# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0002022290
**File Stem:** 0001398344-26-003644
**Filing Date:** 2026-2
**Character Count:** 615466
**Document Hash:** 95daf4ce4e0e1b746d1d5745ac74923b
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001398344-26-003644.hdr.sgml**: 20260225

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001398344-26-003644

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 486BPOS

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 27

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20260225

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20260225

**EFFECTIVENESS DATE**: 20260228

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0002022290

**ORGANIZATION NAME:**
- **EIN:** 992838444
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 486BPOS
- **SEC ACT:** 1940 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 811-23964
- **FILM NUMBER:** 26677269

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 325 JOHN H MCCONNELL BLVD.
- **STREET 2:** SUITE 200
- **CITY:** COLUMBUS
- **STATE:** OH
- **ZIP:** 43215
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 614-255-3333

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 325 JOHN H MCCONNELL BLVD.
- **STREET 2:** SUITE 200
- **CITY:** COLUMBUS
- **STATE:** OH
- **ZIP:** 43215
**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0002022290

**ORGANIZATION NAME:**
- **EIN:** 992838444
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 486BPOS
- **SEC ACT:** 1933 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 333-279166
- **FILM NUMBER:** 26677268

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 325 JOHN H MCCONNELL BLVD.
- **STREET 2:** SUITE 200
- **CITY:** COLUMBUS
- **STATE:** OH
- **ZIP:** 43215
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 614-255-3333

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 325 JOHN H MCCONNELL BLVD.
- **STREET 2:** SUITE 200
- **CITY:** COLUMBUS
- **STATE:** OH
- **ZIP:** 43215

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'?

**As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 25, 2026**

**File Nos. 333-279166 an** **d 811-23964**

**SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION**

**Washington, D.C. 20549**

**FORM N-2**

**REGISTRATION STATEMENT**

***UNDER***

 ****

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| ***THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933*** | [X] |
| **Pre-Effective Amendment No.** | [ ] |
| **Post-Effective Amendment No. 2** | [X] |

---

**and/or**

**REGISTRATION STATEMENT**

***UNDER***

 ****

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| ***THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940*** | [X] |
| **Amendment No. 5** | [X] |
| **(Check appropriate box or boxes.)** |  |

---

**DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND**

**(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)**

**325 John H. McConnell Blvd., Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43215**

**(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)**

**Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (888) 226-5595**

**Jo Ann Quinif, Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund**

**325 John H. McConnell Blvd., Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43215**

**(Name and Address of Agent for Service)**

***With copy to:***

**Michael V. Wible, Esq.**

**Thompson Hine LLP**

**41 South High Street, Suite 1700**

**Columbus, Ohio 43215-6101**

**(614) 469-3200**

**Approximate Date of Commencement of Proposed Public Offering:** As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

[ ] Check box if the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans.

[X] Check box if any securities being registered on this Form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act"), other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan.

[ ] Check box if this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction A.2 or a post-effective amendment thereto.

[ ] Check box if this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction B or a post-effective amendment thereto that will become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act.

[ ] Check box if this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction B to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act.

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)

[ ] when declared effective pursuant to Section 8(c) of the Securities Act

*The following boxes should only be included and completed if the registrant is making this filing in accordance with Rule 486 under the Securities Act.*

[ ] immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

[X] on February 28, 2026 pursuant to paragraph (b)

[ ] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)

[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)

If appropriate, check the following box:

[ ] This [post-effective] amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed [post-effective amendment] [registration statement].

[ ] This Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, and the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is: <u>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</u>.

[ ] This Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, and the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is: <u>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</u>.

[ ] This Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, and the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is: <u>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</u>.

Check each box that appropriately characterizes the Registrant:

[X] Registered Closed-End Fund (closed-end company that is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("Investment Company Act")).

[ ] Business Development Company (closed-end company that intends or has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act).

[X] Interval Fund (Registered Closed-End Fund or a Business Development Company that makes periodic repurchase offers under Rule 23c-3 under the Investment Company Act).

[ ] A.2 Qualified (qualified to register securities pursuant to General Instruction A.2 of this Form).

[ ] Well-Known Seasoned Issuer (as defined by Rule 405 under the Securities Act).

[ ] Emerging Growth Company (as defined by Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act").

[ ] If an Emerging Growth Company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act.

[ ] New Registrant (registered or regulated under the Investment Company Act for less than 12 calendar months preceding this filing).

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Diamond Hill <br> Securitized Credit Fund** | ![](fp0095838-1_i.jpg) |
| Prospectus |  |

---

**February 28, 2026** 

**DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND** 

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Shares of Beneficial Interest** | **Shares of Beneficial Interest** | **Shares of Beneficial Interest** |
| | **Class A** | **Class I** | **Class R** |
| **Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund** | DSCAX | DHCIX | DSCRX |

---

The Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund (the "Fund") is a continuously-offered, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that is operated as an interval fund. The Fund has designated three classes of shares: Class A Shares, Class I Shares, and Class R Shares. Presently, only Class I and Class R Shares are offered.

**Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.** 

This Prospectus concisely provides the information that a prospective investor should know about the Fund before investing. Investors are advised to read this Prospectus carefully and to retain it for future reference. Additional information about the Fund, including a statement of additional information, dated February 28, 2026 (the "SAI"), has been filed with the SEC and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Prospectus. The SAI and the Fund's annual and semi-annual reports and other information filed with the SEC, can be obtained upon request and without charge by writing to the Fund at Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund, P.O. Box 46707, Cincinnati, OH 45246, by calling 888-226-5595 or by visiting the Fund's website at *<u>www.diamond-hill.com/documents</u>*. In addition, the contact information provided above may be used to request additional information about the Fund and to make Shareholder inquiries. The SAI, other material incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and other information about the Fund is also available on the SEC's website at *<u>http://www.sec.gov</u>*. The address of the SEC's website is provided solely for the information of prospective investors and is not intended to be an active link.

***Investment Objective.*** The Fund seeks to maximize total return.

***Securities Offered.*** The Fund engages in a continuous offering of shares of beneficial interest of the Fund ("Shares"). The Fund is authorized as a Delaware statutory trust to offer an unlimited number of Shares. Shares are not subject to sales charges. The Fund reserves the right to waive the investment minimum. Shares are being offered through Foreside Financial Services, LLC (the "Distributor") at an offering price equal to the Fund's then current net asset value ("NAV") per Share.

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Class A** | **Class I**<sup>(3)</sup> | **Class R**<sup>(4)</sup> |
| Public Offering Price | Current NAV | Current NAV | Current NAV |
| Sales Charge (Load)<sup>(1)</sup> |  |  |  |
| Proceeds to the Fund (Before Expenses)<sup>(2)</sup> | $ Amount <br> invested at <br> current NAV | $ Amount <br> invested at <br> current NAV | $ Amount <br> invested at <br> current NAV |
| Minimum Initial Investment | $2500 | $2500 | $50 Million |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;*(1)* *Shares are not subject to front-end sales charges, but the Fund may in the future impose sales charges. Class A Shares are subject to a distribution/service fee that will accrue at an annual rate equal to 0.50%. See "Summary of Fund Fees and Expenses," "Plan of Distribution" and "Share Repurchase Program."* 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;*(2)* *Assumes all Shares currently registered are sold in the continuous offering. Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. (the "Adviser") will bear certain ongoing offering costs associated with the Fund's continuous offering of Shares. The Fund's initial organizational and offering expenses (including pre-effective expenses) were $0, since all such expenses were paid by Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., as described under "Fund Expenses" below.* 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;*(3)* *Class I Shares are only available to clients of financial intermediaries with whom the Fund has a selling agreement to distribute Class I Shares, to personnel of the Adviser, and to certain others as may be determined by the Fund. The Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum investment for certain investors.* 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;*(4)* *Class R Shares are available only: (1) to clients of financial intermediaries with whom the Fund has a selling agreement to distribute Class R Shares, (2) to endowments, foundations, pension funds and other institutional investors, (3) to personnel of the Adviser, to Directors of Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc., to Trustees of the Fund, to Trustees of Diamond Hill Funds, or to their immediate family members, investing directly with the Fund, or (4) to certain others as may be determined by the Fund. The Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum investment for certain investors.* 

***Interval Fund.*** The Fund operates as an "interval fund" (defined below) pursuant to which it, subject to applicable law, will conduct quarterly repurchase offers of between 5% and 25% of its Shares at NAV. The Fund will not be required to repurchase Shares at the option of a holder of the Shares ("Shareholder") nor will Shares be exchangeable for units, interests or shares of any investment of the Fund. In connection with each repurchase offer, it is possible that the Fund may offer to repurchase only the minimum amount of 5% of its outstanding Shares. It is also possible that a repurchase offer may be oversubscribed, with the result that Shareholders may only be able to have a portion of their Shares repurchased. The Fund does not currently intend to list its Shares for trading on any national securities exchange. The Shares are, therefore, not readily marketable. Even though the Fund will make quarterly repurchase offers to repurchase a portion of the Shares to try to provide liquidity to Shareholders, investors should consider the Shares to be illiquid.

***Certain Risks.*** An investment in the Fund is subject to, among others, the following risks:

**●** **Shares are not listed on any securities exchange, which makes them inherently illiquid.** 

**●** **There is not expected to be any secondary trading market in the Shares.** 

**●** **Shares are not redeemable. An investment in the Fund may not be suitable for investors who may need the money they invest in a specified timeframe.** 

**●** **Although the Fund intends to provide liquidity through quarterly offers to repurchase a limited amount of Shares (of between 5% and 25%), the Fund will not be required to repurchase Shares at a Shareholder's option nor will Shares be exchangeable for units, interests, or shares of any security.** 

**●** **The Fund may invest an unlimited portion of its assets in securities that have speculative characteristics, e.g., lower-rated or unrated debt, which may be subject to default, valuation, and liquidity risk. See "Risk Factors" beginning on page [16](#risks_001) .** 

**●** **There is no assurance that monthly distributions paid by the Fund will be maintained at a certain level or that dividends will be paid at all.** 

**●** **The Fund's distributions may be funded from unlimited amounts of offering proceeds or borrowings, which may constitute a return of capital and reduce the amount of capital available to the Fund for investment. Any capital returned to Shareholders through distributions will be distributed after payment of fees and expenses.** 

**●** **A return of capital to Shareholder's is a return of a portion of their original investment in the Fund, thereby reducing the tax basis of their investment. As a result from such reduction in tax basis, Shareholders may be subject to tax in connection with the sale of Shares, even if such Shares are sold at a loss relative to the Shareholder's original investment.** 

**Investing in Shares involves a high degree of risk. See "Portfolio Composition" beginning on page [2](#portfoliocomp_002) of this Prospectus.** 

**The date of this Prospectus is February 28, 2026.** 

***Investment Adviser.*** The investment adviser to the Fund is Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"). The Adviser oversees the management of the Fund's activities and is responsible for making investment decisions for the Fund's portfolio.

The Fund received an exemptive order ("Multi-Class Exemptive Relief") from the SEC permitting it, among other things, to: (i) designate multiple classes of Shares; (ii) impose an early withdrawal fee on certain classes of Shares; and (iii) impose an asset-based sales charge and/or distribution/service fee on certain classes of Shares. Accordingly, the Fund could impose an early withdrawal fee, a front-end sales charge or, subject to Shareholder approval, a distribution/service fee on the Shares. Any additional charges applied to the Shares would only apply to Shares purchased after the additional charge is adopted and disclosed in the Prospectus.

**Shares are not deposits or obligations of, and are not guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank or other insured depository institution, and Shares are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, or any other government agency.** 

**Table of Contents**<br>

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| SUMMARY OF TERMS | [1](#pro_001) |
| SUMMARY OF FEES AND EXPENSES | [10](#pro_002) |
| FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS | [11](#pro_003) |
| THE FUND | [13](#pro_004) |
| USE OF PROCEEDS | [13](#pro_004) |
| INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES | [13](#pro_006) |
| RISK FACTORS | [16](#risks_001) |
| MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND | [21](#pro_008) |
| FUND EXPENSES | [23](#pro_009) |
| DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE | [23](#pro_010) |
| CONFLICTS OF INTEREST | [24](#pro_011) |
| QUARTERLY SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAM | [25](#pro_012) |
| DISTRIBUTION POLICY | [27](#pro_013) |
| DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT POLICY | [28](#pro_014) |
| U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX | [28](#pro_015) |
| DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE AND SHARES | [34](#pro_016) |
| ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS IN THE DECLARATION OF TRUST | [35](#pro_017) |
| PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION | [35](#pro_018) |
| REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS | [39](#pro_019) |
| HOUSEHOLDING | [39](#pro_020) |
| INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM | [39](#pro_021) |
| PRIVACY NOTICE | [40](#pro_022) |

---

![](fp0095838-1_1.jpg)

**SUMMARY OF TERMS** 

This is only a summary and does not contain all of the information that a prospective investor should consider before investing in the Fund. Before investing, a prospective investor in the Fund should carefully read the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus and incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and the SAI, particularly the information set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in this Prospectus.

**THE FUND** 

The Fund is a Delaware statutory trust that is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Company Act"), as a continuously-offered, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund is operated as an interval fund that will offer to make quarterly repurchases of its Shares at NAV. See "Quarterly Share Repurchase Program."

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE** 

The Fund seeks to maximize total return.

**INVESTMENT POLICIES AND STRATEGIES** 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in securitized bond investments. Securitized bond investments are also referred to as "structured product securities" or "structured products." Securitized bond investments include interests in pools of secured loans backed by commercial real estate, residential real estate, commercial or consumer loans, and securitizations such as agency and non-agency mortgage-backed securities ("MBS") (including commercial mortgage-backed securities ("CMBS"), residential mortgage-backed securities ("RMBS"), and collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs")), asset-backed securities ("ABS"), and other similar securities and related instruments. Shareholders will be given 60 days prior notice of any change in the Fund's policy to invest at least 80% of net assets in securitized bond investments.

Agency MBS are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, which include mortgage pass-through securities representing interests in pools of mortgage loans issued or guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"), the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"), the Student Loan Marketing Association ("Sallie Mae") or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac"). The Fund may also invest in other fixed income instruments, which include bonds, debt or credit securities and other similar instruments issued by various U.S. and non-U.S. public or private sector entities at the discretion of the Adviser.

The Adviser buys and sells securities based on a risk/reward analysis that includes an evaluation of credit risk, interest rate risk, prepayment risk, and the legal and technical structure of the security. The Adviser will attempt to take advantage of inefficiencies that it believes exist in the fixed income markets, such as the diversity of participants working with different objectives and repeated temporary supply-demand imbalances. The Adviser seeks to invest in securities that the Adviser expects to offer attractive prospects for income and/or capital appreciation in relation to the risk borne.

The Fund's investments may be issued by U.S. and non-U.S. issuers. There is no limit on the percentage of the Fund's assets that may be invested in the securities or loans of non-U.S. issuers or obligors, including, without limitation, securities of emerging markets issuers or obligors. However, the Fund anticipates that under normal circumstances, it will invest no more than 10% of its total assets in non-U.S. securities and U.S. securities of entities domiciled in non-U.S. countries. Fund investments may include private placement debt securities. The Fund may be the sole buyer of such securities designed for purchase by the Fund. There is no limit as to the percentage of the Fund's portfolio that may be invested in such securities and the securities purchased by the Fund may be, by definition, illiquid investments for which there is currently no secondary market.

The Fund's investments may be of any credit quality, including, without limitation, investments that are rated below investment grade (commonly referred to as "high yield" or "junk" instruments) or unrated but determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality, or that are distressed (*e.g.*, where a borrower is demonstrating adverse financial conditions and/or negative repayment trends but has not yet defaulted) or in default.

The Fund's portfolio will be deemed to be non-diversified under the Company Act, meaning it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a single or limited number of issuers than a diversified fund.

The Fund may invest in all money market instruments, U.S. Government obligations, commercial paper, repurchase agreements, and other cash or cash equivalent positions (collectively, "Cash Positions"). The Fund may invest in Cash. Positions at any time to maintain liquidity, pending selection of investments by the Adviser, or if the Adviser believes that sufficient investment opportunities that meet the Fund's investment criteria are not available.

**DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM**<sub>1</sub>

**PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION** 

The Fund's portfolio will consist primarily of:

**Asset-Backed Securities.** ABS consist of securities secured by company receivables, home equity loans, truck and auto loans, leases, or credit card receivables. ABS also include other securities backed by other types of receivables or other assets, including collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), which include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and other similarly structured securities. Such assets are generally securitized through the use of trusts or special purpose corporations. ABS are backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations often of a number of different parties. Certain of these securities may be illiquid.

**High Yield/High Risk Securities/Junk Bonds.** High yield, high risk bonds are securities that are generally rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies (BB+ or lower by S&P Global Ratings ("S&P") and Bal or lower by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's")) or unrated but determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Other terms used to describe such securities include "lower rated bonds," "non-investment grade bonds," "below investment grade bonds," and "junk bonds." These securities are considered to be high-risk investments.

**Inverse Floaters and Interest Rate Caps.** Inverse floaters are instruments whose interest rates bear an inverse relationship to the interest rate on another security or the value of an index. The market value of an inverse floater will vary inversely with changes in market interest rates and will be more volatile in response to interest rate changes than that of a fixed rate obligation. Interest rate caps are financial instruments under which payments occur if an interest rate index exceeds a certain predetermined interest rate level, known as the cap rate, which is tied to a specific index. These financial products will be more volatile in price than securities which do not include such a structure.

**Investment Company Securities.** The Fund may invest in securities issued by other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), open-end funds, and closed-end funds. The Fund does not intend to invest in affiliated investment companies.

**Mortgage-Related Securities** 

**Mortgages (Directly Held).** Mortgages are debt instruments secured by real property. Unlike MBS, which generally represent an interest in a pool of mortgages, direct investments in mortgages involve prepayment and credit risks of an individual issuer and real property.

**Mortgage-Backed Securities (CMOs and REMICs).** MBS include CMOs and real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs"). A REMIC is a CMO that qualifies for special tax treatment under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and invests in certain mortgages principally secured by interests in real property and other permitted investments.

MBS represent pools of mortgage loans assembled for sale to investors by:

● various governmental agencies such as Ginnie Mae;

● organizations such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; and

● non-governmental issuers such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, and private mortgage insurance companies (non-governmental mortgage securities cannot be treated as U.S. government securities for purposes of investment policies).

There are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government that issue mortgage-related securities and among the securities that they issue.

CMOs and guaranteed REMIC pass-through certificates ("REMIC Certificates") issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae and private issuers are types of multiple class pass-through securities. Investors may purchase beneficial interests in REMICs, which are known as "regular" interests or "residual" interests. The Fund does not currently intend to purchase residual interests in REMICs. The REMIC Certificates represent beneficial ownership interests in a REMIC Trust, generally consisting of mortgage loans or Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae guaranteed mortgage pass-through certificates (the "Mortgage Assets"). The obligations of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae under their respective guaranty of the REMIC Certificates are obligations solely of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae, respectively.

REMIC Certificates issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae are treated as U.S. Government securities for purposes of investment policies.

**Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities ("SMBS").** SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities issued outside the REMIC or CMO structure. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions from a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving all of the interest from the mortgage assets ("IOs"), while the other class will receive all of the principal ("POs"). Mortgage IOs receive monthly interest payments based upon a notional amount that declines over time as a result of the normal monthly amortization and unscheduled prepayments of principal on the associated mortgage POs.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **2** | **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** |

---

**Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loans ("ARMs").** ARMs eligible for inclusion in a mortgage pool will generally provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest rate for a specified period of time. Thereafter, the interest rates (the "Mortgage Interest Rates") may be subject to periodic adjustment based on changes in the applicable index rate (the "Index Rate"). The adjusted rate would be equal to the Index Rate plus a gross margin, which is a fixed percentage spread over the Index Rate established for each ARM at the time of its origination.

There are two main categories of indices which provide the basis for rate adjustments on ARMs: those based on U.S. Department of the Treasury ("U.S. Treasury") securities and those derived from a calculated measure such as a cost of funds index or a moving average of mortgage rates.

**Non-U.S. Investments.** The Fund may invest in certain obligations or securities of non-U.S. issuers and will be subject to risks not typically associated with U.S. securities. Non-U.S. investments, especially those of companies in emerging markets, can be riskier and more volatile than investments in the U.S. Adverse political and economic developments of changes in the value of non-U.S. currency can make it more difficult for the Fund to sell its securities and could reduce the value of Shareholders' Shares. Differences in tax and accounting standards and difficulties in obtaining information about non-U.S. companies can negatively affect investment decisions.

**Private Placements, Restricted Securities and Other Unregistered Securities.** The Fund may acquire investments that are illiquid or have limited liquidity, such as commercial obligations issued in reliance on the so-called "private placement" exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and cannot be offered for public sale in the U.S. without first being registered under the 1933 Act. An illiquid investment is any investment that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the normal course of business at approximately the amount at which it is valued by the Fund. The price the Fund pays for illiquid securities or receives upon resale may be lower than the price paid or received for similar securities with a more liquid market. Accordingly, the valuation of these securities will reflect any limitations on their liquidity.

**Short-Term Funding Agreements.** To enhance yield, the Fund may make limited investments in short-term funding agreements issued by banks and highly rated U.S. insurance companies. Short-term funding agreements issued by insurance companies are sometimes referred to as guaranteed investment contracts ("GICs"), while those issued by banks are referred to as bank investment contracts ("BICs"). Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund makes cash contributions to a deposit account at a bank or insurance company. The bank or insurance company then credits to the Fund on a monthly basis guaranteed interest at either a fixed, variable, or floating rate. These contracts are general obligations of the issuing bank or insurance company (although they may be the obligations of an insurance company separate account) and are paid from the general assets of the issuing entity.

The Fund will purchase short-term funding agreements only from banks and insurance companies which, at the time of purchase, are rated in one of the three highest rating categories by the primary rating agencies (BBB- or higher by the S&P and Baa3 or higher by Moody's) or unrated but determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality and have assets of $1 billion or more. Generally, there is no active secondary market in short-term funding agreements. Therefore, short-term funding agreements may be considered by the Fund to be illiquid investments.

**Structured Instruments.** A structured instrument is a security having a return tied to an underlying index or other security or asset class. Structured instruments generally are individually negotiated agreements and may be traded over-the-counter ("OTC"). Structured investments are organized and operated to restructure the investment characteristics of the underlying security.

Structured instruments that are registered under the federal securities laws may be treated as liquid. In addition, many structured instruments may not be registered under the federal securities laws. In that event, the Fund's ability to resell such a structured instrument may be more limited than its ability to resell other Fund securities.

**Credit Linked Securities and Notes ("CLNs").** CLNs are typically issued by a limited purpose trust or other vehicle (the "CLN trust") that, in turn, invests in a derivative or basket of derivatives instruments, such as credit default swaps, interest rate swaps, and/or other securities in order to provide exposure to certain high yield, sovereign debt, emerging markets, or other fixed income markets. Generally, investments in CLNs represent the right to receive periodic income payments (in the form of distributions) and payment of principal at the end of the term of the CLN. However, these payments are conditioned on the CLN trust's receipt of payments from, and the CLN trust's potential obligations, to the counterparties to the derivative instruments and other securities in which the CLN trust invests.

The Fund may enter into CLNs structured as "First-to-Default" CLNs. In a First-to-Default CLN, the CLN trust enters into a credit default swap on a portfolio of a specified number of individual securities pursuant to which the CLN trust sells protection to a counterparty.

The Fund may also enter in CLNs to gain access to sovereign debt and securities in emerging market particularly in markets where the Fund is not able to purchase securities directly due to domicile restrictions or tax restrictions or tariffs.

**Participation Notes and Participatory Notes ("P-notes").** The Fund may invest in instruments that have similar economic characteristics to equity securities, such as P-notes or other structured instruments that may be developed from time to time. Structured instruments are notes that are issued by banks, broker-dealers or their affiliates and are designed to offer a return linked to a particular underlying equity or market.

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**Direct U.S. Government Obligations.** U.S. government obligations may include direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are backed as to principal and interest payments by the full faith and credit of the U.S., and separately traded principal and interest component parts of such obligations that are transferable through the Federal book-entry system known as Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities ("STRIPS") and Coupons Under Book Entry Safekeeping ("CUBES").

**Variable and Floating Rate Instruments.** The Fund may acquire variable and floating rate instruments. A variable rate instrument is one whose terms provide for the adjustment of its interest rate on set dates and which, upon such adjustment, can reasonably be expected to have a market value that approximates its par value.

Certain obligations purchased by the Fund may carry variable or floating rates of interest, may involve a conditional or unconditional demand feature and may include variable amount master demand notes.

**When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments.** Securities may be purchased on a when-issued or forward commitment 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 fluctuation, and for money market instruments and other fixed income securities, no interest accrues to the Fund until settlement takes place. To the extent the Fund engages in forward commitment transactions or when-issued transactions, it will do so for the purpose of acquiring securities consistent with its investment objective and policies and not for the purpose of investment leverage.

**Zero-Coupon, Delayed Interest, and Capital Appreciation Securities.** Zero-coupon, delayed interest, pay-in-kind ("PIK"), and capital appreciation securities are securities that make no periodic interest payments, but are sold at a discount from their face value. The buyer recognizes a rate of return determined by the gradual appreciation of the security, which is redeemed at face value on a specified maturity date. The discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity, as well as market interest rates, liquidity of the security, and the issuer's perceived credit quality. PIK securities may be debt obligations or preferred shares that provide the issuer with the option of paying interest or dividends on such obligations in cash or in the form of additional securities rather than cash. The interest rates on these securities are higher to reflect the time-value of money on deferred interest payments and the higher credit risk of borrowers who may need to defer interest payments.

**THE INVESTMENT ADVISER** 

The Adviser, located at 325 John H. McConnell Blvd, Suite 200, Columbus OH 43215, serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The Adviser advises open-end mutual funds as well as the Fund and is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC under the Advisers Act. The Adviser had approximately $29.4 billion in assets under management at December 31, 2025.

**MANAGEMENT FEE** 

Pursuant to the investment management agreement by and between the Fund and the Adviser (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"), and in consideration of the advisory services provided by the Adviser to the Fund, the Adviser is entitled to a management fee (the "Management Fee") equal to 1.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets.

**ADMINISTRATOR, FUND ACCOUNTANT AND TRANSFER AGENT** 

Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. serves as the administrator to the Fund ("Administrator"). See "Management of the Fund-Administrator." The Administrator renders all administrative, transfer agency, fund accounting and supervisory services to the Fund. Pursuant to an administrative and transfer agency services agreement by and between the Fund and the Administrator (the "Administration Agreement"), and in consideration of the administrative services provided by the Administrator to the Fund, the Administrator is entitled to a fee (the "Administration Fee") equal to 0.50% of the Fund's average daily net assets of each of Class A and Class I Shares and 0.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets of Class R Shares.

Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC ("Ultimus") acts as the Fund's sub-fund accounting agent and sub-transfer agent ("Transfer Agent"). See "Management of the Fund- Sub-Administrator and Sub-Transfer Agent."

**CUSTODIAN** 

State Street Bank and Trust Company ("Custodian") serves as the Fund's custodian. See "Management of the Fund- Custodian."

**UNLISTED CLOSED-END INTERVAL FUND STRUCTURE** 

The Fund has been organized as a continuously offered, non-diversified closed-end management investment company and operates as an interval fund. Closed-end funds differ from open-end funds (commonly known as mutual funds) in that closed-end funds' shareholders do not have the right to redeem their shares on a daily basis. Unlike most closed-end funds, which typically list their shares on a securities exchange, the Fund does not currently intend to list the Shares for trading on any securities exchange, and the Fund does not anticipate any secondary market to develop for the Shares in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, an investment

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in the Fund, unlike an investment in a typical closed-end fund, should not be considered to be a liquid investment. In order to provide some liquidity to Shareholders, the Fund is structured as an "interval fund" and will conduct quarterly repurchase offers for a limited amount of the Shares (at least 5%).

The Fund's NAV per Share may be volatile. As the Shares are not traded, investors will not be able to dispose of their investment in the Fund no matter how poorly the Fund performs.

**SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAM** 

The Shares have no history of public trading, nor is it intended that the Shares will be listed on a public exchange at this time. No secondary market is expected to develop for the Shares.

The Fund is an "interval fund," which is designed to provide some liquidity to Shareholders by making quarterly offers to repurchase between 5% and 25% of its outstanding Shares at NAV, pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the Company Act, unless such offer is suspended or postponed in accordance with relevant regulatory requirements (as discussed below). In connection with any given repurchase offer, it is possible that the Fund may offer to repurchase only the minimum allowable amount of 5% of its outstanding Shares at the NAV applicable to the class of Shares repurchased. Quarterly repurchases will occur in the months of March, June, September, and December. The Fund's offer to purchase Shares is a fundamental policy that may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Company Act). Written notifications of each quarterly repurchase offer (the "Repurchase Offer Notice") will be sent to Shareholders at least 21 calendar days before the repurchase request deadline (i.e., the date by which Shareholders can tender their Shares in response to a repurchase offer) (the "Repurchase Request Deadline"), which is ordinarily on the third Friday of the month in which the repurchase occurs. The Repurchase Offer Notice will also include the "Repurchase Pricing Date," or the date the NAV per share is determined. The Repurchase Pricing Date will generally be the same date as the Repurchase Request Deadline but may extend no later than 14 calendar days after the Repurchase Request Deadline. The Fund expects to distribute payment to Shareholders between one and three business days after the Repurchase Pricing Date and will distribute such payment no later than seven calendar days after such date. The Shares are not listed on any securities exchange, and the Fund anticipates that no secondary market will develop for the Shares. Accordingly, Shareholders may not be able to sell Shares when and/or in the amount that they desire. Thus, the Shares are appropriate only as a long-term investment. In addition, the Fund's repurchase offers may subject the Fund and Shareholders to special risks. See "Risk Factors - Repurchase Offers Risks."

**INVESTING THROUGH A FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY** 

If an investor invests in the Fund through an investment adviser, bank, broker-dealer, 401(k) plan, trust company, or other financial intermediary, the policies and fees for transacting business may be different than those described in this Prospectus. Some financial intermediaries may charge transaction fees and may set different minimum investments or limitations on buying or selling Shares. Some financial intermediaries do not charge a direct transaction fee, but instead charge a fee for services, such as sub-transfer agency, accounting, and/or shareholder services that the financial intermediary provides on the Fund's behalf. This fee may be based on the number of accounts or may be a percentage of the average value of the Shareholder accounts for which the financial intermediary provides services. The Adviser may pay a portion of this fee, which is intended to compensate the financial intermediary for providing the same services that would otherwise be provided by the Transfer Agent or other service providers if the Shares were purchased directly from the Fund. To the extent that these fees are not paid by via the Administration Fee, the Adviser may pay a fee to financial intermediaries for such services.

**DISTRIBUTIONS** 

The Fund intends to distribute to Shareholders as dividends all or substantially all of its net investment income and any realized net capital gains. Distributions from the Fund's net investment income are typically paid monthly, and capital gains are distributed at least annually. However, there can be no assurances that the Fund will achieve any level of distribution to Shareholders. See "Distributions."

The Board of Trustees of the Fund ("Board") reserves the right to change the distribution policy.

**DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN** 

Unless a Shareholder indicates another option on the account application, any dividends and capital gain distributions paid to the Shareholder by the Fund automatically will be invested in additional Shares. Alternatively, a Shareholder may elect to have: (1) dividends and/or capital gain distributions paid in cash; or (2) the full amount of any dividends and capital gain distributions paid in cash.

**SHARE CLASSES** 

The Fund is currently offering two classes of Shares in the Fund on a continuous basis. The Fund began offering Class R Shares on September 30, 2024 and began offering Class I Shares on December 13, 2024. Class A Shares are not currently offered.

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An investment in any Share class represents an investment in the same assets of the Fund. However, the purchase restrictions and ongoing fees and expenses for each Share class are different. Shares are not currently subject to front-end sales charges. While neither the Fund nor the Distributor impose an initial sales charge, if an investor buy Shares through certain financial firms, they may directly charge the investor transaction or other fees in such amount as they may determine. Investors should consult their financial firm for additional information. The fees and expenses for the Fund are set forth in "Summary of Fees and Expenses." See also "Plan of Distribution."

The Distributor, located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, is the Fund's principal underwriter and exclusive agent for distribution of the Shares. The Distributor continually distributes Shares on a best efforts basis. The Distributor is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of Shares, but will use it best efforts to solicit orders for the sale of the Shares. Shares will not be listed on any national securities exchange and the Distributor will not act as a market maker in 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 Fund. The Distributor does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services. The Adviser pays the Distributor a fee for certain distribution-related services.

The Shares are offered for sale through the Distributor at NAV. The Distributor also may enter into selling agreements with selling agents and certain other financial intermediaries for the sale and distribution of the Shares. These selling agents and other financial intermediaries may impose terms and conditions on investor accounts and investments in the Fund that are in addition to the terms and conditions set forth in this Prospectus. Any terms and conditions imposed by such selling agent or other financial intermediary, or operational limitations applicable to such parties, may affect or limit a Shareholder's ability to purchase Shares or tender Shares for repurchase, or otherwise transact business with the Fund. See "Plan of Distribution – Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Fee on Class A Shares" for additional information.

Investors should consult with these dealer parties about the sales load and any additional fees or charges they might impose on each class of Shares in addition to any fees imposed by the Fund.

Investors eligible to purchase Class I Shares may exchange Class A Shares for Class I Shares. See "Plan of Distribution – Share Class Conversions" in this Prospectus for additional information.

**DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICING FEE ON CLASS A SHARES** 

Although not currently offered, Class A Shares would be subject to an ongoing Distribution and Servicing Fee to compensate financial industry professionals for distribution-related expenses, if applicable, and providing ongoing services in respect of clients who own Shares, as further discussed below. Class I Shares and Class R Shares are not subject to Distribution and Servicing Fees. The Fund has adopted a distribution and servicing plan (the "Distribution and Servicing Plan") and pays the Distribution and Servicing Fee under such plan. The Distribution and Servicing Plan operates in a manner consistent with Rule 12b-1 under the Company Act, which regulates the manner in which an open-end investment company may directly or indirectly bear the expenses of distributing its shares. The maximum annual rates at which the Distribution and Servicing Fees may be paid under the Distribution and Servicing Plan (calculated as a percentage of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to the Class A Shares) is 0.50%. 0.25% of such fee is a Shareholder service fee and the remaining portion is a distribution fee paid pursuant to Rule 12b-1.

**PURCHASES OF SHARES** 

The Fund has currently registered three classes of Shares: Class A Shares, Class I Shares and Class R Shares. The Fund may in the future register and include other classes of Shares in the offering.

The Shares are offered on a daily basis. Shares are being offered through the Distributor at an offering price equal to the then-current NAV of the applicable class.

Generally, the stated minimum initial investment by an investor in the Fund is $2,500 for Class A Shares, $2,500 for Class I Shares, and $50 Million for Class R Shares. Subsequent investments therein may be made in any amount. The Fund reserves the right to waive the investment minimum. Please see "Plan of Distribution - How to Purchase Shares" for purchase instructions and additional information.

See also "Dividend Reinvestment Policy."

**ERISA PLANS AND OTHER TAX-EXEMPT ENTITIES** 

Investors subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), and other tax-exempt entities, including employee benefit plans, individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"), 401(k) plans, and Keogh plans, may purchase Shares. Because the Fund is registered as an investment company under the Company Act, the underlying assets of the Fund will not be considered to be "plan assets" of the ERISA plans investing in the Fund for purposes of ERISA's fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction rules. Thus, neither the Fund nor the Adviser will be a fiduciary within the meaning of ERISA with respect to the assets of any ERISA plan that becomes a Shareholder, solely as a result of the ERISA plan's investment in the Fund.

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**SUMMARY OF TAXATION** 

The Fund has elected to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and has qualified and intends to continue to qualify annually, as a regulated investment company ("RIC") under Subchapter M of the Code. As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any net ordinary income or capital gains that is currently distributed as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to Shareholders, as applicable. To maintain its qualification as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund is required to meet certain specified source-of-income and asset diversification requirements, and is required to distribute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes of an amount at least equal to 90% of the sum of its net ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses each tax year to Shareholders, as applicable. See "Distribution Policy" and "U.S. Federal Income Tax."

**SUMMARY OF RISKS** 

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. There may be circumstances that could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective and an investor may lose money by investing in the Fund. Investors should carefully consider the Fund's investment risks before deciding whether to invest in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit at a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

For a more complete discussion of the risks of investing in the Fund, see "Risk Factors." Investors should consider carefully the following principal risks before investing in the Fund. Below are the main risks of investing in the Fund. All of the risks listed below are significant to the Fund, regardless of the order in which they appear.

**Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loans Risk** As with fixed rate mortgages, there can be no certainty as to the rate of prepayments on the ARMs in either stable or changing interest rate environments. In addition, there can be no certainty as to whether increases in the principal balances of the ARMs due to the addition of deferred interest may result in a default rate higher than that on ARMs that do not provide for negative amortization. Other factors affecting prepayment of ARMs include changes in mortgagors' housing needs, job transfers, unemployment, mortgagors' net equity in the mortgage properties, and servicing decisions.

**Asset-Backed, Mortgage-Related and Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk.** The Fund may invest in ABS, MBS, and other mortgage-related securities, including so-called "sub-prime" mortgages that are subject to certain other risks including prepayment and call risks. When mortgages and other obligations are prepaid and when securities are called, the Fund may have to reinvest in securities with a lower yield or fail to recover additional amounts (*i.e.*, premiums) paid for securities with higher interest rates, resulting in an unexpected capital loss and/or a decrease in the amount of dividends and yield. In periods of rising interest rates, the Fund may be subject to extension risk, and may receive principal later than expected. As a result, in periods of rising interest rates, the Fund may exhibit additional volatility. During periods of difficult or frozen credit markets, significant changes in interest rates, or deteriorating economic conditions, such securities may decline in value, face valuation difficulties, become more volatile and/or become illiquid.

CMOs and SMBSs, including those structured as interest only ("IOs") and principal only ("POs"), are more volatile and may be more sensitive to the rate of prepayments than other mortgage-related securities. CMOs are issued in multiple classes, and each class may have its own interest rate and/or final payment date. A class with an earlier final payment date may have certain preferences in receiving principal payments or earning interest. As a result, the value of some classes in which the Fund invests may be more volatile and may be subject to higher risk of non-payment. The risk of default, as described under "Credit Risk", for "sub-prime" mortgages is generally higher than other types of MBS. The structure of some of these securities may be complex and there may be less available information than other types of debt securities.

The values of IO and PO MBS are more volatile than other types of mortgage-related securities. They are very sensitive not only to changes in interest rates, but also to the rate of prepayments. A rapid or unexpected increase in prepayments can significantly depress the price of interest-only securities, while a rapid or unexpected decrease could have the same effect on principal-only securities. In addition, because there may be a drop in trading volume, an inability to find a ready buyer, or the imposition of legal restrictions on the resale of securities, these instruments may be illiquid. The Fund will be exposed to additional risk to the extent that it uses inverse floaters and inverse IOs, which are debt securities with interest rates that reset in the opposite direction from the market rate to which the security is indexed. These securities are more volatile and more sensitive to interest rate changes than other types of debt securities. In response to changes in market interest rates or other market conditions, the value of an inverse floater may increase or decrease at a multiple of the increase or decrease in the value of the underlying securities. If interest rates move in a manner not anticipated by the Adviser, the Fund could lose all or substantially all of its investment in inverse IOs.

**Closed-End Structure Risk.** The Fund is a closed-end investment company. It is designed for long-term investors and not as a trading vehicle. Unlike the shares of many closed-end investment companies, the Shares are not listed on any securities exchange and are not publicly traded. There is currently no secondary market for the Shares and the Fund expects that no secondary market will develop. Liquidity is provided to Shareholders only through the Fund's quarterly repurchase offers for no less than 5% of the Shares outstanding at NAV. There is no guarantee that Shareholders will be able to sell all of the Shares they desire in a quarterly repurchase offer.

**Consumer Loans Risk.** Investments in consumer loans expose the Fund to additional risks beyond those normally associated with more traditional debt instruments. The Fund's ability to receive payments in connection with the loan depends primarily on the financial condition of the borrower and whether or not a loan is secured by collateral, although there is no assurance that the

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collateral securing a loan will be sufficient to satisfy the loan obligation. In addition, bank loans often have contractual restrictions on resale, which can delay the sale and adversely impact the sale price. Transactions involving bank loans may have significantly longer settlement periods than more traditional investments (settlement can take longer than seven days) and often involve borrowers whose financial condition is troubled or highly leveraged, which increases the risk that the Fund may not receive its proceeds in a timely manner or that the Fund may incur losses in order to pay redemption proceeds to its Shareholders. In addition, loans are not registered under the federal securities laws like stocks and bonds, so investors in loans have less protection against improper practices than investors in registered securities.

**Credit Risk.** There is a risk that issuers and counterparties will not make payments on securities and repurchase agreements held by the Fund. Such default could result in losses to the Fund. In addition, the credit quality of securities held by the Fund may be lowered if an issuer's financial condition changes. Lower credit quality may lead to greater volatility in the price of a security and in Shares. Lower credit quality also may affect liquidity and make it difficult for the Fund to sell the security.

**Current Market Environment Risk.** Various sectors of the financial markets may experience an extended period of adverse conditions. Market uncertainty may increase dramatically, and these conditions may result in disruptions of the global credit markets, periods of reduced liquidity, greater general volatility, volatility of credit spreads, and a contraction of availability of credit and lack of price transparency. In particular, certain types of securitized vehicles may come under stress due to economic factors and trends, such as higher than expected interest rates, property vacancies and consumer stress. The Fund anticipates that a significant portion of its net assets may be illiquid and subject to these risks.

**Distributions Risk.** The Fund's distributions may include a return of capital, thus reducing a Shareholder's cost basis in their Shares and reducing the amount of capital available to the Fund for investment and likely increasing the Fund's expense ratio. A Shareholder who receives a capital distribution may be subject to tax even though the Shareholder has experienced a net loss on their investment in the Fund. Any capital returned to Shareholders through distributions will be distributed after the payment of fees and expenses. Shareholders who periodically receive payment of a distribution consisting of a return of capital may be under the impression that they are receiving net income or profits when they are not. A return of capital to Shareholders is a return of a portion of their original investment in the Fund. Shareholders should not assume that the source of a distribution from the Fund is net income or profit.

**Extension Risk.** If interest rates rise, repayments of principal on certain debt securities, including, but not limited to, floating rate loans and mortgage-related securities, may occur at a slower rate than expected and the expected maturity of those securities could lengthen as a result. This may drive the prices of these securities down because their interest rates are lower than the current interest rate and they remain outstanding longer. In periods of rising rates, the Fund may exhibit additional volatility.

**Government Securities Risk.** The Fund may invest in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities. These securities may be backed by the credit of the government as a whole or only by the issuing agency. U.S. Treasury bonds, notes, and bills and some agency securities, such as those issued by the Federal Housing Administration and Ginnie Mae, are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government as to payment of principal and interest and are the highest quality government securities. Other securities issued by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities, such as securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Banks and Freddie Mac, are supported only by the credit of the agency that issued them, and not by the U.S. government. Securities issued by the Federal Farm Credit System, the Federal Land Banks, and Fannie Mae are supported by the agency's right to borrow money from the U.S. Treasury under certain circumstances, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies and instrumentalities if not required to do so by law.

**High Yield and Distressed Securities Risk.** The Fund will purchase fixed income securities rated below the investment grade category. Securities in this rating category are speculative. These investments may be issued by companies that are less creditworthy or financially distressed. Changes in economic conditions or other circumstances may have a greater effect on the ability of issuers of these securities to make principal and interest payments than they do on issuers of higher grade securities.

**Inflation Risk.** Because inflation reduces the purchasing power of income produced by existing fixed income securities, the prices at which fixed income securities trade will be reduced to compensate for the fact that the income they produce is worth less. This potential decrease in market value would be the measure of the inflation risk incurred by the Fund.

**Interest Rate Risk.** The Fund invests in fixed income securities. These securities will increase or decrease in value based on changes in interest rates. If rates increase, the value of the Fund's fixed income securities generally declines. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. a Shareholder's investment will decline in value if the value of the Fund's investments decreases.

**Investment Company and Exchange-Traded Fund Risk** The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies and ETFs. Shareholders will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests in addition to the Fund's direct fees and expenses. The Fund also will incur brokerage costs when it purchases ETFs and closed-end funds. In addition, the Fund will be subject to the risks associated with the investment company or ETF's investments. The Fund does not intend to invest in affiliated investment companies.

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**Liquidity Risk.** The Fund may not be able to purchase or sell a security in a timely manner or at desired prices or achieve its desired weighting in a security. Liquidity risk may result from the lack of an active market or a reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed income securities, and may be magnified during times of market stress. The Fund may not be able to meet the requests to redeem Shares without significant dilution of remaining investors' interest in the Fund.

**Management Risk.** The Adviser's judgments about the attractiveness, value, and potential appreciation of a particular asset class or individual security in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and there is no guarantee that individual investments will perform as anticipated.

**Market Risk.** The value of the Fund's investments may decrease, sometimes rapidly or unexpectedly, due to factors affecting an issuer held by the Fund, particular industries or overall securities markets. When the value of the Fund's investments goes down, a Shareholder's investment in the Fund decreases in value. A variety of factors including interest rate levels, recessions, inflation, U.S. economic growth, war or acts of terrorism, natural disasters, political events and tensions that disrupt international relations, supply chain disruptions, trade barriers, staff shortages and widespread public health issues affect the securities markets. These events may cause volatility, severe market dislocations and liquidity constraints in many markets, including markets for the securities the Fund holds, and may adversely affect the Fund's investments and operations. In addition, governmental responses to these events may negatively impact the capabilities of the Fund's service providers, disrupt the Fund's operations, result in substantial market volatility and adversely impact the prices and liquidity of the Fund's investments.

**Non-Diversification Risk.** The Fund is classified as "non-diversified" under the Company Act. As a result, it can invest a greater portion of its assets in obligations of a single issuer than a "diversified" fund. The Fund may therefore be more susceptible than a diversified fund to being adversely affected by a single corporate, economic, political or regulatory occurrence.

**Non-U.S. and Emerging Markets Risk.** The Fund may invest in non-U.S. securities and U.S. securities of companies domiciled in non-U.S. countries that may experience more rapid and extreme changes in value than the Fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies. These companies may be subject to additional risks, including political and economic risks, civil conflicts and war, greater volatility, expropriation and nationalization risks, currency fluctuations, higher transaction costs, delayed settlement, possible non-U.S. controls on investments, and less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards of non-U.S. markets. These risks are magnified in emerging markets as events and evolving conditions in certain economies or markets may alter the risks associated with investments tied to countries or regions that historically were perceived as comparatively stable becoming riskier and more volatile. The market for the securities of issuers in emerging markets is typically small and low, and nonexistent trading volumes in those securities may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility.

The Fund anticipates that, under normal circumstances, it will invest no more than 10% of its total assets in non-U.S. securities and U.S. securities of companies domiciled in non-U.S. countries.

**Participation Notes and Participatory Notes Risk.** P-notes, designed to replicate the performance of certain issuers and markets where direct investment is either impossible or difficult due to local restrictions, represent interest in securities listed on certain foreign exchanges, and thus present similar risks to investing directly in such securities. P-notes also expose investors to counterparty risk, which is risk that the entity issuing the note may not be able to honor its financial commitments. The liquidity of a P-note reflects the liquidity in the underlying security. At times, it may be more illiquid than trading the underlying security as broker selection is restricted to the underwriter of the P-note.

**Prepayment and Call Risk.** The issuer of certain securities may repay principal in advance, especially when yields fall. Changes in the rate at which prepayments occur can affect the return on investment of these securities. When debt obligations are prepaid or when securities are called, the Fund may have to reinvest in securities with a lower yield. The Fund also may fail to recover additional amounts (*i.e.*, premiums) paid for securities with higher coupons, resulting in an unexpected capital loss.

**Real Estate Risk.** Real estate-related investments may decline in value as a result of factors affecting the real estate industry, such as the supply of real property in certain markets, changes in zoning laws, delays in completion of construction, changes in real estate values, changes in property taxes, levels of occupancy, and local and regional market conditions.

**Repurchase Offer Risks.** Although the Fund intends to implement a quarterly Share repurchase program, there is no guarantee that an investor will be able to sell all of the Shares he or she desires to sell. Accordingly, the Fund should be considered an illiquid investment.

**Sector Emphasis Risk.** The Fund from time to time, may invest 25% or more of its assets in one or more sectors, subjecting the Fund to sector emphasis risk. This is the risk that the Fund is subject to a greater risk of loss due to adverse economic, business or other developments affecting a specific sector in which the Fund has a focused position, than if its investments were diversified across a greater number of industry sectors. Some sectors possess particular risks that may not affect other sectors.

**Sovereign Debt Risk.** Sovereign debt is issued or guaranteed by non-U.S. government entities. Investments in sovereign debt are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay payment, restructure its debt, or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt due to cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, social changes, the relative

**DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM**<sub>9</sub>

size of its debt position to its economy, or its failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a government entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting amounts owed on sovereign debt, such as bankruptcy proceedings, that a government does not pay.

**Unrated Securities Risk.** The Fund may purchase unrated securities which are not rated by a rating agency. Unrated securities may be less liquid than comparable rated securities and involve the risk that the Adviser may not accurately evaluate the security's comparative credit rating.

Accordingly, the Fund should be considered a speculative investment that entails substantial risks, and prospective investors should invest in the Fund only if they can sustain a complete loss of their investment.

**Variable and Floating Rate Securities Risk.** Securities with floating or variable interest rates are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with fixed interest rates, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as comparable market interest rates. Conversely, floating or variable rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. The impact of interest rate changes on floating or variable rate securities is typically mitigated by the periodic interest rate reset of the investments. Floating or variable rate securities are often subject to restrictions on resale, which can result in reduced liquidity.

**Zero-Coupon, Pay-in-Kind and Deferred Payment Securities Risk.** The market value of these securities are generally more volatile than the market value of, and is more likely to respond to a greater degree to changes in interest rates than, other fixed income securities with similar maturities and credit quality that pay interest periodically. Actions required by federal income tax law may reduce the assets to which the Fund's expenses could otherwise be allocated and may reduce the Fund's rate of return.

The Fund accrues income with respect to zero-coupon and PIK securities prior to the receipt of cash payments. Deferred payment securities are securities that remain zero-coupon securities until a predetermined date, at which time the stated coupon rate becomes effective and interest becomes payable at regular intervals. These interest payments are subject to the risk that the borrower may default when the deferred payments are due. While interest payments are not made on such securities, holders of such securities are deemed to have received "phantom income." Because the Fund will distribute "phantom income" to shareholders, to the extent that shareholders elect to receive dividends in cash rather than reinvesting such dividends in additional shares, the Fund will have fewer assets with which to purchase income-producing securities. Zero-coupon, PIK and deferred payment securities may be subject to greater fluctuation in value and lesser liquidity in the event of adverse market conditions or changes in interest rates than comparably rated securities paying cash interest at regular interest payment periods. In addition, such instruments may have unreliable valuations because their accruals require judgments about ultimate collectability of deferred payments and the value of the associated collateral. To the extent such securities result in higher valuations than other securities, they may provide certain benefits to the Adviser, including increasing the Management Fee.

**SUMMARY OF FEES AND EXPENSES<sup>2</sup>**

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| |
|:---|
| **SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from a Shareholder's investment)** |
| **None** |

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that a Shareholder pays each year as a percentage of the value of their investment)** | **ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that a Shareholder pays each year as a percentage of the value of their investment)** | **ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that a Shareholder pays each year as a percentage of the value of their investment)** | **ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that a Shareholder pays each year as a percentage of the value of their investment)** |
| | **Class A** | **Class I** | **Class R** |
| **Management Fee** | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% |
| **Distribution and Servicing Fee** | 0.50% |  |  |
| **Other expenses<sup>1</sup>** | 0.50% | 0.50% | 0.10% |
| **Total annual fund operating expenses** | **2.25%** | **1.75%** | **1.35%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> Other Expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. Other expenses include the Administration fee, custody fees, and other extraordinary expenses. Pursuant to the Administration Agreement, the Administrator receives an Administration Fee from which it pays all ordinary expenses of the Fund not assumed by the Fund. 

<sup>2</sup> This table describes the fees and expenses that a Shareholder pays if they buy and hold Shares. Shareholders may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table above or the example below.

**EXPENSE EXAMPLE** 

The following example demonstrates the projected dollar amount of total expenses that would be incurred over various periods with respect to a hypothetical investment in the Fund. In calculating the following expense amounts, the Fund has assumed its direct and indirect annual operating expenses would remain at the percentage levels set forth in the table above.

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|:---|:---|
| **10** | **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** |

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An investor would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment, assuming a 5.0% annual return. 

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| **Class A Shares** | $23 | $70 | $120 | $258 |
| **Class I Shares** | 18 | 55 | 95 | 206 |
| **Class R Shares** | 14 | 43 | 74 | 162 |

---

**The example and the expenses in the tables above should not be considered a representation of the Fund's future expenses, and actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown.** While the example assumes a 5.0% annual return, as required by the SEC, the Fund's performance will vary and may result in a return greater or less than 5.0%. For a more complete description of the various fees and expenses borne directly and indirectly by the Fund, see "Fund Expenses" and "Management Fee."

**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS** 

The Financial Highlights table is intended to help investors understand the Fund's financial performance for the period since the Fund commenced operations. The table below reflects the financial results for shares of the Fund. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund (without considering the effects of sales loads and assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The information has been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., an independent registered public accounting firm. The report of Cohen & Company, Ltd., along with additional information and additional Fund performance and portfolio information, appears in the Fund's Annual Report dated December 31, 2025. To request the Fund's Annual Report, please call 888-226-5595. The table below sets forth financial data for each class of share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout the period presented.

**DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM**<sub>11</sub>

Selected date for a share outstanding throughout the periods indicated

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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Diamond Hill<br> Securitized<br> Credit Fund<sup>(A)</sup>** | <u>**Net Asset <br> Value <br> Beginning <br> of Period**</u> | <u>**Net <br> Investment <br> Income<sup>(B)</sup>**</u> | <u>**Net Realized <br> and <br> Unrealized <br> Gains on <br> Investments**</u> | <u>**Total from <br> Investment <br> Operations**</u> | <u>**Dividends <br> from Net <br> Investment <br> Income**</u> | <u>**Distributions <br> from Net <br> Realized <br> Capital <br> Gains**</u> | <u>**Total <br> Distributions**</u> | <u>**Net Asset <br> Value End <br> of Period**</u> | <u>**Total <br> Return**</u> | <u>**Net Assets <br> at End of <br> Period <br> (000's)**</u> | <u>**Ratio <br> of Total <br> Expenses <br> to Average <br> Net Assets**</u> | <u>**Ratio <br> of Net <br> Investment <br> Income to <br> Average <br> Net Assets**</u> | <u>**Portfolio <br> Turnover <br> Rate<sup>(C)</sup>**</u> |
| **Class I Shares** | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| **For the year ended December 31, 2025** | $10.03 | 0.57 | 0.65 | 1.22 | (0.62) |  | (0.62) | $10.63 | 12.44% | $880 | 1.75% | 5.47% | 46% |
| **For the period ended December 31, 2024** | $10.07 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.06 | (0.10) |  | (0.10) | $10.03 | 0.55 %<sup>(D)</sup> | $241 | 1.75 %<sup>(E)</sup> | 6.47 %<sup>(E)</sup> | 24 %<sup>(D)</sup> |
| **Class R Shares** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| **For the year ended December 31, 2025** | $10.03 | 0.62 | 0.63 | 1.25 | (0.66) |  | (0.66) | $10.62 | 12.78% | $131930 | 1.35% | 5.92% | 46% |
| **For the period ended December 31, 2024** | $10.00 | 0.19 | 0.03 | 0.22 | (0.19) |  | (0.19) | $10.03 | 2.18 %<sup>(D)</sup> | $51815 | 1.35 %<sup>(E)</sup> | 7.57 %<sup>(E)</sup> | 24 %<sup>(D)</sup> |

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<sup>(A)</sup> <sup></sup>Inception date of Class I was December 13, 2024 and inception date of Class R was September 30, 2024.

<sup>(B)</sup> Net investment income per share has been calculated using the average daily shares outstanding during the period.

<sup>(C)</sup> Portfolio turnover rate is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between classes of shares issued.

<sup>(D)</sup> Not annualized.

<sup>(E)</sup> Annualized.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **12** | **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** |

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**THE FUND** 

The Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management company that is registered under the Company Act. The Fund is structured as an "interval fund" and continuously offers Shares. The Fund was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on May 2, 2024. The principal office of the Fund is located at 325 John H. McConnell Blvd., Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43215, and its telephone number is 888-226-5595.

**USE OF PROCEEDS** 

The Fund invests the net proceeds of the continuous offering of Shares on an ongoing basis in accordance with its investment objective and policies as stated below. The Adviser presently anticipates that the Fund will be able to fully invest the net proceeds according to its investment objectives and policies within approximately one month after receipt of the proceeds, depending on the amount and timing of proceeds available to the Fund as well as the availability of securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and strategies. A delay in the anticipated use of proceeds could lower returns and reduce the Fund's distribution to Shareholders. Pending investment of the net proceeds, the Fund will invest the offering proceeds in high-quality, short-term debt securities, cash and/or cash equivalents. The Fund may be prevented from achieving its investment objective during any time in which the Fund's assets are not substantially invested in accordance with its policies.

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES** 

**Investment Objective** 

The Fund seeks to maximize total return. The Fund's investment objective is not fundamental and may be changed without Shareholder approval. The Fund will provide 60 days' advance notice of any change in its investment objective.

**Investment Policies and Strategies** 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in securitized bond investments. Securitized bond investments are also referred to as "structured product securities" or "structured products." Securitized bond investments include interests in pools of secured loans backed by commercial real estate, residential real estate, commercial or consumer loans, and securitizations such as agency and non-agency MBS (including CMBS, RMBS, and CMOs), ABS, and other similar securities and related instruments. Shareholders will be given 60 days prior notice of any change in the Fund's policy to invest at least 80% of net assets in securitized bond investments.

Agency MBS are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, which include mortgage pass-through securities representing interests in pools of mortgage loans issued or guaranteed by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, Sallie Mae or Freddie Mac. The Fund may also invest in other fixed income instruments, which include bonds, debt or credit securities and other similar instruments issued by various U.S. and non-U.S. public or private sector entities at the discretion of the Adviser.

The Adviser buys and sells securities based on a risk/reward analysis that includes an evaluation of credit risk, interest rate risk, prepayment risk, and the legal and technical structure of the security. The Adviser will attempt to take advantage of inefficiencies that it believes exist in the fixed income markets, such as the diversity of participants working with different objectives and repeated temporary supply-demand imbalances. The Adviser seeks to invest in securities that the Adviser expects to offer attractive prospects for income and/or capital appreciation in relation to the risk borne.

The Fund's investments may be issued by U.S. and non-U.S. issuers. There is no limit on the percentage of the Fund's assets that may be invested in the securities or loans of non-U.S. issuers or obligors, including, without limitation, securities of emerging markets issuers or obligors. However, the Fund anticipates that, under normal circumstances, it will invest no more than 10% of its total assets in non-U.S. securities and U.S. securities of entities domiciled in non-U.S. countries. Fund investments may include private placement debt securities. The Fund may be the sole buyer of such securities designed for purchase by the Fund. There is no limit as to the percentage of the Fund's portfolio that may be invested in such securities and the securities purchased by the Fund may be, by definition, illiquid investments for which there is currently no secondary market.

The Fund's investments may be of any credit quality, including, without limitation, investments that are rated below investment grade (commonly referred to as "high yield" or "junk" instruments) or unrated but determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality, or that are distressed (*i.e.*, where a borrower is demonstrating adverse financial conditions and/or negative repayment trends but has not yet defaulted) or in default.

The Fund's portfolio will be deemed to be non-diversified under the Company Act, meaning it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a single or limited number of issuers than a diversified fund.

The Fund may invest in all Cash Positions and at any time to maintain liquidity, pending selection of investments by the Adviser or if the Adviser believes that sufficient investment opportunities that meet the Fund's investment criteria are not available.

**DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM**<sub>13</sub>

**Portfolio Composition** 

The Fund's portfolio will consist primarily of:

**Asset-Backed Securities.** ABS consist of securities secured by company receivables, home equity loans, truck and auto loans, leases, or credit card receivables. Asset-backed securities also include other securities backed by other types of receivables or other assets, including CDOs, which include CBOs, CLOs and other similarly structured securities. Such assets are generally securitized through the use of trusts or special purpose corporations. ABS are backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations often of a number of different parties. Certain of these securities may be illiquid.

**High Yield/High Risk/Distressed Securities/Junk Bonds.** High yield, high risk bonds are securities that are generally rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies (BB+ or lower by S&P and Bal or lower by Moody's) or unrated but determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Other terms used to describe such securities include "lower rated bonds," "non-investment grade bonds," "below investment grade bonds," and "junk bonds." These securities are considered to be high-risk investments.

**Inverse Floaters and Interest Rate Caps.** Inverse floaters are instruments whose interest rates bear an inverse relationship to the interest rate on another security or the value of an index. The market value of an inverse floater will vary inversely with changes in market interest rates and will be more volatile in response to interest rate changes than that of a fixed rate obligation. Interest rate caps are financial instruments under which payments occur if an interest rate index exceeds a certain predetermined interest rate level, known as the cap rate, which is tied to a specific index. These financial products will be more volatile in price than securities which do not include such a structure.

**Investment Company Securities.** The Fund may invest in securities issued by other investment companies, including ETFs, open-end funds and closed-end funds. The Fund does not intend to invest in affiliated investment companies.

**Mortgage-Related Securities** 

**Mortgages (Directly Held).** Mortgages are debt instruments secured by real property. Unlike MBS, which generally represent an interest in a pool of mortgages, direct investments in mortgages involve prepayment and credit risks of an individual issuer and real property.

**Mortgage-Backed Securities (CMOs and REMICs).** MBS include CMOs and REMICs. A REMIC is a CMO that qualifies for special tax treatment under the Code and invests in certain mortgages principally secured by interests in real property and other permitted investments.

MBS represent pools of mortgage loans assembled for sale to investors by:

● various governmental agencies such as Ginnie Mae;

● organizations such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; and

● non-governmental issuers such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, and private mortgage insurance companies (non-governmental mortgage securities cannot be treated as U.S. government securities for purposes of investment policies).

There are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government that issue mortgage-related securities and among the securities that they issue.

CMOs and REMIC Certificates issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, and private issuers are types of multiple class pass-through securities. Investors may purchase beneficial interests in REMICs, which are known as "regular" interests or "residual" interests. The Fund does not currently intend to purchase residual interests in REMICs. The REMIC Certificates represent beneficial ownership interests in a REMIC Trust, generally consisting of mortgage loans or Mortgage Assets. The obligations of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae under their respective guaranty of the REMIC Certificates are obligations solely of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae, respectively.

REMIC Certificates issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae are treated as U.S. Government securities for purposes of investment policies.

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses set forth in the fee table and Financial Highlights section of the Fund's Prospectus do not include any expenses associated with investments in certain structured or synthetic products that may rely on the exception for the definition of "investment company" provided by section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Company Act.

**Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities.** SMBS are derivative multi- class mortgage securities issued outside the REMIC or CMO structure. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions from a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving all of the interest from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive all of the principal. Mortgage IOs receive monthly interest payments based upon a notional amount that declines over time as a result of the normal monthly amortization and unscheduled prepayments of principal on the associated mortgage POs.

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| **14** | **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** |

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**Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loans.** ARMs eligible for inclusion in a mortgage pool will generally provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest rate for a specified period of time. Thereafter, the Mortgage Interest Rates may be subject to periodic adjustment based on changes in the applicable Index Rate. The adjusted rate would be equal to the Index Rate plus a gross margin, which is a fixed percentage spread over the Index Rate established for each ARM at the time of its origination.

There are two main categories of indices which provide the basis for rate adjustments on ARMs: those based on U.S. Treasury securities and those derived from a calculated measure such as a cost of funds index or a moving average of mortgage rates.

**Non-U.S. Investments.** The Fund may invest in certain obligations or securities of non-U.S. issuers and will be subject to risks not typically associated with U.S. securities. Non-U.S. investments, especially those of companies in emerging markets, can be riskier and more volatile than investments in the U.S. Adverse political and economic developments of changes in the value of non-U.S. currency can make it more difficult for the Fund to sell its securities and could reduce the value of Shares. Differences in tax and accounting standards and difficulties in obtaining information about non-U.S. companies can negatively affect investment decisions.

**Private Placements, Restricted Securities and Other Unregistered Securities.** The Fund may acquire investments that are illiquid or have limited liquidity, such as commercial obligations issued in reliance on the so-called "private placement" exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act, and cannot be offered for public sale in the U.S. without first being registered under the 1933 Act. An illiquid investment is any investment that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the normal course of business at approximately the amount at which it is valued by the Fund. The price the Fund pays for illiquid securities or receives upon resale may be lower than the price paid or received for similar securities with a more liquid market. Accordingly the valuation of these securities will reflect any limitations on their liquidity.

**Short-Term Funding Agreements.** To enhance yield, the Fund may make limited investments in short-term funding agreements issued by banks and highly rated U.S. insurance companies. Short-term funding agreements issued by insurance companies are sometimes referred to as GICs, while those issued by banks are referred to as BICs. Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund makes cash contributions to a deposit account at a bank or insurance company. The bank or insurance company then credits to the Fund on a monthly basis guaranteed interest at either a fixed, variable or floating rate. These contracts are general obligations of the issuing bank or insurance company (although they may be the obligations of an insurance company separate account) and are paid from the general assets of the issuing entity.

The Fund will purchase short-term funding agreements only from banks and insurance companies which, at the time of purchase, are rated in one of the three highest rating categories by the primary rating agencies (BBB- or higher by S&P and Baa3 or higher by Moody's) or unrated but determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality and have assets of $1 billion or more. Generally, there is no active secondary market in short-term funding agreements. Therefore, short-term funding agreements may be considered by the Fund to be illiquid investments.

**Structured Instruments.** 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.

Structured instruments that are registered under the federal securities laws may be treated as liquid. In addition, many structured instruments may not be registered under the federal securities laws. In that event, the Fund's ability to resell such a structured instrument may be more limited than its ability to resell other Fund securities.

**Credit Linked Securities and Notes.** CLNs are typically issued by a CLN trust that, in turn, invests in a derivative or basket of derivatives instruments, such as credit default swaps, interest rate swaps and/or other securities, in order to provide exposure to certain high yield, sovereign debt, emerging markets, or other fixed income markets. Generally, investments in CLNs represent the right to receive periodic income payments (in the form of distributions) and payment of principal at the end of the term of the CLN. However, these payments are conditioned on the CLN trust's receipt of payments from, and the CLN trust's potential obligations, to the counterparties to the derivative instruments and other securities in which the CLN trust invests.

The Fund may enter into CLNs structured as "First-to-Default" CLNs. In a First-to-Default CLN, the CLN trust enters into a credit default swap on a portfolio of a specified number of individual securities pursuant to which the CLN trust sells protection to a counterparty.

The Fund may also enter in CLNs to gain access to sovereign debt and securities in emerging market particularly in markets where the Fund is not able to purchase securities directly due to domicile restrictions or tax restrictions or tariffs.

**Participation Notes and Participatory Notes.** The Fund may invest in instruments that have similar economic characteristics to equity securities, such as P-notes, or other structured instruments that may be developed from time to time ("structured instruments"). Structured instruments are notes that are issued by banks, broker-dealers or their affiliates and are designed to offer a return linked to a particular underlying equity or market.

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| **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** | **15** |

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**Direct U.S. Government Obligations.** U.S. government obligations may include direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are backed as to principal and interest payments by the full faith and credit of the U.S., and separately traded principal and interest component parts of such obligations that are transferable through the Federal book-entry system known as STRIPS and CUBES.

**Variable and Floating Rate Instruments.** The Fund may acquire variable and floating rate instruments. A variable rate instrument is one whose terms provide for the adjustment of its interest rate on set dates and which, upon such adjustment, can reasonably be expected to have a market value that approximates its par value.

Certain obligations purchased by the Fund may carry variable or floating rates of interest, may involve a conditional or unconditional demand feature and may include variable amount master demand notes.

**When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments.** Securities may be purchased on a when-issued or forward commitment 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 fluctuation, and for money market instruments and other fixed income securities, no interest accrues to the Fund until settlement takes place. To the extent the Fund engages in forward commitment transactions or when-issued transactions, it will do so for the purpose of acquiring securities consistent with its investment objective and policies and not for the purpose of investment leverage.

**Zero-Coupon, Delayed Interest and Capital Appreciation Securities.** Zero-coupon, delayed interest, PIK and capital appreciation securities are securities that make no periodic interest payments, but are sold at a discount from their face value. The buyer recognizes a rate of return determined by the gradual appreciation of the security, which is redeemed at face value on a specified maturity date. The discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity, as well as market interest rates, liquidity of the security, and the issuer's perceived credit quality. PIK securities may be debt obligations or preferred shares that provide the issuer with the option of paying interest or dividends on such obligations in cash or in the form of additional securities rather than cash. The interest rates on these securities are higher to reflect the time-value of money on deferred interest payments and the higher credit risk of borrowers who may need to defer interest payments.

**The Investment Process** 

The Adviser employs a bottom-up, research-based approach in seeking to identify investment opportunities. In buying and selling securities for the Fund, the Adviser performs a risk/reward analysis that includes an evaluation of credit risk, interest rate risk, prepayment risk, and the legal and technical structure of the security. The Adviser will attempt to take advantage of inefficiencies that it believes exist in the fixed income markets, such as the diversity of participants working with different objectives and the repeated temporary supply-demand imbalances. The Adviser seeks to invest in securities that the Adviser expects to offer attractive prospects for income and/or capital appreciation in relation to the risk borne.

Once a security is selected, the Adviser continues to monitor the company's strategies, financial performance and competitive environment. The Adviser may sell a security if it identifies a security that it believes offers a better investment opportunity.

**RISK FACTORS** 

The risks below include risks associated with investment in the Fund specifically, as well as risks generally associated with investment in the Fund with investment objectives, policies, capital structure or trading markets similar to the Fund's. There may be circumstances that could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective and an investor may lose money by investing in the Fund. Investors should carefully consider the Fund's investment risks before deciding whether to invest in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit at a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. All of the risks listed below are significant to the Fund, regardless of the order in which they appear.

**Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loans Risk.** ARMs may be subject to a greater rate of principal prepayments in a declining interest rate environment. For example, if prevailing interest rates fall significantly, ARMs could be subject to higher prepayment rates than if prevailing interest rates remain constant because the availability of fixed rate mortgage loans at competitive interest rates may encourage mortgagors to refinance their ARMs to "lock-in" a lower fixed interest rate. Conversely, if prevailing interest rates rise significantly, ARMs may prepay at lower rates than if prevailing rates remain at or below those in effect at the time such ARMs were originated. As with fixed rate mortgages, there can be no certainty as to the rate of prepayments on the ARMs in either stable or changing interest rate environments. In addition, there can be no certainty as to whether increases in the principal balances of the ARMs due to the addition of deferred interest may result in a default rate higher than that on ARMs that do not provide for negative amortization.

Other factors affecting prepayment of ARMs include changes in mortgagors' housing needs, job transfers, unemployment, mortgagors' net equity in the mortgage properties and servicing decisions.

**Asset-Backed, Mortgage-Related and Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk.** The Fund may invest in ABS, MBS, and other mortgage-related securities, including so-called "sub-prime" mortgages that are subject to certain other risks including prepayment and call risks. When mortgages and other obligations are prepaid and when securities are called, the Fund may have to reinvest in securities

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| **16** | **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** |

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with a lower yield or fail to recover additional amounts (*i.e.*, premiums) paid for securities with higher interest rates, resulting in an unexpected capital loss and/or a decrease in the amount of dividends and yield. In periods of rising interest rates, the Fund may be subject to extension risk, and may receive principal later than expected. As a result, in periods of rising interest rates, the Fund may exhibit additional volatility. During periods of difficult or frozen credit markets, significant changes in interest rates, or deteriorating economic conditions, such securities may decline in value, face valuation difficulties, become more volatile and/or become illiquid.

CMOs and SMBSs, including those structured as IOs and POs, are more volatile and may be more sensitive to the rate of prepayments than other MBS. CMOs are issued in multiple classes, and each class may have its own interest rate and/or final payment date. A class with an earlier final payment date may have certain preferences in receiving principal payments or earning interest. As a result, the value of some classes in which the Fund invests may be more volatile and may be subject to higher risk of non-payment. The risk of default, as described under "Credit Risk", for "sub-prime" mortgages is generally higher than other types of MBS. The structure of some of these securities may be complex and there may be less available information than other types of debt securities.

The values of IO and PO MBS are more volatile than other types of MBS. They are very sensitive not only to changes in interest rates, but also to the rate of prepayments. A rapid or unexpected increase in prepayments can significantly depress the price of IOs, while a rapid or unexpected decrease could have the same effect on POs. In addition, because there may be a drop in trading volume, an inability to find a ready buyer, or the imposition of legal restrictions on the resale of securities, these instruments may be illiquid. The Fund will be exposed to additional risk to the extent that it uses inverse floaters and inverse IOs, which are debt securities with interest rates that reset in the opposite direction from the market rate to which the security is indexed. These securities are more volatile and more sensitive to interest rate changes than other types of debt securities. In response to changes in market interest rates or other market conditions, the value of an inverse floater may increase or decrease at a multiple of the increase or decrease in the value of the underlying securities. If interest rates move in a manner not anticipated by the Adviser, the Fund could lose all or substantially all of its investment in inverse IOs.

**Closed End Structure Risk.** The Fund is a closed-end investment company. It is designed for long-term investors and not as a trading vehicle. Unlike many closed-end investment companies, the Shares are not listed on any securities exchange and are not publicly traded. There is currently no secondary market for the shares and the Fund expects that no secondary market will develop. Liquidity is provided to Shareholders only through the Fund's quarterly repurchase offers for no less than 5% of the Shares outstanding at NAV. There is no guarantee that Shareholders will be able to sell all of the Shares they desire in a quarterly repurchase offer.

**Consumer Loans Risk.** Investments in consumer loans expose the Fund to additional risks beyond those normally associated with more traditional debt instruments. The Fund's ability to receive payments in connection with the loan depends primarily on the financial condition of the borrower and whether or not a loan is secured by collateral, although there is no assurance that the collateral securing a loan will be sufficient to satisfy the loan obligation and the Fund could experience delays or limitations in realizing on such collateral or have its interest subordinated to other indebtedness of the borrower. Loans are vulnerable to market sentiment such that economic conditions or other events may reduce the demand for loans and cause their value to decline rapidly and unpredictably. No active trading market may exist for some of the loans and certain loans may be subject to restrictions on resale. The inability to dispose of loans in a timely fashion could result in losses to the Fund. In addition, bank loans often have contractual restrictions on resale, which can delay the sale and adversely impact the sale price. Transactions involving bank loans may have significantly longer settlement periods than more traditional investments (settlement can take longer than seven days) and often involve borrowers whose financial condition is troubled or highly leveraged, which increases the risk that the Fund may not receive its proceeds in a timely manner or that the Fund may incur losses in order to pay redemption proceeds to its Shareholders. In addition, loans are not registered under the federal securities laws like stocks and bonds, so investors in loans have less protection against improper practices than investors in registered securities. Consequently, there may be less public information available about the Fund's investments and the market for certain loans may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, and extended trade settlement periods. As a result, the Fund may be more dependent upon the analytical ability of the Adviser.

When the Fund acquires a loan participation, the Fund typically enters into a contractual relationship with the lender or third party selling such participations, but not the borrower. As a result, the Fund assumes the credit risk not only of the borrower, but also of the seller of the loan participation and any other parties interpositioned between the Fund and the borrower.

Under a loan participation, the Fund may have no direct rights to enforce the terms of the loan against the borrower. The Fund may not benefit directly from the collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the loan participations or assignments. Loans are subject to prepayment risks. Gains and losses associated with prepayments will increase or decrease the Fund's yield and the income available for distribution by the Fund. When loans are prepaid, the Fund may have to reinvest in securities with a lower yield or fail to recover additional amounts (*i.e.*, premiums) paid for loans, resulting in an unexpected capital loss and/ or a decrease in the amount of dividends and yield.

**Credit Risk.** There is a risk that issuers and counterparties will not make payments on securities and repurchase agreements held by the Fund. Such default could result in losses to the Fund. In addition, the credit quality of securities held by the Fund may be lowered if an issuer's financial condition changes. Lower credit quality may lead to greater volatility in the price of a security and in Shares. Lower credit quality also may affect liquidity and make it difficult for the Fund to sell the security.

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**Current Market Environment Risk.** Various sectors of the financial markets may experience an extended period of adverse conditions. Market uncertainty may increase dramatically, and these conditions may result in disruptions of the equity markets, periods of reduced liquidity, greater general volatility, and a contraction of availability of credit and lack of price transparency. In particular, certain types of securitized vehicles may come under stress due to economic factors and trends, such as higher than expected interest rates, property vacancies and consumer stress. The Fund anticipates that a significant portion of its net assets may be illiquid and subject to these risks.

**Distributions Risk.** The Fund's distributions may include a return of capital, thus, reducing a Shareholder's cost basis in their Shares and reducing the amount of capital available to the Fund for investment and likely increasing the Fund's expense ratio. A Shareholder who receives a capital distribution may be subject to tax even though the Shareholder has experienced a net loss on their investment in the Fund. Any capital returned to Shareholders through distributions will be distributed after the payment of fees and expenses. Shareholders who periodically receive payment of a distribution consisting of a return of capital may be under the impression that they are receiving net income or profits when they are not. A return of capital to Shareholders is a return of a portion of their original investment in the Fund. Shareholders should not assume that the source of a distribution from the Fund is net income or profit.

**Extension Risk.** If interest rates rise, repayments of principal on certain debt securities, including, but not limited to, floating rate loans and mortgage-related securities, may occur at a slower rate than expected and the expected maturity of those securities could lengthen as a result. This may drive the prices of these securities down because their interest rates are lower than the current interest rate and they remain outstanding longer. In periods of rising rates, the Fund may exhibit additional volatility.

**Government Securities Risk.** The Fund may invest in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities. These securities may be backed by the credit of the government as a whole or only by the issuing agency. U.S. Treasury bonds, notes, and bills and some agency securities, such as those issued by the Federal Housing Administration and Ginnie Mae, are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government as to payment of principal and interest and are the highest quality government securities. Other securities issued by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities, such as securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Banks and Freddie Mac, are supported only by the credit of the agency that issued them, and not by the U.S. government. Securities issued by the Federal Farm Credit System, the Federal Land Banks, and Fannie Mae are supported by the agency's right to borrow money from the U.S. Treasury under certain circumstances, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies and instrumentalities if not required to do so by law.

**High Yield and Distressed Securities Risk.** The Fund will purchase fixed income securities rated below the investment grade category. Securities in this rating category are speculative. Changes in economic conditions or other circumstances may have a greater effect on the ability of issuers of these securities to make principal and interest payments than they do on issuers of higher grade securities. Issuers of these securities may be distressed and undergoing restructuring, bankruptcy, or other proceedings in an attempt to avoid insolvency. Investing in these securities involves special risks in addition to the risks associated with investments in higher-rated fixed income securities. While offering a greater potential opportunity for capital appreciation and higher yields, high yield and distressed company securities typically entail greater potential price volatility and may be less liquid than higher-rated securities. High yield securities and debt securities of distressed companies may be regarded as predominately speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. They may also be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than higher-rated securities. The Fund may invest in securities that are in default with respect to the payment of interest or repayment of principal, or present an imminent risk of default with respect to such payments. Issuers of securities in default may fail to resume principal or interest payments, in which case the Fund may lose its entire investment.

The market values of high yield securities tend to reflect individual developments of the issuer to a greater extent than do higher-quality securities, which tend to react mainly to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. In addition, lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to general economic conditions.

**Inflation Risk.** Because inflation reduces the purchasing power of income produced by existing fixed income securities, the prices at which fixed income securities trade will be reduced to compensate for the fact that the income they produce is worth less. This potential decrease in market value would be the measure of the inflation risk incurred by the Fund.

**Interest Rate Risk.** The Fund invests in fixed income securities. These securities will increase or decrease in value based on changes in interest rates. If rates increase, the value of the Fund's fixed income securities generally declines. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. A Shareholder's investment will decline in value if the value of the Fund's investments decreases.

**Investment Company and Exchange-Traded Fund Risk.** The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies and ETFs. Shareholders will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests in addition to the Fund's direct fees and expenses. The Fund also will incur brokerage costs when it purchases ETFs and closed-end funds. In addition, the Fund will be subject to the risks associated with the investment company or ETF's investments. The price movement of an ETF may not track the underlying index and may result in a loss. The closed-end investment company or ETF may trade at a price above (premium) or below (discount) their NAV, especially during periods of significant volatility or stress, causing

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investors to pay significantly more or less than the value of the ETF's underlying portfolio. Furthermore, investments in other funds could affect the timing, amount and character of distributions to Shareholders, and therefore, may increase the amount of taxes payable by investors in the Fund. The Fund does not intend to invest in affiliated investment companies.

**Liquidity Risk.** The Fund may not be able to purchase or sell a security in a timely manner or at desired prices or achieve its desired weighting in a security. Liquidity risk may result from the lack of an active market or a reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed income securities, and may be magnified during times of market stress. The Fund may not be able to meet the requests to redeem Shares without significant dilution of remaining investors' interest in the Fund.

**Management Risk.** The Adviser's judgments about the attractiveness, value, and potential appreciation of a particular asset class or individual security in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect, and there is no guarantee that individual investments will perform as anticipated.

**Market Risk.** The value of the Fund's investments may decrease, sometimes rapidly or unexpectedly, due to factors affecting an issuer held by the Fund, particular industries or overall securities markets. When the value of the Fund's investments goes down, a Shareholder's investment in the Fund decreases in value. A variety of factors including interest rate levels, recessions, inflation, U.S. economic growth, war or acts of terrorism, natural disasters, political events, supply chain disruptions, trade barriers, staff shortages and widespread public health issues affect the securities markets. These events may cause volatility, severe market dislocations and liquidity constraints in many markets, including markets for the securities the Fund holds, and may adversely affect the Fund's investments and operations. In addition, governmental responses to these events may negatively impact the capabilities of the Fund's service providers, disrupt the Fund's operations, result in substantial market volatility and adversely impact the prices and liquidity of the Fund's investments.

**Non-Diversification Risk.** The Fund is classified as "non-diversified" under the Company Act. As a result, it can invest a greater portion of its assets in obligations of a single issuer than a "diversified" fund. The Fund may therefore be more susceptible than a diversified fund to being adversely affected by a single corporate, economic, political or regulatory occurrence.

**Non-U.S. and Emerging Markets Risk.** The Fund may invest in non-U.S. securities and U.S. securities of companies domiciled in non-U.S. countries that may experience more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies. These companies may be subject to additional risks, including political and economic risks, civil conflicts and war, greater volatility, expropriation and nationalization risks, currency fluctuations, higher transaction costs, delayed settlement, possible non-U.S. controls on investments, and less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards of non-U.S. markets. These risks are magnified in emerging markets as events and evolving conditions in certain economies or markets may alter the risks associated with investments tied to countries or regions that historically were perceived as comparatively stable becoming riskier and more volatile. The market for the securities of issuers in emerging markets is typically small and low, and nonexistent trading volumes in those securities may result in a lack of liquidity and price volatility.

The Fund anticipates that, under normal circumstances, it will invest no more than 10% of its total assets in non-U.S. securities and U.S. securities of companies domiciled in non-U.S. countries.

**Participatory Notes Risk.** P-notes are equity access products structured as debt obligations issued by banks or broker-dealers that are designed to replicate the performance of certain issuers and markets where direct investment is either impossible or difficult due to local restrictions. The performance results of P-notes will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers or markets that the notes seek to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. Investments in P- notes involve the same risks associated with a direct investment in the shares of the companies the notes seek to replicate. In addition, P-notes are subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the broker-dealer or bank that issues the notes will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the Fund. Some P-notes may be considered illiquid.

**Prepayment and Call Risk.** The issuer of certain securities may repay principal in advance, especially when yields fall. Changes in the rate at which prepayments occur can affect the return on investment of these securities. When debt obligations are prepaid or when securities are called, the fund may have to reinvest in securities with a lower yield. The Fund also may fail to recover additional amounts (*i.e.*, premiums) paid for securities with higher coupons, resulting in an unexpected capital loss.

**Real Estate Risk.** Real estate-related investments may decline in value as a result of factors affecting the real estate industry, such as the supply of real property in certain markets, changes in zoning laws, delays in completion of construction, changes in real estate values, changes in property taxes, levels of occupancy, changes in general economic and market conditions, casualty and condemnation losses, availability of financing, and local and regional market conditions. The value of real estate related investments may also be affected by changes in interest rates, macroeconomic developments, and social and economic trends.

**Repurchase Offers Risks.** As described under "Quarterly Share Repurchase Program," the Fund is an "interval fund" and, in order to provide liquidity to Shareholders, makes quarterly offers to repurchase between 5% and 25% of its outstanding Shares at NAV, pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the Company Act. The Fund believes that these repurchase offers are generally beneficial to Shareholders, and repurchases generally will be funded from available cash or sales of portfolio securities. However, the repurchase of Shares by the Fund decreases the assets of the Fund and, therefore, may have the effect of increasing the Fund's expense ratio. Repurchase offers and the need to fund repurchase obligations may also affect the ability of the Fund to be fully invested or force the Fund to maintain a higher percentage of its assets in liquid investments, which may harm the Fund's investment performance.

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Moreover, diminution in the size of the Fund through repurchases may result in untimely sales of portfolio securities and may limit the ability of the Fund to participate in new investment opportunities or to achieve its investment objective. If the Fund uses leverage, repurchases of Shares may compound the adverse effects of leverage in a declining market. In addition, if the Fund borrows money to finance repurchases, interest on that borrowing will negatively affect Shareholders who do not tender their Shares by increasing Fund expenses and reducing any net investment income. If a repurchase offer is oversubscribed and the Fund determines not to repurchase additional Shares beyond the repurchase offer amount, or if Shareholders tender an amount of Shares greater than that which the Fund is entitled to purchase, the Fund will repurchase the Shares tendered on a pro rata basis, and Shareholders will have to wait until the next repurchase offer to make another repurchase request. Shareholders will be subject to the risk of NAV fluctuations during that period. Thus, there is also a risk that some Shareholders, in anticipation of proration, may tender more Shares than they wish to have repurchased in a particular quarter, thereby increasing the likelihood that proration will occur. The NAV of Shares tendered in a repurchase offer may fluctuate between the date a Shareholder submits a repurchase request and the Repurchase Request Deadline, and to the extent there is any delay between the Repurchase Request Deadline and the Repurchase Pricing Date. The NAV on the Repurchase Request Deadline or the Repurchase Pricing Date may be higher or lower than on the date a Shareholder submits a repurchase request. See "Quarterly Share Repurchase Program."

**Sector Emphasis Risk.** The Fund, from time to time, may invest 25% or more of its assets in one or more sectors, subjecting the Fund to sector emphasis risk. This is the risk that the Fund is subject to a greater risk of loss as a result of adverse economic, business or other developments affecting a specific sector in which the Fund has a focused position, than if its investments were diversified across a greater number of industry sectors. Some sectors possess particular risks that may not affect other sectors.

**Sovereign Debt Risk.** Sovereign debt is issued or guaranteed by non-U.S. government entities. Investments in sovereign debt are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay payment, restructure its debt, or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt due to cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, social changes, the relative size of its debt position to its economy, or its failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a government entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting amounts owed on sovereign debt, such as bankruptcy proceedings, that a government does not pay.

**Unrated Securities Risk.** The Fund may purchase unrated securities that are not rated by a rating agency. Unrated securities may be less liquid than comparable rated securities and involve the risk that the Adviser may not accurately evaluate the security's comparative credit rating.

Accordingly, the Fund should be considered a speculative investment that entails substantial risks, and prospective investors should invest in the Fund only if they can sustain a complete loss of their investment.

**Variable and Floating Rate Instrument Risk.** Securities with floating or variable interest rates are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with fixed interest rates, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as comparable market interest rates. Conversely, floating or variable rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. The impact of interest rate changes on floating or variable rate securities is typically mitigated by the periodic interest rate reset of the investments. Floating or variable rate securities are often subject to restrictions on resale, which can result in reduced liquidity.

**Zero-Coupon, Pay-in-Kind and Deferred Payment Securities.** The market value of zero-coupon, PIK, and deferred payment securities generally are more volatile than the market value of, and is more likely to respond to a greater degree to changes in interest rates than, other fixed income securities with similar maturities and credit quality that pay interest periodically. Actions required by federal income tax law may reduce the assets to which the Fund's expenses could otherwise be allocated and may reduce the Fund's rate of return.

The Fund accrues income with respect to zero-coupon and PIK securities prior to the receipt of cash payments. Deferred payment securities are securities that remain zero-coupon securities until a predetermined date, at which time the stated coupon rate becomes effective and interest becomes payable at regular intervals. These interest payments are subject to the risk that the borrower may default when the deferred payments are due. While interest payments are not made on such securities, holders of such securities are deemed to have received "phantom income." Because the Fund will distribute "phantom income" to shareholders, to the extent that shareholders elect to receive dividends in cash rather than reinvesting such dividends in additional shares, the Fund will have fewer assets with which to purchase income-producing securities. Zero-coupon, PIK, and deferred payment securities may be subject to greater fluctuation in value and lesser liquidity in the event of adverse market conditions or changes in interest rates than comparably rated securities paying cash interest at regular interest payment periods. In addition, such instruments may have unreliable valuations because their accruals require judgments about ultimate collectability of deferred payments and the value of the associated collateral. To the extent such securities result in higher valuations than other securities, they may provide certain benefits to the Adviser, including increasing the Management Fee.

**Other Risks Relating to the Fund** 

**General Risks.** All funds carry a certain amount of risk. An investor may lose money on their investment in the Fund. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed fund. The Fund may not achieve its objective if the Adviser's expectations regarding particular securities or markets are not met.

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**Convertible Securities Risk.** The market value of convertible securities and other debt securities tends to fall when prevailing interest rates rise. The value of convertible securities also tends to change whenever the market value of the underlying common or preferred stock fluctuates.

**Cybersecurity Risk.** The computer systems, networks and devices used by the Fund and its service providers to carry out routine business operations employ a variety of protections designed to prevent damage or interruption from computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons and security breaches. Despite the various protections utilized by the Fund and its service providers, systems, networks, or devices potentially can be breached due to both intentional and unintentional events. The Fund and Shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of a cybersecurity breach.

Similar adverse consequences could result from cybersecurity breaches affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invest; counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions; governmental and other regulatory authorities; exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and service providers for the Shareholders); and other parties.

Cybersecurity breaches can include unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices; infection from computer viruses or other malicious software code; ransomware; and attacks that shut down, disable, slow, or otherwise disrupt operations, business processes, or website access or functionality. Cybersecurity breaches may cause disruptions and impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses; may negatively impact the financial condition of an issuer, counterparty or other market participant; interference with the Fund's ability to calculate their NAVs; impediments to trading; the inability of the Fund's, the Adviser, and other service providers to transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs; as well as the inadvertent release of confidential information.

In addition, substantial costs may be incurred by these entities in order to prevent any cybersecurity breaches in the future. Neither the Fund or the Adviser control the cybersecurity systems of issuers or third-party service providers.

**Illiquid Securities Risk.** The Adviser anticipates a portion of the Fund's investments to be in securities that are illiquid. An illiquid investment is any investment that cannot be disposed of in current market conditions within seven days in the normal course of business at approximately the amount at which it is valued by the Fund and without significantly changing the value of the investment. The price the Fund pays for illiquid securities or receives upon resale may be lower than the price paid or received for similar securities with a more liquid market. In addition, there may be no market or a limited market in which to sell illiquid securities.

**Inflation-Indexed Bonds Risk.** Inflation-indexed bonds are fixed income securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. If the index measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds. For bonds that do not provide a similar guarantee, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal. The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. If nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates may rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds. Short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

**Large Shareholder Redemption Risk.** Certain individuals accounts, or institutions, including the Adviser and its affiliates, may from time to time own or control a substantial amount of Shares. There is no requirement that these entities maintain their investment in the Fund.

**Maturity Risk.** In certain situations the Fund may purchase a bond of a given maturity as an alternative to another bond of a different maturity. Ordinarily, under these circumstances, the Fund will make an adjustment to account for the interest rate risk differential in the two bonds. This adjustment, however, makes an assumption about how the interest rates at different maturities will move. To the extent that the yield movements deviate from this assumption, there is a yield-curve or maturity risk. Another situation where yield-curve risk should be considered is in the analysis of bond swap transactions where the potential incremental returns are dependent entirely on the parallel shift assumption for the yield curve.

**MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND** 

**Board of Trustees** 

Pursuant to the Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust ("Declaration of Trust") and the Fund's By-Laws ("By-Laws"), the Fund's business and affairs are managed under the direction of the Board, which has overall responsibility for monitoring and overseeing the Fund's management and operations. The Board consists of four members, three of who are not "interested persons" as that term is defined in the Company Act ("Independent Trustees"). The Trustees are subject to removal or replacement in accordance with Delaware law and the Declaration of Trust. The Trustees serving on the Board have each been elected by the Shareholders. The SAI provides additional information about the Trustees.

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| **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** | **21** |

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**Investment Adviser** 

Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., located at 325 John H. McConnell Blvd., Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43215, serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The Adviser is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC under the Advisers Act. The Adviser has overall supervisory management responsibility for the general management and investment of the Fund's portfolio. The Adviser was formed in 1988 and provides advisory services to individual and institutional investors through mutual funds, separate accounts, collective investment trusts, other pooled vehicles including sub-advised funds and a private fund. As of December 31, 2025, the Adviser had net assets under management of approximately $29.4 billion. The Adviser is a wholly owned subsidiary of Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc.

The Adviser serves as the Fund's investment adviser pursuant to the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement and subject to the authority of, and any policies established by, the Board. Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser manages the Fund's investment portfolio, directs purchases and sales of portfolio securities and reports thereon to the Fund's officers and Trustees regularly.

The Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, oversees and monitors the Fund's investment performance. The Board will review on an annual basis the Investment Advisory Agreement to determine, among other things, whether the fees payable thereunder are reasonable in light of the services provided. A discussion of the factors that the Board considered in approving the Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Fund's annual report to shareholders for the period ended December 31, 2025.

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, and in consideration of the advisory services provided by the Adviser to the Fund, the Adviser is entitled to a Management Fee. The Management Fee is calculated and payable monthly in arrears at the annual rate of 1.25% of the average daily value of the Fund's net assets.

**Investment Personnel** 

Mr. Henry (Xiaohan) Song has served as Portfolio Manager of the Fund since inception. Mr. Song has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and holds the CFA designation. He has been an investment professional with the Adviser since June 2016. Mr. Song currently serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Adviser. From 2005 to 2016 he was with J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc. where he was a portfolio manager for the U.S. Value Driven team and was responsible for managing institutional taxable bond portfolios and previously supported the Columbus taxable client portfolio managers in reporting as well as client communications.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about Mr. Song's compensation, other accounts he manages, and his ownership of Shares.

**Administrator** 

Under the terms of the Administration Agreement, the Administrator renders all administrative, transfer agency, fund accounting and supervisory services to the Fund. The Administrator oversees the maintenance of all books and records with respect to the Fund's securities transactions and the Fund's book of accounts in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. The Administrator also arranges for the preservation of journals, ledgers, corporate documents, brokerage account records and other records which are required pursuant to Rule 31a-1 promulgated under the Company Act. The Administrator is also responsible for the equipment, staff, office space and facilities necessary to perform its obligations. The Administrator may delegate any or all of its responsibilities under the Administration Agreement to one or more third-party service providers.

Under the Administration Agreement, the Administrator assumes and pays all ordinary expenses of the Fund not assumed by the Fund. The Fund pays all brokerage fees and commissions, custodian fees, taxes, borrowing costs, expenses related to conducting shareholders' meetings and proxy solicitations, fees and extraordinary or non-recurring expenses. The Fund also pays distribution-related expenses.

Pursuant to the Administration Agreement, the Administrator receives a fee, which is paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.50% of the Fund's average daily net assets of Class A Shares, 0.50% of the Fund's average daily net assets of Class I Shares, and 0.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets of Class R Shares.

**Sub-Administrator and Sub-Transfer Agent** 

Pursuant to a Master Services Agreement entered into between Ultimus and the Adviser (the "Master Services Agreement"), Ultimus acts as the Fund's sub-fund accounting agent and, in such capacity, maintains the books and records of the Fund, calculates the NAV per Share of each class, calculates investment performance and prepares all financial statements and related regulatory filings. Pursuant to the Master Services Agreement, Ultimus also acts as the Transfer Agent and, in such capacity, maintains the records of each Shareholder's account, answers Shareholders' inquiries concerning their accounts, processes purchases and redemptions of Shares, acts as dividend and distribution disbursing agent and performs other accounting and Shareholder service functions. Fees of Ultimus under the Master Services Agreement are paid by the Adviser pursuant to the Administration Agreement.

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| **22** | **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** |

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**Custodian** 

State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Congress Street, Suite 1, Boston, MA 02114 is the custodian for the Fund's investments. The Custodian acts as the Fund's depository, safe keeps its portfolio securities, collects all income and other payments with respect thereto, disburses funds at the Fund's request and maintains records in connection with its duties.

**FUND EXPENSES** 

The Adviser bears all of its own costs incurred in providing investment advisory services to the Fund.

Pursuant to the Administration Agreement, the Administrator assumes and pays all ordinary expenses of the Fund not assumed by the Fund.

The Fund pays all brokerage fees and commissions, custodian fees, taxes, borrowing costs, expenses related to conducting Shareholders' meetings and proxy solicitations, fees and extraordinary or non-recurring expenses, including, without limitation, costs incurred in connection with any claim, litigation, arbitration, mediation, government investigation or similar proceeding and indemnification expenses as provided for in the Fund's organizational documents. The Fund also pays expenses that it is authorized to pay pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Company Act.

**Organization and Offering Costs** 

Organizational costs include, among other things, the cost of organizing as an Delaware statutory trust, including the cost of legal services and other fees pertaining to the Fund's organization. These costs are paid by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund.

The Fund's initial offering costs include, among other things, legal, accounting, printing and other expenses pertaining to this offering. These costs are paid by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund.

**Control Persons** 

A control person generally is a person who beneficially owns more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or has the power to exercise control over the management or policies of such company. As of January 31, 2026, the following shareholders owned of record 25% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Fund.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| | **% OWNERSHIP** |
| **Class I Shares** | |
| Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. | 98.85% |
| **Class R Shares** |  |
| Northern Trust Company Custodian FBO Battelle Memorial Trust | 39.39% |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customers | 42.06% |

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**DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE** 

When an investor buys and sells Shares, the price of the Shares is based on the Fund's NAV next determined after the order is received. The NAV is calculated at the close of trading (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") is open for business ("open business day"). Should the NYSE experience an unexpected market closure or restriction on trading during or on what is expected to be an open business day, the Fund will make a determination whether to calculate the NAV at the times as described above (and value the securities as described below in this prospectus and in the SAI) or to suspend the determination of the NAV based on available information at the time of or during the unexpected closure or restriction on trading. Purchase requests received by the Fund or an authorized agent of the Fund after the NYSE closes, or on a day on which the NYSE is not open for trading, will be effective on the next open business day thereafter on which the NYSE is open for trading, and the offering price will be based on the Fund's NAV at the close of trading on that day. A separate NAV is calculated for each Share class. The NAV for a class is calculated by dividing the value of the Fund's total assets (including interest and dividends accrued but not yet received), allocable to that class, minus liabilities (including accrued expenses) allocable to that class, by the total number of that class' shares outstanding. The market value of the Fund's investments is determined primarily on the basis of readily available market quotations.

If market quotations are not readily available, if available market quotations are determined not to be reliable, or if a security's value has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of trading on the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded (for example, a natural disaster affecting an entire country or region, or an event that affects an individual company), but before the Fund's NAV is calculated, that security may be valued at its fair value in accordance with policies and procedures adopted by the Board. Without a fair value price, short term traders could take advantage of the arbitrage opportunity and dilute the NAV of long term investors. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities that are primarily listed on non-U.S. exchanges or other markets that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund is closed, the value of the Shares may change on days when Shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem their shares. In addition, securities trading on non-U.S. markets present time zone arbitrage opportunities when events affecting portfolio security values occur after the close of the non-U.S. market, but prior to the close of the U.S. market. Fair valuation of the Fund's portfolio securities can serve to reduce arbitrage opportunities available to short term traders, but there

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| **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** | **23** |

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is no assurance that fair value pricing policies will prevent dilution of the Fund's NAV by short term traders. Fair valuation involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may differ materially from the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security.

If an investor purchases Shares through a financial intermediary, as discussed below, it is the responsibility of the authorized agent to transmit properly completed purchase orders so that they will be received timely by the Fund. Any change in price due to the failure of the Fund to receive an order timely must be settled between the investor and the authorized agent placing the order.

**Non-U.S. and U.S. Fixed Income Securities** 

Fixed income securities shall be valued at an evaluated price, generally as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, provided by an independent pricing service approved by the Board. To value debt securities, pricing services may use various pricing techniques which take into account appropriate factors such as trading activity, readily available market quotations (including broker quotes), yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics, call features, credit ratings and other data.

These securities are generally considered to be fair valued; however, because the prices are provided by an independent approved pricing service, the fair value procedures approved by the Board need not be applied. Securities with less than 61 days to maturity may be valued at amortized cost. Amortized cost shall not be used if the use of amortized cost would be inappropriate due to credit or other impairments of the issuer.

Securities for which quotations are either: (1) not readily available, (2) not provided by an approved pricing service or broker, or (3) determined by the Adviser's Valuation & Liquidity Committee to not accurately reflect their value, are valued at their fair value using procedures approved by the Board.

**CONFLICTS OF INTEREST** 

**Other Accounts** 

The Portfolio Manager may be responsible for managing other account portfolios in addition to the Fund. Management of other accounts in addition to the Fund can present certain conflicts of interest, including those associated with different fee structures, various trading practices, and the amount of time a Portfolio Manager may spend on other accounts versus the Fund. The Adviser has implemented specific policies and procedures to address any potential conflicts. The Adviser's Form ADV Part 2A contains a complete description of its policies and procedures to address conflicts of interest. Below are material conflicts of interest that have been identified and practices intended to mitigate those conflicts when managing other account portfolios as well as the Fund.

**Performance Based Fees** 

The Adviser manages certain accounts for which part of its fee is based on the performance of the account/fund ("Performance Fee Accounts"). As a result of the performance-based fee component, the Adviser may receive additional revenue related to the Performance Fee Accounts. None of the Adviser's Portfolio Managers receive any direct incentive compensation related to their management of the Performance Fee Accounts; however, revenues from Performance Fee Accounts management will impact the resources available to compensate Portfolio Managers and all staff.

**Fees Paid to Diamond Hill** 

Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. serves as both the Adviser and the Administrator of the Fund, receiving compensation pursuant to the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement and Administration Agreement, respectively, the agreements are approved by the Board and detail the services to be provided for each function.

The Adviser has entered into a Master Services Agreement under which Ultimus acts as the Transfer Agent and sub-fund accounting agent. Fees to Ultimus are paid by the Adviser pursuant to the Administration Agreement.

On an annual basis the Board considers the renewal of the Investment Advisor Agreement and the Administration Agreement. As part of the renewal process, the Board considers the profitability to the Adviser of the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement.

**Trade Allocation** 

The Adviser manages numerous accounts in addition to the Fund. When the Fund and another of the Adviser's clients seek to purchase or sell the same security at or about the same time, the Adviser may execute the transactions with the same broker on a combined or "blocked" basis. Blocked transactions can produce better execution for the Fund because of increased volume of the transaction. However, when another of the Adviser's clients specifies that trades be executed with a specific broker ("Directed Brokerage Accounts"), a potential conflict of interest exists related to the order in which those trades are executed and allocated. As a result, the Adviser has adopted a trade allocation policy in which all trade orders occurring simultaneously among the Fund and one or more other accounts where the Adviser has the discretion to choose the execution broker are blocked and executed first. After the blocked trades have been completed, the remaining trades for the Directed Brokerage Accounts are then executed in random

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| **24** | **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** |

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order, through the Adviser's portfolio management software. When a trade is partially filled, the number of filled shares is generally allocated on a pro-rata basis in accordance with the target allocation to the appropriate client accounts. Trades are not segmented by investment product.

**Code of Ethics and Personal Security** 

The Adviser and the Trust have adopted a Code of Ethics designed to: (1) demonstrate the Adviser's duty at all times to place the interest of clients and Shareholders first; (2) align the interests of the Fund's portfolio manager(s) ("Portfolio Manager") with clients and Shareholders, and (3) mitigate inherent conflicts of interest associated with personal securities transactions. The Code of Ethics prohibits employees of the Adviser from purchasing individual equity and most fixed income securities that are eligible to be purchased in client accounts. The Code of Ethics also prohibits the purchase of third party mutual funds in the primary Morningstar categories with which the Adviser competes. Therefore, to gain exposure to securitized credit investments, the Portfolio Manager must invest in the Fund or in another investment company managed by the Adviser. As a result, the Portfolio Manager may be significant owners in the portfolios in which they manage.

**Best Execution and Research Services** 

The Adviser has controls in place for monitoring trade execution in client accounts, including reviewing trades for best execution. Certain broker-dealers that Diamond Hill uses to execute client trades are also clients of Diamond Hill and/or refer clients to Diamond Hill creating a conflict of interest. To mitigate this conflict, the Adviser has controls in place for monitoring trade execution in our clients' portfolios, including reviewing trades for best execution.

Receipt of research from brokers who execute client trades involves conflicts of interest. Since the Adviser uses client brokerage commissions to obtain research, it receives a benefit because it does not have to produce or pay for the research, products, or services itself. Consequently, the Adviser has an incentive to select or recommend a broker based on its desire to receive research, products, or services rather than a desire to obtain the most favorable execution. The Adviser attempts to mitigate these potential conflicts through oversight of the use of commissions by its Best Execution Committee.

**Proxy Voting** 

The Fund has delegated proxy voting responsibilities to the Adviser, subject to the general oversight of the Board. The Adviser has adopted written proxy voting policies and procedures ("Proxy Policy") as required by Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act consistent with its fiduciary obligations and the Proxy Policy has been approved by the Board as the policies and procedures that the Adviser will use when voting proxies on behalf of the Fund. The Proxy Policy is designed and implemented in a manner reasonably expected to ensure that voting and consent rights are exercised prudently and solely in the best economic interests of the Fund and its Shareholders considering all relevant factors and without undue influence from individuals or groups who may have an economic interest in the outcome of a proxy vote. Any conflict between the interests of the Shareholders, on one hand, and those of the Adviser or principal underwriter on the other will be reported to the Board and the Board will provide direction to the Adviser on how to vote the proxy.

The Proxy Policy sets forth the Adviser's voting guidelines. The guidelines contain information about the key objectives in voting proxies, various client and Adviser decision methods, conflicts of interest, general voting principles, and detailed explanations on how the Adviser will typically vote on certain matters that are typically up for shareholder vote. Each vote is ultimately determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration all relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote.

The Adviser and the Fund have adopted certain compliance procedures which are designed to identify, address and resolve conflicts of interest. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.

**QUARTERLY SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAM** 

The Shares are not listed on any securities exchange, and the Fund anticipates that no secondary market will develop for its Shares. Accordingly, Shareholders may not be able to sell Shares when and/or in the amount that they desire. No Shareholder will have the right to require the Fund to repurchase or redeem such Shareholder's Shares or any portion thereof. Shareholders are not permitted to transfer their investment from the Fund to any other registered investment company. Because no public market exists for the Shares, and no such market is expected to develop in the foreseeable future, Shareholders will not be able to liquidate their investment, other than through the Fund's Share repurchase program, or, in limited circumstances, as a result of transfers of Shares to other investors. Thus, the Shares are appropriate only as a long-term investment. In addition, the Fund's repurchase offers may subject the Fund and Shareholders to special risks. See "Risk Factors—Repurchase Offers Risks."

The Fund is an "interval fund," which is designed to provide some liquidity to Shareholders by making quarterly offers to repurchase between 5% and 25% of its outstanding Shares at NAV, pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the Company Act, unless such offer is suspended or postponed in accordance with relevant regulatory requirements (as discussed below). In connection with any given repurchase offer, it is possible that the Fund may offer to repurchase only the minimum allowable amount of 5% of its outstanding Shares at the NAV applicable to the class of Shares repurchased. Quarterly repurchases will occur in the months of March, June, September, and December. The Fund's offer to purchase Shares is a fundamental policy that may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Company Act). The Repurchase Offer Notice will be sent to Shareholders at least 21 calendar days before the Repurchase Request Deadline (*i.e.*, the date by which Shareholders can tender their Shares in response to a repurchase offer), which is ordinarily on the third Friday of the month in which the repurchase occurs. The Repurchase Offer Notice will also include the "Repurchase Pricing Date," or the date the NAV per share is determined.

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| **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** | **25** |

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The Repurchase Pricing Date will generally be the same date as the Repurchase Request Deadline but may extend no later than the 14th calendar days after the Repurchase Request Deadline. The Fund expects to distribute payment to Shareholders between one and three business days after the Repurchase Pricing Date and will distribute such payment no later than seven calendar days after such date ("Repurchase Payment Deadline").

**Determination of Repurchase Offer Amount** 

The Board, or a committee thereof, in its sole discretion, will determine the number of Shares that the Fund will offer to repurchase (the "Repurchase Offer Amount") in connection with any given Repurchase Request Deadline. However, the Repurchase Offer Amount, will be no less than 5% and no more than 25% of the total number of Shares outstanding on the Repurchase Request Deadline.

**Notice to Shareholders** 

No less than 21 days and no more than 42 days before each Repurchase Request Deadline, the Fund will send each Shareholder of record and each beneficial owner of the Shares that are the subject of the repurchase offer a notification ("Shareholder Notification"). The Shareholder Notification will contain information Shareholders should consider in deciding whether to tender Shares for repurchase. The notice also will include detailed instructions on how to tender Shares for repurchase, state the Repurchase Offer Amount, and set forth the Repurchase Request Deadline, the scheduled Repurchase Pricing Date, and the Repurchase Payment Deadline. The notice will also indicate the NAV that has been computed no more than seven days before the date of notification, and the process through which Shareholders may ascertain the NAV after the notification date. Any requests for the repurchase of Shares may be withdrawn or modified at any time prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the Repurchase Request Deadline.

**Repurchase Price** 

The repurchase price of the Shares will be the NAV of the Shares as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE on the Repurchase Pricing Date. Investors may call 888-226-5595 to learn the NAV. The notice of the repurchase offer also will provide information concerning the NAV, such as the NAV as of a recent date or a sampling of recent NAVs of the Fund, and a toll-free number for information regarding the repurchase offer.

**Repurchase Amounts and Payment of Proceeds** 

Shares tendered for repurchase by Shareholders prior to any Repurchase Request Deadline will be repurchased subject to the aggregate Repurchase Offer Amount established for that Repurchase Request Deadline. Payment pursuant to the repurchase offer will be made by check to the Shareholder's address of record, or credited directly to a predetermined bank account on the Repurchase Payment Date, which will be no more than seven days after the Repurchase Pricing Date. The Board may establish other policies for repurchases of shares that are consistent with the Company Act, regulations thereunder and other pertinent laws.

If Shareholders tender for repurchase more than the Repurchase Offer Amount for a given repurchase offer, the Fund may, but is not required to, repurchase an additional amount of Shares not to exceed 2.00% of the outstanding Shares on the Repurchase Request Deadline. If the Fund determines not to repurchase more than the Repurchase Offer Amount, or if Shareholders tender Shares in an amount exceeding the Repurchase Offer Amount plus 2.00% of the outstanding Shares on the Repurchase Request Deadline, the Fund will repurchase Shares on a pro rata basis. However, the Fund may accept all Shares tendered for repurchase by Shareholders who own less than one hundred Shares and who tender all of their Shares, before prorating other amounts tendered.

The Fund may in the future impose a repurchase fee. However, any such repurchase fee would only apply to Shares purchased after the repurchase fee is adopted and disclosed in the Registration Statement.

**Suspension or Postponement of Repurchase Offer** 

The Fund may suspend or postpone a repurchase offer only: (1) if making or effecting the repurchase offer would cause the Fund to lose its status as a RIC under the Code; (2) for any period during which the NYSE or any market on which the securities owned by the Fund are principally traded is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings, or during which trading in such market is restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonable practicable, or during which it is not reasonable practicable for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets; or (4) for such other periods as the SEC may by order permit for the protection of Shareholders.

**Liquidity Requirements** 

The Fund must maintain liquid assets at least equal to the percentage of its Shares subject to the repurchase offer. For this purpose, liquid assets are investments that can be sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business, at approximately the price at which the Fund values them, within the period between the Repurchase Request Deadline and the repurchase payment deadline, or that mature by the Repurchase Payment Deadline. The Fund is also permitted to borrow up to the maximum extent permitted under the Company Act to meet repurchase requests. The Board has adopted procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure

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| **26** | **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** |

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that the Fund's assets are sufficiently liquid so that the Fund can comply with the repurchase offer and the liquidity requirements described in above under "Repurchase Amounts and Payment of Proceeds". If, at any time, the Fund falls out of compliance with these liquidity requirements, the Board will take whatever action it deems appropriate to ensure compliance.

**Consequences of Repurchase Offers** 

Repurchase offers will typically be funded from borrowing proceeds, available cash or sales of portfolio securities. Payment for repurchased shares, however, may require the Fund to liquidate portfolio holdings earlier than the Adviser otherwise would, thus increasing the Fund's portfolio turnover and potentially causing the Fund to realize losses. The Adviser intends to take measures to attempt to avoid or minimize such potential losses and turnover, and instead of liquidating portfolio holdings, may borrow money to finance repurchases of shares. If the Fund borrows to finance repurchases, interest on that borrowing will negatively affect Shareholders who do not tender their Shares by increasing the Fund's expenses and reducing any net investment income. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able sell a significant amount of additional Shares so as to mitigate these effects. To the extent the Fund finances repurchase amounts by selling Fund investments, the resulting Fund portfolio may hold a larger proportion of its assets in less liquid securities. The sale of portfolio securities to fund repurchases also could reduce the market price of those underlying securities, which in turn would reduce the Fund's NAV.

Repurchase of the Shares will tend to reduce the amount of outstanding shares and, depending upon the Fund's investment performance, its net assets. A reduction in the Fund's net assets would increase the Fund's expense ratio, to the extent that additional shares are not sold and expenses otherwise remain the same (or increase). In addition, the repurchase of shares by the Fund will be a taxable event to Shareholders.

The Fund is intended as a long-term investment. The Fund's quarterly repurchase offers are a Shareholder's only means of liquidity with respect to the Shareholder's shares. Shareholders have no rights to redeem or transfer their shares, other than limited rights of a Shareholder's descendants to transfer shares in the event of such Shareholder's death pursuant to certain conditions and restrictions. The shares are not traded on a national securities exchange and no secondary market exists for the shares, nor does the Fund expect a secondary market for its shares to exist in the future.

**Discretionary Repurchase Offers** 

Under paragraph (c) of Rule 23c-3, in addition to its quarterly repurchase of shares, the Fund may offer to repurchase its shares on a discretionary basis, provided that: (i) the offer is made to all Shareholders, (ii) the offer is made no more frequently than every two years, and (iii) certain other conditions of Rule 23c-3 are met.

These and other possible risks associated with the Fund's repurchase offers are described under "Repurchase Offers Risks" above. In addition, the repurchase of Shares by the Fund will be a taxable event to Shareholders. For a discussion of these tax consequences, see "U.S. Federal Income Tax" and "Tax Status" in the SAI.

**DISTRIBUTION POLICY** 

The Fund intends to distribute to its Shareholders as dividends all or substantially all of its net investment income and any realized net capital gains. Distributions from the Fund's net investment income are paid monthly and capital gains are distributed at least annually. However, there can be no assurances that the Fund will achieve any level of distribution to its Shareholders.

To the extent that any portion of the Fund's monthly distributions are considered a return of capital to Shareholders, such portion would not be considered dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and would represent a return of the amounts that such Shareholders invested. Although such return of capital distributions are not currently taxable to Shareholders, such distributions will have the effect of lowering a Shareholder's tax basis in such Shares, and could result in a higher tax liability when the Shares are sold, even if they have not increased in value, or in fact, have lost value. The Fund's final distribution for each tax year is expected to include any remaining investment company taxable income and net tax-exempt income undistributed during the tax year, as well as any undistributed net capital gain realized during the tax year. If the total distributions made in any tax year exceed investment company taxable income, net tax-exempt income and net capital gain, such excess distributed amount would be treated as ordinary dividend income to the extent of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits and as return of capital thereafter. This distribution policy, may, under certain circumstances, have adverse consequences to the Fund and its Shareholders because it may result in a return of capital resulting in less of a Shareholder's assets being invested in the Fund and, over time, increase the Fund's expense ratio. The distribution policy also may cause the Fund to sell securities at a time it would not otherwise do so to manage the distribution of income and gain.

Each year, a statement on Form 1099-DIV identifying the sources of the distributions (*i.e.*, paid from ordinary income, paid from net capital gains on the sale of securities, and/or a return of capital, which is a nontaxable distribution) will be furnished to Shareholders subject to Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") reporting. Fund ordinary distributions may exceed the Fund's earnings, especially during the period before the Fund has substantially invested the proceeds from this offering. To the extent that the Fund pays distributions to Shareholders using proceeds it receives from Fund distributions, such distributions generally would constitute a return of investor capital and generally will lower an investor's tax basis in their Shares. A return of capital generally is a return of an investor's investment rather than a return of earnings or gains derived from the Fund's investment activities. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to pay distributions at a specific rate or at all.

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| **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** | **27** |

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As discussed in the "U.S. Federal Income Tax" section, to qualify for and maintain RIC tax treatment, the Fund is required to distribute on a timely basis with respect to each tax year dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes of an amount at least equal to the sum of 90% of "investment company taxable income" and net tax-exempt interest income, determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid, for such tax year. To avoid certain excise taxes imposed on RICs, the Fund is required to distribute in respect of each calendar year dividends of an amount at least equal to the sum of: (1) 98% of ordinary income (taking into account certain deferrals and elections) for the calendar year, (2) 98.2% of capital gain net income (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) generally for the one-year period ending on October 31 of the calendar year, and (3) any ordinary income and capital gain net income for previous calendar years that were not distributed during such calendar years and on which the Fund paid no U.S. federal income tax. The Fund can offer no assurance that it will achieve results that will permit the payment of any cash distributions.

**DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT POLICY** 

**Automatic Dividend Reinvestment** 

Dividends and capital gains distributions are automatically reinvested, unless otherwise noted. Reinvested dividends increase the Fund's total assets on which the Management Fee is payable to the Adviser. A Shareholder may notify the Transfer Agent in writing to:

● Choose to receive dividends or distributions (or both) in cash; or

● Change the way they currently receive distributions

Shares may be distributed in lieu of cash. The number of Shares that will be distributed in lieu of cash is determined by dividing the dollar amount of the distribution to be reinvested by the NAV as of the close of business on the day of the distribution.

A Shareholder's taxable income is the same regardless of which option they choose. For further information about dividend reinvestment, contact the Transfer Agent by telephone at 888-226-5595.

**U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX** 

The following is a general summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the Fund and an investment in the Fund. The discussion below provides general tax information related to an investment in the Fund, but does not purport to be a complete description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Fund and does not address any state, local, non-U.S., or other tax consequences. It is based on the Code and U.S. Treasury regulations thereunder and administrative pronouncements, all as of the date hereof, any of which is subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. In addition, it does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant in light of a Shareholder's particular circumstances, including (but not limited to) federal alternative minimum tax consequences and tax consequences applicable to Shareholders subject to special tax rules, such as certain financial institutions; dealers or traders in securities who use a mark-to-market method of tax accounting; persons holding Shares as part of a hedging transaction, wash sale, conversion transaction or integrated transaction or persons entering into a constructive sale with respect to Shares; entities classified as partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes; insurance companies; U.S. Shareholders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; or tax-exempt entities, including "individual retirement accounts" or "Roth IRAs." As with any taxable investment, Shareholders may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax on their income (including taxable income from the Fund), depending on their individual circumstances. Unless otherwise noted, the following discussion applies only to a Shareholder that holds Shares as a capital asset and is a U.S. Shareholder. A "U.S. Shareholder" generally is a beneficial owner of Shares who is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

● An individual who is a citizen or a resident of the United States;

● A corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

● An estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

● A trust if it: (a) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

If a partnership (including an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds Shares, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A prospective Shareholder that is a partner in a partnership holding Shares should consult his, her or its tax advisors with respect to the purchase, ownership, and disposition of Shares.

The discussion set forth herein does not constitute tax advice. Tax laws are complex and often change, and Shareholders should consult their tax advisors about the U.S. federal, state, local, or non-U.S. tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.

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**Taxation of the Fund** 

The Fund has elected, to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and has qualified and intends to continue to qualify annually, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that it distributes as dividends to Shareholders. To qualify as a RIC in any tax year, the Fund must, among other things, satisfy both a source of income test and asset diversification tests. The Fund will qualify as a RIC if: (i) at least 90% of the Fund's gross income for such tax year consists of dividends; interest; payments with respect to certain securities loans; gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities (as defined in section 2(a)(36) of the Company Act) or foreign currencies; 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" as defined in Code section 851(h) (such income, "Qualifying RIC Income"); and (ii) the Fund's holdings are diversified so that, at the end of each quarter of such tax year, (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets is represented by cash and cash equivalents, securities of other RICs, 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 value of the Fund's total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (b) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets is invested (x) in securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer; (y) in securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses; or (z) in the securities of one or more "qualified publicly-traded partnerships" as defined in Code section 851(h). The Fund's share of income derived from a partnership other than a "qualified publicly-traded partnership" will be treated as Qualifying RIC Income only to the extent that such income would have constituted Qualifying RIC Income if derived directly by the Fund. A "qualified publicly-traded partnership" is generally defined as an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes if (1) interests in such entity are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof and (2) less than 90% of its gross income for the relevant tax year consists of Qualifying RIC Income. The Code provides that the U.S. Department of the Treasury may, by regulation, exclude from Qualifying RIC Income foreign currency gains that are not directly related to the RIC's principal business of investing in shares or securities (or options and futures with respect to shares or securities). The Fund anticipates that, in general, its foreign currency gains will be directly related to its principal business of investing in shares and securities.

In addition, to maintain RIC tax treatment, the Fund must distribute on a timely basis with respect to each tax year dividends of an amount at least equal to 90% of the sum of its "investment company taxable income" and its net tax-exempt interest income, determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid, to Shareholders (the "90% Distribution Requirement"). If the Fund qualifies as a RIC and satisfies the 90% Distribution Requirement, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its "investment company taxable income" and net capital gains (that is, the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that it distributes as dividends to Shareholders (including amounts that are reinvested pursuant to the dividend reinvestment plan). In general, a RIC's "investment company taxable income" for any tax year is its taxable income, determined without regard to net capital gains and with certain other adjustments. The Fund intends to distribute all or substantially all of its "investment company taxable income," net tax-exempt interest income (if any), and net capital gains on an annual basis. Any taxable income, including any net capital gains that the Fund does not distribute in a timely manner, will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates.

If the Fund retains any net capital gains for reinvestment, it may elect to treat such capital gains as having been distributed to Shareholders. If the Fund makes such an election, each Shareholder will be required to report its share of such undistributed net capital gains attributed to the Fund as long-term capital gain and will be entitled to claim its share of the U.S. federal income taxes paid by the Fund on such undistributed net capital gains as a credit against its own U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and to claim a refund on a properly-filed U.S. federal income tax return to the extent that the credit exceeds such liability. In addition, each Shareholder will be entitled to increase the adjusted tax basis of its Shares by the difference between its share of such undistributed net capital gain and the related credit. There can be no assurance that the Fund will make this election if it retains all or a portion of its net capital gain for a tax year.

As a RIC, the Fund will be, subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax on certain undistributed amounts for each calendar year (the "4% Excise Tax"). To avoid the 4% Excise Tax, the Fund must distribute in respect of each calendar year dividends of an amount at least equal to the sum of (1) 98% of its ordinary taxable income (taking into account certain deferrals and elections) for the calendar year, (2) 98.2% of its capital gain net income (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) generally for the one-year period ending on October 31 of the calendar year and (3) any ordinary income and capital gains for previous calendar years that were not distributed during those calendar years. For purposes of determining whether the Fund has met this distribution requirement, the Fund will be deemed to have distributed any income or gains previously subject to U.S. federal income tax. Furthermore, any distribution declared by the Fund in October, November, or December of any calendar year, payable to Shareholders, of record on a specified date in such a month and actually paid during January of the following calendar year, will be treated for tax purposes as if it had been paid on December 31 of the calendar year in which the distribution was declared. The Fund generally intends to avoid the imposition of the 4% Excise Tax, but there can be no assurance in this regard.

If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC or fails to satisfy the 90% Distribution Requirement in respect of any tax year, the Fund would be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates on its taxable income, including its net capital gains, even if such income were distributed, and all distributions out of earnings and profits would be taxed as ordinary dividend income. Such distributions generally would be eligible for the dividends-received deduction in the case of certain corporate Shareholders and may be eligible to

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be qualified dividend income in the case of certain non-corporate Shareholders. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay taxes, and make distributions (any of which could be subject to interest charges) before re-qualifying for taxation as a RIC. If the Fund fails to satisfy either the income test or asset diversification test described above, in certain cases, however, the Fund may be able to avoid losing its status as a RIC by timely providing notice of such failure to the IRS, curing such failure and possibly paying an additional tax or penalty.

Some of the investments that the Fund is expected to make, such as investments in debt instruments having market discount and/or treated as issued with original issue discount ("OID"), may cause the Fund to recognize income or gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes prior to the receipt of any corresponding cash or other property. As a result, the Fund may have difficulty meeting the 90% Distribution Requirement necessary to maintain RIC tax treatment. Because this income will be included in the Fund's investment company taxable income for the tax year it is accrued, the Fund may be required to make a distribution to Shareholders to meet the distribution requirements described above, even though the Fund will not have received any corresponding cash or property. The Fund may be required to borrow money, dispose of other securities or forgo new investment opportunities for this purpose.

There may be uncertainty as to the appropriate treatment of certain of the Fund's investments for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In particular, the Fund expects to invest a portion of its net assets in below investment grade instruments. U.S. federal income tax rules with respect to such instruments are not entirely clear about issues such as whether and to what extent the Fund should recognize interest, OID or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless instruments, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable.

These and other issues will be addressed by the Fund, to the extent necessary, in connection with the Fund's general intention to distribute sufficient income to qualify, and maintain its qualification to be subject to tax as a RIC and to minimize the risk that it becomes subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.

Income received by the Fund from sources outside the U.S. may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries, thereby reducing income available to the Fund. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets at the close of its tax year consists of securities of foreign corporations, the Fund will be eligible to elect to "pass-through" to the Fund the foreign source amount of income deemed earned and the respective amount of foreign taxes paid by the Fund. If at least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets at the close of each quarter of its tax year is represented by interests in other RICs, the Fund may elect to "pass-through" to Shareholders the foreign source amount of income deemed earned and the respective amount of foreign taxes paid or deemed paid by the Fund. If the Fund so elects, each Shareholder would be required to include in gross income, even though not actually received, each Shareholder's pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid or deemed paid by the Fund, but would be treated as having paid its pro rata share of such foreign taxes and would therefore be allowed to either deduct such amount in computing taxable income or use such amount (subject to various limitations) as a foreign tax credit against federal income tax (but not both).

The Fund may invest in shares of foreign companies that are classified under the Code as passive foreign investment companies ("PFICs"). In general, a foreign company is considered a PFIC if at least 50% of its assets constitute investment-type assets or 75% or more of its gross income is investment-type income. In general, under the PFIC rules, an "excess distribution" received with respect to PFIC shares is treated as having been realized ratably over the period during which the Fund held the PFIC shares. The Fund generally will be subject to tax on the portion, if any, of the excess distribution that is allocated to the Fund's holding period in prior tax years (and an interest factor will be added to the tax, as if the tax had actually been payable in such prior tax years) even though the Fund distributes the corresponding income to Shareholders. Excess distributions include any gain from the sale of PFIC shares as well as certain distributions from a PFIC. All excess distributions are taxable as ordinary income.

The Fund may be eligible to elect alternative tax treatment with respect to PFIC shares. Under one such election (*i.e.*, a "QEF" election), the Fund generally would be required to include in its gross income its share of the earnings of a PFIC on a current basis, regardless of whether any distributions are received from the PFIC. If this election is made, the special rules, discussed above, relating to the taxation of excess distributions, would not apply. Alternatively, the Fund may be able to elect to mark its PFIC shares to market, resulting in any unrealized gains at the Fund's tax year end being treated as though they were recognized and reported as ordinary income. Any mark-to-market losses and any loss from an actual disposition of the PFIC's Shares would be deductible as ordinary losses to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains included in income in prior tax years with respect to shares in the same PFIC.

Because the application of the PFIC rules may affect, among other things, the character of gains, the amount of gain or loss and the timing of the recognition of income, gain or loss with respect to PFIC shares, as well as subject the Fund itself to tax on certain income from PFIC shares, the amount that must be distributed to Shareholders, and which will be recognized by Shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to a fund that did not invest in PFIC shares. Note that distributions from a PFIC are not eligible for the reduced rate of tax on distributions of "qualified dividend income" as discussed below.

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Some of the CLOs in which the Fund invests may be PFICs, which are generally subject to the tax consequences described above. Investment in certain equity interests of CLOs that are subject to treatment as PFICs for U.S. federal income tax purposes may cause the Fund to recognize income in a tax year in excess of the Fund's distributions from such CLOs, PFICs and the Fund's proceeds from sales or other dispositions of equity interests in other CLOs and other PFICs during that tax year. As a result, the Fund generally would be required to distribute such income to satisfy the distribution requirements applicable to RICs.

If the Fund holds more than 10% of the interests treated as equity for U.S. federal income tax purposes in a foreign corporation that is treated as a controlled foreign corporation ("CFC"), including equity tranche investments and certain debt tranche investments in a CLO treated as CFC, the Fund may be treated as receiving a deemed distribution (taxable as ordinary income) each tax year from such foreign corporation of an amount equal to the Fund's pro rata share of the foreign corporation's earnings for such tax year (including both ordinary earnings and capital gains), whether or not the corporation makes an actual distribution to the Fund during such tax year. This deemed distribution is required to be included in the income of certain U.S. Shareholders of a CFC, such as the Fund, regardless of whether a U.S. Shareholder has made a QEF election with respect to such CFC. The Fund is generally required to distribute such income in order to satisfy the distribution requirements applicable to RICs, even to the extent the Fund's income from a CFC exceeds the distributions from the CFC and the Fund's proceeds from the sales or other dispositions of CFC stock during that tax year. In general, a foreign corporation will be treated as a CFC for U.S. federal income tax purposes if more than 50% of the shares of the foreign corporation, measured by reference to combined voting power or value, is owned (directly, indirectly or by attribution) by U.S. Shareholders. A "U.S. Shareholder," for this purpose, is any U.S. person that possesses (actually or constructively) 10% or more of the combined value or voting power of all classes of shares of a corporation.

The functional currency of the Fund, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is the U.S. dollar. Gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates that occur between the time the Fund accrues interest income or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such receivables or pays such liabilities generally are respectively characterized as ordinary income or ordinary loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Similarly, on the sale of other disposition of certain investments, including debt securities, certain forward contracts, as well as other derivative financial instruments, denominated in a foreign currency, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition also are generally treated as ordinary gain or loss. These gains and losses, referred to under the Code as "section 988" gains and losses, may increase or decrease the amount of the Fund's investment company taxable income subject to distribution to Shareholders as ordinary income. For example, fluctuations in exchange rates may increase the amount of income that the Fund must distribute to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC and to prevent application of an excise tax on undistributed income. Alternatively, fluctuations in exchange rates may decrease or eliminate income available for distribution. If section 988 losses exceed other investment company taxable income during a tax year, the Fund would not be able to distribute amounts considered dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and any distributions during a tax year made by the Fund before such losses were recognized would be re-characterized as a return of capital to Shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes, rather than as ordinary dividend income, and would reduce each Shareholder's tax basis in Shares.

If the Fund utilizes leverage through the issuance of preferred Shares or borrowings, it will be prohibited from declaring a distribution or dividend if it would fail the applicable asset coverage test(s) under the Company Act after the payment of such distribution or dividend. In addition, certain covenants in credit facilities or indentures may impose greater restrictions on the Fund's ability to declare and pay dividends on Shares. Limits on the Fund's ability to pay dividends on Shares may prevent the Fund from meeting the distribution requirements described above and, as a result, may affect the Fund's ability to be subject to tax as a RIC or subject the Fund to the 4% Excise Tax. The Fund endeavors to avoid restrictions on its ability to make distribution payments. If the Fund is precluded from making distributions on Shares because of any applicable asset coverage requirements, the terms of preferred Shares (if any) may provide that any amounts so precluded from being distributed, but required to be distributed by the Fund to enable the Fund to satisfy the distribution requirements that would enable the Fund to be subject to tax as a RIC, will be paid to the holders of preferred Shares as a special distribution. This distribution can be expected to decrease the amount that holders of preferred Shares would be entitled to receive upon repurchase or liquidation of such preferred Shares.

Certain of the Fund's investments are expected to be subject to special U.S. federal income tax provisions that may, among other things: (1) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, (2) convert lower-taxed long-term capital gains into higher- taxed short-term capital gains or ordinary income, (3) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss, the deductibility of which is more limited, (4) adversely affect when a purchase or sale of shares or securities is deemed to occur, (5) adversely alter the intended characterization of certain complex financial transactions, (6) cause the Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (7) treat dividends that would otherwise constitute qualified dividend income as non-qualified dividend income, (8) treat dividends that would otherwise be eligible for the corporate dividends received deduction as ineligible for such treatment and (9) produce income that will not constitute Qualifying RIC Income. The application of these rules could cause the Fund to be subject to U.S. federal income tax or the 4% Excise Tax and, under certain circumstances, could affect the Fund's status as a RIC. The Fund monitors its investments and may make certain tax elections to mitigate the effect of these provisions. The remainder of this discussion assumes that the Fund has qualified and maintained its qualification as a RIC and has satisfied the distribution requirements described above.

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**Taxation of U.S. Shareholders** 

**Distributions** 

Distributions of the Fund's ordinary income and net short-term capital gains will, except as described below with respect to distributions of "qualified dividend income," generally be taxable to Shareholders as ordinary income to the extent such distributions are paid out of the Fund's current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Distributions (or deemed distributions, as described above), if any, of net capital gains will be taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time a Shareholder has owned Shares. The ultimate tax characterization of the Fund's distributions made in a tax year cannot be determined until after the end of the tax year. As a result, the Fund may make total distributions during a tax year in an amount that exceeds the current and accumulated earnings and profits of the Fund. A distribution of an amount in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated by a Shareholder as a return of capital that will be applied against and reduce the Shareholder's tax basis in its Shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the Shareholder's tax basis in its Shares, the excess will be treated as gain from a sale or exchange of Shares. Distributions will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or invested in additional Shares. Generally, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a Shareholder receiving Shares under the dividend reinvestment plan will generally be treated as having received a distribution equal to the fair market value of such Shares on the date the Shares are credited to the Shareholder's account.

A return of capital to Shareholders is a return of a portion of their original investment in the Fund, thereby reducing the tax basis of their investment. This reduction in tax basis may subject Shareholders to tax in connection with the sale of Shares, even if such Shares are sold at a loss relative to the Shareholder's original investment.

It is expected that a substantial portion of the Fund's income will consist of ordinary income. For example, interest and OID derived by the Fund are characterized as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, gain derived by the Fund from the disposition of debt instruments with "market discount" (generally, securities with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance acquired by the Fund at a price below the lesser of their stated redemption price at maturity or accreted value, in the case of securities with OID) will be characterized as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent of the market discount that has accrued, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, at the time of such disposition, unless the Fund makes an election to accrue market discount on a current basis. In addition, certain of the Fund's investments will be subject to other special U.S. federal income tax provisions that may affect the character, increase the amount and/or accelerate the timing of distributions to Shareholders.

Distributions made by the Fund to a corporate Shareholder will qualify for the dividends-received deduction only to the extent that the distributions consist of qualifying dividends received by the Fund. In addition, any portion of the Fund's dividends otherwise qualifying for the dividends-received deduction will be disallowed or reduced if the corporate Shareholder fails to satisfy certain requirements, including a holding period requirement, with respect to its Shares. Distributions of "qualified dividend income" to an individual or other non-corporate Shareholder will be treated as "qualified dividend income" to such Shareholder and generally will be taxed at long-term capital gain rates, provided the Shareholder satisfies the applicable holding period and other requirements. "Qualified dividend income" generally includes dividends from domestic corporations and dividends from foreign corporations that meet certain specified criteria. Given the Fund's investment strategy, it is not expected that a significant portion of the distributions made by the Fund will be eligible for the dividends-received deduction or the reduced rates applicable to "qualified dividend income."

Under newly issued final Treasury Regulations, regulated investment companies that receive business interest income may pass through its business interest income under Code section 163(j) as a "section 163(j) interest dividend." A regulated investment company's total section 163(j) interest dividend amount for a tax year is limited to the excess of the regulated investment company's business interest income over the sum of its business interest expense and its other deductions properly allocable to its business interest income. The final Treasury Regulations provide that a registered investment company shareholder that receives a section 163(j) interest dividend may treat the dividend as interest income for purposes of section 163(j), subject to holding period requirements and other limitations.

If a person acquires Shares shortly before the record date of a distribution, the price of the Shares may include the value of the distribution, and the person will be subject to tax on the distribution even though economically it may represent a return of his, her or its investment in such Shares. Fund distributions may reduce the NAV per Share. Therefore, if a person buys Shares after the Fund has realized but not yet distributed ordinary income or capital gains, the person may pay the full price for the Shares and then effectively receive a portion of the purchase price back as a taxable distribution.

Distributions paid by the Fund generally will be treated as received by a Shareholder at the time the distribution is made. However, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, elect to treat a distribution that is paid during the following tax year as if it had been paid during the tax year in which the income or gains supporting the distribution was earned. If the Fund makes such an election, the Shareholder will still be treated as receiving the distribution in the tax year in which the distribution is received. In this instance, however, any distribution declared by the Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year, payable to Shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month and actually paid during January of the following calendar year, will be treated for tax purposes as if it had been received by Shareholders on December 31 of the calendar year in which the distribution was declared.

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The Fund will designate: (1) any distribution that constitutes a qualified dividend as qualified dividend income; (2) any tax-exempt distribution as an exempt-interest dividend; (3) any distribution of long-term capital gains as a capital gain dividend; (4) any dividend eligible for the corporate dividends received deduction; (5) any distribution that is comprised of qualified REIT dividend income as a Section 199A dividend; and (6) any distribution that constitutes excess Code section 163(j) interest income as a Code section 163(j) interest dividend as such in a written notice provided to shareholders after the close of the Fund's taxable year. Shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional Shares will receive a report as to the NAV of those Shares.

**Sale or Exchange of Shares** 

The repurchase or transfer of Shares may result in a taxable gain or loss to the tendering Shareholder. Different tax consequences may apply for tendering and non-tendering Shareholders in connection with a repurchase offer. For example, if a Shareholder does not tender all of his, her, or its Shares, such repurchase may be treated as a dividend (as opposed to a sale or exchange) for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and may result in deemed distributions to non-tendering Shareholders. On the other hand, Shareholders holding Shares as capital assets who tender all of their Shares (including Shares deemed owned by Shareholders under constructive ownership rules) will be treated as having sold their Shares and generally will recognize capital gain or loss. The amount of the gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the amount received for the Shares and the Shareholder's adjusted tax basis in the relevant Shares. Such gain or loss generally will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Shareholder has held such Shares as capital assets for more than one year. Otherwise, the gain or loss will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss.

Losses realized by a Shareholder on the sale or exchange of Shares held as capital assets for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital losses to the extent of any distribution of long-term capital gains received (or deemed received, as discussed above) with respect to such Shares. In addition, no loss will be allowed on a sale or other disposition of Shares if the Shareholder acquires (including through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) Shares, or enters into a contract or option to acquire Shares, within 30 days before or after any disposition of such Shares at a loss. In such a case, the basis of the Shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Under current law, net capital gains recognized by non-corporate Shareholders are generally subject to U.S. federal income tax at lower rates than the rates applicable to ordinary income.

In general, U.S. Shareholders currently are generally subject to a maximum federal income tax rate of either 15% or 20% (depending on whether the Shareholder's income exceeds certain threshold amounts) on their net capital gain (*i.e.*, the excess of realized net long-term capital gains over realized net short-term capital losses), including any long-term capital gain derived from an investment in Shares. Such rate is lower than the maximum rate on ordinary income currently payable by individuals. Corporate U.S. Shareholders currently are subject to U.S. federal income tax on net capital gain at the maximum 21% rate also applied to ordinary income. Non-corporate Shareholders with net capital losses for a tax year (*i.e.*, capital losses in excess of capital gains) generally may deduct up to $3,000 of such losses against their ordinary income each tax year. Any net capital losses of a non-corporate Shareholder in excess of $3,000 generally may be carried forward and used in subsequent tax years as provided in the Code. Corporate Shareholders generally may not deduct any net capital losses for a tax year, but may carry back such losses for three tax years or carry forward such losses for five tax years.

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from repurchases or other taxable dispositions of Shares) of U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts to the extent that such person's "modified adjusted gross income" (in the case of an individual) or "adjusted gross income" (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts. U.S. persons that are individuals, estates, or trusts are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the applicability of this tax to their income and gains in respect of their investment in the Fund.

The Fund (or if a U.S. Shareholder holds Shares through an intermediary, such intermediary) will send to each of its U.S. Shareholders, as promptly as possible after the end of each calendar year, a notice detailing, on a per Share and per distribution basis, the amounts includible in such U.S. Shareholder's taxable income for such year as ordinary income and as long-term capital gain. In addition, the federal tax status of each year's distributions generally will be reported to the IRS, including the amount of distributions, if any, eligible for the preferential maximum rate generally applicable to long-term capital gains. Distributions paid by the Fund generally will not be eligible for the corporate dividends received deduction or the preferential tax rate applicable to Qualifying Dividends because the Fund's income generally will not consist of dividends. Distributions may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on a U.S. Shareholder's particular situation.

Under Treasury regulations, if a Shareholder recognizes losses with respect to Shares of: (a) $2 million or more for an individual Shareholder in any single tax year or $4 million or more in any combination of tax years; or (b) $10 million or more for a corporate Shareholder in any single tax year or $20 million or more in any combination of tax years, the Shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct Shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all RICs. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

Reporting of adjusted cost basis information is required for covered securities, which generally include shares of a RIC acquired after January 1, 2012, to the IRS and to taxpayers. Shareholders should contact their financial intermediaries with respect to reporting of cost basis and available elections for their accounts.

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**Backup Withholding and Information Reporting** 

Information returns will be filed with the IRS in connection with payments on Shares and the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of Shares. A Shareholder will be subject to backup withholding on all such payments if it fails to provide the payor with its correct taxpayer identification number (generally, in the case of a U.S. resident Shareholder, on an IRS Form W-9), make required certifications, or otherwise fails to establish an exemption from backup withholding. Corporate Shareholders and certain other Shareholders generally are exempt from backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld as backup withholding may be credited against the applicable Shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

**Other Taxes** 

Shareholders may be subject to state, local, and non-U.S. taxes applicable to their investment in the Fund. In those states or localities, entity-level tax treatment and the treatment of distributions made to Shareholders under those jurisdictions' tax laws may differ from the treatment under the Code. Accordingly, an investment in Shares may have tax consequences for Shareholders that are different from those of a direct investment in the Fund's portfolio investments. Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.

**DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE AND SHARES** 

The Fund is an unincorporated statutory trust established under the laws of the State of Delaware upon the filing of a Certificate of Trust with the Secretary of State of Delaware on May 2, 2024. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Board may authorize an unlimited number of Shares. The Fund does not intend to hold annual meetings of its Shareholders.

**Shares of Beneficial Interest** 

The Declaration of Trust, which has been filed with the SEC, authorizes the Fund's issuance of an unlimited number of full and fractional Shares of beneficial interest, no par value. Shareholders will be entitled to the payment of Distributions when, as and if declared by the Board. The Fund currently intends to make dividend distributions to its Shareholders after payment of Fund operating expenses including interest on outstanding borrowings, if any, monthly. Unless the registered owner of Shares elects to receive cash, all dividends declared on Shares will be automatically reinvested for Shareholders in additional Shares. See "Dividend Reinvestment Policy." The Company Act may limit the payment of distributions to Shareholders.

Each whole Share shall be entitled to one vote as to matters on which it is entitled to vote pursuant to the terms of the Declaration of Trust on file with the SEC. Upon liquidation of the Fund, after paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities of the Fund, and upon receipt of such releases, indemnities and refunding agreements as they deem necessary for their protection, the Trustees may distribute the remaining assets of the Fund among its Shareholders. The Shares are not liable to further calls or to assessment by the Fund. There are no pre-emptive rights associated with the Shares. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Shareholders are not liable for any liabilities of the Fund. Although shareholders of an unincorporated statutory trust established under Delaware law, in certain limited circumstances, may be held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund as though they were general partners, the provisions of the Declaration of Trust described in the foregoing sentence make the likelihood of such personal liability remote.

**Share Classes** 

The Fund has registered three classes of Shares on a continuous basis. The Fund is currently offering Class I Shares and Class R Shares.

An investment in any Share class of the Fund represents an investment in the same assets of the Fund. However, the minimum investment amounts, sales loads, if applicable, and ongoing fees and expenses for each Share class may be different. The fees and expenses for the Fund are set forth in "Summary of Fund Fees and Expenses." The Fund may offer additional classes of Shares in the future.

**Outstanding Securities** 

The following table sets forth information about the Fund's outstanding Shares as of January 30, 2026:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Title of Shares <br> of Beneficial Interest** | **Amount <br> Authorized** | **Amount Held by <br> the Fund for its <br> Own Account** | **Amount <br> Outstanding** |
| Class A Shares | Unlimited |  |  |
| Class I Shares | Unlimited |  | 83,213 shares |
| Class R Shares | Unlimited |  | 12,692,485 shares |

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| **34** | **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** |

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**ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS IN THE DECLARATION OF TRUST** 

The Declaration of Trust includes provisions that could have the effect of limiting the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to change the composition of the Board, and could have the effect of depriving the Shareholders of an opportunity to sell their Shares at a premium over prevailing market prices, if any, by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control of the Fund. These provisions may have the effect of discouraging attempts to acquire control of the Fund, which attempts could have the effect of increasing the expenses of the Fund and interfering with the normal operation of the Fund. Each Trustee is elected for an indefinite term and does not stand for reelection. The Board may separately decide to adopt term limits, although it is not required under the Declaration of Trust to do so. A Trustee may be removed from office without cause by a majority of the remaining Trustees. The Declaration of Trust does not contain any other specific inhibiting provisions that would operate only with respect to an extraordinary transaction such as a merger, reorganization, tender offer, sale or transfer of substantially all of the Fund's asset, or liquidation.

The Declaration of Trust includes provisions that could have the effect of limiting the ability of a Shareholder to bring a derivative action. In addition to the requirements of Delaware law, no Shareholder may bring a derivative or similar action or proceeding on behalf of the Fund to recover a judgment in its favor (a "Derivative Action") unless certain requirements are met, including that, prior to the commencement of such Derivative Action, the complaining Shareholders have made a written demand on the Trustees requesting that the Trustees cause the Fund to file the action itself. The demand shall be executed by or on behalf of no less than three complaining Shareholders who together hold not less than ten percent (10%) of the outstanding Shares, none of which shall be related to (by blood or by marriage) or otherwise affiliated with any other complaining Shareholder (other than as Shareholders of the Fund). The written demand and conditions thereto, shall not apply to claims arising under federal securities law. Within 90 calendar days of the receipt of a Shareholder demand submitted in accordance with the requirements of Delaware law and the Declaration of Trust, the independent Trustees will consider the merits of the claim and determine whether maintaining a suit would be in the best interests of the Fund. This 90-day period may be extended by the Independent Trustees up to 60 calendar days. The Declaration of Trust provides that a complaining Shareholder whose demand is rejected or dismissed shall be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by the Fund in connection with its consideration of the demand, however, such reimbursement of costs and expenses shall not apply to claims arising under federal securities laws. The Declaration of Trust provides that Shareholders irrevocably waive all right to trial by jury in any claim, suit, action or proceeding, including derivative actions. With the exception of claims arising under federal securities laws, the Declaration of Trust provides that claims must be brought exclusively in a Delaware state court, which could limit shareholder suits to an inconvenient and less favorable forum.

Reference should be made to the Declaration of Trust, which has been filed with the SEC for the full text of these provisions.

**PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION** 

Under the Multi-Class Exemptive Relief, the Fund will comply with the provisions of Rule 18f-3 under the Company Act as if it were an open-end investment company, including among others, its provisions related to differences in expenses, special allocations of other expenses, voting rights, conversions and exchanges and disclosures. In fact, the Fund will in many ways resemble an open-end fund in its manner of operation in the distribution of its Shares. The Fund has adopted a multi-class plan pursuant to Rule 18f-3 under the Company Act ("Multi-Class Plan"). Under the Multi-Class Plan, Shares of each class represent an equal pro rata interest in the Fund and, generally, have identical voting, dividend, liquidation, and other rights, preferences, powers, restrictions, limitations, qualifications and terms and conditions, except that: (a) each class has a different designation; (b) each class of Shares bears any class-specific expenses; and (c) each class shall have separate voting rights on any matter submitted to Shareholders in which the interests of one class differ from the interests of any other class, and shall have exclusive voting rights on any matter submitted to Shareholders that relates solely to that class.

The Distributor, located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, serves as the Distributor of the Shares on a best efforts basis, subject to various conditions. The Shares are offered for sale through the Distributor at NAV. The Distributor also may enter into selling agreements with selling agents and certain other financial intermediaries for the sale and distribution of the Shares. These selling agents and other financial intermediaries may impose terms and conditions on investor accounts and investments in the Fund that are in addition to the terms and conditions set forth in this Prospectus. Any terms and conditions imposed by such selling agent or other financial intermediary, or operational limitations applicable to such parties, may affect or limit a Shareholder's ability to purchase the Shares or tender the Shares for repurchase, or otherwise transact business with the Fund. The Shares will be offered at NAV per Share calculated each business day, plus any applicable sales load. The Shares are not subject to a sales load, however, investors may be required to pay brokerage commissions on purchases or sales of the Shares to the selling agents and other financial intermediaries through which the Shares are purchased. Investors should consult with these dealer parties about the sales load and any additional fees or charges they might impose on each class of Shares in addition to any fees imposed by the Fund.

Shares will not be listed on any national securities exchange and the Distributor will not act as a market maker in Shares.

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| **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** | **35** |

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**Distribution and Servicing Fee on Class A Shares** 

Class A Shares are subject to an ongoing Distribution and Servicing Fee to compensate financial industry professionals for distribution-related expenses, if applicable, and providing ongoing services in respect of clients who own Shares, as further discussed below. The maximum annual rates at which the Distribution and Servicing Fees may be paid under the Distribution and Servicing Plan (calculated as a percentage of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to the Class A Shares) is 0.50%, which reduce the NAV of Class A Shares. 0.25% of such fee is a shareholder service fee and the remaining portion is a distribution fee.

Under the Distribution and Servicing Plan, the Fund will pay the Distributor a Distribution and Servicing Fee for certain activities relating to the distribution of Class A Shares to investors and maintenance of Shareholder accounts. The Distribution and Servicing Plan operates in a manner consistent with Rule 12b-1 under the Company Act, which regulates the manner in which an open-end investment company may directly or indirectly bear the expenses of distributing its shares. Although the Fund is not an open-end investment company, it has undertaken to comply with the terms of Rule 12b-1 in accordance with the terms of the Multi-Class Exemptive relief.

Shareholder services for which the Distribution and Servicing Plan contemplate paying Distribution and Servicing Fees include, but are not limited to, the following functions: (i) answering Shareholder inquiries regarding account status and history, the manner in which purchases, exchanges and repurchases of Shares may be effected and certain other matters pertaining to the Shareholders' investments; (ii) receiving, aggregating and processing shareholder orders; (iii) furnishing Shareholder sub-accounting; (iv) providing and maintaining elective Shareholder services such as check writing and wire transfer services; (v) providing and maintaining pre-authorized investment plans; (vi) communicating periodically with Shareholders; (vii) acting as the sole Shareholder of record and nominee for Shareholders; (viii) maintaining accounting records for Shareholders; (ix) answering questions and handling correspondence from Shareholders about their accounts; (x) issuing confirmations for transactions by Shareholders; (xi) performing similar account administrative services; (xii) providing such Shareholder communications and recordkeeping services as may be required for any program for which a financial intermediary is a sponsor that relies on Rule 3a-4 under the Company Act (*i.e.*, a "wrap fee" program); and (xiii) providing such other similar services as may reasonably be requested to the extent a financial intermediary is permitted to do so under applicable statutes, rules, or regulations.

**Additional Payments to Dealers** 

In addition to payments made by the Fund for distribution and shareholder servicing, the Adviser or its affiliates may make additional payments ("Additional Payments") to certain selling or Shareholder servicing agents for the Fund, which includes broker-dealers. These Additional Payments are made in connection with the sale and distribution of Shares for services to the Fund and its Shareholders. These Additional Payments, which may be significant, are paid by the Adviser or its affiliates, out of their own resources, which may include profits derived from servicing the Fund. Such payments by such parties may create an incentive for these financial institutions to recommend that an investor purchase Shares.

In return for these Additional Payments, the Adviser expects to receive certain marketing or servicing advantages that are not generally available to funds that do not make such payments. Such advantages are expected to include, without limitation, placement of the Fund on a list of funds offered as investment options to the selling agent's clients (sometimes referred to as "Shelf Space"); access to the selling agent's registered representatives; and the ability to assist in training and educating the selling agent's registered representatives.

Certain selling or shareholder servicing agents receive these Additional Payments to supplement amounts payable by the Fund under the Plan. In exchange, these agents provide services including, but not limited to, establishing and maintaining accounts and records; answering inquiries regarding purchases, exchanges and redemptions; processing and verifying purchase, redemption and exchange transactions; furnishing account statements and confirmations of transactions; processing and mailing monthly statements, prospectuses, shareholder reports and other SEC-required communications; and providing the types of services that might typically be provided by the Transfer Agent (e.g., the maintenance of omnibus or omnibus-like accounts, the use of the National Securities Clearing Corporation for the transmission of transaction information and the transmission of shareholder mailings) or other service providers.

The Additional Payments may create potential conflicts of interests between an investor and a selling agent who is recommending a particular fund over other funds. Before investing, an investor should consult with their financial consultant and review carefully any disclosure by the selling agent as to what monies they receive from fund advisers and distributors, as well as how their financial consultant is compensated.

**Choosing a Share Class** 

Through this Prospectus, the Fund is registering three classes of shares: Class A Shares, Class I Shares, and Class R Shares. The Fund currently offers Class I Shares and Class R Shares. The three classes of Shares represent interests in the same portfolio of investments and have the same rights and differ in the expenses to which they are subject.

Class A Shares. Class A Shares, when offered, can be purchased directly through the Distributor or through registered broker-dealers, banks, advisers and other financial institutions. Class A Shares are purchased at NAV and are subject to a Distribution and Servicing Fee. Class A Shares are intended primarily for investors who meet the investment minimum for Class A Shares and investors investing through omnibus accounts held by financial intermediaries that have entered into arrangements with the Distributor to offer Class A Shares.

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| **36** | **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** |

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Class I Shares. Class I Shares are sold at NAV and are not subject to fees under the Distribution and Servicing Plan. Class I Shares can be purchased directly through the Distributor or other financial institutions, which may charge transaction fees with respect to an investor's purchase. Class I Shares are intended for: (i) institutional investors (e.g., financial institutions, corporations, trusts, foundations), (ii) investors investing through omnibus accounts held by financial intermediaries that charge transaction fees and have entered into arrangements with the Distributor, (iii) current and former Trustees, and (iv) other investors that have been approved by the Fund or the Adviser.

The Fund may offer Class I Shares through platforms of brokers and other financial intermediaries that have agreements with the Distributor to offer such shares solely when acting as an agent for the investor.

Class R Shares. Class R Shares are sold at NAV and are not subject to fees under the Distribution and Servicing Plan. Class R Shares can be purchased directly through the Distributor or other financial institutions, which may charge transaction fees with respect to an investor's purchase. Class R Shares are intended for: (i) institutional investors (e.g., financial institutions, corporations, trusts, foundations), (ii) funds of funds, (iii) investors investing through omnibus accounts held by financial intermediaries that charge transaction fees and have entered into arrangements with the Distributor, and (iv) other investors that have been approved by the Fund or the Adviser.

Financial intermediaries may charge fees (including, without limitation, a commission) for investors' purchases and/or redemptions, as determined by the financial intermediary. Therefore, investors should consider that other Share classes of the Fund are sold subject to different fees and expenses. Investors should discuss their share class purchase options with their financial intermediary representative.

**How to Purchase Shares; Timing of Purchase of Shares** 

Shares of the Fund have not been registered for sale outside of the United States and the Fund is generally only available to residents in the United States with a valid tax identification number. This Prospectus is not intended for distribution to prospective investors outside of the United States. The Fund generally does not market or sell shares to investors domiciled outside of the United States, even if the investors are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States. Any non-U.S. shareholders generally would be subject to U.S. tax withholding on distributions by the Fund. This Prospectus does not address in detail the tax consequences affecting any shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual or non-U.S. trust or estate, non-U.S. corporation or non-U.S. partnership.

Investors may purchase Shares directly from the Fund in accordance with the instructions below. Investors will be assessed fees for returned checks and stop payment orders at prevailing rates charged by the Transfer Agent. Investors may buy and sell Shares through financial intermediaries and their agents that have made arrangements with the Fund and are authorized to buy and sell Shares (collectively, "Financial Intermediaries"). Orders will be priced at the Fund's NAV (plus any applicable sales charge) next computed after it is received by a Financial Intermediary. A Financial Intermediary may hold shares in an omnibus account in the Financial Intermediary's name or the Financial Intermediary may maintain individual ownership records. The Fund may pay the Financial Intermediary for maintaining individual ownership records as well as providing other Shareholder services. Financial Intermediaries may charge fees for the services they provide in connection with processing an investor's transaction order or maintaining an investor's account with them. Investors should check with their Financial Intermediary to determine if it is subject to these arrangements. Financial Intermediaries are responsible for placing orders correctly and promptly with the Fund and for forwarding payment promptly. Orders placed with a Financial Intermediary before the close of regular trading (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on a day that the NYSE is open for business will be priced at the Fund's NAV (plus any applicable sales charge) next computed after it is received by the Financial Intermediary.

In compliance with the USA Patriot Act of 2001, the Transfer Agent will verify certain information on each account application. As requested on the account application, investors must supply full name, date of birth, Social Security number and residential street address. Mailing addresses containing only a P.O. Box will not be accepted. Investors may call the Transfer Agent at 888-226-5595 for additional assistance when completing an account application.

If the Transfer Agent does not have a reasonable belief of the identity of a customer, the account will be rejected or the customer will not be allowed to perform a transaction on the account until such information is received. The Transfer Agent also may reserve the right to close the account within five business days if clarifying information/documentation is not received.

**Share Class Conversions** 

Subject to the conditions set forth in this section, Shareholders eligible to purchase Class I Shares may convert their Class A Shares to Class I Shares. To qualify for a conversion, the Shareholder must satisfy the conditions for investing in Class I Shares (as described in this Prospectus and the Fund's SAI).

In addition, Shareholders eligible to purchase Class R Shares may convert their Class A or Class I Shares to Class R Shares. To qualify for a conversion, the Shareholder must satisfy the conditions for investing in Class R Shares (as described in this Prospectus and the Fund's SAI).

The Shareholder or Financial Intermediary making the conversion request must submit the request in writing. In addition, the Financial Intermediary or other responsible party must process and report the transaction as a conversion. The value of the Shares received during a conversion will be based on the relative NAV of the Shares being converted and the Shares received as a result of the conversion. It generally is expected that conversions will not result in taxable gain or loss.

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| **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** | **37** |

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**By Mail** 

To make an initial purchase by mail, complete an account application and mail the application, together with a check made payable to Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:** <br>Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund <br>P.O. Box 46707 <br>Cincinnati, OH 45246 <br>Telephone: 888-226-5595 | **Overnight Mail:** <br>Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund <br>225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450 <br>Cincinnati, OH 45246 <br>Telephone: 888-226-5595 |

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All checks must be in U.S. dollars drawn on a domestic bank. The Fund will not accept payment in cash or money orders. The Fund also does not accept cashier's checks in amounts of less than $10,000. To prevent check fraud, the Fund will neither accept third-party checks, Treasury checks, credit card checks, traveler's checks or starter checks for the purchase of shares, nor post-dated checks, post-dated online bill pay checks, or any conditional purchase order or payment.

It is the policy of the Fund not to accept account applications under certain circumstances or in amounts considered disadvantageous to Shareholders. The Fund reserves the right to reject any account application.

**By Wire — Initial Investment** 

To make an initial investment in the Fund, the Transfer Agent must receive a completed account application before an investor wires funds. Investors may mail or overnight deliver a account application to the Transfer Agent. Upon receipt of the completed account application, the Transfer Agent will establish an account. The account number assigned will be required as part of the instruction that should be provided to an investor's bank to send the wire. An investor's bank must include both the name of the Fund, the account number, and the investor's name so that monies can be correctly applied. If an investor wishes to wire money to make an investment in the Fund, they should call the Fund at 888-226-5595 for wiring instructions and to notify the Fund that a wire transfer is coming. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds via wire. The Fund will normally accept wired funds for investment on the day received, if they are received by the Fund's designated bank before the close of regular trading on the NYSE. An investor's bank may charge them a fee for wiring same-day funds.

**By Wire — Subsequent Investments** 

Wired funds must be received prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time to be eligible for same day pricing. The Fund, and its agents, including the Transfer Agent and Custodian, are not responsible for the consequences of delays resulting from the banking or Federal Reserve wire system, or from incomplete wiring instructions.

**Investment Minimum** 

The minimum initial investment for Class A Shares, Class I Shares, and Class R Shares is $2,500, $2,500 and $50 Million, respectively, and subsequent investments therein may be made in any amount. The Adviser may, in its sole discretion, waive these minimums. The Fund may waive or lower investment minimums for investors who invest in the Fund through an asset-based fee program made available through a Financial Intermediary. The Financial Intermediary may also impose minimum requirements that are different from those set forth in this Prospectus. If an investor chooses to purchase Shares from or effect repurchase requests directly with the Fund, the investor will not incur charges on such purchases and repurchases. However, if an investor purchases Shares or effects repurchase requests through a broker-dealer or other Financial Intermediary, the investor may be charged a fee by that Financial Intermediary.

**Other Policies** 

**No Share Certificates.** 

The issuance of Shares is recorded electronically on the books of the Fund. Each Shareholder will receive a confirmation of, or account statement reflecting, each new transaction in their account, which will also show the total number of Shares they own. Shareholders can rely on these statements in lieu of certificates. The Fund does not issue certificates representing Shares.

**Customer Identification Program** 

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 that opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations. As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person that opens a new account:

● Name;

● Date of birth (for individuals);

● Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and

● Social Security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying information.

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| **38** | **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** |

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An investor may also be asked for a copy of their driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify their identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify an investor's identity by cross-referencing their identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. If an investor is opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), they must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners.

Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account on behalf of a natural person unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict an investor's ability to purchase additional Shares until their identity is verified. The Fund may close an investor's account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify their identity within a reasonable time. The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account resulting from the investor's delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and repurchasing an investor's Shares when an investor's identity is not verified.

In addition, the Fund may be required to "freeze" an investor's account if there appears to be suspicious activity or if account information matches information on a government list of known terrorists or other suspicious persons.

**Unclaimed Property** 

An account may be turned over as unclaimed property to the investor's last known state of tax residence if the account is deemed "inactive" or "lost" during the time frame specified within the applicable state's unclaimed property laws. Investors who are residents of the state of Texas may designate a representative to receive legislatively. required unclaimed property due diligence notifications. A Texas Designation of Representative Form is available for making such an election.

**Fund Closings** 

The Fund may close at any time to new investments and, during such closings, only the reinvestment of dividends by existing Shareholders will be permitted. The Fund may re-open to new investment and subsequently close again to new investment at any time at the discretion of the Adviser. Any such opening and closing of the Fund will be disclosed to investors via a supplement to this Prospectus.

**Liquidation or Reorganization** 

To the extent authorized by law, the Fund reserves the right to discontinue offering Shares at any time, to merge or reorganize itself or a class of Shares, or to cease operations and liquidate at any time. A liquidation may have adverse tax consequences to Shareholders. If the Fund were to liquidate, Shareholders would receive a liquidating distribution in cash or in-kind equal to their proportionate interest in the Fund. A liquidating distribution would generally be a taxable event to Shareholders, resulting in a gain or loss for tax purposes, depending upon a Shareholder's basis in their Shares. A Shareholder would not be entitled to any refund or reimbursement of expenses borne, directly or indirectly, by the Shareholder (such as Distribution and Servicing fees, account fees, or fund expenses), and a Shareholder may receive an amount in liquidation less than their original investment.

**REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS** 

The Fund will send to its Shareholders unaudited semiannual and audited annual reports, including a list of investments held.

**HOUSEHOLDING** 

In an effort to decrease costs, the Fund intends to reduce the number of duplicate annual and semiannual reports by sending only one copy of each to those addresses shared by two or more accounts and to Shareholders reasonably believed to be from the same family or household. Before doing so, the Fund will obtain the written consent of the affected Shareholder(s) or send the affected Shareholder(s) a separate written notification of its intent to do so. Once implemented, a Shareholder must call 888-226-5595 to discontinue householding and request individual copies of these documents. Once the Fund receives notice to stop householding, individual copies will be sent beginning 30 days after receiving the Shareholder's request. This policy does not apply to account statements.

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM** 

Cohen & Company, Ltd. is the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm. Cohen & Company, Ltd. has offices located at 1350 Euclid Ave., Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115.

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| **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** | **39** |

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**PRIVACY NOTICE** 

**Notice of Privacy Policy for the Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund** 

We value you as a shareholder and take your personal privacy seriously. In order to enhance our ability to provide you with the best service possible, the Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund (referred to as "we" or "us" or the "Fund") collects, uses, and shares certain information about you. This notice explains what information we collect and with whom we share it. The practices described in this notice are applicable to all shareholders, including prospective, current, and former shareholders. This notice also explains how we protect the security and confidentiality of certain shareholder information.

In some cases, you may provide personal information to us about another shareholder. In such cases, you should only do so if you have the authorization of such shareholder to provide us with this information and for us to use this information as set forth in this notice.

**SAFEGUARDING PRIVACY** 

We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with federal standards to ensure the safety of shareholder nonpublic personal information. In addition, we require service providers to maintain policies and procedures designed to assure only appropriate access to, and use of, information about shareholders and to maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with federal standards to guard shareholder nonpublic personal information.

**INFORMATION WE COLLECT AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION** 

We may collect information about our shareholders to help identify you, evaluate your application, service and manage your account and offer services and products you may find valuable. We collect this information from a variety of sources including information:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. We receive from you on applications or other forms, such as your name, address, date of birth, social security number, and investment information;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. About your transactions and experiences with us, such as your account balance, transaction history, and investment selections; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. You supply in written, telephonic or electronic communications with the Fund or Service Providers to the Fund.

**INFORMATION WE SHARE** 

We do not disclose nonpublic personal information about current or former shareholders to any third parties, except as necessary to assist us in responding to inquiries, processing transactions, preparing and mailing account statements, to provide other forms of customer service, or as otherwise required by law.

**PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION** 

We will not sell, share, or rent your personally identifiable information to any third parties in contravention of our Privacy Policy. Your information will not be disclosed for marketing purposes without your consent.

We do not collect any personally identifiable information from anyone who accesses or browses our website. We may contract with third parties to perform functions on our behalf, including operating certain features of our website, or hosting/maintaining servers used in connection with the website. We may disclose aggregate data about our website and visitors, but we will not disclose to third parties any information that could be used to identify you personally.

**LINKS TO THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES** 

Our Privacy Policy applies only to our website, which may contain links to other third-party websites. Neither DHCM nor the Fund are responsible for the content or the use of these unrelated websites. If you access other websites using the links provided on our website, we encourage you to read the privacy policies specific to those websites before providing any of your personal information.

**QUESTIONS?** 

Questions regarding our Privacy Policy may be directed to info@diamond-hill.com.

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| **40** | **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND \| PROSPECTUS \| FEBRUARY 28, 2026 \| DIAMOND-HILL.COM** |

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**Investors should rely only on the information contained in this Prospectus. No dealer, salesperson or other individual has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations that are not contained in this Prospectus. If any such information or statements are given or made, investors should not rely upon such information or representations. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell any securities other than those to which this Prospectus relates, or an offer to sell to, or a solicitation of an offer to buy from, any person in any jurisdiction where such an offer or solicitation would be unlawful. This Prospectus speaks as of the date set forth below. Investors should not assume that the delivery of this Prospectus or that any sale made pursuant to this Prospectus implies that the information contained in this Prospectus will remain fully accurate and correct as of any time subsequent to the date of this Prospectus.** 

**DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST** 

**PROSPECTUS** 

**February 28, 2026** 

DHSC-PRO 022826

**Statement of Additional Information**

**February 28, 2026**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Class A** | **Class I** | **Class R** |
| **Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund** | **DSCAX** | **DHCIX** | **DSCRX** |

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**Principal Office**

**325 John H. McConnell Blvd.**

**Suite 200**

**Columbus, Ohio 43215**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund (the "Fund") dated February 28, 2026 (the "Prospectus"), as it may be supplemented from time to time. The Prospectus is hereby incorporated by reference into this SAI (legally made part of this SAI). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this SAI have the meanings given to them in the Prospectus. This SAI does not include all information that a prospective investor should consider before purchasing shares of the Fund.

You should obtain and read the Prospectus and any related Prospectus supplement prior to purchasing any of the Fund's securities. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge by calling the Fund toll-free at 888-226-5595 or by visiting the Fund's website www.diamond-hill.com/documents. Information on the website is not incorporated herein by reference. You may obtain information about the Fund on a website maintained by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") at *www.sec.gov* that contains the Fund's SAI, material incorporated by reference, and other information regarding the Fund. Copies of these filings may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

**Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this SAI is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.** 

**<u>**TABLE OF CONTENTS**</u>**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **PAGE** |
| **GENERAL INFORMATION AND HISTORY** | [**1**](#DH-SAI_001) |
| **INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES** | [**1**](#DH-SAI_002) |
| **MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND** | [**44**](#DH-SAI_003) |
| **CODES OF ETHICS** | [**49**](#DH-SAI_004) |
| **PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES** | [**50**](#DH-SAI_005) |
| **CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS** | [**50**](#DH-SAI_006) |
| **INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES** | [**51**](#DH-SAI_007) |
| **PORTFOLIO MANAGER** | [**52**](#DH-SAI_008) |
| **REPURCHASE OF SHARES** | [**54**](#DH-SAI_009) |
| **ALLOCATION OF BROKERAGE** | [**55**](#DH-SAI_010) |
| **TAX STATUS** | [**57**](#DH-SAI_011) |
| **OTHER INFORMATION** | [**59**](#DH-SAI_012) |
| **INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM** | [**62**](#DH-SAI_013) |
| **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** | [**62**](#DH-SAI_014) |

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**GENERAL INFORMATION AND HISTORY**

The Fund is a continuously-offered, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that is operated as an interval fund. The Fund was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on May 2, 2024. The Fund's principal office is located at 325 John H. McConnell Blvd., Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43215, and its telephone number is 888-226-5595. The investment objective and principal investment strategies of the Fund, as well as the principal risks associated with the Fund's investment strategies, are set forth in the Prospectus. Certain additional investment information is set forth below. The Fund may issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest. All shares of the Fund ("Shares") have equal rights and privileges. Each Share is entitled to one vote on all matters as to which Shares are entitled to vote. In addition, each Share is entitled to participate, equally with other Shares: (i) in dividends and distributions declared by the Fund, and (ii) upon liquidation, in the distribution of its proportionate Share of the assets remaining after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities. Shares are fully paid, non-assessable and fully transferable when issued and have no pre-emptive, conversion or exchange rights. Fractional Shares have proportionately the same rights, including voting rights, as are provided for a full Share. The Fund has registered three classes of Shares and offers two classes of Shares.

Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. (the "Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES**

**Investment Objective**

The investment objective of the Fund is to maximize total return.

**Fundamental and Nonfundamental Policies**

The investment limitations described below have been adopted by the Fund and are fundamental "Fundamental" (*i.e.*, they may not be changed without the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding Shares). As used in the Prospectus and this SAI, the term "majority" of the outstanding Shares means the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the outstanding Shares present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding Shares are present or represented at such meeting; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding Shares. Other investment practices that may be changed by the Board of Trustees (the "Board") of the Fund without the approval of shareholders to the extent permitted by applicable law, regulation or regulatory policy are considered nonfundamental ("Nonfundamental").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. <u>Borrowing Money</u>. The Fund will not borrow money except to the extent consistent with the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Company Act"), and the rules and regulations thereunder, or as may otherwise be permitted by the SEC or its staff pursuant to order or interpretation, or as may be permitted by other regulatory authorities with appropriate jurisdiction.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. <u>Senior Securities</u>. The Fund will 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 Fund, provided that the Fund's engagement in such activities is: (a) consistent with or permitted by the Company Act the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or interpretations of the SEC or its staff, and (b) as described in the Prospectus and this SAI.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. <u>Underwriting</u>. The Fund will not act as underwriter of securities issued by other persons. This limitation is not applicable to the extent that, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities (including restricted securities), the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under certain federal securities laws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. <u>Real Estate</u>. The Fund will not purchase or sell 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 Fund 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).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. <u>Commodities</u>. The Fund will not purchase or sell commodities, except to the extent consistent with the Company Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, or as may otherwise be permitted by the SEC or its staff pursuant to order or interpretation, or as may be permitted by other regulatory authorities with appropriate jurisdiction. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from purchasing or selling options or futures contracts, from investing in securities or other instruments backed by commodities or from investing in companies that are engaged in a commodities business or have a significant portion of their assets in commodities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. <u>Loans</u>. The Fund will not make loans, except to the extent consistent with the Company Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, or as may otherwise be permitted by the SEC or its staff pursuant to order or interpretation, or as may be permitted by other regulatory authorities with appropriate jurisdiction.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. <u>Concentration</u>. The Fund will not invest 25% or more of its total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, except as permitted by the Company Act, any exemptive order, SEC release, no-action letter or similar relief or interpretations.

In addition, the Fund has adopted a fundamental policy that it will make quarterly repurchase offers pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the Company Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, for no less than 5% of the Shares outstanding at net asset value ("NAV"), unless suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory requirements, and each repurchase pricing shall occur no later than the 14th day after the Repurchase Request Deadline (as defined in the Prospectus), or the next business day if the 14th day is not a business day.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in paragraph 7 above, the policy is not applicable to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities or repurchase agreements with respect thereto. In determining compliance with paragraph 7 above, the Fund applies industry classification to the receivables underlying MBS and ABS issued by private originators or issuers.

With respect to the percentages adopted by the Fund as maximum limitations on its investment policies and limitations, an excess above the fixed percentage will not be a violation of the policy or limitation unless the excess results immediately and directly from the acquisition of any security or the action taken. This paragraph does not apply to the borrowing policy set forth in paragraph 1 above.

With respect to paragraph 1 above, if asset coverage on borrowing at any time falls below 300% for the Fund, within three days (or such longer period as the SEC may prescribe by rule or regulation) that Fund shall reduce the amount of its borrowings to the extent that asset coverage of such borrowings will be at least 300%.

Notwithstanding any of the foregoing limitations, any investment company, whether organized as a trust, association or corporation, or a personal holding company, may be merged or consolidated with or acquired by the Fund, provided that if such merger, consolidation or acquisition results in an investment in the securities of any issuer prohibited by said paragraphs, the Fund shall, within ninety (90) days after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or acquisition, dispose of all of the securities of such issuer so acquired or such portion thereof as shall bring the total investment therein within the limitations imposed by said paragraphs above as of the date of consummation.

The following limitations have been adopted by the Fund and are Nonfundamental (as defined above).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. <u>Pledging</u>. The Fund will not mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or in any manner transfer, as security for indebtedness, any of its assets, except as may be necessary in connection with borrowings described in the limitation in paragraph 1 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.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. <u>Borrowing</u>. The Fund will not purchase any security while borrowings (including reverse repurchase agreements) representing more than 5% of its total assets are outstanding.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. <u>Margin Purchases</u>. The Fund will not purchase securities or evidences of interest thereon on "margin." This limitation is not applicable to short term credit obtained by the Fund for the clearance of purchases and sales or redemption of securities, or to arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, futures contracts, short sales and other permitted investments and techniques.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. <u>Options</u>. The Fund will not purchase or sell puts, calls, options or straddles, except as described in the Prospectus and this SAI.

**Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies**

The Fund's principal investment strategies and the risks associated with the same are described in the "Summary of Terms" and "Types of Investments and Related Risks" sections of the Prospectus. The following discussion provides additional information about those principal investment strategies and related risks, as well as information about investment strategies (and related risks) that the Fund may utilize, even though they are not considered to be "principal" investment strategies. Accordingly, an investment strategy (and related risk) that is described below, but which is not described in the Prospectus, should not be considered to be a principal strategy (or related risk) applicable to the Fund. The following discusses the types of investments that can be held by the Fund and the related types of risk are also listed. Below the list is an explanation of each type of risk.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Instrument** | **Section** |
| *Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loans ("ARMs"):* Loans in a mortgage pool which provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest rate for a specified period of time, after which the rate may be subject to periodic adjustments. Risk Type: Credit, Interest Rate, Liquidity, Market, Political, Prepayment, Valuation | Mortgage-Related Securities |
| *Asset-Backed Securities ("ABS"):* Securities secured by company receivables, home equity loans, truck and auto loans, leases and credit card receivables or other securities backed by other types of receivables or other assets. Risk Type: Consumer Loans, Credit, Interest Rate, Liquidity, Market, Political, Prepayment, Valuation | Asset-Backed Securities |
| *Auction Rate Securities:* Auction rate municipal securities ("Municipal Securities") and auction rate preferred securities issued by closed-end investment companies. Risk Type: Credit, Interest Rate, Liquidity, Market | Auction Rate Securities |
| *Bank Obligations:* Bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit and time deposits. Bankers' acceptances are bills of exchange or time drafts drawn on and accepted by a commercial bank. Maturities are generally six months or less. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued by a bank for a specified period of time and earning a specified return. Time deposits are non-negotiable receipts issued by a bank in exchange for the deposit of funds. Risk Type: Credit, Currency, Interest Rate, Liquidity, Market, Political | Bank Obligations |
| *Borrowings:* The Fund may borrow for temporary purposes and/or for investment purposes. Such a practice will result in leveraging of the Fund's assets and may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. The Fund must maintain continuous asset coverage of 300% of the amount borrowed, with the exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Risk Type: Credit, Interest Rate, Market | Borrowings |
| *Brady Bonds:* Securities created through the exchange of existing commercial bank loans to public and private entities in certain emerging markets for new bonds in connection with debt restructurings. Risk Type: Credit, Interest Rate, Non-U.S. Investment, Market, Political | Non-U.S. Investments |
| *Call and Put Options:* A call option gives the buyer the right to buy, and obligates the seller of the option to sell a security at a specified price at a future date. A put option gives the buyer the right to sell, and obligates the seller of the option to buy a security at a specified price at a future date. The Fund will sell only covered call and secured put options. Risk Type: Credit, Leverage, Liquidity, Management, Market | Options and Futures Transactions |
| *Commercial Paper:* Secured and unsecured short-term promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities. Maturities generally vary from a few days to nine months. Risk Type: Credit, Interest Rate, Liquidity, Market, Political, Valuation | Commercial Paper |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Instrument** | **Section** |
| *Corporate Debt Securities ("CDS"):* Bonds and other debt securities of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers, including obligations of industrial, utility, banking and other corporate issuers. Risk Type: Credit, Currency, Inflation, Interest Rate, Liquidity, Market, Political, Prepayment, Valuation | Fixed Income Securities |
| *Credit Default Swaps*: A swap agreement between two parties pursuant to which one party pays the other a fixed periodic coupon for the specified life of the agreement. The other party makes no payment unless a credit event, relating to a predetermined reference asset, occurs. If such an event occurs, the party will then make a payment to the first party, and the swap will terminate. Risk Type: Credit, Currency, Interest Rate, Leverage, Liquidity, Management, Market, Political, Valuation | Swaps and Related Swap Products |
| *Custodial Receipts:* A receipt or other document typically from a custodian that evidences ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on certain U.S. Department of the Treasury ("U.S. Treasury") notes or bonds in connection with programs sponsored by banks and brokerage firms. These securities are not considered to be U.S. government securities. These notes and bonds are held in custody by a bank on behalf of the owners of the receipts. Risk Type: Credit, Liquidity, Market | Custodial Receipts |
| *Demand Features:* Securities that are subject to puts and standby commitments to purchase the securities at a fixed price (usually with accrued interest) within a fixed period of time following demand by the Fund. Risk Type: Liquidity, Management, Market | Demand Features |
| *Emerging Market Securities:* Securities issued by issuers or governments in countries with emerging economies or securities markets which may be undergoing significant evolution and rapid developments. Risk Type: Non-U.S. Investment, Currency | Non-U.S. Investments |
| *Exchange-Traded Funds ("ETFs"):* Ownership interest in unit investment trusts, depositary receipts, and other pooled investment vehicles that hold a portfolio of securities or stocks designed to track the price performance and dividend yield of a particular broad-based, sector or international index. ETFs include a wide range of investments such as iShares, S&P Depositary Receipts and NASDAQ 100s. Risk Type: Investment Company, Market | Investment Company Securities |
| *High Yield/High Risk Securities/Junk Bonds:* Securities that are generally rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies or are unrated but are deemed by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. High yield, high risk securities (also known as junk bonds) which are considered to be speculative. Risk Type: Credit, Interest Rate, High Yield Securities, Liquidity, Market, Political, Portfolio Quality, Valuation | Fixed Income Securities |
| *Illiquid Securities:* An investment that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the normal course of business at approximately the amount at which it is valued by the Fund. Securities may be illiquid due to contractual or legal restrictions on resale or lack of a ready market. Risk Type: Liquidity, Market | Private Placements, Restricted Securities and Other Unregistered Securities |
| *Inflation-Linked Debt Securities:* Includes fixed and floating rate debt securities of varying maturities issued by the U.S. government as well as securities issued by other entities such as corporations, non-U.S. governments and non-U.S. issuers. Risk Type: Credit, Currency, Interest Rate, Political | Fixed Income Securities |
| *Inverse Floating Rate Instruments:* Leveraged variable debt instruments with interest rates that reset in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. Risk Type: Credit, Leverage, Market | Inverse Floaters and Interest Rate Caps |
| *Investment Company Securities:* Shares of other investment companies. The Adviser may waive certain fees to the extent required by law. Risk Type: Investment Company, Market | Investment Company Securities |
| *Loans:* Fixed and floating rate instruments, including senior floating rate loans ("Senior Loans") and secured and unsecured loans, second lien or more junior loans ("Junior Loans"), and bridge loans or bridge facilities ("Bridge Loans"). Risk Type: Credit, Extension, Interest Rate, Non-U.S. Investment, Liquidity, Market, Political, Prepayment | Loans |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Instrument** | **Section** |
| *Loan Assignments ("Assignments") and Loan Participations ("Participations"):* Assignments of, or Participations in, all or a portion of loans to corporations or to governments, including governments of less developed countries. Risk Type: Credit, Extension, Interest Rate, Non-U.S. Investment, Liquidity, Market, Political, Prepayment | Loans |
| *Master Limited Partnerships ("MLPs"):* Passive investment vehicles in which 80% to 90% of operating profits and losses are usually passed through the ownership structure to the limited partners. Risk Type: Interest Rate, Tax | Master Limited Partnerships |
| *Mortgages (Directly Held):* Debt instruments secured by real property. Risk Type: Credit, Environmental, Extension, Interest Rate, Liquidity, Market, Natural Event, Political, Prepayment, Valuation | Mortgage-Related Securities |
| *Mortgage-Backed Securities ("MBS"):* Debt obligations secured by real estate loans and pools of loans such as collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs"), commercial mortgage-backed securities ("CMBS") and other asset-backed structures. Risk Type: Credit, Extension, Interest Rate, Leverage, Liquidity, Market, Political, Prepayment, Tax, Valuation | Mortgage-Related Securities |
| *Mortgage Dollar Rolls:* A transaction in which the Fund sells securities for delivery in a current month and simultaneously contracts with the same party to repurchase similar but not identical securities on a specified future date. Risk Type: Extension, Interest Rate, Leverage, Liquidity, Market, Political, Prepayment | Mortgage-Related Securities |
| *Municipal Securities:* Securities issued by a state or political subdivision to obtain funds for various public purposes. Municipal Securities include, among others, private activity bonds and industrial development bonds, as well as general obligation notes, tax anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes, other short-term tax-exempt obligations, municipal leases, obligations of municipal housing authorities and single family revenue bonds. Risk Type: Credit, Interest Rate, Market, Natural Event, Political, Prepayment, Tax | Municipal Securities |
| *New Financial Products:* New investment options and financial products continue to be developed, and the Fund may invest in such options and products. Risk Type: Credit, Liquidity, Management, Market | New Financial Products |
| *Non-U.S. Investments:* Debt securities (*e.g.*, bonds and commercial paper) of non-U.S. entities and obligations of non-U.S. branches of U.S. banks and non-U.S. banks. Non-U.S. securities also include American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), Global Depositary Receipts, European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and American Depositary Securities. Risk Type: Non-U.S. Investment, Currency, Liquidity, Market, Political, Prepayment | Non-U.S. Investments |
| *Obligations of Supranational Agencies:* Obligations of agencies which are chartered to promote economic development and are supported by various governments and governmental agencies. Risk Type: Credit, Non-U.S. Investment, Liquidity, Political, Valuation | Non-U.S. Investments |
| *Options Transactions:* Securities that include exchange-traded and over-the-counter ("OTC") put and call options on securities, indexes of securities and interest rate swaps. Risk Type: Credit, Leverage, Liquidity, Management, Market | Options and Futures Transactions |
| *Private Placements, Restricted Securities and Other Unregistered Securities:* Securities not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), such as privately placed commercial paper and Rule 144A securities. Risk Type: Liquidity, Market, Valuation | Private Placements, Restricted Securities and Other Unregistered Securities |
| *Repurchase Agreements:* Agreements that provide for the purchase of a security and the simultaneous commitment to return the security to the seller at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon date. These are treated as a loan. Risk Type: Credit, Liquidity, Market | Repurchase Agreements |
| *Reverse Repurchase Agreements:* The sale of a security and the simultaneous commitment to buy the security back at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon date. These are treated as a borrowing by the Fund. Risk Type: Credit, Leverage, Market | Reverse Repurchase Agreements |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Instrument** | **Section** |
| *Securities Issued in Connection with Reorganization and Corporate Restructuring:* Common stock or other securities issued by an issuer to holders of its debt securities in connection with reorganizing or restructuring of that issuer. Risk Type: Market | Securities Issued in Connection with Reorganization and Corporate Restructuring |
| *Short-Term Funding Agreements:* Agreements issued by banks and highly rated U.S. insurance companies such as guaranteed investment contracts and bank investment contracts. Risk Type: Credit, Liquidity, Market | Short-Term Funding Agreements |
| *Sovereign Obligations:* Investments in debt obligations issued or guaranteed by a non-U.S. sovereign government or its agencies, authorities or political subdivisions. Risk Type: Credit, Non-U.S. Investment, Liquidity, Political, Sovereign, Valuation | Non-U.S. Investments |
| *Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities ("SMBS"):* Derivative multi-class mortgage securities that are usually structured with two classes of shares that receive different proportions of the interest and principal from a pool of mortgage assets. These include interest-only ("IO") and principal-only ("PO") securities issued outside a real estate mortgage investment conduit ("REMIC") or CMO structure. Risk Type: Credit, Liquidity, Market, Political, Prepayment, Valuation | Mortgage-Related Securities |
| *Structured Investments:* 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 over-the-counter. Structured investments are organized and operated to restructure the investment characteristics of the underlying security. Risk Type: Credit, Non-U.S. Investment, Liquidity, Management, Market, Valuation | Structured Investments |
| *Swaps and Related Swap Products:* Transactions involving an exchange of obligations by two parties. Caps and floors entitle a purchaser to a principal amount from the seller of the cap or floor to the extent that a specified index exceeds or falls below a predetermined interest rate or amount. The Fund may enter into these transactions to manage its exposure to changing interest rates and other factors. Risk Type: Credit, Currency, Interest Rate, Leverage, Liquidity, Management, Market, Political, Valuation | Swaps and Related Swap Products |
| *Synthetic Variable Rate Instruments:* Instruments that generally involve the deposit of a long-term tax exempt bond in a custody or trust arrangement and the creation of a mechanism to adjust the long-term interest rate on the bond to a variable short-term rate and a right (subject to certain conditions) on the part of the purchaser to tender it periodically to a third party at par. Risk Type: Credit, Liquidity, Market | Synthetic Variable Rate Instruments |
| *Temporary Strategies:* To respond to unusual circumstances the Fund may invest in cash and cash equivalents for temporary defensive purposes. Risk Type: Credit, Interest Rate, Liquidity, Market | Temporary Strategies |
| *Trust Preferreds:* Securities with characteristics of both subordinated debt and preferred stock. Trust preferreds are generally long term securities that make periodic fixed or variable interest payments. Risk Type: Credit, Currency, Interest Rate, Liquidity, Market, Political, Valuation | Trust Preferred Securities |
| *U.S. Government Agency Securities:* Securities issued or guaranteed by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government. These include all types of securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"), the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae") and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac"), including funding notes, subordinated benchmark notes, CMOs and REMICs. It also includes securities of non-mortgage-related agencies such as TVA and SBA. Risk Type: Credit, Interest Rate, Government Securities, Market | Mortgage-Related Securities |
| *U.S. Government Obligations:* Direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are backed as to principal and interest payments by the full faith and credit of the U.S., and separately traded principal and interest component parts of such obligations that are transferable through the Federal book-entry system known as Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities ("STRIPS") and Coupons Under Book Entry Safekeeping ("CUBES"). Risk Type: Interest Rate, Market | Direct U.S. Government Obligations |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Instrument** | **Section** |
| *Variable and Floating Rate Instruments:* Obligations with interest rates that are reset daily, weekly, quarterly or some other frequency and that may be payable to the Fund on demand or at the expiration of a specified term. Risk Type: Credit, Liquidity, Market, Valuation | Variable and Floating Rate Instruments |
| *When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments:* Purchase or contract to purchase securities at a fixed price for delivery at a future date. Risk Type: Credit, Leverage, Liquidity, Market, Valuation | When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments |
| *Zero-Coupon, Pay-in-Kind and Deferred Payment Securities:* Zero-coupon securities are securities that are sold at a discount to par value and on which interest payments are not made during the life of the security. Pay-in-kind securities are securities that have interest payable by delivery of additional securities. Deferred payment securities are zero-coupon debt securities which convert on a specified date to interest bearing debt securities. Risk Type: Credit, Interest Rate, Liquidity, Market, Political, Valuation, Zero-Coupon Securities | Zero Coupon, Pay-in-Kind and Deferred Payment Securities |

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**Explanation of Risk Types:**

● **Consumer Loans risk**: The risk that financial obligations will not be met by borrowers, that there may be contractual restrictions on resale, that there may be extended settlement periods and that there may be improper practices due to the unregistered nature.

● **Credit risk**: The risk that a financial obligation will not be met by the issuer of a security or the counterparty to a contract, resulting in a loss to the purchaser.

● **Currency risk**: The risk that if the Fund invests in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, non-U.S. currencies, it will be subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar.

● **Environmental risk**: The risk that an owner or operator of real estate may be liable for the costs associated with hazardous or toxic substances located on the property.

**●** **Extension risk**: The risk that a rise in interest rates will extend the life of a security to a date later than the anticipated prepayment date, causing the value of the investment to fall.

● **Government securities risk**: U.S. government securities are subject to market risk, fixed income risk and credit risk. Securities, such as those issued or guaranteed by Ginnie Mae or the U.S. Treasury, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. are guaranteed only as to the timely payment of interest and principal when held to maturity and the market prices for such securities will fluctuate. Circumstances could arise that would prevent the payment of interest or principal. Securities issued or guaranteed by certain U.S. government-related organizations are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government and no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support.

● **High yield securities risk**: High yield, high risk securities (also known as junk bonds) are subject to greater risk of loss, greater sensitivity to economic changes, valuation difficulties and a potential lack of a secondary or public market for securities.

● **Interest rate risk**: The risk that a change in interest rates will adversely affect the value of an investment. The value of fixed income securities generally moves in the opposite direction of interest rates (decreases when interest rates rise and increases when interest rates fall). MLPs are also subject to the risk that the securities could lose value because of interest rate changes. MLPs' investment returns are enhanced during periods of declining/low interest rates and tend to be negatively influenced when interest rates are rising.

● **Investment company risk**: If the Fund invests in shares of another investment company, shareholders would bear not only their proportionate share of the Fund's expenses, but also similar expenses of the investment company. The price movement of an investment company that is an ETF may not track the underlying index and may result in a loss.

● **Leverage risk**: The risk that gains or losses will be disproportionately higher than the amount invested.

● **Liquidity risk**: The risk that the holder may not be able to sell the security at the time or price it desires.

● **Management risk**: The risk that a strategy used by the Fund's management may fail to produce the intended result. This includes the risk that changes in the value of a hedging instrument will not match those of the asset being hedged. Incomplete matching can result in unanticipated risks.

**●** **Market risk**: A variety of factors including interest rate levels, recessions, inflation, U.S. economic growth, war or acts of terrorism, natural disasters, political events and widespread public health issues affect the securities markets. This systemic risk is common to all investments and the mutual funds that purchase them.

● **Natural event risk**: The risk that a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or similar event, will cause severe economic losses and default in payments by the issuer of the security.

● **Non-U.S. investment risk**: The risk associated with higher transaction costs, delayed settlements, adverse economic developments, and exchange rate volatility. These risks are increased in emerging markets.

● **Political risk**: The risk that governmental policies or other political actions will negatively impact the value of the investment.

● **Portfolio quality risk**: The risks associated with below investment grade securities including greater risk of default, greater sensitivity to interest rates and economic changes, potential valuation difficulties, and sudden and unexpected changes in credit quality.

● **Prepayment risk**: The risk that declining interest rates will result in unexpected prepayments, causing the value of the investment to fall.

● **Small and mid cap company risk**: Investments in small and mid cap companies may be riskier than investments in larger, more established companies.

● **Sovereign risk**: A government entity may delay payment, restructure its debt, or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt. There is no legal process for collecting amounts owed on sovereign debt, such as bankruptcy proceedings, that a government does not pay.

● **Tax risk**: The risk that the issuer of the securities will fail to comply with certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Code"), which could cause adverse tax consequences. Also, the risk that the tax treatment of municipal or other securities could be changed by Congress thereby affecting the value of outstanding securities.

**●** **Valuation risk**: The risk that the estimated value of a security does not match the actual amount that can be realized if the security is sold.

**●** **Zero-Coupon securities risk**: The market value of these securities is generally more volatile than the market value of, and is more likely to respond to a greater degree to changes in interest rates than, other fixed income securities with similar maturities and credit quality that pay interest periodically. Actions required by federal income tax law may reduce the assets to which the Fund's expenses could otherwise be allocated and may reduce the Fund's rate of return.

**Asset-Backed Securities**

ABS consist of securities secured by company receivables, home equity loans, truck and auto loans, leases, or credit card receivables. ABS also include other securities backed by other types of receivables or other assets, including collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), which include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and other similarly structured securities. Such assets are generally securitized through the use of trusts or special purpose corporations. ABS are backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations often of a number of different parties. Certain of these securities may be illiquid.

ABS are generally subject to the risks of the underlying assets. In addition, ABS, in general, are subject to certain additional risks including depreciation, damage or loss of the collateral backing the security, failure of the collateral to generate the anticipated cash flow or in certain cases more rapid prepayment because of events affecting the collateral, such as accelerated prepayment of loans backing these securities or destruction of equipment subject to equipment trust certificates. In addition, the underlying assets (for example, the underlying credit card debt) may be refinanced or paid off prior to maturity during periods of declining interest rates. Changes in prepayment rates can result in greater price and yield volatility. If ABS are pre-paid, the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds from the securities at a lower rate. Potential market gains on a security subject to prepayment risk may be more limited than potential market gains on a comparable security that is not subject to prepayment risk. Under certain prepayment rate scenarios, the Fund may fail to recover additional amounts paid (*i.e.*, premiums) for securities with higher interest rates, resulting in an unexpected loss.

A CBO is a trust or other special purpose entity ("SPE") which is typically backed by a diversified pool of fixed income securities (which may include high risk, below investment grade securities). A CLO is a trust or other SPE that is typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, U.S. and non-U.S. senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. Although certain CDOs may receive credit enhancement in the form of a senior-subordinate structure, over-collateralization or bond insurance, such enhancement may not always be present and may fail to protect the Fund against the risk of loss on default of the collateral. Certain CDOs may use derivatives contracts to create "synthetic" exposure to assets rather than holding such assets directly, which entails the risks of derivative instruments described elsewhere in this SAI. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses, which are in addition to those of the Fund.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the SPE are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the "equity" tranche, which bears the first loss from defaults from the bonds or loans in the SPE and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default (though such protection is not complete). Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from a CBO or CLO typically has higher ratings and lower yields than its underlying securities and may be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, downgrades of the underlying collateral by rating agencies, forced liquidation of the collateral pool due to a failure of coverage tests, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as investor aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class. Interest on certain tranches of a CDO may be paid in kind or deferred and capitalized (paid in the form of obligations of the same type rather than cash), which involves continued exposure to default risk with respect to such payments.

The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities. However, an active dealer market may exist for CDOs, allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities and ABS generally discussed elsewhere in this SAI, CDOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the risk that the collateral may default or decline in value or be downgraded, if rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization ("NRSRO"); (iii) the Fund may invest in tranches of CDOs that are subordinate to other tranches; (iv) the structure and complexity of the transaction and the legal documents could lead to disputes among investors regarding the characterization of proceeds; (v) the investment return achieved by the Fund could be significantly different than those predicted by financial models; (vi) the lack of a readily available secondary market for CDOs; (vii) risk of forced "fire sale" liquidation due to technical defaults such as coverage test failures; and (viii) the CDO's manager may perform poorly.

**Auction Rate Securities**

Auction rate securities consist of auction rate Municipal Securities and auction rate preferred securities sold through an auction process issued by closed-end investment companies, municipalities and governmental agencies. For more information on risks associated with Municipal Securities, see "Municipal Securities" below.

Provided that the auction mechanism is successful, auction rate securities usually permit the holder to sell the securities in an auction at par value at specified intervals. The dividend is reset by "Dutch" auction in which bids are made by broker-dealers and other institutions for a certain amount of securities at a specified minimum yield. The dividend rate set by the auction is the lowest interest or dividend rate that covers all securities offered for sale. While this process is designed to permit auction rate securities to be traded at par value, there is the risk that an auction will fail due to insufficient demand for the securities. Since February 2008, numerous auctions have failed due to insufficient demand for securities and have continued to fail for an extended period of time. Failed auctions may adversely impact the liquidity of auction rate securities investments. Although some issuers of auction rate securities are redeeming or are considering redeeming such securities, such issuers are not obligated to do so and, therefore, there is no guarantee that a liquid market will exist for the Fund's investments in auction rate securities at a time when the Fund wishes to dispose of such securities.

Dividends on auction rate preferred securities issued by a closed-end fund may be designated as exempt from federal income tax to the extent they are attributable to tax-exempt interest income earned by the closed-end fund on the securities in its portfolio and distributed to holders of the preferred securities. However, such designation may be made only if the closed-end fund treats preferred securities as equity securities for federal income tax purposes and the closed-end fund complies with certain requirements under the Code.

The Fund's investment in auction rate preferred securities of closed-end funds is subject to limitations on investments in other U.S. registered investment companies, which limitations are prescribed under the Company Act. Except as permitted by rule or exemptive order (see "Investment Company Securities" below for more information), the Fund is generally prohibited from acquiring more than 3% of the voting securities of any other such investment company, and investing more than 5% of the Fund's total assets in securities of any one such investment company or more than 10% of its total assets in securities of all such investment companies. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees paid by such closed-end funds in addition to the advisory fee payable directly by the Fund.

**Bank Obligations** 

Bank obligations consist of bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits.

"Bankers' Acceptances" are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange typically 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. Bankers' acceptances invested in by the Fund will be those guaranteed by U.S. and non-U.S. banks and savings and loan associations having, at the time of investment, total assets in excess of $1 billion (as of the date of their most recently published financial statements).

"Certificates of Deposit" are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank or a savings and loan association for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Certificates of deposit will be those of U.S. and non-U.S. branches of U.S. commercial banks which are members of the Federal Reserve System or the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"), and in certificates of deposit of U.S. savings and loan associations the deposits of which are insured by the FDIC if, at the time of purchase, such institutions have total assets in excess of $1 billion (as of the date of their most recently published financial statements). Certificates of deposit may also include those issued by non-U.S. banks with total assets at the time of purchase in excess of the equivalent of $1 billion.

The Fund may also invest in Eurodollar certificates of deposit, which are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by branches of non-U.S. and U.S. banks located outside the U.S., and Yankee certificates of deposit, which are certificates of deposit issued by a U.S. branch of a non-U.S. bank denominated in U.S. dollars and held in the U.S. The Fund may also invest in obligations (including banker's acceptances and certificates of deposit) denominated in non-U.S. currencies (see "Non-U.S. Investments" herein).

"Time Deposits" are interest-bearing non-negotiable deposits at a bank or a savings and loan association that have a specific maturity date. A time deposit earns a specific rate of interest over a definite period of time. Time deposits cannot be traded on the secondary market and those exceeding seven days and with a withdrawal penalty are considered to be illiquid. The Fund utilizes demand deposits in connection with its day-to-day operations. Time deposits will be maintained only at banks or savings and loan associations from which the Fund could purchase certificates of deposit.

**Borrowings**

The Fund may borrow for temporary purposes and/or for investment purposes. Such a practice will result in leveraging of the Fund's assets and may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. This borrowing may be secured or unsecured. If the Fund utilizes borrowings, for investment purposes or otherwise, it may pledge up to 33 ⅓% of its total assets to secure such borrowings. Provisions of the Company Act require the Fund 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 Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative or emergency purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund 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 to sell securities at that time. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing 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.

**Commercial Paper** 

Commercial paper is defined as short-term obligations, generally with maturities from 1 to 270 days issued by banks or bank holding companies, corporations and finance companies. Although commercial paper is generally unsecured, the Fund may also purchase secured commercial paper. In the event of a default of an issuer of secured commercial paper, the Fund may hold the securities and other investments that were pledged as collateral even if it does not invest in such securities or investments. In such a case, the Fund would take steps to dispose of such securities or investments in a commercially reasonable manner. Commercial paper includes master demand obligations. See "Variable and Floating Rate Instruments" below.

The Fund may also invest in Canadian commercial paper, which is commercial paper issued by a Canadian corporation or a Canadian counterpart of a U.S. corporation, and in Europaper, which is U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper of a non-U.S. issuer. See "Risk Factors of Non-U.S. Investments" below.

**Custodial Receipts**

The Fund may acquire securities in the form of custodial receipts that evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on certain U.S. Treasury notes or bonds in connection with programs sponsored by banks and brokerage firms. These are not considered U.S. government securities and are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. These notes and bonds are held in custody by a bank on behalf of the owners of the receipts.

**Demand Features**

The Fund may acquire securities that are subject to puts and standby commitments ("Demand Features") to purchase the securities at their principal amount (usually with accrued interest) within a fixed period (usually seven days) following a demand by the Fund. The Demand Feature may be issued by the issuer of the underlying securities, a dealer in the securities or by another third party and may not be transferred separately from the underlying security. The underlying securities subject to a put may be sold at any time at market rates. The Fund expects that it will acquire puts only where the puts are available without the payment of any direct or indirect consideration. However, if advisable or necessary, a premium may be paid for put features. A premium paid will have the effect of reducing the yield otherwise payable on the underlying security. Demand Features provided by non-U.S. banks involve certain risks associated with non-U.S. investments. See "Non-U.S. Investments" for more information on these risks.

Under a "stand-by commitment," a dealer would agree to purchase, at the Fund's option, specified securities at a specified price. The Fund will acquire these commitments solely to facilitate portfolio liquidity and does not intend to exercise its rights thereunder for trading purposes. Stand-by commitments may also be referred to as put options.

The purpose of engaging in transactions involving puts is to maintain flexibility and liquidity to permit the Fund to meet redemption requests and remain as fully invested as possible.

**Fixed Income Securities**

**Below Investment Grade Securities.** Securities that were rated investment grade at the time of purchase may subsequently be rated below investment grade by NRSROs. The high degree of risk involved in these investments can result in substantial or total losses. These securities are subject to greater risk of loss, greater sensitivity to interest rate and economic changes, valuation difficulties, and a potential lack of a secondary or public market for securities. The market price of these securities also can change suddenly and unexpectedly.

**Corporate Debt Securities.** The Fund may invest in debt securities of corporate issuers. In addition to corporate bonds, the Fund may invest in debt securities such as trust preferred securities. U.S. Government and Agency securities and MBS or ABS. All debt securities are subject to the risk of an issuer's inability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligation and may also be subject to price volatility due to such factors as market interest rates, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity. For example, higher ranking (senior) debt securities have a higher repayment priority than lower ranking (subordinated) debt securities. Fixed income securities with greater interest rate sensitivity and longer maturities tend to produce higher yields, but are subject to greater fluctuations in value. Usually, changes in the value of fixed income securities will not affect cash income generated, but may affect the value of your investment.

**High Yield/High Risk Securities/Junk Bonds.** High yield, high risk bonds are securities that are generally rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies (BB+ or lower by S&P Global Ratings ("S&P") and Bal or lower by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's")) or unrated but determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Other terms used to describe such securities include "lower rated bonds," "non-investment grade bonds," "below investment grade bonds," and "junk bonds." These securities are considered to be high-risk investments.

High yield securities are regarded as predominately speculative. There is a greater risk that issuers of lower rated securities will default than issuers of higher rated securities. Issuers of lower rated securities generally are less creditworthy and may be highly indebted, financially distressed, or bankrupt. These issuers are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes or adverse industry developments. In addition, high yield securities are frequently subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. If an issuer fails to pay principal or interest, the Fund would experience a decrease in income and a decline in the market value of its investments. The Fund may also incur additional expenses in seeking recovery from the issuer.

The income and market value of lower rated securities may fluctuate more than higher rated securities. Non-investment grade securities are more sensitive to short-term corporate, economic and market developments. During periods of economic uncertainty and change, the market price of the investments in lower rated securities may be volatile. The default rate for high yield bonds tends to be cyclical, with defaults rising in periods of economic downturn.

It is often more difficult to value lower rated securities than higher rated securities. If an issuer's financial condition deteriorates, accurate financial and business information may be limited or unavailable. The lower rated investments may be thinly traded and there may be no established secondary market. Because of the lack of market pricing and current information for investments in lower rated securities, valuation of such investments is much more dependent on the judgment of the Adviser than is the case with higher rated securities. In addition, relatively few institutional purchasers may hold a major portion of an issue of lower-rated securities at times. As a result, the Fund that invests in lower rated securities may be required to sell investments at substantial losses or retain them indefinitely even where an issuer's financial condition is deteriorating.

Credit quality of non-investment grade securities can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and even recently issued credit ratings may not fully reflect the actual risks posed by a particular high-yield security.

Future legislation may have a possible negative impact on the market for high yield, high risk bonds. As an example, in the late 1980s, legislation required federally-insured savings and loan associations to divest their investments in high yield, high risk bonds. New legislation, if enacted, could have a material negative effect on the Fund's investments in lower rated securities.

**Inflation-Linked Debt Securities.** Inflation-linked securities include fixed and floating rate debt securities of varying maturities issued by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities, such as Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS"), as well as securities issued by other entities such as corporations, municipalities, non-U.S. governments and non-U.S. issuers, including non-U.S. issuers from emerging markets. See also "Non-U.S. Investments." Typically, such securities are structured as fixed income investments whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. The following two structures are common: (i) the U.S. Treasury and some other issuers issue inflation-linked securities that accrue inflation into the principal value of the security and (ii) other issuers may pay out the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon. Other types of inflation-linked securities exist which use an inflation index other than the CPI.

Inflation-linked securities issued by the U.S. Treasury, such as TIPS, have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. Typically, TIPS pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if the Fund purchased an inflation-indexed bond with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation of 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation, although the inflation-adjusted principal received could be less than the inflation-adjusted principal that had accrued to the bond at the time of purchase. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. Other inflation-related bonds exist which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal.

The value of inflation-linked securities is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-linked securities.

While inflation-linked securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-linked securities is tied to the CPI for All Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is not seasonally adjusted and which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-linked securities issued by a non-U.S. government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or a non-U.S. inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a non-U.S. country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the U.S.

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-linked security will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

**Inverse Floaters and Interest Rate Caps**

Inverse floaters are instruments whose interest rates bear an inverse relationship to the interest rate on another security or the value of an index. The market value of an inverse floater will vary inversely with changes in market interest rates and will be more volatile in response to interest rate changes than that of a fixed rate obligation. Interest rate caps are financial instruments under which payments occur if an interest rate index exceeds a certain predetermined interest rate level, known as the cap rate, which is tied to a specific index. These financial products will be more volatile in price than securities which do not include such a structure.

**Investment Company Securities** 

The Fund may invest in securities issued by other investment companies. Such securities will be acquired by the Fund to the extent permitted by the Company Act and consistent with its investment objective and strategies. As a shareholder of another investment company, the Fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other investment company's expenses, including management fees. These expenses would be in addition to the advisory and other expenses that the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations.

The Fund may also invest in various ETFs, open-end, and closed-end funds, subject to the Fund's investment objective, policies and strategies. Closed-end investment companies are a type of investment company the shares of which are not redeemable by the issuing investment company. The value of the shares is set by the transactions on the secondary market and may be higher or lower than the value of the portfolio securities that make up the closed-end investment company. The Fund also will incur brokerage costs when it purchases ETFs and closed-end funds. Furthermore, investments in other funds could affect the timing, amount and character of distributions to shareholders and therefore may increase the amount of taxes payable by investors in the Fund.

Closed-end investment companies may trade infrequently, with small volume, which may make it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell shares. Also, the market price of closed-end investment companies tends to rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure than is the case with larger capitalization companies. Closed-end funds may trade at a premium or discount which means that the price in the secondary market may be higher or lower than the calculated NAV.

Closed-end investment companies may issue senior securities (including preferred stock and debt obligations) for the purpose of leveraging the closed-end fund's common shares in an attempt to enhance the current return to such closed-end fund's common shareholders. The Fund's investment in the common shares of closed-end funds that are financially leveraged may create an opportunity for greater total return on the Fund's investment, but at the same time the closed-end fund may be expected to exhibit more volatility in market price and NAV than an investment in shares of investment companies without a leveraged capital structure.

Closed-end investment companies in which the Fund invests may issue auction preferred shares ("APS"). The dividend rate for the APS normally is set through an auction process. In the auction, holders of APS may indicate the dividend rate at which they would be willing to hold or sell their APS or purchase additional APS. The auction also provides liquidity for the sale of APS. The Fund may not be able to sell its APS at an auction if the auction fails. An auction fails if there are more APS offered for sale than there are buyers. A closed-end fund may not be obligated to purchase APS in an auction or otherwise, nor may the closed-end fund be required to redeem APS in the event of a failed auction. As a result, the Fund's investment in APS may be illiquid. In addition, if the Fund buys APS or elects to retain APS without specifying a dividend rate below which it would not wish to buy or continue to hold those APS, the Fund could receive a lower rate of return on its APS than the market rate.

The price movement of an ETF may not track the underlying index and may result in a loss. Both ETFs and closed-end funds, like stocks, trade on exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"). Both are priced continuously and trade throughout the day.

**Loans** 

Loans may include Senior Loans and secured and unsecured loans, second lien or more Junior Loans and Bridge Loans. Loans are typically arranged through private negotiations between borrowers in the U.S. or in non-U.S. or emerging markets which may be corporate issuers or issuers of sovereign debt obligations ("Obligors") and one or more financial institutions and other lenders ("Lenders"). Generally, the Fund invests in Loans by purchasing Assignments of all or a portion of Loans or Participations from third parties.

The Fund has direct rights against the Obligor on the Loan when it purchases an Assignment. Because Assignments are arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, however, the rights and obligations acquired by the Fund as the purchaser of an Assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning Lender. With respect to Participations, typically, the Fund will have a contractual relationship only with the Lender and not with the Obligor. The agreement governing Participations may limit the rights of the Fund to vote on certain changes which may be made to the Loan agreement, such as waiving a breach of a covenant. However, the holder of a Participation will generally have the right to vote on certain fundamental issues such as changes in principal amount, payment dates and interest rate. Participations may entail certain risks relating to the creditworthiness of the parties from which the Participations are obtained.

A Loan is typically originated, negotiated and structured by a U.S. or non-U.S. commercial bank, insurance company, finance company or other financial institution (the "Agent") for a group of Loan investors. The Agent typically administers and enforces the Loan on behalf of the other Loan investors in the syndicate. The Agent's duties may include responsibility for the collection of principal and interest payments from the Obligor and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all Loan investors. The Agent is also typically responsible for monitoring compliance with the covenants contained in the Loan agreement based upon reports prepared by the Obligor. In addition, an institution, typically but not always the Agent, holds any collateral on behalf of the Loan investors. In the event of a default by the Obligor, it is possible, though unlikely, that the Fund could receive a portion of the borrower's collateral. If the Fund receives collateral other than cash, any proceeds received from liquidation of such collateral will be available for investment as part of the Fund's portfolio.

In the process of buying, selling and holding Loans, the Fund may receive and/or pay certain fees. These fees are in addition to interest payments received and may include facility fees, commitment fees, commissions and prepayment penalty fees. When the Fund buys or sells a Loan it may pay a fee. In certain circumstances, the Fund may receive a prepayment penalty fee upon prepayment of a Loan.

*Additional Information concerning Senior Loans.* Senior Loans typically hold the most senior position in the capital structure of the Obligor, are typically secured with specific collateral and have a claim on the assets and/or stock of the Obligor that is senior to that held by subordinated debtholders and shareholders of the Obligor. Collateral for Senior Loans may include (i) working capital assets, such as accounts receivable and inventory; (ii) tangible fixed assets, such as real property, buildings and equipment; (iii) intangible assets, such as trademarks and patent rights; and/or (iv) security interests in shares of stock of subsidiaries or affiliates.

 

*Additional Information concerning Junior Loans.* Junior Loans include secured and unsecured loans including subordinated loans, second lien and more Junior Loans, and Bridge Loans. Second lien and more Junior Loans ("Junior Lien Loans") are generally second or further in line in terms of repayment priority. In addition, Junior Lien Loans may have a claim on the same collateral pool as the first lien or other more senior liens or may be secured by a separate set of assets. Junior Loans generally give investors priority over general unsecured creditors in the event of an asset sale.

 

*Additional Information concerning Bridge Loans.* Bridge Loans are short-term loan arrangements (*e.g.*, 12 to 18 months) typically made by an Obligor in anticipation of intermediate-term or long-term permanent financing. Most Bridge Loans are structured as floating-rate debt with step-up provisions under which the interest rate on the Bridge Loan rises the longer the Loan remains outstanding. In addition, Bridge Loans commonly contain a conversion feature that allows the Bridge Loan investor to convert its Loan interest to senior exchange notes if the Loan has not been prepaid in full on or prior to its maturity date. Bridge Loans typically are structured as Senior Loans but may be structured as Junior Loans.

 

*Additional Information concerning Unfunded Commitments.* Unfunded commitments are contractual obligations pursuant to which the Fund agrees to invest in a Loan at a future date. Typically, the Fund receives a commitment fee for entering into the Unfunded Commitment.

 

*Additional Information concerning Synthetic Letters of Credit.* Loans include synthetic letters of credit. In a synthetic letter of credit transaction, the Lender typically creates an SPE or a credit-linked deposit account for the purpose of funding a letter of credit to the borrower. When the Fund invests in a synthetic letter of credit, the Fund is typically paid a rate based on the Lender's borrowing costs and the terms of the synthetic letter of credit. Synthetic letters of credit are typically structured as Assignments with the Fund acquiring direct rights against the Obligor.

*Additional Information concerning Loan Originations.* In addition to investing in Assignments and Participations, the Fund may originate Loans in which the Fund would lend money directly to a borrower by investing in limited liability companies or corporations that make loans directly to borrowers. The terms of the Loans are negotiated with borrowers in private transactions. Such Loans would be collateralized, typically with tangible fixed assets such as real property or interests in real property. Such Loans may also include mezzanine loans. Unlike Loans secured by a mortgage on real property, mezzanine loans are collateralized by an equity interest in a special purpose vehicle that owns the real property.

 

*Limitations on Investments in Loan Assignments and Participations*. If a government entity is a borrower on a Loan, the Fund will consider the government to be the issuer of an Assignment or Participation for purposes of the Fund's fundamental investment policy that it will not invest 25% or more of its total assets in securities of issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry (*i.e.*, non-U.S. government).

 

*Risk Factors of Loans*. Loans are subject to the risks associated with debt obligations in general including interest rate risk, credit risk and market risk. When a Loan is acquired from a Lender, the risk includes the credit risk associated with the Obligor of the underlying Loan. The Fund may incur additional credit risk when the Fund acquires a Participation in a Loan from another Lender because the Fund must assume the risk of insolvency or bankruptcy of the other Lender from which the Loan was acquired. To the extent that Loans involve Obligors in non-U.S. or emerging markets, such Loans are subject to the risks associated with non-U.S. investments or investments in emerging markets in general. The following outlines some of the additional risks associated with Loans.

 

*High Yield Securities Risk.* The Loans that the Fund invests in may not be rated by an NRSRO, will not be registered with the SEC or any state securities commission and will not be listed on any national securities exchange. To the extent that such high yield Loans are rated, they typically will be rated below investment grade and are subject to an increased risk of default in the payment of principal and interest as well as the other risks described under *"High Yield/High Risk Securities/Junk Bonds."* Loans are vulnerable to market sentiment such that economic conditions or other events may reduce the demand for Loans and cause their value to decline rapidly and unpredictably.

 

*Liquidity Risk.* Loans that are deemed to be liquid at the time of purchase may become illiquid or less liquid. No active trading market may exist for certain Loans and certain Loans may be subject to restrictions on resale or have a limited secondary market. Certain Loans may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods. The inability to dispose of certain Loans in a timely fashion or at a favorable price could result in losses to the Fund.

 

*Collateral and Subordination Risk.* With respect to Loans that are secured, the Fund is subject to the risk that collateral securing the Loan will decline in value or have no value or that the Fund's lien is or will become junior in payment to other liens. A decline in value of the collateral, whether as a result of market value declines, bankruptcy proceedings or otherwise, could cause the Loan to be under collateralized or unsecured. In such event, the Fund may have the ability to require that the Obligor pledge additional collateral. The Fund, however, is subject to the risk that the Obligor may not pledge such additional collateral or a sufficient amount of collateral. In some cases, there may be no formal requirement for the Obligor to pledge additional collateral. In addition, collateral may consist of assets that may not be readily liquidated, and there is no assurance that the liquidation of such assets would satisfy an Obligor's obligation on a Loan. If the Fund was unable to obtain sufficient proceeds upon a liquidation of such assets, this could negatively affect Fund performance.

 

If an Obligor becomes involved in bankruptcy proceedings, a court may restrict the ability of the Fund to demand immediate repayment of the Loan by Obligor or otherwise liquidate the collateral. A court may also invalidate the Loan or the Fund's security interest in collateral or subordinate the Fund's rights under a Senior Loan or Junior Loan to the interest of the Obligor's other creditors, including unsecured creditors, or cause interest or principal previously paid to be refunded to the Obligor. If a court required interest or principal to be refunded, it could negatively affect Fund performance. Such action by a court could be based, for example, on a "fraudulent conveyance" claim to the effect that the Obligor did not receive fair consideration for granting the security interest in the Loan collateral to the Fund. For Senior Loans made in connection with a highly leveraged transaction, consideration for granting a security interest may be deemed inadequate if the proceeds of the Loan were not received or retained by the Obligor, but were instead paid to other persons (such as shareholders of the Obligor) in an amount which left the Obligor insolvent or without sufficient working capital. There are also other events, such as the failure to perfect a security interest due to faulty documentation or faulty official filings, which could lead to the invalidation of the Fund's security interest in Loan collateral. If the Fund's security interest in Loan collateral is invalidated or a Senior Loan were subordinated to other debt of an Obligor in bankruptcy or other proceedings, the Fund would have substantially lower recovery, and perhaps no recovery on the full amount of the principal and interest due on the Loan, or the Fund could have to refund interest. Lenders and investors in Loans can be sued by other creditors and shareholders of the Obligors. Losses can be greater than the original Loan amount and occur years after the principal and interest on the Loan have been repaid.

*Agent Risk.* Selling Lenders, Agents and other entities who may be positioned between the Fund and the Obligor will likely conduct their principal business activities in the banking, finance and financial services industries. Investments in Loans may be more impacted by a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence affecting such industries than other types of investments. Entities engaged in such industries may be more susceptible to, among other things, fluctuations in interest rates, changes in the Federal Open Market Committee's monetary policy, government regulations concerning such industries and concerning capital raising activities generally and fluctuations in the financial markets generally. An Agent, Lender or other entity positioned between the Fund and the Obligor may become insolvent or enter FDIC receivership or bankruptcy.

 

The Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a Loan or suffer a loss of principal and/ or interest if assets or interests held by the Agent, Lender or other party positioned between the Fund and the Obligor are determined to be subject to the claims of the Agent's, Lender's or such other party's creditors.

*Regulatory Changes.* To the extent that legislation or state or federal regulators that regulate certain financial institutions impose additional requirements or restrictions with respect to the ability of such institutions to make Loans, particularly in connection with highly leveraged transactions, the availability of Loans for investment may be adversely affected. Furthermore, such legislation or regulation could depress the market value of Loans held by the Fund.

 

*Inventory Risk.* Affiliates of the Adviser may participate in the primary and secondary market for Loans. Because of limitations imposed by applicable law, the presence of the Adviser's affiliates in the Loan market may restrict the Fund's ability to acquire some Loans, affect the timing of such acquisition or affect the price at which the Loan is acquired.

 

*Information Risk*. There is typically less publicly available information concerning Loans than other types of fixed income investments. As a result, the Fund generally will be dependent on reports and other information provided by the Obligor, either directly or through an Agent, to evaluate the Obligor's creditworthiness or to determine the Obligor's compliance with the covenants and other terms of the Loan Agreement. Such reliance may make investments in Loans more susceptible to fraud than other types of investments. In addition, because the Adviser may wish to invest in the publicly traded securities of an Obligor, it may not have access to material non-public information regarding the Obligor to which other Loan investors have access.

 

*Junior Loan Risk.* Junior Loans are subject to the same general risks inherent to any Loan investment. Due to their lower place in the Obligor's capital structure and possible unsecured status, Junior Loans involve a higher degree of overall risk than Senior Loans of the same Obligor. Junior Loans that are Bridge Loans generally carry the expectation that the Obligor will be able to obtain permanent financing in the near future. Any delay in obtaining permanent financing subjects the Bridge Loan investor to increased risk. An Obligor's use of Bridge Loans also involves the risk that the Obligor may be unable to locate permanent financing to replace the Bridge Loan, which may impair the Obligor's perceived creditworthiness.

 

*Mezzanine Loan Risk.* In addition to the risk factors described above, mezzanine loans are subject to additional risks. Unlike conventional mortgage loans, mezzanine loans are not secured by a mortgage on the underlying real property but rather by a pledge of equity interests (such as a partnership or limited liability company membership) in the property owner or another company in the ownership structures that has control over the property. Such companies are typically structured as SPEs. Generally, mezzanine loans may be more highly leveraged than other types of Loans and subordinate in the capital structure of the Obligor. While foreclosure of a mezzanine loan generally takes substantially less time than foreclosure of a traditional mortgage, the holders of a mezzanine loan have different remedies available versus the holder of a first lien mortgage loan. In addition, a sale of the underlying real property would not be unencumbered, and thus would be subject to encumbrances by more senior mortgages and liens of other creditors. Upon foreclosure of a mezzanine loan, the holder of the mezzanine loan acquires an equity interest in the Obligor. However, because of the subordinate nature of a mezzanine loan, the real property continues to be subject to the lien of the mortgage and other liens encumbering the real estate. In the event the holder of a mezzanine loan forecloses on its equity collateral, the holder may need to cure the Obligor's existing mortgage defaults or, to the extent permissible under the governing agreements, sell the property to pay off other creditors. To the extent that the amount of mortgages and senior indebtedness and liens exceed the value of the real estate, the collateral underlying the mezzanine loan may have little or no value.

*Foreclosure Risk.* There may be additional costs associated with enforcing the Fund's remedies under a Loan including additional legal costs and payment of real property transfer taxes upon foreclosure in certain jurisdictions. As a result of these additional costs, the Fund may determine that pursuing foreclosure on the Loan collateral is not worth the associated costs. In addition, if the Fund incurs costs and the collateral loses value or is not recovered by the Fund in foreclosure, the Fund could lose more than its original investment in the Loan. Foreclosure risk is heightened for Junior Loans, including certain mezzanine loans.

 

*Consumer Loans Risk.* Investments in consumer loans expose the Fund to additional risks beyond those normally associated with more traditional debt instruments. The Fund's ability to receive payments in connection with the Loan depends primarily on the financial condition of the borrower and whether or not a Loan is secured by collateral, although there is no assurance that the collateral securing a Loan will be sufficient to satisfy the loan obligation. In addition, bank loans often have contractual restrictions on resale, which can delay the sale and adversely impact the sale price. Transactions involving bank loans may have significantly longer settlement periods than more traditional investments (settlement can take longer than 7 days) and often involve borrowers whose financial condition is troubled or highly leveraged, which increases the risk that the Fund may not receive its proceeds in a timely manner or that the Fund may incur losses in order to pay redemption proceeds to its shareholders. In addition, loans are not registered under the federal securities laws like stocks and bonds, so investors in Loans have less protection against improper practices than investors in registered securities.

**Master Limited Partnerships** 

MLPs are passive investment vehicles, in which 85% to 90% of operating profits and losses are usually passed through the ownership structure to the limited partners. This pass through creates passive income or losses, along with dividend and investment income. MLPs investment returns are enhanced during periods of declining/low interest rates and tend to be negatively influenced when interest rates are rising. As an income vehicle, the unit price can be influenced by general interest rate trends independent of specific underlying fundamentals. In addition, most MLPs are fairly leveraged and typically carry a portion of "floating" rate debt. As such, a significant upward swing in interest rates would also drive interest expense higher. Furthermore, most MLPs grow by acquisitions partly financed by debt, and higher interest rates could make it more difficult to transact accretive acquisitions.

*Limitations on the use of MLPs:* To maintain Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") tax exempt status, investments in MLPs are limited to 25% of net assets.

 

**Mortgage-Related Securities** 

**Mortgages (Directly Held).** Mortgages are debt instruments secured by real property. Unlike MBS, which generally represent an interest in a pool of mortgages, direct investments in mortgages involve prepayment and credit risks of an individual issuer and real property. Consequently, these investments require different investment and credit analysis by the Adviser.

Directly placed mortgages may include residential mortgages, multifamily mortgages, mortgages on cooperative apartment buildings, commercial mortgages, and sale-leasebacks. These investments are backed by assets such as office buildings, shopping centers, retail stores, warehouses, apartment buildings and single-family dwellings. In the event that the Fund forecloses on any non-performing mortgage, and acquires a direct interest in the real property, the Fund will be subject to the risks generally associated with the ownership of real property. There may be fluctuations in the market value of the foreclosed property and its occupancy rates, rent schedules and operating expenses. There may also be adverse changes in local, regional or general economic conditions, deterioration of the real estate market and the financial circumstances of tenants and sellers, unfavorable changes in zoning, building, environmental and other laws, increased real property taxes, rising interest rates, reduced availability and increased cost of mortgage borrowings, the need for unanticipated renovations, unexpected increases in the cost of energy, environmental factors, acts of God and other factors which are beyond the control of the Fund or the Adviser. Hazardous or toxic substances may be present on, at or under the mortgaged property and adversely affect the value of the property. In addition, the owners of property containing such substances may be held responsible, under various laws, for containing, monitoring, removing or cleaning up such substances. The presence of such substances may also provide a basis for other claims by third parties. Costs of clean up or of liabilities to third parties may exceed the value of the property. In addition, these risks may be uninsurable. In light of these and similar risks, it may be impossible to dispose profitably of properties in foreclosure.

**Mortgage-Backed Securities (CMOs and REMICs).** MBS include CMOs and REMICs. A REMIC is a CMO that qualifies for special tax treatment under the Code and invests in certain mortgages principally secured by interests in real property and other permitted investments.

MBS represent pools of mortgage loans assembled for sale to investors by:

● various governmental agencies such as Ginnie Mae;

● organizations such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; and

● non-governmental issuers such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, and private mortgage insurance companies (non-governmental mortgage securities cannot be treated as U.S. government securities for purposes of investment policies).

There are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government that issue mortgage-related securities and among the securities that they issue.

*Ginnie Mae Securities*. Mortgage-related securities issued by Ginnie Mae include Ginnie Mae Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates which are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by Ginnie Mae. Ginnie Mae's guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Ginnie Mae is a wholly-owned U.S. government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Ginnie Mae certificates also are supported by the authority of Ginnie Mae to borrow funds from the U.S. Treasury to make payments under its guarantee.

 

*Fannie Mae Securities.* Mortgage-related securities issued by Fannie Mae include Fannie Mae Guaranteed Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates which are solely the obligations of Fannie Mae and are not backed by or entitled to the full faith and credit of the U.S. Fannie Mae is a government-sponsored organization owned entirely by private stockholders. Fannie Mae Certificates are guaranteed as to timely payment of the principal and interest by Fannie Mae.

 

*Freddie Mac Securities.* Mortgage-related securities issued by Freddie Mac include Freddie Mac Mortgage Participation Certificates ("PCs"). Freddie Mac is a corporate instrumentality of the U.S., created pursuant to an Act of Congress, which is owned by private stockholders. Freddie Mac Certificates are not guaranteed by the U.S. or by any Federal Home Loan Bank and do not constitute a debt or obligation of the U.S. or of any Federal Home Loan Bank. Freddie Mac Certificates entitle the holder to timely payment of interest, which is guaranteed by Freddie Mac. Freddie Mac guarantees either ultimate collection or timely payment of all principal payments on the underlying mortgage loans. When Freddie Mac does not guarantee timely payment of principal, Freddie Mac may remit the amount due on account of its guarantee of ultimate payment of principal at any time after default on an underlying mortgage, but in no event later than one year after it becomes payable.

For additional information on recent events impacting Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac securities, see "Events Regarding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Securities" under the heading "Risk Factors of Mortgage-Related Securities" below.

CMOs and guaranteed REMIC pass-through certificates ("REMIC Certificates") issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae and private issuers are types of multiple class pass-through securities. Investors may purchase beneficial interests in REMICs, which are known as "regular" interests or "residual" interests. The Fund does not currently intend to purchase residual interests in REMICs. The REMIC Certificates represent beneficial ownership interests in a REMIC Trust, generally consisting of mortgage loans or Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae guaranteed mortgage pass-through certificates (the "Mortgage Assets"). The obligations of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae under their respective guaranty of the REMIC Certificates are obligations solely of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae, respectively.

*Fannie Mae REMIC Certificates.* Fannie Mae REMIC Certificates are issued and guaranteed as to timely distribution of principal and interest by Fannie Mae. In addition, Fannie Mae will be obligated to distribute the principal balance of each class of REMIC Certificates in full, whether or not sufficient funds are otherwise available.

 

*Freddie Mac REMIC Certificates.* Freddie Mac guarantees the timely payment of interest, and also guarantees the payment of principal as payments are required to be made on the underlying mortgage PCs. PCs represent undivided interests in specified residential mortgages or Participation therein purchased by Freddie Mac and placed in a PC pool. With respect to principal payments on PCs, Freddie Mac generally guarantees ultimate collection of all principal of the related mortgage loans without offset or deduction. Freddie Mac also guarantees timely payment of principal on certain PCs referred to as "Gold PCs."

 

*Ginnie Mae REMIC Certificates.* Ginnie Mae guarantees the full and timely payment of interest and principal on each class of securities (in accordance with the terms of those classes as specified in the related offering circular supplement). The Ginnie Mae guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S.

 

REMIC Certificates issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae are treated as U.S. Government securities for purposes of investment policies.

CMOs and REMIC Certificates provide for the redistribution of cash flow to multiple classes. Each class of CMOs or REMIC Certificates, often referred to as a "tranche," is issued at a specific adjustable or fixed interest rate and must be fully retired no later than its final distribution date. This reallocation of interest and principal results in the redistribution of prepayment risk across different classes. This allows for the creation of bonds with more or less risk than the underlying collateral exhibits. Principal prepayments on the mortgage loans or the Mortgage Assets underlying the CMOs or REMIC Certificates may cause some or all of the classes of CMOs or REMIC Certificates to be retired substantially earlier than their final distribution dates. Generally, interest is paid or accrues on all classes of CMOs or REMIC Certificates on a monthly basis.

The principal of and interest on the Mortgage Assets may be allocated among the several classes of CMOs or REMIC Certificates in various ways. In certain structures (known as "sequential pay" CMOs or REMIC Certificates), payments of principal, including any principal prepayments, on the Mortgage Assets generally are applied to the classes of CMOs or REMIC Certificates in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made on any class of sequential pay CMOs or REMIC Certificates until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

Additional structures of CMOs and REMIC Certificates include, among others, principal only structures, interest only structures, inverse floaters and "parallel pay" CMOs and REMIC Certificates. Certain of these structures may be more volatile than other types of CMO and REMIC structures. Parallel pay CMOs or REMIC Certificates are those which are structured to apply principal payments and prepayments of the Mortgage Assets to two or more classes concurrently on a proportionate or disproportionate basis. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the final distribution date of each class.

A wide variety of REMIC Certificates may be issued in the parallel pay or sequential pay structures. These securities include accrual certificates (also known as "Z-Bonds"), which only accrue interest at a specified rate until all other certificates having an earlier final distribution date have been retired and are converted thereafter to an interest-paying security, and planned amortization class ("PAC") certificates, which are parallel pay REMIC Certificates which generally require that specified amounts of principal be applied on each payment date to one or more classes of REMIC Certificates (the "PAC Certificates"), even though all other principal payments and prepayments of the Mortgage Assets are then required to be applied to one or more other classes of the certificates. The scheduled principal payments for the PAC Certificates generally have the highest priority on each payment date after interest due has been paid to all classes entitled to receive interest currently. Shortfalls, if any, are added to the amount of principal payable on the next payment date. The PAC Certificate payment schedule is taken into account in calculating the final distribution date of each class of PAC. In order to create PAC tranches, one or more tranches generally must be created that absorb most of the volatility in the underlying Mortgage Assets. These tranches tend to have market prices and yields that are much more volatile than the PAC classes. The Z-Bonds in which the Fund may invest may bear the same non-credit-related risks as do other types of Z-Bonds. Z-Bonds in which the Fund may invest will not include residual interest.

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses set forth in the fee table and "Financial Highlights" section of the Fund's Prospectus do not include any expenses associated with investments in certain structured or synthetic products that may rely on the exception for the definition of "investment company" provided by section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Company Act.

**Mortgage TBAs.** The Fund may invest in mortgage pass-through securities eligible to be sold in the "to-be-announced" or TBA market ("Mortgage TBAs"). Mortgage TBAs provide for the forward or delayed delivery of the underlying instrument with settlement up to 180 days. The term TBA comes from the fact that the actual MBS that will be delivered to fulfill a TBA trade is not designated at the time the trade is made, but rather is generally announced 48 hours before the settlement date. Mortgage TBAs are subject to the risks described in the "When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments" section.

**Mortgage Dollar Rolls.** In a mortgage dollar roll transaction, one party sells MBS, principally Mortgage TBAs, for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts with the same counterparty to repurchase similar (same type, coupon and maturity) but not identical securities on a specified future date. When the Fund enters into mortgage dollar rolls, the Fund will earmark and reserve until the settlement date Fund assets, in cash or liquid securities, in an amount equal to the forward purchase price. During the period between the sale and repurchase in a mortgage dollar roll transaction, the Fund will not be entitled to receive interest and principal payments on securities sold. Losses may arise due to changes in the value of the securities or if the counterparty does not perform under the terms of the agreement. If the counterparty files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the Fund's right to repurchase or sell securities may be limited. Mortgage dollar rolls may be subject to leverage risks. In addition, mortgage dollar rolls may increase interest rate risk and result in an increased portfolio turnover rate which increases costs and may increase taxable gains. The benefits of mortgage dollar rolls may depend upon the Adviser's ability to predict mortgage prepayments and interest rates. There is no assurance that mortgage dollar rolls can be successfully employed. For purposes of diversification and investment limitations, mortgage dollar rolls are considered to be MBS.

**Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities.** SMBS are derivative multi- class mortgage securities issued outside the REMIC or CMO structure. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions from a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving all of the interest from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive all of the principal. Mortgage IOs receive monthly interest payments based upon a notional amount that declines over time as a result of the normal monthly amortization and unscheduled prepayments of principal on the associated mortgage POs.

In addition to the risks applicable to mortgage-related securities in general, SMBS are subject to the following additional risks:

*Prepayment/Interest Rate Sensitivity.* SMBS are extremely sensitive to changes in prepayments and interest rates. Even though these securities have been guaranteed by an agency or instrumentality of the U.S. government, under certain interest rate or prepayment rate scenarios, the Fund may lose money on investments in SMBS.

 

*Interest Only SMBS.* Changes in prepayment rates can cause the return on investment in IOs to be highly volatile. Under extremely high prepayment conditions, IOs can incur significant losses.

 

*Principal Only SMBS.* POs are bought at a discount to the ultimate principal repayment value. The rate of return on a PO will vary with prepayments, rising as prepayments increase and falling as prepayments decrease. Generally, the market value of these securities is unusually volatile in response to changes in interest rates.

 

*Yield Characteristics.* Although SMBS may yield more than other MBS, their cash flow patterns are more volatile and there is a greater risk that any premium paid will not be fully recouped. The Adviser will seek to manage these risks (and potential benefits) by investing in a variety of such securities and by using certain analytical and hedging techniques.

 

**Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loans.** ARMs eligible for inclusion in a mortgage pool will generally provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest rate for a specified period of time. Thereafter, the interest rates (the "Mortgage Interest Rates") may be subject to periodic adjustment based on changes in the applicable index rate (the "Index Rate"). The adjusted rate would be equal to the Index Rate plus a gross margin, which is a fixed percentage spread over the Index Rate established for each ARM at the time of its origination.

Adjustable interest rates can cause payment increases that some borrowers may find difficult to make. However, certain ARMs may provide that the Mortgage Interest Rate may not be adjusted to a rate above an applicable lifetime maximum rate or below an applicable lifetime minimum rate for such ARM. Certain ARMs may also be subject to limitations on the maximum amount by which the Mortgage Interest Rate may adjust for any single adjustment period (the "Maximum Adjustment"). Other ARMs ("Negatively Amortizing ARMs") may provide instead or as well for limitations on changes in the monthly payment on such ARMs. Limitations on monthly payments can result in monthly payments which are greater or less than the amount necessary to amortize a Negatively Amortizing ARM by its maturity at the Mortgage Interest Rate in effect in any particular month. In the event that a monthly payment is not sufficient to pay the interest accruing on a Negatively Amortizing ARM, any such excess interest is added to the principal balance of the loan, causing negative amortization and will be repaid through future monthly payments. It may take borrowers under Negatively Amortizing ARMs longer periods of time to achieve equity and may increase the likelihood of default by such borrowers. In the event that a monthly payment exceeds the sum of the interest accrued at the applicable Mortgage Interest Rate and the principal payment which would have been necessary to amortize the outstanding principal balance over the remaining term of the loan, the excess (or "accelerated amortization") further reduces the principal balance of the ARM. Negatively Amortizing ARMs do not provide for the extension of their original maturity to accommodate changes in their Mortgage Interest Rate. As a result, unless there is a periodic recalculation of the payment amount (which there generally is), the final payment may be substantially larger than the other payments. These limitations on periodic increases in interest rates and on changes in monthly payments protect borrowers from unlimited interest rate and payment increases.

Certain ARMs may provide for periodic adjustments of scheduled payments in order to amortize fully the mortgage loan by its stated maturity. Other ARMs may permit their stated maturity to be extended or shortened in accordance with the portion of each payment that is applied to interest as affected by the periodic interest rate adjustments.

There are two main categories of indices which provide the basis for rate adjustments on ARMs: those based on U.S. Treasury securities and those derived from a calculated measure such as a cost of funds index or a moving average of mortgage rates. Commonly utilized indices include the one-year, three-year and five-year constant maturity Treasury bill rates, the three-month Treasury bill rate, the 180-day Treasury bill rate, rates on longer-term Treasury securities, the 11th District Federal Home Loan Bank Cost of Funds, the National Median Cost of Funds, Secured Overnight Financing Rate, the prime rate of a specific bank, or commercial paper rates. Some indices, such as the one-year constant maturity Treasury rate, closely mirror changes in market interest rate levels. Others, such as the 11th District Federal Home Loan Bank Cost of Funds index, tend to lag behind changes in market rate levels and tend to be somewhat less volatile. The degree of volatility in the market value of the Fund's portfolio and therefore, in the NAV of the Fund's Shares will be a function of the length of the interest rate reset periods and the degree of volatility in the applicable indices.

In general, changes in both prepayment rates and interest rates will change the yield on MBS. The rate of principal prepayments with respect to ARMs has fluctuated in recent years. As is the case with fixed mortgage loans, ARMs may be subject to a greater rate of principal prepayments in a declining interest rate environment. For example, if prevailing interest rates fall significantly, ARMs could be subject to higher prepayment rates than if prevailing interest rates remain constant because the availability of fixed rate mortgage loans at competitive interest rates may encourage mortgagors to refinance their ARMs to "lock-in" a lower fixed interest rate. Conversely, if prevailing interest rates rise significantly, ARMs may prepay at lower rates than if prevailing rates remain at or below those in effect at the time such ARMs were originated. As with fixed rate mortgages, there can be no certainty as to the rate of prepayments on the ARMs in either stable or changing interest rate environments. In addition, there can be no certainty as to whether increases in the principal balances of the ARMs due to the addition of deferred interest may result in a default rate higher than that on ARMs that do not provide for negative amortization.

Other factors affecting prepayment of ARMs include changes in mortgagors' housing needs, job transfers, unemployment, mortgagors' net equity in the mortgage properties and servicing decisions.

**Risk Factors of Mortgage-Related Securities.** The following is a summary of certain risks associated with mortgage-related securities:

*Guarantor Risk.* There can be no assurance that the U.S. government would provide financial support to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac if necessary in the future. Although certain mortgage-related securities are guaranteed by a third party or otherwise similarly secured, the market value of the security, which may fluctuate, is not so secured.

 

*Interest Rate Sensitivity.* If the Fund purchases a mortgage-related security at a premium, that portion may be lost if there is a decline in the market value of the security whether resulting from changes in interest rates or prepayments in the underlying mortgage collateral. As with other interest-bearing securities, the prices of such securities are inversely affected by changes in interest rates. Although the value of a mortgage-related security may decline when interest rates rise, the converse is not necessarily true since in periods of declining interest rates the mortgages underlying the securities are prone to prepayment. For this and other reasons, a mortgage-related security's stated maturity may be shortened by unscheduled prepayments on the underlying mortgages and, therefore, it is not possible to predict accurately the security's return to the Fund. In addition, regular payments received in respect of mortgage-related securities include both interest and principal. No assurance can be given as to the return the Fund will receive when these amounts are reinvested.

 

*Market Value.* The market value of the Fund's adjustable rate MBS may be adversely affected if interest rates increase faster than the rates of interest payable on such securities or by the ARMs underlying such securities. Furthermore, adjustable rate MBS or the mortgage loans underlying such securities may contain provisions limiting the amount by which rates may be adjusted upward and downward and may limit the amount by which monthly payments may be increased or decreased to accommodate upward and downward adjustments in interest rates. When the market value of the properties underlying the MBS suffer broad declines on a regional or national level, the values of the corresponding MBS or MBS as a whole, may be adversely affected as well.

 

*Prepayments.* Adjustable rate MBS have less potential for capital appreciation than fixed rate MBS because their coupon rates will decline in response to market interest rate declines. The market value of fixed rate MBS may be adversely affected as a result of increases in interest rates and, because of the risk of unscheduled principal prepayments, may benefit less than other fixed rate securities of similar maturity from declining interest rates. Finally, to the extent MBS are purchased at a premium, mortgage foreclosures and unscheduled principal prepayments may result in some loss of the Fund's principal investment to the extent of the premium paid. On the other hand, if such securities are purchased at a discount, both a scheduled payment of principal and an unscheduled prepayment of principal will increase current and total returns and will accelerate the recognition of income.

*Yield Characteristics.* The yield characteristics of MBS differ from those of traditional fixed income securities. The major differences typically include more frequent interest and principal payments, usually monthly, and the possibility that prepayments of principal may be made at any time. Prepayment rates are influenced by changes in current interest rates and a variety of economic, geographic, social and other factors and cannot be predicted with certainty. As with fixed rate mortgage loans, ARMs may be subject to a greater prepayment rate in a declining interest rate environment. The yields to maturity of the MBS in which the Fund invests will be affected by the actual rate of payment (including prepayments) of principal of the underlying mortgage loans. The mortgage loans underlying such securities generally may be prepaid at any time without penalty. In a fluctuating interest rate environment, a predominant factor affecting the prepayment rate on a pool of mortgage loans is the difference between the interest rates on the mortgage loans and prevailing mortgage loan interest rates taking into account the cost of any refinancing. In general, if mortgage loan interest rates fall sufficiently below the interest rates on fixed rate mortgage loans underlying mortgage pass-through securities, the rate of prepayment would be expected to increase. Conversely, if mortgage loan interest rates rise above the interest rates on the fixed rate mortgage loans underlying the mortgage pass-through securities, the rate of prepayment may be expected to decrease.

 

*Events Regarding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Securities*. On September 6, 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA") placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorship. As the conservator, FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles, powers and privileges of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and of any stockholder, officer or director of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with respect to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the assets of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. FHFA selected a new chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors for each of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In connection with the conservatorship, the U.S. Treasury entered into a Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement with each of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pursuant to which the U.S. Treasury will purchase up to an aggregate of $100 billion of each of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to maintain a positive net worth in each enterprise. This agreement contains various covenants, discussed below, that severely limit each enterprise's operations. In exchange for entering into these agreements, the U.S. Treasury received $1 billion of each enterprise's senior preferred stock and warrants to purchase 79.9% of each enterprise's common stock. In 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was doubling the size of its commitment to each enterprise under the Senior Preferred Stock Program to $200 billion. The U.S. Treasury's obligations under the Senior Preferred Stock Program are for an indefinite period of time for a maximum amount of $200 billion per enterprise. In 2009, the U.S. Treasury further amended the Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement to allow the cap on the U.S. Treasury's funding commitment to increase as necessary to accommodate any cumulative reduction in Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's net worth through the end of 2012. In August 2012, the Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement was further amended to, among other things, accelerate the wind down of the retained portfolio, terminate the requirement that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac each pay a 10% dividend annually on all amounts received under the funding commitment, and require the submission of an annual risk management plan to the U.S. Treasury.

 

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remain liable for all of its obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its MBS. The Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement is intended to enhance each of Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's ability to meet its obligations. The FHFA has indicated that the conservatorship of each enterprise will end when the director of FHFA determines that FHFA's plan to restore the enterprise to a safe and solvent condition has been completed.

Under the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008, as amended, (the "Reform Act"), which was included as part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, as amended, FHFA, as conservator or receiver, has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac prior to FHFA's appointment as conservator or receiver, as applicable, if FHFA determines, in its sole discretion, that performance of the contract is burdensome and that repudiation of the contract promotes the orderly administration of Fannie Mae's or Freddie Mac's affairs. The Reform Act requires FHFA to exercise its right to repudiate any contract within a reasonable period of time after its appointment as conservator or receiver. FHFA, in its capacity as conservator, has indicated that it has no intention to repudiate the guaranty obligations of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac because FHFA views repudiation as incompatible with the goals of the conservatorship. However, in the event that FHFA, as conservator or if it is later appointed as receiver for Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, were to repudiate any such guaranty obligation, the conservatorship or receivership estate, as applicable, would be liable for actual direct compensatory damages in accordance with the provisions of the Reform Act. Any such liability could be satisfied only to the extent of Fannie Mae's or Freddie Mac's assets available therefor. In the event of repudiation, the payments of interest to holders of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac MBS would be reduced if payments on the mortgage loans represented in the mortgage loan groups related to such MBS are not made by the borrowers or advanced by the servicer. Any actual direct compensatory damages for repudiating these guaranty obligations may not be sufficient to offset any shortfalls experienced by such MBS holders. Further, in its capacity as conservator or receiver, FHFA has the right to transfer or sell any asset or liability of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac without any approval, assignment or consent. Although FHFA has stated that it has no present intention to do so, if FHFA, as conservator or receiver, were to transfer any such guaranty obligation to another party, holders of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac MBS would have to rely on that party for satisfaction of the guaranty obligation and would be exposed to the credit risk of that party.

In addition, certain rights provided to holders of MBS issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under the operative documents related to such securities may not be enforced against FHFA, or enforcement of such rights may be delayed, during the conservatorship or any future receivership. The operative documents for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac MBS may provide (or with respect to securities issued prior to the date of the appointment of the conservator may have provided) that upon the occurrence of an event of default on the part of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, in its capacity as guarantor, which includes the appointment of a conservator or receiver, holders of such MBS have the right to replace Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac as trustee if the requisite percentage of MBS holders consent. The Reform Act prevents MBS holders from enforcing such rights if the event of default arises solely because a conservator or receiver has been appointed. The Reform Act also provides that no person may exercise any right or power to terminate, accelerate or declare an event of default under certain contracts to which Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac is a party, or obtain possession of or exercise control over any property of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, or affect any contractual rights of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, without the approval of FHFA, as conservator or receiver, for a period of 45 or 90 days following the appointment of FHFA as conservator or receiver, respectively.

In addition, in a February 2011 report to Congress from the U.S. Treasury and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Obama administration provided a plan to reform America's housing finance market. The plan would reduce the role of and eventually eliminate Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Notably, the plan does not propose similar significant changes to Ginnie Mae, which guarantees payments on mortgage-related securities backed by federally insured or guaranteed loans such as those issued by the Federal Housing Association or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The report also identified three proposals for Congress and the administration to consider for the long-term structure of the housing finance markets after the elimination of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, including implementing: (i) a privatized system of housing finance that limits government insurance to very limited groups of creditworthy low- and moderate-income borrowers; (ii) a privatized system with a government backstop mechanism that would allow the government to insure a larger share of the housing finance market during a future housing crisis; and (iii) a privatized system where the government would offer reinsurance to holders of certain highly-rated mortgage-related securities insured by private insurers and would pay out under the reinsurance arrangements only if the private mortgage insurers were insolvent.

The conditions attached to the financial contribution made by the U.S. Treasury to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and the issuance of senior preferred stock place significant restrictions on the activities of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae must obtain the consent of the U.S. Treasury to, among other things: (i) make any payment to purchase or redeem its capital stock or pay any dividend other than in respect of the senior preferred stock, (ii) issue capital stock of any kind, (iii) terminate the conservatorship of the FHFA except in connection with a receivership, or (iv) increase its debt beyond certain specified levels. In addition, significant restrictions are placed on the maximum size of each of Freddie Mac's and Fannie Mae's respective portfolios of mortgages and mortgage- backed securities, and the purchase agreements entered into by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae provide that the maximum size of their portfolios of these assets must decrease by a specified percentage each year. The future status and role of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae could be impacted by (among other things) the actions taken and restrictions placed on Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae by the FHFA in is role as conservator, the restrictions placed on Freddie Mac's and Fannie Mae's operations and activities as a result of the senior preferred stock investment made by the U.S. Treasury, market responses to developments at Freddie Mac and Fannie Mac, and future legislative and regulatory action that alters the operations, ownership, structure and/or mission of these institutions, each of which may, in turn, impact the value of, and cash flows on, any MBS guaranteed by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, including any such MBS held by the Fund.

**Municipal Securities** 

Municipal Securities are issued to obtain funds for a wide variety of reasons. For example, Municipal Securities may be issued to obtain funding for the construction of a wide range of public facilities such as bridges, highways, roads, schools, waterworks and sewer systems, and other utilities.

Other public purposes for which Municipal Securities may be issued include: (i) refunding outstanding obligations; (ii) obtaining funds for general operating expenses; and (iii) obtaining funds to lend to other public institutions and facilities.

In addition, certain debt obligations known as "Private Activity Bonds" may be issued by or on behalf of municipalities and public authorities to obtain funds to provide:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. water, sewage and solid waste facilities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. qualified residential rental projects;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. certain local electric, gas and other heating or cooling facilities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. qualified hazardous waste facilities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. high-speed intercity rail facilities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. governmentally-owned airports, docks and wharves and mass transportation facilities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. qualified mortgages;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. student loan and redevelopment bonds; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. bonds used for certain organizations exempt
 from federal income taxation.

Certain debt obligations known as "Industrial Development Bonds" under prior federal tax law may have been issued by or on behalf of public authorities to obtain funds to provide:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. privately operated housing facilities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. sports facilities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. industrial parks;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. convention or trade show facilities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. airport, mass transit, port or parking facilities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. air or water pollution control facilities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. sewage or solid waste disposal facilities; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. facilities for water supply.

Other private activity bonds and industrial development bonds issued to fund the construction, improvement, equipment or repair of privately-operated industrial, distribution, research, or commercial facilities may also be Municipal Securities, however the size of such issues is limited under current and prior federal tax law. The aggregate amount of most private activity bonds and industrial development bonds is limited (except in the case of certain types of facilities) under federal tax law by an annual "volume cap." The volume cap limits the annual aggregate principal amount of such obligations issued by or on behalf of all governmental instrumentalities in the state.

The two principal classifications of Municipal Securities consist of "general obligation" and "limited" (or revenue) issues. General obligation bonds are obligations involving the credit of an issuer possessing taxing power and are payable from the issuer's general unrestricted revenues and not from any particular fund or source. The characteristics and method of enforcement of general obligation bonds vary according to the law applicable to the particular issuer, and payment may be dependent upon appropriation by the issuer's legislative body. Limited obligation bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. Private activity bonds and industrial development bonds generally are revenue bonds and thus not payable from the unrestricted revenues of the issuer. The credit and quality of such bonds is generally related to the credit of the bank selected to provide the letter of credit underlying the bond. Payment of principal of and interest on industrial development revenue bonds is the responsibility of the corporate user (and any guarantor).

The Fund may also acquire "moral obligation" issues, which are normally issued by special purpose authorities, and in other tax-exempt investments including pollution control bonds and tax-exempt commercial paper. The Fund may purchase: (1) short-term tax-exempt general obligations notes; (2) tax anticipation notes; (3) bond anticipation notes; (4) revenue anticipation notes; (5) project notes; and (6) other forms of short-term tax-exempt loans.

Such notes are issued with a short-term maturity in anticipation of the receipt of tax funds, the proceeds of bond placements, or other revenues. Project notes are issued by a state or local housing agency and are sold by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. While the issuing agency has the primary obligation with respect to its project notes, they are also secured by the full faith and credit of the U.S. through agreements with the issuing authority which provide that, if required, the federal government will lend the issuer an amount equal to the principal of and interest on the project notes.

There are, of course, variations in the quality of Municipal Securities, both within a particular classification and between classifications. Also, the yields on Municipal Securities depend upon a variety of factors, including:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. general money market conditions;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. coupon rate;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. the financial condition of the issuer;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. general conditions of the municipal bond market;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. the size of a particular offering;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. the maturity of the obligations; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. the rating of the issue.

The ratings of Moody's and S&P represent their opinions as to the quality of Municipal Securities. However, ratings are general and are not absolute standards of quality. Municipal Securities with the same maturity, interest rate and rating may have different yields while Municipal Securities of the same maturity and interest rate with different ratings may have the same yield. Subsequent to its purchase by the Fund, an issue of Municipal Securities may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum rating required for purchase by the Fund. The Adviser will consider such an event in determining whether the Fund should continue to hold the obligations.

Municipal Securities may include obligations of municipal housing authorities and single-family mortgage revenue bonds. Weaknesses in federal housing subsidy programs and their administration may result in a decrease of subsidies available for payment of principal and interest on housing authority bonds. Economic developments, including fluctuations in interest rates and increasing construction and operating costs, may also adversely impact revenues of housing authorities. In the case of some housing authorities, inability to obtain additional financing could also reduce revenues available to pay existing obligations.

Single-family mortgage revenue bonds are subject to extraordinary mandatory redemption at par in whole or in part from the proceeds derived from prepayments of underlying mortgage loans and also from the unused proceeds of the issue within a stated period which may be within a year from the date of issue.

Municipal leases are obligations issued by state and local governments or authorities to finance the acquisition of equipment and facilities. Municipal leases may be considered to be illiquid. They may take the form of a lease, an installment purchase contract, a conditional sales contract, or a Participation interest in any of the above. The Board is responsible for determining the credit quality of unrated municipal leases on an ongoing basis, including an assessment of the likelihood that the lease will not be canceled.

*Premium Securities*. During a period of declining interest rates, many Municipal Securities in which the Fund invests likely will bear coupon rates higher than current market rates, regardless of whether the securities were initially purchased at a premium.

 

**Risk Factors in Municipal Securities.** The following is a summary of certain risks associated with Municipal Securities:

*Tax Risk.* The Code imposes certain continuing requirements on issuers of tax-exempt bonds regarding the use, expenditure and investment of bond proceeds and the payment of rebates to the U.S. Failure by the issuer to comply subsequent to the issuance of tax-exempt bonds with certain of these requirements could cause interest on the bonds to become included in gross income retroactive to the date of issuance.

 

*Housing Authority Tax Risk.* The exclusion from gross income for federal income tax purposes for certain housing authority bonds depends on qualification under relevant provisions of the Code and on other provisions of federal law. These provisions of federal law contain requirements relating to the cost and location of the residences financed with the proceeds of the single-family mortgage bonds and the income levels of tenants of the rental projects financed with the proceeds of the multi-family housing bonds. Typically, the issuers of the bonds, and other parties, including the originators and servicers of the single-family mortgages and the owners of the rental projects financed with the multi-family housing bonds, covenant to meet these requirements. However, there is no assurance that the requirements will be met. If such requirements are not met:

 

● the interest on the bonds may become taxable, possibly retroactively from the date of issuance;

● the value of the bonds may be reduced;

● you and other Shareholders may be subject to unanticipated tax liabilities;

● the Fund may be required to sell the bonds at the reduced value;

● it may be an event of default under the applicable mortgage;

● the holder may be permitted to accelerate payment of the bond; and

● the issuer may be required to redeem the bond.

In addition, if the mortgage securing the bonds is insured by the Federal Housing Administration ("FHA"), the consent of the FHA may be required before insurance proceeds would become payable.

*Information Risk.* Information about the financial condition of issuers of Municipal Securities may be less available than that of corporations having a class of securities registered under the SEC.

 

*State and Federal Laws.* An issuer's obligations under its Municipal Securities are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency, and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors. These laws may extend the time for payment of principal or interest, or restrict the Fund's ability to collect payments due on Municipal Securities. In addition, recent amendments to some statutes governing security interests (*e.g.*, Revised Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code ("UCC")) change the way in which security interests and liens securing Municipal Securities are perfected. These amendments may have an adverse impact on existing Municipal Securities (particularly issues of Municipal Securities that do not have a corporate trustee who is responsible for filing UCC financing statements to continue the security interest or lien).

 

*Litigation and Current Developments.* Litigation or other conditions may materially and adversely affect the power or ability of an issuer to meet its obligations for the payment of interest on and principal of its Municipal Securities. Such litigation or conditions may from time to time have the effect of introducing uncertainties in the market for tax-exempt obligations, or may materially affect the credit risk with respect to particular bonds or notes. Adverse economic, business, legal or political developments might affect all or a substantial portion of the Fund's Municipal Securities in the same manner.

*New Legislation.* From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress for the purpose of restricting or eliminating the federal income tax exemption for interest on tax exempt bonds, and similar proposals may be introduced in the future. The Supreme Court has held that Congress has the constitutional authority to enact such legislation. It is not possible to determine what effect the adoption of such proposals could have on (i) the availability of Municipal Securities for investment by the Fund, and (ii) the value of the investment portfolios of the Fund.

 

**Limitations on the Use of Municipal Securities. The** Fund may invest in Municipal Securities if the Adviser determines that such Municipal Securities offer attractive yields. The Fund may invest in Municipal Securities either by purchasing them directly or by purchasing certificates of accrual or similar instruments evidencing direct ownership of interest payments or principal payments, or both, on Municipal Securities, provided that, in the opinion of counsel to the initial seller of each such certificate or instrument, any discount accruing on such certificate or instrument that is purchased at a yield not greater than the coupon rate of interest on the related Municipal Securities will to the same extent as interest on such Municipal Securities be exempt from federal income tax and state income tax (where applicable) and not be treated as a preference item for individuals for purposes of the federal alternative minimum tax. The Fund may also invest in Municipal Securities by purchasing from banks Participation interests in all or part of specific holdings of Municipal Securities. Such Participation interests may be backed in whole or in part by an irrevocable letter of credit or guarantee of the selling bank. The selling bank may receive a fee from the Fund in connection with the arrangement.

The Fund will limit its investment in municipal leases to no more than 5% of its total assets.

**New Financial Products**

New options and futures contracts and other financial products, and various combinations thereof, including OTC products, continue to be developed. These various products may be used to adjust the risk and return characteristics of the Fund's investments. These various products may increase or decrease exposure to security prices, interest rates, commodity prices, or other factors that affect security values, regardless of the issuer's credit risk. If market conditions do not perform as expected, the performance of the Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if these products were not used. In addition, losses may occur if counterparties involved in transactions do not perform as promised. These products may expose the Fund to potentially greater return as well as potentially greater risk of loss than more traditional fixed income investments.

**Non-U.S. Investments**

The Fund may invest directly in certain obligations or securities of non-U.S. issuers and will be subject to risks not typically associated with U.S. securities. Non-U.S. investments, especially those of companies in emerging markets, can be riskier and more volatile than investments in the U.S. Adverse political and economic developments of changes in the value of non-U.S. currency can make it more difficult for the Fund to sell their securities and could reduce the value of your Shares. Differences in tax and accounting standards and difficulties in obtaining information about non-U.S. companies can negatively affect investment decisions.

Other possible non-U.S. investments include U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities (*e.g.*, bonds and commercial paper) of non-U.S. entities, obligations of non-U.S. branches of U.S. banks and of non-U.S. banks, including, without limitation, Eurodollar Certificates of Deposit, Eurodollar Time Deposits, Eurodollar Bankers' Acceptances, Canadian Time Deposits and Yankee Certificates of Deposit, and investments in Canadian Commercial Paper, and Europaper. Securities of non-U.S. issuers may include sponsored and unsponsored ADRs, and EDRs. Sponsored ADRs are listed on the NYSE; unsponsored ADRs are not. Therefore, there may be less information available about the issuers of unsponsored ADRs than the issuers of sponsored ADRs. Unsponsored ADRs are restricted securities. EDRs are not listed on the NYSE. As a result, it may be difficult to obtain information about EDRs.

**Risk Factors of Non-U.S. Investments.** The following is a summary of certain risks associated with non-U.S. investments:

*Political and Exchange Risks.* Non-U.S. investments may subject the Fund to investment risks that differ in some respects from those related to investments in obligations of U.S. issuers. Such risks include potential future adverse political and economic developments, sanctions or other measures by the U.S. or other governments, possible imposition of withholding taxes on interest or other income, possible seizure, nationalization or expropriation of non-U.S. deposits, possible establishment of exchange controls or taxation at the source, greater fluctuations in value due to changes in exchange rates, or the adoption of other non-U.S. governmental restrictions which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on such obligations.

 

The departure of one or more other countries from the European Union may have significant political and financial consequences for global markets. These consequences include greater market volatility and illiquidity, currency fluctuations, deterioration in economic activity, a decrease in business confidence and an increased likelihood of a recession in such markets. Uncertainty relating to the withdrawal procedures and time line may have adverse effects on asset valuations and the renegotiation of current trade agreements, as well as an increase in financial regulation in such markets. This may adversely impact Fund performance.

*Higher Transaction Costs.* Non-U.S. investments may entail higher custodial fees and sales commissions than U.S. investments.

 

*Accounting and Regulatory Differences.* Non-U.S. issuers of securities or obligations are often subject to accounting treatment and engage in business practices different from those of U.S. issuers of similar securities or obligations. In addition, non-U.S. issuers are usually not subject to the same degree of regulation as U.S. issuers, and their securities may trade on relatively small markets, causing their securities to experience potentially higher volatility and more limited liquidity than securities of U.S. issuers. Non-U.S. branches of U.S. banks and non-U.S. banks are not regulated by U.S. banking authorities and may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements than those applicable to U.S. branches of U.S. banks. In addition, non-U.S. banks generally are not bound by accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards comparable to those applicable to U.S. banks. Dividends and interest paid by non-U.S. issuers may be subject to withholding and other non-U.S. taxes which may decrease the net return on non-U.S. investments as compared to dividends and interest paid to the Fund by U.S. companies.

 

**Brady Bonds.** Brady bonds are securities created through the exchange of existing commercial bank loans to public and private entities in certain emerging markets for new bonds in connection with debt restructurings. Brady bonds have been issued since 1989. In light of the history of defaults of countries issuing Brady bonds on their commercial bank loans, investments in Brady bonds may be viewed as speculative and subject to the same risks as emerging market securities. Brady bonds may be fully or partially collateralized or uncollateralized, are issued in various currencies (but primarily the U.S. dollar) and are actively traded in OTC secondary markets. Incomplete collateralization of interest or principal payment obligations results in increased credit risk. U.S. dollar-denominated collateralized Brady bonds, which may be either fixed-rate or floating rate bonds, are generally collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities.

**Obligations of Supranational Entities.** Obligations of supranational entities include securities designated or supported by governmental entities to promote economic reconstruction or development of international banking institutions and related government agencies. Examples include the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Coal and Steel Community, the Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. Each supranational entity's lending activities are limited to a percentage of its total capital (including "callable capital" contributed by its governmental members at the entity's call), reserves and net income. There is no assurance that participating governments will be able or willing to honor their commitments to make capital contributions to a supranational entity.

**Emerging Market Securities.** Investing in companies domiciled in emerging market countries may be subject to potentially higher risks than investments in developed countries. These risks include: (i) less social, political, and economic stability; (ii) greater illiquidity and price volatility due to smaller or limited local capital markets for such securities, or low non-existent trading volumes; (iii) less scrutiny and regulation by local authorities of the non-U.S. exchanges and broker-dealers; (iv) the seizure or confiscation by local governments of securities held by non-U.S. investors, and the possible suspension or limiting by local governments of an issuer's ability to make dividend or interest payments; (v) limiting or entirely restricting repatriation of invested capital, profits, and dividends by local governments; (vi) possible local taxation of capital gains, including on a retroactive basis; (vii) the attempt by issuers facing restrictions on dollar or euro payments imposed by local governments to make dividend or interest payments to non-U.S. investors in the local currency; (viii) difficulty in enforcing legal claims related to the securities and/or local judges favoring the interests of the issuer over those of non-U.S. investors; (ix) bankruptcy judgments being paid in the local currency; (x) greater difficulty in determining market valuations of the securities due to limited public information regarding the issuer, and (xi) difficulty of ascertaining the financial health of an issuer due to lax financial reporting on a regular basis, substandard disclosure and differences in accounting standards.

Emerging country securities markets are typically marked by a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of ownership of such securities by a limited number of investors. Although some emerging markets have become more established and tend to issue securities of higher credit quality, the markets for securities in other emerging countries are in the earliest stages of their development, and these countries issue securities across the credit spectrum. Even the markets for relatively widely traded securities in emerging countries may not be able to absorb, without price disruptions, a significant increase in trading volume or trades of a size customarily undertaken by institutional investors in the securities markets of developed countries. The limited size of many of these securities markets can cause prices to be erratic for reasons apart from factors that affect the soundness and competitiveness of the securities issuers. For example, prices may be unduly influenced by traders who control large positions in these markets. Additionally, market making and arbitrage activities are generally less extensive in such markets, which may contribute to increased volatility and reduced liquidity of such markets. The limited liquidity of emerging country securities may also affect the Fund's ability to accurately value its portfolio securities or to acquire or dispose of securities at the price and time it wishes to do so or in order to meet redemption requests.

Many emerging market countries suffer from uncertainty and corruption in their legal frameworks. Legislation may be difficult to interpret and laws may be too new to provide any precedential value. Laws regarding non-U.S. investment and private property may be weak or non-existent. Sudden changes in governments may result in policies which are less favorable to investors, such as policies designed to expropriate or nationalize "sovereign" assets. Certain emerging market countries in the past have expropriated large amounts of private property, in many cases with little or no compensation, and there can be no assurance that such expropriation will not occur in the future.

Non-U.S. investment in the securities markets of certain emerging countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions may limit the Fund's investment in certain emerging countries and may increase the expenses of the Fund. Certain emerging countries require governmental approval prior to investments by non-U.S. persons or limit investment by non-U.S. persons to only a specified percentage of an issuer's outstanding securities or to a specific class of securities, which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals.

Many developing countries lack the social, political, and economic stability characteristic of the U.S. political instability among emerging market countries can be common and may be caused by an uneven distribution of wealth, social unrest, labor strikes, civil wars, and religious oppression. Economic instability in emerging market countries may take the form of: (i) high interest rates; (ii) high levels of inflation, including hyperinflation; (iii) high levels of unemployment or underemployment; (iv) changes in government economic and tax policies, including confiscatory taxation; and (v) imposition of trade barriers.

Some emerging market countries have experienced balance of payment deficits and shortages in non-U.S. exchange reserves. Governments have responded by restricting currency conversions. Future restrictive exchange controls could prevent or restrict a company's ability to make dividend or interest payments in the original currency of the obligation (usually U.S. dollars). In addition, even though the currencies of some emerging market countries may be convertible into U.S. dollars, the conversion rates may be artificial to their actual market values.

The Fund's income and, in some cases, capital gains from non-U.S. stocks and securities will be subject to applicable taxation in certain of the countries in which it invests, and treaties between the U.S. and such countries may not be available in some cases to reduce the otherwise applicable tax rates. Non-U.S. markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Such delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when a portion of the assets of the Fund remains uninvested and no return is earned on such assets. The inability of the Fund to make intended security purchases or sales due to settlement problems could result either in losses to the Fund due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio securities, in the Fund deeming those securities to be illiquid, or, if the Fund has entered into a contract to sell the securities, in possible liability to the purchaser.

In the past, governments within the emerging markets have become overly reliant on the international capital markets and other forms of non-U.S. credit to finance large public spending programs which cause huge budget deficits. Often, interest payments have become too overwhelming for a government to meet, representing a large percentage of total gross domestic product. These non-U.S. obligations have become the subject of political debate and have served as fuel for political parties of the opposition, which pressure the government not to make payments to non-U.S. creditors, but instead to use these funds for social programs. Either due to an inability to pay or submission to political pressure, non-U.S. governments have been forced to seek a restructuring of their loan and/or bond obligations, have declared a temporary suspension of interest payments or have defaulted. These events have adversely affected the values of securities issued by non-U.S. governments and corporations domiciled in emerging market countries and have negatively affected not only their cost of borrowing, but their ability to borrow in the future as well.

**Sovereign Obligations.** Sovereign debt includes investments in securities issued or guaranteed by a non-U.S. sovereign government or its agencies, authorities or political subdivisions. An investment in sovereign debt obligations involves special risks not present in corporate debt obligations. The issuer of the sovereign debt or the governmental authorities that control the repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay principal or interest when due, and the Fund may have limited recourse in the event of a default. During periods of economic uncertainty, the market prices of sovereign debt, and the Fund's NAV, may be more volatile than prices of U.S. debt obligations. In the past, certain emerging markets have encountered difficulties in servicing their debt obligations, withheld payments of principal and interest and declared moratoria on the payment of principal and interest on their sovereign debts.

A sovereign debtor's willingness or ability to repay principal and pay interest in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its non-U.S. currency reserves, the availability of sufficient non-U.S. exchange, the relative size of the debt service burden, the sovereign debtor's policy toward principal international Lenders and local political constraints. Sovereign debtors may also be dependent on expected disbursements from non-U.S. governments, multilateral agencies and other entities to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The failure of a sovereign debtor to implement economic reforms, achieve specified levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of third-party commitments to lend funds to the sovereign debtor, which may further impair such debtor's ability or willingness to service its debts.

**Options and Futures Transactions**

The Fund may purchase and sell exchange traded and OTC put and call options on securities, on indexes of securities and other types of instruments. The Fund may also purchase and sell futures contracts on securities and indexes of securities and other instruments such as interest rate futures and global interest rate futures. Each of these instruments is a derivative instrument as its value derives from the underlying asset or index.

Subject to its investment objective and policies, the Fund may use options for hedging and risk management purposes and to seek to enhance portfolio performance.

Options and futures contracts may be used to manage the Fund's exposure to changing interest rates and/or security prices. Some options and futures strategies, including selling futures contracts and buying puts, tend to hedge the Fund's investments against price fluctuations. Other strategies, including buying futures contracts and buying calls, tend to increase market exposure. Options and futures contracts may be combined with each other or with forward contracts in order to adjust the risk and return characteristics of the Fund's overall strategy in a manner deemed appropriate by the Adviser and consistent with the Fund's objective and policies. Because combined options positions involve multiple trades, they result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close out.

The use of options and futures is a highly specialized activity which involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions, and there can be no guarantee that their use will increase the Fund's return. While the use of these instruments by the Fund may reduce certain risks associated with owning its portfolio securities, these techniques themselves entail certain other risks. If the Adviser applies a strategy at an inappropriate time or judges market conditions or trends incorrectly, options and futures strategies may lower the Fund's return. Certain strategies limit the Fund's possibilities to realize gains, as well as its exposure to losses. The Fund could also experience losses if the prices of its options and futures positions were poorly correlated with its other investments, or if it could not close out its positions because of an illiquid secondary market. In addition, the Fund will incur transaction costs, including trading commissions and option premiums, in connection with its futures and options transactions, and these transactions could significantly increase the Fund's turnover rate.

**Private Placements, Restricted Securities and Other Unregistered Securities** 

The Fund may acquire investments that are illiquid or have limited liquidity, such as commercial obligations issued in reliance on the so-called "private placement" exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act, and cannot be offered for public sale in the U.S. without first being registered under the Securities Act. An illiquid investment is any investment that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the normal course of business at approximately the amount at which it is valued by the Fund. The price the Fund pays for illiquid securities or receives upon resale may be lower than the price paid or received for similar securities with a more liquid market. Accordingly the valuation of these securities will reflect any limitations on their liquidity.

The Fund is subject to a risk that should the Fund decide to sell illiquid securities when a ready buyer is not available at a price the Fund deems representative of their value, the value of the Fund's net assets could be adversely affected. Where an illiquid security must be registered under the Securities Act before it may be sold, the Fund 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 Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed when it decided to sell. The Fund may invest in commercial paper issued in reliance on the exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and other restricted securities (*i.e.*, other securities subject to restrictions on resale). Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper ("4(a)(2) paper") is restricted as to disposition under federal securities law and is generally sold to institutional investors, such as the Fund, that agrees that they are purchasing the paper for investment purposes and not with a view to public distribution. Any resale by the purchaser must be in an exempt transaction. 4(a)(2) paper is normally resold to other institutional investors through or with the assistance of the issuer or investment dealers who make a market in 4(a)(2) paper, thus providing liquidity. The Fund believes that 4(a)(2) paper and possibly certain other restricted securities which meet the criteria for liquidity established by the Trustees are quite liquid. The Fund intends, therefore, to treat restricted securities that meet the liquidity criteria established by the Board, including 4(a)(2) paper and Rule 144A securities, as determined by the Adviser's Valuation & Liquidity Committee, as liquid.

The Fund has no restriction as to the amount of its assets (valued at the purchase date) that may be invested in illiquid securities.

**Repurchase Agreements** 

Under the terms of a repurchase agreement, the Fund would acquire securities from a seller, also known as the repurchase agreement counterparty, subject to the seller's agreement to repurchase such securities at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. The repurchase price would generally equal the price paid by the Fund plus interest negotiated on the basis of current short-term rates, which may be more or less than the rate on the underlying portfolio securities. The seller under a repurchase agreement will be required to maintain the value of collateral held pursuant to the agreement at not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest).

If the seller were to default on its repurchase obligation or become insolvent, the Fund would suffer a loss to the extent that the proceeds from a sale of the underlying portfolio securities were less than the repurchase price under the agreement, or to the extent that the disposition of such securities by the Fund were delayed pending court action. Additionally, there is no controlling legal precedent under U.S. law and there may be no controlling legal precedents under the laws of certain non-U.S. jurisdictions confirming that the Fund would be entitled, as against a claim by such seller or its receiver or trustee in bankruptcy, to retain the underlying securities, although (with respect to repurchase agreements subject to U.S. law) the Board believes that, under the regular procedures normally in effect for custody of the Fund's securities subject to repurchase agreements and under federal laws, a court of competent jurisdiction would rule in favor of the Fund if presented with the question. Securities subject to repurchase agreements will be held by the Fund's custodian or another qualified custodian or in the Federal Reserve/Treasury book-entry system. Repurchase agreements are considered by the SEC to be loans by the Fund under the Company Act.

Repurchase agreement counterparties include Federal Reserve member banks with assets in excess of $1 billion and registered broker dealers that the Adviser deems creditworthy under guidelines approved by the Board.

**Reverse Repurchase Agreements**

In a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund sells a security and agrees to repurchase the same security at a mutually agreed upon date and price reflecting the interest rate effective for the term of the agreement. For purposes of the Company Act, a reverse repurchase agreement is considered borrowing by the Fund and, therefore, a form of leverage. Leverage may cause any gains or losses for the Fund to be magnified. The Fund will invest the proceeds of borrowings under reverse repurchase agreements. In addition, except for liquidity purposes, the Fund will enter into a reverse repurchase agreement only when the expected return from the investment of the proceeds is greater than the expense of the transaction. The Fund will not invest the proceeds of a reverse repurchase agreement for a period which exceeds the duration of the reverse repurchase agreement. The Fund would be required to pay interest on amounts obtained through reverse repurchase agreements, which are considered borrowings under federal securities laws. The repurchase price is generally equal to the original sales price plus interest. Reverse repurchase agreements are usually for seven days or less and cannot be repaid prior to their expiration dates. The Fund will earmark and reserve Fund assets, in cash or liquid securities, in an amount at least equal to its purchase obligations under its reverse repurchase agreements. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the portfolio securities transferred may decline below the price at which the Fund is obliged to purchase the securities. All forms of borrowing (including reverse repurchase agreements) are limited in the aggregate and may not exceed 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets, except as permitted by law.

**Securities Issued in Connection with Reorganizations and Corporate Restructuring**

Debt securities may be downgraded and issuers of debt securities including investment grade securities may default in the payment of principal or interest or be subject to bankruptcy proceedings. In connection with reorganizing or restructuring of an issuer, an issuer may issue common stock or other securities to holders of its debt securities. The Fund may hold such common stock and other securities even though it does not ordinarily invest in such securities.

**Short-Term Funding Agreements** 

To enhance yield, the Fund may make limited investments in short-term funding agreements issued by banks and highly rated U.S. insurance companies. Short-term funding agreements issued by insurance companies are sometimes referred to as guaranteed investment contracts, while those issued by banks are referred to as bank investment contracts. Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund makes cash contributions to a deposit account at a bank or insurance company. The bank or insurance company then credits to the Fund on a monthly basis guaranteed interest at either a fixed, variable or floating rate. These contracts are general obligations of the issuing bank or insurance company (although they may be the obligations of an insurance company separate account) and are paid from the general assets of the issuing entity.

The Fund will purchase short-term funding agreements only from banks and insurance companies which, at the time of purchase, are rated in one of the three highest rating categories and have assets of $1 billion or more. Generally, there is no active secondary market in short-term funding agreements. Therefore, short-term funding agreements may be considered by the Fund to be illiquid investments.

**Structured Instruments** 

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, or 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 instruments include structured notes. In addition to the risks applicable to investments in structured investments and debt securities in general, structured notes bear the risk that the issuer may not be required to pay interest on the structured note if the index rate rises above or falls below a certain level. 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 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. Structured investments include a wide variety of instruments including, without limitation, CDOs, credit linked notes ("CLNs"), and participation notes and participatory notes ("P-notes").

Structured instruments that are registered under the federal securities laws may be treated as liquid. In addition, many structured instruments may not be registered under the federal securities laws. In that event, the Fund's ability to resell such a structured instrument may be more limited than its ability to resell other Fund securities. The Fund will treat such instruments as illiquid.

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses set forth in the fee table and "Financial Highlights" section of the Prospectus do not include any expenses associated with investments in certain structured or synthetic products that may rely on the exception for the definition of "investment company" provided by section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Company Act.

**Credit Linked Notes.** CLNs are typically issued by a limited purpose trust or other vehicle (the "CLN trust") that, in turn, invests in a derivative or basket of derivatives instruments, such as CDS, interest rate swaps and/or other securities, in order to provide exposure to certain high yield, sovereign debt, emerging markets, or other fixed income markets. Generally, investments in CLNs represent the right to receive periodic income payments (in the form of distributions) and payment of principal at the end of the term of the CLN. However, these payments are conditioned on the CLN trust's receipt of payments from, and the CLN trust's potential obligations, to the counterparties to the derivative instruments and other securities in which the CLN trust invests. For example, the CLN trust may sell one or more CDS, under which the CLN trust would receive a stream of payments over the term of the swap agreements provided that no event of default has occurred with respect to the referenced debt obligation upon which the swap is based. If a default were to occur, the stream of payments may stop and the CLN trust would be obligated to pay the counterparty the par (or other agreed upon value) of the referenced debt obligation. This, in turn, would reduce the amount of income and principal that the Fund would receive as an investor in the CLN trust.

The Fund may enter into CLNs structured as "First-to-Default" CLNs. In a First-to-Default CLN, the CLN trust enters into a CDS on a portfolio of a specified number of individual securities pursuant to which the CLN trust sells protection to a counterparty. The CLN trust uses the proceeds of issuing investments in the CLN trust to purchase securities, which are selected by the counterparty and the total return of which is paid to the counterparty. Upon the occurrence of a default or credit event involving any one of the individual securities, the CDS terminate and the Fund's investment in the CLN trust is redeemed for an amount equal to "par" minus the amount paid to the counterparty under the CDS.

The Fund may also enter in CLNs to gain access to sovereign debt and securities in emerging market particularly in markets where the Fund is not able to purchase securities directly due to domicile restrictions or tax restrictions or tariffs. In such an instance, the issuer of the CLN may purchase the reference security directly and/or gain exposure through a CDS or other derivative.

The Fund's investments in CLNs is subject to the risks associated with the underlying reference obligations and derivative instruments, including, among others, credit risk, default or similar event risk, counterparty risk, interest rate risk, leverage risk and management risk.

**Participation Notes and Participatory Notes.** The Fund may invest in instruments that have similar economic characteristics to equity securities, such as P-notes or other structured instruments that may be developed from time to time ("structured instruments"). Structured instruments are notes that are issued by banks, broker-dealers or their affiliates and are designed to offer a return linked to a particular underlying equity or market.

If the structured instrument were held to maturity, the issuer would pay to the purchaser the underlying instrument's value at maturity with any necessary adjustments. The holder of a structured instrument that is linked to a particular underlying security or instrument may be entitled to receive dividends paid in connection with that underlying security or instrument, but typically does not receive voting rights as it would if it directly owned the underlying security or instrument. Structured instruments have transaction costs. In addition, there can be no assurance that there will be a trading market for a structured instrument or that the trading price of a structured instrument will equal the underlying value of the security, instrument or market that it seeks to replicate. Unlike a direct investment in equity securities, structured instruments typically involve a term or expiration date, potentially increasing the Fund's turnover rate, transaction costs and tax liability.

Due to transfer restrictions, the secondary markets on which a structured instrument is traded may be less liquid than the market for other securities, or may be completely illiquid, which may expose the Fund to risks of mispricing or improper valuation. Structured instruments typically constitute general unsecured contractual obligations of the banks, broker-dealers or their relevant affiliates that issue them, which subjects the Fund to counterparty risk (and this risk may be amplified if the Fund purchases structured instruments from only a small number of issuers). Structured instruments also have the same risks associated with a direct investment in the underlying securities, instruments or markets that they seek to replicate.

**Swaps and Related Swap Products**

Swap transactions may include, but are not limited to, interest rate swaps, forward rate agreements, contracts for differences, total return swaps, index swaps, basket swaps, specific security swaps, fixed income sectors swaps, commodity swaps, asset-backed swaps, CMBS and indexes of CMBS, CDS, interest rate caps, price lock swaps, floors and collars and swaptions (collectively defined as "swap transactions").

The Fund may enter into swap transactions for any legal purpose consistent with its investment objective and policies, such as for the purpose of attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining that return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in cash markets, to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in the most economical way possible.

Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional counterparties for periods ranging from a few weeks to several years. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) that would be earned or realized on specified notional investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are calculated by reference to a "notional amount" (*i.e.*, the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a "basket" of securities representing a particular index). The purchaser of an interest rate cap or floor, upon payment of a fee, has the right to receive payments (and the seller of the cap or floor is obligated to make payments) to the extent a specified interest rate exceeds (in the case of a cap) or is less than (in the case of a floor) a specified level over a specified period of time or at specified dates. The purchaser of an interest rate collar, upon payment of a fee, has the right to receive payments (and the seller of the collar is obligated to make payments) to the extent that a specified interest rate falls outside an agreed upon range over a specified period of time or at specified dates. The purchaser of an option on an interest rate swap, also known as a "swaption," upon payment of a fee (either at the time of purchase or in the form of higher payments or lower receipts within an interest rate swap transaction) has the right, but not the obligation, to initiate a new swap transaction of a pre-specified notional amount with pre-specified terms with the seller of the swaption as the counterparty.

The "notional amount" of a swap transaction is the agreed upon basis for calculating the payments that the parties have agreed to exchange. For example, one swap counterparty may agree to pay a floating rate of interest calculated based on a $10 million notional amount on a quarterly basis in exchange for receipt of payments calculated based on the same notional amount and a fixed rate of interest on a semi-annual basis. In the event the Fund is obligated to make payments more frequently than it receives payments from the other party, it will incur incremental credit exposure to that swap counterparty. This risk may be mitigated somewhat by the use of swap agreements which call for a net payment to be made by the party with the larger payment obligation when the obligations of the parties fall due on the same date. Under most swap agreements entered into by the Fund, payments by the parties will be exchanged on a "net basis", and the Fund will receive or pay, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments.

The amount of the Fund's potential gain or loss on any swap transaction is not subject to any fixed limit. Nor is there any fixed limit on the Fund's potential loss if it sells a cap or collar. If the Fund buys a cap, floor or collar, however, the Fund's potential loss is limited to the amount of the fee that it has paid. When measured against the initial amount of cash required to initiate the transaction, which is typically zero in the case of most conventional swap transactions, swaps, caps, floors and collars tend to be more volatile than many other types of instruments.

The use of swap transactions, caps, floors and collars involves investment techniques and risks that are different from those associated with portfolio security transactions. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates, and other applicable factors, the investment performance of the Fund will be less favorable than if these techniques had not been used. These instruments are typically not traded on exchanges. Accordingly, there is a risk that the other party to certain of these instruments will not perform its obligations to the Fund or that the Fund may be unable to enter into offsetting positions to terminate its exposure or liquidate its position under certain of these instruments when it wishes to do so. Such occurrences could result in losses to the Fund. The Adviser will consider such risks and will enter into swap and other derivatives transactions only when it believes that the risks are not unreasonable.

The Fund will earmark and reserve Fund assets, in cash or liquid securities, in an amount sufficient at all times to cover its current obligations under its swap transactions, caps, floors and collars. If the Fund enters into a swap agreement on a net basis, it will earmark and reserve assets with a daily value at least equal to the excess, if any, of the Fund's accrued obligations under the swap agreement over the accrued amount the Fund is entitled to receive under the agreement. If the Fund enters into a swap agreement on other than a net basis, or sells a cap, floor or collar, it will earmark and reserve assets with a daily value at least equal to the full amount of the Fund's accrued obligations under the agreement. The Fund will not enter into any swap transaction, cap, floor, or collar, unless the counterparty to the transaction is deemed creditworthy by the Adviser. If a counterparty defaults, the Fund may have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. The swap markets in which many types of swap transactions are traded have grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the markets for certain types of swaps (*e.g.*, interest rate swaps) have become relatively liquid. The markets for some types of caps, floors and collars are less liquid.

The liquidity of swap transactions, caps, floors and collars will be as set forth in guidelines established by the Adviser and approved by the Trustees which are based on various factors, including: (i) the availability of dealer quotations and the estimated transaction volume for the instrument, (ii) the number of dealers and end users for the instrument in the marketplace, (iii) the level of market making by dealers in the type of instrument, (iv) the nature of the instrument (including any right of a party to terminate it on demand) and (v) the nature of the marketplace for trades (including the ability to assign or offset the Fund's rights and obligations relating to the instrument). Such determination will govern whether the instrument will be deemed within the applicable liquidity restriction on investments in securities that are not readily marketable.

During the term of a swap, cap, floor or collar, changes in the value of the instrument are recognized as unrealized gains or losses by marking to market to reflect the market value of the instrument. When the instrument is terminated, the Fund will record a realized gain or loss equal to the difference, if any, between the proceeds from (or cost of) the closing transaction and the Fund's basis in the contract.

The federal income tax treatment with respect to swap transactions, caps, floors, and collars may impose limitations on the extent to which the Fund may engage in such transactions.

**Credit Default Swaps.** As described above, swap agreements are two party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In the case of a CDS, the contract gives one party (the buyer) the right to recoup the economic value of a decline in the value of debt securities of the reference issuer if the credit event (a downgrade or default) occurs. This value is obtained by delivering a debt security of the reference issuer to the party in return for a previously agreed payment from the other party (frequently, the par value of the debt security). CDS are contracts on individual securities and CDX are contracts on baskets or indices of securities.

CDS require initial premium (discount) payments as well as periodic payments (receipts) related to the interest leg of the swap or to the default of a reference obligation. The Fund will earmark and reserve assets, in cash or liquid securities, to cover any accrued payment obligations when it is the buyer of a CDS. In cases where the Fund is a seller of a CDS contract, the Fund will earmark and reserve assets, in cash or liquid securities, to cover its obligation (for CDS on individual securities, such amount will be the notional amount of the CDS).

If the Fund is a seller of protection under a CDS contract, the Fund would be required to pay the par (or other agreed upon) value of a referenced debt obligation to the counterparty in the event of a default or other credit event by the reference issuer, such as a U.S. or non-U.S. corporate issuer, with respect to such debt obligations. In return, the Fund would receive from the counterparty a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no event of default has occurred. If no default occurs, the Fund would keep the stream of payments and would have no payment obligations. As the seller, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

If the Fund is a buyer of protection under a CDS contract, the Fund would have the right to deliver a referenced debt obligation and receive the par (or other agreed-upon) value of such debt obligation from the counterparty in the event of a default or other credit event (such as a downgrade in credit rating) by the reference issuer, such as a U.S. or non-U.S. corporation, with respect to its debt obligations. In return, the Fund would pay the counterparty a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no event of default has occurred. If no default occurs, the counterparty would keep the stream of payments and would have no further obligations to the Fund.

The use of CDSs, like all swap agreements, is subject to certain risks. If a counterparty's creditworthiness declines, the value of the swap would likely decline. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the Fund could eliminate its exposure under an outstanding swap agreement by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same or another party. In addition to general market risks, CDSs involve liquidity, credit and counterparty risks. The recent increase in corporate defaults further raises these liquidity and credit risks, increasing the possibility that sellers will not have sufficient funds to make payments. As unregulated instruments, CDSs are difficult to value and are therefore susceptible to liquidity and credit risks. Counterparty risks also stem from the lack of regulation of CDSs. Collateral posting requirements are individually negotiated between counterparties and there is no regulatory requirement concerning the amount of collateral that a counterparty must post to secure its obligations under a CDS. Because they are unregulated, there is no requirement that parties to a contract be informed in advance when a CDS is sold. As a result, investors may have difficulty identifying the party responsible for payment of their claims.

If a counterparty's credit becomes significantly impaired, multiple requests for collateral posting in a short period of time could increase the risk that the Fund may not receive adequate collateral. There is no readily available market for trading out of CDS contracts. In order to eliminate a position it has taken in a CDS, the Fund must terminate the existing CDS contract or enter into an offsetting trade. The Fund may only exit its obligations under a CDS contract by terminating the contract and paying applicable breakage fees, which could result in additional losses to the Fund. Furthermore, the cost of entering into an offsetting CDS position could cause the Fund to incur losses.

**Synthetic Variable Rate Instruments**

Synthetic variable rate instruments generally involve the deposit of a long-term tax exempt bond in a custody or trust arrangement and the creation of a mechanism to adjust the long-term interest rate on the bond to a variable short-term rate and a right (subject to certain conditions) on the part of the purchaser to tender it periodically to a third party at par. The Adviser reviews the structure of synthetic variable rate instruments to identify credit and liquidity risks (including the conditions under which the right to tender the instrument would no longer be available) and will monitor those risks. In the event that the right to tender the instrument is no longer available, the risk to the Fund will be that of holding the long-term bond. In the case of some types of instruments credit enhancement is not provided, and if certain events occur, which may include: (a) default in the payment of principal or interest on the underlying bond, (b) downgrading of the bond below investment grade or (c) a loss of the bond's tax exempt status, then the put will terminate and the risk to the Fund will be that of holding a long-term bond.

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses set forth in the fee table and "Financial Highlights" section of the Fund's Prospectus do not include any expenses associated with investments in certain structured or synthetic products that may rely on the exception for the definition of "investment company" provided by section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Company Act.

**Temporary Strategies** 

From time to time, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies, in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions. For example, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in money market instruments (high quality income securities with maturities of less than one year), securities of money market funds or U.S. government repurchase agreements. The Fund may also invest in such investments at any time to maintain liquidity or pending selection of investments in accordance with its policies. As a result, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. If the Fund acquires securities of money market funds, the shareholders of the Fund will be subject to duplicative management fees and other expenses.

**Trust Preferred Securities**

Trust preferred securities, also known as "trust preferreds," are preferred stocks issued by a special purpose trust subsidiary backed by subordinated debt of the corporate parent. An issuer creates trust preferred securities by creating a trust and issuing debt to the trust. The trust in turn issues trust preferred securities. Trust preferred securities are hybrid securities with characteristics of both subordinated debt and preferred stock. Such characteristics include long maturities (typically 30 years or more), early redemption by the issuer, periodic fixed or variable interest payments, and maturities at face value. In addition, trust preferred securities issued by a bank holding company may allow deferral of interest payments for up to 5 years. Holders of trust preferred securities have limited voting rights to control the activities of the trust and no voting rights with respect to the parent company.

**U.S. Government Obligations (Direct)**

U.S. government obligations may include direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are backed as to principal and interest payments by the full faith and credit of the U.S., and separately traded principal and interest component parts of such obligations that are transferable through the federal book-entry system known as STRIPS and CUBES. U.S. government obligations are subject to market risk, interest rate risk and credit risk.

The principal and interest components of U.S. Treasury bonds with remaining maturities of longer than ten years are eligible to be traded independently under the STRIPS program. Under the STRIPS program, the principal and interest components are separately issued by the U.S. Treasury at the request of depository financial institutions, which then trade the component parts separately. The interest component of STRIPS may be more volatile than that of U.S. Treasury bills with comparable maturities.

Other obligations include those issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities. These obligations may or may not be backed by the "full faith and credit" of the U.S. Securities which are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. include obligations of Ginnie Mae, the Farmers Home Administration, and the Export-Import Bank. In the case of securities not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S., the Fund must look principally to the federal agency issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the U.S. itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Securities in which the Fund may invest that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. include, but are not limited to: (i) obligations of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Federal Home Loan Banks and the U.S. Postal Service, each of which has the right to borrow from the U.S. Treasury to meet its obligations; (ii) securities issued by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which are supported only by the credit of such securities, but for which the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury has discretionary authority to purchase limited amounts of the agency's obligations; and (iii) obligations of the Federal Farm Credit System and the Student Loan Marketing Association, each of whose obligations may be satisfied only by the individual credits of the issuing agency.

The total public debt of the U.S. and other countries around the globe as a percent of gross domestic product has grown rapidly since the beginning of the 2008 financial downturn. Although high debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, they may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high national debt level may increase market pressures to meet government funding needs, which may drive debt cost higher and cause a country to sell additional debt, thereby increasing refinancing risk. A high national debt also raises concerns that a government will not be able to make principal or interest payments when they are due. Unsustainable debt levels can cause devaluations of currency, prevent a government from implementing effective counter-cyclical fiscal policy in economic downturns, and contribute to market volatility.

In the past, U.S. sovereign credit has experienced downgrades and there can be no guarantee that it will not experience further downgrades in the future by rating agencies. The market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government may be adversely affected by a rating agency's decision to downgrade the sovereign credit rating of the U.S.

**Variable and Floating Rate Instruments** 

Certain obligations purchased by the Fund may carry variable or floating rates of interest, may involve a conditional or unconditional demand feature and may include variable amount master demand notes. Variable and floating rate instruments are issued by a wide variety of issuers and may be issued for a wide variety of purposes, including as a method of reconstructing cash flows.

Subject to their investment objective policies and restrictions, the Fund may acquire variable and floating rate instruments. A variable rate instrument is one whose terms provide for the adjustment of its interest rate on set dates and which, upon such adjustment, can reasonably be expected to have a market value that approximates its par value. The Fund may purchase extendable commercial notes. Extendable commercial notes are variable rate notes which normally mature within a short period of time (*e.g.*, one month) but which may be extended by the issuer for a maximum maturity of thirteen months.

A floating rate instrument is one whose terms provide for the adjustment of its interest rate whenever a specified interest rate changes and which, at any time, can reasonably be expected to have a market value that approximates its par value. Floating rate instruments are frequently not rated by credit rating agencies; however, unrated variable and floating rate instruments purchased by the Fund will be determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality at the time of purchase to rated instruments eligible for purchase under the Fund's investment policies. In making such determinations, the Adviser will consider the earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios of the issuers of such instruments (such issuers include financial, merchandising, bank holding and other companies) and will continuously monitor their financial condition. There may be no active secondary market with respect to a particular variable or floating rate instrument purchased by the Fund. The absence of such an active secondary market could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of the variable or floating rate instrument involved in the event the issuer of the instrument defaulted on its payment obligations, and the Fund could, for this or other reasons, suffer a loss to the extent of the default. Variable or floating rate instruments may be secured by bank letters of credit or other assets. The Fund may purchase a variable or floating rate instrument to facilitate portfolio liquidity or to permit investment of the Fund's assets at a favorable rate of return.

As a result of the floating and variable rate nature of these investments, the Fund's yield may decline, and it may forego the opportunity for capital appreciation during periods when interest rates decline; however, during periods when interest rates increase, the Fund's yield may increase, and it may have reduced risk of capital depreciation.

Past periods of high inflation, together with the fiscal measures adopted to attempt to deal with it, have seen wide fluctuations in interest rates, particularly "prime rates" charged by banks. While the value of the underlying floating or variable rate securities may change with changes in interest rates generally, the nature of the underlying floating or variable rate should minimize changes in value of the instruments. Accordingly, as interest rates decrease or increase, the potential for capital appreciation and the risk of potential capital depreciation is less than would be the case with a portfolio of fixed rate securities. The Fund's portfolio may contain floating or variable rate securities on which stated minimum or maximum rates, or maximum rates set by state law limit the degree to which interest on such floating or variable rate securities may fluctuate; to the extent it does, increases or decreases in value may be somewhat greater than would be the case without such limits. Because the adjustment of interest rates on the floating or variable rate securities is made in relation to movements of the applicable banks' "prime rates" or other short-term rate securities adjustment indices, the floating or variable rate securities are not comparable to long-term fixed rate securities. Accordingly, interest rates on the floating or variable rate securities may be higher or lower than current market rates for fixed rate obligations of comparable quality with similar maturities.

*Variable Amount Master Notes.* Variable amount master notes are notes, which may possess a demand feature, that permit the indebtedness to vary and provide for periodic adjustments in the interest rate according to the terms of the instrument. Variable amount master notes may not be secured by collateral. To the extent that variable amount master notes are secured by collateral, they are subject to the risks described under the section "Loans— Collateral and Subordination Risk."

 

Because master notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and the issuer of the notes, they are not normally traded. Although there is no secondary market in the notes, the Fund may demand payment of principal and accrued interest. If the Fund is not repaid such principal and accrued interest, the Fund may not be able to dispose of the notes due to the lack of a secondary market.

While master notes are not typically rated by credit rating agencies, issuers of variable amount master notes (which are normally manufacturing, retail, financial, brokerage, investment banking and other business concerns) must satisfy the same criteria as those set forth with respect to commercial paper. The Adviser will consider the credit risk of the issuers of such notes, including its earning power, cash flow, and other liquidity ratios of such issuers and will continuously monitor their financial status and ability to meet payment on demand. In determining average weighted portfolio maturity, a variable amount master note will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period of time remaining until the principal amount can be recovered from the issuer.

*Variable Rate Instruments and Money Market Funds*. Variable or floating rate instruments with stated maturities of more than 397 days may, under the SEC's amortized cost rule applicable to money market funds, Rule 2a-7 under the Company Act, be deemed to have shorter maturities (other than in connection with the calculation of dollar-weighted average life to maturity of a portfolio) as follows:

 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) *Adjustable Rate Government Securities.* A government security which is a variable rate security where the variable rate of interest
 is readjusted no less frequently than every 397 days shall be deemed to have a maturity equal
 to the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate. A government security
 which is a floating rate security shall be deemed to have a remaining maturity of one day.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) *Short-Term Variable Rate Securities.* A variable rate security, the principal amount of which, in
accordance with the terms of the security, must unconditionally be paid in 397 calendar days or less shall be deemed to have maturity
equal to the earlier of the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate or the period remaining until the principal
amount can be recovered through demand.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) *Long-Term Variable Rate Securities.* A variable rate security, the principal amount of which is
scheduled to be paid in more than 397 days, that is subject to a demand feature shall be deemed to have a maturity equal to the longer
of the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate or the period remaining until the principal amount can be recovered
through demand.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4) *Short-Term Floating Rate Securities.* A floating rate security, the principal amount of which, in
accordance with the terms of the security, must unconditionally be paid in 397 calendar days or less shall be deemed to have a maturity
of one day.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(5) *Long-Term Floating Rate Securities.* A floating rate security, the principal amount of which is
scheduled to be paid in more than 397 days, that is subject to a demand feature, shall be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period
remaining until the principal amount can be recovered through demand.

**When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments** 

The Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued basis and may purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis. The 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 fluctuation, and for money market instruments and other fixed income securities, no interest accrues to the Fund until settlement takes place. At the time the Fund makes the commitment to purchase securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis, it will record the transaction, reflect the value each day of such securities in determining its NAV and, if applicable, calculate the maturity for the purposes of average maturity from that date. At the time of settlement, the value may be more or less than the purchase price. The Fund will maintain cash or cash equivalents or other portfolio securities equal in value to commitments for such forward commitment or when-issued transactions.

Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued basis may expose the Fund to risks because they may experience changes in value prior to their settlement date based upon the public's perception of the issuer and changes, real or anticipated, in the level of interest rates. Purchasing securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis can involve the risk that the yields available in the market when the delivery takes place may actually be higher or lower than those obtained in the transaction itself. Purchasing securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis can also involve the risk of default by the other party on its obligation, delaying or preventing the Fund from completing the transaction.

To the extent the Fund engages in forward commitment or when-issued transactions, it will do so for the purpose of acquiring securities consistent with its investment objective and policies and not for the purpose of investment leverage.

**Zero-Coupon, Pay-in-Kind and Deferred Payment Securities**

Zero-coupon securities are securities that are sold at a discount to par value and on which interest payments are not made during the life of the security. Upon maturity, the holder is entitled to receive the par value of the security. Pay-in-kind securities are securities that have interest payable by delivery of additional securities. Upon maturity, the holder is entitled to receive the aggregate par value of the securities. The Fund accrues income with respect to zero-coupon and pay-in-kind securities prior to the receipt of cash payments. Deferred payment securities are securities that remain zero-coupon securities until a predetermined date, at which time the stated coupon rate becomes effective and interest becomes payable at regular intervals. While interest payments are not made on such securities, holders of such securities are deemed to have received "phantom income." Because the Fund will distribute "phantom income" to shareholders, to the extent that shareholders elect to receive dividends in cash rather than reinvesting such dividends in additional shares, the Fund will have fewer assets with which to purchase income-producing securities. Zero-coupon, pay-in-kind and deferred payment securities may be subject to greater fluctuation in value and lesser liquidity in the event of adverse market conditions than comparably rated securities paying cash interest at regular interest payment periods.

**Other Risks**

**Cybersecurity Risk**

The computer systems, networks and devices used by the Fund and its service providers to carry out routine business operations employ a variety of protections designed to prevent damage or interruption from computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons, and security breaches. Despite the various protections utilized by the Fund and the service providers, systems, networks, or devices potentially can be breached due to both intentional and unintentional events. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of a cybersecurity breach.

Similar adverse consequences could result from cybersecurity breaches affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests; counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions; governmental and other regulatory authorities; exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and service providers for the Fund's shareholders); and other parties.

Cybersecurity breaches can include unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices; infection from computer viruses or other malicious software code; ransomware; and attacks that shut down, disable, slow, or otherwise disrupt operations, business processes, or website access or functionality. Cybersecurity breaches may cause disruptions and impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses; may negatively impact the financial condition of an issuer, counterparty or other market participant; interference with the Fund's ability to calculate their NAVs; impediments to trading; the inability of the Fund, the Adviser, and other service providers to transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs; as well as the inadvertent release of confidential information. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred by these entities in order to prevent any cybersecurity breaches in the future. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser control the cybersecurity systems of issuers or third-party service providers.

**Operational Risk** 

An investment in the Fund, like an investment in an open-end mutual fund, can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in personnel and errors caused by third-party service providers. The occurrence of any of these failures, errors or breaches could result in a loss of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through controls and oversight, there may still be failures that could cause losses to the Fund.

**Portfolio Turnover**

The Fund may sell a portfolio investment soon after its acquisition if the Adviser believes that such a disposition is consistent with attaining the investment objective of the Fund. Portfolio investments may be sold for a variety of reasons, such as more favorable investment opportunity or other circumstances bearing on the desirability of continuing to hold such investments. A high portfolio turnover rate (over 100%) may involve correspondingly greater transactions costs, which must be borne directly by the fund and ultimately by its shareholders. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of substantial net capital gains. To the extent short-term capital gains are realized, distributions attributable to such gains will be ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, the Fund reported a portfolio turnover rate of 46%.

**Securities Lending**

To generate additional income, the Fund may lend up to 33-1/3% of its total assets pursuant to agreements requiring that the loan be continuously secured by collateral equal to at least 100% of the market value plus accrued interest on the securities lent.

Loans are subject to termination by the Fund or the borrower at any time, and therefore, are not considered to be illiquid investments. The Fund does not have the right to vote proxies for securities on loan. However, the Adviser may terminate a loan if the vote is considered material with respect to an investment.

Securities lending involves counterparty risk, including the risk that the loaned securities may not be returned or returned in a timely manner and/or a loss of rights in the collateral if the borrower or the lending agent defaults or fails financially. This risk is increased when the Fund's loans are concentrated with a single or limited number of borrowers. The earnings on the collateral invested may not be sufficient to pay fees incurred in connection with the loan. Also, the principal value of the collateral invested may decline and may not be sufficient to pay back the borrower for the amount of collateral posted. There are no limits on the number of borrowers the Fund may use and the Fund may lend securities to only one or a small group of borrowers.

To the extent that the value or return of the Fund's investments of the cash collateral declines below the amount owed to a borrower, the Fund may incur losses that exceed the amount it earned on lending the security. In situations where the Adviser does not believe that it is prudent to sell the cash collateral investments in the market, the Fund may borrow money to repay the borrower the amount of cash collateral owed to the borrower upon return of the loaned securities. This will result in financial leverage, which may cause the Fund to be more volatile because financial leverage tends to exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund's portfolio securities.

**MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND**

**Leadership Structure and Board of Trustees** 

The primary responsibility of the Board is to represent the interests of the shareholders of the Fund and to provide oversight of the management of the Fund. The trustees of the board ("Trustees") have delegated day-to-day operation to various service providers whose activities they oversee. The Trustees have also engaged legal counsel (who is also legal counsel to the Fund) that is independent of the Adviser or its affiliates to advise them on matters relating to their responsibilities in connection with the Fund. The independent Trustees meet separately in an executive session on a quarterly basis and meet separately in executive session with the Fund's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") on a quarterly basis. On an annual basis, the Board conducts a self-assessment and evaluates its structure. The Board has determined that the leadership and committee structure is appropriate for the Fund and allows the Board to effectively and efficiently evaluate issues that impact the Fund as a whole as well as issues that are unique to the Fund.

**Board Oversight of Risk** 

The Fund is subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance, operational and financial risks, among others. Risk oversight forms part of the Board's general oversight of the Fund and is addressed as part of various Board and committee activities. Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Fund resides with the Adviser or other service providers, subject to supervision by the Adviser. The Board oversees efforts by management and service providers to manage the risk to which the Fund may be exposed. For example, the Board meets with the portfolio manager of the Adviser ("Portfolio Manager") and receives regular reports regarding investment risk. The Board meets with the CCO of the Fund and receives regular reports regarding compliance and regulatory risks. In addition, the Board meets with the CCO of the Fund in executive session on a quarterly basis. The Audit Committee meets with the Fund's Treasurer and receives regular reports regarding fund operations and risks related to the valuation, liquidity, and overall financial reporting of the Fund. From its review of these reports and discussions with management, the Board learns about the material risks to which the Fund is exposed, enabling a dialogue about how management and service providers manage and mitigate those risks.

Not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified nor can controls be developed to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. It may not be practical or cost effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, the processes and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness, and some risks are simply beyond the reasonable control of the Fund or the Adviser, its affiliates, or other service providers. Moreover, it is necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Fund's goals. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Fund's ability to manage risk is subject to substantial limitations. The Trustees believe that their current oversight approach is an appropriate way to manage risks facing the Fund, whether investment, compliance, financial, or otherwise. The Trustees may, at any time in their discretion, change the manner in which they conduct risk oversight of the Fund.

**Trustee Attributes** 

The Board believes each of the Trustees has demonstrated leadership abilities and possesses experience, qualifications, and skills valuable to the Fund. Each of the Trustees has substantial business and professional backgrounds that indicate they have the ability to critically review, evaluate and access information provided to them.

Below is additional information concerning each particular Trustee and his/her attributes. The information provided below, and in the chart, is not all-inclusive. Many Trustee attributes involve intangible elements, such as intelligence, work ethic, the ability to work together and the ability to communicate effectively, exercise judgment, ask incisive questions, manage people and problems or develop solutions.

**Tamara L. Fagely** was a business executive for a large mutual fund complex for over 20 years leading back office operations that included administration, fund accounting, financial reporting, transfer agent, and technology. Her experience included roles as Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Operations Officer. In addition, Ms. Fagely has management experience in broker/dealer operations and as an audit manager conducting audits of financial service organizations and mutual funds. Ms. Fagely currently serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Ms. Fagely brings a detailed knowledge of the mutual fund industry and financial expertise to the Board.

**Jody T. Foster** is the founder and has been the Chief Executive Officer of Symphony Consulting since 2010. She has overseen the development and launch of a variety of investment product offerings. Her experience includes roles as Research Analyst, International Research Manager, Director and Chief Operating Officer. In addition, Ms. Foster has management experience in finance, risk management and accounting. Ms. Foster currently serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Ms. Foster brings a detailed knowledge of investment management, mutual fund industry and financial expertise to the Board.

**John T. Kelly-Jones** has more than 20 years' experience in the investment management industry. Mr. Kelly-Jones was a founding partner, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Independent Franchise Partners, LLP ("IFP"), a registered investment adviser, overseeing all operational functions and establishing four funds of different structures. Mr. Kelly-Jones also previously served on the board of one of IFP's Irish variable capital funds and of one U.S. private investment fund. In addition, he served in various roles and capacities at Morgan Stanley Asset Management, London from September 2002 through June 2009. His experience included working with mutual fund firms and investment advisers. Mr. Kelly-Jones currently serves on the board of another registered investment company. Mr. Kelly-Jones exhibits excellent communication skills, as well as an ability to work effectively with others. Finally, Mr. Kelly-Jones brings a diversity of viewpoint, background and experience to the Board.

**Jo Ann Quinif** is President and Chief Client Officer of the Adviser. Ms. Quinif joined the firm in 2017 as Managing Director – Business Development & Marketing. She assumed the newly created role of Chief Client Officer in 2020 and was named President of the Adviser in 2023. Jo Ann began her career with Cincinnati Financial Corporation, where she ultimately focused on business development efforts for the firm's asset management subsidiary, CinFin Capital Management. In 2003, she joined Ariel Capital Management, Inc., serving in various business development and leadership roles. In 2008, she joined Weitz Investment Management, Inc., where she served as Vice President – Director of Sales & Marketing. Jo Ann has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from The Ohio State University and a Master of Business Administration from Xavier University. The Board believes that Ms. Quinif's experience, qualifications, attributes and skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees lead to the conclusion that she possesses the requisite skills and attributes as a Trustee to carry out oversight responsibilities with respect to the Fund.

The diversity statistics of the Trustees are below:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Board Diversity Matrix** | **Board Diversity Matrix** | **Board Diversity Matrix** | **Board Diversity Matrix** |
| | **Female** | **Male** | **Non-Binary** |
| **Part I: Gender Identity** | | | |
| Trustees | 3 | 1 | |
| **Part II: Demographic Background** | | | |
| African American or Black | | | |
| Alaskan Native or Native American | | | |
| Asian | | | |
| Hispanic or Latinx | | | |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | | | |
| White | 3 | 1 | |
| Two or More Races or Ethnicities | | | |
| LGBTQ+ | | | |

---

**Trustees and Officers**

The Board is responsible for the overall management of the Fund, including general supervision and review of the investment activities of the Fund. The Board, in turn, elects the officers of the Fund ("Officers"), who are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the Fund. The names of the Trustees and Officers of the Fund are shown below.

**<u>Trustees</u>**

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Year of Birth** | **Position**<br> **Held** | **Year First<br> Elected a<br> Trustee of the<br> Fund<sup>1</sup>** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** | **Number of** <br> **Portfolios in<br> Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee<sup>3</sup>** | **Other Directorships Held by Trustee <sup>2</sup>** |
| Tamara L. Fagely<br> Year of Birth: 1958 | Independent Trustee - Chairperson | Since 2024 | Retired, January 2014 to present; Chief Operations Officer, Hartford Funds, 2012 to 2013; Chief Financial Officer, Hartford Funds, 2010 to 2012; Treasurer, Hartford Funds, 2001 to 2012 | 13 | Diamond Hill Funds Trust, November 2014, to present; Allianz Variable Insurance Products Trust and Allianz Variable Insurance Products Fund of Funds Trust, December 2017 to present; AIM ETF Products Trust, February 2020 to present |
| Jody T. Foster<br> Year of Birth: 1969 | Independent Trustee | Since 2024 | Chief Executive Officer, Symphony Consulting, 2010 to present | 13 | Diamond Hill Funds Trust, February 2022 to present: Voya Funds, September 2025 to present; Hussman Investment Trust, June 2016 to July 2025; Forum CRE Income Fund, April 2021 to January 2022 |
| John T. Kelly-Jones<br> Year of Birth: 1960 | Independent Trustee | Since 2024 | Retired, December 2017 to present; Partner, COO and CCO, Independent Franchise Partners, LLP, June 2009 to November 2017 | 13 | Diamond Hill Funds Trust, May 2019 to present |
| Jo Ann Quinif<br> Year of Birth: 1976 | Interested Trustee | Since 2024 | President, Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. April 2023 to present; Chief Client Officer, Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., May 2020 to present; Managing Director - Business Development and Marketing, Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., September 2017 to May 2020. | 1 |  |

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**<u>Officers<sup>4</sup></u>**

**** 

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Year of Birth** | **Position** <br> **Held** | **Year First Elected to**<br> **Current Officer Position of the Fund<sup>1</sup>** | **Principal Occupation(s)** <br> **During Past Five Years** |
| Jo Ann Quinif<br> Year of Birth: 1976 | President | Since 2024 | President, Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. April 2023 to present; Chief Client Officer, Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., May 2020 to present; Managing Director - Business Development and Marketing, Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., September 2017 to May 2020. |
| Karen R. Colvin<br> Year of Birth: 1966 | Vice President<br> Secretary | Since 2024 | Director-Fund Administration & Sales Support, Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., June 2009 to present. |
| Alyssa A. Bentz<br> Year of Birth: 1981 | Chief Compliance Officer Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Since 2024 | Chief Compliance Officer of Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., May 2024 to present; Chief Compliance Officer, U.S. Bancorp Asset Management, Inc., July 2021 to March 2024; Compliance Manager, U.S. Bancorp Asset Management, Inc., December 2015 to July 2021. |
| Julie A. Roach<br> Year of Birth: 1971 | Treasurer | Since 2024 | Director-Fund Administration, Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., September 2017 to present. |

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<sup>1</sup> Each Trustee is elected to serve in accordance with the Declaration of Trust and Bylaws of the Fund until their resignation, removal or retirement. Trustees have a 10-year term limit. Each Officer is elected by the Trustees for a renewable 1-year term to serve the Fund or until their resignation, removal or retirement. The address for all Trustees and Officers is 325 John H. McConnell Blvd., Suite 200, Columbus, OH 43215.

<sup>2</sup> This includes all directorships (other than those in the Fund) that are held by each Trustee as a director of a public company or a registered investment company in the last 5 years.

<sup>3</sup> The complex includes the Fund, as well as each of the Diamond Hill Funds, an open-end investment company managed by the Adviser.

<sup>4</sup> All Officers, excluding Jo Ann Quinif, also serve as officers to the Diamond Hill Funds.

 

**Board Committees**

**** 

The Board has two standing committees: an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. All Independent Trustees are members of the Audit Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee.

 

The Audit Committee's function is to oversee the Fund's accounting and financial reporting policies and practices, its internal controls and, as appropriate, the internal controls of certain service providers; to oversee the quality and objectivity of the Fund's financial statements and the independent audit thereof; and to act as a liaison between the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm and the full Board. The Audit Committee held two regularly scheduled meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025. The Board has determined that Jody T. Foster is an "audit committee financial expert" as defined by the SEC. Ms. Foster serves as the Chairperson of the Audit Committee.

 

The Nominating and Governance Committee's ("Committee") function is to nominate candidates for election to the Board, make nominations for membership on all committees and review committee assignments at least annually. The Committee also reviews as necessary the responsibilities of any committees of the Board, whether there is a continuing need for each committee, whether there is a need for additional committees of the Board, and whether committees should be combined or reorganized. The Committee makes recommendations for any such action to the full Board. The Committee also considers candidates for trustees nominated by shareholders. Shareholders may recommend candidates for Board positions by forwarding their correspondence to the Secretary of the Fund at the Fund's address and the shareholder communication will be forwarded to the Committee Chair for evaluation. The Committee held two regularly scheduled meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025. Mr. Kelly-Jones serves as the Chair of the Committee.

**Fund Shares Owned By Trustees, as of December 31, 2025** 

**** 

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund\*** | **Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Trustee in Family of Investment Companies\*\*** |
| Tamara L. Fagely |  | Over $100,000 |
| Jody T. Foster |  | Over $100,000 |
| John T. Kelly-Jones | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 |
| Jo Ann Quinif |  | Over $100,000 |

---

\* Ownership disclosure is made using the following ranges: None; $1 - $10,000; $10,001 - $50,000; $50,001 - $100,000 and over $100,000.

\*\* Each Independent Trustee also serves on the Board of the Diamond Hill Funds.

**Compensation**

The independent Trustees will be compensated for their services to the Fund by the Adviser as part of the Administration Agreement. The independent Trustees will receive $10,000 annually in compensation. The compensation paid to the Trustees for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 is set forth below.

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Position** | **Aggregate** <br> **Compensation<br> From Fund** | **Pension or** <br> **Retirement** <br> **Benefits Accrued** <br> **as Part of Fund** <br> **Expense** | **Estimated** <br> **Annual Benefits** <br> **Upon Retirement** | **Total Compensation<br> Paid to Trustees\*** |
| Tamara L. Fagely, Trustee | $10000 |  |  | $165000 |
| Jody T. Foster, Trustee | 10000 |  |  | 150000 |
| John T. Kelly-Jones, Trustee | 10000 |  |  | 147000 |
| Jo Ann Quinif, Trustee |  |  |  |  |

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\* The Trustees are compensated for their services by the Administrator as part of the Administrative and Transfer Agency Services Agreement for the Fund, as part of the Administration Agreement for the Diamond Hill Funds, and as part of the Administrative Services Agreement for the Diamond Hill Large Cap Concentrated ETF.

\*\* The Fund Complex consists of the Fund and the Diamond Hill Funds.

**CODES OF ETHICS**

The Fund and the Adviser have adopted a Code of Ethics under Rule 17j-1 under the Company Act. The Code of Ethics prohibits all employees of the Adviser from purchasing any individual equity and most fixed income securities that are eligible to be purchased by the Fund. The Code of Ethics also prohibits the purchase of third-party mutual funds in the primary Morningstar categories with which the Adviser competes. The Code of Ethics is available at diamond-hill.com/about/policies-and-disclosures. You may also obtain a copy of the Code of Ethics by calling the Fund at 1-888-226-5595, from the SEC's EDGAR web site www.sec/gov, or by electronic request at the following email address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

**PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES**

***General Policy***

 ****

The Fund has delegated proxy voting responsibilities of the Fund to the Adviser, subject to the general oversight of the Board. The Adviser has adopted written proxy voting policies and procedures ("Proxy Policy") as required by Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, consistent with its fiduciary obligations and the Proxy Policy has been approved by the Trustees as the policies and procedures that the Adviser will use when voting proxies on behalf of the Fund. The Proxy Policy is designed and implemented in a manner reasonably expected to ensure that voting and consent rights are exercised prudently and solely in the best economic interests of the Fund and their shareholders considering all relevant factors and without undue influence from individuals or groups who may have an economic interest in the outcome of a proxy vote. Any conflict between the interests of the Fund's shareholders, on one hand, and those of the Adviser or principal underwriter on the other will be reported to the Board and the Board will provide direction to the Adviser on how to vote the proxy.

The Proxy Policy sets forth the Adviser's voting guidelines. The guidelines contain information about the key objectives in voting proxies, various client and Adviser decision methods, conflicts of interest, general voting principles, and detailed explanations on how the Adviser will typically vote on certain matters that are typically up for shareholder vote. Each vote is ultimately determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration all relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote.

***How to Obtain More Information***

 ****

Investors may obtain a copy of the Proxy Policy by writing to the Fund at 325 John H. McConnell Boulevard, Suite 200, Columbus, OH 43215 or by calling the Fund at 888-226-5595. Information about how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the 12 month period ended June 30<sup>th</sup> is available without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at 888-226-5595, via a link on the Fund's website, diamond-hill.com/documents, and on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov*.

**CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of a class of a fund. A control person is one who owns (either directly or indirectly) more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. A control person may be able to determine the outcome of a matter put to a shareholder vote. As of January 31, 2026, the following shareholders owned of record 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund, and these shareholders are also considered control persons:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **SHAREHOLDER NAME AND ADDRESS** | **% OWNERSHIP** |
| **Class I Shares** |  |
| Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc.<br> 325 John H. McConnell Blvd., Suite 200<br> Columbus, Ohio 43215 | 98.85% |
| **Class R Shares** |  |
| Northern Trust Company Custodian FBO<br> Battelle Memorial Trust<br> P.O. Box 92956<br> Chicago, IL 60675 | 39.39% |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customers<br> 101 Montgomery St<br> San Francisco, CA 94015 | 42.06% |

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As of the date of this SAI, the Trustees and Officers of the Fund as a group owned less than 1% of all of the classes of the Fund.

**INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES**

Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., 325 John H. McConnell Boulevard, Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43215 is the Adviser for the Fund. The Adviser is a wholly owned subsidiary of Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc. ("DHIL").

Under the terms of the investment management agreement between the Fund and the Adviser (the "Management Agreement"), the Adviser manages the Fund's investments. As compensation for management services, the Fund is obligated to pay the Adviser fees computed and accrued daily and paid monthly at the annual rate of 1.25%. The Fund paid $1,218,699 in investment management fees to the Adviser, for the period ended December 31, 2025.

The Adviser retains the right to use the name "Diamond Hill" in connection with another investment company or business enterprise with which the Adviser is or may become associated. The Fund's right to use the name "Diamond Hill" automatically ceases ninety days after termination of the Management Agreement and may be withdrawn by the Adviser on ninety days written notice.

 

The Adviser may make payments to banks or other financial institutions that provide shareholder services and administer shareholder accounts. The Fund may from time to time purchase securities issued by banks that provide such services; however, in selecting investments for the Fund, no preference will be shown for such securities.

Under the terms of the Administrative and Transfer Agency Services Agreement (the "Administration Agreement") between the Fund and Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. (the "Administrator"), the Administrator renders all administrative, transfer agency, fund accounting and supervisory services to the Fund. The Administrator oversees the maintenance of all books and records with respect to the Fund's securities transactions and the Fund's book of accounts in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. The Administrator also arranges for the preservation of journals, ledgers, corporate documents, brokerage account records and other records that are required pursuant to Rule 31a-1 promulgated under the Company Act. The Administrator is also responsible for the equipment, staff, office space and facilities necessary to perform its obligations. The Administrator may delegate any or all of its responsibilities under the Administration Agreement to one or more third-party service providers.

Under the Administration Agreement, the Administrator assumes and pays all operating expenses of the Fund not specifically assumed by the Fund. The Fund pays all brokerage fees and commissions, custodian fees, taxes, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expenses on securities sold short), expenses related to conducting shareholders' meetings and proxy solicitations, fees and extraordinary or non-recurring expenses. The Fund also pays distribution-related expenses.

Pursuant to the Administration Agreement, the Administrator receives a fee, which is paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.50% of the Fund's average daily net assets of Class A shares, 0.50% of the Fund's average daily net assets of Class I shares, and 0.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets of Class R shares. The Fund paid administrative services fees to the Administrator of $3,985 for Class I Shares and $96,698 for Class R Shares for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025.

BLOOMBERG, BLOOMBERG INDICES and Bloomberg Fixed Income Indices (the "Indices") are trademarks or service marks of Bloomberg Finance L.P. Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates, including Bloomberg Index Services Limited, the administrator of the Indices (collectively, "Bloomberg") or Bloomberg's licensors own all proprietary rights in the Indices. Bloomberg does not guarantee the timeliness, accuracy or completeness of any data or information relating to the Indices. Bloomberg makes no warranty, express or implied, as to the Indices or any data or values relating thereto or results to be obtained therefrom, and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with respect thereto. To the maximum extent allowed by law, Bloomberg, its licensors, and its and their respective employees, contractors, agents, suppliers and vendors shall have no liability or responsibility whatsoever for any injury or damages - whether direct, indirect, consequential, incidental, punitive or otherwise - arising in connection with the Indices or any data or values relating thereto - whether arising from their negligence or otherwise.

**Conflicts of Interest**

The Adviser currently or in the future may provide investment advisory and other services, directly and through affiliates, to various affiliated entities and accounts other than the Fund ("Adviser Accounts"). The Fund has no interest in these activities. The Adviser and the investment professionals, who on behalf of the Adviser provide investment advisory services to the Fund, are engaged in substantial activities other than on behalf of the Fund, may have differing economic interests in respect of such activities, and may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and activity between the Fund and the Adviser Accounts. Such persons devote only so much time to the affairs of the Fund as in their judgment is necessary and appropriate.

**Distributor**

Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the "Distributor"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (dba ACA Group), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101, serves as the Fund's principal underwriter and acts as the distributor of the Fund's shares on a commercially reasonable efforts basis, subject to various conditions.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGER**

As described in the Prospectus, Henry Song serves as the Portfolio Manager for the Fund and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

*Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Manager* 

 

The following table indicates the number of other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager and the other assets under management for each type of account as of December 31, 2025.

 

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Account Category** | **Number of<br> Accounts** | **Total Assets in<br> Accounts** | **Number of<br> Accounts<br> Where<br> Advisory Fee is<br> Based on<br> Account Performance** | **Total Assets in<br> Accounts<br> Where<br> Advisory Fee is<br> Based on<br> Account Performance** |
|  | Registered Investment Company | 4 | $8073807451 |  | $— |
| Henry Song, Portfolio Manager | Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 1 | $216022017 |  | $— |
|  | Other Accounts | 5 | $521756403 |  | $— |

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**Portfolio Manager Compensation** 

The Portfolio Manager is paid a competitive base salary based on experience, external market comparisons to similar positions, and other business factors. To align their interests with those of shareholders, the Portfolio Manager also participates in an annual cash and equity incentive compensation program that is based on:

● The long-term pre-tax investment performance of the Fund(s) that they manage and the related investment composite(s) of the Adviser;

● The Adviser's assessment of the investment contribution he makes to other portfolios he does not manage;

● The Adviser's assessment of the Portfolio Manager's overall contribution to the development of the investment team through ongoing discussion, interaction, feedback, and collaboration; and

● The Adviser's assessment of the Portfolio Manager's contribution to client service, marketing to prospective clients and investment communication activities.

Long-term performance is defined as the trailing five years (performance of less than five years is judged on a subjective basis).

Incentive compensation is paid annually from an incentive pool that is determined based on several factors including investment results in client portfolios, revenues, employee performance, and industry operating margins. Portfolio Manager compensation is not directly tied to product asset growth or revenue. However, both of these factors influence the size of the incentive pool, and therefore, indirectly contribute to Portfolio Manager compensation. Incentive compensation is subject to review and oversight by the compensation committee of DHIL's board of directors. Only independent DHIL directors are members of the compensation committee. The Portfolio Manager is also eligible to participate in the DHIL 401(k) plan and related company match. DHIL also has a deferred compensation plan, whereby the Portfolio Manager is eligible to participate and may voluntarily elect to defer a portion of his incentive compensation. The Portfolio Manager is encouraged to invest any deferral of incentive compensation in a Diamond Hill Fund for the entire duration of the deferral.

**Portfolio Manager Holdings** 

The Portfolio Manager is encouraged to own Shares of the Fund. The following table indicates the dollar range of shares beneficially owned by the Portfolio Manager as of December 31, 2025.

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| |  | **Dollar Range of Shares in the Fund** | **Dollar Range of Shares in the Fund** | **Dollar Range of Shares in the Fund** | **Dollar Range of Shares in the Fund** | **Dollar Range of Shares in the Fund** | **Dollar Range of Shares in the Fund** |
| <br>**Portfolio Manager (PM)** | | **$1 –<br> $10000** | **$10001 –<br> $50000** | **$50001 –<br> $100000** | **$100001 –<br> $500000** | **$500001 – <br> $1000000** | **Over**<br> **$1,000,000** |
| Henry (Xiaohan) Song | PM |  |  |  |  |  | X |

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**Other Portfolio Manager Information** 

 

The Portfolio Manager is also responsible for managing other account portfolios in addition to the Fund. Management of other accounts in addition to the Fund can present certain conflicts of interest, including those associated with different fee structures, various trading practices, and the amount of time the Portfolio Manager may spend on other accounts versus the Fund. The Adviser has implemented specific policies and procedures to address any potential conflicts. The Adviser's Form ADV Part 2A contains a complete description of its policies and procedures to address conflicts of interest. Below are material conflicts of interest that have been identified and mitigated when managing other account portfolios as well as the Fund.

 

***Performance Based Fees***

******

The Adviser manages certain accounts for which part of its fee is based on the performance of the account/fund ("Performance Fee Accounts"). As a result of the performance-based fee component, the Adviser may receive additional revenue related to the Performance Fee Accounts. The Portfolio Manager has not received any direct incentive compensation related to his management of the Performance Fee Accounts; however, revenues from Performance Fee Accounts management will impact the resources available to compensate the Portfolio Manager and all staff.

***Trade Allocation***

******

The Adviser manages numerous accounts in addition to the Fund. When the Fund and another of the Adviser's clients seek to purchase or sell the same security at or about the same time, the Adviser may execute the transactions with the same broker on a combined or "blocked" basis. Blocked transactions can produce better execution for the Fund because of increased volume of the transaction. However, when another of the Adviser's clients specifies that trades be executed with a specific broker ("Directed Brokerage Accounts"), a potential conflict of interest exists related to the order in which those trades are executed and allocated. As a result, the Adviser has adopted a trade allocation policy in which all trade orders occurring simultaneously among the Fund and one or more other accounts where the Adviser has the discretion to choose the execution broker are blocked and executed first. After the blocked trades have been completed, the remaining trades for the Directed Brokerage Accounts are then executed in random order, through the Adviser's portfolio management software. When a trade is partially filled, the number of filled shares is generally allocated on a pro-rata basis to the appropriate client accounts. Trades are not segmented by investment product.

 

***Code of Ethics and Personal Security Trading***

******

The Adviser and the Fund have adopted a Code of Ethics designed to: (i) demonstrate the Adviser's duty at all times to place the interest of clients and Fund shareholders first; (ii) align the interests of the Portfolio Manager with clients and Fund shareholders, and (iii) mitigate inherent conflicts of interest associated with personal securities transactions. The Code of Ethics prohibits all employees of the Adviser from purchasing individual equity and most fixed income securities that are eligible to be purchased in client accounts. The Code of Ethics also prohibits the purchase of third-party mutual funds in the primary Morningstar categories with which the Adviser competes.

***Best Execution and Research Services***

******

The Adviser has controls in place for monitoring trade execution in client accounts, including reviewing trades for best execution. The primary consideration in placing a portfolio transaction with a particular broker is obtaining the most favorable prices for each client under the circumstances of each particular transaction. More specifically, the Adviser will consider the full range and quality of the services offered by a broker. The determination to place a trade with a particular broker will be based on certain considerations, including but not limited to: price competitiveness, execution capability, brokerage and research products, trading expertise in relevant financial instruments, liquidity provision, execution accuracy, commission rates, reputation, integrity, dispute resolution fairness, financial responsibility, and responsiveness in settling trades. Certain broker-dealers that the Adviser uses to execute client trades are also clients of the Adviser and/or refer clients to the Adviser creating a conflict of interest. To mitigate this conflict, the Adviser adopted a policy that prohibits it from considering any factor other than best execution when a client trade is placed with a broker-dealer.

 

The Adviser may consider the receipt of research services in selecting brokers to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund. Since the Adviser uses client brokerage commissions to obtain research, it receives a benefit because it does not have to produce or pay for the research, products, or services itself. Consequently, the Adviser has an incentive to select or recommend a broker based on its desire to receive research, products, or services rather than a desire to obtain the most favorable execution. Additionally, the research services and other information furnished by brokers through whom the Fund effects securities transactions may be used by the Adviser in servicing all of its accounts. Similarly, research and information provided by brokers or dealers serving other clients may be useful to the Adviser in connection with its services to the Fund. There may be a conflict of interest if soft dollars are not spread in the same proportion across all accounts. The Adviser attempts to mitigate these potential conflicts through oversight of the use of commissions by its Best Execution Committee.

 

**REPURCHASE OF SHARES**

In order to provide some liquidity to shareholders, the Fund makes quarterly offers to repurchase between 5% and 25% of its outstanding Shares at NAV. Notices of each quarterly repurchase offer are sent to shareholders at least 21 days before the "Repurchase Request Deadline" (*i.e.*, the date by which shareholders can tender their Common Shares in response to a repurchase offer). The Fund determines the NAV applicable to repurchases no later than the 14 calendar days after the Repurchase Request Deadline (or the next business day, if the 14th calendar day is not a business day) (the "Repurchase Pricing Date"). The Fund expects to distribute payment to shareholders between one and three business days after the Repurchase Pricing Date and will distribute such payment no later than seven calendar days after such date. The Fund's Shares are not listed on any securities exchange, and the Fund anticipates that no secondary market will develop for its Shares. Accordingly, you may not be able to sell Shares when and/or in the amount that you desire. Thus, Shares are appropriate only as a long-term investment. In addition, the Fund's repurchase offers may subject the Fund and shareholders to special risks.

The section entitled "Quarterly Share Repurchase Program" in the Prospectus discusses the type and timing of notice for repurchase offers, the effects of oversubscribed repurchase offers, the determination of the repurchase price, payment by the Fund for Shares tendered in a repurchase offer, the effect of repurchase policies on the liquidity of the Fund, the consequences of repurchase offers and other details regarding the repurchase offers, including associated risks. The Fund's fundamental policies with respect to repurchase offers are discussed in "Fundamental and Nonfundamental Policies" in this SAI.

See "Investment Policies and Strategies" and "Risk Factors – Repurchase Offers Risks" in the Prospectus for a description of the risks associated with the Fund's repurchase offers. In addition, the repurchase of Shares by the Fund will be a taxable event to shareholders. For a discussion of these tax consequences, see "Tax Status" below.

Subject to its investment limitations, the Fund may borrow to finance the repurchase of shares or to make a tender offer. Interest on any borrowings to finance share repurchase transactions or the accumulation of cash by the Fund in anticipation of share repurchases or tenders will reduce the Fund's net income and gains. Any share repurchase, tender offer or borrowing that might be approved by the Board would have to comply with the Company Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and other applicable law.

**ALLOCATION OF BROKERAGE**

Subject to policies established by the Board, the Adviser is responsible for the Fund's portfolio decisions and the placing of the Fund's portfolio transactions. In placing portfolio transactions, the Adviser seeks the best qualitative execution for the Fund, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), the execution capability, financial responsibility and responsiveness of the broker or dealer and the brokerage and research services provided by the broker or dealer. The Adviser generally seeks favorable prices and commission rates that are reasonable in relation to the benefits received. All shareholders bear the costs when executing portfolio transactions in the Fund.

The Adviser is specifically authorized to select brokers or dealers who also provide brokerage and research services to the Fund and/or the other accounts over which the Adviser exercises investment discretion and to pay such brokers or dealers a commission in excess of the commission another broker or dealer would charge if the Adviser determines in good faith that the commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided. The determination may be viewed in terms of a particular transaction or the Adviser's overall responsibilities with respect to the Fund and to other accounts over which it exercises investment discretion.

Research services include supplemental research, securities and economic analyses, statistical services and information with respect to the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities and analyses of reports concerning performance of accounts. The research services and other information furnished by brokers through whom the Fund effects securities transactions may also be used by the Adviser in servicing all of its accounts. Similarly, research and information provided by brokers or dealers serving other clients may be useful to the Adviser in connection with its services to the Fund. It is the opinion of the Board and the Adviser that the review and study of the research and other information will not reduce the overall cost to the Adviser of performing its duties to the Fund under the Management Agreement.

While the Fund does not deem it practicable and in their best interests to solicit competitive bids for commission rates on each transaction, consideration is regularly given to posted commission rates as well as other information concerning the level of commissions charged on comparable transactions by qualified brokers. The Fund has no obligation to deal with any broker or dealer in the execution of its transactions.

OTC transactions will be placed either directly with principal market makers or with broker-dealers, if the same or a better price, including commissions and executions, is available. Fixed income securities are normally purchased directly from the issuer, an underwriter or a market maker. Purchases include a concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter and the purchase price paid to a market maker may include the spread between the bid and asked prices.

When the Fund and another of the Adviser's clients seek to purchase or sell the same security at or about the same time, the Adviser may execute the transaction on a combined ("blocked") basis. Blocked transactions can produce better execution for the Fund because of the increased volume of the transaction. If the entire blocked order is not filled, 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 for the security. Similarly, the Fund may not be able to obtain as large an execution of an order to sell or as high a price for any particular portfolio security if the other client desires to sell the same portfolio security at the same time. In the event that the entire blocked order is not filled, the purchase or sale will generally be allocated on a pro rata basis in accordance with the target allocation. Transactions of advisory clients (including the Fund) may also be blocked with those of the Adviser. The Adviser and its affiliates will be permitted to participate in the blocked transaction only after all orders of advisory clients (including the Fund) are filled.

In certain circumstances, such as a buy in for failure to deliver, the Adviser is not able to select the broker/dealer who will transact to cover the failure. For example, there can also be a failure to deliver in a long transaction and a resulting buy-in by the broker/dealer through whom the securities were sold. If the broker/dealer effects a buy-in, the Adviser will be unable to control the trading techniques, methods, venues or any other aspect of the trade used by the broker/dealer.

The Adviser may not give consideration to sales of shares of the Fund as a factor in selecting brokers and dealers to execute portfolio transactions. However, the Adviser may place portfolio transactions with brokers or dealers that promote or sell Fund shares so long as such placements are made pursuant to policies approved by the Board that are designed to ensure that the selection is based on the quality of the broker's execution and not on its sales efforts.

The Fund has not paid any brokerage commissions.

**Securities of Regular Broker-Dealers** 

**** 

The table below presents information regarding the securities of the Fund's regular broker-dealers (or the parent of the regular broker-dealer), that were held by the Fund as of December 31, 2025.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Broker Dealer** | **Holdings ($000s)** |
| Bank of America Corp.<br> Brean Capital, LLC<br> J.P. Morgan Securities | $2645<br> 12139<br> 1305 |

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**Portfolio Holdings Disclosure**

The Fund discloses portfolio holdings as described in the Prospectus. After such information is released to the public as described in the Prospectus, it may be included in marketing materials, advertisements and presentations. In addition to the policies described in the Prospectus, the Fund may release or authorize the release of portfolio holdings that are not publicly available for legitimate business purposes, provided that such disclosure is approved by the President and Treasurer of the Fund. The Fund anticipates having ongoing arrangements to disclose portfolio holdings information to third party service providers of the Fund or the Adviser and to rating or reporting agencies, or data or portfolio analysis firms, which include:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Firm Name** | **Firm Name** |
| ACA Group, the distributor | FIS Global |
| Cohen & Company, Ltd., the independent registered public accounting firm | FundGuard, Inc. |
| Financial printers | Global Trading Analytics |
| State Street Bank and Trust Company, the custodian | ICE Data Services |
| Thompson Hine LLP, legal counsel | Institutional Shareholder Services |
| Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC ("Ultimus"), the sub-fund accountant | Microsoft Corporation |
| Bloomberg L.P. | Snowflake, Inc. |
| Broadridge | SS&C Software |
| Confluence Technologies, Inc. | Synthesis Technology LLC |
| Factset Research Systems, Inc. | SySys Corporation |
| FilePoint | The Yield Book, Inc. |

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Disclosure of the Fund's daily portfolio holdings as an exception to the Fund's normal business practice may be made, provided that the disclosure is deemed to be in the best interests of shareholders and the party receiving the portfolio holdings signs a confidentiality agreement or the policies of the recipient are determined to be adequate to protect the integrity and confidentiality of the information. In no event shall portfolio holdings information be disclosed for compensation. In order to avoid conflicts of interest between the Fund's shareholders and the Adviser, any exceptions must be approved in writing by the Fund's President and Treasurer and any such exceptions granted will be presented to the Board on a quarterly basis for their review.

In addition, separate account, model delivery programs, registered and unregistered products clients ("Other Accounts") of the Adviser have same day access to their portfolio holdings, and their advisors have access to representative portfolio holdings and may grant same day access to these portfolio holdings to their clients, their investors, and/or to one or more affiliated and unaffiliated service providers. In addition, information about non-public portfolio holdings information attributable to Other Accounts managed or advised by the Adviser may be available to one or more affiliated or unaffiliated service providers to those accounts. Some of the Other Accounts have substantially similar, or in some cases nearly identical, portfolio holdings to the Fund. These Other Accounts are not subject to the portfolio holdings disclosure policies of the Fund to which they are similar and may disclose their similar or nearly identical portfolio holdings information in different forms and at different times than the Fund.

Portfolio holdings of the Fund will be disclosed on a quarterly basis on forms required to be filed with the SEC as follows: (i) portfolio holdings as of the end of each fiscal year ending December 31 will be filed as part of the annual report filed on Form N-CSR; (ii) portfolio holdings as of the end of each month will be filed on Form N-PORT; and (iii) portfolio holdings as of the end of the six-month period ending June 30 will be filed as part of the semi-annual report filed on Form N-CSR. The Fund's Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT (at quarter-end) will be available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. No later than 60 days after the end of each month, the Fund will make available a complete uncertified schedule of its portfolio holdings as of the last day of that month. In addition to this monthly disclosure, the Fund may also make publicly available its portfolio holdings at other dates as determined from time to time.

**TAX STATUS**

The following discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences is general in nature and should not be regarded as an exhaustive presentation of all possible tax ramifications. Each shareholder should consult a qualified tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. The tax considerations relevant to a specific shareholder depend upon the shareholder's specific circumstances, and the following general summary does not attempt to discuss all potential tax considerations that could be relevant to a prospective shareholder with respect to the Fund or its investments. This general summary is based on the Code, the U.S. federal income tax regulations promulgated thereunder, and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change (potentially on a retroactive basis).

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, which requires compliance with certain requirements concerning the sources of its income, diversification of its assets, and the amount and timing of its distributions to shareholders. Such qualification does not involve supervision of management or investment practices or policies by any government agency or bureau. By so qualifying, the Fund should not be subject to federal income or excise tax on its net investment income or net capital gain, to the extent such amounts are distributed to shareholders in accordance with the applicable timing requirements.

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income (including any excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and net capital gain (that is, any excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) in accordance with the timing requirements imposed by the Code and therefore should not be required to pay any federal income or excise taxes. Net capital gain for a fiscal year is computed by taking into account any capital loss carry forward of the Fund.

To be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, the Fund must also (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, net income from certain publicly traded partnerships and gains from the sale or other disposition of securities or non-U.S. currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to the business of investing in such securities or currencies, and (b) diversify its holding so that, at the end of each fiscal quarter, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund's assets is represented by cash, U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities (for purposes of this calculation, generally limited in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the market value of the Fund's assets and 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer) and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or the securities of certain publicly traded partnerships.

If the Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M in any fiscal year, it may be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. As such, the Fund would be required to pay income taxes on its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, at the rates generally applicable to corporations. Shareholders of the Fund generally would not be liable for income tax on the Fund's net investment income or net realized capital gains in their individual capacities. However, distributions to shareholders, whether from the Fund's net investment income or net realized capital gains, would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of current or accumulated earnings and profits of the Fund.

As a regulated investment company, the Fund is subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on certain undistributed amounts of ordinary income and capital gain under a prescribed formula contained in Section 4982 of the Code. The formula requires payment to shareholders during a calendar year of distributions representing at least 98% of the Fund's ordinary income for the calendar year and at least 98.2% of its capital gain net income (i.e., the excess of its capital gains over capital losses) realized during the one-year period ending October 31 during such year plus 100% of any income that was neither distributed nor taxed to the Fund during the preceding calendar year. While the Fund intends to distribute its ordinary income and capital gains in a manner so as to avoid imposition of the federal excise and income taxes, there can be no assurance that the Fund indeed will make sufficient distributions to avoid entirely the imposition of federal excise or income taxes on the Fund.

The following discussion of U.S. federal income tax consequences is for the general information of shareholders that are U.S. persons subject to tax. Shareholders that are IRAs or other qualified retirement plans generally are exempt from income taxation under the Code. Shareholders that are non-U.S. persons, IRAs or other qualified retirement plans should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.

Distributions of taxable net investment income (including the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) generally are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. However, distributions by the Fund to a non-corporate shareholder may be subject to income tax at the shareholder's applicable tax rate for long-term capital gain, to the extent that the Fund receives qualified dividend income on the securities it holds, the Fund properly designates the distribution as qualified dividend income, and the Fund and the non-corporate shareholder receiving the distribution meet certain holding period and other requirements. Distributions of taxable net investment income (including qualified dividend income) may be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax as discussed below.

Distributions of net realized capital gain ("capital gain dividends") generally are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of the length of time the shares of the Fund have been held by such shareholders. Under current law, capital gain dividends recognized by a non-corporate shareholder generally will be taxed at a maximum rate of 20%. Capital gains of corporate shareholders are taxed at the same rate as ordinary income.

Distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain will be taxable as described above, whether received in additional cash or Shares. All distributions of taxable net investment income and net realized capital gain, whether received in Shares or in cash, must be reported by each taxable shareholder on their federal income tax return. Dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December as of a record date in such a month, if any, will be deemed to have been received by shareholders on December 31, if paid during January of the following year. Redemptions of Shares may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder and are also subject to these reporting requirements.

Redemption of Fund shares by a shareholder will result in the recognition of taxable gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and the shareholder's tax basis in the shareholder's Fund shares. Such gain or loss is treated as a capital gain or loss if the shares are held as capital assets. However, any loss realized upon the redemption of shares within six months from the date of their purchase will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as capital gain dividends during such six-month period. All or a portion of any loss realized upon the redemption of shares may be disallowed to the extent shares are purchased (including shares acquired by means of reinvested dividends) within 30 days before or after such redemption.

Under the Code, the Fund will be required to report to the IRS all distributions of taxable income and net realized capital gains as well as gross proceeds from the redemption or exchange of Fund shares, except in the case of certain exempt shareholders. Under the backup withholding provisions of Section 3406 of the Code, distributions of taxable net investment income and net realized capital gain and proceeds from the redemption or exchange of the Shares of a regulated investment company may be subject to withholding of federal income tax (currently, at a rate of 24%) in the case of non-exempt shareholders who fail to furnish the investment company with their taxpayer identification numbers and with required certifications regarding their status under the federal income tax law, or if the Fund is notified by the IRS or a broker that withholding is required due to an incorrect TIN or a previous failure to report taxable interest or dividends. If the withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld.

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax generally will be imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends, qualified dividend income and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund Shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that any such person's "modified and adjusted gross income" (in the case of an individual) or "adjusted gross income" (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Payments to a shareholder that is either a non-U.S. financial institution ("FFI") or a non-financial non-U.S. entity ("NFFE") within the meaning of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA") may be subject to a generally nonrefundable 30% withholding tax on: (i) income dividends paid by the Fund after June 30, 2014, and (ii) certain capital gain distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares paid by the Fund after December 31, 2018. FATCA withholding tax generally can be avoided: (i) by an FFI, subject to any applicable intergovernmental agreement or other exemption, if it enters into a valid agreement with the IRS to, among other requirements, report required information about certain direct and indirect ownership of non-U.S. financial accounts held by U.S. persons with the FFI and (ii) by an NFFE, if it: (a) certifies that it has no substantial U.S. persons as owners or (b) if it does have such owners, reports information relating to them. The Fund may disclose the information that it receives from its shareholders to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA. Withholding also may be required if a non-U.S. entity that is a shareholder of the Fund fails to provide the Fund with appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.

Shareholders should consult their tax advisors about the application of federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax law in light of their particular situation.

As of December 31, 2025, the Fund had $2,084,500 in capital loss carry forwards ("CLCFs"). Under the provisions of the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, CLCFs that originate in tax years beginning after December 22, 2010 (post-effective CLCFs), are applied consistent with the character in which they originated as a new loss on the first day of the immediately succeeding tax year. Post-effective CLCFs can be carried forward indefinitely.

**OTHER INFORMATION**

**Custodian**

State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Congress Street, Suite 1, Boston, MA 02114 is the Custodian for the Fund's investments. The Custodian acts as the Fund's depository, safe keeps its portfolio securities, collects all income and other payments with respect thereto, disburses funds at the Fund's request and maintains records in connection with its duties.

**Sub-Fund Accounting Agent and Sub-Transfer Agent**

Pursuant to a Master Services Agreement entered into between Ultimus and the Adviser, Ultimus acts as the Fund's sub-fund accounting agent and, in such capacity, maintains the books and records of the Fund, calculates the NAV per share of each class, calculates investment performance and prepares all financial statements and regulatory filings. Pursuant to the Master Services Agreement, Ultimus also acts as the Fund's sub-transfer agent and, in such capacity, maintains the records of each shareholder's account, answers shareholders' inquiries concerning their accounts, processes purchases and redemptions of Fund shares, acts as dividend and distribution disbursing agent and performs other accounting and shareholder service functions. Fees of Ultimus under the Master Services Agreement are paid by the Adviser pursuant to the Administration Agreement.

**Legal Counsel**

Thompson Hine LLP, 41 South High St., Suite 1700, Columbus, Ohio 43215, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.

**Distributor** 

Foreside Financial Services, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (dba ACA Group), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101 (the "Distributor"), is the Fund's principal underwriter and exclusive agent for distribution of the Fund's shares. The Distributor continually distributes shares of the Fund on a best 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 Fund. The Distributor does not receive compensation from the Fund for its Distribution services. The Adviser pays the Distributor a fee for certain distribution-related services.

**Distribution and Servicing Fee on Class A Shares**

Class A Shares are subject to an ongoing Distribution and Servicing Fee to compensate financial industry professionals for distribution-related expenses, if applicable, and providing ongoing services in respect of clients who own Shares of the Fund, as further discussed below. The maximum annual rates at which the Distribution and Servicing Fees may be paid under the Distribution and Servicing Plan (calculated as a percentage of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to the Class A Shares) is 0.50%, which reduce the NAV of Class A Shares. 0.25% of such fee is a shareholder service fee and the remaining portion is a distribution fee.

The Fund has adopted a distribution and servicing plan (the "Distribution and Servicing Plan") to pay to the Distributor a Distribution and Servicing Fee for certain activities relating to the distribution of Class A Shares to investors and maintenance of shareholder accounts. These activities include marketing and other activities to support the distribution of the Class A Shares. The Distribution and Servicing Plan operates in a manner consistent with Rule 12b-1 under the Company Act, which regulates the manner in which an open-end investment company may directly or indirectly bear the expenses of distributing its shares. Although the Fund is not an open-end investment company, it has undertaken to comply with the terms of Rule 12b-1 in accordance with the terms of exemptive relief received from the SEC.

Shareholder services for which the Distribution and Servicing Plan contemplate paying Distribution and Servicing Fees include, but are not limited to, the following functions: (i) answering shareholder inquiries regarding account status and history, the manner in which purchases, exchanges and repurchases of Shares may be effected and certain other matters pertaining to the shareholders' investments; (ii) receiving, aggregating and processing shareholder orders; (iii) furnishing shareholder sub-accounting; (iv) providing and maintaining elective shareholder services such as check writing and wire transfer services; (v) providing and maintaining pre-authorized investment plans; (vi) communicating periodically with shareholders; (vii) acting as the sole shareholder of record and nominee for shareholders; (viii) maintaining accounting records for shareholders; (ix) answering questions and handling correspondence from shareholders about their accounts; (x) issuing confirmations for transactions by shareholders; (xi) performing similar account administrative services; (xii) providing such shareholder communications and recordkeeping services as may be required for any program for which a financial intermediary is a sponsor that relies on Rule 3a-4 under the Company Act (*i.e.*, a "wrap fee" program); and (xiii) providing such other similar services as may reasonably be requested to the extent a Service Organization is permitted to do so under applicable statutes, rules, or regulations. The Distribution and Servicing Fee may be spent by the Distributor for the services rendered to holders of Class A Shares as set forth above, but will generally not be spent by the Distributor on recordkeeping charges, accounting expenses, transfer costs or custodian fees.

**Financial Intermediaries**

The Fund has authorized certain financial intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on their behalf. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when a financial intermediary or its designee accepts the order. These orders will be priced at the NAV next calculated after the order is accepted.

The Adviser does not consider a financial intermediary's sale of shares of the Fund when selecting brokers or dealers to effect portfolio transactions for the Fund.

**Payment of Additional Cash Compensation** 

On occasion, the Adviser may make payments out of its resources and legitimate profits, which may include profits the Adviser derives from investment advisory fees paid by the Fund, to financial intermediaries as incentives to market the Fund, to cooperate with the Adviser's promotional efforts, or in recognition of the provision of administrative services and marketing and/or processing support. These payments are often referred to as "additional cash compensation" or "revenue sharing" and are in addition to the sales charges and distribution/service fees. The payments are made pursuant to agreements between financial intermediaries and the Adviser and do not affect the price investors pay to invest in Shares of the Fund, the amount the Fund will receive as proceeds from such sales, or the amount of distribution/service fees and other expenses paid by the Fund.

Additional cash compensation payments may be used to pay financial intermediaries for: (i) transaction support, including any one-time charges for establishing access to Fund shares on particular trading systems (known as "platform access fees"); (ii) program support, such as expenses related to including the Fund in retirement programs, fee-based advisory or wrap fee programs, fund supermarkets, bank or trust company products, and/or insurance programs (e.g., individual or group annuity contracts); (iii) placement by a financial intermediary on its offered, preferred, or recommended fund list; (iv) marketing support, such as providing representatives of the Adviser access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives; (v) firm support, such as business planning assistance, advertising, and assistance with educating sales personnel about the Fund and shareholder financial planning needs; and (vi) providing other distribution-related or asset retention services. Additional cash compensation payments generally are structured as basis point payments on assets, gross or net sales or, in the case of platform access fees, fixed dollar amounts.

For the period ended December 31, 2025, the Fund has entered into arrangements with broker-dealers offering shares of the Fund, and/or their respective affiliates, for additional cash compensation or similar distribution related payments from the Adviser for providing marketing and program support, administrative services, and/or other services as described above, which include:

**Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.**

**National Financials Services LLC**

**Pershing LLC**

Any additions, modifications, or deletions to this list that may have occurred since December 31, 2025 are not reflected. In addition to member firms of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., the Adviser also reserves the ability to make payments, as described above, to other financial intermediaries that sell or provide services to the Fund and shareholders, such as banks, insurance companies, and plan administrators. These firms are not included in this list and may include affiliates of the Adviser. You should ask your financial intermediary whether it receives additional cash compensation payments, as described above, from the Adviser.

The Adviser may also pay non-cash compensation to financial intermediaries and their representatives in the form of: (i) occasional gifts; (ii) occasional meals, tickets or other entertainment; and/or (iii) sponsorship support of regional or national conferences or seminars. Such non-cash compensation will be made subject to applicable law.

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM**

The firm of Cohen & Company, Ltd., 1350 Euclid Ave., Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, has been selected as independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026. Cohen & Company, Ltd. performs an annual audit of the Fund's financial statements and advises the Fund as to certain accounting matters.

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**

The financial statements and independent registered public accounting firm's report thereon are contained in the Fund's [Annual Report](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000139834426003433/fp0096857-3_ncsr.htm) dated December 31, 2025, are incorporated by reference in this SAI. The Fund's Annual Report is available upon request, without charge, by calling the Fund toll-free at 888-226-5595 or visiting the Fund's website at www.diamond-hill.com/documents.

 **DIAMOND HILL SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND**

**PART C. OTHER INFORMATION**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **ITEM 25.** | **<u>FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS</u>** |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| (1) |  | **Financial Statements** |
|  | Part A | The financial highlights of the Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund (the "Registrant") for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, are included in Part A of this registration statement in the section entitled "Financial Highlights." |
|  | Part B | The Registrant's audited Financial Statements and the notes thereto in the Annual Report included in the Registrant's N-CSR for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") pursuant to Section 30(b)(2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), are incorporated by reference into Part B of this registration statement. |
| (2) |  | **Exhibits** |
| (a) | (1) | [Certificate of Trust dated May 2, 2024](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000011/certificateoftrust-executi.htm)<sup>1</sup> |
|  | (2) | [Agreement and Declaration of Trust](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000031/agreementanddeclarationoft.htm)<sup>2</sup> |
| (b) |  | [By-Laws](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000031/by-lawsxdhsecuritizedcredi.htm)<sup>2</sup> |
| (c) |  |  |
| (d) | (1) | See Item 25(2)(a)(2) and Item 25(2)(b). |
|  | (2) | [Multi-Class Plan](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000031/multi-classplanaugust2024.htm)<sup>2</sup> |
| (e) |  |  |
| (f) |  |  |
| (g) |  | [Investment Management Agreement between the Registrant and Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. (the "Adviser")](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000031/investmentmanagementagreem.htm)<sup>2</sup> |
| (h) | (1) | [Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and Foreside Financial Services, Inc. (the "Distributor")](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000031/foresidesecuritizedbondfun.htm)<sup>2</sup> |
|  | (2) | [Form of Selling Agreement](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000031/dhscf-ffnxdealeraclosedend.htm)<sup>2</sup> |
|  | (3) | [Distribution and Servicing Plan](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000031/distributionandservicingpl.htm)<sup>2</sup> |
| (i) |  |  |
| (j) |  | [Custody Agreement between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000031/mastercustodyagmt.htm)<sup>2</sup> |
| (k) | (1) | [Administrative and Transfer Agency Services Agreement between the Registrant and Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. (the "Administrator"](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000031/administrationcontract82124.htm))<sup>2</sup> |
|  | (2) | [Master Services Agreement between the Administrator and Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000038/ultimusmsaaug2024.htm)<sup>3</sup> |
|  | (3) | [Amendment No. 1 to Master Services Agreement between the Administrator and Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC](fp0095838-3_ex99252k3.htm)<sup>4</sup> |
| (l) | (1) | [Opinion and Consent of Thompson Hine LLP](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000038/legalsept2024.htm)<sup>2</sup> |
|  | (2) | [Consent of Thompson Hine LLP](fp0095838-3_ex99252l2.htm)<sup>4</sup> |
| (m) |  | Not Applicable. |
| (n) |  | [Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm](fp0095838-3_ex99252n.htm)<sup>4</sup> |
| (o) |  |  |
| (p) |  | [Initial Capital Agreement](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000038/subscriptionagreement.htm)<sup>3</sup> |
| (q) |  | Not Applicable. |
| (r) |  | [Code of Ethics of the Registrant and the Adviser](fp0095838-3_ex99252r.htm)<sup>4</sup> |
| (s) |  | Not Applicable. |
| Other (t) |  | [Powers of Attorney](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2022290/000202229024000031/poascombined.htm)<sup>2</sup> |

---

<sup>1</sup> Incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registrant's Registration Statement filed on May 7, 2024

<sup>2</sup> Incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registrant's Registration Statement filed on August 30, 2024

<sup>3</sup> Incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registrant's Registration Statement filed on September 13, 2024

<sup>4</sup> Filed herewith

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **ITEM 26.** | **<u>MARKETING ARRANGEMENTS</u>: None.** |
| **ITEM 27.** | **<u>OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE OR DISTRIBUTION</u>: Not Applicable.** |
| **ITEM 28.** | **<u>PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH THE REGISTRANT</u>:** |

---

The Registrant, Diamond Hill Funds, Diamond Hill Micro Cap LP, and the Adviser, Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., are affiliates of Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **ITEM 29.** | **<u>NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES</u>** |

---

As of January 31, 2026:

<u>Title of Class</u> <u>Number of Record Holders</u> <br> Class I Shares 2 <br> Class R Shares 213

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **ITEM 30.** | **<u>INDEMNIFICATION</u>** |

---

Reference is made to Article VIII, Section 2 of the Registrant's Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the "Declaration of Trust"), incorporated by reference as Exhibit (a)(2) hereto, and to Section 7 of the Registrant's Distribution Agreement, incorporated by reference as Exhibit (h)(1) hereto. The Registrant hereby undertakes that it will comply the indemnification provisions of the Declaration of Trust and Distribution Agreement in a manner consistent with Release 40-11330 of the SEC under the 1940 Act, so long as the interpretation therein of Sections 17(h) and 17(i) of the 1940 Act remains in effect.

The Registrant maintains insurance on behalf of any person who is or was an independent trustee, officer, employee, or agent of the Registrant against certain liability asserted against and incurred by, or arising out of, his or her position. However, in no event will the Registrant pay that portion of the premium, if any, for insurance to indemnify any such person for any act for which the Registrant itself is not permitted to indemnify.

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **ITEM 31.** | **<u>BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER</u>** |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A. Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., 325 John H. McConnell Boulevard, Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43215 ("DHCM"), adviser to the Diamond Hill Funds, Diamond Hill Micro Cap LP and the Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund, is a registered investment adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) DHCM has engaged in no other business during the past two fiscal years.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) Information with respect to the directors and officers of DHCM is incorporated by reference to Schedule D of Form ADV filed by it under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (File No. 801-32176).

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **ITEM 32.** | **<u>LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS</u>** |

---

Accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the Rules promulgated thereunder will be maintained by the Registrant at 325 John H. McConnell Boulevard, Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43215; and/or by the Registrant's custodian, State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Congress Street, Suite 1, Boston, MA 02114; and the Registrant's sub-administration service provider, sub-fund accountant, and sub-transfer agent, Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, Ohio 45246.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **ITEM 33.** | **<u>MANAGEMENT SERVICES</u>** |

---

None.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **ITEM 34.** | **<u>UNDERTAKINGS</u>** |

---

1. Not Applicable.

2. Not Applicable.

3. The Registrant undertakes:

(a) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act ;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

(b) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of those securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;

(c) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering;

(d) that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) if the Registrant is relying on Rule 430B [17 CFR 230.430B]:

&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) Each prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; 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;(B) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (x), or (xi) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) if the Registrant is subject to Rule 430C [17 CFR 230.430C]: each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

(e) that for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of securities:

The undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to the purchaser:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrants;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) the portion of any advertisement pursuant to Rule 482 [17 CFR 230.482] under the Securities Act relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

4. Not applicable.

5. Not applicable.

6. Not applicable.

7. The Registrant undertakes to send by first class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery, within two business days of receipt of a written or oral request, any prospectus or Statement of Additional Information.

**EXHIBIT INDEX**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Exhibit Number** | **Description** |
| [(2)(k)(3)](fp0095838-3_ex99252k3.htm) | [Amendment No. 1 to Master Services Agreement between the Administrator and Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC](fp0095838-3_ex99252k3.htm) |
| [(2)(l)(2)](fp0095838-3_ex99252l2.htm) | [Consent of Thompson Hine LLP](fp0095838-3_ex99252l2.htm) |
| [(2)(n)](fp0095838-3_ex99252n.htm) | [Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm](fp0095838-3_ex99252n.htm) |
| [(2)(r)](fp0095838-3_ex99252r.htm) | [Code of Ethics](fp0095838-3_ex99252r.htm) |

---

**SIGNATURES**

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets the requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement under Rule 486(b) under the Securities Act and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Columbus, and the State of Ohio on February 25, 2026.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **DIAMOND SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND** | **DIAMOND SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND** |
| By: | /s/ Jo Ann Quinif |
|  | Jo Ann Quinif |
|  | Trustee |

---

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| /s/Jo Ann Quinif | Trustee and President | February 25, 2026 |
| Jo Ann Quinif |  |  |
| /s/Julie A. Roach | Treasurer | February 25, 2026 |
| Julie A. Roach |  |  |
| Tamara L. Fagely\* | Trustee | February 25, 2026 |
| Tamara L. Fagely |  |  |
| Jody T. Foster\* | Trustee | February 25, 2026 |
| Jody T. Foster |  |  |
| John T. Kelly-Jones\* | Trustee | February 25, 2026 |
| John T. Kelly-Jones |  |  |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **DIAMOND SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND** | **DIAMOND SECURITIZED CREDIT FUND** |
| \*By: | /s/ Karen R. Colvin |
|  | Karen R. Colvin |
|  | Executed by Karen R. Colvin |
|  | on behalf of those indicated pursuant to Powers of Attorney |

---

## Exhibit 99.25

**AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT**

THIS Amendment NO. 1 TO MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT (this "**Amendment**"), effective as of January 1, 2026, by and among Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc., an Ohio corporation (the "**Administrator**"), and Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company ("**Ultimus**") (collectively, the "**Parties**").

WHEREAS, the Parties entered into that certain Master Services Agreement dated August 21, 2024 (the "**Agreement**"); and

WHEREAS, the Parties desire to amend the Agreement as described herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants and agreements herein set forth, the Parties agree as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. <u>Amendments</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) <u>Sub-Trust Administration Addendum</u> to the Agreement hereby is deleted in its entirety and replaced
with <u>Sub-Trust Administration Addendum</u> attached hereto, as the same may be amended from time to time.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) <u>Sub-Trust Administration Fee Schedule</u> to the Agreement hereby is deleted in its entirety and replaced
with <u>Sub-Trust Administration Fee Schedule</u> attached hereto, as the same may be amended from time to time.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. <u>Miscellaneous</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) Except as amended hereby, the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) This Amendment may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original,
but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each party hereto has caused this Amendment to be executed by its duly authorized officer as of the date and year first above written.

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **DIAMOND HILL CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC.** | **DIAMOND HILL CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC.** | **ULTIMUS FUND SOLUTIONS, LLC** | **ULTIMUS FUND SOLUTIONS, LLC** |
| By: | /s/ Thomas E. Line | By: | /s/ Gary Tenkman |
| Name: | Thomas E. Line | Name: | Gary Tenkman |
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer | Title: | Chief Executive Officer |

---

**<u>Sub-Trust Administration Addendum</u>**

**for**

**Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc.**

This Sub-Trust Administration Addendum, dated January 1, 2026, is between **Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc.** (the "**Administrator**") for the Trusts listed in Scheduled A to that certain Master Services Agreement dated August 21, 2024, and **Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC** ("**Ultimus**"). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Master Services Agreement.

With respect to each Trust electing Sub-Trust Administration Services, Ultimus shall provide the following services subject to, and in compliance with the objectives, policies and limitations set forth in the Trust's Registration Statement, the Trust's organizational documents, bylaws, applicable laws and regulations, and resolutions and policies established by the Trust's Board:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. In performing the Services, Ultimus will act as a liaison among the Trust's service providers, including,
but not limited to its: custodian, transfer agent, fund accountant and dividend disbursing agent, legal counsel, and audit firm;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Upon request, assist each Trust in the evaluation and selection of other service providers, such as independent
public accountants, printers, EDGAR providers and proxy solicitors (such parties may be affiliates of Ultimus);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Prepare and maintain the Trust's operating expense budget to determine proper expense accruals to be charged
to each Trust in order to calculate its daily net asset value;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Prepare, or cause to be prepared, expense and financial reports, including Trust budgets, expense reports,
pro-forma financial statements, expense and profit/loss projections and fee waiver/expense reimbursement projections on a periodic basis
as mutually agreed;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Prepare authorization for the payment of Trust expenses and pay, from Trust assets, all authorized bills
of the Trust;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Determine income and capital gains available for distribution and calculate distributions required to
meet regulatory, income, and excise tax requirements, to be reviewed by the Trust's independent public accountants;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Compute performance data required for inclusion in Trust financial reports and disseminate such data to
information services covering the investment company industry, for sales literature of the Trust and other appropriate purposes;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. Provide other information typically supplied in the investment company industry as mutually agreed to
companies that track or report price, performance or other information with respect to investment companies;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. Prepare and coordinate the delivery of semi-annual and annual financial statements pursuant to a mutually
agreeable timeline for the delivery of drafts of such financial statements;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10. Coordinate the Trust's audits and examinations by:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a. assisting each Trust's independent public accountants, or, upon approval of the Trust, any regulatory
body, in any requested review of a Trust's accounts and records, as mutually agreed upon;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b. providing appropriate financial schedules (as requested by a Trust's independent public accountants
or SEC examiners), as mutually agreed; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c. providing office facilities as may be required.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11. Facilitate, register, or prepare applicable notice or other filings as directed by the Trust's investment
adviser with respect to, the Shares with the various state and territories of the United States and other securities commissions, provided
that all fees for the registration of Shares or for qualifying or continuing the qualification of the Trust shall be paid by the Trust;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12. In consultation with legal counsel for the Trust, assist in and monitor the preparation, filing, printing
and where applicable, dissemination to shareholders of the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a. periodic reports to the Trustees, shareholders and the SEC, including but not limited to annual reports
and semi-annual reports;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b. notices pursuant to Rule 24f-2 (as applicable); and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c. reports to the SEC on Forms N-CEN, N-CSR, and N-PORT (as applicable).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13. Monitor sales of Shares and ensure that the Shares are properly and duly registered with the SEC;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14. Review the Trust's federal, state, and local tax returns as prepared and signed by the Trust's independent
public accountants; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15. Monitor Trust holdings and operations for  **<u>post-trade compliance</u>** with the Prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information, SEC statutes, rules, regulations and policies and at the direction of the Trust's independent
public accountants and Trust counsel, monitor Trust holdings for compliance with IRS taxation limitations and restrictions and applicable
Federal Accounting Standards Board rules, statements and interpretations; provide periodic compliance reports to each investment adviser
or sub-adviser to the Trust, and assist the Trust, the Adviser and each sub-adviser to the Trust (collectively referred to as "**Advisers** ")
in preparation of periodic compliance reports to the Trust, as applicable. Post-trade compliance testing will be performed in accordance
with testing policies and procedures, which in Ultimus' sole determination, are reasonably designed to comport with industry standard
post-trade compliance testing practices. Because such post-trade compliance testing is performed using Trust accounting data and data
provided by third-party sources, including, without limitation the Adviser(s), its accuracy is dependent upon the accuracy of such data,
and the Trust agrees and acknowledges that Ultimus is not liable for the accuracy or inaccuracy of such data. The Trust further agrees
and acknowledges that the post-trade compliance testing performed by Ultimus shall not relieve the Trust or the Adviser(s) of their responsibilities
with respect to Trust portfolio compliance, including on a pre-trade basis, and that Ultimus shall not be held liable for any act or omission
of the Trust or the Adviser with respect to Trust portfolio compliance. Moreover, and notwithstanding the foregoing, Ultimus' ability
and therefor its obligation to perform post-trade compliance testing shall be wholly-dependent upon its timely receipt from third-party
sources, including as applicable the Adviser(s), of all data necessary in Ultimus' sole determination to properly perform such post-trade
compliance testing, and, should Ultimus determine it to be necessary, the Adviser(s) shall be required to arrange for Ultimus to have
secure look-through access to private Trust holdings.

Sub-Trust Administration Addendum <br> January 1, 2026 Page 2 of 5

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16. Provide individuals reasonably acceptable to the Board to serve as officers of the Trust, including, without
limitation, individuals to serve as assistant treasurer and secretary, who will be responsible for the management of certain of the Trust's
affairs as determined and under supervision by the Board; depending on the nature and scope of any such officer appointment, Ultimus may
be entitled to an additional fee (as set forth in the Sub-Trust Administration Fee Schedule).

**Board Governance Items**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Creation of board book/electronic posting of materials received from various sources.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Coordination of trustee fee payments.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Drafting and provision of resolutions outside of the current inventory of Administrator's resolutions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Coordinate the process for quarterly board material requests and collection.

**Regulatory Support Items**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Draft Form 485(a) and Form 485(b) filings

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Draft Form 485(b) and Form 486(b) filings

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Coordinate notice filing/mailing of Form N-2

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Draft Form 424(b)(3)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Draft 497(c) or (j) filling

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Coordinate filing of summary prospectuses

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Coordinate mailing of summary prospectuses and prospectus supplements

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. Draft Pre or DEF proxy filings (if needed)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. Draft information statements

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10. Draft Form N-RN

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11. File Form 17g-1 filing as provided by Administrator

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12. 24f-2 Filings

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13. Coordinate the print and mailing of annual and semi-annual reports

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14. Coordinate the Quarterly repurchase offer drafting, filing and mailing

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15. Coordinate EdgarNext maintenance with FilePoint

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16. Coordination with FilePoint the posting of regulatory documents on website

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;17. Coordination of the update process for 485(b) and 486(b) including data requests, reviews, etc.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18. Coordination of filing SEC correspondence

**Special Reports and Services**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Ultimus may provide additional special reports upon the request of the Trust's investment adviser,
which may result in an additional charge, the amount of which shall be agreed upon by the parties prior to the reports being made available.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Ultimus may provide such other similar services with respect to a Trust as may be reasonably requested
by the Trust, such as assistance with information statements, Proxy Statements or Form N-14, which may result in an additional charge,
the amount of which shall be agreed upon between the parties prior to such services being provided.

**Additional Regulatory Services**

Ultimus may provide other regulatory services not specifically listed herein upon such terms and for such fees as the parties hereto agree. Such other regulatory services may include, without limitation, (i) the drafting of initial registration statements and amendments thereto pursuant to Rule 485(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, (ii) the drafting of proxy statements and related materials in connection with the Trust's shareholder meetings, and (iii) the preparation of materials for, attendance at, and drafting of minutes for organizational and special Board meetings.

Sub-Trust Administration Addendum <br> January 1, 2026 Page 3 of 5

**Tax Matters**

Ultimus does not provide tax advice. Nothing in the Master Services Agreement or this Sub-Trust Administration Addendum shall be construed or have the effect of rendering tax advice. It is important that the Trust consult a professional tax advisor regarding its individual tax situation.

**Legal Representation**

Notwithstanding any provision of the Master Services Agreement or this Sub-Trust Administration Addendum to the contrary, Ultimus will not provide legal representation to the Trust, including through the use of attorneys that are employees of, or contractually engaged by, Ultimus. The Trust acknowledges that in-house Ultimus attorneys exclusively represent Ultimus and will rely on outside counsel retained by the Trust to review all services provided by in-house Ultimus attorneys and to provide independent judgment on the Trust's behalf. The Trust acknowledges that because no attorney-client relationship exists between in-house Ultimus attorneys and the Trust, any information provided to Ultimus attorneys will not be privileged and may be subject to compulsory disclosure under certain circumstances. Ultimus represents that it will maintain the confidentiality of information disclosed to its in-house attorneys on a best efforts basis.

***Signatures are located on the next page.***

Sub-Trust Administration Addendum <br> January 1, 2026 Page 4 of 5

The parties duly executed this Sub-Trust Administration Addendum as of January 1, 2026.

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc.** |  | **Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC** |
| By: | /s/ Thomas E. Line | By: | /s/ Gary Tenkman |
| Name: | Thomas E. Line | Name: | Gary Tenkman |
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer | Title: | Chief Executive Officer |

---

Sub-Trust Administration Addendum <br> January 1, 2026 Page 5 of 5

## Exhibit 99.25

![](fp0095838-3_01.jpg)

February 25, 2026

Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund<br> 325 John H. McConnell Blvd. Suite 200

Columbus, OH 43215

Re: <u>Opinion and Consent</u>

Ladies and Gentlemen:

A legal opinion and consent (the "Opinion and Consent") that we prepared was filed with the Registration Statement for Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund filed on Form N-2 on September 25, 2024 (the "Opinion and Consent"). We hereby give you our consent to incorporate by reference the Opinion and Consent into Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement (the "Amendment"), and consent to all references to us in the Amendment.

---

| |
|:---|
| Very truly yours, |
| /s/ Thompson Hine LLP |
| Thompson Hine LLP |

---

![](fp0095838-3_02.jpg)

## Exhibit 99.25

![](fp0095838-3_06.jpg)

**CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM**

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-2 of our report dated February 13, 2026, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights of Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund, which are included in Form N-CSR for the year ended December 31, 2025, and to the references to our firm under the headings "Financial Highlights" and "Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm" in the Prospectus and "Allocation of Brokerage" and "Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm" in the Statement of Additional Information.

---

| |
|:---|
| /s/ COHEN & COMPANY, LTD. |
| COHEN & COMPANY, LTD. |
| Cleveland, Ohio |
| February 23, 2026 |

---

![](fp0095838-3_07.jpg)

## Exhibit 99.25

![](fp0095838-3_03.jpg)

**Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc.**

**Diamond Hill Funds**

**Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund**

**Code of Ethics**

**Statement of General Principles** 

This Code of Ethics (the "Code") has been adopted by the Diamond Hill Funds and the Diamond Hill Securitized Credit Fund (collectively, the "Funds"), and Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. ("Diamond Hill"), which serves as the investment adviser to the Funds. The adoption of this Code is in accordance with Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Company Act"), and Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"). Terms that are capitalized are defined within this document and in the Appendix.

The officers and employees of Diamond Hill owe a fiduciary duty to clients to which Diamond Hill provides investment advisory and related services, which include separate accounts, collective investment trusts ("CITs"), mutual funds, private funds, other pooled vehicles including sub-advised funds, model delivery programs, and their respective shareholders (collectively, "Clients"). In addition, the Funds' officers and trustees also owe a fiduciary duty to the Funds and their shareholders. A fiduciary duty means a duty of loyalty, fairness, good faith, and the obligation to adhere not only to the specific provisions of this Code, but also to the general principles that guide the Code and to other applicable provisions of federal securities laws ("General Principles"). The General Principles are:

● The duty to govern, which is the obligation imposed on trustees to manage the business affairs of the Funds;

● The duty of diligence, which is the standard of care to which Affiliated Persons are expected to adhere when performing the duties of their positions;

● The duty of loyalty to Clients, which requires Affiliated Persons to avoid any conflict of interest or self-dealing, and bars them from taking advantage of a business opportunity that comes to their attention only by virtue of their position(s);

● The requirement that the interests of Clients be placed before the interests of Affiliated Persons at all times;

● The requirement that all personal Securities transactions be conducted in a manner consistent with the Code and in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of an Affiliated Person's position of trust and responsibility;

● The requirement that all Affiliated Persons comply with applicable federal securities laws and all other applicable laws and governmental rules and regulations; and

● The requirement that all Affiliated Persons fully disclose all potential conflicts of interest.

![](fp0095838-3_04.jpg)

Affiliated Persons must at all times safeguard Client information by maintaining the confidentiality of Client identities, Security holdings, Security transactions, financial circumstances, and other Confidential Information. Affiliated Persons are prohibited both during and following their employment with Diamond Hill from taking, using, disclosing, distributing, or disseminating any Client Confidential Information or the Client's affiliation with the Funds: (i) for their own benefit, or (ii) for the benefit of others, including any new employer or prospective new employer.

Code of Ethics <br> Last Amended: November 1, 2025

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| ![](fp0095838-3_05.jpg) | diamond-hill.com |

---

Affiliated Persons must promptly report any violations or suspected violations of this Code to the Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO"). Additionally, Affiliated Persons may report a violation of the federal securities laws to the CCO or to the SEC as defined in Rule 21F-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If the suspected infringement violates both the Code and federal securities laws, Affiliated Persons may elect to report this violation to the CCO, SEC or both. Any retaliation for the reporting of a violation under this Code (*i.e.*, "whistleblowing") will constitute a violation of the Code.

**Section 1: Personal Investment Policies** 

At the core of Diamond Hill's business philosophy is the unwavering commitment to ensuring that Clients' interests come first, and Employees' interests are aligned with Clients. The collective investments of Employees across all Diamond Hill strategies serve as the most meaningful reflection of this alignment.

Employees are encouraged to invest in Diamond Hill strategies and adopt a long-term perspective, aligning with Diamond Hill's investment principles and prioritizing the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders. The Funds are not designed to serve as a vehicle for frequent trading, and thus, do not authorize, and use reasonable methods to discourage, short-term or excessive trading. Employees must be familiar with each Fund's Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy described in the prospectus in which they invest and must not engage in trading activity that may violate the purpose or intent of a particular Fund's Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy.

Additionally, to further align Employee investment activities with the interests of Clients, Employees are restricted from trading mutual funds classified under specific Morningstar categories in which Diamond Hill competes. By limiting trading in these funds, we reinforce our commitment to ensuring that our personal investments do not conflict with the investment strategies and objectives we implement on behalf of our Clients.

It is imperative that Employees conduct their personal trading activities with the highest regard for the General Principles to avoid any possible conflict of interest, any appearance of a conflict, or engage in activities that could lead to disciplinary action. Employees' personal Securities transactions must also comply with: (i) Diamond Hill's Insider Trading Policy, and (ii) Rule 17j-1 under the Company Act and Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act. Under these rules, no Employee may:

● Employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud a Client;

● Make a false statement of a material fact to a Client or fail to disclose a material fact, if doing so, considering the circumstances, would mislead the Client;

● Engage in any act, practice, or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon a Client; or

● Engage in any manipulative practice with respect to a Client.

**Permitted Securities – Reporting Required**

Employees are permitted to transact in the following Securities, which require reporting as outlined in Section 2:

● The Funds;

● Mutual funds for which Diamond Hill serves as the sub-adviser;

● Mutual funds (both open-end and closed-end), exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), and variable annuities except those classified in the following Morningstar Categories:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Small Value

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Mid-Cap Value

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Large Value

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Long-Short Equity

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Foreign Large Value

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Securitized Bond – Diversified

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Intermediate Core Bond

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Intermediate Core Plus Bond

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Non-Traditional Bond

Code of Ethics <br> Last Amended: November 1, 2025 Page 2

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| ![](fp0095838-3_05.jpg) | diamond-hill.com |

---

Exceptions to the Morningstar Category Restriction:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o This restriction does not apply to Diamond Hill's or a Family Member's 401(k) plans, 529 Plans,
and Health Savings Accounts (collectively referred to as "Unrestricted Plan Accounts").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Family Members investing in their current employer's mutual funds are also exempt from this restriction.

● Shares of publicly traded equity Securities issued by an Employee's or Family Member's current employer, provided they were:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Obtained through Unrestricted Plan Accounts,

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Acquired through an employee stock ownership plan ("ESOP"), or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Granted as compensation.

**Permitted Securities - Exempt from all Reporting**

Employees are permitted to transact in the following Securities, which are exempt from all reporting ("Exempt Securities"):

● Direct obligations of the US Government;

● Money market instruments (bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper, repurchase agreements, and other high quality short-term debt instruments);

● Money market mutual funds;

● Unaffiliated mutual funds offered within Unrestricted Plan Accounts;

● Mutual funds managed by a Family Member's current employer;

● Unaffiliated mutual funds offered within unit investment trusts;

● Direct investment in cryptocurrencies (*e.g.*, Bitcoin), that are not classified as "securities" by the SEC<sup>1</sup>.

**Permitted Securities - Exempt from Pre-Clearance**

All transactions conducted by Employees do not require pre-clearance, except for certain legacy Security transactions and private placement Security transactions, which must follow the pre-clearance procedures outlined in their respective sections below.

**Prohibited Securities**

Employees may *<u>not</u>* purchase any of the following Securities ("Prohibited Securities"):

● Initial public offerings, which includes initial coin offerings;

● US and non-US equities (excluding shares of Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc.), which include American depository receipts, real estate investment trusts, master limited partnerships, and business development corporations;

● Single-stock ETFs;

● US and non-US taxable fixed income Securities, excluding direct obligations of the US Government;

● Puts, calls, futures, or any other derivative on US or non-US equity and taxable fixed income Securities;

● Mutual funds (both open-end and closed-end), ETFs, and variable annuities that are in any one of the following Morningstar Categories<sup>2</sup>:

<sup>1</sup> Indirect investment in Bitcoin or other virtual cryptocurrencies through a publicly tradable security, such as a statutory trust traded in the over-the-counter market, is permitted under this Code but must be disclosed pursuant to the procedures in Section 2 below.

<sup>2</sup> For funds not categorized by Morningstar, Compliance will determine eligibility on a case-by-case basis.

Code of Ethics <br> Last Amended: November 1, 2025 Page 3

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| ![](fp0095838-3_05.jpg) | diamond-hill.com |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Small Value

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Mid-Cap Value

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Large Value

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Long-Short Equity

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Foreign Large Value

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Securitized Bond - Diversified

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Intermediate Core Bond

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Intermediate Core Plus Bond

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Non-Traditional Bond

Exceptions to the Morningstar Category Restriction:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o This restriction does not apply to Diamond Hill's or a Family Member's Unrestricted Plan Accounts.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;o Family Members investing in their current employer's mutual funds are also exempt from this restriction.

**Legacy Security Transactions**

Employees may sell a Prohibited Security that was owned prior to either commencing employment at Diamond Hill or the adoption of this revised Code if the following criteria are satisfied:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Total sale proceeds do not exceed $50,000 per trading day; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. The Security has a market capitalization in excess of $1 billion.

If an Employee wants to sell a Prohibited Security that does not meet the criteria above, they must consult with the CCO or delegate, who will determine an appropriate time for the Employee to sell the Prohibited Security to ensure that it is not within seven (7) calendar days before or after the same Security or Related Security has been executed on behalf of a Client.

**Private Placement Security Transactions**

Any purchase of a private placement Security must be pre-approved by the CCO. In connection with a private placement acquisition, the CCO will take into account, among other factors, whether: (i) the investment opportunity should be reserved for a Client; (ii) the opportunity is being offered to the Employee by virtue of the Employee's position with the Funds or Diamond Hill; and/or (iii) the investment opportunity is consistent with the overall spirit of the Code. The CCO will retain a record of any such pre-approval. If authorized, Employees must disclose any subsequent investment in the same issuer if and when it occurs. To avoid a conflict of interest, any decision to purchase Securities of the same issuer on behalf of a Client will be independently reviewed by Diamond Hill personnel who have no personal interest in the issuer.

**Disclosure of Newly-Opened Brokerage or Securities Accounts**

Employees are required to disclose any accounts that hold or have the ability to hold non-Exempt Securities. If an account can hold securities beyond Exempt Securities, it must be disclosed. For example, an Unrestricted Plan Account that only allows investments in unaffiliated mutual funds does not need to be disclosed. However, if the account can hold Diamond Hill Funds, individual stocks, or other non-Exempt Securities, it must be disclosed.

Employees must disclose their new brokerage or Securities accounts in the compliance reporting system upon opening the account, but no later than 30 days after the calendar quarter-end in which the account was opened.

Prior to opening an account, Employees should confirm with Compliance if an electronic feed has been established with the broker or custodian. If an electronic feed has not been established, Employees should consider the broker or custodian's ability to electronically send transaction and holding reports to the compliance reporting system as required in Section 2 of the Code. If electronic reporting is not possible, it is the Employee's responsibility to manually input the required disclosures in the compliance reporting system.

Code of Ethics <br> Last Amended: November 1, 2025 Page 4

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**Requests for Code Exceptions**

Employees wishing to request an exception to the provisions outlined in this Code should submit a written request to the CCO setting forth the pertinent facts and justification for the exception. The CCO will only approve such requests when it is clear beyond dispute that Client interests will not be adversely affected or compromised. Written approval from the CCO must be received before the Employee can engage in the particular activity.

**Section 2: Personal Investment Disclosures and Affirmation Procedures**

Disclosures made pursuant to the Code requirements will be maintained securely in the compliance reporting system. Access to such disclosures will be limited to members of the Compliance Team and will be reviewed by Compliance to verify compliance with the Code.

**New Employee Certification and Disclosures**

Within ten (10) days of becoming an Employee, each new Employee must:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Certify they have received, read, and understand this Code and acknowledge they are subject to it.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Disclose Security holdings in Employee Accounts, other than Exempt Securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. With respect to ownership in an account where full investment discretion has been granted to a third party
via a contract or agreement between the Employee and the third party (a "Managed Account"), disclose the account and provide
an attestation from an authorized third-party representative stating the third party has not purchased or sold Securities based on direct
or indirect influence or control from the Employee.

**Quarterly Transaction Reports**

Within 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter, each Employee must:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Disclose Employee Accounts, which includes all of the following accounts that hold Securities that are
not Exempt Securities:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a. Accounts of the Employee;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b. Accounts of the Employee's Family Members;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c. Accounts for which the Employee acts as trustee;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;d. Accounts for which the Employee has a direct or indirect interest; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;e. Any other type of account for which the Employee exercises security trading and selection discretion.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Disclose personal Security transactions conducted in an Employee Account. Employees are not required to
disclose the following Security transactions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a. In a Managed Account as long as the third party has full discretion in executing all transactions without
direct or indirect influence or control from the Employee;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b. Pursuant to an Automatic Investment Plan; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c. If the report would duplicate information contained in an electronic feed from a broker or custodian that
will be received no later than 30 days after the end of the applicable calendar quarter.

Code of Ethics <br> Last Amended: November 1, 2025 Page 5

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**Annual Certifications and Holdings Reports**

At least once in each 12-month period (generally as of December 31 of each year), each Employee must:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Certify that they have read and understand the Code and acknowledge they are subject to it.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Disclose Security holdings in Employee Accounts, other than Exempt Securities, within 45 days of each
calendar year end.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. With respect to their ownership in a Managed Account, provide within 45 days of calendar year end an attestation
from an authorized third-party representative stating the third party has full discretion in executing all transactions with no direct
or indirect influence or control from the Employee and the third party has not requested approval or direction from the Employee when
executing transactions.

**Exceptions to Reporting**

Transactions and holdings in charitable giving accounts are excluded from the above reporting requirements so long as the Employee or Family Member does not have investment discretion over the assets in the account.

**Roommate Disclosure**

Employees must disclose if they live in the same household with anyone who is not their spouse or their child and is 18 years of age or older ("Roommate"). New Employees must complete this disclosure within ten (10) days of becoming an Employee, and existing Employees have a continuous ongoing obligation to promptly disclose any new arrangement of living in the same household with a Roommate. Employees living with a Roommate must also affirm annually the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. They have not and will not disclose information to their Roommate about any Security transactions executed
or under consideration for execution on behalf of Clients;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. They are not aware of any inadvertent disclosure to their Roommate of Security transactions described
above; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. If they are aware of any Security transactions executed by their Roommate as a result of intentional or
inadvertent disclosure of Security transactions described above, they will immediately report it to the CCO.

**Reporting by Independent Trustees**

Independent Trustees must report a Security transaction to the CCO only if such trustee, at the time of that transaction, knew or, in the ordinary course of fulfilling their official duties as a trustee, should have known that, during the 15-day period immediately before or after the date of the transaction by the trustee, such Security was purchased or sold by the Funds or was being considered by the Funds or Diamond Hill for purchase or sale by the Funds.

**Compliance Monitoring and Reporting Procedures**

Compliance will review Employee trade confirmations or transactions no less frequently than quarterly, to determine whether any violations of this Code occurred and to identify any trading patterns that may be inconsistent with this Code. If any issues or concerns arise during the review of the CCO's trade confirmations or transactions, they will be escalated to the CCO's direct manager.

At least annually, the CCO will report to the Funds' board of trustees a written report describing any issues that have arisen under the Code since the last report and certifying that the adopted procedures are reasonably designed to prevent violations of the Code. The CCO will also certify to the Funds' board of trustees that the Funds and Diamond Hill have adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Employees from violating this Code. The report will identify any violations of this Code, any significant remedial action taken during the past year, and any recommended procedural or substantive changes to this Code based on the CCO's experience, evolving industry practices, or legal developments.

Code of Ethics <br> Last Amended: November 1, 2025 Page 6

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Compliance will inform the Employees of their reporting obligations, supply a copy of the Code, and receive from Employees an acknowledgement of their receipt of this Code. Compliance will cause the Funds and Diamond Hill to maintain records in the manner and to the extent set out in Rule 17j-1(f) under the Company Act and Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act.

**Section 3: Outside Business Activities and Other Disclosures**

To properly identify, manage, and mitigate potential conflicts of interest, it is necessary for Employees to disclose their Outside Business Activities and relationships to Compliance for review of any potential conflicts of interest.

**Outside Business Activity**

Employees may not engage in outside employment or other outside activity that conflicts or otherwise interferes with their duties and responsibilities at Diamond Hill. Employees are to avoid outside employment or other outside activity that competes with Diamond Hill or conflicts with the interests of Diamond Hill or its Clients.

Certain types of Outside Business Activities may create a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest. For the purposes of this Code, an "Outside Business Activity" includes any role in which an Employee receives or expects to receive income, wages, or other compensation for services performed or provided. Additionally, OBAs also encompass unpaid roles where the Employee serves in a board position (including an advisory board) or on a committee, or a management capacity at an academic institution, charitable organization, or other non-profit. These roles may involve governance responsibilities, such as hiring vendors, selecting money managers, or overseeing financial or investment accounts, either directly or indirectly.

Routine volunteer activities, where the Employee does not hold a governance or decision-making role, are not considered Outside Business Activities under this policy.

**Family Member Relationships**

Employees must disclose relationships when a Family Member or other close relative's employment, board membership, political position, or other activity could create a potential conflict or the appearance of a conflict with Diamond Hill or its Clients. The following are examples of relationships that must be disclosed:

● An Employee's spouse is employed at a firm that Diamond Hill or the Funds do business with;

● An Employee's aunt or uncle works in the C-suite or other senior position of a publicly-traded company (where they may frequently be in possession of material non-public information);

● An Employee's parent or in-law works on the sell-side trade desk at broker or dealer with which Diamond Hill executes transactions or otherwise does business;

● An Employee's child is a research analyst at an institutional consultant with which Diamond Hill does business;

● An Employee's close cousin is a trustee for a city retirement plan; or

● An Employee's sibling is directly involved in (or has oversight of) manager selection at their employer or at a charitable organization they serve.

**Policy**

Employees must disclose Outside Business Activities or family member relationships, such as those described above, that may present a potential conflict, an actual conflict, or the appearance of a conflict of interest with Diamond Hill or its Clients. To mitigate potential conflicts of interest, Diamond Hill may impose specific conditions or limitations on an Employee's Outside Business Activity or where circumstances warrant, prohibit the activity outright.

Code of Ethics <br> Last Amended: November 1, 2025 Page 7

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**Disclosure Procedure**

Within ten (10) days of becoming an Employee, each new Employee must disclose any Outside Business Activities or family member relationships in the compliance reporting system.

Employees have a continuous ongoing obligation to promptly disclose any new Outside Business Activity or family member relationship. An Outside Business Activity must be approved by the Employee's manager and Compliance prior to commencement. In addition, Employees will be required to review and confirm their disclosed Outside Business Activities and family member relationships on an annual basis.

Employees are prohibited from serving on the boards of directors of: (1) publicly-traded companies unaffiliated with Diamond Hill, and (2) not-for-profit organizations where the Employee acts in any investment-related capacity (*i.e.,* any direct or indirect role relating to providing investment advice or choosing investment advisers) without prior approval from the Employee's manager and the CCO.

The CCO or the CCO's delegate will monitor and evaluate all Employee disclosures to determine if the disclosed activity or relationship could create a conflict of interest with Diamond Hill or Clients. The CCO will also evaluate the materiality of any conflicts to determine if it requires:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Additional policies and procedures to mitigate or manage the conflict; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Disclosure to Clients.

**Section 4: Sanctions**

Strict compliance with the provisions of the Code is a condition of employment. Any violation of this Code by an Employee may result in disciplinary action, which may include, but is not limited to, unwinding of trades, warnings, monetary fines or censures, suspension of personal trading privileges, and suspension or termination of employment. In addition, Employees must disgorge and donate to a selected charity of their choice all profits realized on transactions prohibited by this Code, including transactions in Prohibited Securities that are required to be unwound, except for de minimis profits of less than $20. Repeated offenses will likely subject an Employee to additional sanctions of increasing severity.

**Section 5: Training**

On an annual basis, Compliance will conduct Employee training to inform Employees about, and help ensure compliance with, the requirements of this Code.

Code of Ethics <br> Last Amended: November 1, 2025 Page 8

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**Appendix - Definitions**

<u>Affiliated Persons</u>: An employee, officer, or trustee of the Funds or an employee or officer of Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc.

<u>Beneficial Interest</u>: Ownership or any benefits of ownership, including the opportunity to directly or indirectly profit or otherwise obtain financial benefits from any interest in a Security.

<u>Broker</u>: Any person or organization engaged in the business of effecting transactions in Securities for the account of others.

<u>CCO</u>: The Chief Compliance Officer of Diamond Hill and the Funds, including any such designee(s) of the CCO.

<u>Compliance:</u> The compliance team for Diamond Hill.

<u>Confidential Information</u>: Includes but is not limited to: (1) any Client information that is not already public information, (2) any Employee personal, financial, or employment data, (3) any non-public investment research information obtained or derived (data or written), and (4) any other corporate information not already disclosed on the Diamond Hill's web site or in other public filings.

<u>Cryptocurrency</u>: Any virtual or digital representation of value, token or other asset in which encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of such assets and to verify the transfer of assets, which is not a Security or otherwise characterized as a security under federal securities laws.

<u>Independent Trustees</u>: Trustees who are not interested persons of the Funds, as defined in the Company Act and whose affiliation with the Funds is solely by reason of being a trustee of the Funds.

<u>Employees</u>: The officers of the Funds and the employees and officers of Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. All Employees are considered to have access to non-public information regarding a Fund's purchase or sale of securities and its portfolio holdings and are, therefore, considered ("Access Persons"), as that term is defined in Rule 17j-1 under the Company Act.

<u>Employee Account</u>: Each account in which an Employee or Family Member has any direct or indirect Beneficial Interest or over which such person exercises control or discretion, including but not limited to any joint account, partnership, corporation, trust, or estate. Employee Accounts do not include accounts in which an Employee's Family Member exercises investment discretion in a fiduciary capacity for the benefit of others who are not considered Family Members as defined in this paragraph.

<u>Family Member</u>: Includes immediate family members living in the same household and any other relative of the Employee (including in-laws) to whose support an Employee directly or indirectly contributes or who the Employee exercises discretion on securities transactions.

<u>Initial Coin Offering</u>: Initial coin offerings, virtual tokens offerings, virtual coin offerings (also called ICOs, virtual coins or token sales) are digital assets used by individuals or entities to raise capital. In return a purchaser receives certain rights, ranging from access to a future service once launched to rights to future profits. Virtual coins or tokens are purchased with either traditional currencies or virtual currencies. After they are issued, virtual coins or tokens may be resold to others in a secondary market.

<u>Managed Account</u>: An account where full investment discretion has been granted to a third party via a contract or agreement between the Employee and the third party.

Code of Ethics <br> Last Amended: November 1, 2025 Page 9

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<u>Security</u>: Any note, stock, treasury stock, security future, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement, collateral-trust certificate, pre-organization certificate or subscription, transferable share, investment contract, voting-trust certificate, certificate of deposit for a security, fractional undivided interest in oil, gas or other mineral rights, any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on any security (including a certificate of deposit) or on any group or index of securities (including any interest therein or based on the value thereof), or any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege entered into on a national securities exchange relating to foreign currency, or, in general, any interest or instrument commonly known as a "security", or any certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, guarantee of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase any of the foregoing.

<u>Related Security</u>: Securities issued by the same issuer or issuer under common control, or when either security gives the holder any contractual rights with respect to the other security, including options, warrants or other convertible securities.

Code of Ethics <br> Last Amended: November 1, 2025 Page 10