**Commissions**<br>|
| **For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022** | |
| AXS Dynamic Opportunity Predecessor Fund | **$283281** |
| AXS Tactical Income Predecessor Fund | **$239026** |
| **For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021** |  |
| AXS Dynamic Opportunity Predecessor Fund | $423432 |
| AXS Tactical Income Predecessor Fund | $240145 |
| **For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020** |  |
| AXS Dynamic Opportunity Predecessor Fund | $410522 |
| AXS Tactical Income Predecessor Fund | $129717 |

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**Holdings of Securities of the Funds' Regular Brokers and Dealers**

From time to time, a Fund may acquire and hold securities issued by its "regular brokers or dealers" or the parents of those brokers or dealers. "Regular brokers or dealers" (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of a Fund are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year, (i) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Fund's portfolio transactions, (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of the portfolio transactions of the Fund, or (iii) sold the largest dollar amounts of the Fund's shares. Any securities of any "regular brokers or dealers" held by the Fund during a fiscal year will be disclosed by the Fund after the end of such fiscal year. The Predecessor Funds did not hold any securities of its "regular brokers or dealers" during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.

**Portfolio Turnover**

Although the Funds generally will not invest for short-term trading purposes, portfolio securities may be sold without regard to the length of time they have been held when, in the opinion of the Advisor, as applicable, investment considerations warrant such action. Portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing (1) the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by (2) the monthly average of the value of portfolio securities owned during the fiscal year. A 100% turnover rate would occur if all the securities in a Fund's portfolio, with the exception of securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less, were sold and either repurchased or replaced within one year. A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) generally leads to higher transaction costs and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions. To the extent net short-term capital gains are realized, any distributions resulting from such gains will generally be taxed at ordinary income tax rates for federal income tax purposes.

Each Predecessor Fund's portfolio turnover rate was as follows:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Fiscal Year Ended** | **Fiscal Year Ended** |
| | **December 31, 2021** | **December 31, 2022** |
| AXS Dynamic Opportunity Predecessor Fund | 330% | 742% |
| AXS Tactical Income Predecessor Fund | 555% | 894% |

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The increase in portfolio turnover rates for the AXS Dynamic Opportunity Predecessor Fund and AXS Tactical Income Predecessor Fund was due to adverse market conditions and increased volatility in 2022.

**Proxy Voting Policy**

The Board has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the "Trust Policies") on behalf of the Trust, which delegates the responsibility for voting each Fund's proxies to the Advisor, as applicable, subject to the Board's continuing oversight. The Trust Policies require that the Advisor vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Fund. The Trust Policies also require the Advisor to present to the Board, at least annually, the Advisor's 's Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures ("Advisor's Policies") and a record of each proxy voted by the Advisor on behalf of each Fund, including a report on the resolution of all proxies identified by the Advisor as involving a conflict of interest. See Appendix B for the Advisor's Proxy Policies and Procedures and the Trust Policies. The Trust Policies and Advisor's Policies are intended to serve as guidelines and to further the economic value of each security held by the Funds. The Trust's CCO will review the policies annually. Each proxy will be considered individually, taking into account the relevant circumstances at the time of each vote. Aspect and Chesapeake do not currently engage in, nor does it anticipate engaging in, the purchase or sale of voting securities and therefore currently does not receive, nor vote, proxies nor does it anticipate receiving or voting proxies.

If a proxy proposal raises a material conflict between the Advisor's interests and a Fund's interests, the Advisor will resolve the conflict by following the policy guidelines or the recommendation of an independent third party.

Each Fund is required to annually file Form N-PX, which lists the Fund's complete proxy voting record for the 12-month period ended June 30 of each year. Once filed, the Fund's proxy voting record will be available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free 1-833-AXS-ALTS (1-833-297-2587) and on the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov.

**Anti-Money Laundering Program**

The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the "Program") as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 ("USA PATRIOT Act"). In order to ensure compliance with this law, the Program provides for the development and implementation of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that the Funds' Distributor and Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity, checking shareholder names against designated government lists, including Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC"), and a complete and thorough review of all new opening account applications. The Trust will not transact business with any person or entity whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.

**Portfolio Holdings Information**

The Funds have adopted policies and procedures regarding disclosure of portfolio holdings information (the "Disclosure Policy"). The Board of Trustees determined that the adoption of the Disclosure Policy, including the disclosure permitted therein, was in the best interests of the Funds. The Disclosure Policy applies to the Funds, Advisor, and other internal parties involved in the administration, operation or custody of the Funds, including, but not limited to UMBFS, MFAC, the Board of Trustees, counsel to the Trust and Independent Trustees, Morgan Lewis, and the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm, Tait Weller, and ICE Data Services, each of which assists each Fund with classifying its holdings pursuant to its liquidity risk management program (collectively, the "Service Providers"). Pursuant to the Disclosure Policy, non-public information concerning a Fund's portfolio holdings may be disclosed to its Service Providers only if such disclosure is consistent with the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws and the fiduciary duties owed by the Fund and the Advisor to the Fund's shareholders. The Funds and their Service Providers may not receive compensation or any other consideration (which includes any agreement to maintain assets in a Fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the Advisor, or any or their affiliated persons) in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information of the Funds. The Funds' Policy is implemented and overseen by the CCO of the Trust, subject to the oversight of the Board of Trustees. Periodic reports regarding these procedures will be provided to the Trust's Board.

Portfolio holdings information will be deemed public when it has been (1) posted to the Funds' public website (www.axsinvestments.com) or (2) disclosed in periodic regulatory filings on the SEC's website (www.sec.gov). Management of the Funds may make publicly available its portfolio holdings on the Fund's public website no earlier than five days after the date of such information (e.g., information as of January 31 may be made available no earlier than February 5).

***Non-Public Portfolio Holdings Information Policy***. All portfolio holdings information that has not been disseminated in a manner making it available to investors generally as described above is considered non-public portfolio holdings information for the purposes of the Disclosure Policy. Pursuant to the Disclosure Policy, the Funds or their Service Providers may disclose non-public portfolio holdings information to certain third parties who fall within pre-authorized categories on a daily basis, with no lag time unless otherwise specified below. These third parties include: (i) the Funds' Service Providers and others who need access to such information in the performance of their contractual or other duties and responsibilities to the Funds (e.g., custodians, accountants, the Advisor, administrators, attorneys, officers and Trustees) and who are subject to duties of confidentiality imposed by law or contract, (ii) brokers who execute trades for the Funds, (iii) evaluation service providers (as described below) and (iv) shareholders receiving in-kind redemptions (as described below).

***Evaluation Service Providers***. These third parties include mutual fund evaluation services, such as Morningstar, Inc. and Lipper, Inc. if the Funds have a legitimate business purpose for disclosing the information, provided that the third party expressly agrees to maintain the non-public portfolio holdings information in confidence and not to trade portfolio securities based on the non-public portfolio holdings information. Subject to the terms and conditions of any agreement between the Funds or their authorized service providers and the third party, if these conditions for disclosure are satisfied, there shall be no restriction on the frequency with which the Funds' non-public portfolio holdings information is released, and no lag period shall apply. In addition, persons who owe a duty of trust or confidence to the Funds or their Service Providers (such as legal counsel) may receive non-public portfolio holdings information without entering into a non-disclosure agreement.

***Shareholder In-Kind Distributions***. A Fund may, in certain circumstances, pay redemption proceeds to a shareholder by an in-kind distribution of portfolio securities (instead of cash). In such circumstances, pursuant to the Disclosure Policy, Fund shareholders may receive a complete listing of the portfolio holdings of the Fund up to seven (7) calendar days prior to making the redemption request provided that they represent orally or in writing that they agree to maintain the confidentiality of the portfolio holdings information and not to trade portfolio securities based on the non-public holdings information.

***Other Entities***. Pursuant to the Disclosure Policy, the Funds or the Advisor may disclose non-public portfolio holdings information to a third party who does not fall within the pre-approved categories, and who are not executing broker-dealers; however, prior to the receipt of any non-public portfolio holdings information by such third party, the recipient must have entered into a non-disclosure agreement and the disclosure arrangement must have been approved by the CCO of the Trust. The CCO will report to the Board of Trustees on a quarterly basis regarding any recipients of non-public portfolio holdings information approved pursuant to this paragraph. There are no other ongoing arrangements as of the date of this SAI.

The Advisor and its affiliates may provide investment advice to clients other than the Fund that have investment objectives that may be substantially similar to those of the Fund. These clients also may have portfolios consisting of holdings substantially similar to those of the Fund and generally have access to current portfolio holdings information for their accounts. These clients do not owe the Advisor or the Fund a duty of confidentiality with respect to disclosure of their portfolio holdings.

***Current Arrangements Regarding Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings*** As of the date of this SAI, the Trust or the Funds have on-going business arrangements with the following entities which involve making portfolio holdings information available to such entities as an incidental part of the services they provide to the Trust: (i) AXS Investments, LLC, the Advisor, MFAC and UMBFS (the Co-Administrators) and UMB Bank, N.A. (the Custodian), pursuant to investment management, administration and custody agreements, respectively, under which the Funds' portfolio holdings information is provided daily on a real-time basis(i.e., with no time lag); (ii) Tait Weller (independent registered public accounting firm), Morgan Lewis (attorneys), and AlphaDesk (order management and portfolio management) to which the Funds provide portfolio holdings information on a regular basis with varying lag times after the date of the information, under which the Fund's portfolio holdings information is provided daily with no time lag; (iii) Practical Computer Application, to which MFAC provides the Trust's portfolio holdings information on a daily basis for programming and database hosting services in connection with MFAC's administrative services to the Trust; (iv) Donnelley Financial Solutions, to which the Trust provides portfolio holdings information on a monthly basis in connection with the filings of Form N-PORT; (v) Modern Capital; (vi) FilePoint to which MFAC provides the Fund's portfolio holdings on a monthly basis in connection with filings of Form N-PORT; (vii) ICE Data Services, which assists each Fund with classifying its holdings pursuant to its liquidity risk management program and the Fund's portfolio holdings information is provided monthly on a one- to ten-day time lag; and (viii) Morningstar, Inc., Lipper Inc., Refinitiv, Thomson Financial, Vickers Stock Research Corporation, and Bloomberg L.P., to which the Funds' portfolio holdings information is provided quarterly after the end of the previous fiscal quarter, with a 60-day time lag and no earlier than the date such information is filed on the SEC's EDGAR system on Form N-PORT (for the first and third fiscal quarters) or the Annual or Semi-Annual Report is mailed to shareholders (for the second and fourth fiscal quarters), as applicable; and (ix) Gainskeeper, Inc. and its affiliates, pursuant to an administrative agency agreement under which the Trust provides the Funds' portfolio tax lot holdings and transaction level data information on a daily basis.

**Determination of Net Asset Value**

The NAVs of each Fund's shares will fluctuate and are determined as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the normal close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") on each day the NYSE is open for trading. The NAVs may be calculated earlier if permitted by the SEC. The NYSE annually announces the days on which it will not be open for trading. The most recent announcement indicates that the NYSE will not be open for the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. However, the NYSE may close on days not included in that announcement.

The NAV of each class of each Fund is computed by dividing (a) the difference between the value of the Fund's securities, cash and other assets and the amount of the Fund's expenses and liabilities attributable to the class by (b) the number of shares outstanding in that class (assets – liabilities / # of shares = NAV). Each NAV takes into account all of the expenses and fees of that class of a Fund, including management fees and administration fees, which are accrued daily.

<u>Net Assets</u> = NAV <br> Shares Outstanding

Generally, a Fund's investments are valued at market value or, in the absence of a market value, at fair value as determined in good faith by the Advisor pursuant to procedures approved by or under the direction of the Board. Pursuant to those procedures, the Board has designated the Advisor as each Fund's valuation designee (the "Valuation Designee") responsible for determining whether market quotations are readily available and reliable, and making good faith determinations of fair value when appropriate. The Valuation Designee carries out its responsibilities with respect to fair value determinations through its Valuation Committee. As the Valuation Designee, the Advisor is responsible for the establishment and application, in a consistent manner, of appropriate methodologies for determining the fair value of investments, periodically reviewing the selected methodologies used for continuing appropriateness and accuracy, and making any changes or adjustments to the methodologies as appropriate. The Valuation Designee is also responsible for the identification, periodic assessment, and management of material risks, including material conflicts of interest, associated with fair value determinations, taking into account the Fund's investments, significant changes in the Fund's investment strategies or policies, market events, and other relevant factors. The Valuation Designee is subject to the general oversight of the Board.

A Fund's securities which are traded on securities exchanges are valued at the last sale price on the exchange on which such securities are traded, as of the close of business on the day the securities are being valued or, lacking any reported sales, at the mean between the last available bid and ask prices.

Pricing services generally value debt securities assuming orderly transactions of an institutional round lot size, but such securities may be held or transactions may be conducted in such securities in smaller, odd lot sizes. Odd lots often trade at lower prices than institutional round lots.

Securities that are traded on more than one exchange are valued on the exchange determined by the Advisor to be the primary market. Securities primarily traded in the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation ("NASDAQ"), National Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price ("NOCP"). If the NOCP is not available, such securities shall be valued at the last sale price on the day of valuation, or if there has not been any sale on such day, at the mean between the bid and ask prices. OTC securities which are not traded in the NASDAQ National Market System shall be valued at the most recent trade price.

Stocks that are "thinly traded" or events occurring when a foreign market is closed but the NYSE is open (for example, the value of a security held by the Fund has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded) may create a situation where a market quote would not be readily available. When a market quote is not readily available, the security's value is based on "fair value" as determined by the Advisor's procedures, which have been approved by the Board. The Advisor will periodically test the appropriateness and accuracy of the fair value methodologies that have been selected for the Fund. The Fund may hold portfolio securities, such as those traded on foreign securities exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund's shares are not priced. Therefore, the value of a Fund's shares may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem shares.

Short-term debt obligations with remaining maturities in excess of 60 days are valued at current market prices, as discussed above. Short-term securities with 60 days or less remaining to maturity are, unless conditions indicate otherwise, are amortized to maturity based on their cost to a Fund if acquired within 60 days of maturity or, if already held by the Fund on the 60<sup>th</sup> day, based on the value determined on the 61<sup>st</sup> day.

All other assets of the Funds are valued in such manner as the Advisor, in good faith, deems appropriate to reflect as their fair value.

**Purchase and Redemption of Fund Shares**

Detailed information on the purchase and redemption of shares is included in the Funds' Prospectus. Shares of each Fund are sold at the next offering price calculated after receipt of an order for purchase. In order to purchase shares of a Fund, you must invest the initial minimum investment for the relevant class of shares. However, each Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to waive the minimum initial investment amount for certain investors, or to waive or reduce the minimum initial investment for 401(k) plans or other tax-deferred retirement plans. You may purchase shares on any day that the NYSE is open for business by placing orders with the Fund.

Each Fund reserves the right to refuse any purchase requests, particularly those that would not be in the best interests of the Fund or its shareholders and could adversely affect the Fund or its operations. This includes those from any individual or group who, in the Fund's view, is likely to engage in or has a history of excessive trading (usually defined as more than four round-trip transactions out of the Fund within a calendar year). Furthermore, the Trust may suspend the right to redeem its shares or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for more than seven calendar days (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend or holiday closings) or trading on the NYSE is restricted; (ii) for any period during which an emergency exists affecting the sale by a Fund of securities or making such sale or the fair determination of the value of the Fund's net assets not reasonably practicable; or (iii) for such other periods as the SEC may permit for the protection of the Fund's shareholders. In addition, if shares are purchased using a check and a redemption is requested before the check has cleared, the Fund may postpone payment of your redemption proceeds up to 15 days while the Fund waits for the check to clear.

**Redemptions In-Kind**

The Trust has filed an election under SEC Rule 18f-1 committing to pay in cash all redemptions by a shareholder of record up to amounts specified by the rule (the lesser of (i) $250,000 or (ii) 1% of each Fund's assets). Each Fund has reserved the right to pay the redemption price of its shares in excess of the amounts specified by the rule, either totally or partially, by a distribution in-kind of portfolio securities (instead of cash). The securities so distributed would be valued at the same amounts as those assigned to them in calculating the NAV for the Fund shares being redeemed. If a shareholder receives a distribution in-kind, the shareholder could incur brokerage or other charges in converting the securities to cash.

No Fund intends to hold any significant percentage of its portfolio in illiquid securities, although each Fund, like virtually all mutual funds, may from time to time hold a small percentage of securities that are illiquid. In the unlikely event a Fund were to elect to make an in-kind redemption, each Fund expects that it would follow the normal protocol of making such distribution by way of a pro rata distribution based on its entire portfolio. If the Fund held illiquid securities, such distribution may contain a pro rata portion of such illiquid securities or the Fund may determine, based on a materiality assessment, not to include illiquid securities in the in-kind redemption. No Fund anticipates that it would ever selectively distribute a greater than pro rata portion of any illiquid securities to satisfy a redemption request. If such securities are included in the distribution, shareholders may not be able to liquidate such securities and may be required to hold such securities indefinitely. Shareholders' ability to liquidate such securities distributed in-kind may be restricted by resale limitations or substantial restrictions on transfer imposed by the issuers of the securities or by law. Shareholders may only be able to liquidate such securities distributed in-kind at a substantial discount from their value, and there may be higher brokerage costs associated with any subsequent disposition of these securities by the recipient.

**Federal Income Tax Matters**

The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal (and, where noted, state and local) income tax considerations affecting each Fund and its shareholders. The discussion is very general. Current and prospective shareholders are therefore urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in a Fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.

Each Fund is treated as a separate entity from other series of the Trust for federal income tax purposes. Each Fund has elected to be, and intends to qualify each year for treatment as, a "regulated investment company" under Subchapter M of the Code by complying with all applicable requirements of the Code, including, among other things, requirements as to the sources of the Fund's income, diversification of the Fund's assets and timing of Fund distributions. To so qualify, a Fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and net income derived from interests in "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (i.e., partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive 90% of their income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditionally permitted mutual fund income) (collectively, "qualifying income"); (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund's taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund's assets is represented by cash, securities of other regulated investment companies, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the Fund's assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested, including through corporations in which the Fund owns a 20% or more voting stock interest, in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, in the securities (other than the securities of other regulated investment companies) of any two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or in the securities of one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships"; and (c) distribute an amount equal to the sum of at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to the dividends-paid deduction) and 90% of its net tax-exempt income, if any, for the tax year (including, for purposes of satisfying this distribution requirement, certain distributions made by the Fund after the close of its taxable year that are treated as made during such taxable year).

As a regulated investment company, a Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its taxable investment income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders provided that it satisfies a minimum distribution requirement. In order to also avoid liability for a non-deductible federal excise tax, a Fund must distribute (or be deemed to have distributed) by December 31 of each calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for such year, (ii) 98.2% of the excess of its realized capital gains over its realized capital losses for the 12-month period generally ending on October 31 during such year and (iii) any amounts from the prior calendar year that were not distributed and on which the Fund paid no federal income tax. A Fund will be subject to income tax at the applicable corporate tax rate on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its shareholders. Each Fund's policy is to distribute to its shareholders all investment company taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and any net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) for each fiscal year in a manner that complies with the distribution requirements of the Code, so that the Fund will not be subject to any federal income or excise taxes.

If, for any taxable year, a Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company or were to fail to meet certain minimum distribution requirements under the Code, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. In addition, in the event of a failure to qualify, a Fund's distributions, to the extent derived from the Fund's current or accumulated earnings and profits, including any distributions of net capital gain, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividend income for federal income tax purposes. However, such dividends would be eligible, subject to any generally applicable limitations, (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals and (ii) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. Moreover, if a Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company in any year, it would be required to pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a regulated investment company. Under certain circumstances, a Fund may be able to cure a failure to qualify as a regulated investment company, but in order to do so the Fund might incur significant Fund-level taxes and might be forced to dispose of certain assets. If a Fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the Fund would generally be required to recognize any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year.

Shareholders generally will be subject to federal income taxes on distributions made by a Fund whether paid in cash or additional shares. Distributions of net investment income (including interest, dividend income and net short-term capital gain in excess of any net long-term capital loss, less certain expenses), other than qualified dividend income, will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions of qualified dividend income, generally will be taxed to non-corporate shareholders at the federal income tax rates applicable to net capital gain, provided the Fund reports the amount distributed as qualified dividend income.

In general, dividends may be reported by a Fund as qualified dividend income if they are attributable to qualified dividend income received by the Fund. Qualified dividend income generally means dividend income received from a Fund's investments in common and preferred stock of U.S. companies and stock of certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding period and other requirements are met by both the Fund and its shareholders. If 95% or more of a Fund's gross income (calculated without taking into account net capital gain derived from sales or other dispositions of stock or securities) consists of qualified dividend income, the Fund may report all distributions of such income as qualified dividend income.

A foreign corporation is treated as a qualified foreign corporation for this purpose if it is incorporated in a possession of the United States or it is eligible for the benefits of certain income tax treaties with the United States and meets certain additional requirements. Certain foreign corporations that are not otherwise qualified foreign corporations will be treated as qualified foreign corporations with respect to dividends paid by them if the stock with respect to which the dividends are paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States. Passive foreign investment companies are not qualified foreign corporations for this purpose. Dividends received by a Fund from REITs generally do not qualify for treatment as qualified dividend income.

Dividends paid by a Fund may qualify in part for the dividends-received deduction available to corporate shareholders, provided the Fund reports the amount distributed as a qualifying dividend and certain holding period and other requirements under the Code are satisfied. The reported amount, however, cannot exceed the aggregate amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund for its taxable year. Eligibility for qualified dividend income treatment and the dividends-received deduction may be reduced or eliminated if, among other things, (i) the shareholder is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property or (ii) certain holding period requirements are not satisfied at both the Fund and shareholder levels. In addition, qualified dividend income treatment is not available if a shareholder elects to have the dividend income treated as investment income for purposes of the limitation on deductibility of investment interest.

If a Fund receives a dividend (other than a capital gain dividend) in respect of any share of REIT stock with a tax holding period of at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend, then Fund dividends attributable to that REIT dividend income (as reduced by certain Fund expenses) may be reported by the Fund as eligible for the 20% deduction for "qualified REIT dividends" generally available to noncorporate shareholders under the Code. In order to qualify for this deduction, noncorporate shareholders must meet minimum holding period requirements with respect to their Fund shares.

Under Section 163(j) of the Code, a taxpayer's business interest expense is generally deductible to the extent of the taxpayer's business interest income plus certain other amounts. If the Fund earns business interest income, it may report a portion of its dividends as "Section 163(j) interest dividends," which its shareholders may be able to treat as business interest income for purposes of Section 163(j) of the Code. The Fund's "Section 163(j) interest dividend" for a tax year will be limited to the excess of its business interest income over the sum of its business interest expense and other deductions properly allocable to its business interest income. In general, the Fund's shareholders may treat a distribution reported as a Section 163(j) interest dividend as interest income only to the extent the distribution exceeds the sum of the portions of the distribution reported as other types of tax-favored income. To be eligible to treat a Section 163(j) interest dividend as interest income, a shareholder may need to meet certain holding period requirements in respect of the Fund shares and must not have hedged its position in the Fund shares in certain ways.

Distributions of net capital gain, if any, that a Fund reports as capital gain dividends will be taxable to non-corporate shareholders as long-term capital gain without regard to how long a shareholder has held shares of the Fund. A Fund may retain certain amounts of capital gains and designate them as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who (i) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amounts so designated, (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the income tax paid by the Fund on those undistributed amounts against their federal income tax liabilities and to claim refunds to the extent such credits exceed their liabilities and (iii) will be entitled to increase their federal income tax basis in their shares by an amount equal to the excess of the amounts of undistributed net capital gain included in their respective income over their respective income tax credits.

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund is permitted to carry forward indefinitely a net capital loss from any taxable year to offset its capital gains, if any, in years following the year of the loss. To the extent subsequent capital gains are offset by such losses, they will not result in U.S. federal income tax liability to the Fund and may not be distributed as capital gains to shareholders. Generally, the Fund may not carry forward any losses other than net capital losses. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may elect to treat certain losses as though they were incurred on the first day of the taxable year immediately following the taxable year in which they were actually incurred.

Distributions in excess of earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of the shareholder's basis in his or her Fund shares. A distribution treated as a return of capital will reduce the shareholder's basis in his or her shares, which will result in an increase in the amount of gain (or a decrease in the amount of loss) that will be recognized by the shareholder for tax purposes on a later sale of such shares. After the shareholder's basis is reduced to zero, any distributions in excess of earnings and profits will be treated as a capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as capital assets.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax generally applies to all or a portion of the net investment income of a shareholder who is an individual and not a nonresident alien for federal income tax purposes and who has adjusted gross income (subject to certain adjustments) that exceeds a threshold amount ($250,000 if married filing jointly or if considered a "surviving spouse" for federal income tax purposes, $125,000 if married filing separately, and $200,000 in other cases). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts. For these purposes, interest, dividends and certain capital gains (among other categories of income) are generally taken into account in computing a shareholder's net investment income.

Certain tax-exempt educational institutions are subject to a 1.4% tax on net investment income. For these purposes, certain dividends and capital gain distributions, and certain gains from the disposition of Fund shares (among other categories of income), are generally taken into account in computing a shareholder's net investment income.

Distributions are generally taxable when received. However, distributions declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record on a date in such a month and paid the following January are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received on December 31 of the calendar year in which declared. In addition, certain distributions made after the close of a taxable year of a Fund may be "spilled back" and treated for certain purposes as paid by the Fund during such taxable year. In such case, shareholders generally will be treated as having received such dividends in the taxable year in which the distributions were actually made. For purposes of calculating the amount of a regulated investment company's undistributed income and gain subject to the 4% excise tax described above, such "spilled back" dividends are treated as paid by the regulated investment company when they are actually paid.

A redemption of Fund shares may result in recognition of a taxable gain or loss. The gain or loss will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for more than one year, and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for one year or less. Any loss realized upon a redemption or exchange of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions of long-term capital gains during such six-month period. Any loss realized upon a redemption may be disallowed under certain wash sale rules to the extent shares of the same Fund or substantially identical stock or securities are purchased (through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the redemption.

If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to a Fund's shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the shareholder must file with the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases exempted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not exempted. The fact that a loss is so reportable does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper.

A Fund's transactions in options and other similar transactions, such as futures, may be subject to special provisions of the Code that, among other things, affect the character of any income realized by the Fund from such investments, accelerate recognition of income to the Fund, defer Fund losses, affect the holding period of the Fund's securities, affect whether distributions will be eligible for the dividends-received deduction or be treated as qualified dividend income and affect the determination of whether capital gain and loss is characterized as long-term or short-term capital gain or loss. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions may also require a Fund to "mark-to-market" certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out), which may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements for avoiding U.S. federal income and excise taxes. The Funds will monitor these transactions and will make the appropriate entries in its books and records, and if a Fund deems it advisable, will make appropriate elections if available in order to mitigate the effect of these rules, prevent disqualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company and minimize the imposition of U.S. federal income and excise taxes.

The Funds' transactions in broad based equity index futures contracts, exchange-traded options on such indices and certain other futures contracts are generally considered "Section 1256 contracts" for federal income tax purposes. Any unrealized gains or losses on such Section 1256 contracts are treated as though they were realized at the end of each taxable year. The resulting gain or loss is treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Gain or loss recognized on actual sales of Section 1256 contracts is treated in the same manner. As noted above, distributions of net short-term capital gain are generally taxable to shareholders as ordinary income while distributions of net long-term capital gain are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long the shareholder has held shares of the Fund.

A Fund's entry into a short sale transaction, an option or certain other contracts, such as futures, could be treated as the constructive sale of an appreciated financial position, causing the Fund to realize gain, but not loss, on the position.

If a Fund invests in certain pay-in-kind securities, zero coupon securities, deferred interest securities or, in general, any other securities with original issue discount (or with market discount if the Fund elects to include market discount in income currently), the Fund must accrue income on such investments for each taxable year, which generally will be prior to the receipt of the corresponding cash payments. However, the Fund must distribute, at least annually, all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid), including such accrued income to shareholders to avoid federal income and excise taxes. Therefore, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities (potentially under disadvantageous circumstances) to generate cash, or may have to undertake leverage by borrowing cash, to satisfy these distribution requirements. Dispositions of portfolio securities may result in additional gains and additional distribution requirements.

If a Fund invests in a market discount bond, it will be required to treat any gain recognized on the disposition of such market discount bond as ordinary income (instead of capital gain) to the extent of the accrued market discount, unless the Fund elects to include the market discount in income as it accrues as discussed above. A market discount bond is a security acquired in the secondary market at a price below its redemption value (or its adjusted issue price if it is also an original issue discount bond).

The Funds may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries, including taxes on interest, dividends and capital gains with respect to its investments in those countries, which would, if imposed, reduce the yield on or return from those investments. Tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. So long as the Fund qualifies for treatment as a regulated investment company and incurs "qualified foreign taxes," if more than 50% of its net assets at the close of its taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations, which for this purpose may include obligations of foreign governmental issuers, the Fund may elect to "pass through" to its shareholders the amount of such foreign taxes paid. If this election is made, information with respect to the amount of the foreign income taxes that are allocated to the Fund's shareholders will be provided to them and any shareholder subject to tax on dividends will be required (i) to include in ordinary gross income (in addition to the amount of the taxable dividends actually received) his/her proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid that are attributable to such dividends; and (ii) either to deduct his/her proportionate share of such foreign taxes in computing his/her taxable income or to claim that amount as a foreign tax credit (subject to applicable limitations) against U.S. income taxes.

Shareholders who do not itemize deductions for U.S. federal income tax purposes will not be able to deduct their pro rata portion of qualified foreign taxes paid by the Fund, although such shareholders will be required to include their shares of such taxes in gross income if the Fund makes the election described above. Qualified foreign taxes generally include taxes that would be treated as income taxes under U.S. tax regulations but do not include most other taxes, such as stamp taxes, securities transaction taxes, and similar taxes. No deduction for such taxes will be permitted to individuals in computing their alternative minimum tax liability.

If a Fund makes the election to pass through qualified foreign taxes and a shareholder chooses to take a credit for the foreign taxes deemed paid by such shareholder, the amount of the credit that may be claimed in any year may not exceed the same proportion of the U.S. tax against which such credit is taken that the shareholder's taxable income from foreign sources (but not in excess of the shareholder's entire taxable income) bears to his entire taxable income. For this purpose, long-term and short-term capital gains the Fund realizes and distributes to shareholders will generally not be treated as income from foreign sources in their hands, nor will distributions of certain foreign currency gains subject to Section 988 of the Code or of any other income realized by the Fund that is deemed, under the Code, to be U.S.-source income in the hands of the Fund. This foreign tax credit limitation may also be applied separately to certain specific categories of foreign-source income and the related foreign taxes. As a result of these rules, which may have different effects depending upon each shareholder's particular tax situation, certain shareholders may not be able to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Shareholders who are not liable for U.S. federal income taxes, including tax-exempt shareholders, will ordinarily not benefit from this election. If the Fund does make the election, it will provide required tax information to shareholders. The Fund generally may deduct any foreign taxes that are not passed through to its shareholders in computing its income available for distribution to shareholders to satisfy applicable tax distribution requirements. Under certain circumstances, if the Fund receives a refund of foreign taxes paid in respect of a prior year, the value of the Fund's shares could be affected, or any foreign tax credits or deductions passed through to shareholders in respect of the Fund's foreign taxes for the current year could be reduced.

Foreign exchange gains or losses realized by a Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt securities, certain options and futures contracts relating to foreign currency, foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currencies, or payables or receivables denominated in a foreign currency are subject to Section 988 of the Code, which generally causes such gains or losses to be treated as ordinary gain or loss and may affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to shareholders.

A Fund may purchase the securities of certain foreign entities treated as passive foreign investment companies for federal income tax purposes ("PFIC"). PFICs may be the only or primary means by which the Fund may invest in some countries. If a Fund invests in equity securities of PFICs, it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any "excess distribution" or gain from the disposition of such securities even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend to shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the Fund with respect to deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains. Capital gains on the sale of such holdings will be deemed to be ordinary income regardless of how long such PFICs are held. A "qualified electing fund" election or a "mark to market" election may generally be available that would ameliorate these adverse tax consequences, but such elections could require a Fund to recognize taxable income or gain (subject to the distribution requirements applicable to regulated investment companies, as described above) without the concurrent receipt of cash. In order to satisfy the distribution requirements and avoid a tax on a Fund, the Fund may be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss to the Fund. In order for a Fund to make a qualified electing fund election with respect to a PFIC, the PFIC would have to agree to provide certain tax information to the Fund on an annual basis, which it might not agree to do. A Fund may limit and/or manage its holdings in PFICs to limit its tax liability or maximize its return from these investments. The Fund may limit and/or manage its holdings in PFICs to limit its tax liability or maximize its return from these investments.

If a sufficient percentage of the equity interests in a foreign issuer that is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes are held by the Fund, independently or together with certain other U.S. persons, that issuer may be treated as a "controlled foreign corporation" (a "CFC") with respect to the Fund, in which case the Fund will be required to take into account each year, as ordinary income, its share of certain portions of that issuer's income, whether or not such amounts are distributed. The Fund may have to dispose of its portfolio securities (potentially resulting in the recognition of taxable gain or loss, and potentially under disadvantageous circumstances) to generate cash, or may have to borrow the cash, to meet its distribution requirements and avoid Fund-level taxes. In addition, some Fund gains on the disposition of interests in such an issuer may be treated as ordinary income. The Fund may limit and/or manage its holdings in issuers that could be treated as CFCs in order to limit its tax liability or maximize its after-tax return from these investments.

In addition, if the Fund owned 10% or more of the voting power of a foreign entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes for the last tax year of the foreign entity beginning before January 1, 2018, the Fund may have been required to include in its income its share of certain deferred foreign income of that foreign entity. Under those circumstances, the Fund may have been able to make an election to pay tax liability in respect of its share of any such income over eight years. It is possible that these deferred payments could affect the value of shares, even though all or some of the Fund's shareholders at the time of any deferred payment may have derived no economic benefit from the foreign entity's deferred income.

Depreciation or other cost recovery deductions passed through to the Fund from investments in MLPs in a given year will generally reduce the Fund's taxable income, but those deductions may be recaptured in the Fund's income in one or more subsequent years. When recognized and distributed, recapture income will generally be taxable to shareholders of the Fund at the time of the distribution at ordinary income tax rates, even though those shareholders might not have held shares in the Fund at the time the deductions were taken by the Fund, and even though those shareholders will not have corresponding economic gain on their shares at the time of the recapture. In order to distribute recapture income or to fund redemption requests, the Fund may need to liquidate investments, which may lead to additional recapture income.

Noncorporate taxpayers are generally eligible for a deduction of up to 20% of "qualified publicly traded partnership income." The Fund will not be able to claim such a deduction in respect of income allocated to it by any MLPs or other publicly traded partnerships in which it invests, and absent any additional guidance, the law does not allow noncorporate shareholders to be able to claim a deduction in respect of Fund dividends attributable to any such income.

Non-U.S. persons are subject to U.S. tax on disposition of a "United States real property interest" (a "USRPI"). Gain on such a disposition is sometimes referred to as "FIRPTA gain." The Code provides a look-through rule for distributions of "FIRPTA gain" if certain requirements are met. If the look-through rule applies, certain distributions attributable to income received by a Fund, e.g., from REITs, may be treated as gain from the disposition of a USRPI, causing distributions to be subject to U.S. withholding tax at rates of up to 21%, and require non-U.S. shareholders to file nonresident U.S. income tax returns.

The Funds are required to withhold (as "backup withholding") a portion of reportable payments, including dividends, capital gain distributions and the proceeds of redemptions and exchanges or repurchases of Fund shares, paid to shareholders who have not complied with certain IRS regulations. The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. In order to avoid this withholding requirement, shareholders, other than certain exempt entities, must certify on IRS Forms W-9 or on certain other documents, that the Social Security Numbers or other Taxpayer Identification Numbers they provide are their correct numbers and that they are not currently subject to backup withholding, or that they are exempt from backup withholding. The Fund may nevertheless be required to backup withhold if it receives notice from the IRS or a broker that a number provided is incorrect or that backup withholding is applicable as a result of previous underreporting of interest or dividend income.

Ordinary dividends and certain other payments made by a Fund to non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate (or a lower rate as may be determined in accordance with any applicable treaty). In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or similar form certifying its entitlement to benefits under a treaty. The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a non-U.S. shareholder who provides an IRS Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder's conduct of a trade or business within the United States. Instead, the effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S. shareholder were a U.S. shareholder. A non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to additional "branch profits tax" imposed at a rate of 30% (or a lower treaty rate).

The 30% withholding tax described in the preceding paragraph generally will not apply to distributions of net capital gain, to redemption proceeds, or to dividends that a Fund reports as (a) interest-related dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the Fund's "qualified net interest income," or (b) short-term capital gain dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the Fund's "qualified short-term gain." "Qualified net interest income" is the Fund's net income derived from U.S.-source interest and original issue discount, subject to certain exceptions and limitations. "Qualified short-term gain" generally means the excess of the net short-term capital gain of the Fund for the taxable year over its net long-term capital loss, if any. In order to qualify for an exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will need to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form). Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that are subject to this 30% withholding tax.

Unless certain non-U.S. entities that hold Fund shares comply with IRS requirements that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to the Fund's dividends payable to such entities. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the United States and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.

This discussion and the related discussion in the Prospectus have been prepared by management of the Funds, and counsel to the Trust has expressed no opinion in respect thereof.

Shareholders and prospective shareholders of the Fund should consult their own tax advisors concerning the effect of owning shares of a Fund in light of their particular tax situations.

**Dividends and Distributions**

Each Fund will receive income in the form of dividends and interest earned on its investments in securities. This income, less the expenses incurred in its operations, is the Fund's net investment income, substantially all of which will be declared as dividends to the Fund's shareholders.

The amount of income dividend payments by a Fund is dependent upon the amount of net investment income received by the Fund from its portfolio holdings, is not guaranteed and is subject to the discretion of the Board. The Funds do not pay "interest" or guarantee any fixed rate of return on an investment in its shares.

The Funds also may derive capital gains or losses in connection with sales or other dispositions of its portfolio securities. Any net gain a Fund may realize from transactions involving investments held for less than the period required for long-term capital gain or loss recognition or otherwise producing short-term capital gains and losses (taking into account any available carryover of capital losses), although a distribution from capital gains, will be distributed to shareholders with and as a part of the income dividends paid by the Fund and will generally be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. If during any year a Fund realizes a net gain on transactions involving investments held for more than the period required for long-term capital gain or loss recognition or otherwise producing long-term capital gains and losses, the Fund will have a net long-term capital gain. After deduction of the amount of any net short-term capital loss, the balance (to the extent not offset by any capital losses available to be carried over) generally will be distributed and treated as long-term capital gains in the hands of the shareholders regardless of the length of time the Fund's shares may have been held by the shareholders. For more information concerning applicable capital gains tax rates, see your tax advisor.

Any dividend or distribution paid by a Fund reduces the Fund's NAV on the date paid by the amount of the dividend or distribution per share. Accordingly, a dividend or distribution paid shortly after a purchase of shares by a shareholder will generally be taxable, even if it effectively represents a partial return of the shareholder's capital.

Dividends and other distributions will be made in the form of additional shares of a Fund unless the shareholder has otherwise indicated. Investors have the right to change their elections with respect to the reinvestment of dividends and distributions by notifying the Transfer Agent in writing, but any such change will be effective only as to dividends and other distributions for which the record date is seven or more business days after the Transfer Agent has received the written request.

A Fund's investments in partnerships, if any, including in qualified publicly traded partnerships, may result in that Fund being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.

**General Information**

Investment Managers Series Trust II is an open-end management investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware on August 20, 2013. The Trust has a number of outstanding series of shares of beneficial interest, each of which represents interests in a separate portfolio of securities.

The Trust's Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to create additional series of shares, to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest of each series, including the Fund, and to divide or combine the shares of any series into a greater or lesser number of shares without thereby changing the proportionate beneficial interest in the series. The assets belonging to a series are charged with the liabilities in respect of that series and all expenses, costs, charges and reserves attributable to that series only. Therefore, any creditor of any series may look only to the assets belonging to that series to satisfy the creditor's debt. Any general liabilities, expenses, costs, charges or reserves of the Trust which are not readily identifiable as pertaining to any particular series are allocated and charged by the Trustees to and among the existing series in the sole discretion of the Trustees. Each share of the Fund represents an interest in the Fund proportionately equal to the interest of each other share. Upon the Fund's liquidation, all shareholders would share pro rata in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to shareholders.

The Trust may offer more than one class of shares of any series. Each share of a series or class represents an equal proportionate interest in that series or class with each other share of that series or class.

The shares of each series or class participate equally in the earnings, dividends and assets of the particular series or class. Expenses of the Trust which are not attributable to a specific series or class are allocated among all the series in a manner believed by management of the Trust to be fair and equitable. Shares issued do not have pre-emptive or conversion rights. Shares when issued are fully paid and non-assessable, except as set forth below. Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each share held. Shares of each series or class generally vote together, except when required under federal securities laws to vote separately on matters that only affect a particular series or class, such as the approval of distribution plans for a particular class.

The Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders but will hold special meetings of shareholders of a series or class when, in the judgment of the Board, it is necessary or desirable to submit matters for a shareholder vote. Shareholders have, under certain circumstances, the right to communicate with other shareholders in connection with requesting a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of removing one or more trustees. Shareholders also have, in certain circumstances, the right to remove one or more trustees without a meeting. No material amendment may be made to the Trust's Declaration of Trust without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each portfolio affected by the amendment.

The Trust's Declaration of Trust provides that, at any meeting of shareholders of the Trust or of any series or class, a shareholder servicing agent may vote any shares as to which such shareholder servicing agent is the agent of record for shareholders who are not represented in person or by proxy at the meeting, proportionately in accordance with the votes cast by holders of all shares of that portfolio otherwise represented at the meeting in person or by proxy as to which such shareholder servicing agent is the agent of record. Any shares so voted by a shareholder servicing agent will be deemed represented at the meeting for purposes of quorum requirements. Any series or class may be terminated (i) upon the merger or consolidation with, or the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of its assets to, another entity, if approved by the vote of the holders of two-thirds of its outstanding shares, except that if the Board recommends such merger, consolidation or sale or disposition of assets, the approval by vote of the holders of a majority of the series' or class' outstanding shares will be sufficient, or (ii) by the vote of the holders of a majority of its outstanding shares, or (iii) by the Board by written notice to the series' or class' shareholders. Unless each series and class is so terminated, the Trust will continue indefinitely.

Shareholders may send communications to the Board. Shareholders should send communications intended for the Board by addressing the communications to the Board, in care of the Secretary of the Trust and sending the communication to 2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226, Glendora, California 91740. A shareholder communication must (i) be in writing and be signed by the shareholder, (ii) provide contact information for the shareholder, (iii) identify the Fund to which it relates, and (iv) identify the class and number of shares held by the shareholder. The Secretary of the Trust may, in good faith, determine that a shareholder communication should not be provided to the Board because it does not reasonably relate to the Trust or its operations, management, activities, policies, service providers, Board, officers, shareholders or other matters relating to an investment in the Fund or is otherwise immaterial in nature. Other shareholder communications received by the Funds not directly addressed and sent to the Board will be reviewed and generally responded to by management, and will be forwarded to the Board only at management's discretion based on the matters contained therein.

The Declaration of Trust provides that no Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be subject to any personal liability in connection with the assets or affairs of the Trust or any of its series except for losses in connection with his or her willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties. The Trust has also entered into an indemnification agreement with each Trustee which provides that the Trust shall advance expenses and indemnify and hold harmless the Trustee in certain circumstances against any expenses incurred by the Trustee in any proceeding arising out of or in connection with the Trustee's service to the Trust, to the maximum extent permitted by the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act, and which provides for certain procedures in connection with such advancement of expenses and indemnification.

The Trust's Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall maintain appropriate insurance (for example, fidelity bonding and errors and omissions insurance) for the protection of the Trust, its shareholders, trustees, officers, employees and agents covering possible tort and other liabilities.

The Declaration of Trust does not require the issuance of stock certificates. If stock certificates are issued, they must be returned by the registered owners prior to the transfer or redemption of shares represented by such certificates.

Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that as to any investment company which has two or more series outstanding and as to any matter required to be submitted to shareholder vote, such matter is not deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a "majority" (as defined in the rule) of the voting securities of each series affected by the matter. Such separate voting requirements do not apply to the election of Trustees or the ratification of the selection of accountants. The Rule contains special provisions for cases in which an advisory contract is approved by one or more, but not all, series. A change in investment policy may go into effect as to one or more series whose holders so approve the change even though the required vote is not obtained as to the holders of other affected series.

The Trust, and the Advisor have adopted Codes of Ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics permit, subject to certain conditions, personnel of each of those entities to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by each Fund.

**Financial Statements**

The Trust's independent registered public accounting firm, Tait Weller, audits and reports on the Fund's annual financial statements. The financial statements include the "Schedule of Investments", "Statement of Assets and Liabilities", "Statement of Operations", "Statements of Changes in Net Assets", "Financial Highlights" and "Notes to Financial Statements". The Funds have adopted the financial statements of the Predecessor Funds. Those financial statements were audited by the Predecessor Funds' registered public accounting firm.

**Appendix A**<br> **Description of Securities Ratings**

**Corporate Bonds (Including Convertible Bonds)** 

**Moody's** 

**Aaa** Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.

**Aa** Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A** Obligations rated A are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa** Obligations rated Baa are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba** Obligations rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B** Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

**Caa** Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca** Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery.

**C** Obligations rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

**Note** Moody's applies numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 in each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**S&P** 

**AAA** An obligation rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA** An obligation rated AA differs from the highest-rated obligations only in small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

**A** An obligation rated A is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

**BBB** An obligation rated BBB exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

**Note** Obligations rated BB, B, CCC, CC, and C are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

**BB** An obligation rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions, which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

**B** An obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

**CCC** An obligation rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

**CC** An obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

**C** The C rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action has been taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued.

**D** An obligation rated D is in payment default. The D rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

**Note** Plus (+) or minus (-). The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories. The "r" symbol is attached to the ratings of instruments with significant noncredit risks. It highlights risks to principal or volatility of expected returns, which are not addressed in the credit rating. Examples include: obligations linked or indexed to equities, currencies, or commodities; obligations exposed to severe prepayment risk-such as interest-only or principal-only mortgage securities; and obligations with unusually risky interest terms, such as inverse floaters.

**Preferred Stock** 

**Moody's** 

**Aaa** An issue that is rated "Aaa" is considered to be a top-quality preferred stock. This rating indicates good asset protection and the least risk of dividend impairment within the universe of preferred stocks.

**Aa** An issue that is rated "Aa" is considered a high-grade preferred stock. This rating indicates that there is a reasonable assurance the earnings and asset protection will remain relatively well maintained in the foreseeable future.

**A** An issue that is rated "A" is considered to be an upper-medium grade preferred stock. While risks are judged to be somewhat greater than in the "Aaa" and "Aa" classification, earnings and asset protection are, nevertheless, expected to be maintained at adequate levels.

**Baa** An issue that is rated "Baa" is considered to be a medium-grade preferred stock, neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Earnings and asset protection appear adequate at present but may be questionable over any great length of time.

**Ba** An issue that is rated "Ba" is considered to have speculative elements and its future cannot be considered well assured. Earnings and asset protection may be very moderate and not well safeguarded during adverse periods. Uncertainty of position characterizes preferred stocks in this class.

**B** An issue that is rated "B" generally lacks the characteristics of a desirable investment. Assurance of dividend payments and maintenance of other terms of the issue over any long period of time may be small.

**Caa** An issue that is rated "Caa" is likely to be in arrears on dividend payments. This rating designation does not purport to indicate the future status of payments.

**Ca** An issue that is rated "Ca" is speculative in a high degree and is likely to be in arrears on dividends with little likelihood of eventual payments.

**C** This is the lowest rated class of preferred or preference stock. Issues so rated can thus be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing.

**Note** Moody's applies numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 in each rating classification: the modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking and the modifier 3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its generic rating category.

**S&P** 

**AAA** This is the highest rating that may be assigned by Standard & Poor's to a preferred stock issue and indicates an extremely strong capacity to pay the preferred stock obligations.

**AA** A preferred stock issue rated AA also qualifies as a high-quality, fixed-income security. The capacity to pay preferred stock obligations is very strong, although not as overwhelming as for issues rated AAA.

**A** An issue rated A is backed by a sound capacity to pay the preferred stock obligations, although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions.

**BBB** An issue rated BBB is regarded as backed by an adequate capacity to pay the preferred stock obligations. Whereas it normally exhibits adequate protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to make payments for a preferred stock in this category than for issues in the A category.

**BB, B, CCC** Preferred stock rated BB, B, and CCC is regarded, on balance, as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's capacity to pay preferred stock obligations. BB indicates the lowest degree of speculation and CCC the highest. While such issues will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions.

**CC** The rating CC is reserved for a preferred stock issue that is in arrears on dividends or sinking fund payments, but that is currently paying.

**C** A preferred stock rated C is a nonpaying issue.

**D** A preferred stock rated D is a nonpaying issue with the issuer in default on debt instruments.

**N.R.** This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor's does not rate a particular type of obligation as a matter of policy.

**Note** Plus (+) or minus (-). To provide more detailed indications of preferred stock quality, ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

**Short Term Ratings** 

**Moody's** 

Moody's employs the following three designations, all judged to be investment grade, to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

**Prime-1** Issuers rated Prime-1 (or supporting institutions) have a superior ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. Prime-1 repayment ability will often be evidenced by many of the following characteristics:

[ ] Leading market positions in well-established industries.

[ ] High rates of return on funds employed.

[ ] Conservative capitalization structure with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection.

[ ] Broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation.

[ ] Well-established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.

**Prime-2** Issuers rated Prime-2 (or supporting institutions) have a strong ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. This will normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, may be more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.

**Prime-3** Issuers rated Prime-3 (or supporting institutions) have an acceptable ability for repayment of senior short-term obligations. The effect of industry characteristics and market compositions may be more pronounced. Variability in earnings and profitability may result in changes in the level of debt protection measurements and may require relatively high financial leverage. Adequate alternate liquidity is maintained.

**Not Prime** Issuers rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**S&P** 

**A-1** A short-term obligation rated A-1 is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

**A-2** A short-term obligation rated A-2 is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3** A short-term obligation rated A-3 exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

**B** A short-term obligation rated B is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties, which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

**C** A short-term obligation rated C is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

**D** A short-term obligation rated D is in payment default. The D rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

**APPENDIX B**<br> **PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES**

**INVESTMENT MANAGERS SERIES TRUST II** 

**PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES**

Investment Managers Series Trust II (the "Trust") is registered as an open-end investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). The Trust offers multiple series (each, a "Fund" and, collectively, the "Funds"). Consistent with its fiduciary duties and pursuant to Rule 30b1-4 under the 1940 Act (the "Proxy Rule"), the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Board") has adopted this proxy voting policy on behalf of the Trust (the "Policy") to reflect its commitment to ensure that proxies are voted in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Funds' shareholders.

**<u>Delegation of Proxy Voting Authority to Fund Advisors</u>**

The Board believes that the investment advisor of each Fund (each, an "Advisor" and, collectively, the "Advisors"), as the entity that selects the individual securities that comprise its Fund's portfolio, is the most knowledgeable and best-suited to make decisions on how to vote proxies of portfolio companies held by that Fund. The Trust will therefore defer to, and rely on, the Advisor of each Fund to make decisions on how to cast proxy votes on behalf of such Fund. An Advisor may delegate this responsibility to a Fund's Sub-Advisor.

The Trust hereby designates the Advisor of each Fund as the entity responsible for exercising proxy voting authority with regard to securities held in the Fund's investment portfolio. Consistent with its duties under this Policy, each Advisor shall monitor and review corporate transactions of corporations in which the Fund has invested, obtain all information sufficient to allow an informed vote on all proxy solicitations, ensure that all proxy votes are cast in a timely fashion, and maintain all records required to be maintained by the Fund under the Proxy Rule and the 1940 Act. Each Advisor will perform these duties in accordance with the Advisor's proxy voting policy, a copy of which will be presented to the Board for its review. Each Advisor will promptly provide to the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") updates to its proxy voting policy as they are adopted and implemented, and the Trust's CCO will then report such updates to the Board.

**<u>Availability of Proxy Voting Policy and Records Available to Fund Shareholders</u>**

If a Fund or an Advisor has a website, a copy of the Advisor's proxy voting policy and this Policy may be posted on such website. A copy of such policies and of each Fund's proxy voting record shall also be made available, without charge, upon request of any shareholder of the Fund, by calling the applicable Fund's toll-free telephone number as printed in the Fund's prospectus. The Trust's transfer agent will notify the Advisor of any such request of proxy voting procedures. The Advisor shall reply to any Fund shareholder request within three (3) business days of receipt of the request, by first-class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery.

Each Advisor will provide a complete annual voting record, as required by the Proxy Rule, for each series of the Trust for which it acts as advisor, to the Trust's co-administrator no later than July 31<sup>st</sup> of each year. The Trust's co-administrator, MFAC, will file a report based on such record on Form N-PX on an annual basis with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than August 31<sup>st</sup> of each year.

Each Advisor is responsible for providing its current proxy voting policies and procedures and any subsequent amendments to the Trust's CCO. SEC Form N-PX is filed with respect to each Fund by MFAC (acting as filing agent), by no later than August 31<sup>st</sup> of each year. Each such filing details all proxies voted on behalf of the Fund for the prior twelve months ended June 30<sup>th</sup>. In connection with each filing on behalf of the Fund, the Advisor's CCO must sign and return to MFAC no later than July 30<sup>th</sup> a Form N-PX Certification stating that the advisor has adopted proxy voting policies and procedures in compliance with the SEC's Proxy Voting Rule.

**AXS INVESTMENTS LLC**

**PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A. <u>PURPOSE AND GENERAL STATEMENT</u> 

The purpose of these proxy voting policies and procedures (the "Policy") is to set forth the principles and procedures by which AXS votes with respect to securities held in Fund portfolios for which AXS exercises voting authority (generally where AXS has not delegated proxy voting discretion to a Fund's subadviser). For purposes of this Policy, a "Vote" includes any proxy and any shareholder vote or consent for any security held by a client account for which AXS exercises voting authority.

This Policy been designed to help ensure that Votes are voted in the best interests of the applicable Fund in accordance with AXS's fiduciary duties and Rule 206(4)-6 under the Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;B. <u>POLICY</u> 

Votes must be cast in the best interests of each Fund. AXS's guiding principle in this regard is that it is generally in the best interest of the client to cast Votes in a manner designed to maximize the economic value of the Fund's holdings, taking into account the Fund's investment goals and objectives (as set forth in its current registration statement) and all other relevant circumstances at the time of the vote. AXS does not permit voting decisions to be influenced in any manner that is contrary to this principle. AXS recognizes that, in rare instances, the interest of one Fund with respect to a Vote may conflict with the interests of AXS or another Fund. Any conflicts of interest relating to the casting of Votes, regardless of whether actual or perceived, will be addressed in accordance with this Policy.

It is AXS's general policy to vote or give consent on all matters presented to shareholders in any Vote, and these policies and procedures have been designed with this in mind. However, AXS reserves the right to abstain from any particular Vote or otherwise withhold its Vote or consent on any matter if, in the judgement of AXS's CCO or the relevant AXS investment professional, the costs associated with voting such Vote outweigh the benefits to the applicable Fund, or if the circumstances make such an abstention or withholding otherwise advisable and in the best interests of the Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;C. <u>GUIDELINES</u> 

The voting guidelines below summarize AXS's general positions on various common issues, and provides a general indication of how Fund portfolio securities for which AXS has voting discretion will be voted on proposals dealing with particular issues.

These voting guidelines are just that – guidelines. The guidelines are not exhaustive and do not address all potential voting issues. Because the circumstances of individual companies are so varied, there may be instances when AXS does not cast Fund Votes in strict adherence to these guidelines.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Management
 Proposals

The majority of matters presented to shareholders are proposals made by an issuer's management, which have usually been approved and recommended by the issuer's board of directors. For routine matters (which generally means that such matter will not measurably change the structure, management, control or operation of the company and are consistent with customary industry standards and practices), AXS will typically vote in accordance with the recommendation of the company's management; unless, in AXS's opinion, such recommendation is not in the best interests of the Fund.

Generally, in the absence of any unusual or non-routine circumstances, the AXS supports the following items:

[ ] Ratification of appointment of independent auditors;

[ ] General updating/corrective amendments to charter;

[ ] Increase in common share authorization for a stock split or share dividend;

[ ] Stock option plans that are incentive based and not excessive; and

[ ] Regular, uncontested elections of directors and payment of fees (unless such fees exceed market standards).

Non-routine matters may involve a variety of issues. Therefore, AXS will typically cast Votes on non-routine matters on a case-by-case basis, in each case casting Votes in a manner that AXS believes is in the best interests of the applicable client based on the considerations described above. The following will typically be considered "non-routine" matters requiring case-by-case analysis:

[ ] Directors' liability and indemnity proposals;

[ ] Executive compensation plans;

[ ] Contested elections of directors;

[ ] Mergers, acquisitions, and other restructurings submitted to a shareholder vote;

[ ] Anti-takeover and related provisions.

AXS will generally Vote against proposals to classify a board, absent special circumstances indicating that shareholder interests would be better served by this structure.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Shareholder
 Proposals

In general, AXS casts Votes in accordance with the recommendation of the company's board of directors on all shareholder proposals. However, AXS will support shareholder proposals that it believes are in the best interests of the Fund based on the considerations described above. In addition:

<u>Generally, shareholder proposals related to the following items are supported:</u>

[ ] Confidential voting;

[ ] Declassifying a board, absent special circumstances indicating that shareholder interests would be better served by a classified board structure;

[ ] Requiring director nominees to receive support from holders of a majority of votes cast or a majority of shares outstanding in order to be (re)elected.

[ ] Bylaw and charter amendments only with shareholder approval;

[ ] Eliminating supermajority vote requirements in the company's bylaws and charter documents; and

[ ] Requiring a majority of independent directors on a board.

<u>Generally, shareholder proposals related to the following items are not supported:</u>

[ ] Limitations on the tenure of directors;

[ ] Cumulative voting;

[ ] Restrictions related to social, political, or special interest issues that impact the ability of the company to do business or be competitive and that have a significant financial or vested interest impact; and

[ ] Reports that are costly to provide or expenditures that are of a non-business in nature or would provide no pertinent information from a shareholder perspective.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;D. <u>CONFLICTS OF INTEREST</u> 

Due to the nature of AXS's business and its ownership, AXS believes it is unlikely that conflicts of interest will arise when casting Votes. Each Fund's investment team, however, is responsible for monitoring Votes for any actual or perceived conflicts of interest. If at any time any Supervised Person becomes aware of any potential, actual, or perceived conflict of interest regarding any particular Vote(s) to be case, he or she is required to contact AXS's CCO immediately, who will review the Vote(s) in advance to ensure that AXS proposed Vote(s) is consistent with this Policy and AXS's duties to the applicable Fund.

If a conflict of interest is evident, the CCO will:

[ ] advise IMST II's Chief Compliance Officer (or other relevant IMST II officer) of the conflict in advance of casting the Vote;

[ ] use his or her best judgement to address the conflict and ensure that it is resolved in accordance with his or her independent assessment of the best interests of the Fund.

Where the CCO deems appropriate in his or her sole discretion, unaffiliated third parties (such as prosy voting services) may be used to help resolve conflicts. In this regard, the CCO shall have the power to retain independent fiduciaries, consultants, or professionals to assist with Voting decisions and/or to delegate voting or consent powers to such fiduciaries, consultants, or professionals.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;E. <u>VOTING PROCEDURES</u> 

All AXS personnel are responsible for promptly forwarding all proxy materials, consents or voting requests or notices, or materials related thereto, to the CCO and to the applicable investment professional(s) primarily responsible for managing the applicable Fund's portfolio. The CCO shall be responsible for ensuring that each Vote is voted in a timely manner and as otherwise required by the terms of such Vote.

All Voting decisions initially are to be referred to the appropriate investment professional for determination. In most cases, the most senior Portfolio Manager of the applicable Fund, or his or her designee, will make the decision as to the appropriate vote for any particular Vote.

The Portfolio Manager will inform the CCO of any such Voting decision, and if the CCO does not object to such decision as a result of his or her conflict of interest review, the Vote will be voted in such manner. If the Portfolio Manager and the CCO are unable to arrive at an agreement as to how to vote, then the CCO may consult with independent third-parties (including a proxy voting service) as to the appropriate vote.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;F. <u>RECORDKEEPING</u> 

In accordance with Rule 204-2 under the Act, AXS must retain (i) its proxy voting policies and procedures; (ii) proxy statements received regarding Fund/client securities; (iii) records of its votes on behalf of the Funds; (iv) records of Fund requests for proxy voting information; and (v) any documents prepared by AXS that were material to making a decision how to vote, or that memorialized the basis for the decision. AXS may rely on proxy statements filed on the SEC's EDGAR system (instead of keeping its own copies), and may rely on proxy statements and records of its votes cast that are maintained by a proxy voting service provider.

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