# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001537140
**File Stem:** 0001580642-25-006975
**Filing Date:** 2025-11
**Character Count:** 22092
**Document Hash:** c7e6910effdcd1b827b443d0ac29a66a
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001580642-25-006975.hdr.sgml**: 20251104

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001580642-25-006975

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 497K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 3

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20251104

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20251104

**EFFECTIVENESS DATE**: 20251104

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST III
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001537140

**ORGANIZATION NAME:**
- **EIN:** 000000000
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 497K
- **SEC ACT:** 1933 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 333-178833
- **FILM NUMBER:** 251447946

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 225 PICTORIA DRIVE
- **STREET 2:** SUITE 450
- **CITY:** CINCINNATI
- **STATE:** OH
- **ZIP:** 45246
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 631-470-2621

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 17605 WRIGHT STREET
- **CITY:** OMAHA
- **STATE:** NE
- **ZIP:** 68130

## Series and Classes Contracts Data

### Swan Defined Risk Fund (Series ID: S000037505)

| Class ID   | Class Name                            | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000115777 | Swan Defined Risk Fund Class A Shares | SDRAX           |
| C000115778 | Swan Defined Risk Fund Class C Shares | SDRCX           |
| C000115779 | Swan Defined Risk Fund Class I Shares | SDRIX           |

**Swan Defined Risk Fund**

Class A Shares SDRAX

Class C Shares SDRCX

Class I Shares SDRIX

**SUMMARY PROSPECTUS**

November 1, 2025

Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund's complete Prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund's Prospectus and other information about the Fund at swandefinedriskfunds.com/funddocuments/. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 1-877-896-2590, emailing OrderSwanFunds@ultimusfundsolutions.com or by asking any financial intermediary that offers shares of the Fund. The Fund's Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information dated November 1, 2025 are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus and may be obtained, free of charge, at the website or phone number noted above.

**Investment Objective:** The Fund seeks long term capital appreciation.

**Fees and Expenses of the Fund:** This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.** You may qualify for sales charge discounts on purchases of Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in **How to Purchase Shares** on page 21 of the Fund's Prospectus. In addition, descriptions of the sales load waivers and/or discounts for Class A shares with respect to certain financial intermediaries are reproduced in "Appendix A: Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Waivers and Discounts" to the Prospectus based on information provided by the financial intermediary.

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Shareholder Fees**<br> **(fees paid directly from your investment)** | **Class A** | **Class C** | **Class I** |
| Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases<br> (as a % of offering price) | 5.50% |  |  |
| Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)<br> (as a % of the original purchase price) |  |  |  |
| Redemption Fee<br> (as a % of amount redeemed, if sold within 30 days) |  |  |  |
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses**<br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses**<br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses**<br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses**<br> **(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)** |
| Management Fees | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% | 0.00% |
| Other Expenses | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% |
| Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses<sup>(1)</sup> | 0.05% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.50% | 2.25% | 1.25% |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) Acquired
Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").
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.

***Example:*** This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **<u>Class</u>** | **<u>1 Year</u>** | **<u>3 Years</u>** | **<u>5 Years</u>** | **<u>10 Years</u>** |
| A | &nbsp;&nbsp;$694 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$998 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$1323 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$2240 |
| C | &nbsp;&nbsp;$228 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$703 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$1204 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$2583 |
| I | &nbsp;&nbsp;$127 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$396 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$685 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$1510 |

---

***Portfolio Turnover:*** The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 12% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Principal Investment Strategies:** Using the sub-adviser's proprietary Defined Risk Strategy ("DRS") to select the Fund's investments, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing directly, or indirectly ETFs, in:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· equity securities that are represented
in the S&P 500 Index,

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· exchange-traded long-term put
options on the S&P 500 Index for hedging purposes, and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· buying and selling exchange-traded
put and call options on various equity indices to generate additional returns.

The DRS seeks to provide risk-managed growth of capital by matching or exceeding the long-term performance of the stock market while seeking to minimize the traditional losses incurred during bear markets. The Fund invests primarily in equity securities of large capitalization (over $10 billion) U.S. companies directly or through ETFs. The sub-adviser executes ETF trades through an exchange rather than trading directly with a fund.

The DRS philosophy is based upon the sub-adviser's research indicating that market timing and/or stock selection is extremely difficult, may produce volatile returns and that asset allocation is limited in its risk reduction properties. Using DRS, the sub-adviser seeks to "define risk" by seeking to protect against large losses by hedging equity ETFs through investments in protective long-term S&P 500 Index put options. Additionally, the sub-adviser seeks to increase returns by buying and selling call and put options on several indices using hedging strategies. A call option is a contract that entitles the purchaser to receive from the seller a cash payment equal to the amount of any appreciation in the value of the reference index over a fixed price as of the valuation date of the option. A put option is a contract that entitles the purchaser to receive from the seller a cash payment equal to the amount of any depreciation in the value of the reference index below a fixed price as of the valuation date of the option.

<u>Defined Risk Strategy</u>

The DRS was created in 1997 by Randy Swan, President of the adviser and sub-adviser. The objective of the DRS is to provide risk-managed growth of capital by offering a strategy that seeks to match or exceed the long-term performance of the stock market without the traditional losses incurred during bear markets. The DRS philosophy is based upon the sub-adviser's research indicating that market timing and/or stock selection is extremely difficult and that asset allocation is limited in its risk reduction properties.

<u>Hedging Process</u>

The sub-adviser applies a put hedging strategy to hedge the Fund's equity exposure. The Fund invests in long-term put options (referred to as paying a premium) that give the Fund the right to sell a security or index at a set (strike) price or sell the long-term put option on an option exchange. The put strategy is executed using exchange-traded S&P 500 Index put options to hedge the portfolio and to reduce volatility. The put strategy seeks to limit downside loss. Generally, S&P 500 Index put options have an inverse relationship to the S&P 500 Index and its sector-specific constituents.

<u>Option Writing</u> 

To generate additional returns, the sub-adviser buys and sells short-term (generally 1-3 month) (i) put and call options on equity indices, such as the S&P 500, Sector SDPR and Russell 2000, (ii) ETFs and (iii) futures on a regular basis. Additionally, the sub-adviser regularly engages in various spread option strategies. Spread option strategies involve, for example, selling a 1-month call option while buying a 2-month call option. Each option strategy includes a hedging element so that the Fund is not exposed to significant losses on written options. Long-term protective put options are typically traded annually to protect capital and/or allow for profit potential by re-establishing a current-market strike price which depends on whether or not the market has increased or decreased.

<u>Turnover</u>

The sub-adviser intends on having very little portfolio turnover since most of the ETF portfolio is held indefinitely. Written options are bought back when the sub-adviser believes they present an unfavorable risk and reward profile. Purchased options are sold when the sub-adviser believes they present an unfavorable risk and reward profile or when more attractive investments are available.

**Principal Investment Risks:** As with all mutual funds, there is a risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund. The Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program. Many factors affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV") and performance. The following risks may apply to the Fund's direct investments as well as the Fund's indirect investments through ETFs.

* *Derivatives Risk:* The 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.

* *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. The market value of ETF shares may differ from their NAV. This difference in price
may be due to the fact that the supply and demand in the market for fund shares at any point in time is not always identical to the supply
and demand in the market for the underlying basket of securities. Accordingly, there may be times when shares trade at a premium or discount
to NAV.

* *Index-Related Risk:* The
ETFs in which the Fund invests are subject to the risks associated with changes to the index the ETFs are designed to track.

* *Passive Investment Risk:* The
ETFs in which the Fund invests may be affected by a general decline in market segments related to the index the ETFs are designed to track.

* *Tracking Error Risk:* Investment
in the Fund should be made with the understanding that the passive ETFs in which the Fund invests will not be able to replicate exactly
the performance of the index they track because the total return generated by the securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred
in adjusting the actual balance of the securities. 

* *Large Capitalization Company 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.

* *Leverage Risk:* The use of leverage, such
as that embedded in options, could magnify the Fund's gains or losses.

* *Management Risk:* The sub-adviser's
dependence on its DRS process and judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular investments or ETFs
and options in which the Fund invests or writes may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results.

* *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, international conflicts, tariffs
and trade wars, 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. 

* *Option Risk:* Purchased put options may
expire worthless and may have imperfect correlation to the value of the Fund's sector-based investments. 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.

* *Sector Risk:* The Fund may be subject
to the risk that its assets are invested in a particular sector or group of sectors in the economy and as a result, the value of the Fund
may be adversely impacted by events or developments in a sector or group of sectors.

**Performance:** The bar chart and performance table below show the variability of the Fund's returns over time, which is some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows performance of the Fund's Class I shares for each of the last ten full calendar years. Although Class A and Class C shares have similar annual returns to Class I shares because the classes are invested in the same portfolio of securities, the returns for Class A and Class C shares are different from Class I shares because Class A and Class C shares have different expenses than Class I shares. The table illustrates how the Fund's average annual total returns over time compare with two domestic broad-based market indices. A blend of both broad-based indices is also provided as the Adviser believes it illustrates a closer representation of the Fund's portfolio composition. You should be aware that the Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) may not be an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting swandefinedriskfunds.com or by calling 1-877-896-2590.

On October 28, 2019, the Fund's investment objective changed. The performance prior to that date reflects the previous investment objective of the Fund.

**Class I Performance Bar Chart For Calendar Years Ended December 31**

![](image_002.jpg)

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Best Quarter: | 6/30/2020 | 10.27% |
| Worst Quarter: | 3/31/2020 | -12.99% |

---

The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended September 30, 2025, was 8.55%.

**Performance Table**

**Average Annual Total Returns** 

*(For periods ended December 31, 2024)* 

 

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **One <br> Year** | **Five<br> Years** | **Ten <br> Years** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Class I shares** |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Return before taxes | 11.47% | 6.17% | 4.59% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Return after taxes on distributions | 9.89% | 5.29% | 4.01% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares | 7.91% | 4.78% | 3.57% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Class A shares** | 5.06% | 4.73% | 3.75% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Return before taxes | 5.06% | 4.73% | 3.75% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Class C shares** | 10.36% | 5.13% | 3.56% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Return before taxes | 10.36% | 5.13% | 3.56% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **S&P 500 Total Return Index<sup>(1)</sup>**<br> (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 25.02% | 14.53% | 13.10% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index<sup>(2)</sup>**<br> (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.25% | (0.33)% | 1.35% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Swan Defined Risk Fund Blended Index<sup>(3)</sup>**<br> (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 15.04% | 8.67% | 8.52% |

---

(1) The S&P 500 Total Return Index
is an unmanaged free-float capitalization-weighted index which measures the performance of 500 large-cap common stocks actively traded
in the United States. Index returns assume reinvestment of dividends. Investors may not invest in the index directly. Unlike the Fund's
returns, the index does not reflect any fees or expenses.

(2) 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. Index returns assume reinvestment of dividends. Investors may not
invest in the index directly. Unlike the Fund's returns, the Index does not reflect any fees or expenses.

(3) The Swan Defined Risk Fund Blended
Index is a composite of 60% S&P 500 Total Return Index and 40% Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index.

After-tax returns were 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, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After tax returns for the share classes which are not presented will vary from the after-tax returns of Class I shares.

**Investment Adviser:** Swan Capital Management, LLC (the "Adviser")

**Sub-Adviser:** Swan Global Management, LLC (the "Sub-Adviser")

**Portfolio Managers:** Randy Swan, President of the Adviser and Sub-Adviser, has served the Fund as its Lead Portfolio Manager since it commenced operations in 2012. Robert Swan, Portfolio Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the Adviser and Sub-Adviser, has served the Fund as a Portfolio Manager since 2016. Chris Hausman, CMT, Managing Director of Risk and Portfolio Manager of the Sub-Adviser, has served the Fund as a Portfolio Manager since 2018. Each portfolio manager is jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares:** The investment minimums for the Fund are:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Initial Investment** | **Initial Investment** | **Subsequent Investment** | **Subsequent Investment** |
| <br>**Class** | **Regular Account** | **Retirement Account** | **Regular Account** | **Retirement Account** |
| A | $2500 | $1000 | $500 | $100 |
| C | $2500 | $1000 | $500 | $100 |
| I | $100000 | $100000 | $500 | $500 |

---

The Fund reserves the right to waive any minimum. You may purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on any day that the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") is open. Redemption requests may be made in writing, by telephone, or through a financial intermediary and will be paid by ACH, check or wire transfer.

**Tax Information:** Dividends and capital gain distributions you receive from the Fund, whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash, are taxable to you at either ordinary income or capital gains tax rates unless you are investing through a tax-deferred plan such as an IRA or 401(k) plan. However, these dividend and capital gain distributions may be taxable upon their eventual withdrawal from tax-deferred plans.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries:** If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.